A/N: Wow! I'm so happy with the response to my first story. Thank you so much guys! Hope you like this next related one-shot.
"RRRGH! I CAN'T DO THIS!"
Twenty-two year old Sarah Williams stomped away from the edge of the lake, plopped herself down in the grass with an angry huff, and crossed her arms tightly over her chest.
The new Goblin Queen had been practicing the magical art of dream-crystallizing every day for the last three months since she had returned to the Labyrinth and married Jareth, but she still couldn't get one crystal to form correctly. In the last ten minutes, she'd managed to form and then immediately pop over three hundred crystals.
She just couldn't take it anymore!
"You give up much too easily." A soothing, male voice observed from a few inches to her right. "How did you ever manage to become the Champion of my Labyrinth?"
"Shut up, Jareth!" Sarah snapped but then immediately sighed in regret. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that, but I'm just so frustrated! I mean, I've been practicing every single day since I got my powers and I'm not improving at all, and it's been three months! I just don't get it! It's not fair! My magic is fine in all other areas except this one! What am I doing wrong?"
When she had been reborn as a fay at her wedding and received her magical powers, she had been able to perform every magic spell Jareth had taught her quickly and proficiently.
It had been unexpectedly easy to wield magic.
The second she had become fay, she felt a strong ball of hot energy form in the center of her chest, spread throughout her entire body and then settle in her bones, skin and muscles. The formerly human Goblin Queen now experienced a constant hum of inhuman magical energy and physical strength. Casting spells simply required the focus and will-power to manipulate her new inner-strength to shape her desired outcome; allow the magical forces to bubble to the surface of her being, and then bend them to her will.
With the proper instruction from Jareth, using her magic was second nature to her now. She could teleport anywhere within the Labyrinth, transform into animals, re-order time, do almost anything she wanted to do, except conjure one stupid, lousy, little crystal!
"You're not concentrating on the right aspect." Her husband stated.
"I am so concentrating!" Sarah exclaimed with indignation.
"I've been concentrating so hard I feel like my head's about to split open! I've been clearly picturing the outcome in my head, like you told me to, and I've been using every ounce of my strength, but it's just not working!" She protested, uncrossing her arms only to drop her face into her hands and draw her knees up to her chest.
"Sarah."
No response.
"Sarah, look at me precious."
After a moment's hesitation, she raised her head slowly and turned to look at her husband.
She'd been so wrapped up in her practice session; she'd completely forgotten where they were.
The Goblin King and Queen had woken up to another beautiful morning of gold (as Jareth promised they always would), which had soon evolved into a warm, bright and sunny afternoon. Upon taking a casual stroll together through the wooded outskirts of the Goblin City, the royal couple had discovered that the ever-changing Labyrinth was now sporting a small, crystal-clear lake flanked by a football-field sized expanse of Buffalo grass. It had a very impressive view of the Goblin City and castle but was still far enough away for privacy.
The couple had then conjured a nice picnic and after summoning a few goblin servants to take the dirty dishes to the castle's kitchen, Sarah had decided to stand by the lake and practice forming dream-crystals again.
The sight of Jareth's wild hair, unusual eyes, and pale skin, illuminated by the Underground sun had successfully reminded her of the beauty around her. She felt her mood lift a little.
Jareth smirked and tapped her nose once with his left index finger.
"You're taking things for granted again, love. I didn't say that you weren't concentrating at all. I said that you're not concentrating on the right aspect."
Sarah's eyebrows furrowed.
"Well, what does that mean? I don't understand."
"As you already know darling, there are many different forms of magic: transformation, conjuring, potions, just to name a few." Jareth took her right hand in his left and stroked her fingers with his thumb. "Crystallizing dreams is an ancient and very ironically complicated form of magic. There are hardly any fey in the Underground that even attempt to master it."
"Wait, you said ironically complicated. So what, are you saying that it's not really complicated at all? If that's true, then why don't more fey practice it?" Sarah asked.
"Because crystallizing dreams requires a certain tactic that goes against everything the fey are taught about the magical arts" Jareth replied, looking out over the lake towards the castle. "Normally, fey are taught to view the magic inside of them as water from a tap. When they access their magic, it's like they release a pressure valve and they have to put all of their focus, all of their emotions and strength into bending the forces inside to their will, in order to shape the desired outcome of the spell they are casting. One must have control over their magic, the same as how one must have control over water pressure."
