Hello! I'm really, extremely sorry that this had taken so long. I had a bad cold, and life interfered with leisure. I still can't believe the pile of homework I had been buried in! I hope that my delay hasn't made you lose interest in my story. Please review! The more reviews the quicker the update! By the way I only update during weekends. Sorry if it's a little short.
I see no harm in answering reviews, and it isn't against the Guidelines or anything (I've checked it) so here ya go:
samuraistar: thanks for that! I had been wondering who to base Eldred on, and I kinda forgot about the 'really old guy with the chicken hat.' I'll make him more 'humanoid' though.
The Mad Maiden: I think Sarah is cute, too! Thanks for liking the building up of the plot.
13figureskater-Draco'sgirl: I totally agree with you! If exams are personified, I would imagine them cracking a whip and laughing maniacally while ordering students to melt their brains. But my schoolwork's getting better, I think. Thanks for the concern!
notwritten: Thanks for your review! Keep smiling too! Hey that rhymes!
Natsuko37: Thanks for your support! I'm glad that the OCs are okay. Thanks too for saying that Little Sarah is sweet and adorable. I wish other children were like her. My three-year old sister, for instance. She may be cute, but all adults are wrapped around her little finger and boy, does she she know it!
dragoneyes171986: Thanks for liking Mr. Owl! Well, here's another chapter!
Dr.Pepperz: wow, you get commercials about tootsie rolls? how come we never get those? all we have are about some detergent soaps or something. How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop? Thanks and sorry for the delay!
.Beckoning.Disaster. : I'm sorry for the delay! Thanks! The term 'Mr. Owl' just came to me when I decided to watch the Labyrinth movie again.
Gotta Dance 88: Actually, I can't decide yet. Should Ilona be a former lover or a relative? I can see both ends working out but, I'm not sure. Thanks for the review!
Kore-of-Myth: Wow, you've really got an eye out for detail, haven't you? 'Toby' is not a random name, or a random person-he would make an appearance later on. I actually haven't decided yet. Should Ilona be a former lover or a sister? What do you think? I love JxS stories, and anything's possible here. If the idea of Sarah ending up with him gets positive remarks, I might make a sequel or something when she's all grown up. Maybe. Probably. I don't know.
Mr. Owl, Mr. Owl
What did you find?
The castle was warm
And the people were kind
The King was so stately
I sat very near
And decided to wait
for the girl to appear
"Mr. Owl!"
Sarah blinked and rubbed her eyes. She blinked and rubbed them again, pinching her arm for good measure. When she felt it hurt and the apparition before her didn't disappear, she gave a yelp of joy.
"Mr. Owl! It really is you!"
Sarah got up and scrambled out of bed, only to trip and get tangled in the sheets and rolled onto the floor. Peeking from beneath her blankets, she saw the owl watch her amusedly.
"I'm so glad you're having fun at my expense, Your Majesty," she huffed in indignation. "Please lend me a hand, will you?"
Sarah was sure that she heard the owl snicker.
"Oh, that's right! You don't have any hands!" Picking through the cloths, she finally found the head and the tail of it. Pulling them apart, she happily stepped out of the mess.
The other occupant in the room barely moved a muscle, amusement gone and was in a somber mood again. Hesitantly, she approached the owl and sat down on a wooden stool near her window.
"I can't believe that you're really here, Mr. Owl," Sarah said softly, content to watch her friend. The moon embellished him more than the sun could have – his white feathers and the pristine rays merged with one another until you aren't able to tell which was which, while his russet-colored wings dimmed and mingled in the shadows. His eyes were luminous in the dark, like blue-brown brooches on a vespertine dress, and it struck her to notice that he had the same eyes as Jareth. He was a creature of the night; yet mysteriously had taken a liking to her, a child of the day. Sarah wasn't bothered by these strange occurrence – what mattered to her was that he was there with her when nobody would have.
"I thought you have left me for good," she added sadly, putting her hands on the sides of her chair and kicking her dangling legs which were not long enough to touch the floor. She felt bad at doubting her friend's promise to return, but no one can blame her. She didn't have many friends to base on after all.
"Oh, it's been so horrible!" she returned her gaze to her silent companion, tears glistening in her eyes, silently pleading him to erase the bed things that had happened. "If you were wondering how I ended up here, Mr. Owl, I did not run away. Mummy was sad because daddy left. She-she told me-"-she choked out a sob- "She told me that she didn't want me anymore!"
Sarah slumped forward in her seat, resting her head upon her hands on the windowpane, wordlessly staring at the idyllic near-slumbering village. Children darted in and out of all corners, their worried mothers closely following and calling them to bed. Soon the lights from each of the houses faded one by one, until the silver rays of the moon bathed everything in ethereal glow, making the place even more beautiful.
She sighed. It was so nice to finally get her worry out of her chest. She felt infinitely better afterwards. It was as if someone had put a colorful sticker caller 'band-aid' and kissed it.
