Disclaimer: None of the Labyrinth is mine, sadly, I take artistic liberties but make no profit. There was some visual inspiration drawn from Disney for this chapter and beyond that also from traditional tales that are much much older.
Tangled Webs
The lush green slope beneath her feet gave way to worn smooth overgrown stone paving and the weedy pond that she recalled. Although this time it was full of wild colours and the air fragrant with blossoms. There was a dozen or so fairies flitting around. Their delicate wings caught the light and shimmered with rainbow hues.
They were beautiful, but she stayed well clear this time. Sarah wasn't making that mistake again.
No, likely that she'd make a ton of new ones instead.
She wasn't quite as arrogant as her fifteen-year-old counterpart and knew as surely as Jareth that this would not be a piece of that damnable cake.
She sighed heavily, turning her attention toward the imposing walls which blocked any view of what lay immediately behind them.
"Well this is a fine mess missy an no mistake."
Sarah whirled at the sound of such a familiar voice.
"Hoggle! It's so good to see you!"
"Hurumph I bet it is." He grumbled gruffly at her. "Don't know what yous smiling about. The Labyrinth ain't no play in the park."
Sarah faltered. She knew that, it hadn't been exactly a breeze the first time, no matter what she'd bluffed to the King. And this time was bound to be harder.
"I know that." She told him in a smaller voice. "I…"
How would she manage this again? She opened her mouth more than ready to tell him everything and then shut it again just as she'd done so many times. She had often wondered what good it would do.
"How did you know?" Was what she opted for.
He gave her a pointed look and possibly almost rolled his eyes.
"What do you think? He told me to keep an eye out din he?"
"He told you what happened?"
He nodded, a small sliver of sympathy passed briefly over his face.
"Yeah your little brother wished? And then you stepped in."
He gave her a funny kind of look, calculating. The dwarf was always full of shrewd quick understanding; and careful to keep his own council, something he was clearly adept at. It was all the practice he got keeping his thoughts from Jareth.
Sarah herself was thinking too, and they weren't pleasant thoughts. It made her extremely hesitant to ask her next question, but the compulsion refused to go away.
"Did he tell you anything else?"
He shook his head.
"Not really."
She took a breath and a risk.
"So, he didn't tell you to make a show of helping me but make sure I don't get too far? He didn't tell you to lead me back to the beginning?"
Hoggle opened his mouth in some shock but recovered quickly.
"No o course not. He asked that I keep my eye on you if I could. You know it can be dangerous in there."
She nodded, a little ashamed to have jumped so quickly to that conclusion. But then why not? This was the Goblin King and the Labyrinth. Trying to divert, distract and delay was part of the job description.
She hoped with all her heart that this would not be the case with them this time, that their friendship and whatever else still meant something to him. Course it wouldn't make it any easier on him, but she had little sympathy. This was partly his fault, right?
"But do you distract runners Hoggle?"
He baulked, shifty eyes replaced his mild concern. It was clear he was reluctant to reply.
"Don't know whys yous askin me that. There's barely been anyone else the last few decades."
She raised her brows but said nothing.
He shifted from foot to foot looking down, indecision showing on his wizened face.
"I'm not gonna talk bout other runners Sarah," He paused only murmuring, "…he will have my head."
Sarah caught it though, giving him a sharp look of understanding. She had her answer.
"You need to get movin missy, now." He repeated with some urgency.
The clock was ticking, that was true. She had to begin so she set the rest of their conversation aside as she did so many difficult issues. Not exactly healthy but often necessary.
Sarah turned toward the wall again and began to walk along beside it, after about ten yards she glimpsed an entrance. Huge solid and familiar looking doors stood closed before her. She shivered, as much a result of the breeze as it was foreboding. They were clearly made to keep things inside as well as keep other things out.
But she wouldn't be one of those things.
She glanced briefly at Hoggle who was following a step behind her. He gave her a funny look of expectation.
Did she need the right words to open those imposing things? Probably.
And yet, a funny kind of inkling was nudging her forward.
Sarah approached the ancient and iconic doors, apprehensive at what lay beyond them but feeling a distant yearning that tugged her too. Mixed feelings abounded and she struggled to stay calm.
Deep breaths.
Slowly she raised her arms and placed her hands flat against the doors. Sarah was unsure why she'd felt compelled to do so, but the warmth she could feel within the wood was strangely familiar. It flooded through her causing her to smile; it was like greeting an old friend.
Nothing happened for several seconds until a distant rumble gained momentum. She experienced it within her bones before she saw any movement, and the doors creaked slowly outwards toward her causing her to jump back lest they knock her over. Landing on her butt wouldn't be the best first impression on this run nor something she fancied Jareth seeing if he had a mind to spy on her.
