Sarah spent the next morning alone. Jareth had once again brought her an incredibly fragrant breakfast, but then said goodbye with a mysterious wink. She was a little confused by his behaviour, but didn't worry too much about it any more. She felt that he wasn't hiding anything that should worry her. Her doubts about him had almost already faded.
After she had eaten and got ready, Sarah decided to explore the parts of the castle that she hadn't yet explored with Jareth. Curiosity drove her, so she put on her shoes and left the room.
With no goal and seemingly guided by an invisible hand, she wandered through the spacious corridors until she stopped in front of an inconspicuous door. It was as if this door had its own heartbeat. Fascinated, Sarah put her hand on the cool wood and listened. A quiet whisper, barely more than a breath, spoke her name.
"Sarah..."
Curiously, she pushed down the handle and opened the door. Suddenly she knew where she was. The Escheresque staircase stretched out before her – the place where she had once found Toby. The stairs defied all logic, floating at impossible angles, standing upside down or hanging in the air.
But this time something was different. Sarah noticed that she was entering this room from a different side than before. Somewhat astonished that there was another entrance, she hesitantly walked around the corner and stopped abruptly. In front of her was a huge hole in the floor, so deep that she couldn't see the bottom. The quiet whisper of her name came again from the darkness. Without thinking, she stepped to the edge of the platform, closed her eyes – and jumped. She knew that different rules applied here. As before, she didn't fall. Instead, she floated slowly, as if carried by invisible wings, lower and lower.
After a moment, she landed gently on solid ground. She had never been to this place before, not during her time in the labyrinth, and not with Jareth. It was quiet around her, except for a subtle blue glow that caught her attention. She followed the light and found a stone pillar embedded with a shimmering blue crystal.
An unexpected feeling of harmony flooded through her. All doubts, all worries disappeared, as if someone had freed her mind of every burden. Sarah reached out for the crystal, but before she could touch it, it began to pulsate.
"Sarah..." a soft, almost familiar voice whispered from nowhere. "You found me. How wonderful."
Sarah backed away, startled. "Who... who are you?" she stammered nervously, her eyes searching the darkness for the source of the voice.
"Don't you know? I am the labyrinth. Or rather, the heart of the labyrinth. It's been so long since you were here. After you left, Jareth often came to me. He poured out his heart to me, a heart that you had broken. In those moments, I hated you – for the pain you caused him, and also a little bit for beating me and defeating him. But over time, I realized the truth. Your actions were the best for both of us. Because of you, he changed, and with him, I changed too. Jareth and I are inseparable, you know?"
The crystal began to pulse faster until a bright light burst from it and floated in the air in front of Sarah.
"Come closer, Sarah. I have something for you," said the labyrinth with a hint of a smile in their voice.
Sarah hesitated, but then stepped forward curiously. The floating light revealed itself to be a beautiful golden ring, in whose setting a fragment of the crystal shone.
"Put it on and you will understand," the labyrinth urged her.
Sarah hesitated for a moment, but then put the ring on her finger. As soon as she had done that, an intense feeling ran through her. Suddenly she knew what the labyrinth was thinking and feeling.
"What...?" She couldn't say anything else, her eyes filled with tears.
"We are now connected to each other too, dear Sarah," said the labyrinth gently and a tender breeze blew around Sarah's head. "As you are with Jareth. His love for you and your feelings for him are so strong that this ring will help you to bridge your worlds. I hope you like it and that it will be useful to you."
Sarah stood in front of the heart of the Labyrinth and wiped the tears from her cheek.
"Thank you. I love it," she said and stood there as if enchanted, while the pulsation of the crystal slowly weakened until only a soft, blue glow remained.
But how was she supposed to get back to Jareth? "How do I get back to the castle?" she asked into the silence and a gentle wind scented with roses suddenly enveloped her and carried her carefully back to the stairwell.
There she sat down on a step, her heart beating wildly. She looked at the ring on her hand and saw something sparkling inside it. She pressed it to her chest and smiled.
Sarah really wanted to talk to Jareth about what she had experienced. She ran through the castle and called his name, but received no answer.
Jareth, who was in the garden at the time, sensed what had happened and hurried to the large entrance gate. There stood Sarah, confusion and joy on her face mixed into an expression that made his heart beat faster.
"Sarah," he called as he ran to her and finally took her in his arms. "What happened? I felt something."
Sarah rested her head on his chest. "I saw the heart of the labyrinth," she whispered, holding out her hand, on which the ring gleamed. When Jareth saw it, a broad smile lit up his face.
"I knew this would happen one day. The labyrinth thinks highly of you." He gently took Sarah's face in his hands and looked deep into her eyes. "Just like me." And then he kissed her. The kiss was so tender that Sarah let herself go completely. She didn't know how long they stood there like that, but it felt like an eternity.
