Summary: Sarah, Toby, and co. venture into the Labyrinth to rescue Layla, and unknowingly fall into a trap.
Warning(s): Other than some anxiety and yelling, I don't think there's any this chapter, as always, please let me know if I missed anything!
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No matter how much Sarah willed her body forward, both feet stayed cemented to the floor. A fire of protest burned in every fiber being. It screamed and begged not to go through the window, desperate not to return to the world she’d spent so many years running from. “Layla is there, I have to get her back. I can’t afford to be afraid right now,” Sarah told herself. She knew deep in her heart of hearts that if the roles were reversed, Layla wouldn’t hesitate to get her back. Unable to shake the sensation of being watched, Sarah tore her focus away from the window, and realized all eyes were on her.
Her vulnerability was something new to Toby, who looked at her with a sense of worry and understanding. Almost as if it finally dawned on him just how hard their venture would be on her. Beneath his concern though, Sarah saw excitement. The same rich desire she’d once had to see a world only ever described by printed words on dead trees.
Jareth had no such sentiment. She met his leveled stare only to realize she couldn’t quite make out what thoughts danced behind blue and brown. What his eyes failed to convey, his body did. Stiff as a statue with both hands folded at his front, though one thumb tapped against the other. His impatience was ill-received, it swept Sarah’s features up in a storm of annoyance.
“Come on, Layla’s waiting,” she offered her hand to Toby.
Toby jumped a bit as he was referred to, the boy had gotten distracted trying to decipher the hidden language his sister and the Goblin King seemed to have. He took her hand with a nod, “right.”
In unison the Williams’ siblings entered the portal, neither bombarded by a wave of nausea or any other form of disorientation. Instead it happened like they’d simply walked out the front door. Except said door led to a desert-like world. Deja Vu hit Sarah with enough force to send her fifteen years into the past, to the story night when she first made her wish.
The Labyrinth stood both familiar and foriegn, thin cracks that hadn’t been there before littered the ground beneath her feet like veins. When she surveyed the land, sand no longer carried in the wind, and the air itself had changed. Heavier. Almost suffocating. It all seemed like a shadow of its former self, no longer urging her to rise to the challenge of conquering winding halls and hidden passages.
“Whoa,” Toby drank in the world around him, a wide smile blossomed on his lips. “Come on Daeg let’s explore!”
Sarah tightened her grip on his hand when he tried to charge headfirst without a second thought, “hey wait-”
The words died on her tongue when Toby looked at her with a slight pout, a plea in his eyes for her to let him go.
After several long moments of consideration, a heavy sigh escaped her. Sarah relented, allowing him to run with his Fiery companion so long as he promised to stay within her line of sight. She couldn’t fight back the smile at watching Toby run down the path, his fiery struggling to keep up even while running on all fours.
The smile died in an instant, her head turned to look over her shoulder, “what happened to the part about not having to run again? Why bring us to the beginning and not just straight to the castle?”
“So you may see the extent of the damage done here,” Jareth raised a hand so Girven could hop into his palm, kneeling down, he placed the Spriggan on the ground. “You will not go through the Labyrinth, Girven will lead you around to the hidden entrance. Won’t you?”
A gnawing type chatter came from the Spriggan as it nodded.
Sarah’s eyes widened, “What?! You’re just gonna leave us here?”
Her hands balled into fists, alongside his current decision to leave Girven as their escort, the matter-of-fact way he’d spoken made Sarah’s blood boil. Why did it sound like he was pointing the blame at her? She rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, sucking in a deep breath in an attempt to quell her anger. He had no power over her. Even though she was willing to bet his claim of there being a “hidden entrance” had been something he installed after her victory. She wouldn’t fall prey to his petty jabs.
Before anything else could be said, Jareth vanished, and a white owl took his place. A screech tore across the sky as it ascended towards the castle in the distance.
He probably wouldn’t hear it, but Sarah wanted to get the last word in. She cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, “asshole!”
Girven pinned its ears with a displeased whimper.
“Oh, sorry,” she winced. “Uhm, lead the way, I guess?”
Sarah wasn’t sure how they hadn’t managed to set foot in the Labyrinth but still reach the Goblin City. She stood beneath the archway, fingertips tracing the brickwork. There were marks, both old and new. One in particular stood out to her, thin, like it had been made by the strike of a blade. Sarah jumped when a bark echoed around her, “Didymus?” Her head whipped around as she searched for the knight, except he never appeared to her. Only his phantom barks continued.
