The Tale of the Labyrinth By Eamane-Shu

 

 

Sarah woke the next day feeling more relaxed than she had for weeks, until Danae came barging into her room, in floods of tears having just said goodbye to Roland and Ivanen. She did her best to console the poor girl, who left a bit brighter after being coerced into a shopping trip and agreeing to help with Danae’s wedding dress later that afternoon. It was traditional for members of the royal family to embroider their own wedding dresses, and with the ceremony now only three months away, Danae still had a lot to do. Sarah had taken much of the organising off Danae’s hands, and it was the general consensus, that if the group who were planning the ceremony, the group being Sarah, Danae, Aldous and Camille, wanted anything from Jareth, their success rate was highest when they sent Sarah, she seemed to have developed a certain knack for handling the Goblin King, and talking him around to her way of seeing things. 

 

Later that morning Sarah looked up from the pile of wedding invitations that she was writing, to see Jareth lounging on the window seat, staring at her. She raised her eyebrows at him questioningly. He made no reply.

 

“If you and Danae have fallen out about the wedding menu, I don’t want any part of it.”

 

“I haven’t spoken to Danae this morning. And why pray would we have quarrelled over the menu.”

 

“Oh, no reason” said Sarah, suddenly panicking, Danae’s planned menu for her wedding feast had gone quite a bit over the budget that Jareth had set for her, and Sarah had flat out refused to be the go between any longer.

 

“Where is my sister, just out of interest?” Danae, was sitting in the small parlour next door sewing beads onto the bodice of her gown, however, she was currently supposed to be having lessons with Dremius.

 

“I’m not sure” lied Sarah, hoping she wouldn’t get caught out.

 

Jareth seemed to buy it, for a moment. Then he walked towards her slowly. “You’re lying, which means wherever she is, it isn’t where she’s supposed to be.”

 

“Well I don’t know why you make her have lessons with Dremius anyway, she can’t stand him, he can’t stand her, and he never says anything which makes any sense.” Sarah had taken a few lessons with Dremius, when Aldous had been busy, and she more than understood Danae’s dislike of the wizened old dwarf. He was cantankerous, moody, boring and full of his own self importance. He never left his quarters, which were located as far away from everyone else in the castle as was possible, Sarah suspected, and this was later confirmed by Danae, that Dremius being shut away in a tidy corner of the castle was entirely Aldous’ doing.

 

Jareth arched an eyebrow at Sarah, who muttered under her breath “Well nobody likes him”

 

He brought the subject back to its origin “And Danae is where precisely?”

 

Sarah looked at him defeated “She’s sewing her wedding dress in the parlour”

 

“Best not to disturb her then. How are the invitations going?”

 

“Fine, I only have ten more to write.”

 

“When you finish would you care to accompany me for a walk in the gardens?”

 

“That would be lovely Jareth.”

 

He smiled, “Well I’ll meet you in the gardens in about fifteen minutes”

 

“Ok” Sarah started writing the invitations again; Danae thought it was good practice for her, writing in the high speech. It had taken weeks, but Sarah had now learnt the alphabet, and just needed practice learning the individual words.

 

Ten minutes later, Sarah finished writing her last invitation and headed towards her room to go and wash her ink-stained hands; she quickly ran a comb through her soft curls and hurried to meet Jareth. When she arrived at the gardens the Goblin King was in deep conversation with an irate Hoggle, so Sarah kept her distance, she was very fond of the dwarf, but when he was in one of his moods there was just no reasoning with him. Jareth suddenly caught sight of Sarah and hurried over.

 

“What was all that about?”

 

“You don’t want to know” he muttered darkly.

 

The pair walked arm in arm through the gardens, Sarah admiring the statues and the roses, which were just starting to bloom.

 

“So how are you holding up Sarah?” Jareth asked, his face full of concern.

 

“I’m ok Jareth, really” she replied, sincerely at his doubtful face. “I still really miss them, and it’s hard, and it’s never going to go away. But I love my life here in the underground. I’m very fond of Danae, and Camille and you, you’re all becoming like a new family. I just worry sometimes that’s all.”

 

“Worry? About what?”  His face deepened into a frown.

 

“Dad, Karen, Toby. They must be going insane, not knowing where I am, I’ve been missing for what? A month now?”

 

Jareth’s face stirred for a moment, as if in deep conflict. “I’ve been debating or not whether to tell you this, but it seems that it will set your mind at rest. When a child is wished away, they are forgotten by the world around them, all except the wisher, who remembers them. But as you are here by your own choosing.”

 

Sarah’s face paled “They don’t remember me at all.”

 

“It is simply as if you never existed.”

 

A tear trickled down Sarah’s face “But I do exist.”

