Bookwormgirl32: I'm so glad you like this! Cinderella was my the Princess of my childhood and Labyrinth has a special place in my heart now! You should check out my other stories, my very first one Mirrors and Crystals United is veeeerrry loosely based on Cinderella but I love it all the same because it is set in the same age as Labyrinth rather than an AU. All my other stories are complete except for Strangers Till Now which will be with one more chapter!
Guest: Goodness I adored your review so much thank you so so so so very much! Yes frustrating but wonderful is what I wanted to bring across. This is a bit of a giveaway but no Jareth can't just ask his goblins to find Sarah because of a spell mentioned earlier. Though there was the goblins with the carriage, they are bound by a spell even he cannot break (or else he'd go over to her house directly by now). That is a great prediction though! You will see soon enough what his plan is (as it is right here in this chapter).
Little China Girl: YESSS The moment we have all been waiting for, the kiss!
FireShifter: you'll see in this chapter about Jareth's mom (Eloise) and Irene as well! Last chapter did have a sad kind of ending, I was debating on splitting it up so it was all happy but meh it was kind hard to split it. Either way, do not fret for this ends happy!
Thanks again and please leave a little contribution in the box! (Aka reviews)
Queen Mother Eloise was appalled and impressed at Jareth's behavior from last night. Appalled because even though he was free to dance with whatever maiden he wanted, it was incredibly rude for him to not dance with Princess Celeste as Estella was co hosting the ball. And the nerve he had to just retire to bed and demand to not be disturbed!
But she was impressed with the girl he had been with. All the guests whispered about how he had run off with the mystery maiden. Some were convinced that she was an enchantress. Some said that she was a former love of his. Eloise still didn't know who she was, but she had a strong suspicion that it was the girl who defeated him.
She didn't mind Jareth dancing with her or pursuing her. After all, it was his freedom to. But to abandon his duties was unacceptable. She had never known him to avoid his duties like so.
She groaned at the fact that it was nearly noon and he still didn't leave his chambers. Deciding she had enough, she got up and started to smash her fist on his door in the most unladylike fashion. "Jareth! You open the door for me right now!"
After a few minutes, just as she was about to blast it open, the door opened just a little. She saw her son's messy hair, though it wasn't intentionally messy as it usually was. It was haggard, his eyes bloodshot, and his breath stank of elven wine. His arms still had feathers on him.
She put her hands on her hips. "Are you so hungover that you didn't even finish transforming back to your fae self?"
Jareth looked confused until he saw the feathers. He gave a shake and he turned back into himself. "I rather needed the hangover and the feeling of the wind in my wings. It makes me feel in control."
Eloise face palmed. "You are ridiculous. And what has gotten into you? What happened last night?"
Jareth was about to take a swig of wine but Eloise slapped it off his hand and put the cork back in. "I'll not have my son, much less the king, experience alcoholism."
Jareth groaned. "I've never been hungover before. Now I know why people do it. And hate it. I'm never doing it again."
"See to it that you don't." Her voice got a bit gentler. "Go take a bath and drink some water. I'll get some breakfast to you in bed, though it is lunch time now. And brush your teeth! Your breath stinks."
Jareth felt his mind clear up significantly after a large chug of water and the bath. He had never been hungover before because he had to keep his wits about him for his job. Then again, he hadn't ever screwed things up so badly that he lost the woman he loved with all his heart because of his own stupid brashness and pride.
His mother came in holding a metal tray. Some soup, bread, and an assortment of fruits just for him. She also gave him a potion to help with hangovers.
"Eat up." She told him.
Jareth snorted but did as told. She may be tough, but she loved him with all her heart. She was all he had when his father died and he was all she had too. If she wanted to boss him around at times, he'd let her do it to a point.
After seeing that he had a few bites, Eloise began to talk. "Jareth, I don't think I need to lecture you on your rudeness of last night."
Another snort from him.
She pressed on. "I just want to know what happened. This isn't like you. You haven't been this way except for when the girl defeated the labyrinth."
