Return to the Underground - part one!

"And the castle walls fell around me, and I found myself back at home with you!" Sara smiled at the little boy struggling to stay awake. She brushed a curl off his summer-browned forehead. "And now it's ten years later, WAY after 10:30 at night, and Toby is going to sleep!"

Toby smiled up at his half-sister. He had heard the story a thousand times, and never grew tired of it - no more than Sara grew tired of telling it. "Thanks sister. Check for goblins?" he asked.

This was a nightly ritual. Sara duly did a round of the room, looked in the closet and peeked under the bed. She went back over to Toby's bed, leaned down to whisper in his ear, "No goblins...yet!" That too was part of the ritual.

Toby sleepily squinted at Sara in the semi-darkness, and whispered, "Goodnight," as he turned to face the wall, Lancelot the teddy bear in his hand.

Sara went out, closing the door behind her with a "Goodnight" that she knew Toby was already too asleep to hear, and walked into her room across the hall.

Sara was 25 years old. She had just finished university with a degree in social work. This summer she was taking a break from internships and job hunting to spend some time with her brother and family, and maybe also to spend time with herself.

Toby had never really understood why Sara so often told him the story of the labyrinth and her adventures resucing the baby Toby from the Goblin King, Jareth. He thought it was something from Sara's wide imagination. But it had all happened the summer she was 15. Sara then was a child of fairy-tales and magic stories, play props and music boxes. Full of teen angst and mad at the duties of babysitting occasionally for her screaming baby brother, not to mention full of self pity at the oppression of her evil stepmother, Sara had carelessly wished for the Goblin King, a character in her story books, to take her whining brother away.

He had.

Sara embarked on a quest to bring him home, a quest that took her into another world called The Underground, a world of a labyrinth and strange creatures, crystals and tunnels to nowhere, a place where nothing was as it seemed and you could take nothing for granted. A place where Jareth ruled as the Goblin King.

Through grit and perseverence, and with the help of some kind friends she made, she had succeeded in her quest. With the words she plucked from a story she read, declaring that the Underground's king had no power over her, that world had fallen away, leaving her back home and Toby in his crib. She had won.

That was ten years ago. The quest had changed her. The cruel realities of the fantasy that was the Underground had shaken her out of her self-absorbed teenage misery, and had shown her what mattered... Friends. Family. Lovingkindness.

When she chose a career in social work, it was with a personal knowledge of what a difference it can make when someone reaches out a hand and says, "I would like to help you." Her stay in the Underground and journey through the labyrinth there had taught her the value of kindness. Fortunately, she had learned the lesson in the midst of wonder, so her maturity was woven with a delightful sense of fancy.

After putting Toby to bed (she was babysitting yet again, something that cause her to smile ironically), Sara went back to her room planning to read one of the social work journals she subscribed to. There was an article on seeing past outside appearances that she wanted to read.

Wind whipped around the corners of her parent's two story home. She thought of her old sheep dog, Merlin, who used to hate storms so. Merlin was gone these many years, but the part of her that wanted to take care of people always thought of him when it stormed. It was certainly storming tonight. Fortunately Toby was already asleep, or else he would be creeping in, teddy in one hand, wide eyes looking for comfort. Sara loved the storms though. She always wanted to open her window in a storm, to invite some part of its otherworldliness and fleetingness into the right angles and flat surfaces of a house. Once in college she had opened a large dormer window wearing only a robe, and had stood there, drenched, hair whipping about, blissfully one with the storm until some freshman had started whistling from their window across the way. After that Sara kept her storm loving behind glass.

Her room had not changed much since 15. A poster exchanged for another, some books gone and some new, graduation caps and tassels hanging on the walls, and a few framed pictures of her family (even the evil stepmother, who had turned out to be a bit of a sheep in wolf's clothing after all). Sara sat on the bed and took off her shoes, flopped down on her stomach with her hands supporting her head, and read the table of contents thoughtfully before looking up to watch the storm through the window.

Under her bed, the goblins conferred. They had been sent on a difficult task - to somehow make Sara return to the Underground. Jareth had commanded them, and he demanded results. But goblin magic was strong enough to take a baby, but to transport a grown human with a will of her own? Impossible. She would have to help herself, she would have to want to come back. The goblins, having the childlike minds they never grew out of, were absolutely stumped.

