Sorry that's been awhile since I updated. I hope to change that. Enjoy!
Gravity forced her head back cutting off her view of Jareth. Sarah was vertical now, and was falling headfirst toward the ground. Her scream split the frigid night air as she landed in a pile of snow.
Sarah thanked whatever being was looking out for her night. Although the snow was cold it had cushioned her fall. She sat up slowly as she regained her senses and shook the snow off her hair and face. When she opened her eyes she observed her surroundings cautiously.
A dense forest lay before her. The bare branches were shrouded in snow, and no sound came from within the forest. There was something familiar about these woods. Then she noticed that the darkness was incomplete here. A light source was coming from behind her, casting her frame in a long shadow on the ground. She turned her head slowly, and found the first sign of life staring right at her.
Sarah gasped unable to believe that what she saw was real. The little blonde boy looked as shocked as she was and they stared quietly at each other before Sarah broke the silence.
"Toby?!" She cried. Warm tears filled her eyes. "Toby it's me! Sarah!"
"Sarah?" He said quietly before tears began falling from his face too. "Sarah!" He went running to her through the snow and Sarah stood and caught him as he tripped through the snow. She lifted him up and hugged him tightly. She rubbed held the back of his head, happy to feel the soft curls in his hair again.
"You came back!" Her brother was ecstatic. "My wish came true!"
When Sarah heard that she gasped and pulled her head back to look at Toby. "You made a wish Toby?"
Toby nodded and pointed up at the sky. "On that star!" Sarah turned around, but Toby dropped his hand and scowled. "It flew away!" He complained.
Sarah was relieved to know how she came back home, but she was worried about the other person who would be here too. "Toby, where is your mother?"
Toby looked down on the ground. "Mommy's sick." He said quietly.
Sarah's eyes widened and she looked back at the large house she abandoned not too long ago. It was the same as it was before, grey and formidable, but the part where her room used to be was missing. A light was lit in Karen's room, and Sarah knew she would have to face her eventually.
Sarah would not enter the house until she knew for certain what was going on. She carried Toby over to a bench on the patio that Toby had been standing on when she first saw him. Sarah had not noticed it then, but she was beginning to see that Toby looked different than when she last saw him. Toby was a bit taller, and maybe older.
"Toby?" She asked after seating him on the bench. "How long have I been gone?"
He gaped at her. "You don't know?!" Sarah shook her head guiltily. "You've been gone almost a whole year!"
"A year?" Sarah felt queasy all of a sudden. She panted and bent over feeling anxiety bubbling in her stomach. "Oh my God!"
"How could you not know?" Toby was confused by Sarah's reaction. "Where did you go Sarah?"
"I-.." Sarah was nearly gasping for air. "I…I don't know how to explain it to you Toby." She said honestly. "I'm a bit overwhelmed by this though, so just give me a moment." She held her head as her panic stormed through her head.
A month Underground equaled a year Aboveground? How was that possible? Sarah was horrified that she left Toby for so long. No wonder Karen was ill, anything and so much could happen in a year. What had Toby gone through while she was gone? Could Karen be dying? What would happen to Toby if she left again and Karen passed away? No, she could not leave yet. She had problems she needed to settle here first.
"Sarah?" Toby asked worriedly.
"I'm alright Toby." She sniffed and wiped away her stray tears. "I just can't believe I missed your 10th birthday." She smiled sadly at him. "I haven't been a good sister to you have I?"
Toby looked down. He must have had a hard year. New school, no sister and a wicked mother was a bad formula to have in one's life.
"What did you do for your birthday?" Sarah asked.
"Nothing." Toby said. "They don't celebrate at school. Not even a candle to blow out."
Sarah sighed. "How was school?"
"It's awful!" Toby yelled. "The teacher's hit us when were bad! There's hardly anything to eat there!" He rested his head on his knees and cried out "I'm glad Mommy's sick! They let me leave to go see her!"
"Toby!" Sarah was shocked by his last two sentences. "Don't say things like that! That's as good as wishing she was dead!"
"You wish she was too!" Toby said spitefully.
"I used to, but that's a terrible thing to want Toby!" Sarah said fiercely. "You may not love her, but everyone deserves to live Toby, even if you hate them."
Toby was still sullen and crying bitterly. "She doesn't love me." He stated. "I bet she would wish me away."
Sarah lost her breath when she heard his last statement. Why did he have to use words that were too familiar to her? She never read Labyrinth to him, so he could not know the truth in his words. She did not know the truth when she read them, but now she knew the truth in the fairy tale. What stressed her most was that Karen had the potential to speak those words so idly that Toby could be gone forever, and if that happened he would be turned into a goblin.
"If she wished you away I would go with you Toby." Sarah promised him.
Toby looked at her, tears still brimming in his eyes. "Are you going to leave again?"
Sarah sighed. "I don't know Toby-."
"Take me with you if you do!" He said desperately. "I don't care where it is! Just take me with you!" He pleaded clinging onto her again.
