Chap.2
Finals flew by in a blur of late nights and mathematical equations. Finally, freshman year was officially over. Sarah stood in the hall, watching fellow her fellow dorm mates haul duffle bags and boxes out of their rooms. Sarah's things were packed and already in her car. Her side of the room was vacant and bare, making for a sharp contrast to Lindsey's clutter.
Sarah smiled as a lud crash came from inside their room, followed by Lindsey releasing several profanties.
"Need help?" Sarah called over her shoulder, into the room.
"Nope, I'm fine. I think."
Sarah shook her head and joined her roomie.
"God, Linds, how mucg studd do you have?"
"Too much, from the look of it. I should have rented a mini-van for the drive home."
Sarah knelt down and started throwing clothes into a trash bag. There were already three bags full of clothes next to the door. Lindsey began violently throwing books into a box.
"I can't wait until this day is over." Lindsey finished with the books and went to work on the green metal shelf she had intalled at the beginning of the year. She looked over at Sarah. "So, are you coming back in the fall?"
"Yeah, I plan on it."
"You wanna be roomies again?"
Sarah looked up at her friend and grinned. Warmth flooded her. Lindsey really was the closest friend she had. "Definatly. I don't wanna get stuck with one of those scary softball girls."
Lindsey laughed out loud. "Yeah, no joke."
Sarah climbed into her car, waving at Lindsey from across the parking lot. She started the small white Honda and made for the exit.
The freeway was packed, and traffic was murdously slow. Sarah slowed as she reached the first of many jams she would encounter on the drive home. She turned up her radio, wishing for a cd player and a break in traffic.
The neiborhood looked exactly the way it had when she'd left. Her house hadn't changed either. Sarah pulled into the driveway and parked. She sat in the car for a few minutes, childhood memories flooding back. There was the park down the street where shehad spent her early teenage years acting out her favorite plays. She could see the trees in her back yard and the small wooded area where she had built a fort to hide from her step mother. Sarah thought of Karen, and how they'd grown closer as she'd grown up. Sarah had come to realize that Karen actually wasn't out to get her.
Something slammed against her window, making her jump a foot off the seat. Tobi grinned at her. Sarah pushed the door open and jumped out, grabbing her little brother in a bear hug.
"I've missed you, brat!"
"Yay! You made it for my birthday! It's gonna be so much fun!" He squeeled and wiggled around in her grasp. Sarah let go of him, laughing and ruffleing his hair.
"Sarah, honey!"
Sarah looked up as her step mother Karen came out onto the porch and waved.
"Hi Karen!" Sarah and Tobi walked to the porch and Sarah hugged her.
"How was your trip?"
"Murder! Traffic was a nightmare. But I'm here now, and that's what counts. Where is dad?"
"Oh, hon, he tried to get the day off, but you kno how his boss is." Karen sighed and held open the screen door.
Sarah nodded. "It's okay. I didn't expect him to beat me home anyways." She took her borthers hand, and the three of them disapeered into the house.
The crystal became dark, the happy family fading into nothingness. The Goblin King sat back in his throne and sighed. So, the girl had once again returned to her place of familiar ground. He smiled to himself. She really was lovely.
"The time is near, dear girl. You can not deny my existence forever," he said aloud to the empty throne room.
Suddenly, the crystal began to swirl again. A face appeared inside, with eyes like glass that one cold see through. The King felt anger swell within his being.
"There is nothing here for you!" He rose from his throne, shouting at the crystal as he stood.
The face smiled and opened a rather lovely mouth. Wicked laughter echoed, filling the surrounding silence.
Unpacking wasn't something Sarah enjoyed, but it was nice to be back in her old room. She had painted the walls a dark but cheerful blue her junior year of high school, creating a comfetable den of sleep and thought. All her old toys were either in boxes or in Tobi's room. Sarah stood and looked out her window into her back yard. The old swing set was still there, for Tobi now. Some of the trees ahd been cut away to extend the yard, and her parents had installed a pool. He father said it was for exercise purposes; no middle a spread for Richard Williams. But Sarah knew Karen had talked him into it. She smiled. They'd built a deck around the back of the house too. From the looks of it, covered in BBQers and such, that it was for her father.
