Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. But I would happily snog Jareth within an inch of his unnaturally long life if ever given the chance. Just sayin!
I also don't own 'Skeep' the gender-confused goblin (he belongs to the most wonderful Lixxle) but he does get an honorable mention in this story.
Warning: This is a silly story. Please do not attempt anything you read here at home. The goblins are not professionals, but they are goblins, which is why they aren't dead from doing what they do.
The S'mores Incident (AKA: Flaming Marshmallows of Love)
An out of sequence chapter for "Life With the Goblin King: What Happened Before – Sarah, age 19)
Written as a gift fic/Halloween chapter for AutumnSwanO'Shea from the jdbfangirlharem. :)
PLEASE REVIEW: Frequently and often even! Reviews keep me writing :)
Chapter 2: The Goblin King's 'Mini-Me'
October 20th, 5pm
After returning from the store, Sarah set Toby up in the family room on top of a blue plastic tarp for a 'carpet picnic' with several goblins, including his best friend, Skeep - who Karen insisted was an 'imaginary friend'. Some days Sarah thought the goblins were more real than anyone else she knew.
Entering the room with a tray full of bowls, Sarah made sure the goblins and Toby were sitting on the tarp, having learned long ago that the goblins made more of a mess when eating than Toby and Merlin did combined, the plastic tarp just kept the messes more contained and easier to clean up.
"Okay, which little goblins want mac'n'cheese with hotdogs?" asked Sarah, chuckling as six sets of arms waved frantically in the air, including Toby's; a chorus of 'Meeee's" and "I do's" ringing through the room.
Still laughing, she passed out bowls of the cheesy pasta with sliced hotdogs on top – Toby's favorite dinner. Karen didn't to allow him to eat anywhere but the kitchen table and absolutely refused to feed him hotdogs, so whenever Sarah babysat, this was the meal he requested, and after the Labyrinth she didn't feel right denying him such a little thing.
Sarah flipped on the TV and left them to eat while she settled into an armchair and began altering some old costumes to make him his Goblin King outfit. In her closet she found an old ruffled shirt that she had worn when she was a little older than Toby, and a pair of black exercise tights. Smiling, Sarah worked on hemming the tights, humming quietly until Squint leaned over the back of the chair where he was watching her sew.
"You humming King's song," he commented, giving her a toothy grin as she cocked her head up to look at him.
"I am?"
"Yup. King sings that one when Lady visits," replied Squint with a nod. "It's his happy song."
Blushing, Sarah returned to her sewing, trying not to think about the fact that Jareth had a 'happy song' when she visited. Even though it had been nearly four years since his first visit to her room on the anniversary of her run through the Labyrinth, she still was struck by the surreal fact that she now visited the Labyrinth, and counted it's king as a friend.
While searching through the costume trunks in the attic earlier in the afternoon, she found a small black leather waistcoat that would suit Toby. Carefully she tacked down the front, trimming it into a low shape that mimicked the waistcoats Jareth seemed to favor. Pleased with what she had done, she checked the clock.
"Come on Tobes…10 and unders can only trick-or-treat until 7pm, so we'd better get you dressed," she called, taking his hand and leading him up the stairs, the two of them followed by a pack of goblins, still licking cheese sauce from their lips and fingers.
The goblin pack sat around Toby's room as Sarah got him ready, laughing and giggling as she spiked up his hair and fluffed out his shirt, before adding sweeping arcs of black eye-shadow along his eyebrows. Standing back, she admired her work, "Not bad, if I do say so myself." Turning Toby around to face the goblin audience, she laughed, "What do you think guys?"
"E' Looks like the King," nodded Bob, his colander hat wobbling wildly and threatening to fall off his bulbous head.
"Not scary like King," countered Squint, as he walked slowly around Toby. "Not as glittery either."
Nodding, Sarah rummaged in her junk drawer. With a grin she pulled out a small bottle of silver glitter and sprinkled it over Toby, making him sneeze. "How's that, Squint?"
"Better," grunted the little goblin with a pleased nod.
"Sparkly," commented Skeep, picking up excess glitter from the floor and tenderly putting it on his rubber ducky.
Sarah looked at Toby thoughtfully. There was something still missing, she just couldn't put her finger on what it was. She nearly choked when it hit her. Darting into her room she returned momentarily carrying a small snow globe and a pair of black gloves. While Toby put on the gloves, Sarah opened the globe, plucking the objects out of the glitter filled water and removing the base, before handing the globe back to Toby.
"If anyone asks what it is, just hold it out and tell them it is a crystal and will show them their dreams," she instructed, chuckling as Toby held the empty snow globe out to her with a flourish.
"Ack! King's here! Run!" squeaked Runt, throwing himself to the floor and trying to scoot under the bed, making Toby squeal with childish laughter.
"You look perfect, Tobes," Sarah grinned. He did indeed look like a miniature version of Jareth. Giggling, Sarah went to her own room to get dressed, leaving Toby to practice his 'kingly stance' and intimidate the goblins.
Originally Sarah had planned to wear what she had worn when she ran the Labyrinth thinking it was a great inside joke, even if she was the only one who would recognize it. In the end Toby insisted that was too 'normal' to wear for trick-or-treating, so she let him choose for her.
For a little kid, he's got good taste, she laughed, tugging on the deep red satin Venetian style ball gown, accented with small black 'birds eye' beading and elaborate lace around the edges of the bodice. The bodice, with its off the shoulder neckline, was low cut enough to be enticing, without revealing too much, while the deep red of the satin showed the paleness of Sarah's skin to great effect. Swirling lightly around her room as she dressed, Sarah hummed happily. She loved any chance to play dress up, and the gentle swishing noise the voluminous skirts made as she moved just added to the fun.
Sarah twisted her long hair into an elaborate structure of curls, pinned in place with sparkling ruby jeweled hairpins that peeked mysteriously from around the carefully placed tendrils. As a final touch she applied dark make-up that made her face look even more pale than usual, giving her an ethereal look. Picking up the bejeweled masque that went with the costume, she looked in the mirror and gasped. If she didn't know better, she would swear she had just stepped out of the crystal ballroom dream, dressed as one of the other dancers.
Whoa. I wonder what Jareth would think if he could seem me now? She mused, holding the masque to her face with a sly smirk. With the masque up, she suddenly felt daring and just a wee bit wanton, as if anything were possible if one were wearing a masque.
Darting from the room, she grabbed her flashlight and headed back to the family room to get Toby.
"Pretty!"gasped Skeep, pointing at Sarah as she entered the room.
"Thanks for the compliment," laughed Sarah, patting Skeep's tea cozy covered head as he clutched his rubber ducky. She grabbed Toby's candy bag, holding it out to him. "Ready to go Squirt?"
Shaking her head, Sarah giggled at the goblins sitting inches from the TV. "Stay out of the candy in the kitchen," she warned, giving them her best stern look. "Especially you, Patty," Sarah said, pointing at a small goblin with big amber eyes and curly tufts of orange hair. The little goblin in question looked around her, the blank look on her face clearly saying, 'Who? Me?'
"Yes. You," muttered Sarah firmly. "I expect the bags of York Peppermint Patties to be unopened and untouched when I get back or else no one gets any snacks. Got it, Patty?"
The little goblin nodded sheepishly, scrunching down in the chair she was sitting in as if trying to hide from Sarah's 'stern-teacher' gaze. Sarah was first aware of this particular little goblin last Halloween. Karen had bought several bags of York Peppermint Patties to hand out to the trick-or-treaters the week before Halloween. By the night of Halloween every last bag was empty and Sarah got the blame. She later found the little goblin passed out in her laundry basket surrounded by the empty wrappers. Since she didn't know the goblin's name and the goblin was in no state to tell her, Sarah just started calling her Patty – and it stuck.
Toby waved at his group of goblin friends, then ran toward the front door, already counting the candy bars and treats he was planning to get as they made their rounds through the neighborhood. Sarah swept through the door after him, absently humming…
I'll paint you mornings of gold…I'll spin you Valentine evenings….