Disclaimer: Don't own a dang thang!
A/N: Hey, I just met you. And this is crazy…
Josie's on a vacation far away
Come around and talk it over
So many things that I wanna say
You know I like my girls a little bit older
Sarah groaned and pressed her face further into the pillow. Where the hell was that music coming from? She didn't have a clock radio.
I just wanna use your love tonight
I don't wanna lose your love tonight
"Toby! Can you turn that down a bit?!" She yelled.
"What was that, Miss Sarah?" A high, scratchy voice replied.
Sarah bolted upright and blinked her eyes around the castle-like room flooded with soft morning light.
A female goblin with orange hair was walking past the left side of the bed with an armful of clean bath towels.
Oh, that's right. So it wasn't all just a dream.
"Uh, nothing Gookie." She muttered bashfully, climbing out of bed and padding over to the music armoire to shut it off. "Good morning."
"A good mornin' ta ya as well, miss!" The goblin said excitedly, remerging from the bathroom and scurrying over to the bed to straighten the sheets. "Yer breakfast is ready, it's outside!"
Sarah walked into the main part of the chamber and found the French doors wide open. The balcony beyond was large enough for her to do five cart-wheels, if she wanted to. A thick wisteria vine wrapped around the stone siding. In the center of the space, was an adorable white-iron table with two matching chairs; a silver tray with a large cover sat in front of the right chair.
The air was warm and sweet. Pink and purple painted the morning sky.
She could almost see the entire Labyrinth: the hedge maze, the forest, the junkyard, the outer wall. She was surprised to see a vast ocean far off in the distance beyond the wasteland bordering the Labyrinth. It stretched as far off as she could see in every direction.
I didn't know we were on an island.
Putting the thought aside, for the moment, she sat down at the little table and lifted the silver tray cover. A steaming plate of sliced ham and scrambled eggs met her eyes along with a slice of toast and a crystal goblet of orange juice.
Her mouth watered and she immediately began digging in.
She was already about half-way done by the time Gookie poked her head outside.
"Does it taste good, miss? I cooked it myself."
"It's amazing, Gookie!" Sarah praised, her mouth still a bit full. "Want some?"
The servant grimaced.
"No thank ya, Miss Sarah. Goblins don't really eat cooked things."
Sarah was puzzled. If goblins didn't cook their food, how did they know how to cook at all?
And so well, too?
"We goblins know how ta do a lot of things." Gookie explained, noticing the look of confusion on her mistress's face.
"We're smarter than we look." The little goblin stated with a hint of pride as she strolled over to the table. "Besides, the king likes his food cooked too."
Sarah's stomach suddenly turned over at the mention of the Goblin King. The memory of her fight with him hit her like a freight train.
She pushed her plate away.
So much for my appetite.
Oblivious to the human's sudden change in mood, Gookie re-covered the food and with a snap of her fingers, the tray was gone.
"Shall I draw ya a nice hot bath now, miss?"
"Huh? Oh, sure. Thank you Gookie."
The gobliness beamed and scampered back inside.
Sarah knew she had to apologize to Jareth, but she wasn't entirely sure what to say, or if she even could say it. The man wreaked havoc on her concentration.
What if he's so angry, he doesn't want to see me?
The thought depressed her more than it should have.
"Yer bath's ready, miss." Gookie called from the doorway.
Sarah sighed and followed her friend to the bathroom, trying not to think about her imminent exchange with the Goblin King.
"What would ya like ta wear today, Miss Sarah?" Gookie asked as the brunette rinsed the shampoo from her hair.
"Hmm." Sarah considered for a moment, before grinning at the goblin female. "Surprise me."
Gookie clapped her hands eagerly and rushed out of the bathroom.
Sarah could hear her thumping around in the closet on the other side of the wall.
Rising from the bath, she grabbed one of the new towels Gookie had brought in earlier, and dried herself.
Her thoughts drifted to Jareth again and her face fell. She still didn't know what she was going to say to him, and the thought of him possibly rejecting her apology frightened her.
She stepped out of the tub and put on her robe, before heading to the closet to find Gookie.
"How's this?" The goblin asked, gesturing to the outfit she'd laid out on a cream colored divan sitting between one of the clothing racks.
She had chosen a plum blouse with a sweetheart neckline and short lace sleeves, light blue-jean capris, and a pair of Sarah's old shoes from the Aboveground: a pair of shiny beige flats.
"You did perfect, Gookie." Sarah said winking at her.
Once Sarah had dressed, the pair returned to the bathroom and the woman sat at the vanity while Gookie brushed and styled her hair.
"Gookie? What's beyond the ocean?" Sarah asked randomly.
"Just the other kingdoms, miss." Gookie said, pulling part of her hair up into an appealing half-ponytail.
Sarah was astounded.
"There's other kingdoms?"
"Oh yes, there's lots of other kingdoms in the Underground. The Labyrinth's just one of them. We don't mix with them much, though. The king likes to keep ta himself"
"How come?"
Gookie's shifted uncomfortably.
"It's none of my business and it ain't my place ta say."
Sarah stared at Gookie's reflection for a moment before ultimately deciding to let the matter go for now. Instead, she changed the subject to a more important subject.
"I need to see the king as soon as possible. Do you know can I find him?"
Satisfied with her handiwork, Gookie hopped down from the vanity stool and glanced out the bathroom doorway at the clock on the armoire.
"His majesty is usually trainin' some of the troops in the courtyard at this time of the mornin'."
"Will you take me there?"
The goblin's red eyes sparkled.
"Right this way, miss!"
It hadn't taken long to reach their destination.
