Breaking Barriers (Chapter 28 up)

When Sarah awoke the next morning she felt completely refreshed and more like herself. So Jareth had bested her yet again last night, what else was new? She did not deny that she had been completely humiliated last night, but she should have gotten used to this type of treatment by now. Although it had been far worse for her than anything she had experienced in the Labyrinth, she was comforted with the knowledge that she had survived it and could now move on. Proportionately it had about the same amount of trauma to it as when she was a fifteen-year-old girl and facing monsters around every corner. Now that she was grown it only made sense that worse things should happen to her, and that was exactly what Jareth had warned her of. Again, she reminded herself that she should have listened more carefully to him.

But today was a new day. Sarah thought as she stretched. Though she admitted she had felt extremely defeated yesterday, Sarah was not the type to give up. She got up and went to her closet. After her incident with the dress, Sarah wasn't surprised to see that her wardrobe was now inexplicably filled with clothes that she normally would wear in her world. Jeans and pretty tops were prevalent as well as the two remaining gowns. Curlique must have come early this morning, bearing gifts. After going through her normal routine, Sarah delved herself again in the personal library Jareth had provided for her. She pulled every play she could find off the bookshelf and ravenously read each one she could get her hands on. She needed to find the perfect play. A play that an audience would be able to believe when confronted with a bunch of goblins and a human girl. She looked through the dusty old tomes and found some moderately fitting pieces, but none of them seemed perfect. Well, that would just be another challenge that Sarah would have to overcome. She assumed she would be directing the play as well as acting otherwise Jareth would not have needed her specifically. She wondered if Jareth had a library somewhere on the castle grounds. Sarah suddenly wished she was allowed to move about the castle freely and almost regretted her earlier shortlived adventure. Perhaps if she hadn't run away nearly the second she had been put in this place she would not have been locked in her room. At that thought Sarah remembered the key around her neck. It was strange she thought of it now after all this time. She examined it noticing how it shone in the light. She wondered where it led to. Certainly it wouldn't fit in the keyhole in her bedchamber's door? That really would have been foolish of Jareth. She was pretty sure the door was magically locked, but just to be sure Sarah got up and investigated the keyhole.

Damn, it was much too large for the delicate little key. But where did it fit? Maybe it was hidden somewhere. Sarah dropped to her knees. She wasn't sure why, but she felt that whatever the key opened was in her room. A small key would no doubt yield an equally small door, so it had to be low to the ground. Sarah ran her hands along the edge of the doorway and followed the border all along the room. She looked underneath the rug and felt at the floorboards thinking one of them might be loose. Each of them stuck. Hm. She knew it was in this room, she was sure of it. She looked behind the bed, vanity, clock and wardrobe, each of them moderately easy to move, but a door was not forthcoming. Then Sarah looked closer at the bookcase. Perhaps it was behind the bookcase? She wasn't exactly sure what she was looking for, but she felt certain that that's where the mysterious door must be hidden. Sarah pushed on an end. It didn't budge. The bottom may as well have been glued to the floor. Sarah took her time and removed all the books off the shelf, setting them neatly on the floor next to her bed. She pushed at an end again. It moved the tiniest increment of measurement forward. Sarah puffed and heaved and shoved with all her might and finally succeeded in gaining a couple inches. But she would not give up. Now that she had moved it slightly, Sarah noticed a tapestry that was hung up behind it. She was sure whatever she was seeking was behind that cloth. She futilely grasped at the tapestry, but her arm couldn't fit between the wall and shelf. Sarah pushed again and again, and was so concentrated on what she was doing she didn't hear the slight rap at the door, or the footsteps that were now approaching her. Sarah still had her forehead and hands pressed against the paneling of wood and her legs stretched out behind her for balance when she felt as if someone was watching her. She slowly turned her head and started when she saw the lean figure that was watching her with an expression of amusement.

"Now Sarah, I do realize you simply cannot stand the thought of something not bowing to your every whim, but certainly moving the furniture is going a bit far? You are a very unsatisfied little creature, aren't you...?"

Sarah turned fully around breathing heavily from exertion. Her cheeks were red from fatigue and now, embarrassment. The Goblin King's arms were crossed in observation, his head cocked to the side in arrogance. Well he certainly appeared to be back to his usual snarky self. Sarah stood up and brushed her hands off on her pants trying to appear indifferent in an attempt to cover up how flustered she really was.

"Well," Sarah breathed out, still a bit winded, "I saw that there was a tapestry behind this bookshelf." Sarah pointed to it lamely, "I thought that the library could be moved so that everyone may see it, it does seem a shame for it to be covered so-"

"Everyone?" Jareth lifted a delicate eyebrow, "I do so hope you aren't planning on hosting a party- oh wait..."

