Magic Is For Kids | ✏

2. The stranger

The man standing in front of her is the King of the Goblins. He's not unattractive, if the truth be told.
"Well, hello there," he smiles pleasantly.
"W-what are you doing in my house?," Sarah asks. He chuckles.
"Well," he raises an eyebrow. "You certainly called me," he shrugs.
"I most certainly didn't," she shakes her head. "I don't believe in magic," she adds, in a matter-of-fact tone.
"I see," he rubs his chin with his hand, thoughtfully. "Then why did you call me?"
"I didn't call you," she insists, rolling her eyes. "What's your name, anyway?"
"Jareth," he bows his head.
"Oh...," she just says. "... so you exist"
"Well, of course I do," he smirks. Sarah goes to the window, but what she sees isn't what she'd expected.
"That's the--"
"Yes," he interrupts. "The castle. My castle, actually," he adds with a touch of pride.
"Oh," she nods. "Right. The castle beyond the Goblin City," she says. Why did I remember that?
"That's right," he chuckles. "Why don't you come with me?," he asks. That question caught her off-guard.
"Uh...," she hesitates. "You mean, go to the castle?"
"No. I mean, buy tomatoes with me," he answers sarcastically. "Of course what I mean is go to the castle," he laughs.
"Er...," she doubts. "Okay," she finally answers. She turns around to look at her room again, but notices they aren't there anymore. In fact, they seem to be outside her house, but it couldn't be seen. "Why do I seem to remember I was in this place before?," she questions. They are on a windswept hilltop. Far away from them stands the castle.
"Because you were," Jareth answers. She turns her head to look at him.
"What do you mean, I was here before?" Jareth doesn't answer at once. Sarah hears a hum in the air, which she thought she finds rather familiar. Then her face lights up. "You...," she whispers. "You...," she repeats. Then, everything goes black.

Sarah flutters her eyes open. Everything is blurred. She isn't on the windswept hilltop anymore, that's for sure.
"W-where am I?," she asks groggily.
"Oh, thank goodness you're alright"
"Huh?" her mind is still blurred.
"You fainted, Sarah"
"H-how do you know my name?" she questions. Jareth chuckles.
"You don't remember anything?" his voice is full of concern. Sarah's mind rushes, trying to remember. Her face lights up, as it did back on the hilltop.
"Yes," she finally replies. Her mind begins to settle. Things start to be more nitid to her eyes. Goblins are all around them, watching her with boggling eyes. She's on the semi-circle shaped throne. Hey, this is pretty comfortable, she thinks to herself.
"How about a tour, hmm?" Jareth suggests. Sarah nods enthusiastically. He chuckles. "Follow me," he says. Sarah does so. They step outside the castle. "This is the Labyrinth. I'm sure you recognise it." Sarah nods. She remembers it very clearly. "Hello, Hedgewart"
"It's Hoggle, your Highness," the goblin replies through gritted teeth. Sarah has to cover her mouth with a hand to suppress a giggle. She also remembers that.
"Hey Hoggle," she greets. Hoggle squints up at her.
"You're here," he says. "It's been a long time," he adds.
"Indeed," she giggles. Jareth rolls his eyes. He couldn't bear this clichéd scene.
"I'm just glad I ain't hanging over the Bog of Eternal Stench"
"For now, Hogbrain. For now," Jareth chuckles. "Just behave well and I'll have no reason to do so," he adds. "I'll be watching you." With that, both Sarah and Jareth continue to walk away from Hoggle, who is still squirting at fairies. She hears a roar, but not just any roar.
"Ludo!" she calls, running in the direction of the roar. She arrives there and is pleased to see that he isn't being tormented by goblins.
"Sarah—back," he beams. She ruffles the ginger hair between his horns.
"I missed you, Ludo," she blinks tears away. She wouldn't start crying.
"Ludo—missed—Sarah," he smiles goofily at her. Jareth was watching them from a distance, with a —proud?— smile. He watches them reunite.
"Ludo, I've gotta go now," Sarah sighs, ruffling his head once again. She waves goodbye to Ludo, who also waves back. She walks towards Jareth. "Let's go"

And so, they walk and walk. They finally arrive at where the bridge had been. Surprisingly, there it is again. That's weird, she thinks, I could've sworn this bridge had fallen. They both scrunch up their noses. A figure then appears before them.
"Stop!" he shouts. Jareth just raises an eyebrow and clears his throat.
"I recommend you to let us pass," he says calmly.
"None may p—," the little figure then recognises Sarah, whose face is scrunched up due to the stench. "Saints and whiskers!" he bows. " 'Tis an honor to have thee back, fair damsel. Many suns and many moons had passed since we last saw each other"
"Hello, brave Sir Didymus," she suppresses a laugh. "Let us pass, I beseech thee. We gotta get out from this stench," she pleads in a small voice.
"Stench?" he asks. "Again with the stench, milady? I smell nothing, but prithee, fairest of damsels, anything," Sir Didymus bows again and steps aside.
"Thank you, o noble sir." As soon as she steps on the bridge, it wobbles. Shuddering, she walks towards the other end. Jareth just floats in the air and lands safely on the other side. "That's not fair," she mutters to herself.
"Bye, fair maiden," Sir Didymus waves.
"Bye, o brave knight," Sarah waves back.

Both Jareth and Sarah walk through the forest.
"We're here again," he sighs.
"Yes," she smiles. Her smile fades when she remembers her father, brother and stepmother.
"What's wrong?" he asks.
"It's just that I remembered that I've gotta go back home," she answers. "What time is it?" she questions. Jareth snaps his fingers and a thirteen-hour clock appears.
"11:30," he replies.
"Oh," she says. "And back home?" The clock fades away, he makes a large gesture with his hand and a crystal appears. Her house appears in it.
"Let's see if there's anybody home," he makes another gesture and the image zooms in. Nobody in the rooms, nobody in the living room, nobody in the toilet, nobody in the garden... Jareth shakes his head. "There's no one," he finally announces.
"Oh. Okay," she nods. "Thank you"
"No problem," he winks.

There is a moment of silence within the room. They look into each other's eyes for what it seems to be forever. Their faces approach each other as if they were magnets. Closer, closer, closer and... their lips collide. They look away in embarrassment.
"Uh..."
"Well, I..." They are both blushing.

What Sarah doesn't know is that that kiss would change her life — in more than one way.

well, Idk... there'll be more on chapter 3☺

—Isa—