Chapter 5

Im getting a bit bored with this story, I just realised that I'm writing a load of rubbish! Thanks for your reviews you keep me going you lovely people. I do not own Labyrinth etc etc.

Yes I must admit when thinking of a name for the healer/ Mr Brime I was surprised that Toronto suddenly popped into my head but there we are. For those of you who didn't know Toronto is a cosmopolitan city in Canada. Why I picked that name I have no idea! It's not even like I live in Canada! I live in England! Ooooh a little bit of personal info slipped out there, so stalk me!

Thanks to notwritten who told me the proper spelling is actually Fae but since I've already written it a couple of time I think I'll just continue to use fey.D

Here we go then... Chapter 5. Warning- language may get pretty bad

Lunching with Jareth in his room certainly was an experience for Sarah. The food was delicious but the conversation was rather tense and awkward. The Goblin King sat across from her his long legs draped over the arm of the large armchair he was sitting in.

"So...Sarah tell me how's young Toby?"

"Toby? He's fine, really grown up." Sarah glanced up from inspecting her arm. "He remembers you, you know. Even though he's nearly 17."

"Sixteen" Jareth said thoughtfully thinking of the small boy in the striped pyjamas who had danced with his Goblins in the throne room. "Moody teenager?" Sarah smiled and shook her head.

"He's a surprisingly polite and pleasant young man. The girls find him charming." She stretched out her arm by her side and winced slightly at the small ache of pain. "I haven't seen him in a while actually so I suppose he could have become a bit moody but I doubt it. He's so good natured."

"Has he inherited your love for all things mystical and unbelievable?" Jareth raised an eyebrow and adjusted one of his gloves.

"Sadly no, every night I used to read him fairytales, or make them up myself, beautiful damsels in distress, witches and wizards that terrorized great cities, and knights who were brilliant and brave and true. As soon as he was old enough to get into 'Action man' he grew tired of my stories and was put to bed by Karen reading football skill books to him or 'Thomas the Tank Engine'."

"Shame" Jareth sighed. "These days so few people really believe in magic." Sarah nodded and watched as Jareth called Demetria to take away the now empty trays on which their lunch had arrived.

"So what now?" Sarah asked grinning. She and the Goblin King were getting on better than she had ever hoped, she just hoped that something didn't happen to spoil it.

Demetria put a hand on her arm. "Why don't we get you cleaned up and into some clean clothes." She suggested. Sarah looked down at her dust stained outfit dirtied from her fall from the horse and nodded. Following Demetria from the room Jareth called after them. "Meet me in my office when you're done."



Sarah took her second bath of the day while Demetria choose yet another outfit from the wardrobe. She could feel the hot water soothe away all her aches as she slid under the water and resurfaced gasping. "Do you know what His Majesty is going to show me?" she called to Demetria smiling at how it had sounded and giggling as she blew bubbles off her hands.

"I have a vague idea but I'm not telling, you almost done?"

"Yeah I'll be right out." Sarah called back stepping out the bath and shivering as she wrapped a towel around herself. Re entering the room she found her clothes cleaned and folded neatly on the bed.

"I'll leave you to change." Demetria said and disappeared. Once in the clean clothes Sarah sat in front of the mirror at the dressing table and started brushing out her still slightly damp hair. She heard a knock on the door and called out "Come in" without turning around.

Sarah gasped as she saw the Goblin King's handsome face watching her in the reflection, turning around quickly she put a hand over her heart. "You scared me" she whispered as he raised an eyebrow.

"Am I that terrifying?" Sarah shook her head "Sorry to disturb you but we have to hurry." Taking her hand he pulled her to her feet. "It's rather lucky that you broke your arm as something rather special has happened." Jareth smiled slightly "Follow me." He strode from the room and down the sweeping staircase with Sarah behind him. Curiously Sarah followed him concentrating on his gloved hand still clasping her hers.

Letting go of her hand to Sarah's slight disappointment Jareth stopped in front of a short, very furry goblin. "How long has it been?" he asked looking down at the goblin.

"Nine hours and she's still in the outer layer sir."

"Excellent." He said conjuring a crystal and holding in it in his hand causing it to grow to double its size. Beckoning Sarah to follow him he went into his office and sat down on one of the sofas. Patting the seat next to him he gazed into the crystal. "Nine hours ago a young girl wished away a small child." Still gazing intently into the crystal he didn't notice the blood drain from Sarah's face as she looked into the crystal.

A young girl, she couldn't have been older than 16, was looking bewildered as she stumbled down a path in the Labyrinth. Her face was streaked with tears and dirt as she called out desperately for someone, anyone to help her. "Watch this" he smirked still not looking up from the crystal as he handed it to Sarah and disappeared.

That poor, poor girl! Sarah thought in distress as she watched helplessly as the girl stumbled and crashed into the wall. Sarah saw a familiar figure holding out a gloved hand helping her to her feet.

"Lucinda, Lucinda, Lucinda!" The Goblin King shook his head and placing an arm against the wall and leaning down so his face was close to hers. "The clock is ticking Lucinda and you're not even a quarter of the way through. I expected more." The Goblin King smirked down at her, his eyes glinting cruelly as she visibly swallowed. Sarah sat in his office stunned.

"Please!" gulped the girl "Please just give me back Rachel. She's only three. You can have me instead; I'll do anything but please let her go!" Bursting into tears she collapsed to the ground so she was sitting at the Goblin King's leather booted feet. "Please!" she begged. Tossing back his blond mane he laughed coldly.



"Why on earth would I want you? If you do not complete the Labyrinth in the next four hours your sister will be changed into a Goblin" he sneered "Doesn't that sound nice?" Lucinda wailed her whole body shaking yet the Goblin King just looked on disdainfully.

