Yay last chapter! I know but before you do you happy dance PLEASE tell me whether or not you want me to post the other labyrinth fic that Code Green has written. Kudos for the reviewers!
As The World Falls Down
"Why the sudden change of mind?" Sarah grumbled, her arms still wrapped around Jareth.
"I thought you knew me well enough to know that answer," Jareth said, gazing up as he stumbled along the crystals, his shoeless foot hurting terribly. "I want the Labyrinth to stay in one piece."
"Majeste will be across the way, of course," Sarah said, noticing that everything had suddenly become silent. "I mean, it wouldn't be like her not to come, right?"
Jareth's eyes glowered as he gazed across the abyss. "She is brilliant, Sarah," he said angrily. "She can see through people."
"What does that mean?"
"If she is thinking enough about my character, she won't be here."
"But look, Jareth! The wind has stopped and nothing is happening! She must be here already!"
"No," Jareth said, shaking his head. "The silence is more deadly than anything else that has happened. In a few more minutes, the Labyrinth and Crystalla will vanish."
"Send me and Toby home!" Sarah exclaimed fearfully. "I have a life to live, Jareth!"
"Give Majeste a few more seconds," Jareth said.
"With the way you have treated her, why would she come?" Sarah asked, letting go of Jareth and stepping aside.
"Because she loves her people and her world. It is all she has left of either of her parents," Jareth grunted and then winced as he stepped onto some of the crystals. "If you wouldn't mind, Sarah…"
Sarah put Jareth's arm over her shoulders again and then continued walking towards the abyss, angry, upset, and entirely terrified.
Majeste, in the meantime, stood up from her position on the ground and a chill swept through her when she heard nothing, not the rustle of the wind through the trees, not the cracking of the walls. She suddenly saw, before her, her father, smiling at her as she danced with him, laughing joyously with not a care in the world. She saw her mother, smiling as she brushed Majeste's long hair and then put a cool hand on her daughter's forehead, admiring the beauty and gentleness of her only child. She suddenly heard the cheering of her people as she appeared at the dance, that dance so long ago when she had met Jareth.
"Majeste," her father's voice seemed to call, gentle and comforting. "Look into your heart, child."
"I am looking, father," Majeste whispered, tears still streaming down her face.
"It is not like you to be so cold, to be so cruel. The lives of thousands are resting on your shoulders."
"But he has been so evil to me!" Majeste exclaimed, shaking her head. "He deserves to lose his kingdom!"
A gentle tug was pulling at Majeste's heart, and she suddenly remembered Jareth. He wasn't the Jareth that had been so cruel to her over the past few days. It was the Jareth of long ago, the Jareth who had given his whole heart to her and had loved her with such a passionate intensity. His eyes bored into her, eyes full of longing and compassion.
"Even if he's cold," a voice seemed to whisper to her, "you cannot stop caring. You are the queen, Majeste, and as such, you must behave like a queen. You have a strength that enables you to overpower Jareth and every evil force that happens to rise against you."
"Yes," Majeste whispered and then stood up taller, a glow shining in her eyes. "I am queen. I will save my kingdom."
Majeste walked with firm steps down the side of the cliff, and as she did so, the threatening clouds parted, revealing a starry, beautiful night sky. The ground still shook as the worlds began to crumble again, but Majeste noticed none of these. She had a world to save, and no stubborn, cruel goblin king was going to stand in her way.
Sarah panicked as the stars suddenly appeared, casting a brilliant glow over the abyss before her. "What does this mean?" she gasped, holding on more tightly to Jareth.
"It means," Jareth said, an evil glow in his eyes, "that the queen couldn't allow her world to perish."
Sarah looked up, and there she was.
Standing at the edge of the Labyrinth with both worlds falling down behind her and in front of her, was Majeste. It was night, Sarah suddenly realized with surprise, and stars were shining brilliantly over the water and fire mixture. The fire, due to the deterioration of the Labyrinth, had turned blue, and the stars were reflecting off of the water and fire. The reflection of stars cast a lovely glow over Majeste's face. She wasn't nearly the queen Sarah had expected her to be. Her beautiful sheer and silk dress had been ripped and stained in numerous places. Her dark, flowing soft hair was matted and scattered about her shoulders and back as though she had been in a hurricane. Blood was on her lips and scattered in tiny scratches about her once lovely face. Her eyes, the most lovely, soft color Sarah had ever seen, glanced at Jareth across the abyss momentarily. A look of softness and compassion flashed through the new queen's eyes as she gazed upon the Goblin King, but a split second later, the fond look was replaced by bitterness and anger. She saw Jareth in Sarah's arms, stumbling along with a ripped white sock and no boot.
