Disclaimer: Labyrinth is not mine...
A/N: Here we go, the first challenge of The Game. Be warned, the story gets a little darker from here on. Enjoy!
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Chapter 9: Reflection of Sin
Sarah had been roaming through the same pebbled paths for a good thirty minutes without any sign that she was competing for a kingdom, let alone that life even existed in the Labyrinth.
The walls, although littered with cracks and gaps, were devoid of eye-moss, fungi or any other vegetation expected on a feature as old as she presumed the Labyrinth was. It was if the great maze had died; withering away under the weight of the wind. The rare straining gust was the only thing which convinced her she was still alive and not trapped in a sandy crypt.
This silence, in fact, scared her most of all. There were times before where she'd be alone in the Labyrinth; particularly when she charged down what had seemed to be a straight path upon entry. But never had she felt so detached from her surroundings. Even then there'd been glittering branches and moss.
She leaned her palm against a bolt shaped crack. The Labyrinth simply seemed empty; like a great piece of its being had been ripped away.
Partly because of this, and for reasons she did not yet know, Sarah's ears caught the sound of running water a good deal sooner than any human should have. Although she could not yet see the source through the sandy walls she was still sandwiched between, she did glimpse what seemed to be an opening some ways ahead.
Pushing forcefully off the wall, she quickened her pace with relief. The Labyrinth, albeit directionally straightforward, was unpleasantly muggy. The student in Sarah unconsciously attributed it to the lack of plants and uncommonly low Carbon Dioxide levels. With an un-ladylike snort, she shook the academia from her head and centered her attention on finding the sound.
As she raced onwards, the bolt shaped fissure smoothly sealed within the wall, along with the rest of the breaks along the route she'd already passed. Sarah didn't notice, deep in hope that the running water was not an auditory mirage.
In that respect, she was not disappointed.
Leaving the pebbled pathway for a peculiar mix of mauve weeds and wild grasses, the brunette came across a forgotten oasis. The place, perhaps no larger than her childhood bedroom, boasted a thrilling combination of flora—mostly unique to Sarah's eyes—and a picturesque stream. Either end of the flow disappeared deep into the soil casting the illusion that the stream flowed from nothing. The entire area had an unnatural air about it, but the magicked haze also went unnoticed by the girl.
Something in the shining water beckoned.
Rushing to water's edge, she cradled a palmful and splashed her face to clear the grime from a day without bathing.
"Ahhh…….." Sarah sighed in relief, and glanced back to the water; her broken reflection rippling in the current. She eagerly moved to cup a second palmful.
"Beautiful, aren't I?"
The water trickled through Sarah's hands as she tensed, simultaneously blanking the grin from her face. The clearing was empty when she stumbled upon it, she thought wildly. No one should be here.
Sarah stared at the water and watched her reflection smile back at her.
Sarah Williams wasn't smiling.
"Ah!" The girl shot out the same syllable with alarm, her heart pounding heavy against her chest.
The reflection grinned wider still, lines forming at the corners of its familiar eyes. "Please do not be distressed; you have nothing to fear. Sit and rest by my side and drink for as long as you thirst. It has been so long since I've had company".
Sarah found it unusually disturbing to speak to herself, but found her voice. "Oh…I think I'll just go…"
But she couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from the stream.
A voice deep inside chanted that she should avoid the clearly enchanted oasis and run while she still could. But Sarah couldn't move a muscle. Her knees had unwillingly glued themselves to the wild grasses.
The reflection eagerly jumped on the frozen girl. "Such a beautiful face; one even more beautiful than setting sun. Please, stay and keep me company. I could watch you forever".
Sarah blushed at her reflection's compliments, and leaned closer, increasingly compelled by the face before her. She couldn't explain the need and suddenly, did not want to. All she knew was the stream.
I suppose a little longer wouldn't hurt. The stream is beautiful…
In silence, the magicked haze closed in tighter around the scene.
"Yes, that's right. Stay and rest for a while. Watch the calming flow; drink to quench your thirst". As the stream cooed its plea, the girl let her pack slip from her shoulder. "Yess, that's good. Tell me about yourself. Tell me everything".
Sarah's heart hummed excitedly. Nobody had ever wanted to hear her whole life story; not even Kate. Settling deeper into the bank, she smiled in girlish delight.
"Where would you like me to start?"
"Your name, you must tell me your name!"
"Oh, it's Sarah. Sarah Williams".
"Sarah, Sarah…" the reflection's voice had turned thick and sensual, a silky caress across Sarah's mind. "Such a lovely name for such a lovely face…tell me, where ever did you find it?"
"It was my grandmother's name, on my mother's side. She died a few years after I was born".
"How terrible dear, that must have been just awful".
