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Perchance To...	By : Rhondda Category: G through L > Labyrinth Views: 5268 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth or any of the characters seen in the movie. There is no money being made by this story

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Sarah found herself standing in the middle of the room Colleen had brought her to before. The fireplace still held a cheery blaze and the candles were still lit, not having melted at all. Was everything in this place magical? Not the food, or Col’s kitchen evidently. That was all done the old fashioned way.
Sarah felt herself near the snapping point as she moved to yank the door open only to grasp at air. The doorknob was missing.
Taking a deep breath in a feeble attempt to calm herself she felt along the edges of the door. Nothing. She tried prying at the edges but the door would not budge.
"I don't BELIEVE he sent me to my ROOM," Sarah growled to no one in particular.
Chewing on her bottom lip for a moment Sarah forced herself to calm down and think rationally.
Removing a candle from a nearby candle holder she went to work. Using the handle of the holder as a lever she tried prying at the door again. Still nothing. Her eyes moved to the door's wrought silver hinges and she grinned.
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Sarah stormed back into the dining hall to find it empty of all but the pigs still shuffling through the garbage strewn on the floor.
Her anger had moved to a slow simmering ball that tasted of acid in the back of her throat. If she got her hands on that man, she swore to herself, she would wring his neck with great pleasure. Her fingers clenched, already imagining themselves around a certain throat. Maybe even strangle him with his own necklace.
"Oh, lass!" Col called out from behind her. The older woman rushed forward to throw her arms about Sarah's trembling form. "Oh... you've right to be afraid. Don't ever anger Himself like that again. I feared he'd tossed you in an oubliette."
"I'm not afraid." Sarah stilled her shaking with an effort and eased herself from Col's embrace. "I'm pissed off. I'm imagining strangling him as I speak. I want to pluck that overstuffed peacock and shove the feathers up his ass."
As Sarah spoke Col's face got whiter and whiter. The woman raised her hand to cover Sarah's mouth. "Hsst! He may hear you. You won't be doin' anything of the sort. Do you think the Bog of Eternal Stench is the worst thing that can happen to you? Are ya daft? Calm yourself and breathe deep."
"I'm not a child anymore, Col. I won't be frightened by the boogey man. You told me he had to see to my needs and protection." Sarah moved away, her swift movements speaking of her still simmering anger.
"No, ya ain't a child. So that what would frighten a child is useless. That thing out there," Col gestured to a window, "that labyrinth, it adjusts to whoever is traveling it. If you're a child, it uses childish tricks. Dangerous, yes, but still childish. As an adult what you'd get out there is adult terrors and truly deadly obstacles. There are also worse things than death." Col seemed to consider for a moment. "If ya anger him enough he may toss ya out. That would end the rules of hospitality."
Sarah considered Col's words, the implications staggering her.
"There, now you have it." Col nodded reading the expression of donning comprehension on Sarah's face. "Tis a good thing Himself likes you. He didn't send you far." Col nodded sagely.
"If this is how he treats someone he likes..." Sarah muttered.
"Right, you don't be wantin' to be his enemy. Keep that in mind." Col hooked her arm in Sarah's and steered her back toward the kitchen. "So, just where did you get off to?"
Sarah felt a blush stain her cheeks. It was humiliating. "My room," she mumbled.
At least Col had the grace not to laugh out loud.
Once inside the delicious smelling workroom Sarah sighed, her anger draining away to leave melancholy in its wake.
"No offense, Col, but I'm not about to help feed Jareth and his masses. I just don't feel like being particularly helpful to him," Sarah leaned against a wall.
"So what do you plan on doing with your time?" Col crossed to her worktable and began mixing flour and other ingredients.
"You've heard of me before, right? Did you hear what happened to my friends, Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus?" Sarah moved to sit on the stool she had occupied earlier.
Col sniffed, "I may have heard a thing or two. I may tell you if you promise to keep your temper."
Sarah felt a wave of fear, "I don't like the sound of that."
"You shouldn't," Col began cutting in some butter and Sarah recognized the beginnings of pie crust.
"What did he do to them, Col?" Sarah gripped the edge of the table, hard.
"They were tossed out. Exiled. The lands beyond Jareth's kingdom are just as dangerous. More so to strangers. I don't know what's become of them after that. I do know they were lucky to escape with their lives." Col looked at Sarah, sidelong. "His Majesty was furious when he lost you. Impossible to live with for months."
Sarah felt the tears begin to spill. This was her fault, "Oh no."
"Hush, child. Those three seemed a resourceful bunch and if they stuck together, they might well be just fine. I know who you might ask. Lady Saishoku," Col smiled a bit in encouragement.
"Who?" Sarah was prepared to grasp at any straws.
"Lady Saishoku. She has friends everywhere, it seems. She is here due to... personal matters. Occasionally she presents Himself with a sparring partner. Hand to hand, swords, words, she knows them all," Col waved a dough-covered hand.
"Where can I find her?" Sarah was already on her feet.
"Most likely the gardens. She likes to help the gardener," Col's smile hinted at some secret joke.
"And how do I find the gardens?" Sarah didn't remember seeing any on her previous self guided tour.
"Nog, show Sarah to the gardens and I'll set aside a pie just for you." Col winked at the goblin currently scratching his head and trying to figure out what to do with a head of lettuce.
"Pie?" The waist high fellow with wispy green hair immediately perked up and offered a semi salute to Col.
