DISCLAIMER - I don't own Sarah or Jareth or the Labyrinth (unfortunately) they belong to Jim Henson & Co, and I'm definitely not making a profit from this.
All other NPC's are a figment of my own imagination.
Toby was whistling. Her brain muttered darkly and tried to bury itself back in the warm comforting darkness of sleep. It didn't work. Groaning Sarah rolled slowly from the duvet and staggered from her room blurry eyed and feeling rough.
"What time is it?"
"9am. I couldn't sleep, was too hungry." Toby said from across the remains of breakfast scattered on the dining table.
"Urgh." Sarah responded before sloping into the kitchen to locate her prescription and some water to take the tablets with. She found them in her bag and poured herself a glass of water before heading back to the table.
"You look awful." Toby stated grinning.
"Thanks." Sarah grimaced knocking back the tablets. "I said I'd be at the university for 10. Are you staying here?"
"Yer... Karen called. She's going out with her girlfriends." Sarah smiled sadly as the tone of Toby's voice altered between one breath and the next.
"No burning the house down, and don't let the goblins run riot. And no calling for takeout. There's loads of food in the fridge if you are hungry. And if you have friends round don't let them run riot either!" She said walking past him ruffling his hair.
"Sarah!" He groused trying to pat it down again.
Changing into a loose skirt and fitted T-shirt before smearing some moisturiser on her face and hands she splashed herself with a little of her favourite perfume and heading towards the door picked up her bag and telephone on the way.
"I'll try not to be too late. Have a good day!" She called to Toby who had retreated back to his room. She paused waiting for the muffled response then closed and locked the door behind her.
The drive to the university was slow through the bustling city despite the drizzle that quickly soaked anything not under cover. Pausing at a set of traffic lights she watched absent-mindedly as a young girl and her mother covered by a large umbrella hugged each other closely laughing and chatting as they crossed the road in front of her. For a second Sarah wondered what it would have been like to have had a mother who cared if she was getting wet in the rain but dismissed the thought as the lights turned and she drove on.
She had long since reconciled to herself that the only two adult women she had had growing up besides her school teachers had neither really wanted her, or cared. Though her relationship with Karen was about as frosty as it could get, Sarah's mother once in a blue moon had sent her postcards or small mementos from her trips. Sadly Sarah doubted that her mother ever remembered how old her daughter was from the contents of some of the small and extremely infrequent packages. Never the less each postcard and parcel was placed carefully into a wooden box like tiny little treasures and several foreign ornaments were placed on the tree each Christmas.
It took her a while to find a car parking space once she reached the university and battled with her umbrella for a moment before dashing into the main engrave of the art and design building.
"Are you here for the open day?"
"I beg your pardon?" Sarah stopped shaking out her umbrella and stared at the young woman in front of her trying to give her a flyer.
"The open day" She positively beamed. "Refreshments though the hallway there and career stands in the main theatre here."
"Oh, no sorry, I'm meeting somebody in the sculpture workshop."
"Right you are then." The girl smiled before turning away to pounce on another unfortunate newcomer.
Sarah hurried off down a side corridor escaping the helpful volunteers.
In the cavernous workshop sounds of casual industry mingled with some form of classical music from a stereo being slowly buried under layers of dust. In his corner Ambrose was already sketching pencil lines onto one of his works in progress and humming to himself.
"Morning." Sarah said announcing herself so she didn't make him jump.
"Cara eet ees wonderful no? Come you look ere. I haf been working ard." Ambrose broke into a devastating grin as he turned and kissed Sarah on the cheek several times before taking her bag and umbrella off her to walk her round his sculptures.
"She is perfeto no? See ow you inspeer me!" He crowed joyfully uncovering the sculpture that had previously no facial features. The work he had done was masterful, Sarah found herself looking at her own face, delicately recreated with soft flowing lines of hair cascading down and the most detailed chains and gems seemingly entwined in the stone.
"And zees, zees ees new work. My pride. My instructor say he haz never weetnessed such beauty!" Ambrose barely stopped to take a breath before ushering Sarah on to another covered work which he delightfully unveiled with a flourish which sent clouds of dust into the air.
