When No One Else Was Looking

Chapter 12: Loophole

"Sarah! Sarah!"

Sarah turned around quickly, facing a door that hadn't been there before. Her eyes grew wide as the door flew open and a rather flustered king rushed in. Her face grew into a smile and she ran towards him. He caught her in a tight hug and lifted her off the ground slightly.

When she was placed back on the floor she pulled back to look at his face, "What took you so damn long?"

"The Escher room is a bitch." He said laughing a little as he stroked her hair.

A few tears fell from her eyes as she laughed a little too, "I thought I'd never see you again."

"Well you weren't going to."

The two turned and looked at the pool of water in the middle of the room, "Emily?" Sarah asked taking a few steps forward.

"Hello, again, Sarah." The child said smiling at her.

"What are you doing here?"

"As you guessed, I'm not a normal girl. In fact, I'm not a girl at all."

"Sarah, what you're seeing before you is the spirit of the Labyrinth. The girl she is portraying is the first runner of the Labyrinth."

The girl nodded, "I'm able to manifest myself into any person who has ever run my paths, or any nobility that has ruled my lands."

"That doesn't answer my question." Sarah said looking at the girl.

"Oh, right. Well I'm here because the queen was missing, making the King miserable, and in turn causing me to suffer."

"But I thought that I could never see him again."

"When you ran the Labyrinth the second time you won yourself back from him, severing all ties to you he had held before. When you wished to see him one last time, it was going to be your last time together. Until you confessed your love for each other and became one, the instant you two made that connection… Well, it was made long ago, you just acknowledged it… you became the Queen of the Labyrinth and bound to him permanently."

"We found a loophole."

Emily smiled and nodded, "Yes, you found a loophole."

"So does that mean I can stay?"

"No, it means you have to stay. Of course with your power you'll be able to visit aboveground anytime you wish. Now, if you two don't mind, get your royal butts back up to the castle and busy yourselves with something. I have a lot of cleaning up to do." Emily faded from view and the room shifted and twirled.

The two found themselves standing in the Kings quarters that had now adjusted to accommodate the Queen as well; a gorgeous wardrobe had appeared filled with the most beautiful dresses Sarah had ever seen, and one hidden in the back that had started it all. A few of Sarah's personal things were scattered about the room and the room had more of a feminine touch now.

"Sarah, I have to ask you something."

"Anything." She said with a smile.

"Will you have me as your King?"

"On one condition."

"What is that?"

"You won't be my slave, and I won't have to do everything you say."

"As you wish."

"Then I'll never let you go." She said as she stood on her toes to kiss him.

----

"That's odd." Sarah said from where she lay on her stomach, Jareths shirt falling off her shoulders.

"What's that?" Jareth asked looking over at her, smiling a little.

"My necklace isn't cold anymore." She said, rolling onto her back and staring at the odd piece of silver.

"It's because we're together."

She gave him an odd look.

"When I was young and my father was the King, I remember my mother complaining of her necklace feeling like ice whenever my father was away. One day I decided to ask her why. She said that from the moment she and my father had become one and the necklace had been placed around her neck, any time that they were apart her necklace would freeze against her skin. She explained that she and my father were two parts of one soul. One like fire and the other like ice. My mother was like ice because she could be cunning and cruel but at the same time be gentle and loving. My father was fire, because he was harsh and mean and loved my mother with all he had and would stop at nothing to protect her. Together they balanced each other out. She also told me that Fathers necklace caused him pain and left burn marks on his chest when they were apart. So when he returned I asked him why he continued to love my mother and wear the necklace if all it did was hurt him, at times it even left scars."

"What did he say?" Sarah asked scooting closer to him.

"That I would understand it one day… and I do now."

"So, why did he continue to wear the necklace?"

"One, because he couldn't take it off until one of them died or was removed from the throne."

"Removed?"

"Yes, my grandfather died many, many years ago. My parents now rule the Upper City. You'll meet them soon, I'm sure."

"At the wedding, I'd hope."

"I'm hoping before then, my dear. But the second reason he wore the necklace was because as long as it burned, he knew she was okay and that the fire she lit within him burned on and when you're far apart from the one person you love more than anything in the world that burn no longer hurts. Instead it soothes and reminds me that you still love me and I'm still loving you and we'll be that way for the rest of eternity."

She smiled and kissed him, letting him roll on top of her and giggling slightly as he pulled his shirt off her.

Outside the window the labyrinth grew stronger and better than it ever had been before. It became green and healthy; the sky even seemed to get clearer. The goblins ran amuck, with more energy than usual. In the afternoon sun, when no one else was watching, a red headed girl ran through the maze laughing and staring in wonder as her world repaired itself.

Finally everything was as it should be and the story ended, like all do:

Happily Ever After.