She sighed and returned to her suitcase of clothes. Filling the hangers in her closet, she made haste of the wrinkled tee shirts and jeans. When that was finished, she moved on to her duffle bag of books. He gigantic book shelf still covered a section of bedroom wall, the books she hadn't needed for college still intact. She began restocking the gaps in the shelves, when suddenly her door flew open and Tobi flew in.
Sarah yelped, jumped up, and in the process of doing so, knocked a row of books onto the floor with her elbow.
Biting back a curse, she rubbed her elbow. "Darn it, Tobi, now I have even more to do!" She sighed.
"Sorry," he said, still breathless from his gallopup the stairs. "Mom told me to tell you dinner is ready. And Dad just pulled up!"
"Okay, thank you sweetie. Tell them I'll be down in a minute." She ruffled his curls.
"Okay!" And he was gone in a blur of blonde.
Sarah groaned and bent down to gather up fallen books. She sifted throught them, smileing at the fairytale titles that graced the covers. She had loved them in her youth. Out of no where, a thin red volume slid from the stack to her feet. She set the others on the shelf and stooped to pick it up.
Sarah's heart skipped a beat. She held the novel in her hand and felt her body began to tremble. She traced the gold script with her index finger:
LABYRINTH.
She stopped. He was doing to her, making her heart flutter. "Leave me alone," she hissed.
"Sarah!" came the call from downstairs.
She jumped again, then cursed her nerves. "Coming!" she called back.
Sarah got to her feet and shoved the play into the drawer in her nightstand. She ran a brush through her hair and ran down the stairs.
Dinner was delicious. Karen had made spaghetti, and it was exactly as good as Sarah remembered it being. It had been much too long since she'd had a home cooked meal. Sarah went for seconds, then thirds, until her appetite was finally saited. He father beamed at her over the table through the entire meal, so proud his little girl had made it through her first year. He laughed at her obvious lack of realization that she had been so hungry.
"Jeez, Sarah, save some food for the rest of us," Tobi giggled. He impaled a meatball with his fork and held it up, poised for devourment.
Sarah blushed. Her step mother clucked. "Tobi, leave her alone. Sarah, have as much as you want, honey."
"Thanks, Karen."
After dinner, Sarah feigned trip exhaustion. She hugged her family good night and then made a beeline for her room. She closed the bedroom dorr behind her and went straight to the nightstand. Opening the drawer, she reached in to grab the book. Her breath caught; the book was gone. She stood back for amoment, shook her head, and then pulled the drawer out.
"I'm hallucinating. Maybe I really am tired," she said aloud to her room.
Flopping on her bed with the drawer in her lap, she proceeded to rustle through it. After taking out everything in the drawer and putting it all back in again, she sighed. Nope, the book was definatly not in there. Had Tobi taken it? Impossible. He had been in her sight from moment she put the book in there, 'til the time she came back for it.
She got up and pushed the drawer back in place. Sarah stood in place, looking around her room, feeling very strange. Some one was playing a game with her, that must be it. Sarah wasn't sure she wanted to play along. She saw her own reflection in the vanity mirror. For a moment, it seemed to shimmer and ripple as if made of liquid. She squinted and walked toward it. When she stretched out her hand to touch it, it was solid. Then she looked down. The slim red volume sat between her cosmetic bag and a bottle of lotion, as if it had been there all along.
Sarah put her hand on her hips and stared at it, as if expecting it to fly away around her room in circles. She gingerly picked it up and examined it. Maybe she had never put it in the nightstand in the first place. Perhaps she had meant to but wa then side tracked. She had, after all, brushed her hair before dinner. But no, she remembered very clearly putting it in the night stand. She shook her head and shoved the play into her back pocket. Get a grip, Sarah, she told herself.
A loud thud sounded inside Sareah's closet, making her jump. She stared at the closet doors, wondering if the sound had come from some where else in the house. She waited, listening. Just as she began to think that the noise had indeed come from some where else, it sounded again. It was undeniably coming from the closet. Sarah swalloed hard. Rats? They'd never had rats before. She carefully slid the closet door open, half expecting the boogyman to pop out, and reached inside. She pulled the string that turned on the light. She shoved her clothes aside and saw nothing. Was it possible for someones heart to literally pound out of someones chest? She stood back and strained to see the top shelf. Nothing. I really am going crazy. It's finally happened. Sarah, you've finally snapped.
