Prologue:

Time: 6 years after the Labyrinth

Location: Circle of the Champions undisclosed location in the Underground

Sarah stood next to Jareth. The whole thing was surreal. He stood dressed in his flamboyant Goblin King attire, complete with armour, a cape with a strategic placement of glitter, in perfect condition. She in contrast, was dressed in ripped, skin tight, black, leather legging now splattered with mud and blood, and an equally dirty, black, racerback top, which was missing the bottom half and came to the top of her exposed naval and the shallow cuts still bleeding on her torso. Sweat glistened on her body, plastering her bangs to her forehead. Her breathing was starting to even out, as her body was taking a reprieve from physical exertion. She tried to hide her fatigue and copy Jareth's nonchalant attitude.

She wondered if she was really fooling anyone.

Now that her adrenaline was fading, she became aware of minor annoyances. Mainly, her fingers felt raw and sore, and the fact that her fingernails were uncomfortably filled with mud, blood and grime added to her overall discomfort. Other minor injuries where starting to make their presence known, multiple cuts on her hands and arms were stinging a bit and starting to scabbing over, but the jagged wound on her left leg was still throbbing and bleeding through her makeshift bandage created from the lower half of her top. In short, she looked a mess, but she was still alive.

"That last task seemed a bit tricky for you." Jareth's droll broke through Sarah's internal self-assessment.

She rolled her eyes. A flicked a piece of muddy hair out her face back into its messy braid. "Don't worry Your Majesty, it was piece of cake."

Jareth raised his delicate eyebrows at Sarah's deliberate choice of words.

Around them other entourages for the champions plus the observes and witnesses of the games raced around to provide support to the other champions. It was the same level of minor chaos Sarah had begun to expect after each round. And as usual, it was only her and Jareth for the Goblin Realm, though she really wished she could have seen Gael, she would have found comfort in seeing the warrior who had whipped her into shape for the past 13 months. Pushing that useless thought aside. Sarah began to mentally prepare herself for the next and final task.

"This is already won." Sarah continued, forcing bravado into her voice while she busied her hands wrestling her thick, long, but definitely filthy hair back into another tight braid when it was obvious that she couldn't just stick her hair pieces back inside of it.

Jareth gave a mirthless laugh. "I knew I chose the correct champion."

He might not have meant to, but his haughty tone gave Sarah the confidence boost she needed. The last task had been no joke. Every one of the freakin tasks had been ridiculous and getting steadily harder. If she had hesitated even a little, it would be her head rolling on the ground and not just half of the staff she had grabbed at the last moment to stick in the giant's mouth.

What the hell had she gotten herself into? She wondered for the millionth time.

Why had she ever agreed to help him? She really didn't have an answer to that. Sure there had been his subtle threat and hinting that he had the power to heal Toby…. Toby. She immediately pushed down the panic building in her chest.

"This is the last one right?" Her voice slightly waivered.

"Yes Precious, you only have one more impossible task left to handle." Jareth hesitated slightly, and in a low tone continued. "You can do it Sarah. Do not doubt." Gently he place his hand around her shoulders, in almost a half embrace. The fact that Sarah didn't immediately shake it off, gave further insight into her fragile self-confidence.

Sarah took her time taking in a deep inhalation and slowly released the air, finding his unobtrusive touch was helping her to center herself once again. She found her voice and was please to see that the waiver had left. "Of that, I am sure. Just remember your part of the bargain."

"Always, Precious. Always." He gave her a slight squeeze.

Sarah nodded keeping her face forward. She couldn't look at him. If she saw even a hint or worry or concern in his eyes, she feared she would fall apart. Instead she stared unseeing out into crowds of watchers who had traveled from their separate lands to bear witness to the blood bath these challenges had ended-up being. Jareth left his arm around her bare shoulders, absently rubbing his thumb back and forth. She had no choice but to trust him. Funny enough, in this, she did.

