It's Only Forever (a labyrinth fanfic)

Chapter 5

Jareth POV:

 Somewhere inbetween the point of me moping around and damaging more crystals than I could afford to loose, I came to the conclusion that I couldn't live without Sarah. I needed to get her back. How, was the problem. How do you bring somone into the underground without them asking to be brought?

I sat in my throne, one leg hanging over the arm. It was the position I most often assumed when I was thinking. Or waiting. In this case it was both.

I tapped my tingers against my chin and watched Fritzy cross the room with a teetering stack of dishes. A crazy notion struck me, "Fritzy!" 

The goblin spun around, dropping every dish but the bottom plate which he firmly grasped in his hands, "Your majesty! You left your chambers!"

"Yes I left my chambers." It annoyed me that he had noticed my change in mood and assumed I would continue to sulk in my room. It was even more maddening that I probably would have. With an angry flick of my wrist I fixed the broken dishes and Fritzy seemed to just notice the mess. He trembled, "I apologize your highness, I am but a humble disastor. I did not mean to drop the plates, I will make new ones, better ones. Ones made of diamond! Please do not punish me your majesty."

But my mind had already switched gears. I was too preoccupied to think of plates, "You're married are you not?"

Fritzy fell to his knees, "Oh please your highness, I am at fault not my wife. Please spare her!"

I blinked. What on earth was he talking about? Oh yeah the plates! Wait, why was he still babbling about those? Didn't I tell him it was okay? I thought back to what I'd said. Hmmm, guess not. I rolled my eyes, "Shut up you fool and never mind the plates. I could care less."

Fritzy looked at me in shock, "Yes master, I am a fool. A bumbling fool with no future. I-" 

"Did I ask you to insult yourself?" I said. Fritzy looked at his feet, "No your highness, but I assumed-"

"Just shut up." I said wearily. I bit my lip and thought. Aftter a moment I finally said, "How did you know?"

Fritzy sniffed, "Know what your highness?"

"That your wife was the one!" To me it seemed obvious what I was talking about. Fritzy cowered, "Oh well, I just knew I guess."

"How?" I demanded. Fritzy thought, "Well, I met Sharn at my brother's wedding and thought she was the most beautiful goblin I'd ever seen. But I suppose that the first time I knew was the first time we danced. It was a late winter night and we were at a winter celebration. She looked different, almost like she was glowing. And, well when it happens you just know. Something deep down tells you."

Frtizy went quiet, no doubt submerged in his own memories. I was also remembering. I remember holding Sarah in my arms as we moved over the floor. Dancing at the dream induced ball. She had looked absolutely breath taking in her white gown. With her hair pulled back and curled like that. But I almost liked it plain and straight better. It was more Sarah. More her style. Which was... I leaned back and thought, what was her style?

I sunk lower into my seat as I realized how little I knew of her. I really didn't know anything about Sarah- her favorite color, her thoughts and dreams, her goals in life. How did I expect her to love me when we didn't even know each other that well, when I knew nothing about her?

"Your highness?" Fritzy looked restless, "Is there anything else you require?"

"How would one..." I hesitated. There seemed to be no way to say this that wasn't foolish. I coughed and toyed with the end of my long white sleeves. The air seemed stuffier. I pursed my lips, "How do you like..."

Fritzy leaned forward. I flicked a piece of blond hair off my shoulder, "How would you like... get to know someone?"

Fritzy frowned, "Get to know someone?"

I nodded and looked intently at the toe of my boot. Fritzy watched me carefully as he answered, "Well people normally just be around each other. Talk. Have dinner maybe. Sometimes go out and do somethign fun."

I looked up, "Fun?"

Fritzy nodded slowly, the way an adult will nod when a child isn't quite grasping a concept fast enough, "You know, something you or the other person enjoys."

I pressed my lips together, "What if you can't talk to the person? Be around them?"

Fritzy eyed me cautiously, "Why wouldn't his highness be able to talk to someone? I thought nothing was out of your reach."

I gazed distractedly at the wall, not really seeing the individual stones, "It is if it's out of the labyrinth. Above the underground."

I broke my stare, "How would you, um, get to know someone then?"

I got the unfortunate feeling that Fritzy knew exactly what, or rather who I was talking about, "Well then I suppose you would talk to her friends. The people who knew her."

I nodded and tried to imagine who I could casually dredge up a conversation about Sarah with. If there was one thing I couldn't do, it was have a conversation. I gave orders and told people what to do, I didn't converse with them and share words. But I would have to try. I'd worry about how to get Sarah back later. Now, who to talk too. I tapped my fingers against my lips. Well, who was the first 'friend' that Sarah aquired? I smiled, knowing exactly who to talk to.

I snapped my fingers and appeared by a pond that was surrounded by a dusty landscape. A wall seperated the ground where I stood from what I knew was the labyrinth. My eyes found the small stout figure of who I was looking for. I walked over with half a smile on my face, "Hello Higgle."