Grumbling and pushing away her negative thoughts, Sarah slid the first ddoorshut and slid the second one open. More clothes to her left, and some shelves to the right. A few boxes had been pushe towards the back. Sarah pulled the first box out and sat on the floor with it. She opened the box and was surprised to see it was full of her old toys and pictures. She rumaged through them for the sake of nostalgia, but found nothing relevant to the sudden closet manifestation.
Standing up, Sarah put the box back and pulled the second one out. This box was considerably lighter then the other. She sat down again and opened the box. There was only one item inside, and it was wrapped in tissue paper. She picked it up and gently removed the wrapping. Sarah gasped at what she held in her hand. It was the gold music box with the princess dancing in its gilded center. Sarah stood and walked over to her bed, sitting down and turning on her bedside lamp.
Examining the box, she found the little drawer in the bottem and openend it. Inside were a few of her old play necklaces and a red lipsick she had thought at one time made her glamorous. She closed the drawer and wound the lever on the bottem. The box still worked, much to her surprise, and familiar music filled the room. Momentarily forgetting the task at hand, Sarah sighed and closed her eyes. The world and time itself shifted back, far back, and Sarah suddenly found the ballroom before her. She stared at its great mirrior walls, the air around her hazy. The dancers swayed past her, masked faces leering in jovial mockery.
Sarah opened her eyes, pulling herself back. She heard a small click from her lap. Looking down and examining the box once more, she noticed a small compartment inside, under the dancing girl. It had popped open just enough for her to tell it was an opeing but not hat was in it. She wiggled a pinky finger inside and guided it open a little further. She could make out a chain inside, like on for a necklace. She tipped the box a little and the chain slid out partways, dangleing within reach.
She looped her pinky around the chain and pulled. Sarah frowned. The chain had slid out more, but seemed lodged by something on the end of it. Sarah tugged genty, jimmying it loose. Finally it gave way. The charm swung out with such force that Sarah dropped the music box onto the floor. Holding the chain, she examined the charm. Sarah's stomach did a flip, and she felt the blood in her veins chill ever so slightly. It was an owl, a barn owl. The animal form of...no, Sarah shook her head. In its talons, the charm clutched a small sphere. A clear sphere casting rainbow light, a crystal.
A echoed through her thoughts, familiar but unknowen. Put it on. Sarah, with out hesitation, did as she was told. She undid the clasp and fastened it around her neck. It hung just below her collar bone. She looked around her room and stood up.
"Now what?" she asked aloud, feeling that at any minute, men in white coats would come to take her away.
Suddnely, pain pounded at the base of her skull. Sarah hand flew to her forehead, brow creased in agony. The room spun, and the voice in her head became overwhelming. You know what to do! She shook her head and dropped to her knees, but the voice persisted until the room swam so fast she felt nautious. Sarah looked down at the charm, and clasped it in her shaking hands.
"Take me to the Underground." Her voice sounded distant, lost.
The ground seemed to tremble beneth her feet. Sarah saw her hands out before her, reaching for something to steady herself with. But the world fell away, swirling. She fell with it, plunging into darkness.
A timid knock came at the door. The Goblin King rolled in the dark, his mind seething with the confusion and anger that comes when someone is awoken without warning.
"What it it?" His voice was groggy.
"The girl. The girl has arrived." The goblin shifted from side to side nervously.
"Girl? What g-." The king stopped short. "Sarah," he whispered.
"What shall we do with her, m'lord? She is unconcious."
"Put her in the lady's chambers at the end of the hall."
"Yes, your Majesty."
"And Bargwart?"
"Yes, your Majesty?"
"Slip her some of that sleeping powder Magda whipped up. I don't want her waking up until I'm ready."
"Yes, my king, right away." Goblin feet padded away down the hall.
