Labyrinth: The next chapter

 

That day they had spent most of the time discussingthe potential situations they could face.

"I can't believe this! You mean to tell me that since I bested the labyrinth that I might be chosen to rule it and you being relieve unless of course, you marry me? And if you don't you could lose your powers. And if you lose your powers you could die soon after seeing as the magic was the basis of your immortality?" She asked.

Jareth nodded silently.

"God! This is so fucked up! You earned the right to be immortal and have your powers I think if I had it my way I'd change that rule... wait... I guess it's one of those fail safes that prevents digruntled former ruler from fighting the new ones." She said in slow realization, "I still think this is stupid!"

Jareth smirked playfully, "How come? Don't like the idea of being forced to the altar just to keep me alive and your's?" he asked as he played with a loose strand of hair that had fallen to her face.

Sarah removed his hand and held it to her chest, "Because I love you and don't want to be a burden by making you marry me just to keep you alve. I'd also wonder if you chose to be with me or if you were just staying just so you live and keep your powers." She explained almost frantically.

Jareth stopped her, "It would be you who would have the power over me, not that I like to admit it but you've had that power since before we formally met." He admitted kneeling before her. "You were amazing then, and moreso now, but I would have you for my wife with your consent because I am the one who is powerless in your presence. You made me as foolish as a child with a single action. It agrivates the hell out of me yet I can't get enough of you. Please marry me Sarah. You'd make me the happiest man alive if you were to accept."

Sarah sat speechless as Jareth pulled out a ring. It was centered with a perfectly spherical diamond surrounded by tiny glittering diamonds scattered about the band looking almost disorganized yet organized at the same time. "I-I-I don't know what to say Jareth." Seh stammered.

"If you would say yes you would make me happier than any man walking the earth and underground." he said, his voice almost pleading.

Sarah bit her lip in silent contemplation and then a simple whispered "yes" escaped her lips as a smile bagan to play upon her lips and tears of joy stremed from her emerald eyes. "Yes! Oh Yes I will!" She declared extatically as she lunged forward crushign her lips against his and wrapping her arms about him.

Jareth's lips yeilded to her's as he held her about the waist and pulled her closer to him. Sarah's tongue snaked into his mouth, exploring the cavern, playfully dancing about his own tongue until their tongues were dancing together a savage dance of love.

All of a sudden her father walked in. He stood in the door shocked for a moment, cleared his throat. Sarah and Jareth froze as their attention was drawn to thefamiliar intruder.

"Good morning daddy." said Sarah sheepishly.

Her father stood there speechless, despite several attempts, he simply couldn't find the words until he was finally able to say, "You and you! Downstairs! Now!" He comanded.

"We're in for it Jareth. be prepared for diplomatic war." She warned with a slight tone of complaint.

"I think I can handle this. Try being diplomatic with gobling with and IQ lower than their height." he replied trying to make light of the situation.

They got to the living room where her father sat on the couch and her step mother was sitting on an arm chair.

Sarah's father looked at Jareth with steely eyes, "You can sit here my friend." He commanded, "Sarah you sit next to her. Away from Jareth."

Sarah and Jareth seperatedand did as they were bidden. They all sat silently as her father and step mother stared at both of them unmoving.

Sarah's father broke the silence, " What's the meaning of this?" He demanded looking at Sarah.

Sarah looked at him nervously, " Well, you see dad, Jareth just asked me to marry him before you walked in" she began "I had just accepted and we were simply kissing, nothing more." she said.

Jareth looked to Mr. Williams. "I swear to you Mr. and Mrs. Williams, Sarah had set strict guidelines from the begining, she was chosing to remain chaste until marriage. And as someone who respects your daughter, I would not allow her to comprimise her virtue Sir. I felt we were comming too close to that point so instead of comprimising her I chose to propose to her so that I would not comprimise her virtue. I would NEVER let her lower her standards on may account Sir." He explained.

looked over to Sarah, "Is this true Sarah?" he asked.

Sarah nodded, "Yes daddy, it is. We both agreed that that was the only way I would be with him, or he could hirt the dirt road he rode in one." she stater bluntly.

Her step mother looked to her, "You saying this is great and all, but you hardly know him, and being alone with a young man alnoe in your room, let alone making out, makes it look worse than what you say it is." she explained.

"She's right, and from here on in, no guys in your room period!" Mr. Williams commanded.

Sarah bolted up outradged. "That's not fair! I didn't do anything with Jareth but kiss him and I'm being treated like a hormone-raging teenager? I won't have it! I'm gone! Comming Jareth?" she asked as she slipped on her coat and shoes.