He looked at Sarah in mock astonishment.

"That's right, you're locked in your room, aren't you? Yes any type of gathering would be entirely impossible."

Sarah glared at him. Why did he enjoy mocking her so?

"Ah, now I see. You've done this out of boredom, haven't you-"

"Just what is it you came in here for, Jareth?" Sarah spat out, "Haven't you tortured me enough in the last 24 hours?"

The Goblin King paused in his mock queries as if deciding something then made a quick gesture. "Here you are then, if it really is bothering you that much I can rearrange it for you..."

Sarah watched in amazement as the bookshelf disappeared then reappeared in front of a blank wall that was closer to her door.

"Satisfied, Sarah?" said Jareth.

Sarah stood, gaping. How had he done that? She knew he had magical powers, but it was still incredible for her to see them in action. She was so fixated on the bookcase she didn't realize Jareth was moving closer to her. He turned and admired his handiwork alongside Sarah as he placed a leather-clad hand delicately on her opposite shoulder.

"It is quite remarkable, is it not, Sarah?"

Sarah nodded dumbly, very aware that the hand that had been resting on her shoulder was now lightly running circles along her back.

"Magic is incredibly useful and quite... intoxicating when used correctly..."

Sarah dimly thought to herself. Wasn't that what she had felt like when she had briefly been in control of the Goblin King last night? Shaking her head, Sarah pulled away from him. She was allowing herself to get too close to this man and she had just told herself last night that she wasn't going to let that happen anymore. She didn't know what game he was playing at, his mood toward her seemed to be ever changing.

"What is it that you wanted, Jareth?"

The Goblin King's brow lifted, as if affronted. He moved closer despite the fact Sarah had just moved to put distance between the two of them. He looked at her with a wronged expression. Sarah couldn't tell if it was an act or not.

"What, no gratitude whatsoever, Sarah? Not even a simple thank you?-"

"Yes, of course, thank you Jareth, now what is it?"

Jareth's look hardened somewhat. She could tell he was upset at her lack of reaction. He was trying very hard not to show it. Sarah looked at a smile she knew was meant to appear genuine.

"I simply wanted to inform you that Curlique will be escorting you tomorrow morning to the theater where the first rehearsal will take place-"

At the mention of the word 'theater' Sarah immediately forgot she was supposed to be aloof around this man.

"A theater?" She exclaimed in excitement, "You have a theater here?" Sarah couldn't believe what she was hearing. She hadn't known where they were going to perform, for all she knew the performance was going to be held in the dingy commons room all the staircases led to.

Jareth latched onto her interest.

"Yes, a theater. It's in this very castle. And it is quite functional... beautiful even. None of the goblins have ever been permitted there. There has never been a need."

Jareth took advantage of this momentary change in Sarah's disposition. He grasped Sarah's hand and held it to him, as if intently interested in seeing it in detail. Sarah noticed this, but didn't really care at the moment. A theater! She couldn't believe how lucky she was!

"But perhaps," Jareth continued, rubbing her knuckles with his thumb, "now that you're here we can get some true use out of it. Perhaps we shall use it even after you've gone..."

Sarah looked at him intently as he brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed the knuckles he had so intensely scrutinized. He gave her a searching look, his mouth disappearing behind her white hand. Although it wasn't her first touch of Jareth's skin, Sarah still shivered at the contact. Jareth bowed slightly before quickly exiting the room.

Sarah wasn't supposed to be affected by this man, but right now she was feeling elated. She'd never directed a play before and had only performed in run-of-the-mill high school auditoriums. She hated to admit it, but she was looking forward to tomorrow. She had certainly not been granted such an opportunity when she was in college. Although this play had been more or less a command from the Goblin King, Sarah couldn't help but feel a certain tremulous excitement run through her. Perhaps the goblins wouldn't be as inept as she first thought. After all, Curlique certainly was capable enough. At that thought Sarah fervently hoped the little goblin would be involved with the play somehow. Since she had been charged with bringing Sarah to the theater perhaps she would remain.

Sarah felt the first surges of true happiness since she had entered the Underground, and the idea of performing in a theater was not all that contributed to the emotion. The Goblin King had just assisted her in an act she was certain he would not approve of. That is, if he knew about what Sarah hoped to find behind the bookshelf. Now that the bookcase was out of the way, Sarah was free to investigate behind the tapestry. She didn't know how it was possible, but she sensed a magical connection between her and whatever was behind the tapestry. The feeling had grown considerably since the bookshelf had been moved. Sarah followed the connection and lifted up the embroidered cloth.