"Well that's one way to do it." Hoggle remarked drily, looking at her in that strange kind of way again. It resembled the expression he reserved for the King. Slight disbelief warring with distrust. And it hurt.
Again, Sarah was struck with a need to offload her previous life and experience of the Labyrinth. To explain in some way all those odd occurrences and inexplicable things about her presence in the Underground that may have bothered him over the years. It might go someway to alleviate the doubt that was growing behind his eyes.
But now was not the right time.
"Good luck," He said eventually after a moment of contemplating the now open entrance.
"Thanks Hoggle,"
She was grateful that he wasn't completely down on her yet and offered a weak smile in return before focusing her attention on the doorway.
Here goes nothing was the thought that leapt from her mind as she crossed over the threshold. It was hard not to tense as she did so; like she expected something to grab at her straightaway.
She hoped this was a little more than nothing. She'd been here before and though she wasn't taking it for granted, but that had to count for something, right?
Just as she relaxed her shoulders there was a loud bang behind her as the doors slammed shut.
Jumping out of her skin two seconds into this ill-advised adventure did not reflect well on her anxiety levels.
Looking around she recognised the straight pathway between impossibly high stone walls. It was time to pick a direction.
Last time taking the left had worked out…okay. She'd got to the centre despite his underhanded tactics but knowing what he'd told her of the wildness of Labyrinth magic and the way it could change made any previous experience null and void.
Sigh.
She took a right. If she wanted to do this right, she needed to forget 'last time', have an open mind and to take chances where she found them.
She started off slowly, no point in running when trying to look for hidden pathways. If that was even the same?
Sarah noted the differences that were so obvious, from the lack of debris along the path to the pretty wildflowers that grew up around the edges. And the stone walls themselves were bright and clean and seemed well maintained. There was no grubby grime or slime in sight. Though she did still have that same ominous feeling of being watched, but it could just as easily be Jareth having a nosey through one of his crystals as it could be a creature in the walls. She attempted to ignore it.
Reaching out, she began to run her fingers carefully along the wall on her left. Nothing changed and she kept on walking.
She made her way down the slightly claustrophobic walled in walkway. And found it impossible not to consider a certain conversation with Jareth. It was more than overdue, but nothing was certain, and her heart felt weak with worry and prolonged lack of assurance. Talking was all well and good but there was every chance he'd refuse to admit owning any of those feelings.
In addition, her confidence in their relationship had fled. And she'd be a fool to assume that just because he had loved her once that he would love her still. It was a long time ago, and he must have plenty of options in his long and extravagant life. He might have told her that there were very few similar creatures in his Kingdom, but she wasn't stupid, there would still be the opportunity for trysts and such with all manner of stunning creatures from all over the realm.
How could she compete with that? Besides it was so long ago, and people move on, life compels them, eventually, to find happiness or to attempt it.
Hadn't she herself attempted to go on dates to maintain a kind of normality? She'd tried to pretend the hurt of his absence wasn't eating away at her. Even switching to date older college types in the hope they would have more in common. It hadn't worked. They too were mostly interested in a bit of fun and that was fine, for a time, but it wasn't to last. That wasn't what she wanted. Any attempt to go out with men her own true age would have been considered more than a little odd and illegal in many places. She couldn't win.
She wasn't stupid, but where Jareth was concerned, she just couldn't help being that hopeful fool.
It struck her that perhaps this, facing this place, and their dysfunctional relationship, was one of those things she was unable to escape, like a kind of unmoveable destiny. Was it already written just like the twisted tale of their shared history? How very depressing.
But was the outcome also immoveable?
It was such a small subtle difference that made her hand tingle slightly, but it snapped her attention back to the wall rather than the melancholy drifting she'd been doing thus far.
At first, she could detect no difference, the wall looked the same, but she took a step and her hand tingled again. This time she saw the slight angle that the wall had apparently moved or revealed into and she stepped into it a little more. It was so weird, and she half expected the resistance of the wall, it was a relief and a shock when her eyes continued to deceive her, but she stepped through it, leaving the first path completely.
That pleasant surprise gave way to shock again. This was no reflective parallel path going one of two ways. It splintered into three and high walls no longer blocked her view, but incredibly tall and thickly embedded trees appeared before her.
It was a lush forest that felt at once familiar and welcoming, until she'd stood there for several minutes staring and thinking. The more she looked the more something felt off about it. It wasn't wholly surprising. That earlier foreboding surged within her.
