The Moon Mad King
By WhiteInfinity21
Disclaimer: I don't own the Labyrinth.
Chapter 2- Year two, Second Moon
"Sarah," Jareth groaned imagining the gentle, silken caress of his outspoken and whimsical lover. Her touches, even imaginary ones, always spread fire in the wake of her fingers on his body.
Even when the Moon Child wasn't anywhere near him, the mere thought of his lunar enchantress made the Goblin King all hot and bothered. With the exception of the nights during the full moon, Jareth never knew when (or where) Sarah would show up to throw chaos into his daily life. Still, despite the inevitable disturbance that Sarah's visits created, Jareth relished each and every one of them for the spice she add to his life.
As the months crawled by, Jareth found his demanding daily duties and responsibilities more and more chafing and restrictive. Thought he didn't show it, Jareth was feeling increasingly rebellious every instance he was pulled away from his free time to deal with some minor crisis or another. The urge to dump such problems on one of his underlings was becoming stronger every time some goblin caused catastrophe occurred. Though at the rate things were going, Prince Tobias was going to end up learning how to deal with such nuisances sooner rather than later.
A crash followed by a loud wail and the frantic squawking of a chicken heralded the arrival of the rather flustered nine year old Goblin Prince. An all-too-innocent was plastered on Toby's face, instantly giving away his involvement in the disturbance outside his study.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit Tobias?" Jareth drawled, in a tone that said that he was not going to put up with any nonsense.
"Eh heh, lovely weather we're having today…" Toby rambled on, unsuccessfully trying to distract the highly perceptive Goblin King.
"It raining outside," Jareth remarked deadpan, a boom of thunder outside his closed window underscoring his statement.
"Oh right…" Toby sheepishly trailed off, "we I'll just be going-"
"-After you deal with the mess that you helped create," Jareth finished, "I'm not deaf, even that beast that your sister is friends with would have figured out your involvement with that 'accident' in the hallway. Besides, it's about time that you started learning about how to deal with such situations. Someday you will be king-"
Only because you want to run off with Sarah, Toby thought, holding in a snicker.
"- and you are going to be responsible for handling such fiascos on a daily basis," Jareth concluded.
"Bummer," Toby commented.
"Well what did you think being the king of a bunch of immature, bumbling, easily-distracted and accident prone little buggers entailed?" Jareth asked, "my position isn't all paperwork and having to deal with stuffy nobles (though I'll grant you that I have to put up with such things as well). Being the Goblin King is more akin to being a babysitter to a kingdom full of childish creatures with the attention span of a goldfish."
"You know what a goldfish is? I didn't think that they had them down here nor that you would know what a goldfish even is," Toby joked.
Jareth sent his heir a withering glare.
"Just because I don't bother to keep up to date with Aboveground pop culture doesn't mean that I don't keep track of the major events that occur Aboveground. My predecessor made that mistake and went to fetch a child from earth during a particularly bloody feud between two Venetian nobles and ended up getting himself gutted by appearing in the middle of one of their battles," Jareth informed his heir," now enough stalling, get back out there and deal with that mess that you caused in the hallway."
"Drat, I was hoping that he'd forgotten that by now," Toby muttered under his breath.
"I'll have you know that I have an excellent sense of hearing Prince Toby," Jareth replied, "and an excellent memory to boot. Having such abilities is just another requirement of my position."
Suddenly silence fell across the castle. A strange tingle went up Toby's spine. Jareth was standing up ram-rod straight and seemed to be listening intently to something. Then as if confirming his suspicions, the words rang out into the still air above the castle.
"I wish that the goblins would come and take you away right now!"
"That too is part of what the Goblin King must do," Jareth sighed, "go clean up that mess, I've been called Aboveground."
"Someone wished a child away?" Toby asked.
Jareth mutely nodded.
"So that is the tingly sensation I keep on feeling," Toby realized.