The night was hot and sticky. The sweat sheen on her skin did not evaporate and instead trickled down her back, legs and chest. But even with Jareth's arm adding to her raised body temperature and pooling sweat, she did not shake him off. While they continued their silent wait, her mind started to wander about related but inconsequential things, like how she was thankful for her choice in clothing. It might not offer much protection, but it was light weight and offered her a large range in movement, more then making up for its lack of defensive protection. One of her competitors had met his end when he had not been able to escape from a bog due to being weighed down by his armour.

Looking around, Sarah saw that she was 1 of the only 4 remaining 13 champions. Jareth had not been lying when he explained to her about the untold dangers she would be facing in this blood tournament.

Suddenly, and far to quickly, in Sarah's opinion, the troll announcer began to explain the next task for the champions.

"Hear ye! Hear ye!" His deep melodious voice was magically amplified through the crowds. Sarah involuntarily gasped in surprise, she had been hoping she would have at least been given a hour or so to rest. Not a measly ten minutes!

She felt Jareth pull her into to him slightly. Her eyes flashed up at him, and she almost missed what the troll had been saying…

"The Next test is a challenge that involves waging the champions skill, intelligence, and perseverance against old magic rarely beaten or survived. The next challenge for the champions is to run the Goblin King's Labyrinth. They will have no more than 13 hours to complete the challenge. The first to make it to the center shall be named the Champion of the Realms and all glory shall go to him or her. The realm that provided that champion shall enjoy the next hundred years of prosperity so saith the deed of his eminence, the High KIng of the 13 Realms."

Sarah's eyes, never leaving Jareth's sent him a questioning glance, this seemed too easy. All she had to do was make it to the center the labyrinth? But not just any labyrinth, His Labyrinth. That's it? What was the trick? There was always a trick.

Jareth leaned over her and brought his lips to her forehead in an off-center kiss disguising his words.

"Not everything is as it seems. Remember, you have power; you know the right words."

Sarah did look up at him again; her confused green eyes met his unreadable ones. What was he trying to tell her? What was she missing? Before she could verbalize her questions, Sarah felt the tug of magic, and she was transported to her entrance of the Labyrinth.

Sarah collected herself off the ground. She had not gotten used to the pull of magic transporting her all over the Underground, and everytime she ended up in a graceless heap on the ground. Once her head had stopped spinning, she took in her surroundings. A quick look around showed that she was alone, all the other champions had been separated. It was just her and the Labyrinth. Instead of being unnerved, she was grateful.

She didn't want to deal with the underhanded tactics of the other champions. It was hard enough to survive each crazy task without having to watch her back the whole time because some stupid elf or dwarf or fae were going to stab her if they noticed she had dropped her guard or worse, try to befriend her before they cut her throat.

Dusting her hands off on her very grimey pants, Sarah allowed herself to smiled. This was probably going to be her favorite task she could tell. It was just a battle of wits between her and the Labyrinth. Sure, she could still die by any number of means, but at least it wouldn't be personal. The Labyrinth would just be doing what the Labyrinth did. If she died, it was because she wasn't good enough. Nothing more; nothing less.

The smile turned into a crazy grin. The challenge of it all was making her drunk on the adrenaline high that was coming back in full force. Who would have thought she would have become such a junkie? She could not even feel her past injuries anymore.

Jareth probably suspected she would respond to the challenges this way. It must have been one of the reasons why he had chosen her to represent him and the Goblin Kingdom in this mad excuse for a tournament.

Sarah, with the smile still gracing her face walked up to the impossibly tall hedge of the Labyrinth's outer wall. This was a section she couldn't remember being in before. It felt and smelt different. Gently, Sarah reached out to the leaves making up the impenetrable wall that spread for miles on either side showing no entrance either way.

Entering the labyrinth had been a challenge too, if she remembered correctly.

"Its okay beautiful," Sarah spoke reverently as she gently stroke the impenetrable hedge. "I am not here to hurt you." The hedge shuttered and shook. Sarah refused to be afraid and kept speaking in soft tones letting the Labyrinth know that she meant no harm. She now knew that the Labyrinth was a sentient being.