"What happens if you lose control of your magic?" Sarah asked, remembering how difficult it was for her to use the correct amount of magic in her spells the first few weeks after becoming fey.
She had singed so many of her clothes and had even managed to turn Jareth's hair hot pink for two days. She remembered how the magical energy had raged within her whenever she first called upon it and had to fight to suppress it; the pain was so intense it was impossible to stand up.
"You become consumed by it. You drown in it." Jareth's voice was solemn. "An accurate basis for comparison might be rabid dogs in the Aboveground. Those who lose control of their magic become just as great a threat to the safety of those around them and must be dealt with in the same manner."
Sarah shuddered.
"So if that's the case, then what's the big secret to the crystals?"
Jareth was quiet for a moment, he turned and met her gaze before answering.
"You must let the magic flow freely within you; turn on the water pressure full blast." He smirked at the last part.
"What?" His wife blanched. "But you just said-"
"I know. That is why this particular magical art is rarely pursued. Many believe the risk is too great. They fear the unbridled energy churning inside them. Dream-crystals are the only magical art that require the caster to bend to the magic's will."
"Why do it at all, if it's so dangerous?" Sarah pressed.
Jareth brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face.
"As long as at least one fey can crystallize dreams, all of the children in the Aboveground can maintain a connection to our world. How do you think I was able to take Toby away when you wished it? Or how I was able to take you to the Labyrinth and allow you to run it? It was because you believed in the Underground, because you dreamt of the Underground, and because I could crystallize dreams, I had the ability to make them come true."
Sarah stared, silently at her husband.
This was a lot to absorb.
Forming crystals was incredibly dangerous, Jareth could do it without a second thought, and if he had never learned how to crystallize dreams in the first place, she never would have met him, nor even dreamt of the Underground at all!
That last thought gave her a sinking feeling in her chest.
"Show me how to do it. The right way." Her voice was firm.
Jareth raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed the back of her fingers.
"Sarah, I don't want you to feel pressured to learn dream-crystallizing. I didn't tell you the secret before now, because I wanted to wait until your magical control was flawless, for your own safety; but you don't need to pursue this if you don't want too, love. It certainly is risky and though I don't doubt you're capabilities-"
She waved her free hand to silence him.
"I want to learn how, and not because I feel pressured, but because...I used to be one of those Aboveground children. I was never happier than when I was pretending that my dreams were real. I know how juvenile that sounds, but my wildest dreams did come true, because you could form dream-crystals. I had a connection to this world because of you; my dreams came true because of you. I want other children to have the same chances that I had, maybe not necessarily the exact same choices because I'm the freakin' queen of this place and you're my husband and I don't like to share, but I want them to feel the same happiness that I felt. I want them to dream the same dreams."
She squeezed Jareth's hand in assurance.
He regarded her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Suddenly he shifted his position and settled himself behind her, legs on either side.
"Stretch your legs out." He pressed his chest into her back.
Sarah complied, trying not to focus on the heat of Jareth's body so close to her own.
After only three months, the Goblin King and Queen were still very much in the honeymoon stage of their marriage but she had a crystal to conjure and she was tired of failing.
Though this grass is pretty soft… No, maybe later...definitely later, but not now.
Jareth placed his hands on top of her's and rested his chin on her right shoulder.
"Now raise your hands as if you're about to summon a crystal." He whispered sensually into her ear.
Focus! Sarah mentally chided herself.
She raised her hands up in front of her face, palms facing each other, fingers curled slightly inward. J
areth's hands shadowed her own, the soft leather of his gloves against her skin made her face hot.
FOCUS!
"Now listen to me love, this is very important: in a few moments I'll need you to summon your magic but don't give it an outlet. Let it flow freely within you. It will hurt precious, it will feel like you're coming apart at the seams, but you must not release it. You must listen to my voice, and do exactly as I say. You must trust me. Do you understand, Sarah?"
"I understand, Jareth. I trust you."
"Good. Now close your eyes and breathe."
She obediently closed her eyes and focused on her breathing.
"Slowly, feel my chest. Breathe with me...in...and out...in...and out. Relax everything."
In no time, Sarah had completely melted against the Goblin King.
"Now...summon all of your magic Sarah, and remember, keep it inside. Do it now!"
Taking one last deep breath, Sarah released the figurative pressure valve and felt the hot energy spike inside of her.