Not wanting to witness anymore Sarah flung the crystal away from her causing it to shatter against the wall. The bastard! She thought with a sob. That absolute jerk! How could he do that to her? Kicking over a chair and sobbing she ran from his office, up the stairs and into her room, slamming the door shut behind her.

If I had been like that, If I had failed to get so far through the Labyrinth is that how he would have treated me? Sarah wiped her eyes. What makes him think he has the right to treat people like that? Feeling her anger taking over she spun to face the door on which there had just been a gentle knock.

Jareth had returned to find his office empty and the floor littered with shattered glass. Uh oh Jareth thought as he climbed the stairs and knocked lightly on her door practically feeling her rage radiate from behind the wood as she spat out "Come in."

Opening the room cautiously he saw Sarah standing, hair wild and body tense and trembling as she gave him the most powerful glare he had ever experienced. Shutting the door behind him Jareth observed her calmly. "Are you going to tell me why you destroyed my crystal and left my office in chaos?"

Sarah clenched her teeth still glaring at him. Did you ever care for me or was it just an attempt to distract me from my goal? She thought squaring up to him and setting her jaw. Is the only reason you're keeping me here so you can reclaim complete power? Unaware of her thoughts Jareth raised his eyebrows enquiringly which only served to infuriate her more.

"You bastard" Sarah growled angrily "What the hell was that!?" Frowning Jareth came further into the room crossing his arms over his chest. "How could you treat Lucinda that way, how can you treat anyone that way?"

"If you hadn't noticed that is my job." A note of anger wove its way into his voice and his eyes grew harder. "Every time a foolish mortal wishes away a child I take it and make them run the Labyrinth, you of all people should know that precious thing" he sneered mockingly. "And yet do I ever get any thanks for my troubles? No."

"Don't talk down to me like I'm an idiot" she hissed back "How are we 'mortals' as you call us supposed to know that a real flesh and blood monster is going to snatch our children away just because of a few words said in anger?"

"Are we talking about Lucinda here or you?" unfolding his arms he stalked closer to her and narrowed his eyes.

Ignoring him Sarah stepped back and away from him not realising he had her backed up against the wall. "If I hadn't stood up to you and fought my way through quite as successfully is that how you would have treated me? The same as I saw you treat that poor girl back there?"

Putting his hands on his hips and tilting his head to the side he seemed to consider her question while still glaring at her. Sarah was slightly shocked "You would have, wouldn't you? She demanded.

"Really Sarah, you have to stop thinking that everything is about you." He growled harshly leaving Sarah speechless, well not speechless, but still faintly alarmed as she noticed him towering over her. "You're a cruel, heartless man...fey...whatever." Jareth tossed back his head haughtily unimpressed by her feeble insults



"How could you have said what you said while all the time you were thinking of nothing but winning against me and taking Toby" Sarah hissed. "Love me, fear me and I will be your slave. Isn't that what you said, or something similar? It's bullshit! You call yourself a King and yet you're stuck in this dingy castle amusing yourself by bullying and taunting..."

Feeling that she had ranted on long enough Jareth slammed a hand past her head onto the wall and leaned in closer so that their faces were inches apart. Flinching at the noise by her ear her argument came to a halt abruptly as she found her vision filled with him. She felt her heart racing in her chest and her breathing became ragged as she gazed into his eyes which were burning with anger.

"Let's get a few things straight Sarah." He growled putting his other hand up on the wall on the other side of her head so she was trapped. "Firstly, no matter whether you or anyone else really means it they still say the words. They wish away children and for longer than I can remember I have always been there to take them but you" he paused "and by that I mean humans generally, always want what you can't have. People have tried every trick in the book to get their children back and when I was younger and my heart softer I occasionally let them have their children back if they look broken hearted enough." Sarah's eyes widened and the kings narrowed "But a few months, weeks or maybe just days later I would be called back and once again they would moan and cry. I got pretty tired of it and that was why I created the Labyrinth so if they wanted their children back they had to fight for them."

Sarah started to say something but he pressed a finger to her lips and she felt her body freeze.

"Secondly, you have no idea of how she really feels for that child however I know the truth." Taking his finger away from her lips and returning his hand to the wall he sighed. "That's not her sister or niece or some brat she's been asked to babysit it's her daughter. Lucinda ran away from home in fear of what her parents could say and now she's living alone in a dodgy apartment with her drug abusing boyfriend who hits her child while she stands by and watches. Now tell me Sarah is that a fit environment for a child to grow up in? If by taking Rachel it means she'll have a better life, even if she is a Goblin, and her mother will return to her family where she belongs is it such a terrible thing for me not wanting her to complete the Labyrinth?" he paused "Is it?"

Sarah shook her head weakly amazed to see this compassionate side of Jareth.

"Thirdly and lastly" he lowered his mouth to her ear and spoke softly "Of course I never would have treated you that way, as hard as it may be to believe now I did have feelings for you. You can deny it all you like but that won't change what is already said and done so I think it's best if you get over it."

Sarah could feel his warm breath against her ear and felt shivers fun up and down her spine.

"I'm not as heartless as you think." Pulling his head back he looked into Sarah's face once more and releasing her from the prison he had made with his arms he stepped back. Sarah's heart was still racing but at least now she could breathe freely again.

"I'll see you at dinner." He said simply then grinned "By the way you look adorable when you're angry."

He disappeared leaving Sarah rooted to the spot in shock. I think my heart just exploded or my brain melted she thought collapsing on her bed.



Yes rather rambling I'm sorry but it's 1.20 in the morning and my brain isn't working properly.

Review! Your delightful reviews are my fuel! Also I need helpful comments on how to improve not that I don't love your lovely comments praising me but I have a terrible feeling this may be bull.