It had been three years since the a cursed summer solstice. The night when villagers would lock all the doors and windows no matter how suffocating the heat and sprinkle salt and iron around the entrances. They said that the Princess had been kidnapped, spirited away by her jilted lover and now lay asleep at the heart of the Labyrinth, doomed to wake a hundred years from now.
Few men tried to get her now she was finally in the Goblin King's clutches and fewer still even made it to the wild lands. Apparently those who even made it to the Labyrinth were struck down within thirteen hours of setting foot in the a cursed place.
The crown Prince, (A hefty lad, according to the stable master) was the only hope left for the Kingdom, and it was expected that by the time he was sixteen, that he would lead an army second to none and trample down the walls of the Labyrinth so that he and his sister would reunite again.
Deep in the depths of the Goblin City's dungeons a lowly dwarf, a dishonoured knight and a seriously confused rock caller prayed for that day.
Glass crunched beneath his boots like discarded eggshells. The broken shards had shredded the fabric hanging by mere threads from the once domed ceiling. The chandelier had already crashed to the ground, it's countless crystals mingling with the glass on the floor, glinting cruelly in the half light.
It was almost comforting to see something in the same state as his heart.
The mangled bodies of dancers were strewn across the floor. Some lying halfway across the stairs caught in the act of fleeing, others barely peeking out from the rubble.
Although Sarah wasn't there, she wasn't awake either, but she would be soon and he would have to face her.
How interesting, The fae pondered as he surveyed the room. She did not try save them at all. She had left them to die, just as she had left him.
The Goblin King's foot collided with a grotesque mask mimicking one of his subjects, which slid along the floor, before coming to a halt just inside a crumbling alcove.
The alcove.
Where both his and her dreams should have finally come true. If he had had his time again he would have done it all differently. He would have gotten rid of the dancers. He wouldn't have waited months and months. He should have taken her the moment he was able to enter her dreams.
But instead he had complied to her whims and fancies, just as he always had.
Stooping to pick up the mask before his fingers brushed against something else.
Sifting through the wreckage he held aloft a familiar item in his hands.
A riding crop.
The line of his mouth firmed with determination.
Fine.
If he could not rule her and have her happy, then the Goblin King would just have to take what was rightfully his by force.
The world had fallen down and he would rise from the ashes.
When Hoggle's grandpape had been in his final days, he had called the young dwarf over to his bed and said, "Hoggle, one day, yers gonna get old an yer bones an yer muscles are gonna ache more than ya will believe but the one thing that'll make it worth it is a very special girl."
The old dwarf had died not long after, his final words to Hoggle being his extra special salad recipe.
Over the years Hoggle had found that his grandpa's words had been right. A special girl had come along. He had cared about Sarah like nobody else in his life and was almost like a daughter to him, except dwarves can't have human children.
For biology reasons.
He was also right about the aching although he doubted that his grandpa had meant "yer bones and yer muscles are gonna ache 'cause some rat o' a King beats yer face inta a mushed up pulp every time the little missy upsets him."
At least Hoggle hoped not.
That kind of put a negative spin on old age for him as he had been fully planning on relaxing, maybe eating a pickled cucumber or two and grumbling whenever something was not going his way.
He still did the grumbling occasionally but because Didymus hadn't been doing much of it, it became quite dull.
Of course they wouldn't be in the dungeons in the first place if they had stayed at home, but Didymus had convinced them all that because they had all once lived in the Labyrinth, they would have a better shot than anyone else at saving Sarah.
He had been incredibly wrong, as it so turned out, the Goblin King had been waiting for one good reason to toss them all in a pit.
A pit with incredibly dank, slimy walls and a constant dripping sound whose source was yet to be located.
The dampness made Hoggle's joints creak and ache even more but he hadn't said anything just incase the King decided to throw them into the bog instead.
It hadn't really helped when the King found out that it was Hoggle's fault the Princess was in that state because of him either.
"Cor, I hope that rat Jareth don' come down today," Hoggle told Didymus, whose snout was looking particularly grey today (the chunks of fur that were left that was. Although his frail skin had turned a rather sickly shade of grey too now Hoggle squinted), "I don know how much more o' this I can take."
The knight's one good eye stared dully at him.
"Agreed my brother," his said in a horse rasp, "but we must remain vigilant, for our Lady."
