By
Paisley Rose
Disclaimer: I don't own the Labyrinth, (If I did it would be everywhere!) I don't own Jareth, and Iman won't let me rent Bowie. This tale is not meant to be any infringement on the Henson company.
Chapter oneHell breaks loose
Three years had passed since that fateful night. So many changes had befallen the family in the old Victorian house. There had been a new child born, and Sarah's father had joined the crime commission. He was now prosecuting some of the most evil men in the state. He and Karen no longer went out every weekend. It was no longer safe to.
Sarah sat in her room working on the embroidered bed spread for little Claire's bed. Her parents were down in the salon discussing something important, or so they'd said when they sent all there of the siblings to their rooms. Sarah had taken the smalls up to the large room they shared. Toby now in a youth bed, and Claire in the crib, she tucked them each in. Toby, still fair-haired looked up at her with trusting eyes. Now nearly four, he was becoming quite the little charmer. Claire with her wispy red gold curls looked like a little princess in the crib.
Something in the night air didn't set right with Sarah. Only nineteen she was sensitive to so much. She told herself it was because she'd seen a magical realm and took part of it away with her in her heart. Her father had teased her for years that she was what his Celtic ancestors would call being 'sighted'. Tonight she wished she were not, for what she saw brought more fear to her then anything she'd seen in the Labyrinth. She had heard tales from her father's uncle when she was a child of those with the sightseeing death walk. Knowing who would die, when and how. Tonight she'd seen the parlor her father and Karen were sitting in covered in blood and flames. She's seen her father and stepmother lying in a pool of blood.
As she'd taken the children up the stairs she could smell the order of death, also the odor of fire. When she tucked the small in, thought the weather was fair, she pulled out the woolen blankets from the chest and set them on the foot of Toby's bed. She then went to her room and packed a few things she treasured into a wool bag and placed it in the room with the children. Claire clutched Lancelot in her little arms, she was almost the same age Toby had been when Sarah had wished he away and had to fight to win him back. Toby lay in his bed sleeping so peacefully.
Sarah went back to her room, could she be wrong. She paced like a caged animal. Wanting to be diligent and prepared. Should anything happen, she had a plan… She only prayed that it would work. "Be there, and hear me." She whispered softly. "Let the words of the story still be true."
Sarah was still pacing her room and it was nearly ten thirty. She could hear Karen crying downstairs. What ever her father had told her was not good. She heard Karen ask what about the children. Sarah had kept the door of her room open, not to eavesdrop on her parents but so she'd be able to hear if the smalls needed her. "I'm sorry Karen." She whispered. "Sorry for all the times I was a brat, and for giving you such a hard time. Find it in your heart to forgive me. I vow to protect the smalls."
Then she heard it, a crash and the smell of fire. Then screams from downstairs. She didn't look, she just ran, ran to the room the smalls were in. It was on fire. She had left the safety of her room for the inferno that was now in the room of her siblings. Sarah pulled the woolen blankets up off the end of the bed, and wrapped each of the screaming smalls in one. She hoisted the bag over her shoulder and took hold of each of the babes. She picked each one up and moved them to the far side of the room. She had tried to beat down the fire, but it was too far out of control. Then she heard it, the sound that brought her world crashing down. Gun shots. She was not in that room, but she could see the blood, and her parents fall.
"Nooooooooo." She screamed.
"Get up there and silence them brats!" she heard the order.
Sarah moved though the fiery room, feeling the flesh burning on her hands and legs. She pushed the door closed and locked it. She shoved the burning dresser against it.
Back though the fire to where the smalls were huddled in the corner. She pulled them to her, heard the voices in the hall and the body pushing against the hot door. "Be there, be there." she pleaded. Lifting up her head, knowing the flames were licking her she spoke the words. "I wish, I wish, I wish the goblins would come and take us away right now!"
Her hands clutched the blankets that covered the children, protecting them from flame and smoke. "Come and take us away, right now!" she shouted again as the flames came closer and the door flew open.
When the men with the guns drawn entered the fiery room, it was empty.
Sarah felt the blackness, but kept her hold to the babes. "Take us away." She begged over and over. She felt the room drop away. Felt the heat removed, and suddenly she felt nothing.
The goblin looked at the young woman and the blankets she held so tightly. He recognized her in spite of the burns and dark smudges to her face, it was the one called Sarah. The one who had won back the child she'd wished away. In one blanket that very child was bundled, and another child in the other blanket. The goblin moved closer, the girl was hurt. He pulled a trumpet and sounded an alert. Then he stood guard until a host of others gathered round the woman-child and her bundles.
The one who'd found them turned to his commander. "What do we do?"
