1Chap 4

As the sun set on her first day back in the Underground, Sarah found herself racing through a corridor, following an eery, yet entrancing music. Torches lit her way as her heels thudded softly on the red carpet running the length of the hall. A short figure became visible ahead, and she squealed with delight as she recognized Hoggle waiting for her. He was dressed in a tux, and Sarah giggled, for he looked rather uncomfortable.

"Why, Hoggle, have you come to escort me to the ball?"

"Yes, Lady Sarah, I 'ave.' His voice was gruff, even as he tried for a dignified air.

Sarah hooked her arm in his as best she could, and he led her the rest of the way down the hall. Eventually, they reached a set of doors, slightly ajar, with the same music drifting out between them. Sarah reached for them, but Hoggle veered her away up the stairs to the right.

It was suddenly very dark around them, and he led her through a curtain. Gasping, she realized they were on a platform, and hundreds of masked faces turned towards them to stare. Sarah was glad for the elegant mask on the curved stick she held to her face.

Hoggle cleared hit throat. "Lords and Ladies, Jokers and Fools, I give you the Lady Sarah." Hoggle's voice was sounding less and less like Hoggle's. Sarah glanced at him, and he actually looked a little taller.

Applause lifted from the room. Sarah, although an actress and well acquired with the stage, felt more nervous than she ever had. Then, like the Red Sea, the crowd parted down the middle as a darkly clad figure in a black horned mask advanced toward the platform. She felt her heart skip a beat as Jareth's lean frame bounded onto the stage next to her. Atop his head swirled a crown of silver encrusted with black jewels that gleamed the caught light. He grinned at her from under his mask, which covered only his eyes and nose, like hers. As he turned to address the audience, Sarah noticed that his mask was not held up by strings of any kind. She cautiously let go of her own mask, and was delighted to see that her's did the same. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hoggle slip a simple black mask from his pocket and hold it, as if he were waiting.

Jareth's voice rang out, resonating with no need for a microphone: "Good evening, my royal subjects! Welcome to the Full Moon Ball. We have gathered to celebrate the return of a favored guest of mine." He glanced sideways at Sarah, grinning as the audience snickered. "Yes, this is the Lady Sarah, the same sweet girl who beat my Labyrinth. Whoever guessed that a fifteen year old who talked to her feet could've outwitted your Goblin King?" Much laughter from the audience ensued.

Sarah shifted uncomfortably. But Jareth was far from finished. "But alas, I could not get this little spitfire out of my mind. So she was gracious enough to allow me seven days in which to win her mortal heart. If I succeed, she will rise to the throne as your Queen! And my wife. Let's make tonight a night to remember!" He said the last part with such flourish that cheers sprang up from the onlookers.

"Let the magic begin!"

And music swept through the mirrored ball room. Jareth leapt off the stage and into the crowd, disappearing. Sarah turned and watched a Hoggle slipped his mask on. Several women swept between them, blocking her view, and when they passed, Hoggle was gone. There was a young man standing there with a confused look on his face, who then drifted off into the crowd.

Sarah sighed and wove her way between dancers. Jareth had left her, and now Hoggle was gone too. As short as he was, Sarah wouldn't be surprised if he spent the night ducking under the ladies' skirts. Out of no where, a hand fell gently on her shoulder. She turned and was mildly shocked to see Parish standing there.

"May I have this dance?"he asked with a bow. He wore a loose black silk shirt and dark blue silk leggings. A red rose was tucked in the pocket of his shirt.

She nodded, for lack of better options, and allowed him to take hold of her. She gasped as he twirled her about expertly, his feet quick and nimble as if he had been dancing since he was born. He was the only one in the room not wearing a mask.

"Didn't feel like conforming, huh." Sarah gestured to his face.

"I have nothing to hide. Not like these people." He waved his hand around them.

Sarah frowned and was pondering what he said when a man in a simple yet elegant tux walked up.

"May I cut in?" He wore a simple black mask that hid his expression.

Parish looked at him and sighed. "I suppose so. I'm not on a time limit with this face." He let go of Sarah and strode off.

Sarah looked at her new partner. His hair was brown and clung in curls around his head. His skin was slightly browned, as if her had spent much time in the sun. His eyes were what caught her in a hold. They were a stunningly clear blue, and strikingly familiar.

"Do I know you?" she asked.

He shook his head and smiled sadly. "You look beautiful, Lady Sarah."

The way he said her name gave her chills because it was like she had been hearing him speak her whole life. Then she realized something odd. He was the young man she had seen standing there when she had been looking for Hoggle. But no, that wasn't where she thought she knew him from...

"Are you enjoying the ball?" he asked.

"Yes, now that I have someone to dance with." She smiled at him. "Are you?"

