"Forget-Me-Nots" by Red Raven (as Angel Bowie)

forget-me-nots rating: pg
[prologue\|part 01\|part 02\|part 03\|part 04] Prologue: The World Has Fallen Down There's such a sad love Deep in your eyes, A kind of pale jewel Opened and closed Within your eyes, I'll place the sky Within your eyes The song seemed to be everywhere and nowhere at once, it filled Sarah's heart, made it almost burst. The voice was so beautiful it almost hurt, her green eyes searched vainly throughout the ballroom for its source. Her heart skipped beats as the song continued. There's such a fooled heart, Beating so fast In search of new dreams, A love that will last Within your heart, I'll place the moon Within your heart She began to shove through the masked dancers until she was in front of him, the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. "Beautiful?" she wondered. She'd never thought she'd use that word for a man but he was a different case entirely, so...untouched, almost ethereal. Long spiky, blond hair, elegant features, lush lips that almost begged to be kissed, sharp eyebrows but his most striking features were his eyes. One was the blue color of the ocean, the other a hazel color; Sarah Williams could drown in those infinite pools of light and dark. Yes, Sarah decided as they began to dance slowly to the song. He is beautiful. As the pain sweeps through Makes no sense for you Every thrill has gone Wasn't too much fun at all But I'll be there for you-ooo-ooo As the world falls down It's falling, It's falling down Falling in love I'm falling in love with him, and I don't even know him, she thought in awe. She wanted to kiss him so badly, her first real kiss. She wanted him to devour her with those lips. She knew if she kissed him...she'd never be able to kiss another, he'd spoil her forever. But she was also afraid that the electricity from his kiss would kill her...she didn't care; if it did, she could die happy. I'll paint you mornings of gold I'll spin you Valentine evenings Though we're strangers till now We're choosing the path Between the stars I'll lay my love Between the stars He knows everything I want to hear...he is truly the man of my dreams, my knight in shining armor, Sarah thought. This man was everything she'd ever dreamed of but something...something was wrong. She moved closer to kiss him and all the dancers began to laugh. Her eyes widened and she pulled away from the handsome stranger and shoved through the dancers, tears stinging her eyes painfully. I am not going to cry! As the pain sweeps through Makes no sense for you Every thrill has gone Wasn't too much fun at all But I'll be there for you-ooo-ooo As the world falls down It's falling, As the world falls down It's falling Sarah refused to let herself cry as the stranger stared after her. In her hurry, she missed the look of pain that passed over his face as she searched for her escape. His voice still surrounded her and filled her body with delicious sensations. Her heart begged her to turn back and fall into his eyes, jump into his arms, lose herself in his kiss. But her pride...her pride prevented her. She tried not to listen to his voice, instead focused on the task at hand. It's falling, It's falling, It's falling, Falling in love, It's falling... She triumphantly grabbed a chair and slammed it into the mirrored wall, screams drowned out the beautiful voice as the ballroom was sucked into oblivion. Sarah swallowed a scream as she fell into nothingness, she closed her eyes tightly and was shocked when she bounced off a soft surface. She first opened one eye then the other, she was in her room on her bed. She looked around, confusion niggling at the back of her mind. "What an amazing dream," she whispered, looking at her toy shelf, she grabbed Lancelot and hugged him to her chest. "Let's see if Daddy and the wicked stepmother are here." Sarah crossed the room and headed into the hallway, her eyes flew to the door across from hers, Karen and her father's room. "There's something strange going on," Sarah whispered as she tiptoed to the door, opening it quietly. Her eyes ran over the room, everything seemed in order...but something was missing. She didn't know what it was but she had the strangest feeling that something was missing. She walked into the room and looked over everything, she cocked her head when she saw a scarf lying on the floor. "Where'd that come from?" She picked it up and two things fell out. A snowy white feather floated gracefully to the ground but a beautiful amulet fell to the ground with a muffled thud. Sarah stared at the amulet. It had a long gold chain with a circular pendant that had two swirls on it, something in the back of her mind registered the pendant as meaning "forever." Without even realizing it, Sarah slipped the necklace on before picking up the feather. She held the feather up into the moonlight and it gleamed silver. "How pretty," she whispered. "Sarah?" a voice called and Sarah raced downstairs and hugged her father. He grinned at her. "Did you have a nice time today?" "Yeah...how was your date?" she asked. "It was good," he answered. Jareth smiled at the crystal as he saw Sarah had forgotten everything, he adjusted the baby in his arms and looked over the blonde carefully. "I don't think I'll name you Jareth after all," he replied. "Prince..." "Prince!" a goblin cried. "Prince Prince?" Jareth stated, rolling his mismatched eyes heavenward. "To the Bog of Eternal Stench with you." "NO!!!" the goblin cried as two guards grabbed him and tossed the squirming goblin into the Bog below. Jareth looked over the rest of the goblins critically. "Higgie?" "Uh...Nicholi Blue?" Higgie squeaked. "Why 'Nicholi Blue'?" Jareth asked. "'Cause ya sees, Blue's what me hubby wanted to name our younguns..." Higgie replied. "But I says ya canna be namin' a babe 'Blue,' it just ain't done! So's we gotta name 'im 'Nicholi' 'cause o' me dearly departed da, Nicholas. He was a good man, yer kinginess." "Very well, Higgie," Jareth stated and Higgie let out a deep breath. Jareth picked up the newly-named Nicholi and looked him in the eyes before taking him to the window overlooking the Labyrinth and he gurgled happily as the red sky shone on his blonde curls. "This is your future." Part 1: 15 Years Later: Only Forever Sarah looked around at the people in the theatre, they were all younger than her and she felt overwhelmed, she never knew that a Broadway musical could be so much tougher than she had ever dreamed...but she never gave up. She looked at the tape in her hand, it was the music to a song that she could never get out of her head ever since that dream with the tall blonde man. She had written the music and had her best friend Alyson play it for her and Alyson's boyfriend, the owner of a big-time record company, record it on a tape. And now, Sarah was going to sing it for a role in Regan Brannaugh's production of Grease. She had heard that a Hollywood manager, Logan Brannaugh (who was Regan's twin brother) was going to be at the play. This was Sarah's turn to shine like her mother Linda, go into television and movies. "Williams, Sarah," Regan called and Sarah jumped up and practically raced to the woman's side. "Here, Miss Brannaugh," Sarah chirped and Regan looked her over. The almond-shaped blue eyes seemed to mock Sarah as did the woman's casual shake of her bobbed brown hair. Sarah tried not to glare at her and quickly turned to give the sound manager the tape. He inserted the cassette and Sarah cleared her throat before her lovely voice rang out: There's such a sad love Deep in your eyes, A kind of pale jewel Opened and closed Within your eyes, I'll place the sky Within your eyes There's such a fooled heart, Beating so fast In search of new dreams, A love that will last Within your heart, I'll place the moon Within your heart I'll paint you mornings of gold I'll spin you Valentine evenings Though we're strangers till now We're choosing the path Between the stars I'll lay my love Between the stars As the pain sweeps through Makes no sense for you Every thrill has gone Wasn't too much fun at all But I'll be there for you-ooo-ooo As the world falls down It's falling, As the world falls down It's falling The song ended and everyone seemed mystified before applause filled the auditorium and Sarah smiled. She took the tape, cradling it as if a child. A child? Sarah wondered about her thoughts. She walked to a seat and sat down. Give me the child. Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the Castle Beyond the Goblin City to take back the child you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom is as great. My kingdom is as great? Damn! Sarah frowned. She knew that from somewhere. As soon as she thought of those words, she puzzled over them, her best friend Alyson O'Connor picked her up from the auditions and yet she still pondered over those words. "Is there somethin' wrong, Sarah?" she asked. "No...just thinking," Sarah answered quickly fingering the amulet she always wore and saw a flash of the handsome stranger. This time his lips weren't so seductive but in a smirk but still so kissable... "You're no match for me," he stated. "I need my brother back," Sarah pleaded. "He's there in my castle. Do you still want to look for him?" the man asked, suddenly they were on a cliff overlooking an expansive Labyrinth the red sky above had the girl in awe. "Is that the Castle Beyond the Goblin City?" "Turn back, Sarah. Turn back before it's too late." "I can't. Don't you understand that I can't?" "What a pity," he replied, suddenly there was a name to go with the face. 'Jareth.' "It doesn't look that far," Sarah said, determined. "It's further than you think. Time is short. You have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth before your baby brother becomes one of us...forever," Jareth answered, disappearing. His voice rang in her head. "Such a pity..." Sarah looked over at Alyson, confusion on her face. "Aly, do I have a baby brother?" Sarah asked. "No," the redhead answered. "Sarah, are ya okay?" "I've been better," she answered and Alyson nodded slightly as they she drove to the apartment that they shared with Alyson's fifteen-year-old daughter Aislin. When they went inside, Alyson smiled as she saw her daughter curled up on the sofa with a book. "Ash?" Alyson called. "Time ta wake up. Ya fell asleep on the sofa." Aislin looked up blearily at her mother. "Did I then? I started readin' this book and I got lost...it's so wonderful. Sarah, where did ye get it?" Aislin asked, handing the red leather-bound book to the woman. "The Labyrinth," Sarah whispered. "My mother gave it to me before she left. Thank you for finding it, Aislin." Alyson and Aislin watched as Sarah retreated to her room with the book. A few minutes later it all came back to her. "Lancelot! Someone has been in my room again! I hate that! I hate it!" A baby cried and Sarah stormed to the room across from hers and stared at the raggedy bear lying on the floor and the bleary-eyed toddler stared at her, crying. "I hate you! I hate you! Someone save me! Someone take me away from this awful place!" Thunder rolled in the distance. "What do you want? Do you want a story, huh? Okay. Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl whose stepmother always made her stay home with the baby. The baby was a spoiled child. He wanted everything for himself and the girl was practically a slave. But what no-one else knew was that the Goblin King fell in love with her and gave her certain powers. So one night, when the baby had been particularly cruel to her, she asked the goblins for help. 'Say your right words,' the goblins said, 'and we'll take the baby to the Goblin City and you will be free.' But the girl knew that the King of the Goblins would keep the baby in his castle forever and ever and turn it into a goblin, so she suffered in silence until one night when she was tired from doing housework and hurt by the harsh words of her stepmother and she could no longer stand it..." The baby cried and interrupted her "story" and she grabbed him, trying to calm him down. "Oh, all right! All right! Knock it off. Come on. Stop it! Stop it! I'll say the words...no I mustn't. I mustn't say...I wish...I wish! I can bear it no longer! Goblin King! Goblin King! Wherever you may be, take this child of mine far away from me!" The baby only cried louder. "Oh, Toby, stop it," Sarah whispered, placing him back into his crib. I wish I did know what to say to make the goblins take you away. I wish...I wish...I wish the goblins would come take you away...right now." She turned the light off and the baby stopped crying. Sarah stared into her mirror, shock evident on her face. "Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus, Ambrosius," she whispered. "Jareth, Toby. How could I forget you?" Prince Nicholi Blue, the Future Goblin King and Current Ruler of the Fireys, stared out over the Rainbow River, frowning. "That figures! I finally find out where all the Fae Maidens bathe and now they've decided to move!" he pouted. Not that he actually needed to spy on them, most of them threw themselves at him in his bedchamber, trying desperately to become the Future Goblin Queen. So far, none of them impressed him, silly twits that wanted nothing more than to plan tea parties. Nicholi knew what he wanted in his Queen, someone like the girl his father wanted. King Jareth's lady-love was an actress on Earth named Sarah Williams. She was strong-willed and brave, nothing like the timid idiots that wanted him in the Underground. He didn't want Sarah but her best friend's daughter Aislin O'Connor, her name described her perfectly; she was a dream come true, she was pale with emerald eyes and the richest red hair he could imagine, falling in soft waves to her waist, Aislin had the most lilting Irish accent one could imagine. She'd make a perfect Goblin Princess and Future Goblin Queen. After thinking of the pretty redhead, he decided to go to the Crystal Chamber and view her in one of his father's crystals. He passed giggling Goblin Maids and drunken Goblin Soldiers as he made his way to the Crystal Chamber in the Castle Beyond the Goblin City. Nicky pouted when he saw his father viewing Sarah in a crystal. He seemed...angry about something. The woman clutched a book in her hands. "Give me the child," she whispered. "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered I have fought my way here to the Castle Beyond the Goblin City to take back the child you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom as great. You have no power over me." "My magic must be failing or she wouldn't remember!" he growled. She frowned. "Goblin King! Goblin King! Wherever you may be, bring this child of mine back to me!" she cried, no results and Sarah set her face. "I wish the Goblin King would take me away. Right now!" Part 2: Give Me the Child... Her eyes widened as she took in the sight before her, a room like...a diamond must look like from the inside-out, light shown through the walls and the light was filtered into all the colors of the rainbow. The walls were lined with glass shelves with crystals of all sizes and colors, each one seemed to hold a scene within its depths. In an emerald-green crystal, she saw her friend Hoggle spraying faeries, a purply-blue one held Ludo conversing with the rocks, a rose-colored one had Sir Didymus trying to coax his "faithful steed" Ambrosias out of hiding. The rest...every single one a different color, some colors that Sarah had never seen before, could never imagine...showed parts of the Underground and its various creatures. Sarah glanced at every one of them, before she realized she wasn't alone in the diamond room. Her eyes narrowed into angry slits as she beheld the man in the room: Jareth. Jareth in a loose poet's shirt of the purest white unbuttoned just above his navel showing the amulet that looked similar to the one Sarah wore, a pair of powder-blue tights, a pair of knee-high black leather boots, powder-blue velvet gloves and his spiky hair held streaks that matched his tights with silvery glitter here and there on his face. He was a handsome sight to behold. Sarah barely registered his appearance before she marched purposefully toward her arch-enemy and former dream-crush Jareth the Goblin King. Before the woman knew what she was doing, her hand raised and she slapped him. Hard. The slap reverberated throughout the room and caused his face to turn to the side. He slowly moved his head so he faced her again, a cruel smirk playing on his sensuous lips. "So good to see you again, Sarah," he purred. "You...you...jerk!" she sputtered before realizing that "jerk" was simply not a strong enough word for what he had done to her. He had taken her baby brother, made her go through the Labyrinth, given Hoggle a poisoned peach to give her and made her forget Toby! "No, correction, you bastard, son of a bitch..." He placed a finger over her mouth in a shushing motion. "Now, now, Sarah, that wasn't very nice," he replied, amusement shining in the mismatched eyes. "Ooh! Give me Toby! I want my brother back!" Sarah growled, shoving him away from her. "I can't do that," Jareth stated. "What do you mean, 'you can't