Jareth put down his food and drank the potion for hangovers. He really didn't want to talk about it, but if there was a time he needed wisdom from her, it would be now. "The girl last night… It was her."
He told her everything, about his own revelations of how he realized that she was scared of him hurting her. How they had met in the market weekly when they could and their teasings. How he was a brat and how she had been too but she had won. How she had run from him and the strange thing with him not able to track her down or stop her with his magic. How he had assumed she abandoned him and how she probably thought he did too when in fact, her father had died.
"Her clothing should turn into normal by now." He said, sinking back into his pillow. "Except for the crystal shoes as the crystal was made by my own hand."
He turned away from his mother. "I know you want me to marry Celeste, but I cannot. Not when my heart has been captured so fully by Sarah. She is everything I want and need. She's strong and kind, but also my equal. She's older now, 18 and though still innocent, she has seen hardships in her life that has both hurt and fortified her. If she doesn't want me, then I can move on. But after kissing her, I cannot and will not move on from her until I get a chance to speak with her to find out."
Eloise reached over and hugged her only child.
Jareth slowly brought his arms up to hug his mother. It felt really, really nice to be able to just have his troubles melt away.
She patted his head. "She is special, my boy. If she is exactly as you say, I give you my blessing. It won't be so easy to make her your bride, but few things that are worth it happen to be easy."
She kissed his forehead. "The labyrinth was made to test and to help the runners to learn. But I see that it has made its king learn and grow too."
Jareth chuckled. "The girl who ate the peach and forgot everything remembered. And somehow, she stole my heart right from my chest."
"Stole? Are you sure you didn't give it to her freely?" Eloise winked at him.
Jareth couldn't stop laughing.
A knock echoed. Jareth made a show of sounding as annoyed as he possibly could. "What?"
The door opened a little, revealing a goblin. "Yer Majesty, I has report by security people."
Jareth held his hand out lazily. "What is it?"
"A girl, a lady in the labyrinth. We all bowed to her."
Jareth and Eloise stared at each other before the little fellow scooted out.
"Bowed to her?" Eloise stared incredulously at him.
Jareth opened the envelope and read the description. Inhabitants of the labyrinth bowed to this girl, some even crossing their arms over their chests.
A sign one would give to their sovereign.
"What does this mean?" Jareth breathed, though he knew the answer already.
It meant that the labyrinth had already accepted Sarah as their champion and queen, should she choose to accept her position here.
Jareth had his mother met with a few of his advisors and the Queen of Estella, Beatrice.
"I want to give my sincere apology for my rudeness last night." Jareth tried to say as politely as possible. He may have been in the wrong, but admitting fault wasn't his strong suit.
"Apology accepted. That is, if you would provide me with an explanation." Beatrice gave him a hard stare.
Jareth swallowed under her gaze but held his ground. He scared lots of people, he won't let anyone intimidate him now. "I will tell you the truth. There is a girl I met, a girl that I have fallen in love with. She is a subject of yours, actually. It's a long story, but we have a misunderstanding and she ran from me in fear. While this is no excuse, I wasn't emotionally able to keep myself in the ball. Weak, I know, but that is the truth, Your Majesty."
Queen Beatrice was inclined to think of it as a weakness. You had to do what you had to do no matter your emotional state. But she also knew Jareth since he was born. He was tough skinned on the outside but sensitive inside. He was king long before he should have been and it seemed he had reached his breaking point. And she knew well that love could cause one to be emotionally vulnerable. It gives strength too, but for some, like Jareth, had to learn the hard way for it to keep them strong.
She gave a nod to him. "Sometimes, Your Majesty, we reach our breaking points. You were still able to keep your wits for your mother to patch things up. I appreciate the sincere answer from you. I suppose the ball was so you could invite the girl in the first place?"
Jareth blushed. "Yes, Your Majesty."
To everyone's surprise, Beatrice laughed. "Oh, such a sneaky thing. I almost want to applaud you for thinking so thoroughly. The things we do for love, isn't that right Eloise?"
The queen mother laughed. "Yes, and it is ever more interesting to see our children go through it too."
