Once Upon A Time

Disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth!

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Chapter 3: What Light Doth Through Yonder Window Break?


‘So one night; when the baby had been particularly cruel to her, she called on the goblins for help.’

I walked closer to the painting, ‘This has to be impossible.’


Sure there were differences.


Subtle differences.


Her hair was redder, she was much more pale, her face more gaunt; obviously older than me, and she had a very present magical air about her. Standing inches from the painting; I examined her Mona Lisa smile, secrets embedded deeply within it.


“Her name was Lorea.”


I jumped in surprise, whipping my head in the direction of Jareth’s voice. “What?!” He stood in front of the slowly closing chamber door, watching me, looking every bit the arrogant king he was. He walked towards me, eyes devouring me, ‘How did I get here?’.


Well, I should say he strutted to me, because that’s how he walked: strutting without the strut.


“Her name. It was Lorea.” I turned back towards the painting, my mouth opened in an ‘o’ of surprise, “Oh!” He walked directly behind me, I could feel his breath stir my hair; flittering across the sensitive tips of my ear.


“She taught me to care. About others that is.” His eyes closed as he took in the scent of my hair, his hands came up to hold my shoulders in his warm gloved palms. “She was innocent. Naive. I should not have brought her into my world, it destroyed her.”


I furrowed my brow in confusion, “Why did you bring her here then?” I heard him sigh behind me.

“A mer-maid for a pet? The temptation was too great.”


He spun me around, holding me still with his eyes, “You must be stronger than her Sarah.”


“What happened to her?” His eyes closed in remembered pain, “One day she did exactly as I forbade her. She went into the labyrinth, there, her night mares engulfed her, ripping apart her body.”


I buried my face in the skin of his chest, it was cool to the touch. But warming in my presence. ‘Was this why he was so worried about me being strong?’ I looked up at him ready to ask, his mouth opened to continue. “Both of you, so innocent. But that is not to talk on now.”


He released me, “We have more pressing matters to discuss.” My eyes jumped around nervously, not focusing on just one thing.


‘Oh, yeah, right. That little problem.’


Jareth pulled my hand, leading me to the large bed. He sat me down and stroked my stomach with two fingers, sensually, ‘I thought we were going to talk?’ His eyes darkened for a moment as he watched his hand play along my abdomen, but he shook his head.


“Why were you at Higgles?”


“Hoggles.” I corrected him.


He rolled his eyes exasperated.


“That’s what I said. Heggle.”


I smiled affectionately.


“Why Sarah?”


‘He didn’t know? Of course he didn’t know you haven’t told him.’ I licked my dry lips. My hands started to shake. “I needed to get away.”


He raised an eyebrow, urging me to continue.


I looked away.


I couldn’t tell him.


“I just needed to visit.” He stood walking over to the glass-less window. “So it had nothing to do with the child.” He stated more than asked.


He crossed his arms over his chest gazing out at the darkening underground.


“Toby?” Nothing had to do with Toby. He turned and walked towards me, cupping my face. He stared intently into my eyes, “The babe inside of you, do not keep the truth from me Sarah.” He released my face and glared down at me. “Do not keep my child from me.” I focused on my hands, my face a study in guilt.


He sighed painfully, and turned to the winking moon.


“Why would you not call me?” He sounded so hopeless, so lost. I closed my eyes. What could I say. “What would I have told you? What would you have said to me? I didn’t know how to tell you. I still don’t know what to say.”


Silence.


“I will leave you to sleep, you must be tired.” He walked swiftly to the door. “Jareth?”


He was already gone. Tears fell unwillingly. Sobs racked my body violently.


‘You can’t do this to pregnant women. It’s wrong.’


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Jareth stormed into his study. Kicking green, wiggly goblins along the way. He sat in the empty library sipping at brandy that he conjured.


‘She kept their child from him. If she had-had her way she would have kept it from her for as long as it suited her. Blast her. She kept HIS child from him.’ His new goal: try to get drunk.