Jareth made it to the edge of Crystalla before he stopped and Sarah moved away from him, her eyes never leaving Majeste. Before Sarah was five steps away from Jareth, he reached out suddenly and pulled her to him, putting his hands on her neck and gazing deep into her eyes.
"My queen," he smiled, cruelty in his eyes. "Won't you save the world with me?"
Sarah gazed at Majeste to see that the queen's eyes flashed angrily in Jareth's direction. She then understood what Jareth had been up to for the past few days. His love for her was nothing but a scheme to torment Majeste. He had touched her, whispered to her and flattered her only to strike bitterness and malice in Majeste's heart. Sarah saw another look in Majeste's eyes beneath the bitterness. It was a look of deep pain.
"You creep," Sarah growled and then reached down and grabbed hold of something. "You did this just to hurt her! You wretched, no good goblin!"
Sarah threw the object at Jareth's head, and he immediately released her and fell back when the boot, for indeed, it was the boot he had lost during his flight to Crystalla, hit him squarely on the forehead.
"You twerp!" he shouted, turning to Sarah, his dark eyes glowing as he pulled his boot on. "You led me here just for this, to speak with the new queen of Crystalla? I had thought better of you!"
"You need to save your worlds!" Toby shouted from across the way. He was standing a short distance behind Majeste, looking at Jareth with an expression on his face that seemed to say, "What a weird looking person."
"Who are you?" Jareth snapped, standing up straight again and glaring at Toby.
"I'm Toby, Sarah's brother!"
"Ah," Jareth said, a wicked smile forming on his face. "My little goblin friend."
"Don't you dare mess with my brother," Sarah warned.
"Jareth!" Majeste shouted from across the way, her voice hard. "I need to save Crystalla."
"And you can't do it without me," Jareth said, folding his arms across his chest smugly.
"No, I can't," Majeste frowned, stepping forward so that she was standing right on the edge of the stony ground. "The Labyrinth is also falling apart. It cannot be saved until the bridge is repaired and you are back in it."
"I don't wish to save your kingdom," Jareth growled. "You refused me."
"And you broke my heart!" Majeste shouted, but there was a very distinct tremor in her voice, and Sarah could see the queen's beautiful eyes beginning to crowd. "I offered you my heart, and you broke it!"
"A heart is such a pitiful thing," Jareth sneered.
"Then so be it!" Majeste said, her voice pained. "Farewell to the Labyrinth!"
"If you hadn't been so hard headed, perhaps I wouldn't have put you through such trouble. If you had been tender and caring, like Sarah, and had simply melted in my arms, I wouldn't have put you through the ordeal," Jareth said.
"Been so hard-headed?" Majeste shouted, tears beginning to stream down her dirty face. "Fallen into your arms? How can you believe me to be such a pawn? You were the cause of my father's death! You are the reason the bridge has fallen apart! If I hadn't been banished to the darkest places of your kingdom, the Labyrinth and Crystalla would be safe!"
"I didn't kill your coward of a father," Jareth snapped and Majeste cringed.
"I gave you the world!" Majeste cried. "I gave you three crystals to amuse yourself. I offered you the key to my heart! I wanted to forgive you when you came back from your adventure with her," she gestured to Sarah. "Perhaps it is her you wanted all along."
A loud cracking sound could be heard, and Toby and Sarah watched as the waterfalls began to pull apart and a great crack appeared in the center of the water and fire. The crevice ran as far as the eye could see, and the ground on both sides of the abyss began to shake, causing great structures to fall and the rocks and crystals to crumble.
"Hurry up!" Sarah shouted. "You must save your kingdoms!"
Majeste glanced at the crystal palace behind Jareth and noticed that it was beginning to crumble. She let out a gasp and then bit her lip.
"I'll do what you want, Jareth," she pleaded, falling down on her knees. "Here I am, fallen before you, begging you to save Crystalla. It's all I have left. My people need me, and your people need you. Please, help me!"