Sarah had to clap her hands over her mouth. Not because of the dust but because the new sculpture whilst leaving barely anything to the imagination was seemingly draped by the thinnest and most delicately detailed lace which fell gracefully to pool at the sculptures feet. The statue gazed with as yet un-detailed eyes to a distant view whilst more cascades of hair fell down her back and shoulders.
"Err face iz not finished. I need you to pose for me yes?"
"Ambrose, you've out done yourself. I can't even begin to tell you how beautiful they are." She grinned in delight before sitting down on a stool close to a light.
She had never modelled herself, yet had attended and attempted to draw during many life classes so she found the experience of being scrutinised a surreal experience.
Sketchbook in hand Ambrose sat on another stool at his cluttered workbench amid his tools and sketched her from multiple angles, whilst the classical music provided gentle sounds to accompany the scratching of the charcoal.
They talked frequently and quite animatedly about master sculptors from eras long gone and of travelling the great classical art houses of Europe. Ambrose's grin and ready laughter was infectious and several times she had to beg him to stop making her laugh so much.
He suddenly stopped muttering to himself in Italian as he wiped his hands on a rag.
"why you no remind me of lunch? Eeet ees far past lunch time no? You wait ere I go get uz somezing to eeet."
He made her sit back down again as she protested she was ok.
"I return queekly." he called striding off.
She laughed as he trotted off then snuck a look at his sketch work, which was she had to admit, just as beautiful and evocative as his sculpture work. Standing up from her stool to stretch her legs she opened his larger portfolio and immediately reached for her phone.
"Anita?" She asked as soon as the call was picked up.
"No darling its Santa's little helper, what can I do for you?"
"Just the person I wanted." Sarah smiled carefully flipping over another page in Ambrose's portfolio. "What are you doing right now and how busy is the gallery?"
"Stood here talking to you and not very. I did just sell that tiny little copperplate print from out the window though." Chris said smugly.
"Can you come over to the university, I'm with Ambrose, I think you need to see his portfolio... why did we not look at this last time we were here? This guy is a genius!"
"I'll be right over, I'm intrigued, I thought we were only doing an installation for him?"
"Not now I've seen his portfolio."
"Anita is pouting at me, and now I'm doubly intrigued! Be with you in 20!" Chris hung up and Sarah went back to flicking carefully through the incredible life drawings and sketches in Ambrose's portfolios.
They would have to be framed, they'd need to call Rob to start ordering glass and wood for the order. Sarah made notes on her Blackberry, sidetracked by the beautiful expressionism Ambrose caught in his life studies.
Movement across the room caught her eye and she hastily went over to help Ambrose with the veritable mountain of food and drink he had returned with.
"I deeed not know wheech you prefer." He grinned apologetically as she laughed rescuing his sketch book before he dumped everything on top of it.
"Thank you." She said sitting back down with a can of soda and a ham and salad sandwich.
"I've called Chris and asked him to come over. Ambrose, your sketch work is stunning. We've got to get some of these pieces framed and hung in the gallery for your show. Everyone's going to love them."
Ambrose's grin momentarily disappeared in what Sarah now recognised as a typical artist reaction to a compliment on their work. More truth as Jareth would say.
"Honestly Ambrose, your work is beautiful." She smiled touching him on his arm. "Its the truth."
His grin returned and almost she thought with a little more belief in himself. Perhaps she could truly this time help somebody find their dreams.
"You flatter me Cara. Do you really think so?"
"I do, which is why I called Chris. Its my own fault for not asking to see them last time we were here, but I believe we were all a little overwhelmed." She smiled again and nodded reassuringly before opening her sandwich as Ambrose did the same, his equilibrium restored.
"I guess we'll have to speak to your tutor about this. No doubt they will complain." She smirked remembering her own tutors.
"He ees ere. At zee open day. Should I get eem now?" Ambrose asked half standing.