Beatrice turned back to Jareth. "So, is that all you have brought me here for?"
Jareth shook his head. "No ma'am. I want your permission for me to seek out the girl in your land."
Beatrice blinked. "Well, of course. But why do you need my permission?"
Jareth clasped his hands together. "I have a plan."
Sneaky Jareth was quite a character. He was able to twist certain things to get what he wanted without hurting others. He was also able to be very convincing too.
He still wanted Sarah to come to him or to be open to the idea. Forcing her to talk with him wasn't going to really work. He already made her think he was going to hurt her. He had to trust that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her even in her fear. He knew her well enough that her curiosity and hatred of regrets would lead her to him to at least have a chat.
A chat was all he wanted.
At first, Beatrice, Celeste, and Eloise thought he was crazy for his plan. It sounded ridiculous but Jareth convinced them that this way, she would leave her stepmother's glare and feel safe as it would be a royal order. She could back out if she wanted but it was also a way for him to finally pin where she lived. If he came to her house directly, there would be questions and she could be taken away from him.
He finished writing down his royal decree and gave it to a messenger boy. "Go and have this announce to every village."
Princess Celeste volunteered to help too. She didn't miss the look of love the king had for the girl and she wanted to help him. She wrote her own royal decree too.
Sarah was with Anastasia and Drizella, being forced to go shopping with them so she could carry their clothing. But no matter how annoyed she was, nothing was bringing down her spirits that day. She felt that maybe she understood Jareth a little more, and she wasn't sure if he wanted her or not but she hoped that she could find a way to escape and seek refuge in his kingdom to at least speak with him.
For now, she was still humming songs and day dreaming about him.
Unfortunately for her, Irene had noticed. "Stop singing and start working!"
Toby had a knowing look in his eyes but revealed nothing. He drew a picture of the mystery maiden at the ball and gave it to Sarah in secret. "She is beautiful, isn't she? I think the king loves her."
"I don't know about that, possibly." Sarah blushed. Toby winked at her and walked away.
Back to the present, Drizella was flinging some shimmering yellow silk at her. "Hold this, Orphan."
Sarah rolled her eyes at the offending nickname. "Yes, Drizella." She bit back at her.
Anastasia turned around and gasped, tugging at Drizella. "Sister, look, the town crier!"
"Wonder what he's here for this time." Drizella shoved Sarah aside to have a look.
"Hear ye! Hear ye!" The town crier read. "King Jareth of Goblins has declared his love for the mystery maiden of the ball from last night! By order of Princess Celeste, every eligible maiden that attend the birthday ball will try on the shoe that she has left behind. The shoe that fits will be the one that the king will choose."
"Choose? Does he mean to marry?" Drizella put her hand to her head as if ready to faint.
"Oh, maybe we can marry him! And then be a queen!" Anastasia agreed.
"Think of all the beautiful gowns and food and servants at our feet!"
As they chatted about the luxuries, Sarah felt her heart beat wildly in her chest, eyes glazed in understanding.
He declared his love.
His love.
His LOVE.
And for her.
She was so worried that he would scorn and hate her after she ran away from him at the ball. For a moment, she wondered if he just wanted to talk to her to clear things up but he wouldn't announce his love for her in front of both kingdoms if he didn't really feel it.
After remembering the labyrinth, she remembered that his attire and hers were identical to the ones in the peach dream. He wanted her to remember him.
She had a suspicion that the shoe would magically refuse to fit on anyone but her own. It seemed so strange, to fit a shoe on someone? Why not just go door to door to find her?
Oh.
He was doing this so that she could have the chance to refuse him if she wanted to.
Sarah gave a triumphant smile. As soon as she got home, she would get ready to meet the king once more.
Jareth made the shoe go around his kingdom first, just for show. Luckily for him, the amount of eligible maidens was a relatively small amount and he finished within four days.
"They want to know where to next." The captain asked his king.
Jareth pointed to a village in the map. "Let's start with this area. And, there will be a change of plans of which knights get to go."
