Chapter 4

Presentation

When Sarah started to wake all she could hear was muffled noises. She felt like her head was stuffed with cotton. She tried to open her eyes but they felt like they were glued shut. She knew she was lying down though her head was spinning. Everything hurt, everything screamed in pain and agony almost like she had at some point been in the fight for her life and she had survived.

If she ever managed to open her eyes she prayed she wouldn't have to see the wolf. She prayed that she had been hit by a bus and that the entire thing had been a dream.

Open your eyes Sarah. She said to herself in a weak but still determined voice. She managed to open one a crack and all she could see was white. There was a white sheet over her.

So she was dead, her soul was simply awake inside her body. They had put a sheet over her at the crime scene and her soul had yet to be taken from her body. She wondered how she had died. Was it a noble death? Or was it some pathetic accident.

A gentle breeze stirred the sheet and Sarah realized the sheet was made of silk. Such a fancy sheet for someone who felt like she had a mangled body. Perhaps she was in her coffin and they didn't want people to gaze upon her distorted face.

Sarah tried to focus on the voice and to her surprise her hearing started to clear, the voice that rang out sent a shiver through her spin.

"This being my final year of debt, I have searched the worlds both above and below to find you the perfect gift your majesty. To show my gratitude and to show what a mighty being you are. I happened upon this gift while roaming the Earthen woods. I must apologize in advance for how battered and bruised this gift appears, she put up quite a fight and I fear for my life many a night while I held her for you. Perhaps you can do better at breaking her spirit."

The silk sheet was slowly pulled away from her body and Sarah closed her eye, she didn't want to see the faces she knew would be peering at her. A gasp rang out, "It's the girl!" Someone hissed.

"The bratty girl who took the child!" Another voice spoke.

Sarah knew there must be hundreds of Goblins staring at her battered body, at her black and blue face. She didn't dare open her eyes, suddenly the crack of a whip startled Sarah and she heard a voice ring out, "Up girl! Get up and look at your new master!" Sarah's eyes opened to see the goblins were even closer then she thought. She could feel their breath on her and in the shock that filled her she started to kick and push and fight. She leapt up from her laying position, which she noticed had been on a large silver platter. She jolted for the door but felt something yank at her neck and she flew back. She skidded across the hard stone floor but didn't let the pain get to her; she pulled at the chain and started to cry in fear.

They were to close, they kept moving closer to her, one reached out to touch her and she cried out and batted the hand away.

"Enough! Come here girl! Kneel before your master!" Sarah felt a rough hand grip her by the hair and drag her across the room; she stumbled trying to keep up. She felt naked and humiliated. She felt herself being pushed down onto the ground and saw the steps before her, her good eye slowly glanced up and saw a pair of boots. She knew those boots, "Look at him!" The wolf cried, he yanked her head back and there he was.

He was as beautiful and mysterious as she remembered, but in his eyes she did not see triumph, she did not see smugness. She saw only shock, and pity.

"How did you capture her?" Jareth asked.

Sarah never thought his voice would sound so good to her, "That is not important. I brought her as your last gift. And since there is no baby brother involved she can't ever leave unless you send her back."

"Please…" Sarah started.

"Quiet slave! You have no voice anymore! Be humble before your king." The wolf said finally releasing her hair. She instantly looked down, she didn't move, she didn't dare breath. She wanted to run but her chain was being held tightly in the wolf's hand.

Silence resounded in the walls, she heard Jareth move forward and then felt his gloved hand raise her face up gently, she looked at him and felt her lips part, he was her dreams, he held with in his eyes her desires and her imagination. He looked deep into her battered face and then wiped away a tear.

She had been crying? Sarah hadn't even felt it, she was so out of it, so completely unaware of herself at this moment.

"Give me her chain wolf." Sarah heard the chain move and she acted suddenly. She didn't know how she found the strength, she didn't know how she knew when to pull but she did. She yanked as hard as she could during the exchange of the chain and to her shock the chain pulled free and flew to her feet.

"Insolent witch!" The wolf roared.

Sarah stood grabbing the chain and turned, she hopped over the goblins that reached for her and headed through the first doorway she saw. She ran as fast as she could, she didn't look back. However she couldn't help but shriek when she suddenly realized what door she had rushed through.

She fell to her knees and started to cry when she was greeted but the upside down and inside out room. The last room she had faced Jareth in, she had been strong then, she had to be strong now. She forced her tired body to move and started to travel down the stairs, through the halls around corners up more stairs.

There had to be a way through, there had to be more then one door out of this place. She heard the howl of a wolf and tripped with her distraction. She stumbled down a set of stairs and lay on the floor in utter pain and humility and defeat.

How could this happen, she couldn't lose, not like this. She had beaten this labyrinth before, but this time the stakes were different. This time Sarah was trying to save herself. Perhaps she felt a young baby had had more worth then her own life.