“What, is someone here?” Toby’s head whipped around as he halted.
Daegmund sing-songed under a mumble meant only for the boy’s ears, “Wooh-hoo, tha little lady gone loco."
Girven reached one of its small hands clutched at Sarah’s pant leg. Big eyes looked up at her curiously, the Spriggan’s bushy mane of brown swished to the side following its head tilt.
“I’m fine,” Sarah shook her head and rubbed the tension pooling between her brows. “I just…thought I heard something.”
Rather than hold the group back with her hallucinations, she pushed ahead of them. Sarah had found her way to the castle once, she could do it again with or without Girven’s guidance. She was champion of the Labyrinth afterall.
The damage Jareth spoke of worsened the closer they got to the castle, half of the goblin city appeared to have been struck by some kind of landslide. Fallen buildings and piles of rubble still scattered the stone below. The fountain in the city square no longer spouted water, based on the black ring around the inside, it hadn’t for a while.
Daegmund clumsily descended down from Toby’s back, the Fiery just as awe struck by the city he’d likely never seen. Sarah watched the bright orange creature move about, and torment a few goblins who dared to leave their homes. She still found it strange how different Daegmund was compared to the other Fiery she encountered, he never once tried to take off Toby’s head, or arm, or any other part of him. Her train of thought came to a halt once they reached the doors to the castle.
“It’s so quiet, where are all the goblins?” Toby wondered aloud.
Daegmund flicked an ear towards Girven, “Da little one be sayin’ Kingsy called ‘em all in.”
“Come on,” Sarah bent down and offered her hand for Girven to climb onto, “let’s get inside. The faster we find Layla the faster we can get out of here.”
Toby followed close at Sarah’s heel, concern brewed in his eyes. He’d never seen his sister act the way she did. Almost like they were going into a haunted house instead of a mythical castle. His eyes fell to her free hand, the one picking at a loose thread on the seam of her jeans. He reached out and took her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze. When Sarah looked down at him he only smiled in return.
Sarah kept her brother shielded as they turned the corner, a dark curtain blocked the archway that would have let them look into the throne room. Pulling it back some, she watched the scene before her play out. Each goblin in the room shrank back to burrow into the nearest crevice and corner they could fit into as Jareth circled the room, both hands on his hips. In that moment she realized she’d never seen Jareth interact with the goblins, she’d only heard the music and obnoxious laughs carry in the wind back when she was a runner.
“Enough of your squabbling and excuses,” he snapped. “Where is Styx? I specifically put her in charge!”
From the otherside of the room a woman- no. She was half a woman. From the knees down she had the legs of a bird, sharp talons clicked against the floor when she entered the room. Lavender waves spilled about halfway down her back, from what Sarah could tell. She didn’t recognize the woman at all.
Styx folded clawed hands at her front, wings falling from her arms like bellowed sleeves, “I am here, majesty.”
“I demand an explanation. How is it that a human girl was taken when I ordered no wishes to be granted in my absence,” Jareth directed a glare to three goblins who skittered under her wings for protection.
“Majesty, please,” Styx begged as she safeguarded the goblins. The two dark feathers poking through her waves pinned like the ears of a sad puppy, “I am at fault. Do not punish them. There hasn’t been a wish for many weeks, they were simply a little over-excited.”
“You can only coddle them so much, Styx,” Jareth grumbled. “They may have been children once, but they are n-”
Toby covered his mouth too late to catch the gasp, he inched further behind Sarah when he realized they’d been spotted.
“Ah, it would seem our guests have arrived,” The Goblin King waved a hand at the three goblins huddled around Styx. “You three, prove yourselves useful and bring the girl here. She will return Aboveground at once.”
Sarah squeezed Toby’s hand behind her back as she stepped fully into the throne room, “if Layla wasn’t running then where were you keeping her?”
Styx’s feathered ears perked at the sight of the small group, she took it upon herself to answer while Jareth sat upon his throne, “well, given that Layla had been mistakenly taken as one who was wished away, she would need a runner to claim her. However in this case since your brother has already been in the Labyrinth, he could not challenge to get her back. In rare cases such as this, ones who are wished away with no runner are simply confined to the castle. Your friend has kept the kitchen staff quite entertained with her culinary skills.”
“Oh thank god,” Sarah sighed in relief. “I thought she’d be thrown in a dungeon or something.”