The King tried for an hour to sleep, but when slumber alluded him, he decided to go for a walk. Leaving his room, he found himself drifting down the hall towards her room. He ran a hand litlessly over the red and gold tapestries lining the walls. He reached her door and felt his pulse speed up. His palms were moist as he extracted a ring of keys for his robe pocket. He unlocked the door and stepped into the dark, silent room.
Walking slowly over to her bed, the King gazed down at Sarah's sleeping form. He smiled. She really wasn't much different than she had been three years ago. She had this out a bit, but was filled out in all the right places as well. Restraint failed him, and without thinking, he brushed his hand gently across her cheek. Sarah's eyes fluttered and he quickly drew back his hand. Had she seen him? Was she waking up?
I can't keep her here. Not now. I don't think I am ready for this confrontation. Not yet. Jareth closed his eyes, and with a wave of his hand, he sent her home.
Sarah sat up in bed. "Jareth?" she gasped. She was in her own room.
What had happened last night? She looked out the window next to her. It was morning, but early so that the dew still clung to everything. She could hav sworn she had gone back to...no, wait. That was immpossible. She had dreamed it, nothing more.
Something around her neck felt heavy. Sarah looked down and gasped. The owl charm still hung there. What in the hell? Sarah reached around behind her neck to find the clasp. There wasn't one. Jumping out of bed and running to her mirrior, she watched her reflection turn the chain over and over. It was solid.
"But there was a clasp last night." She told the girl in the mirrior.
She tried to pull the necklace off over her head, but it was too small. She tried to break the chain, anger welling up, making her face hot. But the chain was too strong. Giving up, she looked at the charm in her hand with annoyance.
"Looks like I'm stuck with you."
Sighing and thinking that maybe coming home hadn't been the best idea, she grabbed some clean clothes and headed down the hall for a shower.
An hour or so later, Sarah thudded down the stairs. She'd made plans to drive up to Ashton to visit Lindsey and go shopping for Tobi. Ashton was a small hippy town with an arts college smack in the middle of it. Peeking into the kitchen, she was relieved to see only Karen. Tobi must've still been asleep.
Sarah told her step mother of her plans and gave her her cell number. Once outside, she stood on the porch, taking in her old neighborhood. She could see the place at the end of the street where she had crashed her new bike after just learning to ride it. A few tears, scraped knees, and some neosporin and Ariel band-aids later, she was back on and riding like a pro. She smiled. The early morning air was rich and crisp and cool on her face. Her town was actually quite large, but it was spread out, sprawled over a large area. There was the illusion of a small town, since houses and buildings came in spurts, and there were so many trees. Sarah loved it. She had never really appreciated it until she left. Now she longed for it's simplicity.
The traffic was light; a week day after 10 am meant everyone was at work. She turned up the radio and sang along with Queen and the Rolling Stones. Sarah loved drivning, when she could move the car faster than a crawl.
Lindsey waved frantically as Sarah climbed out of her car. She waved back, laughing to her self. Next to Lindsey, Sarah always felt drab. There stood her friend, clad in a turquoise mini skirt with a cream colored sweater. Her scarf and hat matched the skirt. Sarah marveled at her knee-high cream colored boots. It was chilly in Ashton in early June. Sarah herself wore a scarf, along with jeans and a black tank top under her leather jacket.
The two friends hugged as if it had been ages, when reall, it had only been a few days.
"How was the drive?" Lindsey asked.
"Fast. Traffic was cake this time."
"Cool." They started walking. "So what is this brother of yours into? Sports, blowing things up? What?"
Sarah laughed. "Um, actually, well, no. It's my fault really. He likes mythical stuff and fantasies. That's what I was into, and he always escaped into my room to play with my stuff."
"There is a really cool place that sounds like it might be perfect. Come on."
Lindsey led Sarah down a couple of blocks and around the corner.
"The Wizards Lair," Sarah read the sign aloud and laughed. "Sounds promising."
The two crossed the street and entered the shop. Sarah was overwhelmed with the enchanting scent of incense. She inhaled deeply and felt her head swim a little. Lindsey went straight for the Egyption oils, dabbing sample after sample onto her wrist. Sarah wonderd through the tight isles. The store seemed to have more stuff than it was capable of holding. She smiled and she spied a shelf full of dragon sculptures. They were beautiful, and Sarah was instantly drawn to a medium sized green onewith its front leg raised as if trying to tell her something.