Not only that but here was another decision to make. Any of these could lead to her back to life or be her undoing. She swallowed.
Thanks brain, nothing like an extra bit of pressure.
Just about resisting the urge to play 'eeny meeny miny mo' with her three choices she made the decision with something a little more logical and perhaps more mature. She chuckled, did anyone ever really grow up? A certain aristocratic fae hadn't, and he'd had longer than most. Her mood darkened again.
Sarah blinked away the memory of his face just after she'd found herself on the floor of the throne room. It would do no good to keep wasting pointless minutes thinking about him when she had a scant thirteen hours to sort this out. Less than that if he chose to cheat and tip the balance.
But which path to take? It would be a cinch if they, like any cartoon worth it's mustard, advertised two options as dark and menacing and the other all sunshine and rainbows. Alas not, and even then, she reminded herself, that appearances could be incredibly deceptive. Don't judge a book by it's cover. Don't take anything for granted.
It was far too easy to be led up the primrose path.
Though no primroses grew here she noted with grim amusement. The paths all looked the same and they led in completely different directions into the thick bank of trees on all sides. There was really no way to differentiate between them.
She closed her eyes and focused quietly. It was as good an option as any. Breathing in the heavy mossy scent that filled her nostrils and threatened to make her sneeze she opened them again to look at the middle choice.
"Best foot forward Sarah, definitely not in Kansas now," She muttered, heading forward pretending for a second that the path was constructed of yellow bricks and her destination an emerald city. Her previous thoughts came back to her then. But she felt no shame in knowing she'd never grow out of a good story.
The scenery was startling, which wasn't surprising. She'd always found her exploration of certain areas of the Labyrinth full of wonder and discovery of such beauty. But this was not the forest she knew, no reason it should be, that would be too easy.
She wandered for a while and nothing changed.
The trees were impossibly tall and thick green foliage danced in the wind. Such swaying so far above threatened to sweep her vertigo into a frenzy. After she'd recovered, she opted to avoid looking upwards too often.
The dappled sunlight briefly shone through onto the path only to move and disappear. The filtered light cast downwards in quiet misty rays. The trees were so tightly packed together, it was amazing that any light made it through but the greenery so profuse and healthy she knew they must get enough to grow.
Having no idea of the passage of time was particularly worrying. Sarah damned the lack of any watch. She was very much torn between enjoying the apparent serenity and worrying about how much time she'd wasted wandering and admiring with no idea of her progress and knowing that there 'ought' to be tests and yet, nothing so far.
Another few minutes (she assumed) and still nothing obvious presented itself. Occasionally she felt that prickling that suggested a watcher or two, but she tried not to freak out until she was faced with facts rather than conjecture.
She came to an abrupt stop.
Where the hell had the path gone? She glanced backwards. There was now nothing behind either, nothing to her left or right. No discernible trail at all.
Ok Sarah, think.
Do not panic, this is what you're here for right? To solve the ultimate puzzle.
She swallowed; her throat hurt for some reason.
She took stock of her surroundings again, it seemed like the trees had become even thicker somehow. There was dense shrubbery and large stone boulders to her right which may not have been there before.
She took a deep breath and moved towards them. As she did so a breeze sailed past her and a small movement on one side of the stone caught her eye. Between two small fledgling branches there was a large shrub. She stepped closer still. The breeze was caught again but this time Sarah saw a different kind of movement, like that of a curtain flowing to and fro. Not a bush then. Hmm.
Slowly Sarah reached out with her hand, an experiment to see if her theory was correct. It went half-way through the strange curtain before there was definite movement, and she gave a little more pressure. Yep, it was moving. She brought her other hand up to feel around for the leading edge. When she found it, she pulled gently, it didn't take much before it moved aside and she stepped through, carefully replacing it behind her. No need to advertise that she'd gone through it.
When she turned her attention back to what lay beyond, she stopped and stared. It was an incredible sight.
A wide canyon of lush plants and flowers and other vegetation was topped by an incredible waterfall which bubbled and splashed far below then split into various busy streams. Centre stage between the rockface stood a tall tower. It was so spindly looking that Sarah wondered how it was still standing. Likely magic was the answer. But either way it was nothing like anything she'd seen before, and she couldn't help her open-mouthed inspection.
Something nagged in the far corner of her mind as she made her way towards it. Something muttering quietly just out of reach. Perhaps she shouldn't be heading straight towards this unknown fortification in the middle of this deserted valley? No probably not. But regardless that was what she was doing and almost powerless to stop herself.