Jareth smirked when he saw the woman fallen before him on the other side of the abyss, her face hidden in her hands, her body trembling as she struggled to keep her emotions together.
"Why should I help you?"
"Because…" Majeste started and then glanced at Sarah. She looked at Jareth again and then straightened herself, standing up slowly. "Because if you don't save Crystalla, then the Labyrinth will perish as well and so will we."
Sarah knew, from the expression on Majeste's face and the way that she stumbled over her words, that she had meant to say something else.
"I can simply go back to the mortal world with Sarah and Toby," Jareth said, pulling out the crystal orb. "I can leave you here."
Majeste gulped and turned to gaze at the Labyrinth castle. The ground was shaking violently beneath the castle, threatening with every second to make it fall and crumble into thousands of pieces.
"If you leave," she said calmly, "then you will no longer be king of the Labyrinth, for it will be gone. You'll be a simple mortal with no powers and no respect."
That seemed to startle Jareth a bit and he let out a long sigh. "Fine then," he snapped. "How do we fix the bridge?"
"I don't know," Majeste said quietly. "The only way I was ever even able to go on it was because I have a certain power that allowed me to step onto it."
"And that power was what?" Jareth asked, putting one foot out over the abyss as though trying to find a foothold.
"I…can't say," Majeste stammered. "For it won't work anymore. The power has disappeared. Perhaps I can't even cross the bridge anymore."
"Majeste, what was the power?" Jareth shouted.
"I…can't…say," Majeste repeated, more tears flowing down her cheeks.
"Jareth," Sarah said, stepping over to the king's side. "I know what it is."
"And that would be?"
"Love, you creep!" Toby shouted, and Sir Didymus promptly stabbed the boy in the foot. "She loved you!"
"But that love is gone," Sarah said, seeing Majeste trembling terribly. "You really hurt her, and she didn't deserve it."
"So love will build the bridge again?" Jareth snorted and then laughed. "Please, Sarah. Now is not the time for jokes."
"It makes sense," Hoggle said slowly. "Perhaps if you say kind things and get over your problems aloud in a reasonable way, the bridge will rebuild itself."
"If you want to keep your title as Goblin King you have to save your kingdom," Sarah said coyly, watching as Jareth moved his jaw uncomfortably.
"What sort of kind things should I say?" Jareth asked, letting out a loud breath.
"Are you capable of saying kind things?" Sarah asked, and Jareth glowered at her. "Alright," Sarah said nervously, "how about apologizing for everything you've done wrong."
"I'm king. I don't have to apologize."
"Jareth, you are being extremely childish," Sarah frowned.
"The castle's about to fall!" Toby shouted, gazing at the Labyrinth castle. "It's breaking apart."
Jareth caught one sight of his castle beginning to crumble and he instantly turned to the abyss.
"All right," he frowned. "Your father wasn't a coward. He was a good man."
Nothing appeared over the bridge, and Jareth frowned. He put one foot out again and then put it down. To his surprise, something solid formed under his foot, and he saw a piece of bridge beneath his foot. To his amazement, rather than being crystal, which he would have supposed it would be, seeing he was on the side of Crystalla, it was stone.
"Awkward," Jareth mumbled and then looked up to see Majeste gazing at the bridge.
Majeste didn't look at Jareth as she spoke, and her brilliant eyes gazed into the water and fire of the abyss. "I'm sorry that I accused you of killing him," she said quietly.
Instantly, another piece of bridge appeared in front of Majeste's feet. She was just as surprised as Jareth had been to find that the piece before her was made of crystal instead of shining black stone. Timidly, Majeste stepped onto the piece, and as she did, an amazing transformation took place. A gentle breeze began to blow about her, and her long, knotted hair suddenly became smooth and soft again.
Neither Jareth nor Majeste noticed the changes that overcame them as they began to build the bridge again.
"I should have told you what happened between myself and Sarah. I was entranced by her wishes that I desired to fulfill. My granting of her wishes caused me to be blinded and fall madly in love with her. Please, forgive me for my cruelty."
"I should have been more understanding of you and had enough faith to know that you were enchanted. I forgive you."
"I shouldn't have put you through such torment."
"I shouldn't have stayed away from you for so long."
"I only wanted to make you care for me."
"I should have shown you my care long ago."