do it?!'" Sarah demanded. "I mean, I can't do it...you see, you've wished yourself away and it's a rule here that if you wish yourself away you must stay in the Underground for thirteen months," the Goblin King answered. Sarah's jaw dropped. "Wh--what?" she stuttered. "You have to stay in the Underground for thirteen months," Jareth repeated. "You can't do that, it isn't fair!" Sarah whispered. "You say that so often..." Jareth sighed. "You have to let me go after thirteen months?" Sarah whimpered. "I can keep you as long as I want," he smirked and her eyes widened. "But something tells me that you won't want to leave when I'm through with you. You will fear me, love me, do as I say." "You can't make someone love you," Sarah shot back. "When I'm through with you, I won't have to," he answered cryptically, sweeping out of the room with an animalistic grace as Sarah glared after him. And then entered another man, he had curly blond hair to his shoulders and blue eyes. His skin was as pale as porcelain. Sarah gasped as Toby's baby image seemed to float in front of her eyes and age into the man before her. "He didn't turn you into a goblin. I'm so sorry, Toby. I should never have wished you away. I should have saved you from this horrible place." "Um, lady, are you all right because there's no-one here called 'Toby,'" he answered, he had Jareth's accent and Sarah cringed. "I'm Prince Nicholi Blue, and you are?" "Sarah Williams," Sarah answered. "I'm your sister, Toby." "Look, Sarah, stop calling me 'Toby,'" Nicholi stated. "I'm sorry...Nicholi," she said, choking out his new name. "Dinner will be ready soon," Nicholi answered. "You should get ready, Higgie will take you to your room." As if on cue, the gobliness entered the Crystal Chamber. "Ye must be Sarah, His Kinginess speaks well of ya...ye'd best get ready for dinner, dovey," Higgie said, guiding Sarah out of the room. Once alone, Nicholi peered into a crystal and smiled as he saw Aislin curled up in her bed, a serene smile on her lips. Part 3: Truth Hurts, Little Girl Higgie sifted through the dresses in the armoire, tsk-tsking over them to find the perfect one. Higgie grinned as she spotted a sapphire-blue satin dress. "Here ya go," she replied. "I don't want to go to dinner with that--that monster," Sarah said scathingly. "Ya bes' not be makin' the king angry...he has been nice but he can be cruel," Higgie responded, handing Sarah the dress. "Nice! He took my brother and made everyone forget about him! Now he won't let me go home!" Sarah shouted. Higgie sighed and Sarah groaned. "What about shoes?" Sarah replied, accepting her fate with a frown. "No shoes, shoes is bad...bes' be gettin' dressed, dovey," the gobliness answered, leaving Sarah in her chambers. Sarah groaned, undressed and slipped into the soft gown. It fit her perfectly and Sarah wondered why on earth he'd have a dress in her size? She shrugged off her thoughts and left the room, the stone floor was cold and she shivered. Higgie led her to the dining room before retreating to a door on the other side of the room. Of course, she leaves me with him! Sarah thought darkly. Thirteen months with him! Poor Toby. He's been here for fifteen years. Fifteen years? That poor boy must have been through so much, she had only been in the Labyrinth for about five hours until--until that horrible Goblin King took away my memory. The more she thought about Jareth, the angrier she got and the stupider she felt about being in love with the tall, blonde and handsome man in the Crystal Ballroom. And the more ashamed she felt over the dreams that had occurred since the first "dream" of him in the Crystal Ballroom, she blushed as she thought over the...ahem...more naughty dreams she'd had of him. "I am so stupid," she mumbled to herself. She hadn't really dated anyone since her first dream, never had let anyone touch her. Everyone had called her the "Ice Queen" because of that. She had told herself that she was twenty-nine years old and she was letting the clock tick by because of some fantasy guy. But the dreams had been so...real, she could almost feel his lips on hers, hands roam--"Stop that!" she told herself. "Stop what, Sarah?" Jareth's taunting voice floated through the air. "Why, I haven't even begun." Sarah groaned inwardly. Stupid Goblin King, she thought angrily. "Why don't you jump into the Bog of Eternal Stench?" she growled. Jareth's eyes flashed and Sarah suppressed a shudder, he lifted her chin with a gloved hand. "Such a mouth on you, little one. I believe Higgie has told you of my ability to be cruel...we are well-matched in our cruelty," he replied, a smirk gracing his lips. "Hmmph!" Sarah scoffed. How you've turned my world, you precious thing You starve and near exhaust me Everything I've done, I've done for you I move the stars for no-one You've run so long You've run so far Your eyes can be so cruel Just as I can be so cruel Though I do believe in you Yes, I do Live without the sunlight Love without your heartbeat I...I can't live within you I can't live within you I...I can't live within you His voice filled the room and shivers that weren't entirely unpleasant shot through her body. "What's that song supposed to mean?" she asked curiously. Jareth's smirk became a flirtatious smile. "Listen to the words and you'll find out," he replied, leaving the room in a flurry of velvet. "I hate it when he does that," she murmured. "Join the club," a voice answered. Sarah nearly jumped and glared at the source. Nicholi chuckled at the look on her face. "Tob--Nicholi, don't do that!" she hissed. Nicholi grinned at her and sat at the large table. "So Father ran off?" he asked. Sarah frowned deeply. He really cares about Jareth? How could anyone? He's so...mean, she thought. "H--he did," Sarah replied. "He does that a lot, it can get annoying," Nicholi answered. "So, um, what do you do here?" she asked. "I rule over the Fireys," Nicholi replied. "The Fireys? Oh, the Fireys," Sarah grimaced. "The creatures that try to take off people's heads?" "That would be them, they're a lot of fun," he stated. "They weren't so much fun when I ran into them last," Sarah frowned. "You were in the Underground before?" Nicholi inquired. "Fifteen years ago," she whispered. "Interesting, what was it like back then?" Aislin groaned softly as she woke up. She stood up, yawning and looked at Sarah's room. "Sarah?" she asked. When she realized Sarah was gone, she grinned. "It's about time!" Alyson walked into Sarah's room as well. "Where's Sarah?" Alyson asked her daughter. Aislin grinned at her mother. "She's gone to the Underground! Took her long enough, I heard Uncle Jareth's been quite...shall we say...unhappy since she left. So I gave her back the book...she had it bookmarked by one of his feathers, Mum...she loves him. And I took it upon myself to play Cupid to get two incredibly stubborn and incredibly in love individuals to admit their feelings which was no easy task." "Aislin..." Alyson scolded. "What have I told you about matchmaking?" "What!? Antony and Cleopatra were perfectly happy until later...so were Romeo and Juliet...okay, so I put star-crossed lovers together but Jareth and Sarah are going to make it," Aislin answered. "My baby brother will be upset if you're wrong, Ais," Alyson reminded her daughter. "I'm not wrong, Mum," Aislin countered. "This wouldn't have anything to do with your crush on Prince Nicholi, would it?" Alyson asked and Aislin's eyes widened. "Um...no..." Aislin squeaked, her eyes darting around the room so she wouldn't have to look at her mother. "He's sixteen and I'm..." "Five-thousand two-hundred eighty-four," Alyson answered. "I was Nicholi's age when you were born. Then my little brother came about exactly five-thousand years later. You're older than your uncle. And much older than Prince Nicholi." "But he is cute, Mum," Aislin replied. "Yes, he is," Alyson admitted. "Can't you find a nice elf or fae?" "Mum!" Aislin cried. "I may be fae...but I have nothing in common with those...barbarians." She tossed her hair, letting the glamour slide away revealing her true Fae features, the nearly translucent milky-white skin, the huge almond-shaped emerald-green eyes with their long eyelashes and her pointed ears poked through her mane of auburn hair. "You've been around the humans too long," Alyson replied, letting her glamour slip away. She looked like an older version of Aislin with purple eyes. "We should go back to the Underground." "We should," Aislin exclaimed. "Children," Alyson groaned, producing a crystal and transporting them to the Castle Beyond the Goblin City's