Another foretelling? Another un-accident, predestined and inevitable? She growled and huffed to herself. What was there to lose?
Everything?
Pah.
Bring it on.
You don't mean that.
Perhaps.
Is this what it all comes down to? Talking distractedly to herself while some ominous something tried to warn her. Her body pulled toward the cause of the descending cloud of doubt.
All very likely when you're isolated and working so hard towards a goal you may never even catch a glimpse of. The mind was a tricky mistress.
Who knew how many runners had come to grief from the mess this place made within their minds?
Sarah swallowed again; she was close enough now to see the sheer magnitude of this place. Part of her thrilled at the adventure, and while something still nagged it wasn't strong enough to be competition for the feeling that compelled her to get close to it. She needed to reach out her hand and touch the smoothed individual stones. Such incredible work must have crafted this place. Magic or not.
She wandered around the base of the building, her hand in constant contact with the structure. It sent slivers of something along her arm. Once Sarah had made her way all around, she felt a tiny rumbling. It was so faint she wondered if she'd imagined it. Tilting her head to look upwards she set off again, intending to walk around it once more but she had stepped forwards only twice before she was confronted by a large black door.
That was new.
Sarah knew she ought to be scared but that invisible force tugged her forward again. Apparently, there was nothing that could have stopped her from grabbing the heavy circular handle and pushing. Heavy wood gave way with some effort and she peered into the darkness beyond before stepping inside. Inadvisable or no, nothing could have prevented her.
It clunked closed with a loud thunk that surely must have echoed through the valley. The reverberation ran through her, vaguely ominously, but she still felt no remorse for this choice. Or lack of it. And didn't need to check to know she wouldn't be getting out that way.
Sure enough, she glanced back into the dark, her eyes beginning to adjust, only to see solid stone.
"Oh. Dear."
She'd known, that niggling had been too well dampened to keep her from this folly but now, the realisation was growing. It was both a comfort and a curse to know she would have tried to fight it and galling to realise if she had been able to stop herself, she didn't know if she would have wanted to.
She'd wanted adventure. She'd wanted a realm of the fantastic. Here it was. Along with all the dangers inherently attached to it.
The light was non-existent, and her eyes desperately fought to use some sliver of lighter hue that filtered from above. A stone spiral staircase. Going up was only way. Again, she had no choice, right?
Slowly she began to climb; quickly losing count of the steps or number of times she moved around full circle in the cramped space that ascended skyward.
Nope, not normal.
Eventually the light seemed to grow and creep toward her as she climbed. Her breath caught, a mixture of intrigue and terror at what she might find at the top. All the while something else bothered her. This time it was not unnameable.
She knew this.
Sarah peeked up through the opening above her. The stairs seemed to bring her up through the floor rather than through a doorway as she'd expected.
Her eyes spied a circular room that opened far above her with an ornate, vaulted ceiling. Sarah moved slowly upwards until she had fully entered and gazed, spell-bound, at the decoration and general atmosphere. It felt friendly and home-like, welcoming, like it was pleased to see her. She smiled; it was like coming home.
The room was large with little furnishing, she wandered, peeking into the only other room she could find at this level, a small kitchen and dining area. Then her eyes and feet were drawn toward the foot of the stairs.
They curled upwards at the edge of the room to a small mezzanine balcony, which must lead to the upstairs rooms.
The apprehension that had gripped her at some point down at the base of the tower was gradually lessening all the time and she climbed these stairs with something akin to excitement.
On the next level she found a bedroom which seemed oddly familiar. The pattern on the bedspread was like something she had had as a child and the vanity, complete with mirror was so like her own that her heartbeat reacted. A strange coolness surged through her, though it didn't quite extinguish the strong homey feeling that pervaded through these unfamiliar rooms.
She left the bedroom, her mind a whir of confusion and urged her feet to find something to distract her. What she found was a semi-modern bathroom. It had a bath and a sink and a toilet, none of which seemed to precisely belong to this place, but it was certainly interesting.
There was another door on this upper level, she had almost missed it, half hidden as it was, by a heavy brocade curtain in midnight blue. The colour bothered her for some reason but the why seemed out of reach. She shrugged and tried the door's handle. It didn't budge, but there was definite movement behind the door that shocked her backwards.
She wasn't alone.
Well why would you be you daft goose?
Suddenly Sarah felt very small and stupid for presuming to walk into a place which was likely someone's dwelling.
Yes, the magic had compelled her, and she'd not once considered the implications of trespass.
Would whoever was behind the door be at all sympathetic to the plight of a silly girl who fell far too easily under a controlling spell? No, nor should she even think about admitting to it.