“Come now, dear Sarah. We aren’t heathens,” Jareth snorted.
Toby looked around his sister towards Styx, “So…Layla is okay? She isn’t mad at me?”
The avain woman smiled so bright it could put the sun to shame, she shook her head lightly, “no, young one. I’ve seen to it that your friend is treated with great care.”
“Sarah! Oh- Toby!” Layla beamed as she rushed in ahead of her goblin escorts, she threw her arms around Sarah’s neck. Safe and sound, and not a single scratch on her.
“Layla,” Sarah stumbled at the force of the hug, but nonetheless held onto her friend like a lifeline. “I’m so sorry this happened, you should never have been brought here.”
Despite the arguably traumatic experience of being kidnapped by goblins, the redhead didn’t seem the least bit frightened. She’d all but taken over the castle kitchen for goodness sake. “But Sarah, it's wonderful here! Everyone has been so lovely! Of course, it was a bit scary at first but really, everyone has been so kind to me. A few of the goblins in the kitchen even showed me how to make grit cakes!”
“I’m just glad you’re not hurt,” Sarah dismissed her own negative bias surrounding the castle. Layla seemed so happy, she wouldn’t squander that.
“Me too,” Toby added, throwing his arms around Layla apologetically.
Their reunion was interrupted by Jareth, who cleared his throat and rose from his throne, “yes, well now that your friend has been reclaimed, we can resume progress on more important matters. Styx will prepare sleeping quarters for you. Tomorrow, Sarah, you will be led to where the convergence first occurred. Perhaps then you will be better equipped to bring an end to this matter.”
Sarah went eye-wide, “What?! No, absolutely not, we’re not staying here!”
“I fail to see where I gave you an option,” Jareth sneered. “You leave with Styx at first light.”
Okay, now I adore Girven's face claim as is. HOWEVER, I recently discovered the existence of Cotton-Top Tamarin and...
They're so adorable Hello?
I don't know what it is about them, but they kind of scream Girven to me. The awesome thing about Tamarin is that not only are they small beans, they're all so unique! If not a cotton-top Tamarin, then I could definitely see Girven as a golden-headed lion Tamarin
With a change in coloration to match his current brown and bits of white, of course.
I'm going to let you guys vote
A. Keep the current face claim (Pinto from Maleficent 2)
Summary: Something starts to affect the veil between the fae and human world, creatures of the Labyrinth start to appear in the human world. Which inevitably means Sarah will once again come face to face with the Goblin King.
Summary: Things in the Underground start to go awry, and Sarah discovers the fairy isn't all that it seems.
Warning(s): Panic attack, other than that I don't think there's anything else, please let me know if I missed something!
Author Note: The italicized paragraph is a page from "Faeries" by Brain Froud!
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The dwarf halted midstep as a voice tickled his ears. Strange as it was, when Hoggle turned to look around, he found himself alone. He knew the voice. He would always know her voice, given the number of times she called out to him for help before. Each call he answered without hesitation. What didn’t make sense to him was why now?
He huffed and reloaded his fairy sprayer.
Life hadn’t quite gone back to normal since Sarah’s conquer of the Labyrinth. The structure, and the Underground itself, had been forever changed. Weakened. Because Sarah had been the first person to ever defeat the Goblin King and reclaim the wished away person.
Though not a creature with an affinity for magic, Hoggle could still feel the soil shift differently beneath his feet. Other residents of the Underground must have sensed it as well. The fairies had gotten meaner, though at their size and number, they didn’t pose a threat.
Not one large enough for the Goblin King to worry about anyway.
Despite his initial desire to ignore Sarah’s plea for help, Hoggle still found himself ready to run to her. The four of them, her, Ludo, Didymus, and him had made a pact afterall. Should you need us. A certain bitterness sat in the Dwarf’s chest because they needed her too, and where was she when they called? Time carried differently Aboveground, Hoggle knew that, and knew he couldn’t hold that against Sarah. He couldn't answer her call. Not yet.
⚪🦉⚪
A disappointment sat in her chest so heavy it dropped her heart into her stomach.
Sarah didn’t know what she expected.
For Hoggle to actually appear, but instead reality hit her hard as a bus. Why did she feel so childish? Had she not grown beyond the fifteen year old who buried herself in books to escape reality?
Sweat trickled down her back and her tongue like sand in her mouth, teeth dug into her bottom lip.
The rush of nausea skid to a stop as Layla's hands cupped around hers in a gentle touch, "Sarah? Sarah you're shaking."