Sarah curled up into a ball and though she tried to be strong this was all too much. Only a few days ago she was in the woods playing pretend. She had promised herself that once she had returned home she would put the costumes away, she would stop pretending. For five years she had been good, lived her boring life, done nothing but worked her hands to the bone to climb the ladder to success.

But she had grown weak, and she had needed to pretend again. She had given in and now regretted it. If she hadn't allowed herself to break from her usual routine she would be safe at home right now.

"Sarah?" A soft voice called. Sarah pushed herself up and grabbed her chain. She looked around and saw him. He stood on the steps she had tumbled down, she felt like a rat pressed into a corner by a large cat. Standing she chocked back on the chain and started to swing it, "Stay back… I won't be beaten again." Sarah said in a dark tone.

Sarah could hear the whistle of the metal as it swung like a chopper through the air over her head. "Sarah calm down." Jareth said slowly walking towards her.

She looked into his eyes and saw the pity, he saw the sadness, but Sarah wasn't fooled.

"Don't touch me!" She said defiantly.

"Please Sarah, let me help you." Jareth said, he spoke softly and kept his hand out before him. "Come here, take my hand." Jareth said soothingly. Sarah glanced to his outstretched hand and then to his eyes and then back to his hand. She didn't know what to do.

"I beat you once I can beat you again. Toby's life may not be on the line but mine is! A cornered animal can only get out one way… by charging!" Sarah went to jump forward but felt to strong arms wrap around her, the chain fell from her hands and she screamed in anger.

No, she couldn't lose! She couldn't allow them to hurt her anymore! Suddenly a dust filtered into her nose and in an instant she was out cold.

OOOOOOOOO

Jareth stared at Sarah as she went limp, the wolf held her tightly even after she stopped fighting.

"What in God's name did you do to the girl?" Jareth asked looking at the wolf.

"She was ridiculously hard to handle your highness. I didn't realize she would put up such a fight. She is spirited and willful and you will have a hard time breaking her."

"I do not wish to break her wolf. I value her spirit." Jareth said coming down the stairs in an angry manor.

"She is a pain." The wolf bit.

"A thorn in your side yes, I have dealt with her before. But she beat my labyrinth fair and square and there for she demands respect. You are free of your debt to me, now go, I never wish to see your face again."

The wolf reluctantly handed the girl over to Jareth who picked her up and started to move away, the wolf waited and watched him carry her off. "And wolf… if I ever even see a single strand of your raven locks I will make sure you lose more then just your castle." The wolf nodded reluctantly and turned to leave giving Jareth's back a nasty glare.

This wasn't over, not by a long shot.

OOOOOOOO

Sarah opened her eyes slowly; the site of a canopy bed greeted her. A rather large canopy bed, in fact the bed was about the size of her old room. She slowly sat up, only to feel a shooting pain erupt in her chest.

"Lay back down." Came a stern but soft toned voice.

Sarah glanced over to see Jareth sitting in a large ornate chair. His foot rested up on the side of the bed, his jaw rested in his hand. He looked like he was in a pensive mood and Sarah, knowing she was to weak to make a run for it allowed herself to lay back down and rest.

"I won't be your slave. I will find a way to escape." She said. Her voice was raspy and she couldn't believe she was still fighting. Where her inner strength was coming from at this point she didn't know.

"Sarah, I have no intention of keeping you as my slave. Nor do I intend to make you stay if you don't want to."

Sarah looked to him in surprise and waited for him to explain, "The wolf owed a debt to me, and he repaid it by presenting me with a gift. I don't totally agree with the idea behind said gift but I suppose it will have to do. I am rather tired of dealing with the beast as it were. I will help you heal, and then if you wish I will return you home."

Sarah couldn't take her eyes away from his sincere face, his handsome features showed his age in a way that complimented him.

"What if… what if I don't want to go home?" Sarah asked.

Jareth's head perked up a little at this and he lowered his foot so he could have a decent look at her face, "Why would you want to stay. I am the enemy remember."

"You were the enemy when you stole my brother, now after everything, you are the memory that keeps me going."

Their eyes were locked at this point, they had been enemies, they had been against each other, but not by nature had they been enemies. They had been put against each other by the will of the labyrinth. Now that the labyrinth had no hold over Sarah's future, nor did it hide with in it's walls an infant child that Sarah cared about, she had no need to fight it's dark embrace.

"Rest now, we can talk more later." Jareth said standing.

He made to leave but Sarah called to him, "Jareth…" He stopped and turned to look at her, "Thank you." She said.

"For what?" the man asked, "For not trying to break me. For letting me have the choice of my freedom." Sarah said slowly shutting her eyes and enjoying the soft bed beneath her.

Jareth didn't respond, he simply turned and left.

A/n: Short I know, but I think I got across everything I needed to get across. There are interesting things unfolding at this point in my brain. I have two directions I can go with this, if anyone has suggestions I always love when my readers give me suggestions.

And for anyone who may be reading this who have also enjoyed my Hope for Bender story I have not forgotten it and I do intend to visit but I needed a break to figure out how I wanted the next few chapters to go. So be patient it's coming!