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‘He left.’


Tears soaked into my skin, moistening my face.


‘He doesn’t want it.’


I burrowed deeply into the softness of the bed, letting it’s warmth comfort me. Pain clenched my heart like hot tongs, I wrapped my arms around myself, needing human contact. A knock sounded on my door, a small, squeaky voice emitting from the other side, “‘ello?” I lifted my face and sniffled.


“Who’s there?” I asked, my voice cracking with sorrow.


I heard the door cracking open, and then snapping shut. I was burrowed too deeply into the bed to see the person (?) who came in, but I could hear the soft padding of feet against the stone floor.


“Mum?” The voice whispered, “Yes?” I inquired softly. “His majesty sent meself t’ ask if there was anythin’ Denny could bring ye?” I looked up, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand, “Who’s Denny.” I then saw the squat, green creature standing at the foot of my bed.


It had a short, thick tail and a long, pointy nose. It wore a small, grimy apron wrapped securely around the waist and I figured out that this creature was a female, because of the long breasts hanging in plain view. ‘I guess goblins’ don’t wear bras, or shirts.’ The lady goblin drew herself up high and pointed to herself, “I’m Denny.” She stated proudly.


My smile was weak and less than genuine, as I wiped my eyes again. “I’m Sarah.” I stated, she nodded, than tilted her head to the side “Why’s you cryin’?” I sat up; touched by the concern which showed plainly on her face, “Why do people ever cry?” I asked softly, “I’m crying because I’m sad.”

She screwed her face up in understanding, “SÌ there anything Denny could get to help you?” I looked up thoughtfully, my teeth nibbling on my lower lip, “You could bring me Jareth’s head on a platter.” I said coyly. Denny nodded mumbling my answer to herself, when she got to the door she froze and turned to look at me, a horrified expression on her face.


I had to bite down surprise giggles at her look, “I’m joking.” I explained, “But I wouldn’t mind something warm to eat, like stew.” I shrugged. Denny nodded and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.


I sat up on the bed, looking to the window. The underground was dark, a cool breeze made it’s way through my room. I pushed the blanket from me, and stood, walking towards the window. As I looked out to this new world, I gasped in surprise at it’s beauty.


The underground seemed to flourish in the night, my window looked out to a world of fruit trees: banana, orange, lemon, pomegranate, it over flowed with exotic flowers: Chinese magnolias, bird of paradise, hibiscus, star-gazer lilies, Ranunculus, peonies, jasmine and flowers I couldn’t even name. Color bursting from all corners. Ponds were randomly placed around the garden, filled with water lilies, the sweet twinkling white-and-lavender scent of the jasmine bathed the inside of my nostrils.


Fairies flew about, their iridescent wings twinkling incessantly, and I would swear I saw a group of dryads dancing in a meadow. I closed my eyes and slightly leaned out the window, a small smirk on my face. ‘My baby will grow in this magical place.’ The thought brought me back to my predicament.


I pursed my lips, than frowned, ‘If he thinks he can just ignore this, then he’s got another thing coming.’ I stood, and brushed off my jeans, determined to have a shouting match with the king of the goblins.


“These mood swings are seriously out of control.” I muttered as I swung open the door a little to hard. Walking down the hall way I saw fabric balancing a steaming tray and waddling toward me, “Er... hello?” An eye peaked it’s way through the pearly white fabric. “‘Ello, miss, Sarah.” It shook where it’s head would be, and I saw the form of Denny.


“Oh!”


“What are ye doin’ outside yer room, mum?” She asked


I looked down the direction she came from, than looked the other way, “I’m looking for Jareth.” I stated. She blinked heavily than nodded, “ ‘Is majesty is in ‘is study, ‘e said not to be disturbed.” I rolled my eyes skyward, “Too bad for him, where is the study.” She shook her head firmly and continued into my room.


“I’ll find it with or without you.” I shouted after her.