Crystal Chamber. Part 4: Falling... Aislin shook her hair, grinning from one pointy ear to the pointy ear and Alyson sighed. "What!?" Aislin demanded at her mother's dramatic sigh. "Nothing," Alyson answered. "Now, little miss, you will behave, no tossing goblins into the Bog of Eternal Stench, no turning your uncle - or me - into a goblin, no fighting with the fireys, no playing dominoes with the Goblin Guards, no--" "Fun?" Aislin cut her mother off. "Yes, exactly, no fun," Alyson stated, tucking her hair behind a pointy ear. "Absolutely none of your fun." "Bloody hell," Aislin pouted. "Assume the appearance," Alyson answered and Aislin shrunk into a child of eight or so years. Aislin's hair was three-fourths of her height and it almost looked as if she'd topple from the weight, she wore an emerald-green poet's shirt that matched her eyes with a black belt around her waist and a pair of black leggings. Aislin peered into one of the crystal walls to see a reflection of herself and she grinned. "I am so adorable," she announced. "You are so egotistical," Alyson rolled her eyes before transforming into a twenty-four-year-old version of herself. Her eyes were almond-shaped and the lids were covered with purple eye shadow that brought out her eyes' purple color. She wore a rich purple velvet dress with an emperor waist and silver ivy detailing carefully sewn into the velvet with a pair of silver satin slippers. To complete the faerin ensemble she wore a silver crown-like headband, her hair cascading from it like a waterfall of shiny red curls. "And you are so gaudy," Aislin hmmphed, placing her hands on her waist in a disapproving gesture. "Aislin, I don't know what I'm going to do with you," Alyson muttered, scooping up her daughter. "I've met Hoggle, seems like a nice chap," Nicholi answered. "He is," Sarah agreed. "Have you met Sir Didymus, Ambrosius or Ludo, by any chance?" "Yes, of course, Sir Didymus is the leader of the Goblin Guards and Sir Ludo is the rock builder. He builds the nicest rock houses in all of the Underground," Nicholi answered. "Perchance, I'll have him build my new castle when I become the Goblin King. I love Father's old castle but I wish for something slightly modern." "When you become Goblin King, what'll happen to Jareth?" Sarah asked, disappointed at the worried sound of her voice. "Why, nothing!" Nicholi answered. "He just moves from the Castle Beyond the Goblin City into a home of his choosing in the Land of the Kings, that's where all the Goblin Kings move to when they get bored with being the Goblin King. In fact, my grandfather King Nicodemus lives there with my grandmum Esmerelda the Queen of the Faerin." "Your grandmother is the queen of the Faerin?" Sarah asked. "If...Jareth ever got a wife what--what would she become?" "She'd become the Queen of the Goblins, Queen of the Faerin and the Ruler of the Labyrinth," Nicholi replied. "She would rule over all of the creatures within the Labyrinth excluding the goblins, Goblin City and the Fireys. My father would rule the goblins, Goblin City and the Outerlands. Whilst I would still rule over the fireys. She could change the Labyrinth however she saw fit. Making her as powerful as my father." "I suppose it would be the only perk of being married to Jareth," Sarah answered coldly. "You are so cruel to my father when he has done everything you wished," Nicholi observed. "What!?" Sarah demanded. "You asked to be taken and he took you, now you're upset about the thirteen-months circumstance...you change your mind so often, my father is quite irritated," Nicholi answered. "You're just like him! A big jerk with an even bigger ego!" she growled. Then a light smirk played on her lips. "HOW DARE YOU--!?" Nicholi started but was interrupted by Sarah. "Do you want a story, huh? "What!?" Nicholi exclaimed. "Okay. Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl whose stepmother always made her stay home with the baby. The baby was a spoiled child and he wanted everything for himself and the girl was practically a slave. But what no-one else knew was that the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with her and gave her certain powers. So one night, when the baby had been particularly cruel to her, she asked the goblins for help. 'Say your right words,' the goblins said, 'and we'll take the baby to the Goblin City and you will be free.' But the girl knew that the King of the Goblins would keep the baby in his castle forever and ever and turn it into a goblin, so she suffered in silence until one night when she was tired from doing housework and hurt by the harsh words of her stepmother and she could no longer stand it..." Nicholi blinked. "I've heard that...before." "I'll say the words...no I mustn't. I mustn't say...I wish...I wish! I can bear it no longer! Goblin King! Goblin King! Wherever you may be, take this child of mine far away from me!" "I know that..." Nicholi's brow furrowed as he tried to think of where those familiar words had come from. "I wish I did know what to say to make the goblins take you away. I wish...I wish...I wish the goblins would come take you away...right now," Sarah finished. Nicholi glared at Sarah. "You! You wished me away," he demanded, looking more like Jareth than Sarah thought possible. "Well, I owe you, I've never been happier and it's another example of him doing everything for you! He took me away because you didn't want me around and still you wanted more! He even dressed as a human for you! Jeremy, your mother's co-star." "Jeremy..." Sarah whispered but before an answer could be received, Nicholi stalked out of the dining room much in the way Jareth had earlier. "Am I the only sane one here?!" "Yeah," Higgie answered. "Come along now, dovey. Bes' be stayin' in yer room 'cause you've ired both the king an' prince." The gobliness pushed Sarah to her room and closed the door behind the girl. Sarah lay on her bed, deep in thought. "Things aren't always what they seem here...Jareth could be someone entirely different than I thought..." Sarah murmured. "But he's still evil!" "YOU TOLD HER!?" Jareth demanded. "ABOUT JEREMY?" "I--I thought it was for the best, Father, every Undergrounder knows how you love her, she'd be a good queen," Nicholi answered. Jareth smiled slightly. "She would," he whispered. "What--what did she say?" "I--I didn't quite catch it," Nicholi answered, smiling sheepishly. "It's all right, maybe she'll come around to my charms," Jareth answered, sitting regally in his throne. Laughter bubbled all around the king and prince. "If that's all ye've got to woo her, ye might as well give up now," a voice answered as a woman extracted herself from the dark corners of the room. "Aliandra," Jareth muttered. "How's my big sis been?" "It's Alyson now," the woman answered, adjusting the squirming girl in her arms before releasing her on the unsuspecting goblins who quickly retreated to hide behind their king and his son. "COR, NO! IT'S HER!" legions of goblins, unafraid of anything but Jareth squealed like little girls at the sight of Alyson's daughter. Even Jareth cringed a bit as he saw her. "You couldn't have left her somewhere?" a goblin squeaked. "Why are you so scared, she's just a child," Nicholi answered. "If you say so," another goblin answered. "She's evil!" "Mama!" the girl screeched, the prince covered his ears. "Well, I told you not to toss them into the Bog and then scrub away the scent," Alyson stated. "Good thing that was before it became the Bog of Eternal Stench." "It...I..." the girl answered. "It was an accident." She was convincing unless you saw that glimmer in the wide green eyes. "Right, turning me into a goblin was an 'accident,'" Jareth stated. "She turned you into a goblin?" Nicholi squeaked. "That's all forgotten, how have you been, Trouble?" the king greeted her with his oh-so-fitting pet name for the girl. "I've been," the girl answered. "Mum, can I?" "Why not," Alyson sighed. Goblins and a king raised their arms to protect themselves as Nicholi stared wide-eyed at the girl as she grew eight years in a duration of seconds. "A--Aislin?" Nicholi asked. "Yeah, hi!" she said. "You're even cuter than I thought!" She cut off by her mother clearing her throat. "Oh, right..." "Jareth, we're here to help you get the girl of your dreams, Sarah, she's a sweet thing but she needs a little shove--" "More like a huge push," Aislin interrupted. "Your story, I get that, I'll be quiet now." "A huge push then. And I think we could give her that push she needs to get her head on straight." "Oh, really? Do tell..." the King started.
to be continued... stories