But once again things were not all they seemed. Or all she assumed them to be.
How quickly she'd forgotten not to take things for granted.
She'd known deep down, for example, that it was unlikely she would easily get out of the tower should she step foot in it. But as she'd ascended, her awareness had dwindled. It hit her with full force now, the noises of someone moving around in that room did not abate, and she stepped slowly backwards, backing away as her mind swam with implications.
Stepping towards the stairs, she moved back down them as quietly and quickly as she dared; wincing painfully as her foot found a malicious creak in the wood of the bottom step.
Her eyes flicked upwards as the unmistakable sound of a door wrenching open reached her ears and her stomach fell flat at the sight of the smooth uninterrupted stone floor spread before her.
No evidence of a trapdoor or spiral staircase descending into the dark.
No obvious means of escape.
Though she'd known she'd have to find some other way out of this, she hadn't quite imagined this scenario.
It was time to face the music. The sickness in her stomach only grew. She staggered into the room as heavy footsteps moved on the level above her. She peered upwards, suddenly assaulted with the realisation that this whole place was enchanted to be bigger on the inside. She almost laughed. It had been so obvious.
She couldn't tear her eyes away from the balcony above her as the footsteps moved closer still. With wide eyes she took in the figure that strode forward resting a hand on the banister.
A dark hood obscured his face, how bloody convenient. But this person exuded power. She wondered if it was just her imagination or if that truly was his aura she was sensing. It was pulsing off him in dizzying waves. The hooded cloak only added to the effect, magical and mysterious. Wizard like.
His hand gripped the wood, his knuckles turning white and she glimpsed the light as it bounced off his teeth, glittering there in the half light as a wicked grin stretched his features.
"Well, what's this?" He finally spoke only three words, but the effects were startling.
That voice. It was so like his that she experienced a shocking jolt, it was also ice cold, like shards that struck her heart and were dangerous in a way that worried her more than he ever had.
She opened her mouth to speak and found herself unable to.
"Hm how intriguing, a lost little kitten come in from the cold. Perhaps you were looking for something, or someone?"
She wanted to tell him no, this disturbing visage of a wizard who seemed to be greatly enjoying her discomfort; but she was still paralysed.
"What ever the reason was, it is of no matter now." That wicked gleam remained as he slowly moved toward the stairway. Never once did he turn his face away from hers.
Sarah was terrified but trying to muster her inner strength, it was in there somewhere. She realised, distractedly, how unfair it was that he saw every tiny pathetic detail of her open expressions while his face remained hidden from her.
"Sarah, yes? Hmm" He nodded, grinning again.
She felt a bead of something trickle down her back.
Still her voice was missing in action.
This unknown being terrified her to the very tips of her toes and the ends of every hair.
She shook her head instead.
That grin was unrelenting, and she felt a little sick to her stomach.
"Sarah, pet. Why don't you make yourself comfortable? I plan to make sure my little kitten is comfortable in her new home…"
Sarah baulked, though she was determined to not to show her true feelings, it was involuntary.
Who was this guy?
Why did he remind her of Jareth so much it was disturbing on several levels? Were they related? What was this about? What was she meant to do here? Being held prisoner sure as hell wasn't going to help her solve the Labyrinth.
How the hell would she get out of this one?
He was drawing closer now, descending the last few steps and striding toward her.
"Well?"
"I I I'm okay if it's all the same, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come in here but I…" She'd finally found her voice and hated how cowed it sounded. How very unsure and wheedling it was to her own ears and she grimaced.
"But you couldn't help yourself? Irresistible was that it? Lucky for you I am remarkably tolerant of such happenings."
She made to speak again but he held up his hand to forestall her.
"You are forgiven, now be a good little kitten, run along upstairs and dress for dinner. You will find suitable attire in the wardrobe. I will meet you back here shortly. Don't dawdle now." His tone was dark, and she nodded, it was not a tone to refuse.
He gestured to indicate she should be getting up the stairs and she moved that way with only a little hesitance. If only because it meant she was able to get away from him.
Oh hell.
The wardrobe doors opened to reveal a neat row of dresses. There were a variety of styles in various shades but not one pair of trousers or more practical clothing.
She seethed; biting down on the urge to make a scene when she knew it was futile right now.
Fashions were so different here, no surprise there. But she knew that women could and did sometimes wear more useful styles for work or riding or whatever. She'd seen them do it. And she'd never once been considered anything less when she'd visited the Kingdom in jeans or leggings.
What troubled her about this was the assumption that a woman's place was to wear dresses and all those antiquated beliefs that went along with them.