The commander didn't want to do anything. He didn't want to be responsible for the return of the one called Sarah. He looked at her, "She needs a healer." He motioned for one of his men to come forward. "Go see if the Healer is willing to come to the hill. Do not say why. If he's willing bring him."
Candon the Healer was not a man to trifle with, he didn't like being disturbed. So he came with the little goblin that showed up at his chamber mostly out of curiosity. His kind, the elf healers were a curious bred. He saw the goblins gathered in a circle, and it stuck him as odd behavior even for them. As he drew near, the image of the burned creature became clear. It was a female he could tell that much. He could also see it was using its body to shield something. "What have we here?" he asked the leader of the guard.
Relexx the squadron leader cleared his voice. "We didn't do this! We found her this way."
Noting the culpability in the leaders voice, Candon nodded, "And how did this creature come to be here, Relexx?"
Teak, who'd found her, said, "She must have wished herself here." The others agreed.
Candon looked dubious. "Oh I doubt that a young human female would do that."
"Not the first time for her." Teak said walking away, feeling dismissed.
"Halt!" Candon shouted, his eyes opened wide. "What do you mean its not the first time for her?"
Teak walked back. "That be The Sarah." He pulled the blanket back that covered the now sleeping little boy. "That be The Toby." Then pointing to the other blanket he said. "Don't know who that be."
Candon knelt down and looked at the fire scared and charred creature. "This is Sarah?"
Teak shook his head, "Said so did I not?"
Candon turned to Relexx, "Is this Sarah, and Toby?"
Relexx squirmed. "Looks like them. But could be someone else."
Candon narrowed his gaze. "She is injured, seriously. When did you intend to seek aid for her?"
Relexx looked at Sarah with hatred. "Never. Let her die. Only the boy matters."
Teak kicked at his leader. "No, she deserved not to die!"
Candon pulled Teak back, fearing he'd be injured next. "Teak you will stay with me and guard the… Them." He pulled a magic flute from his robe. Playing a few notes the goblins could not hear. A moment later a pair of aides appeared with a litter. "Careful, I've no idea of how serious her injury is."
He watched as the charred fingers were pried carefully off the blankets. He heard the creature moan. Two more aides bent down to pick up the bundles. Candon motioned Teak to join them and the group vanished.
Relexx hissed. "I hopes the Sarah dies."
In the infirmary, Teak stood by guarding the two small fair children as the elf and his aids worked on stabilizing the female who was now a blackened mass of burnt flesh. Teak looked at the Toby, he remembered playing in the throne room with him. The child had grown, but still had the same look about him. Even in sleep. He looked at the little girl and smiled, she was like her brother. Then he looked to where the healers were working at a fever pitch. It didn't look good for the Sarah. That made Teak sad, and he didn't know why.
Candon had his aides cut the burnt garments from the girl's body. The woolen bag was the only thing that was not melted to her. "What do they make garments of that they would melt onto flesh?" asked the healer.
One aide came to the healer with the woolen bag. "What do we do with this?"
Candon motioned for it to be put aside. "We need to remove all her garments, Sahan." He said to the woman who was working on cutting away the charred remains of what had been Sarah's blouse.
The elf woman looked up; "I am doing the best I can! We are taking skin with it when we tear it away."
Candon moved closer. " Place her in a bath of mineral waters, see it makes the clothe come away easier." He motioned his servant Dorrian to come to his side. "Go to my private chamber, and bring the chest next to my bed. It contains medicines I will need to heal the girl…if she can be healed."
Sahan looked up from her work with the cutting. "You don't think we can save her, do you?"
Candon came close and whispered. "Look at her! I've never worked on any mortal so badly burned."
Sahan went back to trimming off the fabric, "We must try. We have taken vows to heal. It matters not what race they be, we are healers, we heal."
Candon looked at the burned body. "Hard to believe this is the girl who beat the Labyrinth."
Sahan's hands halted, her eyes went to the body. "This is the Sarah?" Candon nodded. Sahan suddenly knelt down. "How comes she here? And who could do this to the Lady of the Labyrinth?"
Candon also knelt down, "I don't know. Relexx wanted her to die, that is why he didn't ask that I come prepared. He sent for me thinking I would not come, he didn't want me to know it was The Sarah."
One of the other aides who were still removing the garments whispered. "Some of the Goblins worship her as a deity, other's hate her."
Candon felt a great sense of respect for the charred thing on his examining table. "Be as gentle as you can be. But we must work quicker. She's in pain, and I will not have her suffer."
Sahan looked at the Healer. "Has anyone told him, yet?"
"No." Candon sighed. "Let us do what we can as far as getting her stable. If," he looked sadly at his aide. "If she makes it though the next hour, I'll see the King myself. No one else need face his wrath."
