Daughter of the Labyrinth

Chapter Two: The Red Book

Jareth was pacing around in Amara's bedroom as Amara sat quietly on her queen size bed. "I ask for so little, and you disobeyed me. What were you doing?" Amara fidgets with her fingers and looked at the ground. "I didn't want to stay in my room all day. And I didn't mess with anything. I was just talking to Hoggle." Jareth pinch the bridge of his nose and sighs. "Amara, you're 239 years old. You should know better. I'm only doing what's best for you because I lost your mother. I don't want to lose you to." Her mother. She was remembering what Hoggle said. 'Find the book, you find her.' "At least nobody else saw you. So, I'm not going to punish you." Jareth looked at her and she was still looking at the ground. "Amara." Amara looked up and faced him and bit her lips. "What is it?" She shook her head making Jareth eyebrows furrow. "Amara, tell me." Amara tried her best to deny his gaze, but she knew he would win in the end. "Hoggle told me about mom!" She covered her mouth immediately and Jareth stepped back. "What about your mother?" Amara shook her head quickly and kept her mouth shut. "Amara. You know you can't keep secrets from me." Amara started tearing softly. "He said she was alive in the Aboveground..." Jareth just stood in silence. "Did you know?" Jareth looked at her and nodded. "The Aboveground is too big for me to search...I gave up looking long ago...I thought she was gone to me...So I don't want you to go up there and risk your life to find her! Understand? She's gone." Amara glares at him in fury. "You just gave up?! Papa, she's your wife! My mother! Why would you-...?" "I feared she forgotten all about me." Amara could only look at him with tears in her eyes. "Well, I wouldn't give up. I may not know who she is, but I can...!" Jareth covered her mouth and sat her down. "No! I don't want you in the place ever! Promise me!" Amara glares at him further and bit on his hand, causing Jareth to step away. "You have no..." Jareth pointed at Amara in rage. "If you finish that sentence, so help me, you are grounded!" Amara continued the sentence, screaming. "YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME!" She looked at Jareth hoping he would disappear, but instead he looked at her with rage building up inside. "That's it! You are not to leave this room for the rest of the night!" Jareth locked the door behind him and stormed off to his room. Amara launched herself onto her pillows and screamed as loud as she could.

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Toby was in his room, lying on his bed, reading the book Sarah had given him. He was interrupted by a knock. "Toby, are you still in here?" Toby looked up from his book to answer. "Yeah, Mom." "Your father and I are heading out. Are you sure you'll be okay?" Toby opened the door while still holding the book. "I'll be fine, Mom. Really." She looked down at the book he was holding. "What's that?" Toby held out the book. "Sarah gave it to me. It's just a cute fairytale play." Karen rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Ugh, of course. Always with the fairytales. Goblins, this. Fairies, that." Toby looked at her with his eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong with that?" Karen crossed her arms over her chest. "You should be spending time studying for a real job, not doing plays." Toby crosses his eyebrows. "What's wrong with plays? Actor get paid a lot of money." "And then they spend it on drugs and sex. And a doctor could make a lot more money. Now, I don't want to see that book again. Understand?" Toby glares at her. "Why can't you let me be like Sarah? At least she understands me more than you." Karen snatched the book from his hands. "I am your mother and you listen to me. No more fairytales!" Toby immediately snatched the book back from her grip and immediately locked his door. Karen pound demandingly at it. "Tobias Williams, you unlock this door this instant!" Toby immediately opened the book and ignored her. After half an hour, he was left alone in the house, eating pizza and continuing on the book, reading and rereading it, muttering the words as he went. "'...the king of the goblins has fallen in love with the girl, and he had given her certain powers...'" Toby laughed softly as he read. Once he finished it again, he closed the book and sighed. "I can't let Mom find this." He looked at his closet and immediately pulled out a small box, placing the book inside out of sight. "Nobody will find it in here. Not Mom, not Dad, not even goblins will find it." He started laughing at himself. "Goblins." He lies on his bed facing the ceiling. "I wish I could have an adventure like that. Would be better than facing my mother everyday."

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Amara was curled up on her bed, her faced tear stained from crying for hours. She looked at her door when she saw Jareth entering. "I bought you some dessert. Peach sorbet, your favorite." Amara looked down, but sat up and leaned on her pillows. Jareth gave her the bowl and watched her take small bites of the frozen dessert. "I'm sorry about our fight, but I was being honest. Your mother is out of reach to me. Even I can't find her with my magic, and I don't want to risk you damaging yours to try to find her." Amara nods softly and finished her dessert. "I just wanted to know who she was. It's not fair." Jareth only gave her a soft smile and held her gently. "I know it isn't. But even some magic had limits." Amara grabbed her head in pain, and Jareth took off his gloves, placing his hands on her forehead. "You've been crying for hours, haven't you?" Amara nodded slowly as he cradles her gently, using his magic to get rid of her headache. Knowing how long she's been crying, his magic might make her fall asleep, which seemed appropriate for this time of hour. Knowing she was about to doze off, he started singing a gentle lullaby as he cradles her.

There's such a sad love
Deep in your eyes A kind of pale jewel
Open and closed Within your eyes
I'll place the sky
Within your eyes
There's such a fooled heart
Beatin' so fast
In search of new dreams
A love that will last
Within your heart
I'll place the moon
Within your heart
As the pain sweeps through,
Makes no sense for you
Every thrill is gone
Wasn't too much fun at all,
But I'll be there for you
As the world falls down

Falling
Falling
Falling in love

Jareth felt Amara's body go limp as she completely dozed off in his arms. Smiling gently, he placed her on the bed and tucked her in her blankets. Amara sighed softly as she felt the comfort from her blankets. Jareth placed a kiss on her temple and whisper softly. "Goodnight, sweetness." He quietly exited the room, leaving his princess to sleep.

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Toby was fast asleep in his bedroom. Karen walked into his room and smiled gently when he saw the sight. She set down her pursed and places the blankets around his shoulders as he slept peacefully. His roomed smelled like pizza, but she was just happy that Toby took her advice and finally got rid of the book. Looking back at her son, she placed a kiss on his temple and walked out. Tony woke up as soon as he heard the door closed and immediately pulled the book from under his pillow. He read in his head so nobody could hear him. He must've read it 15 times already, but he didn't care. He was so drawn to the story, and he already memorized the words, he knew them like the back of his hand. "'Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child you have stolen, for my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom is as great. You have no power over me.'" Toby placed the book back under his pillow and whispered softly before dozing back to sleep. "I wish the goblins come and would take me away..."

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Amara shot up from her bed as if she woke up from another nightmare. But it wasn't a nightmare. She heard someone wish themselves to the Goblin City. She looked around and rushed to her window, but nobody was to be found. She must've been the only one to hear it. She conjured up a crystal in her hand and focus on the image inside. A fourteen year old boy, blonde hair, asleep in his bed. And in his hands... "A red book...'The Labyrinth.'" Amara smiles widely as she saw the book Hoggle was talking about. There it was, in plain sight. All she had to do was get the book, and she could find her mother.