Jareth rose and followed.

"Sarah! I'm not finshed, get back her!" Mr. Williams commanded after her, but she was already screeching out of the driveway and down the road.

"What are we going to do with her?' he asked his wife aloud.

"She'll come back, but I think you are still treating her as if she's sixteen and not twenty-two. I know you don't want her impregnated before her time, but she's taken measures to ensure that. Jareth is a good guy for her. Did you seee the ring he gave her? I did. He'll treat her right and respect her far more than anyother guy she'd meet at school." she explained.

"You're right dear, I'll talk to her in the morning." he answered his wife.

Sarah drove to a familiar clearing and rested her head on the steering wheel. "It's not fair!" She muttered to herself.

Jareth pulled her into his arms, "I was wondering when you would say that again. You so remind me of the defiant sixteen year old that ran my Labyrinth all those years ago." He said with a smirk,

"Take me there right now. I don't care anymore. I would rather be there than treated like a helpless child." she said.

"Not yet. Wait till you've calmed and then you can decide, I'll not have you making decisions you'll later regret." he answered as he stroked her hair.

Sarah and Jareth fell asleep in the car that night as the soft rhythm of the rain drummed on the windshield.

Jareth laid back, awoke trying his best not to bother Sarah, who had fallen asleep ranting in a tearing fit.

He looked at her sleeping figure and brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. He removed his jacket and placed it on her chest and shoulders. She stirred and pulled the jacket up closer to her chin. Her eyes batted open and looked up at him. "Jareth?" She said softly.

"Yes my dear?" he answered in a whisper.

"I really keep thinking... can you take me back to the underground please? I don't want to face my parents again. I'd rather run the Labyrinth 10 times in 13 hours than face them again." she pleaded.

Jareth sighed, "You still have to tell Toby what happened and then you can have whatever you wish my love." he answered, " Now let's get you home. I don't wish for your parents to castrate me for keeping you out too late." he said.

She nodded, "Yeah, I guess so." she said with a heavy sigh as she turned the ignition.

Moments later she arrived home.

"Goodnight Jareth, come tomorrow please. I need you to help me explain all this to Toby. Then I'm going to tell my parents that I'm moving out. Gods help me." she said calmly.

He nodded kissing her gently and she ran inside the house, sheltering herself with his leather jacket.

Sarah awoke the next morning and began to pack all that she thought was essential for her to live underground.

Toby knocked at her door. "Come in!" she called out. Toby entered the room and looked around.

"What's going on Sarah?" he asked.

Sarah sat down and patted beside her, "I have to leave. Karen and Dad won't accept me growing up. I have to show them I'm a grown up and not live under their rules. She explained.

Toby looked up at Sarah, "Where are you going?" he asked, "I don't want you to go Sarah!" he whined.

Sarah sighed, "I know you do, but I can't be here without being treated like a child. I promise you'll understand when you grow up." she explained as she pulled him in a warm hug. "Don't worry, I won't forget about you, and if you miss me too much you can hug onto Lancelot and you'll be sure that I will feel your hug." she said pointing to Toby's bear that she gave him after her time in the Labyrinth.

Jareth knocked on the open door. "How about I take you guys out for an ice cream?" He asked.

Toby beamed up right away shouting "Yay!" as he rushed downstairs.

"Children always seem to perk up at the mention of ice cream" he said with a chuckle edging his voice.

Toby, Jareth and Sarah sat in the ice cream parlor wile eating sundaes. Jareth had peach, Toby had chocolate, and Sarah had strawberry. Sarah looked up at Toby, "Toby? Can I tell you something without you thinking me insane?" she asked. Toby nodded. "Well you know those stories I you about the girl and her brother being wished away and had to run a labyrinth to save him?" he nodded slowly, "Well … I need to tell you, it wasn't a story Toby, it really happened Toby. I was angry at Karen and having to take care of you and then you wouldn't stop crying so I wished you away. Jareth came and took you and offered me my one redemption, running the labyrinth in 13 hours, which later turned out to be 10." she said throwing a sidewards glance at Jareth.

Jareth smirked, "Well you said it was a piece of cake so I thought to make it more of a challenge." he said.

"Anyways... I beat the labyrinth and got you back with barely a second on the clock. Karen tried putting me into therapy telling me I was a delusional teen and all that crazy crap but in the end I made a wish a few nights ago and Jareth appeared before me." she explained.

Toby looked at Sarah, quietly processing what his sister had just told him, "I kind of wondered why I felt like I saw Jareth before." he said slowly.

