Disclaimer: I don't own The Labyrinth. It is the property of the Jim Henson Co. I am not making any financial profit from this work of fiction nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

The Apprentice

Chapter One

Sarah looked up into the blinding lights of the auditorium. Through the glare, she gazed at the faceless audience. They absolutely adored her.

She couldn't have cared less.

When she was younger, this was not how she pictured herself on stage. Not that long ago, Sarah's only aspiration in life involved starting an acclaimed career on Broadway by her mother's side. Never mind the fact that she was a terrible actress and couldn't carry a tune.

She had outgrown those childish fantasies. In fact, she had outgrown wishing and dreaming all together. 'Dreaming only leads to disappointment.'

She carefully stood up from the grand piano, mindful of her flowing black gown and stiffly took a bow. The crowd rose to their feet and cheered for more. It was unusual for such a sophisticated audience to applaud so enthusiastically, but that was always the case when Sarah played. Anyone who listened couldn't help but be overcome with emotion. By the time she finished the encore, the crowd would most likely be better suited for a sports arena.

She bowed again and smiled slightly, just barely lifting the corners of her mouth. Sarah refused to be consumed with vanity and pride for her talent; she knew where it had come from. Sarah's eyes shone with only a slight hint of satisfaction for a job well done. Sarah strode off stage towards her manager, who also happened to be her stepmother.

Irene was the logical choice when Sarah's talent abruptly made itself known. She was family and a fierce businesswoman. With her in charge no one could take advantage of Sarah due to her inexperience. Or young age.

At seventeen, Sarah was one of the youngest performers in the Metropolitan Charity Concert being held that night. It was quite an honor to be invited to participate in the event and a testament to her talent. Especially when they requested she perform the last set and the coveted encore. It was hard to believe she had only been performing publicly for little over a year.

Once she was hidden behind the curtain, Sarah gratefully took the bottle of water Irene held out for her. She drank it down in one go, smirking at Irene when she handed back the empty bottle. In the past, this would have been done with malicious glee; a childish passive aggression to bate the older woman. Instead it was performed as a playful teasing to bother her stepmother's Southern sensibilities.

Irene rolled her eyes and shook her head in mock disapproval. She smiled sweetly while putting the lid back on the bottle. "You were wonderful," she said quietly. There was no need for lowered voices with the noise echoing in from the music hall. Sarah decided to tease the older woman. She quickly adopted a look of absolute wonder on her face and whispered back, "Is that what all the cheering's about?"

"Ha ha. Very funny, Sarah," her stepmother laughed, "but I'm proud of you. This is a big opportunity. You know this concert's being recorded for a tv special!" Beaming with pride, Irene began fussing with Sarah's hair. She wanted her stepdaughter to look her best since this concert would later be broadcasted. "Just think of all the people who will be able to hear your music!"

Audiences couldn't get enough of her. Somehow, Sarah was able to project strong emotions and impulses to those around her through her music. Irene called it magical; Sarah chose to ignore the emptiness she felt whenever she heard that comment. 'There's no such thing,' she lamented. 'Not anymore.'

Irene peeked over Sarah's shoulder to spy on the audience then moved to fluff her stepdaughter's silky-smooth gown. "It's almost time, have you decided on what piece you'll play for the encore?" Sarah shook her head from side to side. There had been no need to choose.

She knew exactly what Irene was going to say next and she was dreading it. Irene leaned back and looked pleadingly at her stepdaughter. "I know you don't like playing it," she started softly, "but what about the first song you wrote? The one based on your favorite play." She smiled wistfully, "It's such a lovely song. There wouldn't be a dry eye in the house!"

Sarah tried to ignore the flutter in her stomach at the thought of playing that song. "I don't know, Irene…" Whenever she played, Sarah had to give herself over completely to the emotion driving the music. It was almost like a trance. Because of this, performing often proved to be a very draining experience for the young woman. The first song Sarah had composed was the most draining of all.

"It's your most requested," Irene gushed. "And what a way to end the concert!" Her stepmother leaned back and exaggerated looking from side to side. After double checking that they were alone, she leaned in and whispered, "Just think of the donations! After you've tugged on their heartstrings they'd be more emotional."

She paused for effect, while shaking a motherly finger to emphasize her next words, "And emotional people donate more money."

Sarah turned to stare out at the audience, her hand clenching the velvet curtain tightly. She couldn't argue with that, the sole reason she was playing tonight was to help support the children's foundation. If her discomfort could help raise money for the local children, then it was worth it. The younger woman didn't turn to look at her stepmother as she hesitantly nodded her consent.