Teak had heard the words, he knew that elves and Fae and others thought all goblins were stupid and uncaring. He was neither. Sadness filled his little goblin heart. He wandered closer to the table. "Live Lady Sarah!" He said fiercely. "Live!" Then he took his place back at the beds where the two babes were sleeping. "I vow to keep your babes safe!"
Candon saw the bath being filled he poured some herbs in and some minerals. "Immerse her. Let the skin and cloth get soaked, then gently remove what you can. Work carefully, and quickly." He warned.
The three aides worked to gently pick up the sheet the girl was resting on. Slowly they placed it down in the deep tub filled with tepid water. There was a pained moan from the cracked and bleeding lips of the one they worked to save. The waters, and the herbs and minerals softened tissues and charred fabric. Soon the rest of the girls' garments were no more. She lay again on a clean sheet, covered with another naked, and bleeding from blistered skin. The aides turned to Candon, eyes begging him for instructions. Candon was at a bit of a loss. He'd had half suspected her to die before they got this far, her condition was so poor by the time the goblins had called him. He was not even sure how long she'd been on the hillside.
Candon ordered a basin, poured precious drops from a vial into the waters and began to apply it to the face of the girl. "Lady Sarah, we are trying to help you." He spoke in quiet tones. "You and the babes are safe."
Teak nestled in between the babes and placed a hand on each of them. He'd keep them safe.
Candon didn't see the fairy, nor did any of his staff. It had been hiding in a dark corner all day. Now it watched, it listened. When it heard the name Sarah, it moved closer when the aide had turned it's back to rinse out the cloth it was bathing the charred face with. Even in this state of destruction, the face was there to the Fairy eye. The little creature flew quickly out the window. The Fairy, had seen the girl once before. Three years ago, at the gate of the Labyrinth, there she'd bitten the girl who had picked her up when the dwarf had sprayed her with the concoction that stunned fairies for a brief moment. Now the little creature flew to that place to start up a song of lament. Other little fairy folk came, heard the song and took up the tune as well. Soon the word was being spread. Sarah was back, and may be dying.
Jareth sat on the ledge of the window, looking at the night sky, thinking thoughts of lost love. He heard the far off lament and wondered what it could mean. Just as quickly as he'd wondered, he put it out of him thoughts. For three years he'd fought to harden his heart. He'd given up going with the Goblins when the summons came. Only if a supplicant choose to run the Labyrinth did he actually come to speak to any of them. Not that many children were being wished away. Far fewer then the year before, and the year before that. There were still unwanted children, and now and again he found a reason to come and take them away from the cruel world that had forsaken them. The first days after she had left, he'd watched her. Then he watched the boy, but it became too painful to watch either of them. He'd given orders that they were to be watched but not interfered with. For the last year, he'd not even thought of them. Or so he'd told himself. Tonight, looking at the stars he wondered if she were looking at them as well. But he could not bring himself to even think her name. He'd forbidden any in the realm to utter it, as he was in too much pain each time it was said.
Candon bathed her face again. It had been two hours since the girl had been brought here to the sick rooms. So far she was still alive. During the first hour he'd noticed a single fairy on the windowsill. Now, two hours later there were at least a dozen of the little pests. He looked at them; their behavior was odd. They were sitting looking at the injured girl with sad eyes. Candon was use to having to have them swept from the room. Now he watched as they watched him. The girl on the hard examination bed let out a pained cry and the little fairies began to cry out as well. One began the lament and the others joined in.
Sahan and the other aides came to the room, saw the fairies on the window singing the sad lament and looked at the girl fearfully. Candon shook his head, she was still alive, but he was not sure how. Candon motioned Sahan to come to him. "I am going to have to give her the crystal elixir."
Sahan grabbed at his arm, "Only Fae of high birth are allowed it."
"What else can I do?" he asked. "It may be all that can save her. Even with it, I'm not sure she'll live."
Sahan fretted, "Candon, think about this…"
He moved to the chest he'd ordered brought to him, even as he'd ordered it brought he'd thought this was going to be his last resort. He opened the chest and removed a vial, pulled the stopper and placed the vial at the lips of the one called Sarah.
Jareth listened, the fairies were singing, and not far off anymore. Somewhere on the castle grounds fairies were setting up a lament. He threw himself into his throne, hitting his boot with his crop.
Half an hour had passed, and the girl still clung to life. Every now and again words formed at her lips. Candon had her face being bathed now every fifteen minuets. What was left of her hands and legs had been bandaged and packed in herbs and salves. Candon paced, he could put it off no longer. He'd had ordered beds for the children, and knew that would reach the ears of the King soon enough. Down on the lawn beneath the widow of the room the Lady of the Labyrinth lay in, creatures had begun to gather. Other subjects of the Labyrinth were now taking up the fairy lament, as word of her having returned was spread.
Candon turned to Sahan, "Watch over her. I go now to tell him."