Sarah looked at Jareth, then to Toby, " So you remember or something?" she asked

"Well I dream of sitting and dancing with goblins and Jareth, but I thought that was cause the stories you told me." answered Toby.

"Jareth?" Sarah asked.

"What can I say? I leave an impression on people." he answered

"Ever so humble." Sarah drawled sarcastically.

At dinner that night Sarah announced to her parents that she found an apartment closer to school and she was moving out that evening. Her father was outraged and she reminded him that so long as she lived under their roof she would be treated like a child as opposed to the adult she in fact was.

"This was all Jareth's idea wasn't it?" he demanded.

"No! I'm not shacking up with him I just want to be on my own. You guys won't take me seriously unless I do this. I'm old enough to live by my own rules!" She shot back.

"Fine! But don't expect much from us!" he relented.

Sarah sighed, "I don't want anything from you dad. I feel I need to do this." she said calmly and clearly before she went up to her room and began to load her things in her car. Jareth came by and helped her.

Sarah said her goodbyes to her parents and got in the car. Once in the car she let out a sigh, "No turning back now!" she said to herself.

Jareth shook his head, "You can still turn back. As long as we're still above you still have a choice. After that point, you won't be able to turn back." he explained.

Sarah drove the car out and parked it close to a nice cabin that Jareth had directed her to. "what is this place?" She asked.

"A place I kept nearby to watch over you. My magic is limited as to when and how I can watch and aid you, unless you provided a wish I couldn't see you. So I got this place with a portal to watch over you." he explained.

Sarah got out of the car an grabbed her suitcase, backpack and purse, as Jareth magicked the rest towards the cabin.

Jareth looked to Sarah as she entered the cabin. He knew she was doing this out of anger and was willing to help her any which way possible. Even if it meant postponing her journey underground until she was one-hundred percent sure.

Sarah looked about the cabin, it wasn't what it seemed, for from the inside it was luxurious with carved statues, modern decor and furnishings, and all amenities available. "you really play on the lesson of not taking things for granted." She said as she absorbed her surroundings.

Jareth set the magicked heap beside the fireplace. He walked over to her and held her waist. "You know you don't have to go if you aren't entirely sure. I don't' want you to be melancholy with regrets." He said as he kissed her brow.

"No matter what there would always be regrets. I'd rather go now. My regrets are little importance right now. I'd rather it this way. The book of my story up here is closed." She explained.

He led her to the fireplace, "And you're absolutely sure?" Sarah nodded.

With the conjuration of a crystal and a blast of glittering smoke they appeared in the throne room of the castle beyond the goblin city.

Sarah looked around. She hadn't had a good look last time, as her mind was preoccupied with Toby and her shortage of time. "Definitely needs a woman's touch." She said with a giggle.

He let out a laugh himself, "Well for centuries I've been trying to keep it up but it's much like brushing your teeth with Oreo cookies, not very effective." He explained. "But as for our apartments, you will see that they are immaculate." he said with a grin as they materialized in Sarah's room.

The room indeed was spotless. Walls covered with various tapestries, an ebony canopy bed with green velvet draperies, Victorian furnishings and crystalline decor. She gasped in awe, "It's gorgeous!" Was all she could say.

"And this is your private room. Mine is the one across from the sitting room we both share. I also took the liberties of giving you a case of the royal jewels which sits on your vanity." he said.

She walked to the vanity and opened the case and quickly closed it in shock, "I'm sorry but I couldn't wear these. I'd feel weird." she said.

"You're soon to be a queen Sarah, I'm only giving you something that comes with the territory." he explained. "You don't have to wear them but you will have to on certain formal occasions. Still some things will be different from above ground. The women aren't liberated as they are above ground. Obedience to men is mandatory. So I appreciate it if you would make it a practice to obey me so as to not embarrass me and in turn our kingdom at high court." He explained.

"And you conveniently left that one out of the story above why?" demanded Sarah.

"A minor detail I forgot to mention, nonetheless I won't set you up to fail. I promise I'll only ask you to do something because I know it's within your power to do so. Not to mention it will aid you in your Queenly Education" he added with a chuckle.

Sarah tapped him on the arm, "You are insufferable!" she answered him.

"One of those practices will be formalities." he explained. "At court and before subjects it should be My Lord, My Liege, My King, or Your Majesty." he added. Sarah was about to interject when he cut in, "I will also take part in this practice as well as I am so used to being informal with you as well." he said.

Sarah let out a sigh of relief, "Okay, sounds like a deal ...my Lord" she added.

Jareth chuckled. "Very good my Queen." He replied with a smile.