Sarah hugged him back. She was close to crying all over again. No matter what happened, she would not abandon him again. Would Jareth let her keep him in the castle with her? She suspected he would, but his soon-to-be wife would not like this development. Sarah did not care about what Blanche wanted though; in fact Sarah wanted to see that smug elf cringe when she saw more humans in her future castle.
"I-." Sarah felt her courage rise like it had when she made her first wish. "I wish-!"
The back door slammed open. Sarah looked over and saw a young man, older than her by a few years. His blonde hair was cut short, he had steely grey eyes, square face with strong jaw, and a short beard growing from his side bangs and lining all around his jaw. He dressed like a minister; Sarah assumed he was one of the teacher's from Toby's school.
"Who is this young woman Toby?" The man asked.
Toby stood up quickly and said. "This is Sarah, she's my sister."
"Your sister?" The man looked her over. "Is she the one who ran away?"
Sarah stood too then. "I found employment far away from here about a year ago." She corrected. "There was little need for me since my brother was off to school. I was in town with my employer to see some of his relatives, and he allowed me to come and visit."
Toby glanced at her, confused because he saw how she arrived here, but thankfully he kept quiet.
The man kept staring at her. He seemed to be evaluating her.
"What is your name?" Sarah asked him.
"John." He answered. "I'm one of Toby's teachers."
Sarah smiled at him. He continued to frown at her.
"Thank you for traveling with him." Sarah said appreciatively, although she was wondering if he was one of the teachers that hit the students. "I was not aware of the situation here until Toby just informed me, I would like to stay and help anyway I can."
"Lady Karen has just requested tea." John told her. "Would you brew some for her?" He gestured toward the door to invite her inside.
"Of course." Sarah answered. She held Toby's hand as they entered the house. John closed the door behind them and watched Sarah as she reacquainted herself with the kitchen. The kitchen was still the same as she left it a month…year ago astoundingly. She found the kettle and filled it with water and placed it over the small flames on the gas stove.
Toby stayed with her in the kitchen sitting at the wooden table in the corner of the room by the backyard door. John went to the other and came back to the kitchen with a book and sat down with Toby at the table. Sarah guessed it was one of Toby's school books since John was having Toby read along with him. She did not want to disturb them, however she was curious as to why the other servants that had been here before were now gone. Perhaps Karen could no longer afford to keep them.
Sarah had the pot ready with the small bags of dried tea leaves waiting to be soaked in the steaming water. Once the kettle whistled she filled the pot and covered it quickly, and then placed it on a tray. She placed a tea cup and a saucer next to the pot. Sarah glanced at Toby and John and they were absorbed in the book. Sarah guessed that John was not one of the abusive teachers at Toby's school. Toby seemed to like John from what Sarah could see from their interaction. She glanced at the door wondering if John expected her to go alone to Karen's room. He was not paying any attention to her so Sarah assumed that she had to go alone to Karen's room.
Sarah used the servant's stairs in the kitchen to reach the second floor. This same stairwell used to reach up to the third floor annex where her room used to be, however now the way to former third floor was sealed off. Sarah looked away from there and moved down the hallway to Karen's room.
Light was flickering under the bedroom door. Sarah knocked softly on the wood and waited for Karen's response.
"Who's that?!" Karen demanded from within her chamber.
"Tea ma'am." Sarah answered clearly. She waited again for Karen to permit entry into the room.
"Come in." Karen said tiredly. Sarah pushed open the door and saw the back of Karen's blonde head, leaning back in her armchair in front of the fire. "Place the tray on the table there." Karen gestured to the small table by her chair. Sarah approached, quietly, and placed the tray gently on the wooden surface.
Sarah turned and began to walk away to leave until Karen said "No, you will stay until I finish my tea girl!" She ordered. "I can't stand the sound of that door opening more than it has to." Karen rubbed her forehead gently with her hand. "These migraines will kill me." She complained silently.
Sarah silently assented and stood a little behind Karen's chair where she was out of Karen's line of sight.
"Why do you hide?" Karen asked trying to look back at her. "Come here and pour me a cup of tea!"
Sarah nearly sighed. She assented again and poured the tea into the white tea cup. Karen used the opportunity to look at the girl serving her, and when her eyes met Sarah's they nearly bugged out of their sockets.
Sarah was equally shocked as she saw what a year's absence had done to Karen. Her hair was greyer now, and she looked so much frailer than Sarah could ever remember. Her wrinkled face was no longer covered in layers of heavy makeup Karen. Sarah had never seen her step-mother in a state like this before.
"Karen?" Sarah said out of surprise and she hushed quickly when Karen began to glare at her.
"You!" She screeched. "You were dead!" She accused pointing her finger at her face. "You disappeared and left me with that burden!" Karen grabbed for the half filled tea and threw it at Sarah.
Sarah jumped back and held up her hands to block the flying cup. It hit her and fell down the front of her dress spilling the hot tea onto her.