Ludo moaned through his gag from his corner, his chains clanking against the stone. No doubt all his moving had made the oozing angry sores on his wrists even worse.
Not that things could get any worse.
At the scraping sound of the door against the floor all eyes swivelled to the entrance. Light priced the darkness of the cell, the outline of King's slender, aristocratic form leant against the frame, a riding crop dangling in one hand.
Hoggle had not yet been hit with a riding crop but deduced it would probably be better than the plank of wood with rusty nails sticking out of it from last week.
The heels of the King's boots rang out across the walls. He didn't bother shutting the door behind him, which had always annoyed the dwarf because he felt like it would let even more of a draft in.
"Good morning gentlemen!" The Goblin King said in a way that was entirely to cheerful.
Didymus snarled.
The King covered his mouth in mock surprise, lying a hand over his heart as if Didymus had mortally wounded him. Goggle wished someone would mortally wound him so they could just get out of the bloody dungeon.
"Oh come now Sir Didymus." He tsked, "After all your years of service to me? Don't be this way."
The King spun on his heel turning to face Ludo.
"And you rock caller," he said, pointing his crop like a conductor of a not so amazing orchestra at the poor creature, "How are you faring on this glorious day?"
Hoggle growled in frustration while Ludo groaned again, pulling at his chains. Why was the rat pulling this out for so long? Couldn't he just beat them all up and be done with it?
The King nodded as if he understood Ludo's pitiful moan.
"I am not faring well either my friend. Do you wish to know why?"
Ludo's head tilted with some curiosity. What ever the Goblin King's devious mind was planning, Hoggle hoped with all his heart it would fail.
The King leant casually against the wall beside Ludo, producing a crystal from thin air. Hoggle clenched his hands. Show off.
Spinning the crystal back and forth the King sighed.
"Ludo, I've made a terrible mistake."
Ludo's brow crumpled. It was almost as if he was asking what had happened.
"It's all because of your lovely friend Sarah you see."
Ludo moaned at the sound of Sarah's name, causing the rocks to tremble a little in the walls.
"Now, now," The King reprimand, "None of that. I've not done anything to her." The word 'yet' seemed to ring through the air. At least to Hoggle it did. Then again, he may have burst his eardrums screaming again.
"I merely wish to tell you something the others clearly haven't."
The Goblin King sent Hoggle a dark wink that made his gut boil.
"To put it simply, Sarah is not your friend."
The King waited until the rock caller had stopped wailing until he starting speaking again, brushing some grit off his shoulder.
"No, Sarah is not your friend. At least not the Sarah I have here in the castle." The King leant in further to whisper in Ludo's ear like they were sharing a secret, showing him the depths of the crystal. "It's just that Sarah, our Sarah, would never just leave her friends to go and live in some fancy castle, would she?"
"But Sire!" Interrupted Sir Didymus with a feeble croak, "T'was milady's duty to go to the palace." Ludo let out a small confused moan.
"Quite right, quite right." Agreed the King, "She," He gestured at the crystal with his whip, "convinced you that it was her duty through that magic mirror of hers. Of course you believed her, it was a strong enchantment after all, but I know the truth. Our Sarah would stay with her friends. You see that girl in the crystal? She's not Sarah. She's just a deceitful liar pretending to be our Sarah. I believe she has our Sarah trapped somewhere where my magic cannot reach her but before I could find out where, the little witch turned violent and I was forced to put her in an enchanted sleep."
Ludo nodded to show he understood and it was all Hoggle could do to stop himself for screaming liar until he was blue in the face. Actually he was already blue in the face. It wasn't his fault he bruised like a peach!
The King continued, "At any rate, the enchantment is about to wear off and if she starts wandering around the castle I fear she may convince some of my subjects that she is the real Sarah and then convince them to try over through me. Of course the only reason I locked the three of you up in the first place was because I believed you were loyal to this treacherous snake but I realise my mistake so now, I am going to set you free."
Hoggle wasn't buying any of this goblin crap but he could see Didymus's one good eye narrowed thoughtfully and Ludo was drinking it up.
"That is incredibly noble of you Sire." Sir Didymus said slowly, inclining his head. King Jareth smiled a predatory smile, flicking the crystal away into nothingness.