Goblin King Jareth, sitting on his throne in the castle high above the labyrinth, watched Sara in his crystal and cursed the fate that made his subjects goblins. He could not make this happen, for the Goblin King can only grant the wishes of others, never his own. He had certain powers but precious little outside of his reign. He had sent the storm to tempt Sara; he knew she loved them. He had sent the goblins to bring her, but he might as well have just put more energy into the storm. He sighed. The goblins' current idea was to create such a bad smell under Sara's bed - a mixture of cabbage, sewage and roses (Goblins HATED roses) - in the hopes that the stench would drive her to wish herself far, FAR away - in a place like the Underground!

Jareth shook his head, and put a little more energy into the storm striking Sara's window.

Sara thought the storm was increasing, and she loved it. The lightning flashes seemed to have a certain rhythm, the thunder crashes rolled steadily like bass drums, and the rain fell at such varying diagonals that it seemed almost unnatural. She absently fumbled, reaching to the bed side table to flick off the lamp. Watching a storm in darkness was like icing on the cake.

The goblins could see fine in the dark, but were concerned Sara was now asleep. They (fortunately) abandoned the stink-her-out plan, and wondered how to wake her up.

A very close, sudden flash of lightning made Sara's dilated eyes reflect the sky. Jareth watched the crystal more closely. He had watched Sara many times throughout the years, watched her successes and failures (although the former far outnumbered the latter), had watched her friends joke with her, had watch her work for free at inner city shelters, had watched creatures from his own domain, friends of hers from her quest, come to her world to visit from time to time. Jareth watched it all. Ten years had passed. He had not changed much, although there were a few lines on his face there hadn't been before. Creases were starting to be worn when Jareth smiled true smiles, not mocking, proud ones, but when he was genuinely happy. Those moments came most when Sara accomplished something.

Jareth was a king of the Underground. As he grew up his domain grew as well, so that it was part of him. It physically hurt him to leave it. He had powers, powers that allowed him to spy upon and even visit other worlds, but he prefered his castle and throne. He liked the cold obedience of servants, like stone and rock and wearing black silk and steel. He liked granting wishes of humans and taking babies to become goblins - it made him feel powerful, and perhaps even benevolent. But Sara... when Sara had come along, he wanted to capture her warmth, her color, her life. She was everything opposite him. She was flowers and flowing white linen and fancies. He was iron and dirt and mastery. But like a bolt of lightning in a pitch dark sky, she made everything light up. He had elongated her stay in the labyrinth as much as he could, hardly admitting to himself that it was because he couldn't stand to let her go. He did not know she had what he had never felt - love. The love for her brother, although she had wished him away, made her go on her quest and succeed. He had never felt love like that before, and while not directed at him, it changed him nevertheless.

Back under the bed, the goblins finally had a plan that while not good, was not entirely idiotic. They were going to pretend one of their band was sick, and needed a goblin doctor, but oh no, someone needed to carry him while they were transported to the Underground, and would she help? Watching them, Jareth shrugged. At least it would make something happen, and he was running out of ideas for thunder notes.

Sara was almost in a trance watching the storm in the darkness. So when she was startled out of it, it was a bit of a shock. When she looked down and saw three GOBLINS were the cause of the shock, she involuntarily gave a scream, just as a particularly sharp crash of thunder broke over the house.

"Goblins! How... why... where..." she couldn't even speak. Friends from the Underground - gruff Hoggle, gentle Ludo, even a carefree Firey or two had visited her before, but never one of Jareth's minions, a goblin!

Maybe it was the storm, or maybe it was Sara's shriek, but suddenly there was a distraction. Sara's door was being opened by a sunburnt hand. Toby came in, now wide awake, looking for Sara. He saw the goblins immediately.

"Cool! Hey sis, there really ARE goblins in YOUR room! Do they talk?" He pointed at them in his ten year old way and looked at his shocked, silent sister.