With each piece of bridge that was repaired, Jareth and Majeste became more brilliant. Jareth's tattered black clothes were replaced with the glittering black velvet suit of so long ago when he had first danced with Sarah. His blonde hair was moved back into its normal wild place, and the edges of his hair were tipped with blue. Majeste's long hair somehow became pinned up the back of her head, leaving a few beautiful, crimpy strands about her face. Her tattered, dirty dress was miraculously replaced with a beautiful flowing dress made of light purple, blue, pink, and orange. It was wrapped gently about her, making each step she took more graceful and elegant. On her forearm appeared a beautiful crystal bracelet, and on her forehead a crown of crystal in the shape of a V. Within
seconds, Majeste had transformed into the beautiful, glorious queen that she was and Jareth had become the attractive, powerful king that he seemed to always have been.
Sarah, Toby, Hoggle, Sir Didymus, and Ludo could only gaze in disbelief as Jareth became more spectacular than ever and Majeste became the most beautiful woman any of them had ever seen.
"Pretty," was all Ludo could think of to say.
Toby uttered a quiet, "Weird," on his side of the abyss.
Jareth and Majeste arrived in the center of the bridge and gazed with confusion at the foot-long space that still existed between both halves of the bridge.
"Why has this not closed up?" Majeste asked, gazing up at Jareth and giving a short gasp of surprise when she saw his appearance.
"Perhaps we haven't said enough," Jareth said, his eyes boring deeply into hers as he took in her beauty.
"I don't understand! Everything else seems to be in place," Majeste said, gazing back at the castle of Labyrinth and noticing that it was in one piece again.
The bridge suddenly shifted, and the hole in the center of the two halves became bigger. Majeste cried out in terror and reached out to grab hold of Jareth's arm as she stumbled. He grabbed her arms, trying to brace himself and her, and a flicker of concern passed through his eyes.
"Something's missing," he said, shaking his head.
"But what? We have done everything we can," Majeste said, trembling from fear as the halves moved yet another inch apart, all thoughts of cruelty and hardness having been erased from her mind.
Toby watched the two on the bridge, just as confused as everyone else. A sudden inspiration passed through his twelve-year-old mind, and he cringed at his thought. "Gross," he told himself. "Sick, and yet it makes sense. Why do I have to be the one to figure this out?" He rolled his eyes and then shouted across the abyss, "Kiss her already, Goblin King! It's the only way!"
"Kiss her?" Jareth growled, starting at the thought. "Lower my pride to kiss her and save our worlds? I have both worlds in the palm of my hand. Why should I do that?"
Jareth felt Majeste trembling in his grip, terrified of falling into the abyss and losing her world. He gazed at her face, at the fair, soft skin, the beautiful, expressive eyes, the gentle, pure lips. She was beautiful, and he suddenly realized that even if he had both worlds, it wouldn't be worth it without such a woman at his side.
"What are you thinking?" Majeste shivered, gazing into Jareth's intense eyes. "You wouldn't…"
"You yourself said we have to save our worlds. I'm beginning to think you were right."
"Jareth, you wouldn't. I've tried too hard to disdain you, and I loathe the idea of you…" Majeste began, but she was never able to finish.
Jareth tightened his hold on Majeste's arms and stepped forward. In one smooth motion, the Goblin King craned his neck and pressed his lips against the crystal queen's, tilting her back slightly as he did so. Had Majeste been able to make any noise, she would have gasped with surprise, but she was unable to move, unable to pull away.
Jareth's kiss was fast, but effective, for as he pulled his mouth away from Majeste's, the bridge closed up entirely. He noticed that the stone and crystal of the bridge became intertwined, and he couldn't help but smile. A kiss, of all things, managed to hold the worlds together.
Majeste was breathing rapidly, her heart pounding wildly as Jareth softened his grip on her. "You…you…"she sputtered, her eyes wide with surprise. "I…how…why…" She stopped, at a loss for words, the miraculous, passionate sensations of love flowing through her body again as she imagined, just for a few seconds, that Jareth was the same kind, adoring goblin he had once been.
"I lowered my pride for you," Jareth said, looking at her again, a small smile on his face. "I became your slave."