forget-me-nots
rating: pg

[prologue|part 01|part 02|part 03|part 04]

There's such a sad love
Deep in your eyes,
A kind of pale jewel
Opened and closed
Within your eyes,
I'll place the sky
Within your eyes

The song seemed to be everywhere and nowhere at once, it filled Sarah's heart, made it almost burst. The voice was so beautiful it almost hurt, her green eyes searched vainly throughout the ballroom for its source. Her heart skipped beats as the song continued.

There's such a fooled heart,
Beating so fast
In search of new dreams,
A love that will last
Within your heart,
I'll place the moon
Within your heart

She began to shove through the masked dancers until she was in front of him, the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. "Beautiful?" she wondered. She'd never thought she'd use that word for a man but he was a different case entirely, so...untouched, almost ethereal. Long spiky, blond hair, elegant features, lush lips that almost begged to be kissed, sharp eyebrows but his most striking features were his eyes. One was the blue color of the ocean, the other a hazel color; Sarah Williams could drown in those infinite pools of light and dark. Yes, Sarah decided as they began to dance slowly to the song. He is beautiful.

As the pain sweeps through
Makes no sense for you
Every thrill has gone
Wasn't too much fun at all
But I'll be there for you-ooo-ooo
As the world falls down
It's falling,
It's falling down
Falling in love

I'm falling in love with him, and I don't even know him, she thought in awe. She wanted to kiss him so badly, her first real kiss. She wanted him to devour her with those lips. She knew if she kissed him...she'd never be able to kiss another, he'd spoil her forever. But she was also afraid that the electricity from his kiss would kill her...she didn't care; if it did, she could die happy.

I'll paint you mornings of gold
I'll spin you Valentine evenings
Though we're strangers till now
We're choosing the path
Between the stars
I'll lay my love
Between the stars

He knows everything I want to hear...he is truly the man of my dreams, my knight in shining armor, Sarah thought. This man was everything she'd ever dreamed of but something...something was wrong. She moved closer to kiss him and all the dancers began to laugh. Her eyes widened and she pulled away from the handsome stranger and shoved through the dancers, tears stinging her eyes painfully. I am not going to cry!

As the pain sweeps through
Makes no sense for you
Every thrill has gone
Wasn't too much fun at all
But I'll be there for you-ooo-ooo
As the world falls down
It's falling,
As the world falls down
It's falling

Sarah refused to let herself cry as the stranger stared after her. In her hurry, she missed the look of pain that passed over his face as she searched for her escape. His voice still surrounded her and filled her body with delicious sensations. Her heart begged her to turn back and fall into his eyes, jump into his arms, lose herself in his kiss. But her pride...her pride prevented her. She tried not to listen to his voice, instead focused on the task at hand.

It's falling,
It's falling,
It's falling,
Falling in love,
It's falling...

She triumphantly grabbed a chair and slammed it into the mirrored wall, screams drowned out the beautiful voice as the ballroom was sucked into oblivion. Sarah swallowed a scream as she fell into nothingness, she closed her eyes tightly and was shocked when she bounced off a soft surface. She first opened one eye then the other, she was in her room on her bed. She looked around, confusion niggling at the back of her mind. "What an amazing dream," she whispered, looking at her toy shelf, she grabbed Lancelot and hugged him to her chest. "Let's see if Daddy and the wicked stepmother are here."

Sarah crossed the room and headed into the hallway, her eyes flew to the door across from hers, Karen and her father's room. "There's something strange going on," Sarah whispered as she tiptoed to the door, opening it quietly. Her eyes ran over the room, everything seemed in order...but something was missing. She didn't know what it was but she had the strangest feeling that something was missing. She walked into the room and looked over everything, she cocked her head when she saw a scarf lying on the floor. "Where'd that come from?"

She picked it up and two things fell out. A snowy white feather floated gracefully to the ground but a beautiful amulet fell to the ground with a muffled thud. Sarah stared at the amulet. It had a long gold chain with a circular pendant that had two swirls on it, something in the back of her mind registered the pendant as meaning "forever." Without even realizing it, Sarah slipped the necklace on before picking up the feather. She held the feather up into the moonlight and it gleamed silver. "How pretty," she whispered.

"Sarah?" a voice called and Sarah raced downstairs and hugged her father. He grinned at her. "Did you have a nice time today?"

"Yeah...how was your date?" she asked.

"It was good," he answered.

Jareth smiled at the crystal as he saw Sarah had forgotten everything, he adjusted the baby in his arms and looked over the blonde carefully. "I don't think I'll name you Jareth after all," he replied. "Prince..."

"Prince!" a goblin cried.

"Prince Prince?" Jareth stated, rolling his mismatched eyes heavenward. "To the Bog of Eternal Stench with you."

"NO!!!" the goblin cried as two guards grabbed him and tossed the squirming goblin into the Bog below. Jareth looked over the rest of the goblins critically. "Higgie?"

"Uh...Nicholi Blue?" Higgie squeaked.

"Why 'Nicholi Blue'?" Jareth asked.

"'Cause ya sees, Blue's what me hubby wanted to name our younguns..." Higgie replied. "But I says ya canna be namin' a babe 'Blue,' it just ain't done! So's we gotta name 'im 'Nicholi' 'cause o' me dearly departed da, Nicholas. He was a good man, yer kinginess."

"Very well, Higgie," Jareth stated and Higgie let out a deep breath. Jareth picked up the newly-named Nicholi and looked him in the eyes before taking him to the window overlooking the Labyrinth and he gurgled happily as the red sky shone on his blonde curls. "This is your future."

Part 1:
15 Years Later:
Only Forever

Sarah looked around at the people in the theatre, they were all younger than her and she felt overwhelmed, she never knew that a Broadway musical could be so much tougher than she had ever dreamed...but she never gave up. She looked at the tape in her hand, it was the music to a song that she could never get out of her head ever since that dream with the tall blonde man. She had written the music and had her best friend Alyson play it for her and Alyson's boyfriend, the owner of a big-time record company, record it on a tape. And now, Sarah was going to sing it for a role in Regan Brannaugh's production of Grease.

She had heard that a Hollywood manager, Logan Brannaugh (who was Regan's twin brother) was going to be at the play. This was Sarah's turn to shine like her mother Linda, go into television and movies. "Williams, Sarah," Regan called and Sarah jumped up and practically raced to the woman's side.

"Here, Miss Brannaugh," Sarah chirped and Regan looked her over. The almond-shaped blue eyes seemed to mock Sarah as did the woman's casual shake of her bobbed brown hair.

Sarah tried not to glare at her and quickly turned to give the sound manager the tape. He inserted the cassette and Sarah cleared her throat before her lovely voice rang out:

There's such a sad love
Deep in your eyes,
A kind of pale jewel
Opened and closed
Within your eyes,
I'll place the sky
Within your eyes

There's such a fooled heart,
Beating so fast
In search of new dreams,
A love that will last
Within your heart,
I'll place the moon
Within your heart

I'll paint you mornings of gold
I'll spin you Valentine evenings
Though we're strangers till now
We're choosing the path
Between the stars
I'll lay my love
Between the stars

As the pain sweeps through
Makes no sense for you
Every thrill has gone
Wasn't too much fun at all
But I'll be there for you-ooo-ooo
As the world falls down
It's falling,
As the world falls down
It's falling

The song ended and everyone seemed mystified before applause filled the auditorium and Sarah smiled. She took the tape, cradling it as if a child. A child? Sarah wondered about her thoughts. She walked to a seat and sat down. Give me the child. Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the Castle Beyond the Goblin City to take back the child you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom is as great. My kingdom is as great? Damn! Sarah frowned. She knew that from somewhere.

As soon as she thought of those words, she puzzled over them, her best friend Alyson O'Connor picked her up from the auditions and yet she still pondered over those words. "Is there somethin' wrong, Sarah?" she asked.

"No...just thinking," Sarah answered quickly fingering the amulet she always wore and saw a flash of the handsome stranger. This time his lips weren't so seductive but in a smirk but still so kissable...