Immediately her inner senses were assaulted by the raging tide of power exploding inside of her. Jareth was right; she really did feel like she was going to burst at the seams. She felt herself break out into a sweat and she whimpered in pain.
She barely managed to hear Jareth's next instruction.
"I know it hurts precious, but you must hold it in. You must not fear it, that's how it takes over." He kissed her cheek. "You can do it Sarah, I do believe in you."
Sarah was physically shaking with the effort to keep her magic from materializing. It was clawing mercilessly at her insides.
She grit her teeth and her hands balled into fists.
"Let it bend you to its will Sarah, let it take shape inside of you. Don't let it escape at this capacity or you will lose control of it forever. I promise you it will pass my dear, but you must not let it materialize until it does." Jareth gripped her trembling body tightly.
She cried out in agony, wanting nothing but for the terrifying pain to stop when something popped into the forefront of her memory:
Jareth.
Jareth standing proud and intimidating in her parents dark bedroom on a stormy night seven years ago, rolling a crystal around in his gloved hand.
It's a crystal. Nothing more. But if you turn it this way and look into it, it will show you your dreams.
It's a crystal. Nothing more.
Nothing more.
Nothing more!
Let the magic flow.
Let it bend you to its will.
Do not fear it.
It's a crystal.
Nothing more.
Sarah's eyes shot open.
At once, the wild storm of magical energy inside her transformed into a swirling pool.
She still felt full to bursting, but the power was calm and controlled; no longer trying to breach the surface. The Goblin Queen had never felt so magically powerful before. She smiled to herself and unfurled her fingers.
It would work this time, she knew it would.
"I've brought you a gift." She said proudly, though her voice was a little breathless.
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, a perfect crystal formed between her fingertips...and didn't pop.
Jareth's sweet laughter filled the air as Sarah rolled the crystal around her hands; flipping it around with the same tricks she'd seen her husband use countless times before.
The little ball of dreams felt like it was gravitating towards her, it felt alive somehow.
"Look into it Sarah."
Sarah held the dream-crystal still and gazed into it.
An image of a little boy of about eight years of age came into focus. The little boy was dressed as a knight in shining armor and was commanding a goblin army at war with what appeared to be an extremely pink and frilly fairy army commanded by a little girl about two years younger.
"I'm telling mom on you, Matt!" The little girl taunted.
"CHARGE!" Was the little boy's immediate response.
Sarah and Jareth laughed together as they watched the dream. The fairies threw flowers at the goblins and tried to put make-up on their prisoners of war, while the goblins threw mud-pies and hocked loogies at their feminine enemies.
"I knew you could do it, my queen." There was extreme note pride in her husband's voice. "Now, you'll be able to summon crystals as easily as I, and watch over the precious dreams of little Matt and all the children of the Aboveground."
He wrapped his arms around her middle and buried his face in the juncture between her neck and shoulder.
Sarah magically willed the crystal away and once it disappeared, she turned around in Jareth's arms so she could press her lips against his.
He responded in kind and let his wide push him back down on the grass. She quickly started undoing his black poet's shirt as he rolled over so that he was on top. He moved his hot kisses over the line of her jaw and down her neck.
Then he sat up.
"Let's summon another crystal, shall we?" He suggested.
"No! I wanna take a break." Sarah groaned. "Come back down here."
"Oh, I will love. However, first, I want to you to summon a specific crystal for me. I have a special reward I want to give you for your latest advancement in the most mysterious of the magical arts."
The Goblin Queen rolled her eyes, but sat up anyway.
"Fine, what do you want to see?"
"I'd like to see a particular dream of yours."
She gave him a confused look.
"Which one? What does that have to do with my reward?"
A fond smirk spread across the Goblin King's face.
"I'm afraid it has everything to do with your reward, precious. You're determination to master this art so that you could protect the possibilities that dreams can provide to children was beyond admirable. I didn't think it was possible, but you made me even more proud of you than I already am."
"You were born to be a queen, Sarah." His eyes suddenly darkened and Sarah felt a familiar pooling of heat in her belly as he leaned in to whisper hotly in her ear. "You were born to be mine."
A series of rather raunchy images flash through the forefront of her mind at that particular statement.
"I'd like you to summon one of your dream-crystals for me," Jareth continued, his breath caressing her skin, "because I'd like to reward you by making one of your dirtiest fantasies about us come true."
A/N: Tell me what you think!