"It appears that thought you are not my heir by blood, the Labyrinth has recognized you as being the next Goblin King," Jareth replied, "you are already starting to feel the summons when a child is wished away. One day you will be the one who goes Aboveground to retrieve the unwanted and abandoned. It's a heavy burden, but it must be done."
Toby swallowed thickly, his heart suddenly heavy.
"This is why the Goblin King must be someone with the strength and patience not to break under the heavy responsibility of this duty but still have the compassion and understanding to care for their charges yet not become jaded in the process, "Jareth solemnly him, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, "you already have these characters in you Tobias, all you need is the training and refinement to let those qualities shine."
And with that, Jareth was gone, teleporting Aboveground to deal with one of the more unpleasant duties that came with being the Goblin King. Toby sighed and went back out into the hallway to help clean up the results of his overenthusiastic actions. In that moment Toby got his first taste of real responsibility and took one step towards becoming the great king that he would be someday.
In the silent heart of the Labyrinth the Goblin King cradled an autistic, redheaded toddler in his arms. The incredible healing energies of the place had already removed most of the signs of abuse that the child had showed, but the big purple and black burse that covered most of the toddler's chest was still in the process of fading. Being wished away to the goblins was a merciful fate when compared to the life the child had been living Aboveground.
Despite the lack of light, the heart of the Labyrinth bestowed a sense of comfort and safety, like a babe in its mother's womb. This was a place of creation, the source of all the magic that existed in the Goblin Kingdom and the surrounding lands.
"Let this child's true nature become reality," Jareth whispered the ritual words, setting the toddler on the soft sand under the Goblin King's boots.
The change was gradual. The toddler's chubby limbs grew leaner and her skin took on the deep, black-brown color of rich topsoil. The soft, curly red hair shortened and darkened into short mahogany colored spikes of fur. The child's body elongated slightly until she was about three feet tall.
Gone was the mentally-challenged human babe, instead a fully mature earth sprite lay in its place. Her eyes started to flutter open, giving a glimpse of the brilliant leaf green orbs beneath. Jareth summoned a crystal, not even noticing the slight strain that it took, and tossed it at the sprite. The earth sprite disappeared when the crystal touched her, sending the creature to her new home.
Jareth ran a weary hand through his disarrayed hair and vanished, reappearing back in his personal chambers. The familiar smell of lilacs, green tea and moondust washed over him a few moments later. He was not surprised in the least by Sarah's presence in his room. She had taken to showing up after every wish away had been taken care of.
Sarah didn't say a word, just enveloped the Goblin King in her warm embrace. Jareth shuddered slightly and let his body go limp in her arms. She murmured sweet nothings into his ear, chasing away the last of the tension that was still left in his body.
"It is times like these why you need the release that the moon can provide," Sarah murmured, "you have been doing this for too long and the duty is starting to wear on your spirit. Selene can never stand watching one of her children fade away like you were doing. The Moon Goddess knew what you needed and so she sent me and Toby to you."
"Something that I have become extremely grateful for," Jareth admitted, capturing Sarah's hand in his.
He started stroking the back of her hand with his thumb.
"The strain will only get worse as time goes on," Sarah responded with a sad smile," it will become unbearable at times. But never lose hope, I will always be there for you and the moon will always offer much needed respite."
"That is all I ask for," Jareth sighed.
"The coming years till the day when Toby ascends to the throne will be your time of tempering, your passage of transformation," Sarah informed the weary Goblin King.
"Time of tempering?" Jareth echoed confused.
"The time between when a Moon Child is first called and the time they receive their Moon Name," Sarah explained, "Selene always sends one of her Named Moon Children to support and guide her fledglings. My passage of transformation was a little over four years, yours will be closer to ten. I am here for you, as Selene wills it. I am your guide, your friend and your lover, by my own choice and heart's desire."
"And so you fell from the Lunar Lands to the Underground," Jareth mused, "and spread chaos in your wake as you traveled around in my Labyrinth."