"Isn't it just? All I ask is for one thing in return." He turned back to Ludo, "I need you to guard the chit's room until she awakens then guild her up the stair case. In the room up there, I have laid a trap. I will trap the wench and force her to tell me where the real Sarah is. I will bring her back to us and then you can visit her whenever you wish. Only do as I say and you will have proved your loyalty to me and to the Princess Sarah."
After Ludo's chains clanked open, the King turned to leave, pausing at the door.
"I warn you though rock caller. Sarah is not your friend. This not Sarah will try and convince you that she is Sarah. Do not fall for her lies."
Once Ludo had left the door shut on the two remaining prisoners with a resounding slam.
"My brother," whispered Sir Didymus, "Why do I feel we are facing more danger now than when ever we have faced one of the King's blackest moods."
"I don know." Hoggle hissed back, "But I have a feeling that it could all get a lot worse."
At first, there was light.
Sarah grinned at this. Hoggle had been right when she had told him history repeats itself. Except this wasn't a strange crystal light, but rather a soft yellow glow shedding from the stained glass window.
She rubbed the sleep from her eyes while simultaneously attempting to stretch her back. She had no idea where she was, so part of her thought about panicking, but the bedchamber had a relaxing quality to it.
Although Sarah's joints ached and there was an odd thick taste in her mouth but she was rested and felt lighter than she ever had in the ballroom. Gods, she felt like she'd slept for a thousand years, she thought as she rolled onto her stomach.
Looking about the extremely unfamiliar room, she might as well have. At right Sarah, she told herself firmly pulling her hair away from her face, there is no need to panic. You are going to make your way to the door over there and find someone who can tell you what's going on.
Slipping off the bed, she wobbled uncertainly on her feet for a moment (her muscles were still waking up) before padding across the animal skin covered floor.
Sarah hesitated uncertainly for a moment at the door, tucking her hair behind her ear anxiously. What if everyone she loved was dead? What if Jareth was waiting for her on the other side of the door, only to slam it in her face and laugh? What if the door was locked?
"Well you are never going to know if you don't even try!" She told herself sternly, twisting the handle and flinging the door open.
Standing in front of the door was not the fae she feared but instead but a familiar face.
"Ludo!" She exclaimed, leaping towards her old friend arms out stretched. Then Ludo did something he'd never done to Sarah before in his life. He growled at her.
"Ludo?" Sarah asked, faltering. It was Ludo wasn't it? Sure his fur fur was the same colour, but it was matted and what appeared to be arrow heads were tangled in it. The fur that was left at least, as clumps of it had fallen out to show red welts raising from his poor skin. His face was a horrible mess of mottled bruises and one of his teeth had become jagged and snapped off.
"Ludo?" She asked again more slowly. "It's me, your friend. It's Sarah."
Ludo snarled again, taking a great, lumbering step forward, forcing Sarah to take a hurried five steps back to keep a safe distance away.
"Sar-wah NOT Ludo's fwiend." He growled, taking another step forward. Sarah panicked slightly, looking about to see if there was away she could escape. On the left there was a narrow stair case that she knew he wouldn't be able to squeeze into. If she had to, she would run that way.
"Ludo, w-what are you talking about? Of course we're friends! Remember when I was born and your gift to me was that we would be friends? And remember when I was five and I couldn't skip rocks across the water so you called to them? Remember how I was frighten of thunder storms because I thought the Goblin King would come and take me away for being naughty, so I would sleep with you?"
Ludo paused scratching his head for a moment.
"Why you... leave us Sar-wah? Ludo miss you." He sniffled slightly, wrinkling his forehead in a way that made Sarah want to laugh and cry. She felt like her heart was going to burst.
"Oh Ludo," She sighed, "I'm sorry I had to go. But you still got to see me through the mirror didn't you?"
Ludo's face darken viciously and he started growling again.
"Sar-wah NOT Ludo's fwiend."
Ludo gave him one last fleeting look at her friend before rushing to the stair case. She heard Ludo loudly wail behind her and the ground trembled beneath her feet as the rocks collapsed on the archway behind her.
Bending down, Sarah picked up one of the rocks and gave it a quick kiss, hoping Ludo would sense it.
"I'll help you Ludo. Somehow. I promise."
Setting her eyes determinedly on the staircase, she figured there was only one way to go.
Up.
He could tell the moment she was awake. And could sense her the moment she stepped into the room. The room meant to confuse and keep her off balance until she bent to his will.