"No, no it can wait for now." Sarah laughed again feeling better than she had in weeks. "We'll let Chris have a look then we'll decide."
Ambrose nodded and with a sandwich in one hand he carried on sketching as Sarah sat and ate, watching his hand make light work of the lines and curves the charcoal created on the fresh sheet of paper.
True to his word, 20 minutes later Chris arrived bearing more coffee which pleased both Sarah and Ambrose as they admitted, taking cups from Chris, that the university coffee was terrible.
"So whats all the exciteme..." Chris shut up and went to the new sculpture, staring at it in fascination. "Incredible technique." He muttered leaning closer to see the details of the lace.
"Chris, the portfolios..." Sarah said distracting him.
"Of course, show me!"
Between the 3 of them they took the 5 heavy portfolio cases over to a large empty desk so they could lay them flat.
In silence Chris began going through the sketches and more finished pieces. Absently he got out his digital camera and took a shot of the ones that really caught his eye before moving on tot he next piece.
"Why ees he taking zee photos?" Ambrose whispered to Sarah as they stood and watched Chris.
"We print out rough copies of everything we think will work in a gallery display, and use them to compile a complete showcase of the work. Much easier and faster than framing lots of work that might not get used, and we prefer to choose a few pieces which work cohesively than many that don't really show the artwork off at its best. With everything in your portfolios we'll be spoilt for choice." Sarah said as Ambrose nodded.
"Plus we also don't want to deprive you of your entire set of portfolios, you still need them to complete the course. I'd hate to make an enemy of your tutor."
Ambrose stood there silently, then laughed.
"My tutor... I think eee would prefer you to take zee portfolios of zee students oo are not so good so ee doz not ave to mark zem no?" He laughed again which made Sarah laugh, making Chris stop and ask what the joke was. Explaining set Ambrose off laughing again.
When Chris reached the end of the last portfolio he looked up at Ambrose, who had returned to sketching Sarah who was practically hugging her now cold coffee. Regarding them both made him suddenly jealous. Ambrose was as much a genius as Sarah had proclaimed him to be, and watching him sketch Sarah, capturing her stunning beauty with such ease whilst she sat and daydreamed of castles and kings made him feel an outsider, despite the fact he was a moderately successful artist and author himself.
"27 pieces." He said breaking the silence making Sarah glance up at him startled out of her reverie.
"I could have chosen the entire lot. We'll have to do a lot of shuffling, but many of them are small pieces which we can display closer together as sets." He continued as Sarah smiled.
"Will your tutor still be here?" She asked turning to Ambrose as she checked her watch for the time.
"I weel go check." Ambrose grinned before turning and striding away giving Chris a chance to admire the artist from behind.
"Down boy." Sarah said chuckling as she stood up to stand next to him. "Hes too young for you, and hes not your type."
"For him I might be persuaded to change 'my type'" Chris said with a straight face. "If his tutor doesn't throw an eppy fit I'll take these ones I've selected at first pass over to Rob's. He has more room to set them out then I can see exactly how everything looks."
"That would be great, thank you."
"You going to come with me?" Chris asked turning back to the portfolios.
"I trust you. Surprise me." She smiled as multiple footsteps warned them of Ambrose returning with his tutor.
"Miss Williams, I've heard nothing but good reports of your gallery. Can I just say I'm thrilled Ambrose's work will get the chance to be displayed. The University is very proud."
"I'll bet..." Whispered Chris in Sarah's ear as they turned to greet Ambrose's tutor. With a slight look of going to seed Professor Forbes did not seem the art lecturer type, but then Sarah's own art professor in her first year at university had been convinced that rock trolls did in fact exist and spent every summer searching for them in the forests of Hungary and in the Carpathian mountains of Romania. Sarah, knowing what she knew, had never tried to convince the woman otherwise.
"…Perhaps if you have time I can show you some of our other students work?" He went on in a hopeful query.
"Thank you for the kind offer, but right now our books are very full, and we would not want to detract from Ambrose's work at the moment. Perhaps next year we can have a look at featuring another up and coming artist from the graduating class." Sarah replied giving him a political brush off.