Gingerly, she bent over and picked it up. It was surprisingly heavy, and there was no price tag. Sarah turned to find the clerk, and let out a small scream. The dragon fell from her hands, but the man who had been standing behind her caught it with cat like reflexes that did not match his obvious age. His hair and beard were long and white, hanging to his waist.
"Oh, sorry. God, you scared me. I didn't mean to drop it. I'm really sorry."
"Don't fret. Dragons always land on their feet. Don't you?" He held the dragon up, staring into it's red glass eyes. He smiled at Sarah, his weathered face creasing with the effort.
"Um, I just wanted to know how much it was. There is no tag."
The man looked at her, then at the dragon, then back at her. He shook his head. "This dragon is not the one for you. You must pick the one that suits you. Perhaps that purple lady there."
Sarah eyed him. "It's not for me. It's for my little brother. It's his borthday present."
"Little brother, aye?"
"Yes, Toby."
The man inhaled sharply, then looked at the dragon. "Well, in that case, this is just the one." He turned and headed for the counter.
Once outside the shop, Sarah eyed Lindsey. The blond looked back at her.
"What?"
"That guy was crazy." Sarah laughed.
"Yeah, you think. But it wwas a success. Hey, let's get some food, I'm starving."
"Okay, I could eat." Sarah hooked her arm around Lindsey's and the two strolled down the street.
Sarah crammed a bite of muffin into her mouth as her cell phone rang. She rolled her eyes at Lindsey, who giggled, and swallowed.
"Hello?"
"Sarah?"
"Yeah?"
"Oh good. Its, um, Cedric. Hi."
Sarah smiled. "Hi, Cedric."
Lindsey nearly fell out of her chair. She put a hand over her own mouth and squealed with excitement. Sarah put a finger to her lips to silence her friend.
"Well, this is probably going to sound weird, but do you still live in Newburg?"
"Yes," she said hesitantly.
"Great. My aunt lives there too, and she just had knee surgery. My uncle is pout of town on business and I am going to be staying with her for a week until he gets back."
"That's sweet of you," Sarah said, smiling. Lindsey was practically salivating.
"I was wondering if you would like to hang out while I'm there. I don't know anyone else in your town." He sounded a little nervous.
"Sure. I would like that."
"Really? Ah, rock on!"
"Okay, well, just call me when you come down."
"Sure thing. Bye Sarah."
"Bye Cedric."
She clicked off the phone, grinning like an idiot. Lindsey practically exploded.
"Did he just ask you out?"
"He wants to hang out with me while he is in Newburg taking care of his aunt."
"Same fucking thing!"
The two burst out laughing.
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The Goblin King sat at his lookout point, the window in the tallest tower of his castle. His hands were, for once, still. No crystals in sight. He rested his head in his hands instead.
His mind was alive with images three years old. A young brunette ran the Labyrinth of his mind. She was lovely and stubborn, and he found himself torturing her just to see her rather tempting bottem lip stick out and her face flush. She was young, but he couldn't get her out of his mind. She was different than any girl he had ever insnared to run his trap. He wanted nothing more than to hold her and keep her.
"Sire?"
He was snapped from his memories by the timid voice of a goblin guard. "Yes?"
"The girl. The girl is gone."
"I know, I sent her home."
"But sire, why?"
"You are dismissed, Trumple. Thank you."
"As you wish, my lord."
The goblin disappeared. Jareth's tired eyes grazed the horizon. Smoke rose from the distant plains. The elves were warring with the Darkness. They were losing. Standing their ground, but losing just the same. That war would soon reach his soil. Jareht would be forced to fight, something he hated. He needed Sarah.
The King had visited an aging seer some weeks ago, troubled by the thought of war ans what it meant for the Underground. She had confirmed his fears. Yes, the war would reach his lands. What could he do, he asked. Her wrinkled face had gone solem for a few minutes,as she seemed deep in thought. Her brow then creased and she said:
"Jareth, there is one thing that always prevails over evil, no matter the scale. And that is love. Only a great, ultimate love will bring peace to your people."