Irene didn't understand why Sarah's spirit wasn't broken. She had damage the girl and now her spirit was bright and happy again! Skipping around, singing as if her dress being torn the night of the ball had been something to make her soar instead of sink.
She sent her away with her daughters. As Toby was in a friend's house, this left Irene alone to go up to the attic.
Where she would hopefully find some answers.
The day came. The guards of the goblin kingdom were out in another home for the time being, giving the Williams residence enough time to clean up. Anastasia and Drizella put on their best day clothes and even Toby was on his best behavior.
Sarah had her special owl necklace on and waited until the very last moment before she went upstairs to retrieve the glass slipper from her room in the attic. Humming again, she closed the door and gasped at seeing Irene sitting on her bed.
With the glass slipper in one hand and her beloved journal from Jareth in another.
"Hello, Sarah." Irene gave her a dark smile. Only her eyes were illuminated from a ray of sunshine from a broken piece of wood. "Were you looking for this?"
Sarah didn't say anything. She wasn't sure what to say to Irene holding two of some of the most important objects to her as they were given to her by the love of her life.
Irene rose up slowly. "I should have known. I don't know how or why you were able to go to the ball, but you are a little thief."
Sarah snapped out of her haze. "Thief? That's rich. Seeing as you destroyed my father with your spendings and then wasted my inheritance away."
Irene huffed and traced her finger around the shoe. "You owe me for the home that you stay in. How dare you talk to me in this way?"
"My father and mother had workers. They weren't called servants but rather employees. You mistreated them and didn't even give them basic decency!" She felt stronger and stronger. "Even Toby, you hardly acknowledge his existence!"
"Hold your damn tongue!" Irene snapped at her. "I know your secrets, girl. Your dreams of your fairy king."
"Goblin King." Sarah folded her arms. "And you can't have him."
"Oh, I don't want him." She smirked gleefully. "Anastasia or Drizella will. Unless you do as I say. Marry him. Secure your place and then secure ours."
"You think that I would dare bring scum like you and your daughters to the Castle beyond the Goblin City?"
SLAP!
Irene slapped Sarah as hard as she could and then smashed the glass slipper to pieces on the door.
"NO!" Sarah cried.
Irene threw the shoe at Sarah, cutting her arm deeply and Sarah cried out in pain.
"Why do you do this? Why do you hate me so? What have I ever done for you to hurt me this way?" Sarah begged her to tell her why.
"Because you, YOU just have to be so GOOD and witty, and outshine my daughters when you belong in the dirt!" Irene had her hand on the door, eyes wild. "But no more! They will see you for who you really are. Just some orphan servant girl with foolish dreams in her head!"
"No NO!"
Irene pulled the door open and locked it from the outside.
"NO!" Sarah clutched her bleeding arm and slid down the door in pain. All she could see was darkness beginning to take over her eyes as she fell down from exhaustion and broken dreams like a shattered crystal.
So I changed it up where stepmom finds the shoe Sarah has and breaks it instead of breaking the one from the castle itself, which is like the 2015 movie. I will explain more later as to why I want it to be that way but you'll have to read the next chapter to find out why! I hope that while this story has been true to both Labyrinth and Cinderella, it was still enjoyable and not too predictable but enough that it was still fun to read.
Poor Sarah. She just wants to stop being abused she's not asking for much! I'm glad you guys find her compelling enough, I've based her off real people which I think helps my stories to be real (even if it is a fantasy). While I have no stepsisters, I do have classmates and peers who act just like Sarah's stepsisters so they're based on them too. Don't worry this will end happy!
How was Jareth and his mom? She may have wanted him to be with Celeste but after knowing the true story, of course she approves of him being with someone he loves and someone who loves him back. Like really love, not just out for riches or power or whatever. I thought a good tender moment between them would be nice since most of the story has him being sassy (even with the few sweet moments).
Now Irene knows the truth! Uh Oh. (or part of it anyway). But Jareth is coming! And with a glass (er crystal) slipper at that. I have some choice words for Irene, Anastasia, and Drizella but most of those would not be appropriate for this story (lol).
Again more reviews means more updates!
Thanks again!