Jareth had not once expected her to bow to any such thing. She'd been grateful that he had placed no demands she fall into line with the often over the top styles she'd seen once at court. She'd always had the freedom to be herself.
This indicated something else and the taste it left in her mouth was sinister at best.
Her jaw clenched. This was about control then, among other things. The growing fear in her belly did nothing to disabuse her of that.
The way he made her feel with simple looks and vague gestures was chilling.
Being honest with herself, this person was terrifying, and Sarah wondered again how she was going to sort this out.
With a jolt she grabbed a dress from the place it had hung, not caring which it was, she wrenched it free rather aggressively. He was waiting and though she fancied herself a rebel and wanted nothing more than to make him wait for her or to refuse completely, that disturbing grin of his made her re-think this.
There would have to be another way. Something in the way he looked at her, that startling glance of appreciation and ultimate ownership gave her pause to worry if she'd make it out anytime in the next year let alone the crucial eleven or twelve hours that remained. It was horrible to realise that so skewed as everything was here, she had lost all trace of how time passed by,
She brushed her fingers down over the thankfully simple gown she had selected and smiled grimly. It was time and she wasted no more before exiting the room and moving towards her fate. It was difficult to keep herself steady as she descended the stairs.
He was not standing where she had last seen him, but there were noises coming from the room she'd noted earlier as the kitchen.
She made her way slowly to the doorway, peering around it and finding an odd sight to behold as she did so. He was fiddling with something, possibly ingredients, as he stood next to the double oven. She noted how odd it seemed that this person did their own cooking.
Sensing her gaze, he glanced her way, smiling slightly with some warmth but far more calculation than was natural or strictly friendly. It did nothing to calm her painfully paranoid instincts.
"Sarah, I appreciate your prompt arrival. I had half expected to be forced to come and find you." He smiled again, and her stomach dropped further. Something about his tone suggested he would have enjoyed such a venture.
She wanted to say something, anything to fill the quiet that stretched after his words but again, found she could not. A quiet dread had set up residence around her middle and apparently it was causing major issues with her brain to speech…everything.
Her body felt traitorous. It wasn't hugely dissimilar to the feelings that Jareth had on occasion, evoked himself. This thought alone sent her mind over the edge. Her brain boggled.
But.
But this person, he wasn't anything like Jareth? Right?
For a start she wasn't terrified of Jareth.
The end.
He was saying something. His hand beckoning her forcefully toward the dining table, all so clearly and neatly set for two.
She took her cue to move, hoping he had not needed a response.
Sitting at the table she was struck at the elegant simplicity. This wasn't like some fairy-tale castle filled with crystal and fancy items. But the crockery and cutlery, the place setting too were all smart and indicated some level of wealth.
He brought two plates, setting one in front of her it appeared to be an underground version of a roast dinner. A goblet, probably full of wine, sat innocently beside it. And a glass of, hopefully, water beside that.
He immediately began to eat though his surreptitious glances told her he was clearly aware of her non-movement and reticence.
After another few minutes of Sarah's statuesque behaviour and his contemplative consumption he slowly lowered his goblet.
"I had hoped for us both to partake of a meal before the inevitable discussion. Eat and drink Sarah, I will answer questions and discuss guidelines once we have both finished."
His tone brooked no argument. Yet there was still a piece of her which baulked at the directive. An order, even a politely worded one, was still an order. And Sarah didn't just throw up her hands and surrender at the first hurdle.
She also suspected he knew this.
There was a smirk lingering. Not unlike….
And his eyes twinkled like he was amused, though his whole expression held some malicious intent that screamed at her to up and run and yet Sarah wasn't up and doing any such thing.
This bothered her on several levels. It wasn't exactly her modus operandi. Sarah was more than capable of standing up for herself, and she usually had a good amount of tenacity to try. Which was why her lack of doing anything to fight this situation wasn't exactly normal.
Though there didn't seem to be any obvious ways out of this situation that didn't mean there weren't any.
She could look if she could get away from this…person.
A shiver made its way slowly along her vertebrae.
If she could manage that?
That foreboding was back in full force. Number one, her natural responses seemed oddly dampened. And number two, she had a nasty feeling that he wouldn't let go easily.
Gulp.
Good going Sarah. You walked right into a trap. One where there is the potential to never get out again.
Something else niggled now. This was strangely familiar in another way, and not in a fairy-tale situation way.
Their meal was eaten in silence. Sarah's uncomfortable feelings were diminishing. That alone was worrying. Furthermore, the food was incredible but perhaps her basis for comparison was lacking, having not eaten since lunch at the fair and that had been a measly hotdog and some too-hard cotton candy.