Surrepticiously Sarah looked under the curtain. Just as she had imagined, there was a small door with the tiniest doorknob she had ever seen and under the handle was an equally tiny keyhole. The door looked just big enough to yield a person her size within its chambers. Sarah lifted the gold key to the keyhole and was delighted to see they were a perfect match. She turned the key and opened the door. The interior appeared to be dimly lit. Sarah looked over her shoulder making sure Jareth hadn't decided to come back for some reason. Seeing the coast was clear, Sarah cautiously crawled through the tiny opening.

For one confusing second Sarah thought she was back within the oubliette in the Labyrinth. The glistening walls were the same weird orange color, there was a large candle flickering in a corner, hell even the musty odor was the same. The cavern was configured differently than the other one though, and there wasn't a door save for the one she had just crawled through. Not to mention there was a distinct lack of a trap door with groping blue hands beyond it. Upon fully entering the dank chamber, Sarah inevitably recalled the last time she had been in an oubliette:


"Who's there?" Sarah asked fearfully upon hearing a distinct shuffling of feet.

"Me," a familiar voice grumbled. A lit match brightened the cave instantly revealing the owner of the voice.

"Oh it's you...!" Sarah exclaimed.

"Right, well I knew you were going to get into trouble the moment I saw you, so I've come to give you a hand..."

Sarah was still taking in her surroundings... something was missing...

"Ah, you're lookin' around now, aren't you?" The dwarf gestured around himself, "I suppose you've noticed there ain't no door. Only the hole. This is an oubliette, the Labyrinth's full of 'em-"

"Really? I didn't know that..." Sarah wondered aloud.

"Oh don't sound so smart," Hoggle admonished, "You probably don't even know what an oubliette is."

Sarah looked at the dwarf, "Do you?"

"It's a place to put people to forget about 'em..."


Sarah continued to look at her surroundings. She felt secure here. It was a strange feeling, but she couldn't help but be at peace with herself in this place. In her bedchamber she always inexplicably felt that she was being watched. Here she felt safe and hidden. A thought came to her. Hadn't she wished for something like this last night? A place where she could hide and never have to worry about facing the world again?

Coincidence. Sarah thought. Yet she wondered how it was possible for there to be an oubliette that Jareth clearly did not know about. He wouldn't have been so candid in moving that bookshelf if he had, would he? Or maybe it was some strange ploy of his. Lord knew he had come up with crazier schemes that had worked. But if this was a trick, Sarah failed to see what kind of harm she could come to in this place. She sat down on a glistening boulder. Perhaps she could use this oubliette for the yearnings she had so desperately wanted to yield to last night. No doubt the Goblin King would humiliate her again before her time here was up. It would be nice to have a place to get away from it all. Perhaps she could even bring Curlique down here. It would be fun to share a secret with the little goblin.

Sarah just sat there for awhile, enjoying this new sense of security. It was a feeling she hadn't experienced since she had been home. But she knew she had to remain vigilant. Even at home where she had felt most safe the Goblin King had still managed to trick her into coming here. Sarah climbed back through the hole and locked the door behind her. She didn't want anyone to happen across her secret chamber unless it was someone she permitted. Hoping it wouldn't appear too conspicuous Sarah took the night stand that was previously beside her bed and moved it in front of the tapestry. Well, Jareth had been jesting her about rearranging the room. Hopefully that would do the trick without alerting the Goblin King.

Sarah spent the rest of the day digging through the remaining plays and replacing the books she had taken off the shelf. As she worked, she wondered how tomorrow would go. Sarah didn't fool herself. She knew that in the beginning, especially during the first rehearsal, it was going to be chaos. She wondered if Jareth would help maintain discipline. As much as she hated to rely on the man, Sarah fervently hoped this was so. He had certainly been compliant earlier, though he still had been unable to do so without insulting her.

Yet as she continued reading though the books, Sarah couldn't stop replaying the image of Jareth's burning eyes looking from above her upheld hand.

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A/N What wonders await Sarah in this new mysterious oubliette? Was it brought on by magic or is it all in Sarah's head?

Wow!! I can't believe my story has already reached 1000 hits! What a milestone! Thank you all so very much and I hope I am making this story worthwhile :D

@Ginette1959- WOW. You reviewed. A LOT :D Thanks for that. Glad you're enjoying the story :)

@kookookitty- I will definitely have to look up those on youtube when I find the time :D Thanks, and as always, a pleasure.

@Vyperbites- Mmmm yes indeed, that would be very lovely. Silk pjs and all :P If only Jareth would get his head out of his ass and woo her the way he's supposed to XD

@Ikaru- EXACTLY. You seemed to understand just what I was trying to get across. Bravo and thank you so much :)

To my four faithful readers and anybody else along for the ride, thanks for reading ~TheArtist