He gave her another pain-laced smile. "More than you will ever know."

She reached up to pat her hair and came away with one of her peacock feathers. The young man gently took it from her.

"May I keep this?"

She nodded and he tucked the feather into his pocket. The song stopped, and the one that came after was a familiar ache. Sarah froze. She stepped away from the blue eyed man as if in a trance. He didn't bother to hide the hurt on his face.

"Damn you, Jareth," he muttered, and turned away from her, shoving his way through the crowd.

Suddenly the Goblin King was before her. The crowd parted into a wide circle around the two of them. Chills channeled her spine as he took her in his arms.

"There's such a sad love, deep in your eyes..."

He spun her around and swayed her with the music. "A kind of pale jewel opened and closed within your eyes..."

She was transfixed, as everything fell into place, and the memories flooded around her. How easy it had all seemed back then, to love him, to be his. Like there was nothing else in the world that mattered other than belonging to him. She closed her eyes and let him sweep her about.

"I'll place the sky within your eyes..."

He was as hypnotic to her now as he had been when she was 15. She opened her eyes and caught the longing in the eyes of the fellow dancers as they gazed upon their King. She didn't quite understand the sorrow she saw there.

"There's such a fooled heart, beating so fast, in search of new dreams, a love that will last with in your heart. I'll place the moon with in your heart."

As he sang to her of valentine evenings and love between the stars, she drifted in and out of past and present. Slowly the crowd around them merged once again into a large mass of swaying bodies.

The King and his conquest danced well into the night. The ball slowed a bit, but Sarah was reluctant to leave her dream like state. Gazing into the King's eyes, she lost track of time some where. Suddenly the great clock began to strike. It ceased on the twelfth strike, midnight. They were upon the thirteenth hour. Sarah and her King continued to dance, feet never tiring.

There was laughter and drunken singing all around. A great stone fountain held presence in the middle of the room, and from it sprang the richest of red wines. Goblets were cast under it, for it never ran dry, until they brimmed over. Some opened their painted mouths and drank directly from a stream. Before Sarah could seem to breathe, the clock struck again, counting to thirteen. On the first stroke, Jareth froze mid step. Sarah looked at him, suddenly uneasy, as the clock struck a third time. On the fourth, he grabbed her arm and whisked her out of the ball room. Once in the hall, the sixth strike came. He claimed he had something to show her, but even as she protested, she was drug down the hall, stumbling in her heels. The clock struck again and again, and on the thirteenth strike, which was the loudest of all, a great cry arose from the ball room. Sarah stopped short, chilled. The King tugged at her.

"Stop!" she shouted at him, staring back down the hall, blood cold.

"What? What is it?" he asked.

"What is going on?"she gave him a haughty look, eyebrow raised.

"Whatever do you mean? I merely wanted to show you something in my tower. Please, my love, the ball is over." As if on cue, his mask fell from his face. He caught it midair with cat-like reflexes that put her on edge.

Hers fell too, hitting the floor with a gentle yet resounding and final thud. She pulled her arm from his grasp and picked it up.

"Fine, what do you want to show me?"

"A surprise. You will like it."

"Where is Toby?"

"He said, and I quote, a ball is for girls, and that he'd rather stay in his room and play. I'm sure he is in bed by now." Jareth seemed anxious to leave the hall, as he kept glancing nervously back at the ball room doors.

Although she wanted to check on her brother, the King's panicked face made her curious.

"Alright."

He smiled and bent his arm for her to take. She did, and they continued down the hall.

The tower room was filled with objects draped in burgundy linens, concealing their appearance. She wondered briefly what was under them, until she saw the view, and her mind was wholly distracted. It wasn't a window so much as a rectangular hole cut in the stone. But there was something about it that made it better than the balcony in her room. She could see the lights of the Goblin City below her, and the forests and deserts beyond, mountains rising in the distance.

They were so high, she could see campfires in the desert, where the war had quieted for the time being. She sat carefully on the edge, holding her skirts around her. Jareth sat as well. Sarah swung her feet back and forth, kicking like a kid perched on a fence. Jareth chuckled, and after a while, one of his boot clad feet began to swing absently.

"Worth it?" He broke the silence first.

"Yes, it si beautiful. Everything here is. This has been the perfect evening. Thank you." Her voice was sincere.

"Say you'll stay with me, and my night will be perfect too."

"Jareth, I can't. Not yet. You know that."

"Yes, I am aware of it."

They sat in silence again. Sarah gazed up at the swollen moon, shining a silvery blue down at them. Then suddenly something struck her as odd. She turned to the King.

"Jareth, does the moon calender here run the same as the one Aboveground?"

He gave her a puzzled look. "Why yes, it does actually. Why do you ask?"

