A/N: Hello, my faithful readers. Happy New Year! Here it is…the final chapter of one of my favorites. 'Tis a bittersweet day for this writer. On a happier note, I can finally finish another one of my more dramatic fics. I want to thank you all for sticking with me through the long absences. 2013 saw a wedding and the purchase of our first home. Who knows what 2014 may bring? Special thanks to Alltangledup95, Dragowolf, Honoria Granger, Invoguewetrust, KraZiiePyrozHavemoreFun, MaidMarian17, MyraValhallah, Niki Maweird, notwritten, Operaphantomgrl, slythrn-barnbum, and The Queen of Water for your most encouraging reviews. Don't forget to leave a quick review to let me know what you think. Anyone who reviews and asks for it will receive a bonus preview of the next chapter to Summer Solstice. Happy reading!
Disclaimer: Nope…2013 brought many things, but it didn't bring me the rights to Labyrinth or any of its characters. Darn!
P.S. Stay tuned at the end for a preview of the next chapter to The Labyrinth's Queen. Only two more chapters left with a possible short epilogue to follow.
A Year Without A Goblin King
~~~~~Happy Forever~~~~~
The rustling of silk played a harmonious descant to the merry waltz as Sarah watched the ball unfold before her. Everyone seemed to be having a good time as smiles were etched on the faces of each of her guests. Between the quick tempo of the music and the never ending supply of Goblin wine, it seemed the party would never end. Even Sarah, who hadn't touched a drop, felt intoxicated with the excitement of the evening's festivities. As she looked to her husband, she didn't need their connection to know that he felt the same.
Looking over the many happy faces, she could see new friends mingling with the old. Her entire family came to this celebration and she smiled as she took in the sight of her father drinking a pint of goblin ale with Redmond. They seemed to be as engrossed in conversation as Karen and Brigid a few feet away. Sarah could guess that they were talking about the upcoming wedding. Toby opted out of all the marriage talk by finding a young Fae prince to teach him new games to play.
Standing by the large chocolate fountain stood her friend Caedmon. She watched him catch the eye of a beautiful Fae noblewoman as he dipped a strawberry into the decadent treat. A giggle escaped her when she saw him seductively lick the chocolate off of the fruit while maintaining eye contact with the girl. As her, not too happy, suitor came to the young woman's side, Caedmon quickly made his retreat. The Goblin Queen laughed merrily as he approached to join her.
"Making a strategic retreat, mon capitan?" Sarah asked, grinning at her friend.
Caedmon laughed at her tease. "I just make it a point not to poke a sleeping dragon. There are plenty of other delectable fish in the sea."
"Very wise."
"Of course," he agreed. "Enough about me. How are you, my queen? Getting enough sleep lately?"
The blush that crept over her cheeks was answer enough for him. He chuckled at her as she placed a hearty pinch upon his arm. It only made him laugh harder as he rubbed the sore spot. Sarah was tempted to lay him out, but knew it would be impossible given their current surroundings. She vowed to make him pay later, though. For now, she settled on glaring at him until she couldn't help herself from joining in with his infectious laughter.
"You do realize that I could bog you for this insubordination," she warned. The smile on her face, however, negated the threat.
"True, but then I'd make sure to up your hand to hand combat training."
"Touché."
"Truce?" he asked
"Truce," she agreed. A pleasant silence fell over them as they looked at the happy dancers moving in time to the brisk waltz. Sarah took in the man's appearance during the lull in conversation. His bejeweled jacket picked up the lights and made him look as if he were a part of the stars. "You're looking rather splendid this evening, my friend."
He visibly preened and pretended to brush invisible dust off of his sleeve. "Thank you, my ever lovely queen. You're looking beautiful as always. Seriously, I think marriage has been really good to you. In fact, you're positively glowing."
"Yes…well…" Sarah trailed off, not knowing what to tell him. She hated keeping her secret from her best friends.
A beautiful Fae woman caught his eye and smiled, invitingly. "If you'll excuse me."
"Happy fishing," Sarah replied, watching him with a fond smile as he flirted with his new partner.
As she was about to see to some refreshments, she felt a tap upon her shoulder. Bracing herself she turned to see Lady Caragh and Lord Manus standing behind her. A smile adorned her face as she took her two Fae friends into her embrace. "It's so wonderful to see you two."
"Hello, my dear," said Lord Manus. The melodic tones of his voice were soothing and pleasant, as always.
With a teasing grin, Lady Caragh greeted her friend. "Hello, Your Majesty." The blush on Sarah's face told her everything and the older woman practically cackled with glee.