And so the King asked whose love would save them. The old, wrinkled woman laughed then, loud and raspy. She simply replied:
"Yours, Goblin King. You and your forgotten smile. A girl..."
And that was all. It had to be Sarah. Some how, bringing her home, where she really and truely belonged, would cease the fighting. She belonged by his side, as his Queen. But the time didn't feel right. She wasn't ready to come back. And he wasn't ready for her to either.
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"I know we want chocolate, I'm just not sure about the frosting yet..."
Sarah rolled her eyes, but couldn't help laughing as her mothers voice trailed off. Toby's party was tomorrow, and Sarah had never spent so long in a cake store before. She watched with amused annoyence as Karen squinted at the list of frosting choices. She turned to Sarah.
"What kind of frosting do you like?" She asked.
Sarah sighed. "To be honest, Karen, I do not even like frosting. And five year olds couldn't care less about it either. They care about presents and cards full of money."
Karen sent her a look and the baker behind the counter snorted. "You are so not helping," Karen scolded.
"Get chocolate. You can't go wrong with double chocolate."
Karen bit her lip. "I just don't know."
Sarah groaned inwardly. "Tempting as it is to sppend another two hours in here, how about you give me the keys so I can go get the ice cream and streamers you picked out."
Karen eyed her. "Okay, here, but be back in half an hour to get me."
"Deal." Sarah grabbed her keys before Karen could change her mind and dashed outside.
The grocery store was crowded, as usual on Saturdays. Sarah growled with frustration as she circled the parking lot for the third time. Finally, a white SUV pulled out and Sarah dove in before another circling vulture could. Inside, the store was so air conditioned it gave her goosbumps. She was glad to be away from Karen for a while. When that woamn was stressed out, she stressed out everyone else. Sarah thought of Toby, and how excited her was for a party he'd forget about in a week. Although he was only her half brother, Sarah loved him more than anything. She thought of the time she nearly lost him forever. A strange thread of longing ran through her. It had been three long years. She fingered the owl around her neck. Was it really from her fabled King?
Sarah could see Jareth's face, his deep, odd, eyes, pleading her to stay with him. A voice over the intercom announcing a sale on bread jarred her from her thoughts. She priented her self and found the ice cream isle.
Toby followed her around the house for the next few hours, wanting to know all the secrets of his birthday. Sarah refused information, and finally convinced him that if he didn't leave her alone, she was going to sleep through his party and lose his present.
Once alone, she called Cedric and made plans for him to come over and swim later. She lay back on her bed and closed her eyes.
She stood before him in his throne room. He stared at her with an intensity she'd never seen or felt before. He began to drift towards her, until his face was inches from hers.
"My Queen," he said, smiling.
"My King," she answered, smiling back.
And then he kissed her.
Sarah awoke to Karen calling her. "Sarah, your frined is here!"
Disoriented, she stumbled to her feet and ran to the door. She leaned out over the banister. "Hang on. I'm coming!"
She closed the door and stripped out of her clothes. Pulling on a swim suit, she wondered down the hall and grabbed a towel. Wrapping herself up, she descended the stairs.
Cedric was waiting on the deck for her in swim trunks and a tee shirt. Sarah opened the sliding glass door. He turned and smiled.
'Hey kiddo." He hugged her.
"Hey yourself." She set the towel she had grabbed for him on the table, and feeling exposed, added hers.
She prestended not to notice the he looked at her in her swimsuit. "Do you want a soda?" she offered.
"Sure."
She disappeared back through the door. She grabbed tow cokes from the fridge. She looked up as her father came in."
"Toby is in bed." He said in a low voice. "Your mother and I are going out. We'll be back around midnight. Kepp it down, okay?"
"Yes, daddy."
He smiled, kissed her forehead, and disappeared down the hall. She listend as they backed out of the driveway. She grabbed the portable stereo from the hall closet and went back outside. Cedric had taken off his shirt and was dangling his feet into the pool. Sarah smiled and handed him his Coke.
"Here, you can get in. You don't have to wait for me."
"Okay." He set his Coke on the poolside and slid into the pool.