Sarah didn't have to utter a word for her friend to see the panic attack, guilt dusted her features, as if she regretted coming to Sarah in the first place.
"I'm sorry I don't- I don't know what. What's happening I-" she wheezed.
"Hey- hey hey hey," Layla shushed her softly, her hands giving another squeeze in hopes it might ground her somehow. "Sarah, Sarah you're okay. I just squeezed your hands again, did you feel it?"
She answered with a light nod.
"Good, I'm going to do it one more time, and I want you to tell me the pressure, okay?"
"Medium," Sarah muttered, trying to slow her frantic heart. "Harder than the last one."
It took almost thirty minutes to wrangle the anxiety from her bones. Sarah's veins grew heavy and her body ached. She kicked herself mentally, as the eldest of the two, Sarah felt like she should have held herself together better. Even if Layla was more than happy to chase her panic away with gentle words and touches, Sarah couldn't let it become a crutch.
She needed to focus on the fairy and what to do with it.
No one would come for Toby unless someone wished him away.
"I'm sorry," she sighed and rested her sweaty forehead on their joined hands. "I don't know what came over me…"
"Well, to be fair it's not everyday you come across a live fairy," Layla offered.
She broke from Sarah to grab a cold cloth from the kitchen, letting her friend wipe away the last remnants of her panic attack.
Sarah looked at the blanket and froze. The fairy awakened. A long, tooth-pick thin arm wrapped around its middle, half sat up, and large eyes struggling to stay open. Layla cupped her hand behind the fuzzy ball of brown, assessing the wound best she could.
Given that it was a magical creature they were dealing with, both women opted to place a bandaid over the wound, which wrapped completely around the fairy's torso. They agreed to monitor the wound in shifts, if it worsened they'd try to treat it, and If not they'd see if the fairy could mend itself.
When Sarah laid down to sleep that night she thought of Hoggle again. She wondered why he hadn't answered, or if he'd even heard her at all. Ludo and Sir Didymus appeared next in her minds eye. If she called them, would it yield the same result? Would either of them answer her?
Would Jareth?
Pale-green eyes screwed shut and her face scrunched in protest, no, no she refused to call him. Much less allow him to occupy any more room in her mind. Sarah took the nature of the fairy into account. It didn't look like the fairies she'd seen in the Labyrinth, ones who had a human appearance save for the wings, white hair, and pointed ears. Sarah began to wonder if the creature even came from the Labyrinth at all.
With a sigh she rolled away from the window, she'd gone two days without sleep. Part of her hoped it would all be a dream. That she'd just been caught up in some wild hallucination. Except her body sank into the mattress, the fibers of her sheets tickled her skin. Sarah had felt too much for the night to not be a dream.
As her mind began to wander, a familiar beast appeared behind her eyes. Sarah recalled how she met Ludo, strung upside down and beaten like some kind of piñata. She remembered the adorable look on his face when they encountered the knockers, the way his ears perked while he held the ring in his mouth.
The name fell off her tongue in a whisper, "Ludo…"
⚪🦉⚪
“Hey Hoggsie come an’ look at this!” A voice called to him from the other side of the wall.
“Hog-gle,” he corrected with a grunt, practically spelling it out as he opened the doors to the Labyrinth.
Two right turns and one left brought him to a goblin. The knees of her brown overalls stained with red clay, patches of it present on her white undershirt as well. The dwarf struggled to look past purple hair as he loomed over the Goblin.
"Right here see?" She chattered while tapping a clawed finger against the stone. "There's anotha crack, ain't big enough for anyone ta get outta though."
Hoggle crossed his arms at that. A number of Goblins and other Underground residence had gone missing, and because of the Labyrinth's weakened state. None could tell if the disappearances were accidental or not. It happened a time or two before, goblins falling into the cracks and into the Aboveground. Yet never in this many numbers.
"I c'n patch it up for ya, unless his majesty wants ta keep it," the purple haired Goblin stated.
Hoggle waved a hand, "nah, ain't worth the trouble Thistle."
She gave him a two finger salute, "you got it."
In the distance, a loud howlish-wail filled the air. Hoggle's eyes widened as he recognized the cry. It came from the hedge maze. While not built to run, Hoggle sped towards Ludo's cry as fast as he could.