"Just follow Nog, Sarah. He knows the way."
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The garden was stunning. If the castle was a study in gray and brown, then all the colors once held inside had been poured into the well tended paths and beds.
Flowers and plants of all descriptions, many defying identification, grew in abundance. Sarah was pretty sure some of the plants she recognized did not usually bloom at the same time of year. The scent alone was heavenly. How a place of such magnificence came to be in the shadow of the castle was a mystery.
Sarah heard voices and followed the sound. It sounded like a man and a woman in conversation occasionally punctuated by laughter.
She found them among the roses. They both appeared human, which gave her pause. Counting Col, this was three more humans then she thought lived here.
The man was wearing brown homespun pants and shirt, with a green vest covered in intricately embroidered vines of ivy. His hair was light brown and short. He seemed to be in his early thirties. She could not judge his height since he was kneeling to plant a rose bush.
Beside him was a woman wearing a traditional kimono of pale cream, heavily embroidered with pink flowers while the waistband was pink embroidered with white flowers. Her long hair was auburn but her features appeared to be Asian, a striking contrast. She was trimming roses and putting them in a basket.
Sarah knew this was the woman she needed to see as she was the only woman around. She politely cleared her throat and two faces turned to her with open curiosity.
"Ummm, my name is Sarah and Colleen sent me to speak with a Lady Saishoku." She felt like fidgeting. The woman was beautiful and serene as she smiled knowingly.
"That would be me," she acknowledged Sarah with a slight bow then gestured to the man next to her. "This is Ian. What may I do for the Sarah of legend?"
Sarah felt herself blushing again. Just how many people here had heard of her? And how had this woman known she was that particular Sarah?
When Lady Saishoku started to walk towards her Sarah immediately noticed she was not, after all, human. No human she knew sported three bushy red tails tipped in white protruding from their backside. The tails swished as she moved in a manner that let Sarah know they were definitely attached to the Lady.
Noticing Sarah's stare, the woman turned, spying her own tails. "Ah," her smile was one of amusement. "You have never met a kitsune before."
"A kits-what?" Sarah forced herself to meet the woman's eyes. They were an unusual light brown, almost yellow. It was rude to stare, Sarah remembered quickly.
"Kitsune. I am a Kitsune, though only a lowly three tail. We are fox spirits. Were-foxes if you wish. How may I help you, Sarah?" Lady Saishoku tilted her head, regarding Sarah with a singular focus.
"Col, um, Col told me you might be able to tell me what became of my friends. I was told they were exiled. She said you have a lot of friends who might know something." Sarah felt awkward beside the pale and unusual beauty of the woman.
"I know of whom you speak. I will make inquiries, but it may take some time," the Lady made a slight gesture and a pale pink rose appeared in her hand. She reached forward to tuck it behind Sarah's ear. "There, perfect. Though the rose pales beside the lady."
Sarah felt her cheeks flame. "Thank you."
"Come. Join us. It is good to touch upon nature. It centers the soul. Unless you have other plans," Lady Saishoku returned to the roses.
"I don't want to intrude," Sarah started to back away.
"Nonsense," Ian spoke up for the first time. "Sai and I don't often get to hold intelligent conversations with anyone but mom and the King." He tugged insolently on one of the Kitsune's tails.
"M-mom?" Sarah's eyebrows rose. "Colleen?"
Ian nodded. "The one and only. Stay a while. Pull up some dirt. Tell us how you came to be in the Goblin Castle."
Ian was charming and Sai, as she insisted on being called, was lively. It took Sarah a little while to notice the double entendres Sai slipped into the conversation. They had been chatting for some time before Sarah also noticed Ian's wedding ring as he handed her a spade to start digging for the next rose bush. Suspicious of the easy banter and sly familiarity between the two, a quick glance confirmed a matching band on Sai's finger.
"So, you're basically here until you discover whatever truth the King wants you to discover," Ian wiped his hands on his trousers.
"I guess, but I resent the jerk thinking he has anything to teach me. I mean, look at the way he lives. I bet his best friend's three feet tall with a snout and curly tail," Sarah placed the tools in a pail.
Sai sighed and shook her head. "Jareth has few he can call friend. There is much you do not know of the Goblin King. Centuries worth."
"Well, with his attitude it's no wonder. If he tried being nice once in a while he might fool someone into being his friend," Sarah dusted off her own hands.
Sai gave her a sad look of disappointment.
Ian spoke gravely to Sarah, "Perhaps there is something for you to learn after all." He stood and stretched.
"But some things must be discovered, not learned by rote." Sai touched an elegant finger to Ian's nose. The affectionate gesture was open and teasing, taking the momentary shadow away. "And one shouldn't judge the Fae by human standards."
Ian followed Sai's gaze and nodded. "Right, that's it for today. It's been nice meeting you, Sarah. Feel free to come by and talk any time," Ian took Sai's pale hand in his work roughened one and they walked briskly down the path away from the castle.
"What, is it my breath?" Sarah muttered, turning to see Jareth leaning against a cherry tree in full bloom.
"I trust you're enjoying my garden." There was an edge to his voice and Sarah prepared herself for a confrontation while silently berating Ian and Sai as cowards.
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A/N: Saishoku (Si'-shok) - wit and beauty
Sai is pronounced as sigh.
Cast List:
Jareth: David Bowie

Sarah: Jennifer Connelly

Col: Kathy Bates

Lady Saishoku: Tamlyn Tomita

Ian: Ewan McGregor

Queen Titania: Michelle Pfeiffer

King Oberon: William Hurt

Gwyn: Sting
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