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“Well that worked nicely.” I mumbled under my breath, why couldn’t he leave the labyrinth out side, why did he have to bring it in here. I was lost inside the castle, with no hope of finding Jareth or my room.


Continuing my way down the hall, I noticed another door ‘If this doesn’t have anything helpful in it, I am going to scream.’ I opened the heavy wood door and looked around. My eyes landed on a man lounging on a red velvet chaise, “Jareth.” I said calmly.


He didn’t look at me, he just lazily swung his brandy glass in small circles. The dark liquid came so close to the brim of the glass that I thought it would splash on the floor. “So Sarah, how are you finding my castle?” He asked, still not looking at me, I closed the door behind me. “It’s as bad as your labyrinth.”I said cheekily, he chuckled low in his throat; the noise like silk rubbing against my naked skin.

I noticed the empty bottles of liquor scattered around him, ‘So the great goblin king is an alcoholic.’ I thought that, but I said, “Have you been drinking?” I walked to the desk in the middle of the room and lifted up a thick book, leafing through it. I glanced at him waiting for my answer, he watched me like a cat would watch a mouse.


His eyes hungrily roving my figure, I looked down in embarrassment, a lock of hair swung against my face. He swallowed and licked his lips, than turned from me; I had to stamp down my disappointment. “I do not get drunk, which is what you really are inquiring about. The liquor will not absorb into my blood, so I only get a light buzz, but not intoxicated.” I nodded, like I cared what he said, when all I really wanted was to watch his lips move.


‘Where had my anger at him gone?’ He put his glass down and held a hand out to me, “Come here Sarah.” I put the book on his desk and walked to him.


He scooted over on the chaise, making room for me, I lay next to him the warmth of his body seeping into my skin. I purred in pleasure as his hand rubbed my -beginning to swell- stomach, I buried my face in his chest as his arm wrapped around my waist and rubbed my back. I sighed out loud, ‘I could like it here.’


He began to scatter kisses across my face and neck, his roving hand pushing against the waist of my jeans. His fingers playing against the button, he unzipped my pants and pushed them down.


My hands greedily traced his chest, my lips searching for his, our mouths pressed together. The soft give of his bottom lips sent shivers through my thighs, he took his gloves from his hands; they slapped against the wooden floor. The plush palm of his hand cupped between my legs as he pushed me under him.


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3 month’s later


I took a ravenous bite of the flame-red mango, juice ran down my chin in cool sticky torrents. Licking my lips clean, I bit into it again with teeth as sharp as shells; the sweet taste exploding in my mouth.


I was sitting under an olive tree in the extraordinary garden with Hoggle, eating my fill of exotic fruits. I patted my swelling belly after I finished the fruit; I was only in my fifth month, but still rather fat. My breasts were swelling, sensitive and sometimes a little hard, my stomach was firm and rounding. None of the pants I brought with were able to button around my stomach anymore, it had grown so quickly as almost to surprise me.


I spent most of my days with hoggle and Jareth, since Sir didymus had set off with Ambrosius to find a bridge more worth protecting, Ludo had gotten lost in the forest of the fireys.


Jareth spent some of the day making the living chambers and most of the third story baby friendly, he had also hired a nanny to teach the goblins how to properly behave around the baby, if they refused her teachings they would be thrown into the Bog of Eternal Stench, then exiled. Which I thought a little harsh, but I could understand his worry, goblins weren’t the best creatures to have around infants.


Jareth and I would spend time reading together and sometimes I would tell him stories. He had a penchant for speaking to my stomach and reading it books like: War and Peace, Justine, (which I only let him read once, an infant should not have to hear about the war of virtue and vice) and Hell’s Angels (where he got a copy of this I will never know).

I tilted my face up toward the sun; which played a game of peek-a-boo thru the jacaranda trees that had flowered a rage of lush purple overnight.


Night’s were filled with love making, Jareth was determined to teach me every aspect of what he called: Sacred Sexuality. Sometimes I would wake at night to Jareths hands on my stomach and his singing in my ear.