⚪🦉⚪
Unable to sleep, Sarah stayed up till the wee hours of morning submerged in research. Through various digital books and videos about fairies, she managed to identify the one hidden in her apartment:
"Apart from their useful function as guardians of hill treasure, Spriggans are an infamous band of villains, skilled thieves, thoroughly destructive and often dangerous."
Alongside such knowledge, she discovered animals could more easily detect the presence of fairies. Sarah's heart ached, it had been an off and on thought, whether she should get another dog. She'd pushed it off on the sentiment of not wanting to replace Merlin.
As Sarah weighed the pros and cons, a dog- or any animal really, could act as a means of protection. Especially so if what the article said about Spriggans happened to be true. Maybe the animal's presence would help keep the Spriggan from causing any trouble.
An even more pressing matter, she had to figure out how to explain it to Toby. He was bound to find it sooner or later, and she didn’t like the idea of hiding anything else from him. "Maybe I can try and explain it on the way to the shelter," Sarah mused to herself.
She explained her plan to Layla, who had stayed at her apartment overnight. Sarah didn't want her driving home so late at night, and especially not as panicked as she was.
"Don't worry, I think it'll all be fine," Sarah gave her an encouraging smile. "But I know you'll still worry regardless. So I'll send you text updates, okay?"
Layla nodded, "let me know when you get your pup as well! Lady would adore a friend, maybe we could go to the dog park this weekend?"
"Sure," Sarah agreed. She half stepped out the door and waved goodbye as Layla descended the stairs.
Something shuffled behind her. Sarah quickly turned to find Toby awake, sock covered feet skid across the floor as he headed towards the kitchen.
"Morning," she chuckled at his half-asleep demeanor. "Ready for breakfast?"
Toby nodded with a big yawn.
Sarah debated if trying to explain things would be best now, or till he was more awake. She decided on the latter.
Another yawn half screamed his words, "do you think Fierys know about cockroaches?"
"Maybe? Why do you ask?" Initially, Sarah didn't think anything of it, Toby always seemed to have a question about the Labyrinth.
"Cause I had a dream, there were some around a campfire," he informed while rubbing the sleep from his eyes, "and you were there. They were dancing around you and singing, I think. I couldn't really hear them."
A shiver went up her spine.
Rather than address Toby’s recount of the dream, she presented him with breakfast. She didn't want to think about Fierys, another potential dangerous...fairy? Did they even fall in that category or were they something else? Sarah shook her head and put her focus back on reality.
She crossed her arms and leaned over the counter, "think you're up for an adventure after breakfast?"
"Where to?" Toby perked a brow, curious, but nonetheless interested.
"Well…" Sarah's words trailed off for a moment. It always hurt to talk about Merlin. "It's too quiet here, ya know? I miss having a dog. It's something I've thought about off and on, I just never wanted to because- because I didn't want to feel like I was replacing him."
A hint of sadness tainted his eyes, Toby nodded in understanding, "so?"
"So I decided I'd go to the shelter, if someone speaks to me, then someone speaks to me and I come home with a dog."
Despite the bittersweet situation, Toby seemed excited. Irene didn't allow pets other than fish. So in a way, he looked at it as a home-away-from-home dog. He scarfed down his breakfast and bolted towards his room to get ready. Sarah couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm.
Pale-green eyes drifted towards the closet which hid the Spriggan, with Toby gone for a moment, she quietly stepped to check on her impromptu guest. Cracking the door open, she watched the ball of brown fur breathe slowly, still fast asleep. It made her wonder how much fairies needed to sleep, she half expected the creature to be up by now. Sarah quickly gave the Spriggan a fresh bowl of water and food before Toby hopped out of his room.
"Let's go let's go!" He struggled to tug on his jacket, untied shoelaces tapping against the floor.
"Alright, give me a second to make sure everything is locked up," Sarah laughed. "Maybe giving you coffee wasn't a good idea."
Changing clothes and throwing on a pair of shoes, Sarah was ready to walk out the door in five minutes flat. All the windows had been checked and everything was in its place. She grabbed her keys and ushered Toby out the door. Silently hoping the fairy would stay asleep during their absence.
Summary: A wish goes wrong, an innocent caught in the crossfire. Jareth tries to force Sarah's hand in order to aid his crumbling kingdom.