Sarah's self-centered thoughts caused her to miss the forced lilt in the stream's response, and she nodded. She quickly continued her autobiography, exaggerating with detail the misfortunes of her childhood and teenage years. Soon, the reflection didn't need to plead a question for the girl to answer; Sarah had settled into a deep circle of storytelling.
The magicked haze around the oasis grew dense and closed in tighter still, bewitching the eyes of the brunette a copper red. The stream, in turn, began swallowing the dye of falling night.
"And even after all I went through, I still became a brilliant actress", the girl sniffed, "I've won the lead in the last five plays I've auditioned for. All glowing reviews, of course". Sarah boasted on, oblivious to the shifting patterns around and within her.
The magical currents in the dark haze had blackened the once clear stream as if it were the heaviest wine. The girl's true reflection, should Sarah have been able to see it, would have blended in with the creatures of the Underworld; a face of glowing eyes and rising shadows. Without a care, the stream was trapping the girl; cursing her body to match that of the reflection's demon. If she didn't break the spell soon, there'd be no escape.
"Of course Sarah, you are perfect". The expression in the stream was now dark and calculating. "You must be parched after that tale. Come, drink from my stream…drink, drink!"
Sarah obeyed the cold command without conscience, cupping a palmful of now molten black water, and holding it before her lips. Still relaying her accomplishments, she paid the sickly liquid no concerned glance. "But I simply can't stay Off-Broadway forever, can I?"
She closed her eyes and pursed her lips, inching the dark, now steaming liquid closer.
"Yessss", the reflection hissed, its face morphing grotesquely. "Why not stay forever…here forever. It's not long at all…"
Sarah paused momentarily. 'Forever, not long at all'. Why does that sound so familiar?
"It's only forever, not long at all…" The calming melody drifted through Sarah's head, leading her to a single thought.
Jareth.
An ardent sigh of relief echoed through the entranced girl's mind.
Leave the clearing, Sarah. Without drinking from the stream, leave now.
What…? But my reflection is so beautiful…
Don't be ridiculous, girl. The image should be nothing special. I'm certain its pales in comparison to the reflections of the Fae who found it before you.
"What are you waiting for, drink it! Drink it and you'll be mine!" The reflection was morphing before Sarah's eyes.
"Nothing special…?" A flicker of Sarah's grey eyes pierced through red fog and she felt the stirrings of a warm tickle. The smoking ooze stung her palms while she furrowed her brow to think. In doing so, the surge vanished as quickly as it had risen.
Not enough…
"W-hat?"
Stop acting like a child. I knew I was right about you. Lady Melina is far stronger, wiser, and infinitely more mature. She's probably won The Game already…
"Won…The Game…already?"
Something in Sarah snapped, and the gleaming shine of her silver eyes burst through the spell. Instantly, she saw the true reflection on the water; a terrifying horned shadow with jagged teeth and gleaming eyes. It was if Sarah's nightmares about the Labyrinth had become a reality, but she had no way to escape. She was already awake.
She blindly flung herself back towards land.
"Stay AWAY!" Sarah waved her hands wildly before her, a desperate attempt to keep the demon at bay. She yearned for the cryptic silence of the Labyrinth walls, churning the wish over and over in her head. "I wish, I wish…"
She was so close. Her chest hummed a rich orchestra of sound, and her hands danced in a golden glow as she watched the shadow rise from the water.
"STAY AWAY!"
Sarah's world exploded.
The magicked haze of the oasis ruptured in a violent prism of light, sending fiery sparks showering down upon the girl. Melting into the background, the stream and flora cried in agony, a scraping darkness against Sarah's melodious golden wave. The dark emptiness crashed and fought in vain until it dissolved fully into the sand some minutes later.
Sarah collapsed in exhaustion over her pack. As she succumbed to the light, she thought of the beautiful face whose echoes had saved her. With a sigh of ecstasy, she whispered a single word to the wind.
"Jareth…"
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The Grand Hall burst into uproar.
"Unbelievable! Did you see..?"
"Course I did! Vanished the whole enchantment, she did, right into the…"
"Sand! Turned the spell to sand!"
"Who did?" A newcomer fought for a view of the charmed map.
"The MORTAL you half-wit!"
Jareth couldn't keep the Cheshire grin off his face as he opened his eyes in pleasure. Brilliant, he thought, I couldn't have done it better myself. My Sarah…
Leaning back against his headrest, he regarded the squabble below him anxiously. He had a feeling he'd soon be busy here in the Grand Hall. Very busy.
"40 gold coins on Lady Sarah, and me best goat!" A rounded dwarf started the second round of bidding on the crowded floor. Others threw in their offers excitedly.
"Your Majesty!" An eager Elvin lad already prodded one of the Goblin King legs, "Please send Lady Sarah this token of support".