"You're no match for me," he stated.

"I need my brother back," Sarah pleaded.

"He's there in my castle. Do you still want to look for him?" the man asked, suddenly they were on a cliff overlooking an expansive Labyrinth the red sky above had the girl in awe.

"Is that the Castle Beyond the Goblin City?"

"Turn back, Sarah. Turn back before it's too late."

"I can't. Don't you understand that I can't?"

"What a pity," he replied, suddenly there was a name to go with the face. 'Jareth.'

"It doesn't look that far," Sarah said, determined.

"It's further than you think. Time is short. You have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth before your baby brother becomes one of us...forever," Jareth answered, disappearing. His voice rang in her head. "Such a pity..."

Sarah looked over at Alyson, confusion on her face. "Aly, do I have a baby brother?" Sarah asked.

"No," the redhead answered. "Sarah, are ya okay?"

"I've been better," she answered and Alyson nodded slightly as they she drove to the apartment that they shared with Alyson's fifteen-year-old daughter Aislin. When they went inside, Alyson smiled as she saw her daughter curled up on the sofa with a book.

"Ash?" Alyson called. "Time ta wake up. Ya fell asleep on the sofa."

Aislin looked up blearily at her mother. "Did I then? I started readin' this book and I got lost...it's so wonderful. Sarah, where did ye get it?" Aislin asked, handing the red leather-bound book to the woman.

"The Labyrinth," Sarah whispered. "My mother gave it to me before she left. Thank you for finding it, Aislin." Alyson and Aislin watched as Sarah retreated to her room with the book.

A few minutes later it all came back to her.

"Lancelot! Someone has been in my room again! I hate that! I hate it!" A baby cried and Sarah stormed to the room across from hers and stared at the raggedy bear lying on the floor and the bleary-eyed toddler stared at her, crying. "I hate you! I hate you! Someone save me! Someone take me away from this awful place!" Thunder rolled in the distance. "What do you want? Do you want a story, huh? Okay. Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl whose stepmother always made her stay home with the baby. The baby was a spoiled child. He wanted everything for himself and the girl was practically a slave. But what no-one else knew was that the Goblin King fell in love with her and gave her certain powers. So one night, when the baby had been particularly cruel to her, she asked the goblins for help. 'Say your right words,' the goblins said, 'and we'll take the baby to the Goblin City and you will be free.' But the girl knew that the King of the Goblins would keep the baby in his castle forever and ever and turn it into a goblin, so she suffered in silence until one night when she was tired from doing housework and hurt by the harsh words of her stepmother and she could no longer stand it..."

The baby cried and interrupted her "story" and she grabbed him, trying to calm him down. "Oh, all right! All right! Knock it off. Come on. Stop it! Stop it! I'll say the words...no I mustn't. I mustn't say...I wish...I wish! I can bear it no longer! Goblin King! Goblin King! Wherever you may be, take this child of mine far away from me!" The baby only cried louder.

"Oh, Toby, stop it," Sarah whispered, placing him back into his crib. I wish I did know what to say to make the goblins take you away. I wish...I wish...I wish the goblins would come take you away...right now." She turned the light off and the baby stopped crying.

Sarah stared into her mirror, shock evident on her face. "Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus, Ambrosius," she whispered. "Jareth, Toby. How could I forget you?"

Prince Nicholi Blue, the Future Goblin King and Current Ruler of the Fireys, stared out over the Rainbow River, frowning. "That figures! I finally find out where all the Fae Maidens bathe and now they've decided to move!" he pouted. Not that he actually needed to spy on them, most of them threw themselves at him in his bedchamber, trying desperately to become the Future Goblin Queen. So far, none of them impressed him, silly twits that wanted nothing more than to plan tea parties. Nicholi knew what he wanted in his Queen, someone like the girl his father wanted.

King Jareth's lady-love was an actress on Earth named Sarah Williams. She was strong-willed and brave, nothing like the timid idiots that wanted him in the Underground. He didn't want Sarah but her best friend's daughter Aislin O'Connor, her name described her perfectly; she was a dream come true, she was pale with emerald eyes and the richest red hair he could imagine, falling in soft waves to her waist, Aislin had the most lilting Irish accent one could imagine. She'd make a perfect Goblin Princess and Future Goblin Queen. After thinking of the pretty redhead, he decided to go to the Crystal Chamber and view her in one of his father's crystals.

He passed giggling Goblin Maids and drunken Goblin Soldiers as he made his way to the Crystal Chamber in the Castle Beyond the Goblin City. Nicky pouted when he saw his father viewing Sarah in a crystal. He seemed...angry about something.

The woman clutched a book in her hands. "Give me the child," she whispered. "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered I have fought my way here to the Castle Beyond the Goblin City to take back the child you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom as great. You have no power over me."

"My magic must be failing or she wouldn't remember!" he growled.

She frowned. "Goblin King! Goblin King! Wherever you may be, bring this child of mine back to me!" she cried, no results and Sarah set her face. "I wish the Goblin King would take me away. Right now!"

Part 2:
Give Me the Child...

Her eyes widened as she took in the sight before her, a room like...a diamond must look like from the inside-out, light shown through the walls and the light was filtered into all the colors of the rainbow. The walls were lined with glass shelves with crystals of all sizes and colors, each one seemed to hold a scene within its depths.

In an emerald-green crystal, she saw her friend Hoggle spraying faeries, a purply-blue one held Ludo conversing with the rocks, a rose-colored one had Sir Didymus trying to coax his "faithful steed" Ambrosias out of hiding. The rest...every single one a different color, some colors that Sarah had never seen before, could never imagine...showed parts of the Underground and its various creatures. Sarah glanced at every one of them, before she realized she wasn't alone in the diamond room. Her eyes narrowed into angry slits as she beheld the man in the room: Jareth.

Jareth in a loose poet's shirt of the purest white unbuttoned just above his navel showing the amulet that looked similar to the one Sarah wore, a pair of powder-blue tights, a pair of knee-high black leather boots, powder-blue velvet gloves and his spiky hair held streaks that matched his tights with silvery glitter here and there on his face. He was a handsome sight to behold. Sarah barely registered his appearance before she marched purposefully toward her arch-enemy and former dream-crush Jareth the Goblin King.

Before the woman knew what she was doing, her hand raised and she slapped him. Hard. The slap reverberated throughout the room and caused his face to turn to the side. He slowly moved his head so he faced her again, a cruel smirk playing on his sensuous lips. "So good to see you again, Sarah," he purred.

"You...you...jerk!" she sputtered before realizing that "jerk" was simply not a strong enough word for what he had done to her. He had taken her baby brother, made her go through the Labyrinth, given Hoggle a poisoned peach to give her and made her forget Toby! "No, correction, you bastard, son of a bitch..." He placed a finger over her mouth in a shushing motion.

"Now, now, Sarah, that wasn't very nice," he replied, amusement shining in the mismatched eyes.

"Ooh! Give me Toby! I want my brother back!" Sarah growled, shoving him away from her.

"I can't do that," Jareth stated.

"What do you mean, 'you can't do it?!'" Sarah demanded.

"I mean, I can't do it...you see, you've wished yourself away and it's a rule here that if you wish yourself away you must stay in the Underground for thirteen months," the Goblin King answered.

Sarah's jaw dropped. "Wh--what?" she stuttered.

"You have to stay in the Underground for thirteen months," Jareth repeated.

"You can't do that, it isn't fair!" Sarah whispered.

"You say that so often..." Jareth sighed.

"You have to let me go after thirteen months?" Sarah whimpered.

"I can keep you as long as I want," he smirked and her eyes widened. "But something tells me that you won't want to leave when I'm through with you. You will fear me, love me, do as I say."

"You can't make someone love you," Sarah shot back.