Gods above she was close enough to smell. He found it incredibly amusing that she smelt of his bed-sheets instead of the forest or whatever perfuming the castle had been using to mask her scent.
How would she react now he had begun to cut her friends off. He smirked. She would be furious. Oh, the thought of her passion was enough to elicit shivers. No doubt all that energy could be put to good use... Soon enough.
He considered the events of the Ballroom. It also seemed she was crueler than what he had been expecting. His own fault for underestimating her and placing her high on the shining innocent pedestal as the virginal maiden type. He hadn't really intended on acting like such a besotted fool. No matter. They were nearing the end now and she would be his, just as always planned.
Sarah pattered up the stairs as quickly as her sluggish legs would carry her.
"Come on feet!" she urged, hoisting her dress a little higher, "Not much further and then we can find a way home."
But where was home? It certainly wasn't at the castle, yet after Ludo had just acted so aggressive she was uncertain about returning to her friends there either.
Oh dear.
Craning her neck, Sarah could just about glimpse an archway at the top of the staircase. Pushing all thoughts out of her head she hurried on.
She had finally made it to the top, hunched over from lack of breath and feet scrapped and battered from the rough sand stone, she sensed him.
Jareth.
It was a weird tingling sensation, as if someone had stuck their fingers into her head and wriggled around just behind her eyes, followed by the feeling of her stomach free falling. It was all to strange for her liking.
Sarah straightened up and toppled onto the ground almost straight away, her head swimming from the vertigo. It was the cool floor she could feel pressing into her cheek, wasn't it? Or was it the ceiling? Or a wall?
None of it made sense!
"I've been expecting you."
She gaped up at the fae man grinning smugly above her. Slowly coming to her hands and knees, Sarah tried to lean most of her weight against one of the walls to stop herself from buckling, but with a whoosh of air, found herself breathless, on her back and staring at the room from a whole new angle.
The sound of footsteps echo through out the room and through the cracks of her eyes, Sarah could barely make out a pair of boots coming to halt by her face.
"It could all be so easy Sarah." He said, lounging suavely against a step close to her. "All I ask is that you fear me, love me and do as I say. Is that so hard? Couldn't you imagine yourself here? As my Queen?"
"Queen, queen, queen." The room echoed, piercing Sarah's mind like a thorn. It almost sounded like goblins were chanting.
Sarah felt a groan escape her lips. She could do this. All she had to do was banish him from her side and she and her friends would be free.
"And what Goblin King?" She asked snidely, "Spend eternity surrounded by bumbling goblin's for subjects? Have the chance torment innocent creatures and turn them against their friends everyday."
She snorted, pushing herself off the ground and straightening a crease out of her dress without sparing him so much as a glance. "No thank-you."
From the corner of her eye her, Sarah watched the Goblin King shook his head tauntingly.
"Why Sarah, my pet." He pushed off from the step easily, leaning to whisper against her neck. "What about ruling by my side? The chance to never have a care in the world again. To be beloved by a whole Kingdom. Never having to do anything you don't want. Your friends at your beck and call." His gloved fingertips rubbed soothingly at her shoulders, "A loving and devoted husband. Friends will abandon you. The dwarf poisoned you with that peach. The beast was willing to crush you under a pile of stone," He spat venomously, "and as for your little knight... Well," The Goblin King spreads leather clad arms wide, gesturing to the whole upside down room. "Is he here now? Friends. Ha. They will not last, but I. I will be by your side forever." An unwanted shudder came at the feeling of his curling around her hips, drawing her backwards against the firmness of his chest. "And look at what I'm willing to offer. All your dreams Sarah." He breathed lazily against her neck, "Don't you want them?"
As much as that sounded good, she had a duty. Besides, Jareth had let her down on her dreams before. She wasn't going to fall for it again.
"Hm," Sarah shrugged off his hold, flicking her hair over her shoulder for good measure, smiling down at him, "and what if the offer is unappealing?"
Jareth smiled back hungrily, taking in all the subtle movements. His tongue ran along the points of his teeth.
"Impossible, I know you..." He took a step closer so she could practically feel the heat rolling off him, "I know what you want."
Sarah felt a challenging smirk rise to her lips.
"You think I want you?" She scoffed, rolling her eyes.
