(AN: Part 2 is here. And again I apologize for all the unprofessional editing that I went through but I really didn't like the short chapters! If you haven't reread the original please do so, I changed a few things. And I'm sorry for the delays but school work was getting in the way, bloody school...
Sit back and enjoy my written desires)
Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Henson, Lucas and other respective owners. I do not financially benefit from this and most likely never will.
If only I owned Jareth! Or at least could get in touch with him *pouts*
Sarah transferred whispered messages with Toby, each grinning like fools. Jareth had ordered Screw to keep an eye on the two. He was currently walking along with the 'Jedi Knight' and his 'Little Red'. While Toby and Sarah were busy planning something only the Gods knew of Jareth was sponging the two adolescence for information. He had found out a great many interesting facts, the two were so willing to give any dirt they had on their friend.
"So, how did you two meet?" Jareth was brought about with the sudden question. Mary was smiling at him in a way that made him slightly uncomfortable. For a mortal she definitely knew how to make one feel off balance.
"Why so interested?" he drawled.
"Because Sarah has never mentioned any man in her life. And I'm already planning all the awkward situations I'm going to be putting you guys through."
Mop, Bobble and Sput listened in on the conversation with great interest. Their king remained silent for a time, contemplating as to what he could tell these mortals. He came to a conclusion.
"Sarah and I had watching arrangements three years ago; I took care of Toby for ten hours while Sarah went through a...game."
"You've known each other for three years? Ok, why hasn't she made a move?" Jareth smiled at the complement.
"We haven't seen each other since then. Tonight is the first time we've been in each other's company since that night," he relayed. An almost sad smile spread across his face for the briefest of seconds before he looked at them with arrogance. "Sarah, being the stubborn girl she was, would never admit to having feelings to me. You should have seen her at one point, grovelling before me-"
"I don't grovel!"
"Of course you don't, Precious," he called over his shoulder.
"Don't think I can't here you up there! Don't you lot start making things up and sully my good name."
"We wouldn't dream of it."
"Oh, hardy ha ha," she retorted sarcastically. "Hey Mary, where are you leading us?"
"You'll see." Was the only response she got.
Mary led the group into a park. The grass slightly damp and the breeze cooler. Lamp posts of wrought iron designs scattered themselves along the lake's edge and tree lines. Sarah's small smile broadened as the bridge came into view. Jareth turned his attention to the obelisk they were working towards. He had almost forgotten this park. So many hours spent here, watching a young and naïve thing resiting lines.
"I love this place," Sarah breathed. Toby smiled up at her and started humming a few bars of Love me Tender. Sarah laughed and took him by the hands. The two spun around. She stopped short and picked him up to rest against her hip. "I haven't been here since I was fifteen," she reminisced. Jareth's head snapped to her at the comment. She clearly had strong feelings for this place why would she not come back? She smiled at his questioning look. "My owl never came back..."
The goblins looked to their king to see his reaction however he wasn't giving them a show, his face lost any emotional features. Jareth stared at her, his face blank but his eyes critical. She smiled at him again and walked over to the stone bench. Stealing a glance to the obelisk he himself had looked upon earlier.
Mary raised an eyebrow at the exchange and looked between the two with an inexpressible look upon her face. Her face soon lost the look to be replaced by the look. Her eyes widened with fright and she ran to Sarah.
"Run! The little monsters have found us!" Sarah glanced over her shoulder and quickly realised Toby to stand to her feet. Toby laughed with joy while Mary pulled her to a run. Dragging her away as the volume of increased and the pursuers caught up to them. They both landed on the cool grass as they were attacked. Squeals erupted from Mary's lips as fingers worked against her body and Sarah tried in vain to escape the small digits. Jareth stood next to Brian with confusion as to what was happening.
"Is this really how she acts around them?" Brian nodded solemnly.
"Afraid so, come on let's help them." Brian went over and stuck his hand into the mass of bodies to pull out Mary. Her eyes streaming with tears as the last of her laughter faded with the contact. Sarah was instantly swarmed by the others.
"Help!" Jareth chuckled and offered her his aid. She clung to him as the children were pried from her body and let her laughter diminish. Disappointed noises rose from the crowd of costumed children as their victims were taken. Toby grinned and made his way to a boy in a striped cardigan.
