24 The Beginning of the end

As he watched her fall Jareth saw all his hopes die with her. He couldn't let her go, not after all he'd done to make sure she survived this long. In his heart he knew it was time for her to make her decision, and that meant it was time for them to meet, for the first time in five years. He wasn't sure he was ready, and he was pretty certain she wasn't, but the time had come. With a heavy heart and a feeling of dread over what was to come, he sent the crystal out of his window and within seconds Sarah and all her friends were standing at the foot of the steps to the castle itself. From then on, all he could do was wait for her to come to him.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Sarah opened her eyes with a jolt as she realised she was once again on her feet, the sickening fall had ended, but not how she had expected. Instead as she took in her surroundings, she found herself standing in front of the castle at the centre of the labyrinth. She had reached her destination, her journey was over. Yet she knew that wasn't true, she'd reached the castle, but her journey wasn't finished yet. The last and hardest part lay beyond the doors that stood in front of her. Both doors were open, a fact which she took as a good sign. It had to have been Jareth that had brought her there, he had to want her to go in, yet although she knew she had to do it, her body refused to move. She glanced around and saw her friends staring around them, and at her, in shock. Clearly the last few moments had been as unexpected for them as for her. It was Sir Didymus that recovered his wits first.

"Why my lady, art thou all right?"

"Yes Didymus, I'm fine." I think, she whispered under her breath, once again looking back towards the castle.

"I guess ya gotta go in then?" said Hoggle, and when Sarah turned to look at him she saw tears glistening in his eyes. "Then I guess we gotta leave, ya gotta do this alone."

A lump formed in Sarah's throat and she sank to her knees in front of Hoggle, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Yes Hoggle, I have got to do this by myself, but I'm never alone, I've always got you with me, all of you" She said, looking around at the group. "You're my only real friends, and as long as that's true, you'll always be with me. I don't know what's going to happen when I walk in this castle, but I know I'll never lose you. Thank you so much for everything you've done for me, I love you all…" At that point the tears began to flow from her eyes and she couldn't continue. Instead she hugged all her friends in turn, not sure whether she was ever going to see them again, and turned back to the castle.

As she began to walk up the steps towards the door, she thought about what lay beyond, about who she was walking towards, about what was going to happen to her when she walked through those doors.

Goblin king, goblin king, wherever you may be, you took this heart of mine far away from me,

Locked in your castle, kept by your side, no love for another, desire to be your bride,

Chained by the memories, of sweetness in your eyes, I remember your kindness, along with the lies,

Torn between hate and love eternal, fear what I may find when I am finally with you,

Need you by my side, need your touch, your caress, but fear your hearts rejection, crave your tenderness,

Scared to find the answers, my heart requires your love, you see what I cannot, you watched from high above,

Now I know not where my path leads, except it ends with you, but good or bad I need to know, or I cannot continue,

My return to life cost me my heart, I can't go through that again, unless you are there by my side, I have no reason to return,

So give me your answer, tell me no lies, do you love me, will I be denied,

I know not these answers, and fear them as well, so as I wander these paths, my heart won't be still,

I hurry at leisure; I dawdle with haste, unsure of my feet, forgetting the chase,

Think only of you, desire your embrace, know that I love you, as I relive the past,

The adventure is ended, the finale draws near, my mind knows confusion, I still know the fear,

But that time has come, to put fear aside, as once more I reach you, to find the answers, there, in your eyes.