Sarah plugged in the boom box and chose a mixed CD from the booklet. She took a swig from her coke and jumped into the deep end, over his head. He laughed.
They raced each other, swimming lap after lap until Sarah hauled her self out of the pool and collapsed on the side in exhaustion. Cedric followed suit and rolled around on the cement.
"You're a good swimmer! Were you on your high school team or something?" He rolled to face her, hoisted his head on his hand.
"No, but swimming is my favorite physical activity. The only thing I did in high school was read."
Cedric sat up. Sarah gave the back of his head a puzzled look and sat up too. "Cedric?"
"Sarah, I'm going to be honest, okay. I like you. I can't stop thinking about you. I want to kiss you right now, but I don't have the guts." He looked at her. Sarah blushed ferociuosly.
He leaned over, pausing, and when she didn't pull away, he kissed her. It was soft and nice, but it had anurgency about it that said he had been thinking about it for a while. She pulled away first, her heart going full speed.
"I should go." He stood.
She stood. "Why?"
"Because I really like you. Which is why I won't take advantage of you. I don't want to ruin our friendship. It means a lot to me."
"My parents aren't here."
"I know, and that is what makes this so hard."
She laughed then, realizing the situation was to cliche, to perfect to actually work. "You're right. God, you are so right. Okay, yes, go. Go before I get myself in trouble and feel awkward around you for the rest of my life."
She walked him to the door. They said good night, he kissed her cheek, and then he was gone. She went back outside and shut off the stereo. She carried it back into the house and disappeared up the stairs.
Jealousy like he had never felt before burned in Jareths belly like fire. How dare that mortal brat move in on Sarah. She was meant to be a Queen, and that rat of a boy was not man enough for her. Jareth decided it was time to visit her in person.
Confused and exhausted, Sarah lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she just own up to the fact that she liked Cedric. She did like him, didn't she. Lindsey would have had that boy naked in two seconds flat. But it felt wrong for some reason. Why? Because you are still waiting for some one else, the voice in her head whispered.
Then, as if it was meant to be, a loud, sudden thumping and thrashing at her window made her jump nearly a mile. She flew off her bed and went to her window. Out side, an owl thrashed excitedly. Before she realized what she was doing, she opened the window, and the barn owl flew in. Screaming, Sarah fell backwards and landed hard on her butt. She looked up as the owl grew longer and darker, and then lay frozen and stunned as Jareth walked over and squinted down at her.
"Oh my god." She scrambled to her feet. "What are you doing here?"
He smiled. "My my, is that any way to treat an old friend? I have come merely to visit, love. Is that a crime?" He stepped closer to her.
"No," she said, taking a step back. "I just wish you could use the front door like most old friends."
"Now where is the fun in that?" He asked. He took another step toward her.
"Stop that!" She said, taking two steps back and bumping into the wall.
Jareth watched as fear entered her eyes the closer he came to her. He could hear her breath quicken, see the delectible pulse beating in her neck, feel it pick up speed as did his own. The Goblin King sighed and stepped away. He sat on the edge of her bed.
Sarah looked at him. He was still beautiful, and deadly. Unaged, as things in the Underground were, still frightingly powerful. His pants were tight, a dark marroon, and he wore a white shirt with a ruffled collar and sleeves. His boots were knee high and black. The cape draped around his shoulders was dark brown and purple. She ached to touch him, and it made her stomach drop. Why was she feeling like this. Her 'love' for him had been merely childhood infatuation, right? A girl with too many hormones and nothing to do with them. Hadn't it?
"You know, Sarah, Hoggle and them are quite sad. It's been nearly a year since you last called them. That's not what a nice friend should do."
"They kow I've been away at college. I have been busy, and I get zero alone time." Timidly, she sat down on the bed next to him.
He stood and turned to face her. "Come. I have something to show you." He held out his hand.
"Where? To the Underground?"
"Of course."
"Jareth, I can't. That place...I just don't think I can bare it." She looked down at his boots, his eyes to intense.
"Sarah, you must. Your friends are in danger."
Her head shot up. "Hoggle?"
"Yes, all of them."
She stood. "You must promise to bring me back."
"Whenever you wish."
She took the hand offered to her. He led her to the window.