Irene squealed in delight. It was odd coming from the normally reserved woman, but at the same time also endearing. It brought a small smile back to Sarah's face. It had taken some time, and a lot growing up, but Sarah had finally begun to love her stepmother.

Irene genuinely adored Sarah's music, her first piece in particular. Whenever she played it her stepmother would tell her, without fail, that the feelings she invoked were overwhelming. Even to those who didn't know what the piece was about, it played out like a story. It had everything: adventure, danger, magic, friendship, and romance.

Sarah was not looking forward to this. Irene and everyone else might enjoy the effects of the song, but to her it was gut-wrenching. To play it she had to relive her fantasy of the Labyrinth and experience all her emotions surrounding it.

Sarah had tried for weeks to contact her Labyrinth friends, searching for the right words to summon them back to her. She briefly considered saying 'The Right Words', but quickly banished the thought. Sarah wasn't afraid of the Labyrinth anymore, but even years later its monarch still sent an unknown thrill of fear through her whenever she thought of him.

'Not quite butterflies,' she thought, 'but close enough.' When weeks turned into months, Sarah began to lose hope. Doubt crept into her mind and she grudgingly began to accept the truth. The realization still caused her heart to ache.

Her first brush with magic would be her last. She had learned her lesson and now the fairytale was over. Her newfound musical ability was the only magical thing that would remain in her life now. It would forever be a bittersweet reminder of what she had found and been forced to reject.

The music washed over him in soothing waves. From his secluded spot in the upper balcony, the hidden patron irreverently propped his boots up on the banister while reclining in his seat. He breathed deeply while bringing up his arms to rest behind his head. With his eyes closed, he allowed himself to be fully enveloped by the deep emotions of the melody.

It had been a very long time since he had last heard a proficient musician, at least one up to his standards. For one so young and new to the musical scene, she was quite exceptional.

The Goblin King wondered if he knew the fae responsible for gifting her with such a remarkable talent.

The musician obviously had experienced a recent brush with the fantastical and it was beginning to show through her playing. 'Once she masters her art,' Jareth smiled to himself, 'the world will be her oyster.'

The ability to perform fae music, whether vocally or by instrument was, quite literally, a tricky art. The musician's ability to affect the audience could range from suggestive emotional manipulation to outright physical possession. It was a dangerous gift to have.

As the piano solo came to a close, the Goblin King began a mental critique. 'The magic was erratic throughout the piece, but enjoyable enough. Her potential is surprising for a human, even though her emotions are unstable. Ultimately, she lacks control.' He frowned, 'And that can be very dangerous.'

Out of habit, Jareth mindlessly created a crystal and began manipulating it as he pondered. 'Then again,' the Goblin King reasoned glumly, '… a few hundred years of practice didn't seem to help my control either.'

He sat up just enough to catch a glimpse of a small figure in black sweep off the stage. Before this pianist had begun her performance, Jareth had been resigned to call the night a disaster. He had even taken to dozing periodically through the performances. As an anonymous benefactor to the night's cause, he remained in the audience to guarantee that the event was a financial success, either legitimately or with a little magical persuasion to encourage donations. After listening to the last performer, his plans to intervene were no longer necessary.

There was no denying the other participants had worked hard to perfect their talents, but most were lacking heart. And that is where the true magic of music came from. The performer had to fully believe the message they were telling.

But that was dangerous as well; opening up one's self to the magic being woven could be devastating, if not controlled properly. A few short years ago, without meaning to, Jareth had nearly enchanted himself.

The monarch let his mind wander to memories he was still desperate to avoid. He closed his eyes hoping to shut out the heart-wrenching images of a ball where he sang of devotion and desire. It was such an amateur mistake, injecting too much of his own loneliness and longing for love into what he sang. It had spectacularly backfired on him. The Goblin King had been lucky the girl had not given in to the distraction as he had.

The lights began to dim. A hush descended on the music hall as the audience prepared itself for the much awaited encore. Slowly the young woman in black reemerged.

'Hmmm… an apprentice might be a welcome distraction,' he smirked, entertaining the idea of whisking away the promising young musician.

The stage lights made her dress sparkle and shimmer with every step that she took. There was nothing seductive in the way she moved, but even from afar this mystery woman was enchanting. To some degree he watched her take her place on stage, content instead to mindlessly watch his crystal dance over his hands. Even if he didn't show it, Jareth was greatly anticipating what was to come, the encore and the possibility of spiriting away an attractive young woman.

"After all …," he reasoned aloud, smoothly moving the crystal around his hands, "she's already been Underground…"

A few hidden goblins chuckled quietly. It looked like the night was about to get exciting.