Warning(s): Aside from a few arguments, I don't think anything! Please let me know if I missed something
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A crystal rolled to and fro along the windowsill, at times a glimmer of his kingdom would catch in the light. A sour expression contorted his features. He hummed, recalling a time where he would have let it all crumble. From the enchanted forest down to the bog of eternal stench; he would have let his kingdom burn in the days following Sarah’s victory. Disgust festered in every brick, every crevice she’d passed on the way to his castle. It all filled him with unimaginable disappointment and the desire to construct a new Labyrinth. One that might capture her interest a while longer, one that might keep her near.
Never one to tell a full truth nor a total lie, Jareth always mixed a bit of both. All of which depended on his intent. As a being crafted from sharp-intellect and mystery, the Goblin King was in no way bound to abide by human morals. What he’d said about the convergence held truth. A force beyond his control dared to push the Underground and mortal realm together. Jareth’s lie, however, dwelled in the timing. While ever a matter of the utmost importance, it was one easily capable of being solved outside of nine hours and twenty-three minutes. The Goblin King put in place such a time constraint in order to push Sarah, a not so gentle nudge in the direction he needed her to go.
Heterochromic eyes diverged from the night sky to study his champion, who had taken refuge at her easel. Basked in the endless white sea of an empty canvas. Her brows furrowed in frustration, and it took all his self control not to poke fun at her. Though Jareth had to admit, Sarah had talent when it came to painting. Some of her work had befallen his gaze, completed ones he’d seen off in a corner, the same corner she’d stowed away the half-finished one of him.
“Humans consider it rude to stare,” Sarah quipped without facing him, she must have sensed his gaze.
“I simply fail to see how you sitting there solves anything,” he lifted the crystal he’d been rolling. Rotating it skillfully with the tips of gloved fingers, “time is not exactly on your side, Sarah.”
She threw down her brush and turned to face him, “you know it’s your kingdom. You should be the one doing the work instead of pestering me.”
His fluid motion halted, a harsh glare cast in her direction, as if he’d been offended she’d dare speak to him in such a tone. If she wanted a battle he’d bring her a war. The Goblin King rose from his seat, “you think yourself so capable of finding a magical portal, one of which you just learned existed? One no less located somewhere in a world with very little magic, and in a short amount of time?”
“I didn’t do this Jareth! You say this is somehow connected to me, but I don’t believe that. It’s been fifteen years, how can that be on me?” she retorted with equal fire.
His jaw clenched and for half a second the king refused to speak, though he kept his eyes locked on hers, “there have been no challengers since you and the boy.”
“Is that supposed to mean something?” Sarah pushed past him, intentionally knocking his shoulder.
Jareth had enough of her attitude, his hand shot forward. The same tough yet gentle hold snaked around her wrist. Not enough pressure to hurt her but enough to keep her stationary. The two regarded one another in a way where time itself seemed to stop, he could see in her eyes how she had a snarky retort primed and ready to combat whatever he might say next. In those cruel, sad eyes he’d come to miss, Jareth noticed a certain softness within them. A tender look she usually kept under lock and key.
A low growl caused Sarah to jerk her arm out of his hold. The ginger pitbull, who had been allowed re-entry into the apartment, followed close at her mistress' heels. He dared not test the dog’s wrath a second time, not that the creature intimidated him in the slightest. Jareth wouldn’t allow the woman to deny him again, the least he would give her was a moment to collect herself. His eyes followed her movements around the kitchen where she’d poured a glass of water, her back pressed against the counter, and one arm crossed as she glared past her raised glass.
“To yield in your favor, time Above and Below are-”
She shut him down almost immediately, “no.”
Jareth’s patience wore thin, “you haven’t many options, pet. This is one I am offering you.”
“Your offers always have a consequence,” she countered.
“As I was saying,” he sighed while running a hand through his hair. “Time Above and Below are not one in the same. Your return would differ from your previous venture, as those who have already run the Labyrinth cannot do so again. Thus you would not return a challenger, but a champion.
Her eyes averted, but Jareth could see the wheels of consideration start to turn behind her eyes. Such a detail, even in the smallest regard, meant he was going in the right direction. She pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath, “even if I did go, what about Toby? I can’t just leave him here.”
“The boy is old enough to make his own decisions. You certainly did at his age,” Jareth smirked with a perked brow.
Sarah rolled her eyes, “I don’t know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult.”
“Take it as the word of a king,” Jareth stepped into the kitchen despite her dog’s protest. He held a hand out for her. “No harm shall come to you, or the boy while in my realm.”