"Close your eyes."
Sarah closed her eyes and felt the world around her shift. The wind blew and suddnely she was falling. She opened her mouth to scream, but strong arms enveloped her and held her close to a warm body. Then the shifting and falling stopped, and the wind settled.
"Can I-"
"Yes."
She opened her eyes and gasped. She stood at Jareth's window. The Goblin City, much larger than she remembered, glowed below them. The stars twinkled over head.
"It is beautiful."
"Yes, but look beyond it, to the plains. See the smoke? That's a war, Sarah, coming closer and closer to my land. My elven brothers are dying, trying to fight the Darkness." He stepped away from her and sat on the edge of the opening.
"I'm sorry, Jareth. But I still don't see what this has to do with me."
"I went to a seer. She is anchient and wise, as old as time. She told me only a great love could end this war. One such love between me and, how was it, me and my forgotten smile. My mortal smile." He reached up and grabbed her wrist, gently pulling her down to him.
Sarah gasped. Jareth held her tight in his arms and looked directly into her eyes like no one ever had before.
"What are you talking about?" But her shaky voice suggested she already knew.
"You are my great love Sarah. Can't you see that? Stay with me, please. I will give you everything you have ever wanted. You will never age, you will remain as beautiful as you are now forever. Toby could come to visit you whenever you wanted. WHta ever it is, I will do it for you. I want to give you the world."
Sarah wiggled from his arms. "Jareth," she put two fingers against his lips to silence him. "You are being crazy. You don't love me. You hate that I beat you at your own game and you want to own me, trap me. I won't be another possesion to you. Desire me, maybe, love me, no." She backed away and climbed to her feet.
"It's that damn boy of your isn't it. He has taken you from me." Jareth sighed.
"What? How do you know- nevermind, I don't want to know. But no, Cedric and I are just friends. Confused friends but friends just the same."
Sarah could see the confusion in Jareth's eyes. He really thinks he loves me, she thought. She sighed and sat back down on the ledge, keeping him at a distance.
"I will make a deal with you."
She had his attention. Jareth loved a good deal.
"I will return home for two days. At midnight on the second day, you will arrive in my room to bring me back to the Underground. Once there, or here, you will have seven days. In those seven days, you must find a way to prove to me your love is true. If the days are up, and you have not succeeded, I will retun home. If you happen to succeed, I will return to visit my family and say good bye, and then I will return here to stay with you, forever." She watched him like one watches a rabid dog, gaging his reaction.
Jareht pondered this. "Deal." He spit into his hand and offered it to her. She raised a brow. By the play of a smile on his lips, she knew he was testing her. So she spit into her own hand and then shook his. He grinned.
"Now, I must go home. I have a busy day tomorrow and a very big lie to orchestrate."
Out of no where, music wafted up from below. She peered out over the ledge, and saw what seemed to be a sort of festival in the streets. A goblin festival. A group of goblins played their instuments for the others to dance and dine to. She smiled softly. Suddenly, Jareth stood. He turned to her, held out a hand, and smiled.
"May I have this dance, for old times sake."
She tried to glare at him, remembering an incident involving an enchanted peach. But her glare became a smile and she took his hand. He spun her and then pulled her close, swaying with the music. Timidly, she rested her head on his shoulder. He smelled of earth, and strangly of cinnamon. She felt him inhale deeply and softly. She closed her eyes and found her self wishing to dance away eternity with him. Then, the tune shifted, and became hauntingly familiar, and she could almost feel a skirt swishing around her feet, feel the other dancers brushing past. She opened her eyes and looked up at Jareth. His eyes met hers, and he gave her a soft smile.
"There is such a sad love, deep in your eyes."
Sarah gasped as the song struck home. Chills danced down her spine. Then as quickly as it started, the music changed. It bacame faster and faster, and Jareth spun and swung her, looping her around until she was very dizzy. The music slowed once more and he pulled her close and hummed into her hair as they swayed and swirled. Sarah closed her eyes and felt as though they danced downward. The music was fading.
Sarah woke up suddenly in her bed, sunlight shining through her window. She still wore the clothes she had pulled on over her swimsuit last night. The scent of cinnamon lingered around her.