Continuing Tales

Power Struggle

A Labyrinth Story
by bobmcbobbob1

Part 13 of 50

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Power Struggle

Toby sat on Sarah's bed, fingering the long package she had brought with her…well, it was technically only a couple days ago, but with the time changes, "Jet Lag" didn't quite seem to cover it. Amazing new worlds were much more than he had expected for his birthday, but he found himself wanting only what he had originally wanted in the first place: some time with his sister. At times such as these, he would normally have sent her an email or called her, but his options were a little more restricted now.

That last look on Sarah's face was still frozen in his mind. He didn't know how long he sat there—a record for being quiet, certainly—though it was long enough to where the room was steadily growing darker until his mother came in to check on him and flipped the light switch.

"Are you okay, Toby?"

He nodded, still looking at the card that had been attached to the present.

"You can go ahead and open it, Toby. I'm sure Sarah wouldn't mind," Karen mentioned gently. Surely Sarah would have wanted to see Toby's reaction, but Karen recognized that there still had to be some semblance of normalcy in the Williams household. The members of the house moved along like unseen spirits, all skirting around a painful issue as though not saying anything aloud meant that Sarah had returned safe and sound to her own apartment. They had yet to ask Toby for the full story of Sarah's first visit to the Labyrinth; after Jareth had taken her, Toby had run up to his room and slammed the door.

"I already know what's in it," Toby mumbled sadly.

"Oh?"

He passed her the card and small sheet of paper tumbled out. She glanced at the sheet first and saw that Sarah had bought Toby fencing lessons. Inside the card, in Sarah's scrawling hand, was written, "You ought to be prepared when you embark on your own adventures. Have fun swashbucklin'! Your favorite sister."

"It's my own foil and maybe a glove," Toby explained dully. "She got me the right size, the right grip, and everything."

Karen took a seat next to her son and drew him into a hug. "We'll see her again, Toby. Sarah'll figure something out."

Toby pulled away, meeting his mother's gaze to convey his seriousness. "Mom, I've never seen Jareth like that. I mean he was always nice to me and all but as tough as Sarah is, well, that was just freaky." He took a deep breath and relaxed again in this mother's arms.

"I know, Sweetie," Karen whispered into his hair. "I'm worried, too."

Sarah held her tongue behind a wide, false smile as Jareth escorted her down the aisle, nodding at all the words of congratulation as they passed by quite quickly. Once they had crossed the last row, Jareth stopped and held Sarah's arms. Sarah shook off the disconcerting shudder as she looked around, now suddenly in the Goblin King's chambers by the look of things. Where Sarah's room had bordered on too much pink, Jareth's room equally bordered on her sense of too much red, the deep burgundy of drapes, chairs, and bed coverings set off nicely against a dark wood finish.

Sarah turned to face him. "Was that entirely necessary?"

Jareth, whose attention had been focused on springing the fireplace to a cheery light, grinned. "Was what entirely necessary?"

"You don't have to be rough and possessive."

"Oh?" Jareth asked with another example of a smirk that flirted with the qualifier of "creepy." He entered what Sarah assumed to be the bathroom.

With no good answer for that response, Sarah plopped down on a chair and took a deep breath. "Thank God that's over," she mentioned after a moment, once Jareth had returned in a pair of black loose-fitting pants.

"You know," Sarah couldn't help but mention, "You're looking a lot healthier than you have for the past couple of days."

It was true. His hair spiked out at even odder angles, his brows arched in rich color that stood against his skin (which was not quite as abnormally pale) in clear lines, and he walked without so much weariness settling on his bones…or whatever it was that held him up, who could say for sure?

"You really weren't kidding about the whole marriage thing."

"It would seem so."

Sarah rolled her eyes and sighed as Jareth's eyes focused into impish slits.

"This is going to be an interesting marriage, at least," Sarah mused.

"Indeed."

Jareth sat down next to her and ran an idle hand through Sarah's hair, at least what was allowed free in Owena's design though he still managed to knock out a few carefully placed pins. Sarah sighed and took out all the pins, relishing in the freedom.

"Is there no reception or anything?" Sarah asked, leaning forward in the chair.

"Not today. That's in another couple weeks."

"Strange but I'm not complaining."

Jareth's hand had moved from her hair to her neck, and further to make small circles down her back. Then Sarah started to get a little worried.

"Jareth, what are you—"

But before she could finish her question, he had leaned forward and kissed her, simultaneously scooping her up. Sarah quickly moved to full out worried.

Jareth's kiss was insistent, not in a punishing way such as the wedding kiss had been, and he set her down on the bed.

Then Sarah was scared. She shoved him off as firmly as possible, standing away from the bed.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"We're married," he responded simply, as though this explained everything. He propped himself up on one elbow.

"And?"

Jareth to his credit looked surprised. "We must be married in every sense, Sarah."

Sarah's eyes flew wide. "You never said I'd have to consummate it."

"I assumed you knew."

"Obviously you assumed wrong."

"I can assure you—"

"Jareth, I know you would just tell me that you'd be a gentleman, which is debatable, or that I would find it pleasurable or that I really want to or some other such nonsense. The truth of the matter and stop trying to interrupt me," she added sharply, "is that I don't know you. And while we may have agreed to be friends, I'm putting my foot down this time. I married you which is all I agreed to do. It doesn't mean I have to sleep with you." After she finished her rush of words, Jareth's face shifted to some odd emotion.

Sarah stared again after a deep breath: "And again before we start arguing and deteriorate to eight year olds—"

This time Sarah was cut off as a booming voice saturated the room. Sarah squeaked and covered her ears in surprise, feeling very undignified, but the blast of "I wish the goblins would come and take you away, right now!" was worse.

Jareth snarled and his formal-child-stealing-clothes (as Sarah had mentally taken to calling them) appeared on his body, darker streaks spotting his hair and the glitter factor escalating several degrees.

"Wretched timing," he muttered darkly. "We will discuss this later," he growled with all mirth erased from his eyes.

Sarah nodded dumbly as he disappeared. The runner of the Labyrinth this time would be lucky to return home with all his limbs.

Power Struggle

A Labyrinth Story
by bobmcbobbob1

Part 13 of 50

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