The last bit he spoke with a bit of irritation. Sarah giggled not feeling any remorse for her actions during her first two weeks living in the Labyrinth.
"At least you know that your life with me won't be boring," Sarah brightly pointed out.
"Life is never boring for me, what with my scatterbrained, accident-prone subjects and all," Jareth spoke with a grimace, "but despite your penchant for mischief-"
"-which I haven't indulged in much ever since our first full moon together," Sarah added.
"-I wouldn't trade you for anything," Jareth smoothly continued, "you bring so much love and joy into my life Sarah. If anything you bring more stability to my daily routine."
Sarah who had about melted into a pile of goo at Jareth's loving words, couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of the last statement. As her laughter died away, the two simply basked in the easy, comfortable silence that grew between them. It was times like these where no words were needed to convey their feelings for each other that both had come to cherish.
"I wonder what will happen after your brother takes the throne," Jareth mused, finally breaking the silence.
"That's easy," Sarah responded, "we do whatever we want to do, go wherever we want to go. We find our happily ever after under the moon's grace."
"Sounds lovely," Jareth wistfully sighed.
"Yea, it does," Sarah replied.
Another silence stretched between them.
"So, are you up to a little excursion?" Sarah suddenly asked, effectively changing the mood of her visit.
"Why Sarah, you're not trying to lure me out of my castle to get me all alone so you can have your wicked way with me, are you?" Jareth teased.
"What makes you think that I won't have my wicked way with you right here?" Sarah drawled.
"Because it just isn't your style baby," Jareth replied, "you're a nature girl, not a city girl. You can't stand to be indoors for more than a few hours at a time. I know from experience pet, all that time you spent outdoors has made you wild and unpredictable."
"Then I suppose that there is no more point to our banter," Sarah announced, "time to go baby."
Jareth barely had time to let out a startled yelp before Sarah had picked him up bridal style and sprinted out of the king's chambers, her prize wriggling and squirming in her arms in a most delicious manner. The startled faces of the castle servants caused Sarah to smirk as she rushed by them.
"Sarah is this really necessary?" Jareth indignantly complained as he tried unsuccessfully to get out of her grip.
"No, but it sure is fun," Sarah laughed, "now stop squirming, I don't want to drop you."
By now Sarah had reached the threshold of the entrance chamber of the castle.
"A little help would be appreciated!" Jareth yelled to the grinning guards at the entryway.
"Now why would we want to ruin the Lady's fun your Majesty?" one of the burly guards shouted as Sarah ran by.
The guards cackled at the look of irritation that flashed across the Goblin King's face. Jareth muttered some rather insulting words under his breath about incompetent guards and their parentage as he was jostled about in Sarah's arms while she continued to race out of the castle.
"Thanks boys!" Sarah yelled as she passed the guards.
"No problem your Ladyship," the first guard brightly replied, "hope you enjoy your evening your Majesty!"
The moment she exited the castle and hit the moonlit main courtyard, the Moon Child and her still complaining armful vanished.
"Wish the Missus had some of Lady Sarah's enthusiasm," one of the guards wistfully commented.
"Lucky bastard," the other guard added.
Jareth appeared back in his room in the early hours of the morning looking thoroughly ravished. His hair was in absolute disarray and his lips were swollen from being thoroughly kissed. With a happy sigh the Goblin King dropped onto his huge feather bed. Jareth took off his boots before pulling the covers over his body, not even bothering to remove the rest of his clothing.
One thing is for sure, Jareth thought as he drifted off, my girl sure knows hot to get rid of stress.
Sorry about the long wait, only recently did I get inspired to write another chappie for this fic. But I do intend to release another one within about two weeks, so at least that is something to look forward to. I know that I'm not the fastest updater out there, but that is because I don't have the luxury to put writing Labyfics above doing everything else. Life is like that.
I always want to know what me readers think about my writing, so don't hesitate to leave me a review.