But for the past week he had been avoiding me, I would sleep alone in his bed, waiting to feel his warmth surround me, pound thick and hard inside me.


Hoggle looked up to the stone castle as I fiddled with the billowy white petals of a jasmine blossom, but my mind was on the rippling mermaid-like movements of the baby inside me.


I giggled loudly at a particularly ticklish movement, the baby was too young to kick but it would still wile away the hours turning and squirming -to my everlasting joy.

Hoggle looked at me funny as I continued to giggle, “What’s’it Sarah?” I shrugged, still grinning, “Babies moving.” I replied, trying to ignore my over bubbling excitement. His beady gaze fell to my stomach and his eyes squinted in suspicion at the lump, “Does it hurt?” I put my hand on the lower part of my firming abdomen and shook my head, “It’s more like a tickle feeling, like small bubbles.”


I chewed my bottom lip as Hoggles eyes still scrutinized my stomach.


“Have you never been around a pregnant girl before?”


His face cleared of confusion. “Me mum had a few pregnancies.”


I smiled “I didn’t know you had siblings.”


“I don’t.” My brow furrowed as I tried to put sense to these words, “But you said....”


He cut me off, “None ended in a..... live birth.” He said the end reluctantly.


My eyes widened in horror and my hand clutched at my belly protectively, “How....”


I swallowed and tried again “How many?” I inquired, quietly.


Hoggle shrugged, “Too many to count.”


My face fell into-what I hope was- a comforting expression. “Oh Hoggle! I’m so sorry!” he shrugged indifferently at my horror. “S’okay. My dad he beat’er, ya can’t expect the babes to live when their being beat at. Even if it’s thru skin.”


I felt my heart seize in panic at the thought that my baby could die in my belly, I knew Jareth wouldn’t beat me, but other things could kill my baby.


My breathing quickened, my thoughts came in a incomprehensible rush, I couldn’t hear the world around me, my vision blurred and darkness claimed me.


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The jungles of the underground were untamed; both the plants and animals. The trees and brush grew into large shielding canopies that intertwined and twisted, vines would climb them and cascade in a alluring array of green.

The sun would poke thru in small increments. Pomegranates hung from certain trees, plump and ready to fall in your hand if you reached for them. The ground was red, fine silken sand, that your bare feet would sink into; being blanketed by the grains. Streams flowed through the contours of the land, the entirety of the jungle led to one place: the waterfall.

It was said that once dragons who lived in the water stayed in this land, near the water fall. The water glistens down in golden-blue, looking like the magic of the fae.


We are not fae, we are warriors, descendants to the Amazons who came to this land. We have changed our ways since the Amazons; for now men are allowed to reside with us.


During the days’ our village was abuzz with war-play or tasks, children running or playing.. Now, however, was not day; now we prepared for the festival of fertility.


Even though it was night, the heat would still beat down on this portion of the underground; like a living being.


Music played from drums and lutes, bells tied to women’s ankles and wrists made harmonious sounds; I was not to wear bells for I was about to bleed, my stomach felt engorged and swollen, the blood filling me to burst. It was against tradition for a women to wear the symbolic bells while eggs filled your belly.


We all encircled the large pit; fire like dragons breath of long past consumed the wood thrown into it. The men played the instruments as women danced like the flames, I felt the music inside my body like it was my own organs thrumming.


My hips moved sinuously as my upper body twisted, my hands drew up my breast and into my hair; men would watch me in the thick leather wrap ‘round my breasts and the longer one that rested on my hips, parting on the sides up my hips, to show my muscular thighs. I had trained my whole life, gaining a body of muscle in the shape of a curvaceous women.


The moon was high and full in the sky as we danced. My shoulders rolled and dipped forward with my body, hips swaying in intricate circles. Men who did not play music filled bowls with fruity wine and watched us with eyes full of want.