"When I'm through with you, I won't have to," he answered cryptically, sweeping out of the room with an animalistic grace as Sarah glared after him.

And then entered another man, he had curly blond hair to his shoulders and blue eyes. His skin was as pale as porcelain. Sarah gasped as Toby's baby image seemed to float in front of her eyes and age into the man before her. "He didn't turn you into a goblin. I'm so sorry, Toby. I should never have wished you away. I should have saved you from this horrible place."

"Um, lady, are you all right because there's no-one here called 'Toby,'" he answered, he had Jareth's accent and Sarah cringed. "I'm Prince Nicholi Blue, and you are?"

"Sarah Williams," Sarah answered. "I'm your sister, Toby."

"Look, Sarah, stop calling me 'Toby,'" Nicholi stated.

"I'm sorry...Nicholi," she said, choking out his new name.

"Dinner will be ready soon," Nicholi answered. "You should get ready, Higgie will take you to your room."

As if on cue, the gobliness entered the Crystal Chamber. "Ye must be Sarah, His Kinginess speaks well of ya...ye'd best get ready for dinner, dovey," Higgie said, guiding Sarah out of the room. Once alone, Nicholi peered into a crystal and smiled as he saw Aislin curled up in her bed, a serene smile on her lips.

Part 3:
Truth Hurts, Little Girl

Higgie sifted through the dresses in the armoire, tsk-tsking over them to find the perfect one. Higgie grinned as she spotted a sapphire-blue satin dress. "Here ya go," she replied.

"I don't want to go to dinner with that--that monster," Sarah said scathingly.

"Ya bes' not be makin' the king angry...he has been nice but he can be cruel," Higgie responded, handing Sarah the dress.

"Nice! He took my brother and made everyone forget about him! Now he won't let me go home!" Sarah shouted.

Higgie sighed and Sarah groaned. "What about shoes?" Sarah replied, accepting her fate with a frown.

"No shoes, shoes is bad...bes' be gettin' dressed, dovey," the gobliness answered, leaving Sarah in her chambers.

Sarah groaned, undressed and slipped into the soft gown. It fit her perfectly and Sarah wondered why on earth he'd have a dress in her size? She shrugged off her thoughts and left the room, the stone floor was cold and she shivered. Higgie led her to the dining room before retreating to a door on the other side of the room. Of course, she leaves me with him! Sarah thought darkly. Thirteen months with him! Poor Toby. He's been here for fifteen years. Fifteen years? That poor boy must have been through so much, she had only been in the Labyrinth for about five hours until--until that horrible Goblin King took away my memory.

The more she thought about Jareth, the angrier she got and the stupider she felt about being in love with the tall, blonde and handsome man in the Crystal Ballroom. And the more ashamed she felt over the dreams that had occurred since the first "dream" of him in the Crystal Ballroom, she blushed as she thought over the...ahem...more naughty dreams she'd had of him.

"I am so stupid," she mumbled to herself. She hadn't really dated anyone since her first dream, never had let anyone touch her. Everyone had called her the "Ice Queen" because of that. She had told herself that she was twenty-nine years old and she was letting the clock tick by because of some fantasy guy.

But the dreams had been so...real, she could almost feel his lips on hers, hands roam--"Stop that!" she told herself.

"Stop what, Sarah?" Jareth's taunting voice floated through the air. "Why, I haven't even begun."

Sarah groaned inwardly. Stupid Goblin King, she thought angrily. "Why don't you jump into the Bog of Eternal Stench?" she growled.

Jareth's eyes flashed and Sarah suppressed a shudder, he lifted her chin with a gloved hand. "Such a mouth on you, little one. I believe Higgie has told you of my ability to be cruel...we are well-matched in our cruelty," he replied, a smirk gracing his lips.

"Hmmph!" Sarah scoffed.

How you've turned my world, you precious thing
You starve and near exhaust me
Everything I've done, I've done for you
I move the stars for no-one
You've run so long
You've run so far

Your eyes can be so cruel
Just as I can be so cruel
Though I do believe in you
Yes, I do
Live without the sunlight
Love without your heartbeat

I...I can't live within you
I can't live within you
I...I can't live within you

His voice filled the room and shivers that weren't entirely unpleasant shot through her body. "What's that song supposed to mean?" she asked curiously.

Jareth's smirk became a flirtatious smile. "Listen to the words and you'll find out," he replied, leaving the room in a flurry of velvet.

"I hate it when he does that," she murmured.

"Join the club," a voice answered.

Sarah nearly jumped and glared at the source. Nicholi chuckled at the look on her face. "Tob--Nicholi, don't do that!" she hissed.

Nicholi grinned at her and sat at the large table. "So Father ran off?" he asked.

Sarah frowned deeply. He really cares about Jareth? How could anyone? He's so...mean, she thought. "H--he did," Sarah replied.

"He does that a lot, it can get annoying," Nicholi answered.

"So, um, what do you do here?" she asked.

"I rule over the Fireys," Nicholi replied.

"The Fireys? Oh, the Fireys," Sarah grimaced. "The creatures that try to take off people's heads?"

"That would be them, they're a lot of fun," he stated.

"They weren't so much fun when I ran into them last," Sarah frowned.

"You were in the Underground before?" Nicholi inquired.

"Fifteen years ago," she whispered.

"Interesting, what was it like back then?"

Aislin groaned softly as she woke up. She stood up, yawning and looked at Sarah's room. "Sarah?" she asked. When she realized Sarah was gone, she grinned. "It's about time!" Alyson walked into Sarah's room as well.

"Where's Sarah?" Alyson asked her daughter.

Aislin grinned at her mother. "She's gone to the Underground! Took her long enough, I heard Uncle Jareth's been quite...shall we say...unhappy since she left. So I gave her back the book...she had it bookmarked by one of his feathers, Mum...she loves him. And I took it upon myself to play Cupid to get two incredibly stubborn and incredibly in love individuals to admit their feelings which was no easy task."

"Aislin..." Alyson scolded. "What have I told you about matchmaking?"

"What!? Antony and Cleopatra were perfectly happy until later...so were Romeo and Juliet...okay, so I put star-crossed lovers together but Jareth and Sarah are going to make it," Aislin answered.

"My baby brother will be upset if you're wrong, Ais," Alyson reminded her daughter.

"I'm not wrong, Mum," Aislin countered.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with your crush on Prince Nicholi, would it?" Alyson asked and Aislin's eyes widened.

"Um...no..." Aislin squeaked, her eyes darting around the room so she wouldn't have to look at her mother. "He's sixteen and I'm..."

"Five-thousand two-hundred eighty-four," Alyson answered. "I was Nicholi's age when you were born. Then my little brother came about exactly five-thousand years later. You're older than your uncle. And much older than Prince Nicholi."

"But he is cute, Mum," Aislin replied.

"Yes, he is," Alyson admitted. "Can't you find a nice elf or fae?"

"Mum!" Aislin cried. "I may be fae...but I have nothing in common with those...barbarians." She tossed her hair, letting the glamour slide away revealing her true Fae features, the nearly translucent milky-white skin, the huge almond-shaped emerald-green eyes with their long eyelashes and her pointed ears poked through her mane of auburn hair.

"You've been around the humans too long," Alyson replied, letting her glamour slip away. She looked like an older version of Aislin with purple eyes. "We should go back to the Underground."

"We should," Aislin exclaimed.

"Children," Alyson groaned, producing a crystal and transporting them to the Castle Beyond the Goblin City's Crystal Chamber.

Part 4:
Falling...

Aislin shook her hair, grinning from one pointy ear to the pointy ear and Alyson sighed. "What!?" Aislin demanded at her mother's dramatic sigh.