The though made her smile. Sarah remembered the time she fell off her bike. It had hurt so much, but Mummy had made the pain go away.
"Mummy didn't mean it, Mr. Owl," Her companion gave an owl's equivalent of a disbelieving snort, which she pointedly ignored. "Grown-ups don't really mean the things they say when they are drinking the nasty stuff called 'likor.' They are too dizzy and ev'rything's too jumbly for them to think straight. One of these days, Mr. Owl, Mummy will want me back with her again."
Her unwavering, naïve faith for a better tomorrow would aid her triumph, though it could also be the instrument of her defeat as well , the owl mused. The world was far from the rose-tinted view she had of it, and it would crush her terribly if she knew.
"I still have it, Mr. Owl," Sarah said, breaking through his thoughts. The owl swerved his eyes to meet hers, though her gaze was locked at the silent world before her. "The book, I mean. I keep it with me wherever I go."
She brought it out from her pocket for her friend to see, placing it at near him.
"Who would've thought that ev'rything in it was real," she smiled faintly. " I knew that you were no ordinary owl, Mr. Owl."
She gave a yawn, reminding them both of the lateness of the hour.
"I'll just lie for a minute, Mr. Owl," she said, resting her head on her hands again, her eyes drooping in fatigue. "You'll be here for me, won't you Mr. Owl? You'll protect me from the dark…"
Her words faded out as she blissfully entered the realm of slumber and dreams.
Riding on the cool night air was the sweet lullaby of the world in deep sleep – the soft croons of robins finally getting their rest after gathering their bits of twine and twig were heard, along with the mewling snores of a variety of animals curled up in their shelters. The merry chirping of an insomniac cricket echoed throughout the land, only to be hushed by a rustle from the forest. In the light of the moon, the silhouette of two figures can be seen.
He watched her stoically, long after Morpheus has claimed her to his world. Starlight played shadows upon her young, expressive face, her lips curled in a small smile. She looked…contented, for the lack of a better term. Although resting her arms and head on the cold marble stone of the windowsill with her back hunched seemed not the most comfortable position.
Without realizing it, he brushed back a curl of night-black hair, jerking back his hand as soon as his senses took over again. What was he doing? He had no plans of taking an heir, really – he was quite capable of running the kingdom himself, thank you. But his dear mother had coerced him to do it. And since he had no intention whatsoever of taking one of those simpering, two-faced noblewomen as his wife to bear his heir…
That left him to take one of the Unwanted.
He looked at her and resisted the urge to sigh. Her parents –both of them – were fools. Hadn't they realized what other people would give up just to have a child like her? He knew from experience how bratty and annoying children could be. Marigold, Ilona's daughter, alone was…impossible. He didn't know what a little girl would do with an army of warrior horses, a wardrobe which was probably as expensive as all the wages he paid his workers all together in a two lifetimes, and other ridiculous, profligate baubles he did not care to name. If Sarah was a bit like her, he wouldn't even have considered divulging to her the secret of his world. Thankfully, she was not.
He stared at her again. She was sure to ache all over the next morning if she slept like that all night. Telling himself that he didn't want a cranky child roaming his castle was the sole reason and didn't –heaven forbid – care for her, he scooped her in his arms, taking care not to jostle her awake and placed her on the bed.
She looked so small and vulnerable in the humongous thing, the quilt appearing to drown her in their depth. The girl started to fidget; her breathing quickened, and grew restless in her sleep. A frown wrinkled her brow, and he found it quite disturbing to see it on the normally jovial little face. Wondering what he ought to do, he was about to call Rosalie when the solution presented itself to him.
Flicking his wrist, an object materialized in his hand. In his line of work, he had discovered that most children derived comfort from stuffed animals, and never slept without it.
Placing it at her side, he watched in satisfaction as she calmed and hugged it closer to her.
Realizing what he had done, he scowled in self-reproach.
Damn. He was getting soft.
Golden bolts of sunshine penetrated her eyelids, but Sarah kept her eyes closed, refusing to join the robust land of the Awake. Instead, she snuggled deeper in her bed, rolling over and putting the blanket over her head to keep the light out.
What a wonderful dream! In it, she had dreamt that everything in the Labyrinth book was real and Mr. Owl had actually visited her again.
Somewhere, a clock chimed another hour. Pretty soon, she had to see if Mummy was awake and hope that the 'hang-over' was gone or else Mummy would be extremely temperamental. A cranky Mummy is really scary. She might throw something harder than a wineglass.
Wineglass! She sat up straighter and gaped.
Sarah was in the quaintest room she had ever been in. The walls were shaded with soft tones of pastel pink with white borders, and the spreads of the bed a hue lighter. Shelves of toys and books which were more than she ever had in her life stood at the far side of a corner where it was easily accessible. The light which was blinding her earlier had been reflected by the mirror of a dresser directly opposite one of the windows on her right, where the merry breeze was entering and cajoling the curtains to dance. The furniture was made of a deep, rich brown wood, decorated with intricate carvings of fantastical creatures.