She wouldn't have to keep this act up much longer. Sooner or later she was going to slip up. Just remember the words and she was free. What had Hoggle taught her? For my will is as strong as yours and my Kingdom as great. You hold no power here. No... Not quite. Oh, what was it? What was it? What was it?
Jareth's eyes narrowed dangerously, and he took a step forward. Instinct told her to take a step back and she balanced uneasily on an edge she hadn't noticed before. It only took a glance to know that if she fell, then she wouldn't be getting back up again. A jolt of fear ran through her. What were those words? You have no power at all? No, that wasn't it either.
"Don't you? That's puzzling. I suppose," He said with a sigh, "I'll just have to keep you here until you agree with my terms."
Sarah felt a crazed, nervous laugh ripple in her throat but let it out with more confidence than she felt.
"I guess I'm going to die of starvation then." She bluffed, crossing her arms across her chest.
She watched the Goblin King tense.
"I'll bring you food." He countered with a snarl.
"I wouldn't eat a single bite. I'd tip it over the edge." She said, turning up her nose, "I've said it once before and I will say it again Goblin King, I would rather die than spend an eternity with a man I don't love."
Jareth look darkened until she could barely recognise him "You don't love me now," He said slowly, "but you will." He promised. Sarah tilted her head to the side, regarding him with a calculating look. How could she have ever felt for this man? Why did she still feel for this man? What were the words?
"For my will is as strong as yours" She murmured, ignoring his advances. She needed to concentrate. "and my Kingdom is as great..."
"Sarah..." He said warningly. She ignored him, continuing with his banishment from her life.
"Jareth, King of the Goblins, royalty amongst fae. You are my equal in will, kingdom and power. You shall not best me, not even through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered."
Jareth lashed forward to grab her, to stop her from saying the final line. Sarah darted out of his way, swaying a minuscule amount. Just enough for her to slip.
Her eyes widened with panic as her feet lost grip from rough stone. Time seemed to slowed down to a stop as she locked eyes with Jareth, his hand desperately clutching at thin air.
"You have no power over me." Sarah whispered as the world fell down again, the ground rushing to meet her.
He did not have power over her, but power over his castle, yes. He flung his arms out to her and slowed down time and gravity, for her. For her he would do anything. It would be his final act of kindness towards her. His final act towards her at all considering her words. He would never be able to get back into her life again.
For a moment, he considered letting her fall and perish. At least he would have her then... But, no. No. It would not be worth it, he thought resolvedly. For her, as always, The Goblin King would be generous.
Instead of landing on the ground with a crack, she floated and landed softly on her feet in her home, surrounded by her friends.
It cost him his castle, but for what it was worth, he would do it again.
The Goblin King watched the only girl he'd loved disappear with a shower of silver.
With a howl, he landed on his knees, watching parts of his castle float by like building blocks.
His castle would take months to rebuild. His heart however...
He ignored the goblin that floated passed after a very puzzled chicken.
His heart would not be so easy.
Sarah looked around her. She was back in her room. In the castle... But only a second ago, she'd been... How strange...
She must must have blinked but with an umph and a small cloud of silver glitter, Ludo and Didymus landed on her bed. Both appeared a little worse for wear but they were free and that was all that mattered.
Except... Her heart hammered in her throat. They weren't all together.
Where was her beloved Hoggle?
A large groan and a pair of waving fist told her that Ludo was in fact sitting on him.
Laughing, Sarah ran faster than she'd ever run in her life and pounced on the three.
"I've missed you so much." She felt a sob choke up her throat and let it all go. She cried because she was happy to be safe and with her friends. She cried because she was so confused she thought her head would explode. She cried because she'd lost Jareth.
A/N: And that is a rap everyone.
Well done for sticking through it. Many thanks to those who left reviews and I will see you all around sometime for the epilogue.
Tying up all the loose ends and everything.
It still won't be happy.
But still better than the ending where I just let Sarah fall to her death and then swapped to Jareth's POV where he held the dying Sarah in his arms but couldn't do anything because he had no power over her.
That would be anti-climactic and like, how would Jareth break it to the Kingdom that he let Sarah die?
"Oh, um yeah, I'm sorry everyone. She was sleep walking! There was nothing I could do! They told me never to wake a sleep walker so I just let her fall!"
Haha, yes. Exactly like that.