She felt his occasional glances in her direction but made no comment. Her mind was darting here and there on the matter of escape to expend much energy caring about a little staring. Besides she wasn't as creeped out anymore. No doubt the Labyrinth was playing noodles with her brain again. She ought to be terrified, disturbed, afraid. She was none of those things. Mildly bemused was perhaps closest.
But she reasoned, nothing is what it seems. Ever.
She wasn't bothered by him, any initial reaction seemed to have melted away. But still, she knew she had to leave, though no means of escape were obvious, short of growing her hair, ala Rapunzel. Oh yeah, a helpful fairy-tale to be faced with when she had mere hours not years to grow hair strands.
Come on Sarah, think.
But the food was making her too sluggish and she found her ability a little inhibited despite favouring water over the wine.
Hmm he's tricky.
What did you expect? He's the spitting image of J's imaginary brother. This is your fairy-tale. Who else would take centre stage?
Well, great. Hard enough to deal with her recalcitrant defensive Fae now she had to do what, entertain his make-believe family? She was certain he'd told her he had few family members, perhaps a sister but not a brother. For sure a Labyrinth concoction then.
Ugh.
Once they were finished, he cleared the plates and Sarah watched as he used a spell to clean everything and put it away.
'It may be cheating but it gets it done doesn't it?"
She nodded; again, her tongue felt like lead.
He resumed his position at the table.
"Now down to the details. There is no way-out Sarah. You'll find you'll like it here, in time."
She narrowed her eyes but again found it difficult to voice a counter point.
He smiled thinly and continued.
"There are very few rules. Do not try to leave, there is no way out. Be punctual for meals. You may explore all the rooms besides mine. And be civil, I realise this may be difficult, at least initially, but I have every confidence that you will…acclimatise rather well."
Here he paused, a slightly sly smile appearing then disappearing from his face.
This should have annoyed her, but he was alarmingly charming, even as he laid out the facts of her imprisonment. And that's what it was.
"Would you come with me? I have something to show you.'
Beware
Was what one piece of her mind told her.
The other was just far too curious to care.
What happened to the cat, Sarah?
She followed him out of the room, feeling irritatingly like an obedient lapdog, and saw they were headed towards some dark wooden double doors tucked away to the right. Yet more magical spelled spaces in this impossible tower.
Once she stepped through, she understood. Almost.
It was the library at the castle. Exact down to the last detail. Sarah found herself unable to stop staring or stop her feet as they were propelled forward towards the intricately carved table that she knew so well.
The book she had abandoned half read was open where she had left it.
Ok, more than slightly creepy now. This wasn't the castle, no matter how much they tried to fool her. She knew that.
But still, it was so close. And the book was a master stroke, in a troubling way.
With a pang she recalled the blue embossed version that sat, not yet packed, on her bedside table. She was undecided about it. One way or the other, this Labyrinth would probably make the decision for her.
Sarah blinked back tears and swallowed the lump back down.
Glancing toward him told her too late that he'd seen every emotion play across her face. Though where she expected to see smugness there was sympathy and understanding. It made her heart thump in an odd way.
She reminded herself that this wasn't Jareth.
He offered her a chair which she took, albeit reluctantly. It was becoming ever harder to maintain an objective view here. Everything was comfortable, and she'd missed the library so much.
They sat in companionable silence for a while. And though Sarah was aware of the time running away from her another part was too content to care. She'd missed this feeling too. The only one you'd get from the companiable quiet of reading with someone close to you. Hard as it was to remember she'd only just met him, that wasn't how it felt.
A while later, no idea by how much, he suggested they retire to the den for a nightcap. It was softly lit and deliciously warm as a fire blazed in the grate and they sat on the squishy sofa. Sarah took very small sips of the wine, as small as she could get away with. On the one hand she knew this was a little off, on the other she was so warm and slightly tipsy she was verging on not caring at all.
Danger
Was said somewhere in her head. But it was so far away...
At some point they had both moved closer to the other. They'd chatted about this and that, nothing that jumped out at her.
And then he was looking at her in that way...
Oh Sarah no.
He leaned forward, his face now inches away, his eyes searching hers, the intention clear. Everything he had said up to this point fell into sharp relief.
"Isn't this what you want Sarah?" The question was anything but innocent. Whispered by that deeply familiar voice, all suggestion and weight were held within it.
Sarah's internal dialogue fought hard against puddle inducing implications. Traitorously, there was a piece of her that wanted to succumb. It would be so easy. To give in to him and let go of everything else.