"Nothing," Alyson answered. "Now, little miss, you will behave, no tossing goblins into the Bog of Eternal Stench, no turning your uncle - or me - into a goblin, no fighting with the fireys, no playing dominoes with the Goblin Guards, no--"

"Fun?" Aislin cut her mother off.

"Yes, exactly, no fun," Alyson stated, tucking her hair behind a pointy ear. "Absolutely none of your fun."

"Bloody hell," Aislin pouted.

"Assume the appearance," Alyson answered and Aislin shrunk into a child of eight or so years. Aislin's hair was three-fourths of her height and it almost looked as if she'd topple from the weight, she wore an emerald-green poet's shirt that matched her eyes with a black belt around her waist and a pair of black leggings. Aislin peered into one of the crystal walls to see a reflection of herself and she grinned.

"I am so adorable," she announced.

"You are so egotistical," Alyson rolled her eyes before transforming into a twenty-four-year-old version of herself. Her eyes were almond-shaped and the lids were covered with purple eye shadow that brought out her eyes' purple color. She wore a rich purple velvet dress with an emperor waist and silver ivy detailing carefully sewn into the velvet with a pair of silver satin slippers. To complete the faerin ensemble she wore a silver crown-like headband, her hair cascading from it like a waterfall of shiny red curls.

"And you are so gaudy," Aislin hmmphed, placing her hands on her waist in a disapproving gesture.

"Aislin, I don't know what I'm going to do with you," Alyson muttered, scooping up her daughter.

"I've met Hoggle, seems like a nice chap," Nicholi answered.

"He is," Sarah agreed. "Have you met Sir Didymus, Ambrosius or Ludo, by any chance?"

"Yes, of course, Sir Didymus is the leader of the Goblin Guards and Sir Ludo is the rock builder. He builds the nicest rock houses in all of the Underground," Nicholi answered. "Perchance, I'll have him build my new castle when I become the Goblin King. I love Father's old castle but I wish for something slightly modern."

"When you become Goblin King, what'll happen to Jareth?" Sarah asked, disappointed at the worried sound of her voice.

"Why, nothing!" Nicholi answered. "He just moves from the Castle Beyond the Goblin City into a home of his choosing in the Land of the Kings, that's where all the Goblin Kings move to when they get bored with being the Goblin King. In fact, my grandfather King Nicodemus lives there with my grandmum Esmerelda the Queen of the Faerin."

"Your grandmother is the queen of the Faerin?" Sarah asked. "If...Jareth ever got a wife what--what would she become?"

"She'd become the Queen of the Goblins, Queen of the Faerin and the Ruler of the Labyrinth," Nicholi replied. "She would rule over all of the creatures within the Labyrinth excluding the goblins, Goblin City and the Fireys. My father would rule the goblins, Goblin City and the Outerlands. Whilst I would still rule over the fireys. She could change the Labyrinth however she saw fit. Making her as powerful as my father."

"I suppose it would be the only perk of being married to Jareth," Sarah answered coldly.

"You are so cruel to my father when he has done everything you wished," Nicholi observed.

"What!?" Sarah demanded.

"You asked to be taken and he took you, now you're upset about the thirteen-months circumstance...you change your mind so often, my father is quite irritated," Nicholi answered.

"You're just like him! A big jerk with an even bigger ego!" she growled. Then a light smirk played on her lips.

"HOW DARE YOU--!?" Nicholi started but was interrupted by Sarah.

"Do you want a story, huh?

"What!?" Nicholi exclaimed.

"Okay. Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl whose stepmother always made her stay home with the baby. The baby was a spoiled child and he wanted everything for himself and the girl was practically a slave. But what no-one else knew was that the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with her and gave her certain powers. So one night, when the baby had been particularly cruel to her, she asked the goblins for help. 'Say your right words,' the goblins said, 'and we'll take the baby to the Goblin City and you will be free.' But the girl knew that the King of the Goblins would keep the baby in his castle forever and ever and turn it into a goblin, so she suffered in silence until one night when she was tired from doing housework and hurt by the harsh words of her stepmother and she could no longer stand it..."

Nicholi blinked. "I've heard that...before."

"I'll say the words...no I mustn't. I mustn't say...I wish...I wish! I can bear it no longer! Goblin King! Goblin King! Wherever you may be, take this child of mine far away from me!"

"I know that..." Nicholi's brow furrowed as he tried to think of where those familiar words had come from.

"I wish I did know what to say to make the goblins take you away. I wish...I wish...I wish the goblins would come take you away...right now," Sarah finished.

Nicholi glared at Sarah. "You! You wished me away," he demanded, looking more like Jareth than Sarah thought possible. "Well, I owe you, I've never been happier and it's another example of him doing everything for you! He took me away because you didn't want me around and still you wanted more! He even dressed as a human for you! Jeremy, your mother's co-star."

"Jeremy..." Sarah whispered but before an answer could be received, Nicholi stalked out of the dining room much in the way Jareth had earlier. "Am I the only sane one here?!"

"Yeah," Higgie answered. "Come along now, dovey. Bes' be stayin' in yer room 'cause you've ired both the king an' prince." The gobliness pushed Sarah to her room and closed the door behind the girl.

Sarah lay on her bed, deep in thought. "Things aren't always what they seem here...Jareth could be someone entirely different than I thought..." Sarah murmured. "But he's still evil!"

"YOU TOLD HER!?" Jareth demanded. "ABOUT JEREMY?"

"I--I thought it was for the best, Father, every Undergrounder knows how you love her, she'd be a good queen," Nicholi answered.

Jareth smiled slightly. "She would," he whispered. "What--what did she say?"

"I--I didn't quite catch it," Nicholi answered, smiling sheepishly.

"It's all right, maybe she'll come around to my charms," Jareth answered, sitting regally in his throne.

Laughter bubbled all around the king and prince. "If that's all ye've got to woo her, ye might as well give up now," a voice answered as a woman extracted herself from the dark corners of the room.

"Aliandra," Jareth muttered. "How's my big sis been?"

"It's Alyson now," the woman answered, adjusting the squirming girl in her arms before releasing her on the unsuspecting goblins who quickly retreated to hide behind their king and his son.

"COR, NO! IT'S HER!" legions of goblins, unafraid of anything but Jareth squealed like little girls at the sight of Alyson's daughter. Even Jareth cringed a bit as he saw her.

"You couldn't have left her somewhere?" a goblin squeaked.

"Why are you so scared, she's just a child," Nicholi answered.

"If you say so," another goblin answered. "She's evil!"

"Mama!" the girl screeched, the prince covered his ears.

"Well, I told you not to toss them into the Bog and then scrub away the scent," Alyson stated. "Good thing that was before it became the Bog of Eternal Stench."

"It...I..." the girl answered. "It was an accident." She was convincing unless you saw that glimmer in the wide green eyes.

"Right, turning me into a goblin was an 'accident,'" Jareth stated.

"She turned you into a goblin?" Nicholi squeaked.

"That's all forgotten, how have you been, Trouble?" the king greeted her with his oh-so-fitting pet name for the girl.

"I've been," the girl answered. "Mum, can I?"

"Why not," Alyson sighed.

Goblins and a king raised their arms to protect themselves as Nicholi stared wide-eyed at the girl as she grew eight years in a duration of seconds. "A--Aislin?" Nicholi asked.

"Yeah, hi!" she said. "You're even cuter than I thought!" She cut off by her mother clearing her throat. "Oh, right..."

"Jareth, we're here to help you get the girl of your dreams, Sarah, she's a sweet thing but she needs a little shove--"

"More like a huge push," Aislin interrupted. "Your story, I get that, I'll be quiet now."

"A huge push then. And I think we could give her that push she needs to get her head on straight."

"Oh, really? Do tell..." the King started.

to be continued...
stories