When Jareth finally let go of her, she was a little sad, but looked at him with a gentle smile.
"I have to go again, dearest Sarah. I still have a few things to do. Lunch should be ready any minute. Sit down at the table and enjoy. Unfortunately, I won't be able to eat with you, but we will have a wonderful time together this evening." He tilted his head slightly to the side and smiled at her. "I love you."
With these words, he kissed her forehead, stroked her cheek and went back into the garden. Sarah stayed behind, watching Jareth until he was no longer visible and went back into the castle. Even from a distance, she could smell the tempting smell of fish and her mouth watered.
As she sat down at the large table, the goblin cook appeared almost immediately and placed a steaming plate in front of her. "I hope thee enjoy it, my lady," she said with a friendly smile and then hopped away.
Sarah grinned. "Thee" - no one had ever addressed her like that, except maybe Jareth, but he always said it just for fun. She ate until she was completely full and then decided to lie down for a while. She sank down onto the soft bed and immediately fell into a deep sleep.
Jareth spent the day in the garden, taking care of various jobs. When he was finally finished, he took a few steps back to examine his work with satisfaction. "I hope she will like it," he thought and sighed, his thoughts drifting longingly to Sarah.
It was time. He slowly strolled back to the castle and when he stood in front of his room, he paused and listened at the door. Sarah's steady breathing and an occasional snore could be heard. A smile flitted across Jareth's face. He entered and found Sarah still fast asleep, all fours stretched out, on his bed. He carefully sat down on the edge of the bed and gently stroked her hair and cheek. He leaned down to her.
"Sarah, my love," he whispered softly in her ear. "Wake up." A gentle kiss on her forehead, and slowly she began to move.
"Hmm...?" she whispered, opened her eyes and looked up at him sleepily. A smile formed on her face. "I was sleeping," she said, still a little sleepy, and Jareth had to laugh.
"I know. I just woke you up after all," he said, playfully and gently nudging her shoulder.
"Get up and come with me," he ordered in a mock, light tone, took her hand and pulled her out of bed. With a quiet sigh, Sarah stood up and stood in front of Jareth. He took a silk scarf out of his trouser pocket.
"I'm going to blindfold and kidnap you, my little princess," he announced with a smile and placed the cool fabric of the scarf over her eyes.
"What happens now?" Sarah asked with a hint of nervousness.
"You'll see," Jareth breathed on her neck and kissed him gently. Sarah was a little frightened because she could no longer see anything, but Jareth took her hand and led her out of his room, through the long corridors of the castle and through the large portal to the outside.
"We have left the castle," Sarah stated and tightened her grip on his hand.
"Don't worry, Sarah. Nothing will happen to you," he assured her with a reassuring smile and put an arm around her.
"What's that wonderful smell?" asked Sarah, holding her nose to the wind to catch the different scents. "Vanilla, peach, lavender... bread?"
Jareth could tell from Sarah's voice that she had raised an eyebrow. "Not bad at all, my love," he praised her and placed a hand gently on her back. "A few more steps and we'll be there."
He led her to a secluded spot in the gardens and gently pressed her down so that she would sit on the ground.
"Please keep your eyes closed for a moment, Sarah." Jareth knelt behind her, untied the knot of the scarf and took it away from her eyes.
Then he stood up, lit some candles nearby and finally said: "Now."
Sarah opened her eyes and what she saw made her hold her breath. A beautiful Garden she had never seen before. Garlands of ivy hung everywhere, and fairy lights of all shapes and sizes twinkled around her. Nearby, a small table was set with the most delicious food, and the aroma of freshly cooked dishes filled the air. In one corner stood a gramophone, and Jareth turned the knobs so that soft jazz music played through the garden.
Jareth stepped in front of her and offered her his hand. "Dance with me, Sarah," he asked, his gaze full of warmth, love and affection. Without hesitation, Sarah took his hand and he pulled her into his arms. He rocked her to the beat of the music and it was as if they were flying. Sarah closed her eyes, but when she opened them again, she noticed that they were actually floating about a meter above the ground.
A shiver of fear ran down her spine and she clung tightly to Jareth.
Jareth sensed her fear. "Don't be afraid, I'll hold you," it whispered, tightening its grip on her waist. "Nothing will happen to you." With a quiet smile, he laid his head on her shoulder and breathed in her scent.
Slowly he led her back to the ground and they landed gently on a blanket that was spread out on the lawn. Cushions of all colours and shapes were laid around them and they sat on them, Sarah's hand still in his. Jareth ran his thumb over her palms and looked at her.
"That was nice," Sarah murmured into his shoulder and slid a little closer to him. She wished time would stand still.
But time kept going and Jareth stood up.
"Are you hungry?" he asked her and looked at her. Sarah nodded. "Starving."