"I just need you to allow me to pass through to make it to the center unharmed."

The wind, or maybe it was hedge creating the wind, blew back and forth contemplating her words. "Please? Please Labyrinth, let me have safe passage to your center. I am afraid of what will happen if another makes it there before me."

Why? Echoed in her head.

It was a good questions. And one she really didn't have an answer for. Jareth had never really explained why it was important that she win, only that he would save Toby if she did. She wasn't going to lie and expressed as much.

Why? Insisted the Labyrinth. Why you and not another?

"I don't know why you should." Sarah answered honestly. "But I do fear what will happen if another is name the Champion of the 13 Realms. But you have power, you can foresee who is the best one for the honor. I think that you will agree with me that I am the best one for the title. You have seen the other competitors, do I really need to say anymore? I am the one who will not allow any harm to come to you if you grant safe passage to me."

The Labyrinth chuckled some more. You think so?

"I know so." Sarah answered.

A leaf, that then became a vine, reached out and circled around Sarah's arm. She forced herself to not react and draw her hand back. If she was going to make it out of this alive, she would have to trust her instincts like Jareth was always telling her to do. Taking a deep breath, she allowed the Labyrinth in the form of the hedge to complete circle her body and absorb her into it.

She would soon know if her gamble paid off.

-kkkkkkkk

Back at the circle where the other lords and kings waited to see the outcome. Jareth crushed the crystal that he had been using to observe Sarah and her progress as a tall fae with similar features to his own had came to stand next to him.

"It seems as if your choice in champion has unexpectedly paid off for you."

"Was there ever any doubt?"

"Jareth, you were always my favorite nephew, but it had been rather unorthodox, even for you, to name a human as your champion to compete in this tournament."

The silence stretch between them.

"I'm sorry Uncle, was there a question?"

"Be careful insolent Goblin King, I am still your liege."

"In certain diplomatic and Fae dealings, I do bow before you, however, your jurisdiction does not extend to over me and mine."

The bark of laughter caused several other lords and kings to look over in Jareth and his uncle's direction.

"She is very beautiful. I had forgotten how brightly humans from the Aboveground burn."

"Again, was there a question?"

"Just an observation, my boy. Just an observation. As you have already mentioned, my jurisdiction does not extend over you and what you consider yours, but-"

Jareth turned to face his uncle head on.

"Is she yours to protect?"

Jareth turned away maintaining his aloof manner. "She is my champion is she not? I don't really see why I should be going out of my way to protect her. If she cannot protect herself, she is not worthy of the honor."

The tall redheaded fae laughter bostiously again striking Jareth on the back in good humor. "I would almost believe you if I hadn't witnessed you healing her just moments ago." Jareth held his breath. His uncle laughed again as he noticed one of the only tells his nephew had. Leaning in a quite voice that only Jareth could hear. "Just a word of advice from an interested party, make sure that you do protect what is yours, because after tonight, you will no longer be able to keep her hidden."

Jareth shook his uncle off, his boots burying into the ground the remnants of the dust from the crystal he had just crushed. He knew that his uncle had spoken the truth, but it went more than that. Sarah was still an enigma he could not fully understand. But at least for right now, there was one thing that he inexplicably knew, Sarah would be the first to make it to the center of the Labyrinth. She would be named Champion of the 13 Realms.

It could only be her to conquer his Labyrinth.

It was the reason why he had sought her out when he learned that the barbaric ritual of having champions form the 13 lands compete in a series of different tasks was being reinstated again. Yes, it had taken a bit of convincing on his part but the fact that the her brother was having medical issues, and he had the cure, just made her more compliant to his wishes..

The real question was...what would happen to her afterwards?

What indeed.

Thank you for reading. Let me know what you think. If you have read my Spirited Away Fic and wondering why I am not updating Spirit Child, I've might have lost my way, but I am expecting to find it soon.

XXO Thyme