She looked at him. "Well, because when I left home, it was thirteen days til the next full moon. And the moon tonight is very full."

A small secretive smile crossed his lips. "You have figure me out, Sarah. Well, we couldn't have a Full Moon Ball with out a full moon."

She gave him a soft smile. "And here I thought you moved the stars for no one.

An odd look came upon his face as he pondered that one. Finally he stood up. "Yes, well the moon is not a star." And with that, he turned and headed for the door.

Sarah stood to. "Walk me to my room?" she called. He froze.

Jareth's heart sped up a bit. He only wished she meant something by this, but he knew this was not the case. "As you wish."

When they reached her room, he bowed and said: "Good night, my lady. Dream sweet."

Suddenly, she kissed him, quick and moist on his lips. He stared at her, speechless for the first time in his immortal life.

"Good night," she said hurriedly, and opened her door, disappearing inside and shutting the door.

He stood, staring at the door in disbelief. "Minx," he muttered and stalked down the hall to his room.

Sarah felt her heart pound nearly through her chest was she walked to her closet and began to undress. She hung the ball gown in the closet and unzipped her heavy under garments. She noticed drawers in the bottom of the closet and opened one. In it, she found several silken night dresses. She chose the burgundy one and slipped it on over her head. She twirled in it briefly, remembering the ball and the magic, then began to feel like an idiot.

"I can't believe I kissed him! I am so stupid!" She siad this aloud, though there was no one to here her lament.

Collapsing on the bed, she closed her eyes and danced in he r mind until she fell asleep.

Bodies swayed around her, sickening laughter bubbling up from immortal throats. She pushed through the crowd until she found him. A fountain of wine sprung up next to him. Her Goblin King smiled and extended a glass under the flow.

"Drink, my Queen?"

"Yes."

He offered the cup to her and she took it. The wine matched her gown, and she laughed, bringing the goblet to her lips and drinking. She paused. Something was wrong. The wine was too thick. She looked down at the glass, now filled to the brim with blood. She sputtered, blood spraying out of her lips, throat clogged with the red liquid.

"My King, help me. I cannot breathe."

She collapsed, staring up at him. He knelt and lifted her in his arms. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but instead, blood poured from between his lips. There was fear in his eyes. He fell to the ground with her in his arms.

Sarah awoke sweating, tears streaming down her cheeks. The sheets she didn't even remember crawling under were now wrapped round her limbs, strangling her. She battled her way from them and climbed from her bed, sobbing. Her mouth felt as if she had swallowed sand. She tried to step forward, but the sheet was wrapped around her ankle and she fell hard, hitting the floor.

Groaning and crying, she climbed to her feet and stumbled to the door to the left of her vanity. Pushing it open, she found a large bathroom with a marble sink. She turned on the gold faucet and cupped her hands under it, gulping the water frantically. When her thirst was finally sated, she glanced up at her reflection in the mirror.

"What is happening to me?" she asked the girl looking back.

Once back in her room, she sat on her bed and feared sleeping. The nightmares might return. She decided that a walk in the garden was the only thing that would make her feel any better. Letting herself out into the hall, she tiptoed down the stairs. The guard at the foot was sleeping, and she slipped past him and wondered into the throne room. The door waited for her on the other side. She slipped through it and jogged down the hall.

The garden seemed to glow under the moon light. The clean, fresh air made her feel better, the ache in her limbs gone. The grass was soft on her bare feet. She pranced around the shaded garden, and soon found a familiar path. Before long, she was once again before the forbidden gate.

Sarah looked from side to side, and pushed it open, unease washing over her like a cold wave. She ignored her instinct to turn back and closed the gate behind her. The stars and moon were her only light, but she could see enough to examine the statues closely. She found, to her dismay, they were all of young girls, all very unhappy. Some were kneeling, their unseeing eyes pleading her. Others were balled up, hiding faces from view. Still others stood, looking lost and forlorn. As Sarah moved through their bewildered forms, she felt more and more upset. She traced stone teardrops that etched one's cheek.

Then she stopped, looking up at the large stone platform. What greeted her eys made her yelp in surprise. She stared up at herself, made os stone, running. There was a happy and determined look on her face, and behind her were true to life statues of all her friends. Ludo, Hoggle, Sir Didymus, and even Ambrosiuos. Slowly, everything began to fall into place. The other statues were of girls who had lost, whose baby siblings the Labyrinth had claimed. And then there was her, the girl who had finally defeated the great King.

Feeling odd, Sarah turned and ran from the stone garden. She crashed through the gate and ran for the castle. How long had Jareth been stealing mortal children? There were hundreds of statues in that garden. Sarah wanted answers, and she would get them, tonight!