She frowned in thought. The last thing she had remembered was falling asleep on the windowsill. She had no recollection of being able to drag her sleepy self to bed. Somehow, her friend had taken care of her, and it warmed her heart. She really should give him something in return.
She noticed the soft thing she was clutching to her chest – a teddy bear. The stuffing poked out from one of its missing ears, only a single, shiny brown eye stared back at her unflinchingly, and the red ribbon tied around its neck was faded. Though a little frayed and worn, Sarah instantly loved him. Something about it attracted her. She was just contemplating what she should call him when she heard a soft knock.
Rosalie peeked in and brightened up when she saw the occupant in the room was awake.
"Good morning, Miss Rosalie, ma'am," Sarah greeted politely.
"Good morning to you too, Little Sarah." After returning her smile, Rosalie proceeded to bustle about, straightening the cushions on the couch at the hearth of the fireplace, and throwing open more windows. Rosalie reminded her of a hassled mother hen who did not want to be caught idle. She smiled.
Finishing her chores, the woman stopped at the side of her bed and her mouth fell open in shock. It would have been comical, if she wasn't gazing at the stuffed animal as if it had suddenly come to life.
"Where'd you get that, Little Miss?" she asked shakily, gesturing to the object in the girl's arms.
Sarah instinctively hugged the teddy bear closer to her, refusing to let it go. She knew that somehow, her friend had given it to her, just as he had given her the book. The stuffed toy was meant to protect her when Mr. Owl wasn't around.
And giving him up was beyond unthinkable.
"It's not mine, Miss Rosalie?" Sarah questioned sadly. "Are you mad at me?"
The surprised expression on the old woman's face softened.
"I'm not mad at you, child," she replied. "I was merely surprised, that's all. I haven't seen that bear in years!"
"You have, Lady Miss?"
She nodded, getting a glazed, reminiscent look in her warm, brown eyes. "Aye, I've seen it all right. It belonged to the King once. 'e was just a little boy when he kept it in his room. He threatened me never to tell anyone, of course."
Rosalie chuckled, making Sarah giggle too, imagining a young lad no older than she was with mismatched eyes glaring quite ineffectively at a younger Rosalie who was trying hard not to laugh.
"Really, Miss Rosalie? But – why did he get hurt?" Sarah asked, indicating the many damages of the toy. Judging by how he managed his kingdom, she was sure that he was as meticulous when it comes to his personal possessions.
Rosalie's face fell.
"It wasn't His Majesty's fault, Young Mistress. A couple of rowdy boys had learned about the bear and taunted him with it when he was a wee lad and he was powerless to stop it. He was so devastated, but the brave boy never let his sadness show. It was his only friend, you see. From then on, I never saw it again until today."
Sarah can sympathize with him. She felt so defenseless whenever her classmates took her stuff and the only thing she could do was stand back and watch in the sidelines. At least she had Mr. Owl, a living, animated creature to rely on when the Goblin King might have none.
"Do I – do I have to give it back to Mr. Jareth, Rosalie?" she asked hesitantly
"Of course not! His Majesty trusts you enough to give you his only friend. Why would you give back a gift?"
She smiled calming Sarah's fears.
"Could you fix him up, Miss Rosalie? What is his name? And oh! Please, please make one of his eyes blue!" the girl pleaded. The old woman chuckled.
"Sure, Little Mistress! Give me an hour and after your breakfast with the King he'd be good as new. But for the life of me I could not remember what the King used to call him."
So the privilege of naming him was given to Sarah. She thought about it deeply, knowing how important names were. She knew that hers meant princess, though she didn't feel like one. She realized that she was far from it, but she was proud of her mame nonetheless.
Something didn't make sense, though. She believed with all her heart that it was Mr. Owl who had given the stuffed toy to her but how did he get it when it was safely guarded by the Goblin King? Are they friends with each other? But if they were, how come the King hadn't made any mention about the owl? Did he forget? Or did he not know that she was a friend of Mr. Owl, too?
Her thoughts wandered back to the bear. It had been brave, withstanding his injuries and managing to live up to now. So much like a knight…
She smiled happily.
Lancelot. She was going to name him Lancelot.
What do you think? Please review!
Lancelot the teddy bear makes an appearance! Well, he did play an important role in the movie after all. Without him, Sarah won't wish her little brother away. He was a vital factor.
I hope that Jareth isn't too OOC. I had a hard time maintaining his sang froid while making him care.
Sarah finally has suspicions about the Goblin King and Mr. Owl! Took her long enough. Shouldn't the eyes be a dead giveaway?
Maybe you have noticed it, maybe you haven't, but I start every chapter with an italicized stanza. They are actually nursery rhymes which I revised. Anyone can tell me what nursery rhymes I based on for the first three chapters? Just a little fact. I just want to know if they are obvious.
Chapter 4:
"Do you have pets, Mr. Jareth, sir? Like, owls, for instance?"