My hands fluttered like freed birds, as the old ones chanted fertility spells. The men who wanted wives, looked at the women with hips wide enough to bear many sons. My hair slid silkily around my thighs, unbound from it’s thick braid, during the ceremony. The music ended and the women sunk to the ground like wilting flowers.

One mans eyes held me; earth, sky.

I had never seen a man with two different colored eyes, or with hair like spun gold. I rose in interest as his own eyes ran down my skin like a caress. I had not seen this man in our village before, Sheni grabbed my shoulder to lead me from him, the women all lifted a lotus tree branch-the symbol of fertility- and threw them into the fire, before I threw mine in I allowed the subtle scent to fill me.


Later that night I was restless, I lay in my pallet thinking on the man with the multi-colored eyes, my hands running over my naked body that hid underneath the white sheet.


My hand smoothed over the full swell of my breast until the tips of my fingers lay against my erect nipple. I let breath out in a sigh at the feeling. My body had come alive under his gaze, I had become aware of the pleasure man could bring upon my body.

“Women are intriguing creatures.” My head jerked in surprise to the silken voice, my hand flew to my knife, it was gone. I looked up; it was the man with gold hair, he twirled my knife swiftly between his fingers, with the ease of practice. His fingers were long and thin encased in black gloves, he looked to me as I held the thin sheet over my breasts.

“Who are you?” I said, my voice laden with suspicion: fae naturally flaunted their power through their skin, this one was true power through and through.

No one shared my tent with me and it was far from everyone else’s tent; being near the waterfall, so no one would come if I called. “My name is of no consequence, I am titled: Goblin king.” I raised my eyebrow; everyone knew of a king who controlled the un-ruly goblins; a king who trapped mortals in an endless maze, “What is your name?” I repeated. He smirked and drew nearer after throwing my knife from my tent.


I growled low in my throat, like an angered and cornered cat, “You are very beautiful.” He whispered, his hand came up to rest upon my cheek, I snapped my jaws at his fingers in threat. His smile grew wider at my audacity. “My name is Jareth, little Aisea (aye-zeh-ah).” I looked up in surprise, “How do you know that.” He wagged his finger teasingly in front of me as he tutted.


His hand came closer then landed on the side of my neck, and his mouth settled possessively on mine.


End Dream


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When I came to, I was in the mammoth sized bed of Jareths room, he lay on the bed next to me his un-gloved hand covering his face as he breathed deeply.


I had not experienced Jareth’s worry so acutely, I could feel the tension of it thick in the air. I turned to look at him: his mouth was pinched in a worrisome line and what was visible of his brow furrowed, I laid my hand on the flesh of his chest that was revealed thru the opening of his shirt.


His chest was cool and damp to the touch; a sign of worry, surely not! At the touch of my hand on his chest, his head jerked toward me in surprise. His eyes widened, “Sarah?!” I smiled wearily at him, “Were you worried about me?” He sat up and glared at me in anger, “I never knew you could sound as stupid as you did just a moment ago.”


My mouth gaped open in out rage as he slipped off the bed, “You’re the one who’s been avoiding me! I think I deserve to be a bit snappy.” And then, all I wanted to do was cry, ‘Why would he avoid me? What did I do wrong?’ I hadn’t noticed the tears running down my face as my out rage melted into sadness.


Jareth gathered me into his arms and pulled me onto his lap. His hand smoothed my hair back as he covered my face with soft kisses, “Shhh... lovely, don’t distress yourself. Let me explain where I was.” I sniffed dramatically. “Where have you been?”


“There is a bit of a problem with the fae, they need a monarch, they have decided they want me to be their High King. I am not sure whether to take the position, as it would take more time from you and the baby.” He smiled and rubbed a hand against my stomach, I frowned, “Do you want the position? Because, if you want it I can go with you to the Fae’s kingdom when your needed.”


He nuzzled against my face then pulled me down into bed beside him, his passion was more fearsomely wonderful then usual.

A/N: So that’s it folks, as you probably noticed another dream scene was present in this chapter and that will all soon be explained. Please review!