And it would be letting go of everything, to be stuck here forever, sucked into a Labyrinth void.
Oh, good grief.
Sarah. Wake up now.
She opened her mouth; the difficulty was not lost on her. It was again, like wading through treacle.
And that was it. The answer.
"You're not him." She finally whispered, finding the strength to push against whatever was holding her.
He grinned, a pointy toothed smile that spoke of both malicious and adoring amorous intentions.
"I'm close." His voice was low.
A shiver travelled down to her nerve endings. His hand made its way to gently caress her face. She was so close to losing the game.
Disturbed that this didn't disturb her enough she spoke again before she lost her grip.
"This isn't ...the same"
"Oh, it isn't?"
She shook her head.
"This is a trap."
"Is this so very different from what your life would be like...?"
The 'with him' was unspoken but it reverberated painfully in her head.
She wanted to deny it, but the niggle was there. She loved J but would it be a self-made trap? Giving him what he'd wanted all along? Would her life be sequestered indefinitely? No way forward and no way back? Locked away from both worlds she knew and loved. Would he really do that rather than love her as she was?
The ridiculousness of this almost made her laugh but the deeply buried fear bubbled up over her like some stupid tar like substance and it refused to let go. She might never see her family again. She'd harboured this wondering for far too long and it had obviously gained enough momentum to manifest itself here. After all, she knew the Labyrinth didn't play nicely.
His face, still only inches away, morphed into a less than subtle expression of victory.
It annoyed and thrilled her in equal measure. She felt disgusted with herself. And strangely, disloyal to Jareth even considering his repeated rejection.
And she knew.
She smiled seductively. And then leaned forward which encouraged the same in him. Stopping just short of his lips whispering,
"He would never lock me away. You can never be him."
His look of absolute shock dissolved as he disappeared. The room around her remained but not quite as lavishly furnished as before. The windows were open, and Sarah had a good feeling as she arose, finding the stairs in the floor returned. She ran upstairs, briefly considered changing but on investigation her own clothes had not been returned. She rolled her eyes at the controlling nature of the entity in charge and chose the most practical outfit she could find. It was still too lavish for traversing this place but the breeches, boots and elaborate belted tunic were eminently preferable to the alternative.
She hurried down the stone stairs, barely stopping herself from falling; pondering just how long a time she'd lost. It was futile but who could tell, the sun was still blazing outside.
How many hours spent in that treacle trapped atmosphere? Three? Five?
No time just get on with it.
She was in such a hurry that her awareness of the immediate surroundings of the tower did not register straight away. With alarm she realised everything had changed, what had been a lush green valley was now a mountain range.
Yikes.
How was she to manage this? Especially in this gear, dressed as she was for riding and not hiking.
Well feet, we need to get on with it. No time to wallow over time lost. Even if it was a lot.
Sarah begin to wind her way down the first mountain like hill, she stumbled more than once over rocks and tree roots though the trees were much more stunted here than the forest or the valley. It was also hotter, and it wasn't long before she was sweating in the afternoon-like sunlight (did this place never go to sleep?!) Her mouth felt dry and parched. She needed some water and soon.
Glancing down she spied a stream far below in a narrow gap in the rocks. It was probably wide enough for her though, from this distance it was bound to look small.
As she approached the gap, she realised it turned into a sheer drop well before the floor of the crevice. Bummer. Getting closer again Sarah spotted some spindly branches clinging onto the rock that she might just be able to grab hold of before falling to her untimely and likely pretty grisly death.
Right.
Positioning one foot on the last foot hold she could see Sarah reached out with both hands and grabbed the branch as tightly as she could.
That was her second mistake.
The first had been to think that the black branches had been branches.
They were not. It felt like jello and immediately folded under her weight. No. This couldn't be it.
Done in by a jelly plant and some questionable spatial awareness.
She fell sideways and didn't go very far, it felt like the squishy stuff was also sticking to her. Thank goodness for that.
Unfortunately, the next second she looked down and realised the truth of the situation. It wasn't any kind of plant; though it was dark coloured and sticky. A sick feeling was choking her stomach; there was an intricate and endless pattern of this stuff. And it looked suspiciously like a web.
Now she had reason to swear.
Yay another cliff hanger! And Woohoo a chapter at last!
No I've definitely not abandoned it, it's all still in hand. I fell off the grid a bit is all. We are expecting our fifth (and probably final) little goblin and it's only now that I'm feeling well enough to do much. Good for me and good for any readers out there!
A longish chapter, it could have been longer but since it's been in the works for months it needed to get out there!
As always would love to hear your thoughts.
B x