"Whoa, Toby! That is a awesome costume!"
"An awesome costume," Sarah corrected, she received a tongue poked out in reply. "Sorry Nathan, old habits die hard." She grinned. Mary eyed Nathan's costume.
"Why are you dressed as Freddy Krueger?" Nathan shrugged.
"I like that movie."
"How old are you?"
"Five, just like Tobes! It's a great movie, right Toby?" Toby nodded in agreement and turned to grin devilishly at her.
"One two Freddy's coming for you-"
"Stop, stop! Sarah!" Sarah smiled innocently at her friend. "He's five years old and yet you've let him watch that!"
"What? He wanted to see whether it would scare me. I keep telling him that nothing scares me anymore but he wouldn't believe me," she defended herself. Her eyes lost their humour. "To tell the truth that movie did give me the creeps." She shivered. "Imagine someone being able to control your dreams. I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing someone could kill you while you did." Sarah shook her head. "I hated that movie."
Toby and Nathan shared a grin. The two turned to the other children and whispered a plan. Turning towards Sarah they crept closer to her and started chanting.
One, two Freddy's coming for you
Three, four better lock your door
Sarah laughed at their attempts. The children started circling her and continued the chant. Brian shook his head it seemed Sarah always brought out the worst in them.
Five, six grab your crucifix
Seven, eight gonna stay up late
They crowed in closer and grinned with mischievous glee as they finished the chant.
Nine, ten never sleep again...
"Sarah, I've said it before and I'll say it again. You're a bad influence on the kids!" Mary protested. Sarah gasped as a hand flew to her heart.
"You dare insult my pretties?" She pasted a hurt look on her face and hugged the children around her to her sides.
"They're not possessions!"
"Says you," she shrugged. The kids laughed and hugged her close. A girl dressed in a white sheet as a ghost pulled her arm down to whisper in her ear. A grin split her face at the request being made. She nodded and straightened herself.
"Susie wants to watch me dance! Who wants me to dance? Don't worry I finally found Nyx and Erebus is secure with Toby." The kids jumped in excitement and sat themselves around her. Mary shook her head in good humour and sat on the stone bench with Brian by her side.
"Sarah, Sarah! Do the floating trick!"
"NO! do the spinning one!" Sarah laughed as more requests were shouted out among the excited children. She held a hand in the air to gain silence and smile sweetly when it came.
"I'm afraid that before I can start we will need to convince the king to give back Nyx. He is being very naughty and keeping her from me," Sarah announced dramatically.
"But can't you just do it with the other one?" an impatient vampire called out. Sarah shook her head sadly.
"There must be order to some things and I always start my performance with Nyx. She is the god of night and therefore must be honoured first, Erebus only comes when night decides to fall."
"Oh stop teasing them and get on with the show!" Brian complained. Mary frowned and elbowed him in the ribs. Sarah bowed her head and turned to the king at her side.
"Alright, Goblin King, give her back."
"And why would I do that? If you hadn't noticed she's more under my jurisdiction than yours. Can't imagine how you got it into your head that you could ever juggle like myself."
"Time and a lot of effort. It's amazing what a little patient can achieve." Jareth remained silent for a time, staring her down while she in return looked him defiantly in the eye. His attitude changed and a grin spread across his face.
"I believe you were complaining earlier that a girl should be able to get what she wants through a kiss. I'm willing to give you that opportunity." His grin turned seductive and he leaned in closer. Sarah raised an eyebrow.
"Just a kiss?"
"One kiss."
"And nothing more?"
"Nothing more," Jareth echoed his words of past. He brought Nyx into view and extended the crystal sphere to her. Sarah's face turned sad a moment and she laughed without humour. Once she placed her hand atop the crystal she leaned in to him. Jareth's grin threatened to split his face. It decided to shrivel in shame as she brought her red lips to his cheek. She stepped back with a triumphant smirk and rolled Nyx across her palm. Jareth's scowl was dark.
Nathan giggled along with a few other kids. Jareth's face relaxed and he smiled down at the children around him. Toby opened his satchel to pull out a drawstring pouch. Erebus shinned in the light and stood out from the night sky. Sarah walked over and held her free hand out to him. He reluctantly deposited the sphere to her palm and watched with pure joy as she began rolling it along her arm.