Majeste's fingers went to her lips and she tried desperately to stop herself from trembling. Jareth watched her, noting her attempt to regain her composure. She was the most beautiful creature in all the worlds, and he realized suddenly that he had rather enjoyed that first kiss. Her mouth was soft and pleasant, and he lowered his neck again, wanting another kiss. He put his arms around her and drew her close to him, holding her against him.
Majeste knew what he wanted, and she pulled her head back a bit, uncertain as to Jareth's new, awkward behavior. Was he actually daring to lower his pride enough for him to demonstrate love towards her, or was this another trick to become ruler of Crystalla and to save the Labyrinth? But, the Labyrinth and Crystalla had already been rescued, so why, after that was said and done, was Jareth trying to get so close to her, trying to spark the passion that had always been there, just hidden away for a short time?
"Jareth, one kiss was enough to save the worlds," Majeste said, and to her discomfort, she found herself whispering.
"I want one thing from you," Jareth whispered, his eyes closed and his mouth near Majeste's ear.
"And that would be?" Majeste said, still uncomfortable and her breathing audible as she tried to control the rapid beating of her heart and the strong flow of emotions that were rushing through her.
"Your heart," he whispered, his lips tickling her ear as he moved his face to hers and put his nose on hers.
"I…don't…know," Majeste stammered, his breath warm against her face. She put her hand on his cheek in an attempt to move him away from her, but she found her hand stuck there and she wondered if it was some of Jareth's magic. She knew better than that and couldn't help but smile as Jareth kissed her cheek.
"Fear me, love me, do as I say," he whispered, his hand coming up to her neck and stroking her cheek as his mouth neared hers again.
"Your eyes can be so cruel," Majeste choked, still trying to fight but no longer succeeding, for Jareth's lips touched hers again, and unlike the first kiss, Majeste found herself melting. She wrapped her arms around the Goblin King, allowing him to hold her and for his kiss to become something deeper than what the first one had been. She found that she could have held him forever, that she loved his hand on her face and the other around her waist, holding her close. She let herself be overcome again by his great love for her and could only stand in his arms, enjoying every sensation that each kiss had to offer.
Toby, still standing at the Labyrinth's edge, grossed out beyond all belief or explanation, could only utter one exclamation. "Oh, dude!" A second later, with all thanks to the Goblin King's magic, a filthy sock found its way to Toby's mouth and promptly gagged him.
Sarah watched Majeste and Jareth with amazement, smiling, for she knew that Jareth had finally met his match and was where he belonged. The two were so beautiful together and were so perfect for each other.
Majeste somehow found the strength to pull slightly away from Jareth, and she shook her head, awakening from what she believed to be another dream. Jareth didn't seem eager to let her go, for he stayed close to her and kept his mouth on the hair that lay gently against her face. Majeste saw Sarah standing on the soil of Crystalla and then looked up at Jareth, tears in her eyes. The crystal orb that Jareth had been hiding appeared in her hand, and she moved him a few inches away from her and held it out to him, her hand shaking.
"Jareth," she said, watching the colors swirling in the orb. "Take this and use it. I want you to go back with Sarah to the world of the mortals."
"What?" Jareth asked, taking his mouth away from her hair and running one of her strands of hair through his gloved fingers.
"Use this to go back with Sarah. It has one wish left in it. Use it," Majeste said sadly. "I know you love Sarah. The kisses were to save the worlds. Now that they are saved, you are free to go back. The Labyrinth can find a new leader, and you can be happy."
"But why?" Jareth asked, finding his voice again, for the few moments of romance had thrown him into a realm where no words were necessary, and he was more interested in holding Majeste to him and engaging again in romance rather than talking.
"Because I love you," Majeste said calmly, still holding the orb out to him.
"If you loved me, you would keep me here," Jareth said, the dark look coming into his eyes again.
"No," Majeste said, shaking her head. "I want you to be happy. Love is selfless and puts others before itself."
Jareth took the orb, allowing his fingers to slide across Majeste's small hand as he did so. He gazed into the crystal and noted the sad expression on Majeste's face as he did so.
"I wish," Jareth started, his eyes glowing eerily in the starlight, "that I shall always be with Majeste, the Crystal Queen." The colors in the orb swirled around violently, and then the orb slowly began to fade. In a matter of seconds, it had vanished altogether.
Majeste gasped and took a step away from him, her breathing coming rapidly. "Jareth, why? That was your one chance!"
Jareth smiled slightly and put his hand back down again. "Because, love is selfless and it puts others before itself."