"Karen, please." Sarah said lifting up her hands. She backed up to the wall by the door. "I didn't mean to startle you-." An arm snaked in through the door and pulled her out from the room. John stepped inside after he pulled Sarah out and closed the door behind him. Sarah listened as she heard Karen shouting curses at John. She thanked him silently for his intervention.
"Sarah?" Toby stood a ways from her down the hallway. "Is Mom okay?"
Sarah composed her face and said to Toby "She wans to be left alone right now Toby." Sarah came up over to him "Why don't we go downstairs and read from one of your books?" Toby nodded and Sarah smiled at him and led him away from the chaos.
They sat together with a blanket in front of the fire in the living room. Toby read aloud from his storybook as Sarah followed along with him. Toby began to snooze after 15 minutes of waiting leaving Sarah to wait for nearly a half hour until John finally came back downstairs.
John stared for a moment at Sarah and Toby sleeping halfway on her lap. He smiled a little at her and then said "He's very fond of you."
Sarah smiled tentatively. "I missed him very much while I was gone." Sarah told him looking down at Toby's sleeping face. "If I could have taken him with me I would have."
"I must apologize." John began saying. "Your relationship with your stepmother is obviously a strained one. I can understand your need to find employment that is not nearly as hostile."
"Thank you." Sarah told him. "But I did leave without saying goodbye. That's as good as running away." Sarah sighed. The guilt she felt for leaving Toby for a year prevailed over her.
"Toby never seemed to doubt that you would return."
"I may be leaving the employment of my current master within the year." Sarah told John somberly. "He will marry and not have much need for me anymore. Perhaps I will be able to see Toby after I find new employment."
"I am sorry to hear that." John told her. "Will you need help in finding new employment?"
Sarah wondered if John knew of a position for her. "If you know of anything close to Toby then I would be glad to know of it."
"Not at this moment, but I can write you a letter if I hear of anything." John told her. "Where does your current Master reside?"
Sarah could not think of a way to explain away why John could not write a letter to her. Her mouth was agape and she would need to fill it with words soon in order to avoid arousing his suspicion. Fortunately something thudded against the window distracting John from Sarah's internal panic.
"What was that?" John looked out and Sarah joined him after she placed Toby gently down on his side. She looked out and saw nothing, and then she looked to John and saw small cuts on his face.
"Did Karen scratch you?" Sarah asked in alarm. She reached out toward his face, but John brushed her hand away.
"It is nothing." He started to turn away, but Sarah stopped him.
"There is still warm water in the kettle, and we can put it to good use by cleaning up those cuts." Sarah grabbed his arm and pulled him into the kitchen. John rolled his eyes and muttered about how women must always act like mothers.
Sarah poured the steaming water into a bowl and found a clean wash cloth to dab into the water. John allowed her to clean the scratches on his face although his arms were crossed and he kept his eyes away from hers.
Sarah then wondered if this was too forward of her. It reminded her of when the Goblin King healed the cuts on her hand, but he had only touched her as he examined the wounds. If she had the power to heal cuts as Jareth did this would not be as awkward for John as she cleaned his face. She looked more closely at John's face while his eyes were away from hers. John's face held no feminine or pointed features like the Jareth's, however John's Grecian profile and icy grey eyes made him a worthy contender in Sarah's opinion. Perhaps a fae woman would even be taken in by John's handsome face.
Sarah soaked the rag in the remaining water after she finished, and while she was not looking John took the time to examine her more closely. He watched her as she put the kitchen back in order, placing the kettle back on the stove and flushing the remaining water down the sink. After hanging up the soaked rag to dry she looked over to John and saw him observing her. She met his eyes and he smiled and spoke to her.
"Sarah do you enjoy working with children?"
"I do." Sarah answered. "I love the little girl that I'm looking after now."
"Have you ever considered being a school teacher?" John asked her seriously.
Sarah pondered that for a moment. "I don't know. I did teach Toby how to read, but I have only ever been a caretaker."
"If managed that than you would make an excellent teacher." John told her. "I hope to open my own school someday. My current place of employment lacks the ability to care for the ones we look after." He said honestly.
"Perhaps I could teach at your school." Sarah suggested.
"I would make a school and orphanage, however my funding is lacking at the moment." John said to her. "The day I create my school I'll send a letter to you, and you can come and work as a teacher."
Sarah smiled at him and wondered if this was what her new life would be after leaving the Goblin King. Although it was doubtful the school would be made within the year it was still something for her to hope for. It was good she had something to look forward to, but what waited for her back in the Goblin Kingdom remained a dark cloud over her life.
Another dark cloud was brooding in the forest. It hovered over the head of a white barn owl. The creature watched the conversation in the kitchen from afar with ruffled feathers. It's feet shifted impatiently on the branch, wishing to lash out on an unsuspecting creature. However, it could only watch from afar as his mate was being courted.