Sarah's face relaxed and became serene as she directed the two. Nyx slid along her left arm and rested upon her finger tips while she concentrated on working Erebus in a butterfly*. The crystal slid along her arm gracefully, she flipped it to her palm and held it out to Toby who eagerly took it. The kids around her looked on in awe. She smiled softly at them and performed a palm to palm transfer with a flourish. Jareth watched with amusement and pride. She had definitely learnt well.
Sarah continued to dance the crystal along her arms, every so often she would roll it across her chest. Sput ambled over to her, his mouth set in a crazy grin, and sat in front of the other children. She continued to work the sphere. It now appeared to hover in the air as her fingers circled around it. Bobble hurried over to sit by his cousin, not noticing the foot in front of him and tripped, pushing into Sarah's side. Gasps escaped from the lips of costumed children as Nyx sailed high into the air.
Sarah dived and winced in slight pain as Nyx landed with a heavy thud within her cradle**. Her arm had flung out and was now bobbing precariously with its sudden weight addition and position. She slowly straightened back to her normal stance and bent her arm to bring Nyx in front of her heart, her arm still horizontal. She slowly turned, then, to tower imposingly over Bobble. The drool pooling around his mouth drizzled lazily along his arms and stained his shirt. Both hands now stuffed in his mouthed as he stared wide-eyed at the woman glaring at him.
"I apologize for being in the way. Were you headed somewhere important?" Sarah asked calmly. Bobble turned to Sput for help. Sput cocked his head to the point it was resting against his shoulder, Bobble wasn't going to get any help from him. Bobble turned his attention back to Sarah, he hadn't meant to touch the Champion. What was she going to do? She seemed dangerously calm and a quick glance at his king set him further down. Jareth didn't look like he was going to intervene, at all.
He quickly brought his hands out to try and explain himself, somehow. His speech was interrupted by laughter. He turned, confused, to stare at the children giggling. Bobble's head snapped back up to the sound of a chuckle coming from the Champion. What did he do? This question was soon answered as one of the children helpfully pointed out the line of drool connecting from his mouth to his hands. He stared down at the offending strings and brought his hands further from himself in an effort to break the bridge. It only stretched it out further and the children laughed harder.
"Nice save," Sarah chuckled. Bobble's face was set in pure confusion with his brow burrowing valleys into his forehead. He continued to stare at the saliva that had formed a bridge between his hands, each then connecting with a string to his mouth. She turned from him and twirled Nyx once more before handing it to her brother.
"Change of plans my pretties! I believe that you have indulged yourselves with enough sugar for tonight." Protests called out from the children and she chuckled. "Of course, if you don't want to play any tricks on people that is up to you..." she trailed off for effect. Immediately children were on their feet to call out possible pranks. "Now, now. We can't just go around playing tricks on anyone. Any suggestions as to who deserves a visit this year? Only the naughty children should be ticked this night."
The kids stared at her with mild confusion. "Toby, where's the list?" Mary eyed the two siblings with caution.
"What have you got planned Williams?" Sarah ignored the question and turned to the children with a smile, she bowed to them with arms sweeping wide in front of her.
"I hereby dub myself as the Samhain*** Witch!" She got several confused looks from the young Trick-or-Treaters. "You guys have no idea of what I'm talking about," she sighed. "What do they teach you at school?" Several kids shrugged. "Samhain is the first Celtic day for November. So, like Christmas, Santa comes the day before. Therefore I'm here before Samhain comes along to bring punishment to all the naughty children!"
Nathan turned to Toby, raised a hand over his mouth and whispered, not so subtly, to him. "I think your sister may have finally cracked." Toby smiled and handed the list to Sarah.
"She's making a list and checkin' it twice. She's gonna find out who's naughty and nice. The Samhain Witch is coming to town," he sang. Mary turned to her with a disappointed look.
"Do you teach him all these little music pieces?" Sarah shook her head.