Lord Manus, more restrained than his partner, contained his mirth, though his eyes danced gaily. "Congratulations, Sarah."
"Shhhhhhh," Sarah hissed, looking around her to see if anyone had overheard. "No one is supposed to know, yet. How did you find out?"
"We just know your story better than the rest," Lady Caragh explained.
"Remember, we were there from the beginning," added Lord Manus.
Sarah's mind wandered back to the moment she first met the Lord and his Lady. The setting was gauzy and ethereal. A mass of contradictions, it was both romantic and debauched. Sarah knew she shouldn't have been there, but, in her youth, she continued on into the crystalline ballroom. All around her, men and women were gathered. Some were dancing closely, while others were entwined in passions unknown to the young girl. The strains of beautiful music gathered in her soul, giving her courage to move forward through this den of iniquity. Just when she wondered if she had wandered into a fool's folly, she turned and glanced at him. A gasp filled her lungs as she took in the beautiful creature of her dreams. Her heart beat wildly as he lowered his mask, capturing her eyes with his own. She might have remained transfixed, staring at the Goblin King, if it weren't for Lord Manus and Lady Caragh. They chose that moment to glide in front of the man, hiding him from her view for just an instant. When they moved, he was no longer there and she began her search anew.
Jareth felt the memory tugging at his heart, mind, and soul. Looking over at his lovely bride, he sent her a feeling of comfort and romance. He could feel her pulse in his mind, driving him to distraction. In a moment of inspiration, he thought about rushing to her, picking her up into his arms, and carrying her back to their shared chamber. There, he could show her all the things that had been going through his mind during the instant their eyes met in that crystal dream of long ago. Before he could make good on his impulse, a flash of fingers snapping caught his attention.
"Where the hell did you just go?" asked Greg, who'd apparently been trying to get Jareth's attention for more than a moment.
Jareth looked to his human friend. It took him a few seconds to realize what he was asking. "Sorry, my friend. Just lost in a memory. What were you saying?"
Greg smirked openly at the Goblin King. "Must have been one hell of a memory. You're blushing."
"I am most certainly not," Jareth argued. "Kings do not blush."
"If you say so," teased Greg. Seeing the death glare he was getting from the Fae, he decided it would be wise to change the subject. "This place is amazing."
Jareth's face took on an easy smile. "That it is. I'm glad you had a chance to see the castle. Perhaps you can visit for a longer period this summer during your vacation."
"Sounds like a good time to me," Greg agreed. He could hardly believe that this realm existed. In fact, he had accused Jareth and Sarah of lying before they took him here to see with his own eyes. There was no way, now that he knew about it, that he could stay away. It was just too fantastic to remain unexplored.
A grin crept over Jareth's face. "I do have to warn you, though. My wonderful wife has determined that you must be lonely and deserving of some feminine attention."
"You mean she's going to try to hook me up with one of her friends," Greg replied.
"One…or ten," Jareth said, laughing when his friend began choking dramatically.
Sarah turned at the sound of her husband laughing. The wicked look on his face alluded to the mischief he was making at Greg's expense. She rolled her eyes and went back to watching her guests. Lady Caragh and Lord Manus waved as they danced past and she nodded back to them. At this party, Sarah made sure to invite all from her kingdom along with the friends she had met from both realms. Over in the corner, she spotted Maola and Hiolair talking animatedly. It was obvious that they were taking notes on the fashions sported by the women in attendance. Sarah could almost imagine what they were saying about some of the interesting choices in garments. She couldn't wait to hear their assessments later. Laughing, she turned her head towards the food. There, she spied Eithna doing another check of the refreshments and barking orders to the servers. Sarah was glad she wasn't on the receiving end of her sharp tongue this evening.
"Hello, my beauty" purred a voice into her ear, startling the Goblin Queen.
"Lord Drystan," Sarah sighed, turning to face the amorous man.
The Lord stood, looking at Sarah as if he wanted to devour her in one bite. "You're looking glorious, as always."
Sarah's voice went cold as she addressed him. "Thank you. I wish I had more time to catch up, but I believe I'm being summoned by the King."
"Of course," he replied, dejected. Sarah began to walk away from him, glad that he had believed her lie. Unfortunately, she didn't move fast enough to avoid the inevitable pinch to her derrière.
Taking a breath to calm herself, she left the amorous Fae behind her to join the Goblin King as he talked to Sheila and Scott. Sarah was happy for her ex-student. It was obvious that the young man was head-over-heels for the girl. The two teens made a cute couple and Sarah hoped that they could make a go of it. In any case, it was nice to see the kind girl smile for a change. Jareth felt her approach and placed a gentle hand to her waist when she stood next to him.