Just one right turn and three staircases down to the left in the Escher room, led to a bland wooden door which opened up to a stone atrium surrounding a massive, square courtyard paved with cobblestone.
Nine foot tall swirl-shaped topiary trees and crystal-ball statues were randomly placed in the area outside of a circular stone wall in the center of the yard.
Jareth stood in the center of the ring fencing with a goblin wearing a colander on its head for a helmet.
About eighty other goblins sat squished together on the two foot wall watching in pure fascination.
"Thanks, Gookie." Sarah whispered to her companion. "I'll take it from here. If I need you, I'll call."
Gookie gave her hand a comforting squeeze before ducking back through the door into the castle.
Sarah crept silently towards the ring, careful to stay hidden behind the trees and statues. She'd never been particularly stealthy, but thankfully, the goblins were too absorbed in the match to notice her.
She poked her head out from behind one of the trees closest to the ring and observed the scene. Her breath caught in her throat.
Jareth wore a white poets shirt, which was open just enough to give her a very generous view of his toned chest. A pair of grey breeches clung sinfully to his legs and were tucked into a pair of black suede boots. His aristocratic face was intensely focused, yet he showed no signs of fatigue.
He moved with such grace and confidence. He was absolutely magnificent.
Sarah felt her heart pounding hard against her ribcage.
The Goblin King's opponent started panting and stumbling about.
"Good. Very good, Fip." Jareth praised lowering his sword when the goblin fell to his knees in exhaustion. "That's enough for today."
"Thank you, yer highness." Fip gasped, forcing himself up and bowing quickly, before joining his fellow goblins on the wall.
Jareth tapped the blade of his sword against his ankle and the weapon transformed into a riding crop with a silver handle.
"You've all done well. I'm quite impressed." He said pacing around the ring. "But you should never forget to expect the unexpected when it comes to your enemy."
He stopped in the center of the ring.
"Always be prepared to change tactics in case the enemy alters their plan of attack."
Suddenly, Jareth hunched over and his entire body shook and expanded. His clothes melted into his skin and changed color. His hair grew like a weed around his head.
The riding crop fell to the ground.
Sarah's hand flew to her mouth in horror as he morphed into a humongous white lion in less than a second.
The goblins screamed in terror as the lion let out an ear-splitting roar and leapt at the group on the section of wall immediately in front of him. All of the poor creatures scrambled off the wall just in the nick of time and bolted for the doors at the four corners of the atrium, shrieking and cursing all the way. Some decided to scale the walls instead and disappeared through the high windows.
As the bedlam faded, Sarah heard laughter replace it.
Laughter from a singular source.
Looking back toward the ring, she saw Jareth, now back to normal, standing on the section of wall he'd just jumped at, chortling carelessly with his hands of his hips.
He then hopped off the wall, still shaking his head in merriment, and walked over to pick up his riding crop.
We're all alone now. And he's in a good mood. It's now or never. C'mon feet!
She gulped and stepped out from behind the topiary.
Jareth immediately noticed the movement and froze when he saw her; all traces of mirth left his face.
No one said a word or moved a single muscle for a long moment.
Sarah felt like a deer caught in headlights. An awkward blush rose to her cheeks.
Come on, you idiot! Say SOMETHING! And stop opening and closing your mouth like a fish!
Jareth suddenly turned his back to her, his riding crop clasped in his hands behind him.
"What do you want, Sarah?" He sounded weary.
At least he doesn't sound mad.
She breathed deeply and stepped over the wall into the ring.
"Can we talk…please?"
Jareth looked over his shoulder at her, his expression guarded, before he turned completely and sat down on the wall, laying his riding crop on his knees.
Sarah crossed the ring and sat down close beside him, eyes never leaving his face.
Just say what you feel. Tell him the truth.
He quirked an eyebrow at her bold move, but remained silent.
"I'm sorry." She whispered.
He stared at her in bewilderment, but still didn't speak.
"You were right. I...I blamed you for what happened all those years ago as much as I blamed myself, and that wasn't fair because you didn't do anything wrong. I called; you answered. I was just a stupid, selfish teenager. I thought everyone was against me. I eventually forgave myself for wishing Toby away, but I never took the blame away from you. I let my victory over you go to my head. I guess, subconsciously, that's why I read The Labyrinth to Michael and Madeline."
She bowed her head.
"I thought that I still had power over you and that I could call all the shots. I suppose I did think of you as my puppet. Well, I've paid the price for my ignorance, like you said."
She paused for a moment before lifting her head and continuing.
"There's one more thing, I was wrong about you. I spent so long thinking of you as this evil fairytale villain, I didn't exactly realize it at first, but now I do. You've been nothing but a gentleman to me since I got here. You've given me so many wonderful things and gone out of your way to make me happy and I haven't appreciated it like I should have, from the start. So…thank you. Thank you, for everything."
A soft breeze passed through the courtyard.
"You're welcome, precious." He murmured.
She couldn't help but smile at the pet-name.
"I…I'd like to…to get to know you better…I'd like to be…friends."
When he didn't answer right away, she stood up and stared at the ground again.
"Only i-if you want to, of course."
He stood up and tilted her chin up with his gloved hand.
Her eyes widened at the sight of Jareth smiling. Not grinning, or smirking, but genuinely smiling!
It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.
"There is nothing I'd like more in this world, Sarah-mine."
The couple stood there for several long seconds, staring onto each other's eyes.
She wondered at the feeling of joy churning inside her.
Jareth stroked her cheek once with his thumb before lowering his hand.
"Would you like to spend the day with me, Sarah?"
Her eyes shimmered at the Goblin King. She reached out and entwined her hand in his.
"I'd love to, Jareth."
A/N: …but here's my chapter. Review me, maybe?