"He's always got a tune stuck in his head. Don't ask me how that happened, 'cause I haven't the faintest." She ignored the continued glare and looked at her list and began calling out names of children from Toby's school. The children would shake their heads with each name when they didn't feel the need for anything to happen. A few times there would be a nod of agreement to a prank and Sarah would mark the name. When they came to one particular name something different happened.
"Jake Cardinal." Hesitated glances were made from each of the young individuals. They either shook their heads vigorously at her or stayed still. Sarah raised an eyebrow, the mood had suddenly changed as the children became uncomfortable under her gaze. "So, that's a no to Jake?" Timid nods were given in reply. "That settles it, Jake Cardinal is our victim for the night."
Susie gasped and shook her head with frightened eyes. "You can't!"
"Oh, why ever not?"
"He-you just can't." Sarah's eyes narrowed at the frightened looks on the children around her. Toby himself was looking uncomfortable.
"What is it this boy has done to you all to make you so afraid?"
"Nothing!"
"Yeah, we just don't feel like pulling a trick on him, that's all!" Sarah nodded.
"I see. So if I were to go over to the school and ask about our dear Jake there wouldn't be any trouble?"
"Sarah, please don't," Toby begged. She looked at him incredulously. He had never been one to hide information from her. She kneeled down and took his shoulders to face him.
"Toby, you never keep things from me. What is so bad that you can't tell me about it?"
"He's just scary." Toby shrugged dismissively.
"That settles it. My little brother is not going to be pushed around by some boy." Sarah stood up and ignored the protests from the children as she marched out of the park. She double checked her list and made her way to the house of the Cardinals. A group of anxious children followed along with Little Red Riding Hood, a Jedi Knight, four goblins and the Goblin King himself.
Sarah rang the doorbell of the house, she noted its lack of decorations and the sign on the door that stated that sweets weren't being handed out. After a moment she heard grumbling from the other side of the wood and the door swung open to show a cross looking ten year old boy.
"What you want? We don't have any candy...Aren't you a little old to be Trick-or-Treating?" Sarah smiled convincingly.
"Sorry, but are your parents home?" Jake nodded his brown head slowly and backed up to call for said parents. Moments later two adults came to the door and looked at Sarah with a measured politeness. The woman was dressed in a casual to with jeans and her red hair was swept up in a bun. Her husband was dressed similarly, his jeans faded and worn and his top slightly rumpled. He adjusted the glassed on his head and looked down at his son with raised eyebrows.
"I'm sorry to come over like this especially since tonight's supposed to be a time for fun and all but it has come to my attention that your son has been unkind to some of the children." Jake scoffed at her and eyed the crowd of children behind her.
"Hey mum, there's that goblin freak I told you about," Jake pointed to Toby with a twisted smile.
"Jake, I've told you about using that word, haven't I?"
"But he is a freak!" Jake protested. "Ask him about goblins and he'll talk like he's the master in all stuff goblin. Look at him he's even dressed up like one!" Sarah scowled down at him. He looked at her with scorn. "What does it matter if he is a freak?"
"That freak is my brother. I don't appreciate you calling him names. Is this how you get your fun? Antagonizing and degrading others younger than you, to make yourself feel better?" Sarah's voice was filled with nothing but disgust.
"Now look here, you don't have the right to speak to my son like -," Jake's father protested but Sarah turned her dark gaze to him and he lost his argument.
"I have been honest with your son. He is nothing but a bully to these children. They were too scared to admit that he treats them the way he does. I have just said one sentence that was filled with nothing but truth while your son has been terrorizing these kids. He had no right to do it, no one has the right to downgrade another without reason."
Jake made a face at her speech. Bringing up a good amount of mucus he spat on her dress. Sarah looked down at the offending slime with mild interest.
"Jake! That was very impolite," his mother reprimanded. Quick as a flash Sarah grabbed Jake's hand and wiped the substance off her dress. He made a noise of protest but wasn't given his hand until she had made sure all traces of the phlegm had been cleaned.
"Don't try my patients little boy. I have dealt with far greater than the likes of you. If I ever hear or see any sign that you are terrorizing Toby or any one of the children again you will regret it for the rest of your life." Jake stared up at her with wide eyes. Sarah straightened and smiled warmly to his parents. "Happy Halloween!" With that she walked off and left the two adults confused and upset to deal with their son.