"Hi guys," Sarah greeted.
Sheila grinned at her favorite teacher. "Hey Sarah. I was just about to go get some punch. Want to join me?"
Sarah thought back to the bottle and a half of goblin rum that had made its way into the punch bowl. Smiling secretly, she replied, "no thanks. You go on ahead. Just don't drink too much."
"Thanks again for that advice, Your Majesty," Scott said, after making sure that Sheila was far enough away to prevent her from hearing.
"What advice?" asked Sarah, looking back and forth between her husband and the young man.
Jareth turned to his wife and smirked. "I simply told him that, if he loved her, he needed to let her know. Love doesn't come without a little risk. If it did, it wouldn't be worth anything."
Scott nodded and said, "The best advice I ever got."
"How profound," Sarah teased.
"You jest, but it was a hard-learned lesson. Just imagine how much trouble we could have avoided if I had taken my own advice."
Sarah gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. "Too true, dear, but we wouldn't have had as much fun."
Jareth laughed as Shelia returned. A puzzled look adorned her face, but she quickly brushed it aside as she eyed her suitor. Upon hearing the music begin playing once more, she grinned and practically dragged him back onto the dance floor. Sarah watched them dance, feeling very maternal over her best student and newest friend. Jareth's head tipped towards hers and his arm tightened about her waist, letting her know her thoughts had been received. It was a comfort to her to have such an in-tune husband. Of course, she knew it wouldn't always be that way. Still, she could appreciate it in the moment.
A voice broke her from her thoughts. Sarah turned to see Edme running her way. Tears were flowing down her cheeks, making them uncharacteristically ruddy. It was clear that her friend was upset and, from her pace and direction, she was going to hear all about it. Bracing herself, Sarah held out her arms. Edme walked into her embrace and began to sob. Sarah looked to Jareth and he nodded at her unspoken question. She quickly guided the distraught woman to a private alcove within the ballroom.
"There, there," Sarah soothed. "Now tell me what's going on."
"I-it's awful," Edme cried.
"What's awful?"
"He's a dirty, rotten, ch-he-heat," she managed, trying to control her weeping.
"Who's a cheat?"
"Grady."
"Grady! Sweetie, you're not making any sense. What happened?"
"I caught him in the hallway with Aine. They were Kih-Kih," Edme dissolved into tears.
"Kissing?" Sarah ventured.
Edme continued to cry, but managed to nod and say, "uh huh."
"Oh, Edme. I'm sorry. What an asshole!"
"Yeah!" Edme replied. "But he was my asshole…fiancé."
Sarah embraced her friend. "You deserve so much better than Grady."
"I know," Edme sighed.
"You've been waiting to dump him forever."
"Yeah, but what am I supposed to tell my father? He's been after me to get married for years."
"Tell him the truth," Sarah advised. "You know he doesn't even like Grady."
"He'll kill him!" Edme exclaimed.
Sarah grinned, wickedly. "And?"
Edme giggled. "Sarah, that's positively evil. I love it! Why should I be the only one to suffer?"
"Exactly!"
"But what do I do about daddy?"
Sarah thought for a moment. "Tell him that you'll get married when you find the right person. Until then, he needs to lay off the pressure unless he wants you to swear off men altogether."
Edme looked to her friend in astonishment before bursting into laughter. "Bloody brilliant!"
"Is everything alright?" asked Rhisiart, entering the alcove.
"Everything's fine," Sarah replied.
"Lady Edme, I saw what happened in the hallway."
"You saw that?" Edme asked, wiping at her eyes.
"Yes, I did," Rhisiart replied. "That man is a cad and an idiot."
"He is?"
"Of course, he is," Rhisiart insisted. "That man doesn't deserve you. A lady like you should be treated like a queen."
"A lady like me?"
"One that is kind, loving…and beautiful."
"You really think that?"
"Most definitely."
Sarah smiled to herself before leaving them alone to talk. Perhaps Edme's father would get his wish quicker than he thought. She joined her husband and led him back to the dance floor. As they danced, she filled him in on what had happened. He pointed to another dancing couple. Sarah looked over to see Edme and Rhisiart dancing closely. The royal couple smiled at this new twist of fate. Suddenly, the music stopped. Jareth and Sarah looked over to the doors as the staff of the herald banged upon the marble floor.
