It's still early when he wakes her with a kiss that quickly turns into something more. This is nothing new and, at this point, she expects it. Under normal circumstances, she might eventually want a morning to herself to sleep in, dozing on and off until hunger finally pulls her from her bed, but these circumstances are far from normal, and she is happy to give him what he needs. Plus, it's hard to be annoyed when his tongue feels so good.
Every day she spends with him is special, but this day is especially so. It's Christmas, at last, in the Goblin Kingdom. Though they've celebrated the day a few times since their marriage and her coronation, it's been a very long time since their last real Christmas celebration.
They breakfast on fruit and flaky pastries in Sarah's chambers, and then dress for the day. As they head to the throne room to begin the celebrations, he stops her at the threshold of her rooms and glances upward. She follows his gaze and sees mistletoe decorating the doorway. It hadn't been there when she'd gone to sleep and she wonders what other decorating he'd done while she was unconscious. She grins and he leans in to kiss her, taking his time to ensure he does a thorough job. Nobody in the Goblin Kingdom would be foolish enough to rush Jareth when he is with his wife, but when Sarah notices the staff waiting quietly down the hallway to clean her chambers, she's the one that convinces him to move along. The chambermaids stare at her with stars in their eyes as she passes, grateful for this rare glimpse of their queen.
"It's beautiful," Sarah breathes when she enters the throne room. An enormous, elaborate Christmas tree stands in the corner of the room. Fairies flit about in its branches, the lights in their tiny lanterns merrily twinkling. It's a well-known fact that fairies bite, but even if they didn't, the goblins would never dare approach the tree (or its various baubles) for fear of angering the wood sprites that consider it home. Boughs and wreaths of holly cover the walls of the room to honor the Holly King as his power wanes and he retreats from the growing strength of the Oak King, inspiring all denizens of the Goblin Kingdom to find ways to better themselves in the coming year.
Sarah tries not to think too hard about the Holly King or what his defeat on the coldest, darkest day of the year means for most people, but might never mean for her. After all, today is a happy day, and if she can't show joy on this, of all days, then there really is no point to any of it. So she pushes away the feeling and ignores the holly, focusing instead on the goblins that fall over themselves in their excitement to reach her.
She smiles at them, patting the larger ones on their heads. They bask in her presence, thrilled, as they always are, to see her. Some press small presents of braided straw or particularly shiny pebbles into her hands. She thanks them profusely, showering praise on them, noticing that they seem starved for attention, though she's certain Jareth spends time with them every day. Perhaps Jareth is quotidian to them, and what they want, on the rare occasions they can get it, is her attention. There's nothing she'd like more than to give them her time, but there are so many things she'd like to do and so very little time in which to do them. She feels a pang of guilt at the thought and resolves to balance her responsibilities better and behave like the queen they deserve.
"What did you get them for Christmas?" she asks Jareth in a voice too low for the goblins to hear.
He looks surprised at the question and she realizes he hasn't gotten them anything. Well, he can't be expected to get everyone in his kingdom gifts, she supposes.
And then, his expression changes. He lifts his swagger stick in the air just as an upbeat song begins. The goblins cheer and begin to dance - if you can call it dancing - around the room. Sarah laughs when she recognizes the song, a poppy Christmas tune from her days Above, and joins Jareth in the sing-along.
"They don't want things," Jareth says when the song ends. "What they want is fun."
Sarah laughs as another song begins, sleigh bells ringing in time with the music. "Who knew goblins were so wise?" she asks, lifting a small goblin from the ground and swinging it around in the air while it giggles furiously.
The impromptu concert takes up the remainder of the morning, and by the time a hearty holiday lunch is delivered to the throne room, the goblins are worn out. Sarah's not sure she's ever seen that happen before, and stands in awe as they actually line up for food. Her awe lasts only seconds, however, until the first bread roll flies and the room quickly descends into chaos. Jareth stands in front of her to shield her from a lump of mashed potato as it soars through the air, but she peeks around him, her body shaking with laughter, to watch the goblins, her beloved subjects, play.
After lunch, she knows her friends would like to spend time with her. Jareth readily agrees and makes the arrangements, and Sarah again feels guilt that she isn't spending her time as wisely as she could. As he transports her to a snowy hill outside the Labyrinth, she swallows the guilt to focus on more pleasant topics.
Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus are waiting for her, Ambrosius frolicking in the distance. Sarah laughs at the dog's clownish behavior and when he hears her voice, he runs to her to be patted, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. Sarah greets them all, and though Hoggle complains when she hugs him, she notices the way he squeezes her back.
