"Sky's Eclipse"
Chapter 21
By Aiijuin

*Disclaimer: I don't own anything Jim Henson or Labyrinth. Gröeg was originally designed by Brian Froud and catalogued by Terry Jones in Brian Froud's "The Goblins of the Labyrinth". This fanfiction is rated M for some harsh language (which is, really, mostly used by Toby) and adult situations. Gavin King is Jareth, the Goblin King, for those who have jumped into the middle of the story. The names: Torok, the Troll King and Eunice St. Clair are characters borrowed from the 1986 movie Troll, but are not used in context with the movie inside my fanfiction in any way.
PS: Please let me know if I messed up anywhere with the grammar. I proofread about a dozen times before I post my chapters on fanfiction. net, but sometimes I still miss a few flubs. Thank you!
**09/10/2009:Revised chapter numbers to repair the discontinuity in the rest of my chapters, fixed major grammatical errors, and changed Sarah's stepmother's name from 'Irene' to 'Karen' like the other 90% of "Labyrinth" fanfictions.

Chapter Twenty-One: Goblins and Trolls and Pride, oh my!

The child prophesized shocking news to Ms. Williams, and naturally, Sarah didn't take it too well. Gavin stepped in, because Sarah was too flustered to speak, let alone breathe. She felt like she had been bowled over by one of Ludo's rocks. After the bogus hand reading from Madame St. Clair, Sarah should have been undaunted by the child's news, however, she was left staggering and overwhelmed.

Gavin grasped the child by the arm and yanked her out of earshot from Sarah. Mister Miles snarled. Gavin glared at the beast, until it relented in fear. The little girl trembled. She knew the Goblin King had her cornered. Gavin's disguise may have fooled the humans and Sarah, but it didn't fool the daughter of the Troll King.

Torok's daughter began to dry heave. She felt the air crackle around her as she pleaded, "If you harm me, my father will fight against you with all of his power and might."

Gavin snarled, "Just for the record, I never liked your father anyway! Your devious lies and manipulative spells are upsetting Sarah! I wonder how you'd feel about being transformed into a scraggly black chicken."

The Troll King's daughter pleaded, "I'm not lying! I swear! Please!"

"Oh, you're not?"

Tears streamed from the child's eyes as she shook her head wildly in denial. Gavin continued, "Your father is a dangerous creature, girl. He spins lies like spider-webs and creates looking-glass nightmares that nearly rival my crystal dreams."

The girl shivered, "My-my father isn't at all like that! He's never trapped my mother inside any crazy mazes or tampered with her fantasies. You're the evil king, not him! My father is a good and adoring king!"

Gavin looked up to make sure Sarah wasn't searching for him. She just sat there rubbing her shoulders as if she were cold. He looked back at the girl and said, "'Good and adoring' you say? Did you know that your father tried to destroy humanity and overthrow the mortal realm many years ago? Not to mention, he's also kidnapped and seduced thousands of lovely, virtuous girls, desecrating their bodies all in the name of his love. The half-immortal, freakish offspring children, like yourself, are always the result from his wanton liaisons."

The little girl's eyes glowed in fury, and the winds howled in response. Her voice became deep like that of a man's and echoed as she began to say, "Jareth, if you dare harm even one hair of my favorite daughter, then you shan't find a Labyrinth or a castle to come home to ever again!"

Gavin lobbed his head to the side and laughed wickedly, "Torok, is that you skulking about? I suppose you're too much of a coward to venture down into the mortal realm and settle this with me in person. Now, you've resorted to speaking through small children. You always were a lesser king."

Gavin felt a tap on his back and he spun around. A black haired man with greenish-yellow eyes stood running his fingers through Sarah's hair. Sarah didn't seem to notice him. He leaned in close and grazed his fingers around Sarah's breasts while licking his lips. His eerie eyes glared up at Gavin as he said, "This lovely lady is so fair and beautiful and pure as a white, spring rose. Although she's much older than my usual jeune femme, she would make a wonderful vintage addition to my collection of unwillingly seduced virgins. Wouldn't you agree, Jareth?"

Gavin released his hold on the little girl. The Troll King smirked at Jareth and beckoned his daughter to him, "Come, Sarika. Come to Papa."

The little girl fled into her father's arms. He embraced her tightly and wiped the tears from her cheeks. Looking up at Jareth menacingly, he smirked as he said, "Well, I see I've managed to silence you, at last, Jareth. It's about time somebody did."

Jareth snickered, "Oh, I assure you, Torok, this won't be the last you hear from me. As soon as I close certain issues with Sarah, I'm returning to settle away the remaining problems with you."

"Sarah…Sarah Williams? Ah, HER! Oh, Jareth, mon frère, you ridiculous fool! I cannot believe that you haven't conquered that petit mortal. How long has it been, since she defeated you?" After an extensive pause, Torok chuckled, "But, of course, it took you forever to rebuild your lands."

"It wasn't forever, Torok," Jareth snorted. "It was only a momentary lapse of reflection, then I rebuilt, only after I felt inspired to do so."

Torok clicked his tongue several times and sneered, "'Inspired' you say? I thought you were left annihilated with your kingdom, and as soon as you pulled yourself together, then you were able to put your castle and your Labyrinth back together as well."

As anticipated, Torok's goading received the reaction from the Goblin King that he had hoped for. Jareth threw his head back in a sharp motion and waved his hand nonchalantly in a mocking gesture towards Torok, then scoffed, "If you think you can do a better job defeating Sarah, then by all means, Trollie, I dare you to try."

The words were said…

All in the Underground know and say, that a wish should never be made in vain, for the Goblin King may grant it with a high price to pay.

~And~

All in the Underground know and say, that they should never dare the Troll King, for he will rise to the challenge with an even higher price.

It was such a pity, that Jareth's bruised pride and injured ego afforded him a momentary lapse of tongue that could not be undone.

…it was too late.