"Their Majesties, the former King and Queen of Goblins, King Gareth and Queen Jana," he announced.
The entire room, Sarah and Jareth included, went into poses of respect and submission. Gareth waved them to stand and his eyes fell upon his son and new daughter-in-law. He led his wife through the crowd. "Hello children."
Sarah was about to curtsey before finding herself swept into the deceptively strong arms of the former queen. "Pish posh, my dear. None of that. How is my favorite daughter-in-law?"
"I'm your only daughter-in-law," Sarah laughed.
Jana's laughter rang out as she looked around. Seeing that no one was paying them any mind, she placed her small hand on Sarah's abdomen. "How's my little grandchild doing?"
"Making me miserable some days, but the healer says everything is going well. In a few more weeks, we should be able to tell if we'll be having a little prince or princess."
"I can't wait!"
"She means she can't wait to start spoiling the little goblin," Gareth interjected.
Jareth laughed and pulled Sarah close. "I fear we may have to build a bigger castle."
"What are grandmothers for?" Jana scoffed, pulling Sarah towards her. "Let's leave these boys to their own devices for a moment, shall we? I want you to meet Lady Bryanna. She has the #1 nanny in the realm and it couldn't hurt to start looking now."
Sarah gave her a smile before sharing a fond look of exasperation with her husband. As she followed the older woman to their destination, Sarah felt the soothing mental embrace of her husband. She sent back her thanks and a gentle caress before reaching her destination. The two women were soon engrossed in a conversation with the young Fae mother, leaving Jareth to talk with his father. It wasn't long before Gareth excused himself for a drink, leaving his son alone to watch the scene before him.
"Jareth!" called a voice the Goblin King couldn't soon forget. He turned his head to take in the sight of a lovely flaxen-haired Fae coming towards him.
"Lady Vevila," Jareth greeted the vapid woman. As custom dictated, he placed a chaste kiss on the back of her hand.
Vevila giggled and Jareth nearly winced at the high-pitched, grating sound. Fortunately, the woman didn't seem to realize how annoyed the Goblin King was getting at her presence. She placed her dainty hand upon his arm and inclined towards him, granting him a wonderful view of her ample cleavage. Clearing his throat, Jareth suddenly became very uncomfortable with this interaction.
Batting her long eyelashes, she leaned even closer. "I've missed you, Your Majesty. That Regent of yours was dreadfully boring."
Jareth growled as her breasts were pressed against his arm. Vevila, mistakenly believing it was a sound of ardor, smirked openly. She couldn't possibly understand how close she was coming to being tossed into the bog. Before he could start the spell to eliminate the vile woman, she pressed her advantage. Her lips covered his as her tongue darted out to slither across his most outraged mouth.
A hand reached out and tore the woman away from Jareth. "You bitch! Get away from my husband."
Lady Vevila turned just in time to see an enraged Goblin Queen before landing, headfirst, in the Bog of Eternal Stench. Jareth, aware of the scene they were making, took his Queen in his arms and pressed his lips to her forehead. The gesture startled Sarah enough to look around. Seeing the stares from their guests, a flush crept over her cheeks. She turned towards her grinning husband and sighed as he guided her to the middle of the room.
"It seems my wife has let the goblin out of the bag."
Sarah took a deep breath. "His Majesty and I have an announcement."
"After much persistence, I've finally convinced my Champion to come home. May I present, your Queen and Champion, Lady Sarah of the Labyrinth."
Cheers filled the ballroom as their people celebrated the long awaited Queen of Goblins. The reception was enough to bring tears to Sarah's eyes. Jareth grinned and felt an intense sense of pride. They all loved Sarah, but she was his and his alone. A possessive arm wrapped itself around her waist. Instead of feeling irritated by his feelings of ownership, she smiled and patted his arm. She may be his, but he was also all hers. Her very own Goblin King. Who would have thought?
After the noise quieted, Jareth continued, "We have one more announcement to share. Your Queen and I are expecting a new heir to the throne."
The room, again, broke into heartfelt cheers. Sarah and Jareth soon found themselves surrounded by their friends and family. Caedmon was the first to congratulate them. "Should you be standing?"
"I'm perfectly fine," Sarah assured.
"Maybe you should sit down."
"I don't want to sit down."
"Jareth, don't you think she should get off of her feet in her condition?"
"I'm pregnant, not an invalid," Sarah barked. Jareth looked at Caedmon with sympathy, but wisely kept his mouth shut.
"Well…" Caedmon hedged. A calm voice interrupted before Sarah lost her temper and added another inhabitant to the bog.