"Then come on," Jareth said with a mischievous grin. "I put in a lot of effort." He saw Sarah's astonished expression.
"What? Do you think I plan all this and let others do the work and don't do anything myself? I'm disappointed." He smiled. "No, Sarah, I prepared everything personally – just for you."
He held out his hand and helped her to stand up. Together they went to the table, which was set with all kinds of delicacies. Sarah noticed that in addition to the familiar dishes, there were also some unknown but deliciously fragrant dishes.
"You made all this yourself?" she asked in disbelief, taking a plate.
Jareth nodded, a mischievous smile on his lips. "I like to surprise my guests. But you, my love, are much more than a guest."
Sarah felt her heart beat faster for a moment. It was always overwhelming how sincere his words sounded. As she began to eat, Jareth watched her carefully, visibly pleased by her enthusiasm.
"This is really incredibly delicious," Sarah finally said after trying a few bites. "Maybe you should be both – Goblin King and cook."
Jareth laughed softly, his eyes sparkling with delight. "If that's what makes you happy, Sarah, I might consider it."
They sat together on the blanket, listened to the music and ate. Now and then they chatted about all sorts of things and enjoyed being able to be silent together. The air was filled with unspoken feelings and a trust that couldn't be stronger.
After they had eaten, they sat together for a long time, talking about their memories of the labyrinth, their dreams and wishes for the future. At some point Sarah leaned back and looked at the lights in the sky.
"Jareth," she began hesitantly, "why did you do all this for me?"
He looked at her seriously, his expression gentle but full of emotion. "Because it's you, Sarah. You have changed me. You have changed the labyrinth. And now I want to show you that I am also trying to give you a home – in my world, in my heart."
Sarah felt her eyes getting moist. She had often thought about his words, but now she felt how deep his feelings really were.
"Thank you, Jareth," she said quietly, "for everything."
He pulled her closer to him, put an arm around her shoulders and kissed her gently on the forehead. "Just stay with me, Sarah. That's all I want."
Sarah looked at him thoughtfully. "I'm not sure yet if I can do that. At least not forever. I hope you understand that."
Jareth nodded. "Of course I understand, Sarah. That's why we made our little compromise. I just want you to be near me, and I don't care if that's in your or in my world." He rubbed his hands together. "I'm going to try some of the dessert now. Would you like some too?" He looked at Sarah and saw her eyes glitter.
"I love dessert, Jareth."
So he left and came back with two large bowls full of chocolate mousse. "Enjoy it, my love."
After they had eaten too much of it, they lay down on the pillows and looked at the starry sky. Sarah lay in Jareth's arms and he explained to her that the stars in the night sky were different from those in her world.
"Only the moon is the same," he whispered to Sarah and brushed a strand of hair from her face. Sarah shuddered slightly.
"Sarah..." Jareth began and turned so that he was looking at her. "I enjoy every second with you. It fills me with so much happiness that I could almost burst. I know now what I didn't know back then. You are the one. The one for me. The one I want to live with. Forever. I love you so much."
He wanted to lean over and kiss her when Sarah's soft voice broke the silence.
"Jareth?"
"Yes, my love?" he answered, his voice soft and warm.
"I..." Sarah stared at the moon as if it was whispering the words to her. "I enjoy being here too. With you. I feel so good when I'm near you."
She looked at him with her big green eyes and Jareth could feel his heart beating faster.
"I don't know what it is, but since we've been here, I've been feeling so much better. And I think..." her voice became quieter.
"What do you think?" asked Jareth, barely able to hide his hope and nervousness.
Sarah looked at him shyly. "I think I love you." Sarah's heart did three flips and five somersaults and she was glad it was finally out.
Jareth's heart stopped for a moment. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, he came closer and whispered: "I love you too, Sarah."
Then he kissed her. This kiss was different – it was full of love, full of tenderness.
Cuddled up in the pillows, Jareth pulled Sarah into his arms as close as possible, and the kiss seemed like it would never end. But Sarah noticed that tiredness was overcoming her.
Jareth carried her gently into the castle, took off her clothes without exposing her, and laid her in bed. He stood for a moment and watched her gently sink into the realm of dreams.
Jareth stepped to the window and looked outside. A star that he hadn't seen in a long time sparkled in the sky. It was his star. When Sarah had rejected him and broken his heart, it had disappeared and had not appeared in the sky since. But now it was back, and Jareth knew that his heart was whole again. He sat down on the Chaiselongue under the window and changed his clothes before getting into bed next to Sarah. At that moment, his heart felt warm.
'She loves me,' he thought, and tears welled up in his eyes. But this time he did not wipe them away. He wanted to feel every feeling, every single one of it.
He wrapped his arms around Sarah and pressed his face against her hair. He was so happy that he cried himself into a peaceful and comfortable sleep.