"In the mean time, we've selected several of Ambrose's portfolio pieces to accompany his sculptures in the gallery. We wanted to be sure you had no issue with this, bearing in mind they would be on display during and after graduation up to the summer months. I wanted to be sure we weren't going to hinder Ambrose's chances of getting excellent grades all round for both his portfolio and practical work."
Sarah watched the tutor speculating in his head and decided to err on the side of prudence.
"We will of course be delighted to see you at the launch party next month. Has Ambrose given you the details yet? I do hope you and your .. wife will be able to join us?" She said smiling sweetly and touching him on the arm trying to convey a sense of hopefulness despite her slightly less than sincere desire for them to be there. He looked down at her hand on his arm and then smiled in satisfaction.
"I.. well I'm flattered Miss Williams, of course, we'd be delighted to be there to support one of our best students. Is this invitation open to all the art faculty?" Sarah gritted her teeth and nodded.
"Of course. So theres no issue then about using some of Ambrose's portfolio then."
"Not at all. It will be nice to see them hung in such a prestigious gallery. Of course if you need any help in selecting which pieces to put together, I'm a bit of an art critic myself." Professor Forbes went on preening himself slightly. Sarah immediately had a vision in her head of a turkey trying to de-ruffle its feathers.
"Its very kind of you to offer Professor but Chris one of our main gallery curators has already made an initial selection, and I am completely confident he's made excellent and complimentary choices to fit with Ambrose's sculptures."
"Excellent excellent. I'll be off then. See you next month, and you in the morning Ambrose." The Professor trotted away feeling like he'd just gotten an excellent deal, and as soon as he was out of ear shot Ambrose groaned.
"Deed you reely ave to eenvite eem? Eee ees such a bore." He pouted.
"Don't worry Ambrose, they normally leave after the free champagne runs out." Sarah said winking at him.
"Right then dolls, I'll take these straight over to Rob's and we will start setting them up to be framed. Ambrose, you're not going to have a hissy fit with me are you if we need to trim some of them slightly to be mounted are you?"
"Nono, ees fine for you to feex them."
"Marvelous." Chris carefully packed the sketches and paintings away into their individual sleeves and popped them all into an empty portfolio carrier that Ambrose passed over to him.
"Do you have enough references now to be getting on with?" Sarah asked as Chris put his coat on.
"Yes of course Cara, a meeleeon thank yous for coming today. My new sculptures, zey will be perfecto." He said kissing Sarah again on the cheeks and helping her into her coat.
"I'll get Anita to drop some of the brochures off to you to hand out as soon as they are printed."
"Breeleant. I see you both soon." He said waving them both off.
Around the university campus lights were already coming on as the short winter day gave up and fled the oncoming night. Fortunately as they evaded the last mingling open day visitors it had stopped raining.
"Darling. Go home, rest. I'll take care of these and email you over some drafts later in the week." Chris said hugging Sarah after he had walked her over to her car.
"I will try. Its not that easy." Sarah sighed.
"Try harder. Speak to you later!" Chris said striding off with the precious portfolio.
Unlocking the car and sliding into the seat she suppressed another sigh. It really wasn't that easy.
Authors Note.
My high school art teacher did in fact believe without a shadow of a doubt that rock trolls existed. Furthermore, she not only spent every summer in Romania hunting trolls and vampires, but also created small pottery castles, which she told us contained tiny rock trolls she had managed to catch. I'm not sure if she was messing with her very gullible art students, or if she really believed it. Either way I liked her, and it made for some very awesome art lessons.
On a similar note, Ambrose is based loosely on somebody I went to university with for a while. We were convinced he was the love child of some Italian god and a beautiful gypsy girl and had a voice that could melt the hardest of female hearts. He used to run around campus shouting "MAMBAS" at people and generally getting away with murder. Fun times.
Also, many thanks for all the comments, I do appreciate them, and I'm sorry its taken me so long to get updated! I'm using my convalescence time after knee surgery to get going with this xx