Return to the Labyrinth [DarkDreamer9110][SongstressLenne]

[roses.on.your.bones]

​

Five years. It had been five years since Sarah ran the labyrinth after wishing Toby away, and the trip to the underworld had really taken its toll on her. She wasn't stupid enough to tell anyone about what had happened. Who would believe her? Once she'd uttered those words-- you have no power over me-- things got a little fuzzy, and then crystal clear. One minute she'd been falling, falling, falling, and the next, she was back at home. Safe and sound. The first thing she'd done was check to ensure Toby was there, which he was. Also safe. Staring down at her baby brother, she realized in that moment just how precious he really was. She'd been selfish to wish him away. Even if her parents memories of Toby had been wiped, hers would not have been. She would have lived her life wondering how things would be different if Toby were still around.

After moving on to her own room, she grew saddened by the sudden loneliness she felt. Gazing at her reflection in the mirror, she couldn't help but miss her friends. In the thirteen hours she spent running the labyrinth, she'd grown close to them. Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus... all of them. When they'd appeared in her mirror, and she'd turned to find them in her room... It was the happiest she'd ever been. But there was a flicker of doubt within her, one that kept imagining the Goblin King's face when she'd destroyed him and declined his offer.

Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave...

Those words stuck with her for a long time. The now twenty year old had moved out of her father's house, and into an apartment with her best friend, Nicole. But whereas Sarah had practically given up on dreaming and 'being fun', Nicole was quite the opposite. Sarah had met her during junior year of high school, and Nicole had sort of adopted her as a friend. Despite Nicole's seriously outgoing and outspoken ways, Sarah actually really liked her. She was a good person. They both decided to take a year off of college, and get jobs and an apartment together, and that's exactly what they did. At first, everything was great.

But there was a darkness inside of Sarah that she'd been fighting to keep from coming out. She withdrew more and more, until she was spending the majority of time in her room. She lost her job, which meant Nicole had to pick up the slack. After a few months of that, she'd finally had enough and practically dragged Sarah out to the bar one night, just to get her out of the house. And that... that is where Sarah met Derek. At first, Derek was everything she'd been missing. Flirty, fun, attractive, sweet... he dragged her out of the dark spot in her life. She got another job, one she actually enjoyed at a pet hospital.

It was long hours, which meant Derek wasn't seeing her as often. It sucked, but he was never mean or rude about it. When she came home one night from a late shift, exhausted and red-faced from crying over the loss of a patient, she didn't expect Derek to her in her and Nicole's apartment. Nicole had let him in, and then gone out. Sarah didn't see the punch coming. That first hit started a whirlwind of abuse that she dealt with on the down low for about a year and a half. Nicole and Sarah had gotten into a huge disagreement over him, big enough that Nicole moved out, and Derek moved in. That just made the abuse worse.

When Sarah finally gathered the courage to leave, she moved to a shady apartment complex a few towns over. At first, Derek had blown up her phone and threatened her on the daily. But then it stopped. Until tonight, when he randomly showed up at her door and beat her senseless. He'd left her a broken, bruised heap on the floor, slamming the door behind him as he left. She'd pulled herself up to a sitting position, feeling worse than she'd felt those five years ago sitting in her room alone. Crying into her sleeve, she whispered words that she swore she'd never, ever say again.

"I wish the goblins would come and take me away. Right now."

 

[DarkDreamer9110]

The last five years had been rather boring, and Jareth, the great Goblin King, was still sulking from his defeat at Sarah's hands. It had been so embarrassing to have been bested. And yet, the girl had earned his respect. She had fought against the odds, raced against the clock, found the way to defeat him. He admired that.

He had watched her occasionally since, but had not peeked in in some years. And then, one day, lounging on his throne, he and the other goblins heard them. The magic words. The simple summoning invocation. A simple wish. But that voice ...

In an instant he was on his feet, and the next he was elsewhere, at the source of those words. He glanced around, and then he saw her, sitting curled up on the floor.

"Oh, Sarah." The pain in his voice was obvious. He crouched down next to her, reached out a hand to touch her. "What happened to you?" He asked softly.

 

[roses.on.your.bones]

Had she known that he might actually come, she might have thought twice about saying the words. The wind picked up outside mere seconds after she said them, and she sensed his presence before he spoke. When she heard the pain in his voice, she stifled another sob, feeling his hand on her as he crouched beside her. Slowly, she lifted her head to look up at him, finding the same beautiful face she'd turned down five years ago. A bruise was forming on her cheek, and her bottom lip was busted, dried blood covering the opening.

"I don't want to talk about it." She finally said, her eyes searching his, searching for any sign of anger or hatred in this moment. She saw none. "Why did you come?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, though easily heard if you were close to her.

 

[DarkDreamer9110]

He nodded as she spoke. "Fine then. Have it your way." He said, then chuckled at her question. "I've come to take you away, Sarah. You said the words, and I was intrigued to hear you of all people asking for that. So I decided to come and see for myself before whisking you away to my castle to be my queen."

He reached out to stroke her hair. "Come with me, Sarah. Come away from all this."

 

[roses.on.your.bones]

Sarah had to admit that she appreciated that he didn't press her for answers. He chuckled and she looked down again, embarrassed at the situation she was caught in. She hated looking this vulnerable, especially in front of him of all people. The last time, when she'd wished Toby away, she'd had to put on this brave front. The truth was, Sarah had been scared shitless. But... he'd never hurt her. Maybe that's why, after all this time, she'd called out to him of all people. When she heard the word queen, she lifted her head again. "I'm no queen."

Hating the slight whine to her voice, she resisted the urge to lean into his touch. She failed. Closing her eyes, enjoying the touch, she nodded. "Please. I can't... I can't take it anymore."

 

[DarkDreamer9110]

He smiled as she said she was no Queen. "You can be." He assured her. "I was fascinated by you from the moment you dared to brave the Labyrinth. You were strong, if impetuous and immature. But you grew. You learned. You fought. You faced me alone. You won."

He hesitated. "Everything has a price, Sarah. There is something I must ask of you. Love me, do as I say, submit to me, and you shall be my queen." He said, pulling her close. "I do not ask this lightly. But I must hear you agree. I will only take you away if you can grant me that. Give yourself to me, wholly and completely."

 

[roses.on.your.bones]

Sarah drew comfort from his presence, something that she would have never thought was possible. As he spoke, the memory of her run through the labyrinth flashed in her mind. "You took Toby." She told him, the stubborn teenage side of her-- the side with the spark-- coming out, if only for a moment. "I had to get him back." Her voice had softened some this time around.

When Jareth spoke again, she slowly turned her head to look at him, realizing for the first time just how close he was. Her lips parted automatically, her eyes searching his as he asked her to submit to him, wholly and completely. "What does that mean?" She tilted her head some, the bruise shining on her cheek. The blood on her lip had dried completely now, weighing her lip down some. "Submit to you."