"Of course we talk! Boy, boy, come here and help me with Fordol here - he's passed out!" The tallest goblin yanked on the fattest goblin's arm, who went "yelp!" and hit the floor. The third goblin stepped on the fallen goblin's stomach ("oof!") and joined in, "uh, yeah, we needs to get home right away! Uh, maybe you could help?" One eye on Toby, one on Sara, the goblin waited for them to take the bait.

"Help you?!" Toby's face lit up. "Awesome! Wow, I wish I could see where you lived!"

"Toby don't...!" cried Sara, finally knocked out of her stupor. But it was too late. The wish had been made and Jareth was quick to grasp it. With a goblin giggle, the four of them vanished.

Outside, the storm collapsed into gentle rain. Sara stood alone in the dark, trying to realize what had happened. Was that even real? She took a step forward, and froze. In the moonlight that came from outside, she saw, laying abandoned in the doorway, Lancelot the bear. It had been real.

"Jareth!" she cried, knowing perfectly well he could see and hear her. "I don't know why you've done this, I don't know why I am so flipping blessed to receive your special attention, but I WILL NOT allow you to trick my brother into an eternity in the Underground! I'm coming after him! You must do as I wish - I wish I were standing in the realm of the Goblin King - right now!"

The rain stopped. Lancelot, still on the floor, was left to guard the house until they would all come home.
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Whenever Sara had come from, it was morning in the Underground. Sara appeared in the same spot she had the first time she came. She marveled as she saw the landscape of the labyrinth, goblin city and Jareth's castle before her. The sky here was slightly orange, and the dirt under her feet was like sand, although no ocean was nearby.

Sara did not notice Jareth sitting on the rocks behind her. While she caught her breath from the instant transport and refamiliarized herself with the wonderland she hadn't seen in 10 years, Jareth analyzed what he saw. Looking at her through his crystals, he had always had a slightly distorted view. For the first time in 10 years he could take a real look.

Sara's skirt and shirt were linen, crumpled and cool. The shirt was a terra-cota color, which picked up the buds in the floral patterned skirt. Her hair, long, dark and straight as it had been when she was fifteen, was collected in the back with an elastic band. Quite a few tendrils had escaped. Her skin was pale - she wore no makeup. She looked, in short, like she was at the end of a long day, and had been laying on her bed reading. Jareth also noticed she was in her stocking feet. He nodded, and a pair of brown leather shoes were at her side. He had made them pointed at the toe. That would be a test.

She was lovely. Slim, proud, not as young as she had been. She was more honed - more mature. She had a hole in her sock.

Sara recovered, and noticed that she wasn't wearing any shoes. She looked down, and saw a pair of elfin shoes at her side. Jareth. She spun around, and there he was.

The sight of him made her wary, put her on high alert as it always had. The Goblin King was no goblin himself, but looked like he would fit in in Mahattan without a second glance. He was striking, but she knew he could also be sinister. His hair was light and long - he wore it somewhat teased, so it was like a crown or a lion's mane. Every thread in his clothing was in perfect position, and self-consciously Sara brushed her hand over her wrinkled clothes. His features were not entirely human. His eyes and the way he carried himself made her think of a cat, a dangerous panther. He wore what looked like a throwback to the Victorian era, with a bit more color and daring. Back in college, the 'goth' crowd had tried to dress the same. Oh my, she thought to herself, back at the university they would make him a god.

Sara's eyes blazed at Jareth, but she said nothing, just pursed her lips and folded her hands across her chest. She just stood there, and he kept his perch on the rocks, considering each other. Their eyes met and locked. She could read nothing from him. He thought he saw her daring him to do his worst - and a touch of fear. Jareth was guarding himself very carefully. At the sight of her, his pulse had quickened doubletime, and he felt almost lightheaded, giddy. He did not know why - perhaps it was the prospect of a challenge. For just at that moment, he realized he saw Sara as an equal. Not his project - not his plaything - not a child. She did not have his magical power but she had a strength of her own, and she could take whatever he could throw at her. Simply, he was thrilled to see her.

"Well, so Sara finally came back," he began, trying to speak in the droll fashion he had used all those years ago. He gave a tight smile. "I am touched, really, that you have come to make a visit."

"Your highness," sarcastically, "how good of you to come out of your castle to welcome me." Sara didn't wonder if Jareth had changed, although there was something different about him she could not yet name. She assumed he was still her adversary, and she focused her eyes on him further. "What game will you force me to play this time?"