Tension pooled in her shoulders as they hiked up to her neck, he recognized the start of her anxious habit. The Goblin King frowned as Sarah gnawed at what little remained of her thumb nail. What had he said to bring on such a reaction? Any motion he made resulted in a growl from Gwendolyn, though Sarah’s hand against the canine’s head seemed to calm it. “I’m fine,” she muttered under her breath. More to herself than anyone in particular.
A violent rattle coursed through her when a loud noise pierced the quiet air of the apartment. Jareth’s gaze followed hers to the device set on the island, the name Toby flashed in white letters across the screen. Sarah made a dive to snatch the phone before he could, pushing passed him again as she swiped the green button across the screen.
“Toby, hey,” she froze midway to the living room. “Toby slow down, I can’t understand what you’re saying.”
From his place, Jareth could make out some of the conversation. His hearing was significantly more keen than that of a human. He managed to decipher that Goblins had appeared to take him away, something about fighting them off, and someone else- a woman’s name. Whoever she was, the Goblins had taken her in place of the boy. Before he could properly inquire, Sarah hung up the phone, both hands balled into fists.
“You arrogant, manipulative asshole! You don’t know when to give up do you?” She looked at him with the hatred of a hundred suns. “I said no so you kidnap my friend for what- leverage? Some twisted fear tactic to try and get me to do exactly what you want?!”
The woman seemed hellbent on arguing with him, practically all she’d done since his arrival was provoke him, “I haven’t a clue what you are referring to.”
“Bullshit. Goblins follow you when people are wished away, don’t they?” She pressed, ignoring her canine’s soft whimpers.
“You wished away a child, Sarah. You know full well the answer to your own question,” he crossed his arms. “As I said, those who have challenged the Labyrinth cannot do so a second time. The boy included, his claim to wish you away went unanswered.”
“Then why did he just call me saying Goblins took my friend Layla? That his Fiery fought them off when they tried to take him too?” She hissed.
Jareth pulled his brows so tight they almost unified, it didn’t make any sense. Goblins were chaotic yes, but not so much as to collect a wished away person unsupervised. His absence from the castle hadn’t been extended enough for anyone to usurp him. Not that anyone would dare take the goblin kingdom, given how little value it had. This was a matter he’d have to see to himself, Jareth suspected they must have taken the girl in place of Toby.
“Your brother, where is he?” The king inquired while approaching the window he’d entered from.
Sarah watched him like a hawk, at first not willing to provide an answer. Not until he asked a second time, “my old house.”
With a location pinpointed, Jareth raised his gloved hands to the sides of the window. Eyes closed for a moment as he channeled magic into it. The night sky vanished, replaced with a view of the Williams’ livingroom. Turning his gaze back to her, Jareth extended a hand.
“Look me in the eye and tell me you didn’t send them,” she demanded.
Jareth lowered his hand, the portal remained open despite his distance from it. He wasn’t much taller than her, half a head but still enough to tower over the woman. The Goblin King did as she asked of him, mismatched eyes bore into her, “I did not send the goblins to spirit away your friend. You’ve tried my patience one too many times, dear Sarah. I will not be so generous now as I was before.”
Once he was certain his point had gotten across, he pointed to the portal, and signalled for her to pass through first. The Goblin King followed close behind, closing the portal once they arrived on the other side. He watched Sarah take off in search of her brother. She called out to him, charging up the stairs likely to his room. Meanwhile, he surveyed the scene of what must have been a struggle.
Navy fabric from the overturned couch had been slashed, bits of stuffing squeezed between gashes left by claws. A coffee table laid on its side, broken in half with splinters of wood littering the vanilla carpet below. Glancing to the nearby walls he noticed rattled picture frames, some lopsided, and others fallen from their places. His gaze particularly lingered on what looked like a family photo. A man stood with his arm around Sarah, a woman with her hand on Toby’s shoulders. Jareth assumed them to be their mother and father. All it took to right the room was a wave of the hand, the magic turning back time to make it as though nothing had happened.
A sound from the kitchen caught his ear, curious the king went to inspect it. It wouldn’t surprise him if a Goblin had gotten stuck in a cabinet or trash can, as it had happened a time or two before. He paused, seeing a familiar bundle of brown struggling to stand.
“Well hello, is this where you’ve been?” Jareth inquired as he helped the Spriggan to its feet.
Girven let out a sad chattering noise, ears drooped. One tiny, clawed hand still placed over the wound that didn’t quite want to heal.