Sarah had begun pacing just off stage. She knew what was coming and vainly tried to prepare herself in the short amount of time she had left. Already the music was swelling in her head, begging to be fully embraced and released. Her hands shook, not from nerves, but from the raw emotions she was attempting to hold back. Sarah stopped pacing, closed her eyes, and clenched her teeth. She tried to calm herself by shutting out the music and jumped in surprise when a gentle hand began rubbing circles on her back. She looked sideways at her stepmother before closing her eyes again, taking comfort from her touch.

"Don't fight it, Sarah," Irene said gently. "You need to face the music." Sarah sincerely tried to smile at Irene's lame attempt at a joke, but only managed to produce a slight grin.

Her stepmother sighed deeply at her reaction, feeling pity for her only daughter. "What I mean is that you need to acknowledge what this song is really about," Irene said softly, "and then let it go."

Sarah felt a familiar dead weight settle into her stomach as she considered the advice. No doubt, her stepmother thought this song was subconsciously linked to her mother's abandonment.

"You'll never be happy if you keep mourning over someone who doesn't exist," she said. "It's time to let the Goblin King go."

Sarah looked up in shock, her heartbeat skyrocketing in her chest. ''She wasn't talking about mom?' Sarah's mind scream. 'But how could she know about Jareth?'

"How did you …?" Sarah stuttered. 'Maybe Irene knows me better than I realized.'

Irene gave Sarah a look of pure disbelief. "Please Sarah, with the way you lived and breathed that play for so long? It began to feel real to you, didn't it?" she asked compassionately as she fussed with Sarah's hair again.

'You're wrong,' Sarah thought, even as she nodded slightly in agreement. She stood still allowing Irene primp her. Sarah knew the more she moved the longer it would take and she really didn't care for all this fussing. 'You're wrong, it was real."

Satisfied with her work, Irene lowered her arms. "And the song you wrote about it has so much emotion, it's … it's like your heart's been broken. Honey, it's not healthy to get so caught up in a fantasy."

Irene stiffly crossed her arms in discomfort, she strongly disliked emotional talks. "And you're so young, you need to get out there and meet …"

"Thanks Irene," Sarah interrupted sharply, already knowing where this conversation was going. "I'll…" She took a moment to sigh deeply before calmly adding, "… I'll try my best." Her stepmother took a step back and smiled sadly in understanding. Sarah wasn't quite ready to let go.

They both looked out at the restless audience, wishing for the sudden awkwardness between them to go away.

"Ok," Sarah swallowed thickly, "I'm ready." Irene patted her back a final time before turning to find the stage manager. Not even a full minute later, the lights over the audience dimmed and Sarah stepped into the spotlight waiting just outside the curtain. The crowd had settled down a bit, taking their seats again in quiet anticipation.

There was a jittery, nervous energy in the air and Sarah had the uneasy feeling that something was about to happen.

Sarah was able to walk regally despite her suddenly weak knees. When she finally reached the piano, she glided in front of the keys to sit swiftly on the bench. Before she could talk herself out of it, Sarah began to play. The music started off with a soft melancholy tune that immediately captured the hearts of the audience. It instilled within them the impression of a lonely, heartbroken girl who wished for more.

The memories brought a slight sheen of tears to Sarah's eyes. She closed them and tipped her head upwards slightly to focus solely on the feel of the music. She didn't need to watch her hands, or even to focus, to remember what notes came next. She allowed the song to simply flow out of her, to tell her story through the music. She gradually let the emotions take control as she entered her musical trance.

In reality, Sarah was blindly letting the magic lead her through the song, much to the utter dismay of the Goblin King. 'Foolish girl,' he chided harshly. To gently embrace and release a trickle of magic from one's music was one thing, to metaphorically open the flood gates to give the magic permission to sweep everyone away was another.

He had to stop her. She was endangering everyone present.

He stood and quickly summoned the magic necessary to freeze time, ready to give the girl a piece of his mind. As the crystal bauble began to glow a faint blue, he raised his arm and zeroed in on his intended target.

Time froze for the Goblin King; he had yet to lob the magical orb and still it felt as if his whole world had screeched to a halt.

Below him on center stage was Sarah Williams, pouring out her heart through the piano.

"Well, this certainly changes things..."

Author's Note:

I've had this sitting around on my computer for nearly as long as 'Trapped'. I hadn't read it in months and decided to while letting my mind stew over the next chapter of "Trapped". I figured it was time to get it out there.

Hope you all enjoyed it. I'm debating on how long to make this story – I began it with a big story in mind, but I'm kinda curious if I can write a shorter fanfic story…

We'll have to wait and see. Thanks for reading.

Casually Late