"Congratulations, Your Majesties."
"Thank you, Kevay," Sarah sighed with gratitude towards her old etiquette coach.
The kind, proper Fae tipped her a surprising wink before moving on to allow someone else a turn. It took all of Sarah's will power not to dissolve into a fit of giggles. She put on her game face as she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning, she saw her dance instructor waiting to speak to her.
"Congratulations, Sarah. I'm very happy for you."
"Thank you, Kelan."
"Have you met my wife, Eileen?"
Sarah watched as the petite, red-headed Fae dipped into a polite curtsy. With a smile, she waved away the prostration. "It's great to finally meet you."
"Pleased to meet you, Your Majesty."
"Please, call me Sarah."
"Thank you…Sarah," Eileen said. It seemed to be difficult for her to break protocol. Sarah could see that she was flustered.
The music began to play again. "Kelan, why don't you go dance with your beautiful wife and show us all how it's done?"
Kelan grinned and guided his partner onto the dance floor. Sarah envied their grace.
"Your Majesty, congratulations! May I say you make a lovely queen," came a simpering voice to her left.
Sarah would recognize that voice anywhere. "Thank you, Lord Drystan."
"Yes, thank you, Lord Drystan," added Jareth, coming to the side of his wife and staring at the wolf in Lord's clothing. The look he gave the man was enough to make a rose wither.
The Lord in question swallowed slowly and bowed. He looked between the two royals, taking in their united front. In his mind, he made a quick tally of his misdeeds. With a sudden clarity, he recalled what had just happened to the last person who came between the newlyweds. He quickly said his goodbyes and beat a hasty retreat. There were many who could recall the good Lord Drystan, but he was seldom seen in the Goblin Kingdom after the dawn of the New Year.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty."
Sarah turned and smiled. "Thank you, Cuinn."
"Staying out of trouble?"
"Never," she laughed.
"I don't see any crustaceans present so I'd say you're doing pretty well."
"Ha!"
The magic tutor and Queen of Goblins spent another moment catching up before Jareth spirited her away. Sarah soon found herself swept up into a tender waltz. Romantic violins played a sweet melody and the magic of the moment took her breath away. Her feet seemed to move on their own, gracefully floating over the marble floor. She looked into Jareth's eyes and smiled. Anyone looking at them could tell that they were in love.
The ringing sound of a gong pierced the air and the room sent up cheers of good will for the New Year. The band immediately ended the waltz that had been playing and began the opening strains of "Auld Lang Syne." Sarah sent an orb flying towards the ceiling. When it popped, colored confetti began falling onto the guests. Looking around the room, Sarah and Jareth noticed several couples engaged in the long standing tradition of a kiss at midnight. One couple, in particular, caught the eye of the Goblin Queen.
"Look," she said, pointing towards the amorous duo.
Jareth turned, as she asked, and grinned broadly. His cousin Edme was currently entangled with Rhisiart. Their passion was both sweet and relieving. He was glad they had found each other. If the kiss was anything to go by, he imagined that their problems with the enamored Fae were finally behind them. As he watched, the couple left the festivities together.
Taking his cue, he turned back to his wife. As the musicians played their closing strains, he thought back to the beginning. Even with all of its twists and turns, this year was the best year of Jareth's long life. Bringing his lips to hers, he tried to convey his happiness from the old year and his hope for the new. Sarah broke their kiss to look up at her husband.
"Happy New Year," she sighed.
"Happy forever," he amended, before capturing her lips once more.
~~~~~THE END~~~~~
As promised, an excerpt from The Labyrinth's Queen, Chapter 25…
Maggie nodded, solemnly. "You'll know what to do when the time comes."
"What to do?" Sarah asked.
"We will be there for you."
"When?"
"As the world falls down," Maggie replied, disappearing back into the chaos.
"Sarah, watch out!" cried Sulwyn.
Sarah was startled by the urgency in his voice. She realized that, in her exchange with Maggie, she had completely forgotten that there was a battle ensuing. Looking around, she noticed that she was unprotected. Her eyes darted to the right as a glint of light attracted her attention. The breath left her lungs and her heart dropped to her stomach. Before her, Bledig stood with his sword at the ready.
Her world slowed as she prepared herself for her demise. She saw Jareth's stricken face as he watched, too late and too far to save her. Her sword clanged to the stones below when her fingers opened of their own volition. As he reared his arm back to thrust his sword through her heart, she closed her eyes.
"Sarah!" shouted Sulwyn and Jareth in unison. They sounded so alike in their despair.
"No!"