Jareth fingered the proffered gift and laughed, a vibrant rumbling sound, before shooing the boy away with his wrist to make room for other well-wishers. As a crowd fought to hand the Goblin King their favors, the king magicked the eager lad's gift to Sarah's charmed shoulder bag. She'd be in for a sure surprise when she opened it.
"I always thought she'd win. Didn't I tell ya, Terrence?" The large obnoxious Fae prodded his companion, yelling high over the chaos.
"I don't remember that…" The being in question scratched a boil on his cheek.
"Well, I did. Lady Sarah'll know right away, she will. When she gets my token o'course", he brandished a sapphire threaded kerchief at the ogre. "She'll remember me when she's Queen, you wait an' see. She'll be real friendly". The immature Fae grinned, a pervy glint in his dark eyes.
Jareth overheard the crude remark and narrowed his lips. Orion's belt. Now I have to ensure Sarah doesn't get too much attention. Nothing is ever easy.
If there was one thing worse than the demon Sarah had just banished, it was a jealous Goblin King. And an impatient, twice-rejected, arrogant and jealous Goblin King was not to be trifled with under any circumstances.
He almost felt sorry for the bidding fans.
Almost.
"Here ya go, your Majesty. For your Lady Sarah from Cromley Higgins, that's two g's; H-i-g-g…"
Jareth snatched the sapphire token in disdain. "Yes, yes, I'll make sure she gets it. Off with you".
He collected nearly three dozen kerchiefs of varied design before he could offer the reasonable excuse that any more tokens would slow the Lady Sarah down. The crowd backed off after that statement, probably more because of the glare in the monarch's eyes than his pronouncement, but didn't return to The Game Map.
"Well, go".
Like a pack of goblins, the gathering tumbled back to the main floor, tripping over stairs and seats as if they were invisible. It amazed Jareth that the most enthusiastic bidders of The Game came from the lowest of origins; the ruckus Fae of the Outskirts included. It couldn't he helped he supposed.
He closed his eyes to again check on his Sarah.
It wasn't like they had anything better to do.
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"What's the count after the first wall, dear? I saw the emerald nymph fall, Lady Elinor I believe, but was distracted by that mortal girl…"
"Nine, Amarette. Nine competitors still left".
"Pride, was it? The Labyrinth always likes to start with a challenge", she offered, ruffling a hand back through her auburn locks. "It certainly makes for an interesting Game".
"That it does…Ah! Eran my boy, come in, come in. Sorry to keep you waiting".
The Fae by the door entered the High King's chamber, stopping to bow shakily a few feet from the dais. He was mildly concerned; being called before the High King was a regular occurrence, but not within the monarch's personal rooms. At the motion of his liege, he straightened.
"How can I be of service, High King?"
"Before I begin, I would like your word that you will follow my orders, no matter how peculiar, without question. It of course goes without saying that this is a serious and private matter". He raised one brow. "Is this understood, Eran?"
"Of course, sire. You have my promise".
"Right. I need you to run an errand for me…" Eran began nodding his head in response. …in the Goblin Kingdom. Specifically, I need you to find Jareth's personal library".
Eran froze mid-nod. "Sire?"
"Somewhere in that library of his are the records of the runners of his Labyrinth. I need you to indiscreetly note the events of one mortal. One Sarah Williams; your former charge".
The High King leaned back into his seat. "I don't care how you get the information— whether you borrow the book and bring it here or simply copy it in his library—but nobody, especially Jareth, must find out about it".
Eran thought he heard the High King follow the command with a muffled threat of magical imprisonment, and gulped automatically. This certainly was a serious task. He had no doubt that if he were to fail, he'd be royally punished; twice literally and figuratively. Even though neither king dared be crossed by anyone, since the Goblin King already seemed to be out for his head, Eran couldn't think of a worse position to be in at the moment. He was certain this couldn't end well.
"I…understand, High King. I will do my best".
"See that you do, Eran. You've been an irreplaceable attendant and I'd hate to lose you".
Following the monarch's flick of his hand, Eran bowed again and backed out the door. There was no time to waste. The sooner he found that book, the sooner this nightmare would be over.
"Was there really a need to scare the boy so much, dear? You could always just order Jareth to explain what happened". The High Queen regarded her husband questioningly.
"If Eran fails, I have no doubt that will be my next course of action. But this way, I can be sure to get the whole story. Orion knows what Jareth is hiding…He's certain to try and dance around the important notes should I confront him directly".
Cáel rose, stretched his silk clad arms high above his head, and stepped from the dais. He was usually a very trusting king, but recent events had given him pause. He needed to know the full extent of the problem for the sake of the Underground.
Thinking of one resident in particular, he sighed. There was more than one reason he stayed close to the Goblin King; the haughty monarch always had something up his lacy sleeves. Better to stick close and have Jareth offer it up willingly than go through what he was doing now. No matter what his wife insinuated, he truly disliked spying.
And he especially detested spying on his former Game charge.
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