Hoggle's hugs may be reluctant, but convincing him to take a turn on the sled is far more difficult. It isn't until Sarah and Didymus complete several runs, shouting and laughing as they slide down the hill together, that Hoggle decides he might want to give it a try afterall. He sits cautiously on the sled and takes the rope in his hands. Without warning, Ludo sits behind Hoggle and pushes off. The sled shoots down the hill at speeds Sarah and Didymus would never be capable of achieving, Ludo's roar of amusement shaking the very foundation of the sledding hill. Hoggle's tentative enthusiasm for the sport dissipates entirely before he's even halfway down the hill.
Red-nosed from the cold and breathless from laughter, Sarah decides to head back to the castle. She hugs her friends goodbye (this time, Hoggle doesn't even grump about it) and at her request, she is magicked into the castle's warm kitchens where Jareth hands her a steaming mug of chocolate.
Hot chocolate in the Goblin Kingdom is unlike any she'd had in the world Above. He serves it to her alongside an enormous bowl of sweet, whipped cream. She spoons the cream into the thick chocolate and stirs until it thins enough to become drinkable. The cream lightens and sweetens the drink, but she still savors the bitter flavor of the dark chocolate melted into her cup. She can't help but feel as if there's a metaphor there. Her life… their life together… the light and dark, the sweet and bitter all combining…
But it's best not to dwell.
Dinner is a private affair, taken in the drawing room rather than her chambers; Jareth seems to understand her desire to stay away from her rooms as long as possible. Or perhaps he shares that desire. She's never asked how much time he spends in those rooms; she won't like his answer, no matter his response. They sit, heads together, discussing developments in the Goblin Kingdom, particularly interesting runners, and changes in Above-ground fashions. The longer she stays Underground, the more ridiculous the clothing Above seems to her.
She fails to stifle a yawn and looks away, not wanting to see the look on his face.
"Come," he says and offers a gloved hand.
There's no use fighting it; it was her idea, after all.
Back in her chambers, in front of a roaring fire, he makes love to her slowly, carefully, treating every second of their time as if it is precious to him. He brings her to ecstasy again and again, and she reciprocates, knowing he needs this, and almost certainly more than she does.
Later, in the half-glow of the fire's embers, he murmurs into her ear, "Did you have a good day?"
She smiles and presses her back against his chest. "I had the best day," she answers. "I'm only sorry I didn't get you a Christmas gift."
His fingers, bare, caress her chin and encourage her to look back at him. The look in his eyes is intense as he takes her in, seeming to memorize her. "This is everything I want," he says.
"Is it worth it?" she asks.
"To be with you? I would weather any storm." He kisses her and then she settles back against him.
"Are you happy, Sarah?"
She squeezes her eyes closed, wishing she could postpone the conversation. She could refuse to meet his eyes and hide her lie inside a yawn, but she's waited long enough. And if she's tired of the lie, she can't imagine how he feels about it.
She rolls within his arms, needing to see him, needing him to see her.
"With you? Always. But…"
He waits.
"It's not fair, is it? It's not fair to the goblins. Not fair to the kingdom. Not fair to you. I'm the only one who benefits." The lie slips in despite her best efforts.
"I benefit," he argues. But she can see how hard it is on him, and he knows it. He continues, "We'll find a way. This is temporary."
"How long has it been, Jareth? I don't even know."
"A year and a day."
"A year and a day every time. It adds up. 'Only forever…' Certainly starting to seem pretty long, don't you think?"
"Do you want to stop?"
She has no answer. How can she ever explain, or even justify, her growing exhaustion? Her desire for rest and solitude? Her need for a quiet afternoon alone with a favorite book? This is the only solution they have so far, the only way they've found to be together forever, and her time is still limited, even using this method.
She looks into his remarkable eyes, first one and then the other. In the darkness, the difference between them is negligible. "Ask me again in a year and a day," she responds, and she knows instantly that the words will become routine. They will be what they ask each other before every sleep until he finds what he's looking for: An answer to her mortality.
She doesn't close her eyes until he leans in to kiss her, but when he does, she no longer has a choice. The spell takes hold and she falls into an enchanted sleep, to be awakened by her true love's kiss only after a year and a day have passed.
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fan fiction. The author makes no money from this story. Labyrinth is the property of Henson Associates, Inc., Lucasfilm Ltd., and TriStar Pictures.
For KBates: Sleeping Beauty
Also for KBates: Your response to A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow, "I've always wondered how it'd be if J wasn't able to magically render S immortal. I thought he'd drive himself insane trying to find a way." You make me think. Thank you. :)
Last, but not least, for the Labyrinth Fanfic Lovers group, December challenge. This is fic #1. Christmas fic #2 is on the way.
Thank you to Exulansis for the beta!