 

Jareth wiped the tear away with a leather clad thumb, “And that is a fact that I am truly thankful for.”

 

And he suddenly pressed his lips against hers, softly at first, but with increasing pressure, and Sarah found that not only was he kissing her, but she was kissing him right back. And it felt incredible, it felt so right. At some level they both acknowledged this, their bodies were a perfect fit together, as he brought his hands up to entwine them in her hair she cupped his face. Eventually they broke apart, both breathless and Sarah feeling more than a little dizzy.

 

Jareth rested his forehead against hers, summoning the will to speak. This wasn’t right, she was weak, vulnerable, and he was taking advantage, he should show more restraint. Given time, she might return his feelings for her, but not yet.

 

“Sarah, I’m… I…” but whatever Jareth was about to say, never came out. He was silenced by Sarah pressing her lips to his in another kiss. It was less desperate than before. This kiss was slower, gentler and deeper. The hairs on Sarah’s arms and neck stood up. Her entire body was humming; Jareth was taking her breath away. If anybody had enquired, Sarah would have had to tell them that she was his, and she was his completely from that moment on. She wasn’t in love with the Goblin King, but he had just stolen away a part of her. And the same went for Jareth; suddenly he would have willingly laid down his life to protect her. He had been with other women before, the most beautiful women in the nine kingdoms, but yet none of them had been capable of making him feel this way. Slowly Sarah entwined her hand in his, exactly where it belonged, before pulling away.

 

“I’m fine Jareth.” She said as he opened his mouth to speak. “But I really should be getting back to Danae; I said I would walk into the city with her this afternoon.” She paused before continuing awkwardly. “I would appreciate it if you could keep what just happened between us. I would rather not be subject to the entire country’s gossip until I know what my feelings are.”

 

Jareth brought her hand up to his lips “You can depend on my discretion.” Before pulling her into a final embrace, this time Jareth’s kisses were hot and demanding. As his lips trailed down her neck she moaned lightly and as he let his tongue trace her collarbone he murmured. “I think I will quite enjoy our little secret.” Then suddenly he was gone, and Sarah was standing alone in the rose garden, panting heavily. She ran a finger over her lips, deep in thought, when a moment later she was interrupted by Hoggle, who was walking through the garden muttering to himself. Before he spotted her she turned and fled, not really feeling ready to talk to anybody else.   

                                                                                    

That afternoon Sarah joined Danae for a walk through the Goblin City, both girls were unusually quiet, and the majority of Danae’s shopping was done in companionable silence. Danae was really noticing the absence of Roland, and Sarah was deep in thought. There was no denying that she was attracted to Jareth, who wouldn’t be? But Sarah was worried about how deep her feelings ran, and even more concerned about how deep his ran. What would happen if there was a fight, he could throw her out of the castle, the kingdom even. No, Sarah shook her head; Danae would never allow him to do that.

 

Her musings were interrupted by a frantic Aldous who was running through the crowd, pushing people out of his way as he sped over to them. One Goblin started shouting insults at him from where he laid in the dirt.

 

“Your Highness Your Highness” he called as he came even closer to them, Danae’s head snapped around. “Your Highness” Aldous panted when he stopped in front of them “You must return to the castle immediately”

 

“Take my hand Sarah” She commanded.

 

“No!” Aldous stopped her “Not by magic”

 

Danae’s face paled; there was only one occasion where magical transport was never used, when there was an assassin. Teleportation could be traced, even by those with little magical power.

 

Danae turned on her heel and started hurrying back to the castle, when she was half way there she was met by the Goblin Guard. This was the King’s private army, a subsection of the Goblin Army, whose sole duty was to protect the King and his heirs. Unlike the army Sarah had encountered, these soldiers were comprised of men, not goblins. They quickly surrounded Danae and Sarah, and escorted them back to the castle.

 

When they arrived in the throne room Jareth was waiting for them, his face deeply troubled. “Danae, could you please go to my study?”

 

“Jareth what’s going on?”

 

He ignored her question “Danae, study, now!” his tone brooked no refusal. Danae looked into his eyes for a moment before walking off in the direction of his study.

 

“Sarah,” his tone was emotionless and business like “Go and find Camille, tell her to come to my study and wait outside. You should do the same.”

 

Seeing the concerned look on her face he offered her an explanation. “There was an attack made on the group departing the labyrinth this morning. They have just found Roland’s body.”

 

Sarah grasped her hand to her mouth in shock.

 

“I have to go and tell Danae. Go find Camille.”

                                                                                                                                           

Sarah turned and went to find Camille, as behind her the Goblin King sighed, gritted his teeth and started to walk towards his study, bearing the worst news he had ever had to pass on. It was going to destroy her. 

 

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