"There is no game, Sara. You wished to come here - I granted that wish. Perhaps you came to shop at the goblin bazaar tomorrow. Perhaps you came to visit that little friend of yours, Hobble, Hogwart..."

"Hoggle," she gave him automatically.

"Yes, him. Maybe you missed the air of the Bog of Eternal Stench. I do not know." He thought she was very beautiful when she was she was mad.

Sara took a deep breath and pushed her eyebrows together. "You know perfectly well why I have come. My brother is here - you brought him here..."

"Correction, dear Sara. He, like yourself, wished to come here." He put on a patronizing smile. "He is a baby no more, and has his own will. If he wants to be here and I allow him to enter, why Sara, there is not a thing you can do about it. You can no more take him from the Underground than you can take me."

Sara had expected this. "You're a monster, do you know that?" She tilted her head, glaring at him. "Once I find him he will want to return with me. That I know." Her chin dared him to deny it.

"Certainly Sara," he said. Perhaps all the years with the goblins were affecting him, because he had not planned this part. How, indeed, was he to keep her from finding Toby and convincing him to return? He racked his brain - and said nothing.

Sara was expecting a retort - not aquiencense. She looked puzzled, then said "Fine. I'll just be on my way then!" She turned and stepped out. Walking proudly away, she failed to see a rock half hidden in the sand, and promptly stubbed her toe.

Her sharp intake of breath was the only sign anything was wrong. She would not show pain before Jareth.

"Shoes, Sara. I noticed in your haste to visit you did not bring your own. Those ought to fit - try them."

He wanted her to take something from him. It would be some kind of connection between them, a gift from one to the other. Jareth could not clarify his feelings for Sara, but he was sure he wanted to give her something. He thought it was possible he wanted to give her everything.

Sara glared at the shoes, not really seeing them, focusing past them on the sand. While she couldn't have realistically brought shoes with her, she did not want anything of Jareth's. He had given her, indirectly, a poisoned peach, trying to drug her into a life of hallucination. Why should she trust him now? His idea of giving was not one she could call altruistic.

She remembered their last meeting , right before she had spoken the words that sent her home. What was it he had said to her? He had offered her her dreams, fairy dust in a crystal, and he had said, "Just love me, fear me, do as I say and I will be your slave." Worship him, and he would be her slave, right? She didn't think so.

But - she couldn't accomplish anything without shoes. One thing the Underground had was a lot of rocks. Fine then, but this would be on her terms.

She brought her head up to look Jareth full in the face. He couldn't read her. She crouched down, and put on the shoes with their pointed tips. They fit perfectly - she wasn't surprised. She stood up, glared at Jareth, and put her hand in her pocket.

Jareth raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

Sara found what she was looking for. She took out a silver dollar coin, and tossed it in Jareth's direction. Like lightning his hand flew out and caught it with an audible slap.

"Payment. I want no gifts from you, your Majesty." Sara was as queenly as possible. Her back was perfectly straight, and her look gave Jareth no quarter.

Jareth was confused. He had wanted Sara here because of how she made him feel. But she was hurting him with her barbs. He had watched her for 10 years through his magic, had seen her failures and successes. Whether or not she lived or died, won or lost, it mattered to him. But she had no experience of Jareth since the last time they were locked in opposition. She sort of despised him. He was shocked that it hurt him. He wanted to retreat to his castle and think over this new thing, this having a relationship. So he decided to end this as quickly as possible.

He matched her in regality. He clentched the coin in his fist, held it up to her, winked, and vanished from the rocks.

Sara didn't move, but let her eyes rotate looking for him. He seemed to be gone.

She let her shoulders relax, and she let out her breath. Dealing with Jareth was exhausting. She had to admit that according to whatever strange rules seemed to govern this place, he was right - she could not force Toby to leave, but could only convince him to come back with her. That Jareth would not tell her where the child was did not surprise her. He seemed to like toying with her, running her around in his labyrinth like a mouse in a maze. Fine then. She had gotten through once with Jareth's help - she would do it again.

"Come on feet" she spoke to herself - and climbed down the sand dune to the labyrinth gates.