Labyrinth 4: The Crystal Heart

Chapter 6: Meeting with Family

Sarah's POV

I woke up next to Jareth that morning, noticing my new surroundings. This was not the bedroom I have been used to for months, but it still had a familiar person beside me. Jareth woke up and yawned.

"I guess we should get up before my sister starts sending servants. She is an early bird kind of fae." Jareth said as he got out of bed and stretched. I got up out of the bed and started to head towards the mirror, trying to get my hair back into a respectable look.

Jareth walked up behind me and looked at us in the mirror.

"I wonder what you would look like as a Fae. What would your Fae marks look like? What animal would you transform into? What will your powers be?" He said in an excited tone and I smiled and giggled at his excitement.

"Well, those are very interesting questions... but I'm still trying to figure out what my best move would be..."

I still had mixed feelings about turning into a Fae and becoming Jareth's wife. My family would no longer remember me. Toby especially...

If I chose to stay human, I will have to go to the Aboveground and could no longer go to the Underground. If I chose to become a Fae, my existence in the Aboveground will fade away as if I never existed, I will become a magic wielder, and live in a magical world as a queen.

You would think it would be very easy... but it is not.

"Take your time, darling. You still have another day to process it all. Let's go have some breakfast." Jareth said as he helped me into a dress with a corset that was lined with cleansing crystals.

Anytime I wore these cleansing crystals, I felt so much better here in the Underground. Jareth noticed the difference as well, smiling when I took a relaxing breath.

He took my arm and walked us out of our room and down the hall. This castle was so beautiful. The walls were decorated in crystals of many different colors. It was like a castle made of rainbows. All the crystals shined in the sunlight that peppered the halls.

As we walked down the halls we heard what I assumed was Queen Esme.

"Roselea, you should be more careful as a royal Fae. This is not like the Labyrinth." Esme lectured as she walked down the hall with Roselea in tow and a boy around Roselea's age carrying a giant basket of fruit.

"Esme, why are you lecturing my daughter this morning?" Jareth asked as Esme turned to look at her brother.

"Roselea snuck out of the castle and found herself with a common Fae boy. Wouldn't you act the same way?"

"Well, I've never encountered Roselea sneaking out to meet with a Fae boy so... I guess it depends on who this boy is." Jareth said as he looked at the boy carrying the fruit.

He was a little bit taller than Roselea but a bit shorter than Jareth. He was lean and had long black hair that was held back by a tie and his curtain bangs intricately framed his face. His face wore a somewhat scared look. He probably didn't expect to be here.

"Father, I just wanted to check out the city. I've never been in the city with a bunch of Fae before. I dressed down and blended in with them so I didn't draw attention. I just wanted to check out the fresh fruit." Roselea said as she pleaded to her father on what she was doing. Roselea never lied to Jareth.

"What is your name, boy?" Jareth asked, showing how intimidating he can be.

"N-Nik-Nikolai Alwyn, your majesty." The boy with the fruit said.

"Alwyn... your grandmother used to make the best tarts in the kingdom. Does she still make them?"

"Ye-yes, your majesty."

Jareth smiled with his teeth. This was his intimidating smile he wore in the Labyrinth. The one he would use on the runners.

"Now, do you know who I am?"

"You are- are- Jareth... the Goblin King."

"Good, good. What were you doing with my daughter?"

"I-I- just was talking with her. She really loves fruit and she is a very sweet princess and she really friendly so I helped her bring fruit to the castle instead of letting her carry this very heavy basket of fruit by herself."

"What a thoughtful young Fae you are. Do you think my daughter is pretty? Maybe even dating material?" Jareth said, his smile widening and intimidation dripped off of him.

"Well... I don't want to come off as rude or like I'm trying to eye your daughter but she is beautiful and any Fae boy would be lucky to have her... but I really don't know much about her yet..." Nikolai said, seeming to gain a little bit more confidence but I could just sense the pressure he was putting on himself.

"Good answer, Nikolai." Was all Jareth said and then we all walked to the dining area.

"Don't you think that was a bit much? You probably embarrassed Roselea." I whispered to him as we sat down at the giant wooden dining table.

Jareth smirked. "If a boy thinks my daughter is cute and thinks he can win her heart, I'm going to be tough on him. Besides, I know his bloodline. He is a good fae. I just want to see if he is worthy." He said as he continued his intimidating facial expressions toward Nikolai.

"I know you are protective of Roselea, but you need to trust her with these things too. That she will make good decisions."

"She will. Let me have a little fun. I never get to do this kind of stuff at home." Jareth smirked. He just was playing his little game. I sighed and let him at it.

Servant fae took the fruit from Nikolai and he sat next to Roselea. I sat next to her and nudged to her.

"You okay?" I asked her and she nodded.

"It's kind of fun seeing my father like this..." Roselea laughed to herself.
"I always imagined that one day my father would be the stereotypical father like in those movies you have shown me. It's comical to watch."

"But you just met him. He has to be freaking out really bad right now."

"Yeah, but I have the intuition that he will power though." She said and she smiled innocently.

"Just be careful..." I said to her and she nodded.

"So father, is there a possibility I can tour around the city with Nikolai? I can wear my dressed down clothes and no one would ever need to know who I am." Roselea asked to Jareth and Jareth looked at Nikolai and then at Roselea.

"We will see." Was all he said and started putting cream in his tea.

"Jareth, aren't you worried about Roselea running off with some boy?" Esme said as she stirred her tea.

"No, because I think Roselea can handle herself. She is a strong and independent young lady. She has grown up a ton. Especially after her run in with our brother Flare and his crazy wife." Jareth said as he sipped his tea.

"What did Flare do to our sweet Roselea?"

"Possessed her as a ghost, trapped her in the Labyrinth..."

Esme spit out her tea and turned white as a sheet.

"Oh Roselea! No wonder... I'm so sorry our brother did that to you. I hope he is banished to Hell." She said and Roselea nodded.

"He is actually banished into the purgatory plane of existence. Dying over and over again, never able to turn into a ghost ever again. He will suffer all of time." Roselea said and Nikolai's eyes bugged out of his head and turned a not so great color.

Roselea looked at Nikolai.

"I told you that if you messed with me, you would wish you never met me."