"You didn't really want to wish that," Majeste said, shaking her head.
Jareth stepped over to her again and took her hands in his. "I have wanted to wish that ever since I first met you."
Majeste shivered at his touch, and her voice wavered, as she asked, "Why didn't you, then?"
Jareth smiled again and gazed into her eyes. "I didn't deserve you. I still don't deserve you." He bent low and kissed her hands, and Majeste could only gaze at him with admiration. Perhaps there was more to him than just pride and selfishness. He had given himself to her, and she understood that there was no greater gift he could have given.
"Rise, King Jareth of the Goblins," she said, and Jareth stood, gazing at her fondly.
"What can I do for you? Whatever you wish, I will do it."
"Stand still," Majeste smiled, and then, ever so lovingly, she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him, putting her arms around his neck and holding him close.
"Hoggle, I believe Toby and I should leave now," Sarah called across the way, watching the two on the bridge and feeling as though she was intruding.
"How are you going to get back?"
An orb suddenly appeared in Sarah's hands, and she smiled at Majeste. Majeste gave her a small smile in return and then became absorbed with Jareth again.
Sarah held the orb out in her hand and spoke, "I wish that Toby and I could return home and that Hoggle, Sir Didymus, and Ludo could come and then return to the Labyrinth a few minutes later."
Instantly, Sarah, Hoggle, Ludo, and Toby appeared in Sarah's room. It was just the way she had left it, with luggage all over the room and her bed still covered with clothes.
"I didn't realize you had such a romantic mind, Toby," Sarah teased, messing up Toby's hair and then walking over to her bed.
"It was so obvious, and I'm not romantic," Toby frowned, pulling the sock out of his mouth and tossing it away. "That was disgusting. How can people do that?"
Sarah rolled her eyes and turned to Ludo, Hoggle, and Sir Didymus. "Thank you all for your help," she smiled, and then hugged each of them. "I wish you could stay here forever, but you have a wedding to attend, I'm sure."
"As do you," another voice suddenly said, and Sarah and Toby turned to see Jareth standing near the windows, his arms folded across his chest. "You shall see me again, Sarah."
Several people were standing around Jareth, all of them with slightly pointed ears, wild hair, and elaborate clothing.
"Who are you?" Sarah asked, amazed.
"These," Jareth said, gesturing to the people, "are my goblins."
"But they aren't…"
"Goblins?" Jareth grinned. "Yes, they are. The curse is ended. Everyone can now go back and forth freely from Crystalla and the Labyrinth. These are my people."
"I can't believe you didn't figure that out," Toby snorted.
"You, Toby, must watch your mouth, or you might still become a goblin," Jareth warned, and then turned towards the window. "I have preparations that must be made. Farewell, Sarah. I will see you again."
"Farewell, Jareth," Sarah smiled and then watched as the Goblin King and his people disappeared.
"Look at this," Toby said, holding up a blue gem in his hand.
"He must have left it for you. Be careful with it," Sarah warned.
"He left something for you, too," Toby said. "Look at your bracelet."
Sarah held up her wrist and looked at the beautiful crystal bracelet with a dark purple gem hanging from it. "Beautiful," she smiled. "I do hope," she frowned, "that these gems don't have any mischievous goblin powers in them."
"We must leave now," Hoggle said as he, Ludo, and Sir Didymus began to fade. "We will see you both soon."
"Good bye," Sarah smiled sadly and waved at them. "I will miss all of you."
The three disappeared and Sarah sighed. "Again, they leave me."
"Such a pity," Toby said, and the familiar tone in his voice made Sarah look at him with shock. Her brother's eyes were amazingly bright and he was gazing at the gem he had been given. Was it just a trick of the imagination, or were his ears slightly pointed and his hair tipped with red?
"Toby!" Sarah shouted, grabbing the gem from him and gazing at it.
Toby shook his head and then smiled, looking like his old self again. "Do you think we will really be invited to Jareth and Majeste's wedding?"
Sarah sighed with relief and then shook her head, putting his gem on her vanity as she did so. "I think," she said slowly, a small smile playing about her lips, "that we shall be seeing the both of them again, for I can never seem to rid myself entirely of Jareth."
She then put an arm around Toby's shoulder and laughed, both of them shaking their heads and grinning.
The End