“Hmm,” The King inspected the wound. Jareth knew it hadn’t come from the goblins, not when they held Girven in such high regard. “This predates the little scrap here. There’s traces of iron...no wonder it’s persistent to stay open.”
Footsteps rumbled down the stairs as Jareth kept the Spriggan cupped in his hands, healing magic was a capability he had, but one not often used. Taking a seat at the table, he transferred energy from himself to the little creature while it caught him up to speed.
“You’re...the Goblin King?” Toby’s voice filled the room.
The boy, no longer the crying baby he once knew, stood in the threshold of the kitchen. Jareth wasn’t so focused on how time had changed Toby, he was more so focused on the Fiery wrapped around him like a second skin. The colorful creature had it’s knobby-knees hooked around Toby’s middle, arms around his neck, and chin perched atop his head. A pleasant Swish swish swish echoed from his flicking tail. Jareth looked to Sarah before answering, not so much as to seek her permission before answering the question, more to ensure she wouldn’t get onto him if he did.
Jareth nodded, “I am.”
“But-...Daeg said you were missing,” Toby looked back and forth between his sister and the Goblin King seated at the kitchen table like he was a common house guest. “How is he here?”
He could see Sarah was at her wit’s end, reluctant, angry even to have to be dealing with this. With him. Jareth moved his hands carefully, opening them just enough for Toby to see the Spriggan.
“It would seem, Toby. That a few of my subjects have run off. Contrary to what everyone seems to believe, I left the castle and came to your world to collect my missing subjects. Such as the Fiery you have there,” he raised his hands some. “Girven, this little one here, is a member of my council. When the cracks first appeared I sent Girven to examine the extent of the damage. Some time passed, and it stopped reporting back to me. That is why I am here. T-”
“To bring Layla back and take the rest of his people home,” Sarah finished for him.
Toby strayed from Sarah’s side, inspecting Girven up close best he could between Jareth’s clothed fingers. Such an action led him to believe the boy hadn’t yet gotten a chance to see the Spriggan up close. While a deceptively sweet looking little ball of brown fur, the Goblin King knew of the mischievous streak Spriggans tended to have. They could be quite violent when threatened.
His train of thought was interrupted by Toby’s questioning stare, “Wait, so if you’re here then who took Layla? In the story The Goblin King is the one who takes the wished away people.”
“Yes, well, I’ve some idea of who could be responsible,” Jareth said while letting Girven free, the wound on its side completely healed, “I appointed Styx to temporary command in my absence.”
A curious twinkle lit the boy’s brown eyes ablaze, “I don’t remember reading about someone named Styx. Is that a goblin?”
“No,” Jareth couldn’t help but chuckle at the boy’s enthusiasm, “she is a harpy, and she serves as an advisor of sorts. Styx is quite fond of children, I dare say she might take a liking to you.”
“Whoa, she sounds cool! Could I meet-”
“No,” Sarah cut in, she pulled Toby away from Jareth. Shooing the Fiery from his back despite a sharp hiss in protest. She loomed over him like a mother bear protecting her cub. Daggers glared in his direction, a silent threat laced in her line of her face.
Toby jerked out of her hold, a rebellious fire in his eye, “you don’t get to make decisions for me! It’s your fault Layla got taken! I wished you away not her!”
“You don’t know what it’s like Toby!” Her expression of momentary hurt morphed to anger mixed with a hint of fear, “I’m trying to protect you!”
“Quiet,” Jareth commanded as he rose to his feet. To his surprise both siblings obeyed. One looking at him with hate and the other owlishly. A strand of silence engulfed everyone in the room, Daegmund and Girven included. From her place in the room Sarah had begun to chew her bottom lip.
Toby broke the silence, “I want to go. Layla is there...because I let my anger get the better of me. I want her to know I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for this to happen to her.”
“Fine,” Sarah decided after five minutes of silent thought. “I don’t want her there longer than she has to be. We go, we get her, we come home. Nothing else. We stay together, got that?”
“Got it,” Toby nodded, motioning a cross over his heart.
“This way then,” Jareth waved the two towards the window. Channeling magic into it once more. The lush trees and bushes faded away, red dust and a vast, arid landscape. “The Labyrinth awaits.”
Big shout out post to @peachypoppet for encouraging me to create a Labyrinth OC. I'm super excited to do stuff with Girven, and now that Layla has been rehomed I'll start writing with her since I have an actual story put together!
I'll be working on the story they'll feature in over the weekend, should have it up either Monday or Tuesday next week 😁
