The Darkened King

A Lapse in Time

Sarah had gotten back to school, none had asked after her family, she had, once again, thrown herself into her studies. