It's Only Forever (a labyrinth fanfic)

Chapter 1

Jareth POV:

My head was burried in my pillow, not wanting to move. My shirt was thrown in a depressive lump on the floor. The cold air wafting through my window chilled my bare back but I didn't care. I didn't want to care about anything. Ever again. The only thing I wanted was untouchable. Unreachable. Ungainable.

Sighing, I rolled over onto my back and stared at my ceiling. There was a knock on my door. I barely even lifted my head, "Who and why?"

A small goblin peeked his head through the open door, "It's Fritzy your majesty, supper is ready."

I sat up and looked at the ornate black clock that hung on my wall. 13:58. My eyes caught on the big ugly 13. Thirteen hours. Thirteen. Thirteen. Thirteen. Why Thirteen?

"Your majesty?"

I leaned back against my surplus of pillows, "Hmmm?"

"Supper. It's prepared."

I flung a pillow at the ugly goblin, "I'm not hungry you useless sack of drool."

Fritzy bowed his head, trying to ignore the pillow, "Very well. Does your majesty wish me to clean up this mess?"

I knew he was referring to the hundreds of crystals I had broken by either dropping or thowing them. I shivered. The air outside was cold, I really needed to do something about that.

"Does his majesty wish for a robe?" The goblin seemed persistant in standing in my doorway.

I widened my eyes in exasperation, "What. Do. You. Want. Fritzy."

Fritzy trembled slightly, "Well, um. You have a visitor your majesty."

"A visitor?" I sat up, "Who?"

Fritzy picked up a piece of broken crystal and held it tightly, "I do not know their name your highness."

I scurried out of bed and jumped over Fritzy, purposely kicking him in the process. Could it be? I hurried down the stairs. How had she managed to return? It couldn't really be her could it? Could it? After she defeated me it had seemed that she was capable of anything. Maybe of even changing her mind.

By the time I reached the bottom of the stairs I was out of breath, partly from the running, partly from the excitement. But it wasn't Sarah that I saw. I forced my shoulders to be held upright even though they wanted to do nothing more than crumple around me in a sort of embrace. I leaned against the wall and tried to steady my breathing, "And who might you be?"

The little fox like creature lifted his blue hat from his head and bowed quite nobely, "I, dear sir, am Sir Didymus."

The name sounded familiar but I couldn't place it, "What are you doing in my castle?"

Didymus bared his teeth, "I am here to attack thee!"

I raised my eyebrows, "Oh? And what for?"

The fox raised his staff in an attempt to be threatning, "For kidnapping my dearest fair maiden!"

With that he charged, septer raised above his head. I flicked my wrist and the ground beneath him collapsed, landing him in a deep hole. I walked over to the edge of the new oubliette, "I do not know who you are referring to and until I feel like it, you will remain here."

I turned my back and began walking away as Sir Didymus continued his rant, "I see thou are frightened to go against me. I will fight thee to the death! And I shall win! In the name of my dearest Sarah!"

I stopped. Sarah? The little fox was still shouting, "For I am a brave soul and have only once met my match in battle! I shall rip your kidney's out and feed them to the goblins! I will remove your spleen! I will-"

I leaned over the edge of the oubliette, "What do you know about Sarah?"

The creature seemed surprised to get a response, "Oh um, pardon?"

I am impatient to a fault, "Sarah," I pounded my fist on the ground with each word I spoke, "What do you know about Sarah?"

It didn't take long for Didymus to regain his aggression, "Only that after risking life and limb for her and leading her safely to your castle she has disapeared! I am here to rescue her!"

I placed my chin on the ledge and watched as the fox terrier began beating at the stone walls with his satff. 

"Well she's not here." I said. Didymus looked up at me, "So thou has already murdered my lady! Well she shall be avenged!"

With that he charged once more into the wall. The impact knocked him to the ground and he lay looking up at me, startled. I watched as again and again he tried to break through the stone. I sighed, "You're wasting your time."

Sir Didymus panted, "Just beause my lady has met her unfortunate fate does not mean that I am unable to take revenge on her murderer. Charge!"

The thud of animal hitting rock was becoming more and more familiar to my ears.

"I didn't kill her." I said.

"Then let me see my lady."

"I don't have her." The impact of my words fell like stones in my stomach. My throat tightened. I truly didn't have her.

"Being tortured is she? You sick, morose, sadistic, revolting-"

"She's not being tortured." I shouted. The fox terrier looked up, surprised at my sudden display of emotion.

"She left." I said, then added, "She made it on time. She took the baby with her."

Sir Didymus fell into silence, "So she has accomplished her mission then?"

I didn't answer. It was apparent that she had. The fox nodded to himself, "Well then, I gues I shall... I must return to the... yes all is well..."

Didymus looked up at me, "If thou will, I would very much like to retire to my post in the Bog of Eternal Stench."

I stared at a spot on the oubliette floor. It was so far down. A place where you put people to forget about. Kind of a human trash can. That's where I'd tried to put Sarah. But she got out. She escaped again and again and again. Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered...

I shook my head, trying to rid it of her voice. I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city. For the past hour it had been like this. Every word she spoke came echoing back to me. To take back the child that you have stolen. No matter how hard I tried, for my will is as strong as yours... I couldn't forget the beautiful dark haired girl's voice. and my kingdom as great. I closed my eyes, knowing what would come next.

You have no power over me.

I clenched my jaw. I would have given her everything. Anything. As long as she loved me. The world would be hers. I would be hers. Anything she'd wanted could've been at her fingertips. Anything. If she'd loved me... But she didn't.

"Sir?" Didymus surfaced my thoughts. He cleared his throat, "Might I leave to the Bog of Eternal Stench now?"

I pushed myself up so that I was standing and snapped my fingers, causing the oubliette to rise until it was even with the floor. Sir Didymus shook himself off and loudly whistled. A shaggy sheep dog bearing a saddle  padded into the room and quivered at the sight of me. Didymus hopped onto the saddle with a small "hup!" 

On his way out he turned to me and gave one last remark, "Does thou always parade around with no shirt on?"

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Hello my fantastical new friends! As you can tell this is the first of many chapters to come. I'll most likely pop up after every chapter.

Critique, vote, comment (please), follow, and all that truly scrumptious stuff.