"Sarah," Mary said lightly. Brian tried covering her mouth with his hand but she pushed away, "you shouldn't have scared him like that." Brian groaned.
"Now she's going to go on a tirade! Nice one Mary." But Sarah didn't reply to the cooment. She came to a stop at the town's clock tower and looked up. She frowned but kept walking to her destination. "Sarah! Just leave it."
"NO," she said deadly. She turned around to face the group trudging after her. "No one has a right to bully others into submission like that! Jake is going to regret it for the rest of his miserable life."
"Sarah," Toby called. "Sarah, don't do anything. His parents know now. Isn't that enough?" But Sarah kept walking, her fist flinched in anger and her jaw locked as emotions boiled in her. Toby turned to the quiet king with begging eyes. "Stop her, she isn't thinking properly." Jareth looked to Sarah with thought. Picking up the pace he put himself in her path and stared at her with hard eyes.
"Out of my wa-"
"What are you going to do? I know you would never intentionally bring physical harm to anyone, so what is it that you plan to do?" Sarah stared at him with cold eyes. The children gathered around Mary and Brian, their eyes wide with concern at Sarah's strange behaviour. She softened and turned to them.
"It's getting late guys, your parents should be waiting for you at home. Remember, it's a school day." Nathan nodded and waved to Toby, with slight hesitation he walked away with Susie and the others. "Sorry I dragged
you around Mary, you and Brian should be getting home. Have a good night." Mary nodded but stayed in place. Brian tried pulling her away but she ran to Sarah and enveloped her in a hug.
"Don't do something stupid. Leave him alone, there isn't anything else you can do." Sarah nodded stiffly in her arms but didn't return the familiar gesture. Mary pulled away and smiled briefly before heading to her boyfriend. The two walked away leaving Sarah with her brother, the Goblin King and four intrigued goblins.
Sarah glanced back to the clock as it tolled the tenth hour. She sighed and turned in another direction to walk home. Toby came to follow in her steps and they walked home as if nothing had happened. Jareth stood still awhile longer and Screw came to him with a troubled face.
"What happened? She was so happy and then...your Majesty?" Jareth looked down to him. "Was it me or did she seem sad?" Jareth nodded and soon signalled the goblins to return to the city within the Labyrinth's walls. His long strides had him catching up to the siblings. Sarah was quiet and her ever present smile had disappeared, Toby remained silent as he walked by her side. Toby reached for her hand and she took it gratefully.
"In the bath, mister. There will be no green on the sheets when you wake up tomorrow."
Toby nodded as he walked to the bathroom pulling his shirt over his head. "Do you need help?" He turned back to her with wide eyes.
"No! No, creepy sisters allowed."
"You better get all of it off."
"Yeah, yeah." Toby dismissed the discussion and walked through the door. Sarah's smile fell when he disappeared. Slowly she made her way to the living room to collapse on the family couch. She sighed irritably when the corset restricted her move to slouch, sitting up straighter she reached behind to loosen the lacing before unclasping the busk at the front. It fell back from her dress and she took a deep breath. Once she had put the corset on the table she relaxed against the seating and closed her eyes.
"Sarah..." She cracked an eye open to look at the king sitting in the opposite chair. His pale hair framing his face as he sat lazily, draping himself sideways on the recliner, the goblin armour creaking slightly as he moved to looked at her more directly. "Are you feeling well?" he asked carefully. She stared at him with tired eyes for a long while before looking back to the ceiling and closing her eyes.
"Nothing out of the ordinary," she replied lightly. Jareth nodded, unconvinced. The silence continued as Sarah fell into a light sleep and Jareth studied her. A short while later Toby came through looking like his usual self, hair still damp and in his sleeping clothes but the same nonetheless. He frowned at the sight of his sister. Carefully he walked up to her and placed a light kiss on her cheek. Sarah jolted awake and looked about with frantic eyes, she soon relaxed at the sight of her brother.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," he said softly. Sarah smiled slightly and shook her head. Her face turned stern with her eyes narrowed.
"Toby, get to bed. Karen will bite my had off if you don't wake up in the morning. No, it could never be that little boys like to sleep in, never. It has to be the big sister's fault." Sarah shooed him towards his room impatiently.
"Ok, ok. I'm goin'." He grinned and kissed her cheek again. Sarah waved him off and sat back comfortably, she sighed. Jareth watched her for a while before deciding it was best to just ask.
"Why were you so upset when you discovered this Cardinal boy mistreating your brother?"
"He's my brother, I don't like to see him so uncomfortable. He's always smiling, I don't want to see him cry especially if it's because of someone else. Plus I love those children as if they were my own." She smirked, "People call them my court of children. Little do they realize just how scary kids can be when put in the right situation." He nodded as he listened to her explanation.
"Forgive me. It seemed as though you were acting for yourself as well as the children. You were quite emotional about the whole ordeal."
"I really don't want to talk about it," she said giving him a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Her eyes turned to the antique clock on the wall and sighed. The hands indicated the time to approximately twenty past eleven. "Thirty-five minutes to Samhain," she whispered. She heaved herself off of the couch and went to the kitchen to fish Nyx and Erebus from the forgotten satchel. Coming back she danced them across her palm absentmindedly while retrieving the corset as she made her way up stairs. Jareth followed in step and came to her room. The sight that met him was very different from what he remembered. With the exception of favourites and sentimentally valued objects the room was almost bare, the toys had been taken and put into storage and bed had been moved to allow more space. The only remaining original piece of furniture seemed to be the vanity, it too had changed with it now clear of any trinkets or pictures.
Sarah, oblivious to his shock, made her way to a cabinet suspended above a drawer. Sliding the glass panelling aside she placed Nyx and Erebus upon cushioned pedestals. She nodded to herself when they did not roll off and slid the glass back in place. She turned back to the Goblin King who was inspecting her room with barely hidden fascination.
"You don't have to stay any longer if you need to get back, you know." Jareth turned his head at the comment. He hadn't questioned any of her actions all this night. Being comfortable in her presence after three years but now he wanted to test something. Slowly he took a step closer, when she didn't move away he took another. She stood still and stared him down until she had to force herself to look up to meet his gaze.
"Sarah Williams, three years apart and we spend our union prancing around with children." A gloved hand came up to caress her cheek. She leaned into the feeling letting her tired eyes close. Jareth chuckled, "And exhausting ourselves to the point of sleeping while we stand, it seems." She murmurs in agreement but does not move. Jareth leans in closer, "And I believe you owe me a kiss..." With that he placed his lips upon hers.
They stood awhile neither wishing to break the contact until they heard the creak of an opening door. Shuffling from the lower level told of the adults arrival. Sarah reluctantly stepped back from him to peer out of her door.
"Hey guys, Toby's asleep and I was just headed for bed. How was the party?" Her father smiles tiredly in reply and walks to his room. Karen's eyes follow him but she herself does not. She turns back to give Sarah a smile.
"The event was...eventful." She leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, "And I got the candy." Sarah laughed lightly and kissed her stepmother goodnight before closing the door. Jareth is waiting for here. He smiles down at her small figure and hears the tolling of the hour. Samhain has come.
"Happy Samhain, your Majesty," Sarah bowed her head in respect. He looked down at her once more before turning to the cabinet on the wall, a new kind of smile spreads itself across his face and he turned back to her. Jareth plucked a crystal from the air and extended it to her.
"I give to you Morpheus, God of Dreams."
(AN: I was pushed to finish this piece in celebration of my joy of finishing my first corset! So, indulge me. What did you think?
Unfortunately we don't celebrate All Hallows Eve as enthusiastically in Australia and my father is completely against it so I don't really have much to go on, other than movies and a few stories from my friends...I know, I have a social life!
Astrix-
* The 'butterfly' is most likely all your favourite! The arching movements in which Jareth directs the crystal back and forth on his arm is known as the butterfly.
** The 'cradle' is the resting position for the fushigi ball, a cradle is made with the back of the hand to allow the sphere to rest along the fingers.
*** If you didn't know Samhain is pronounced as sow-un.
And another thing, I had to keep reminding myself to put the word 'candy' instead of lollies. That word is not part of my vocabulary along with 'cookie'...I say biscuit. Long Author's Note finished XD
Until next time, your ever faithful personal devil awaits)
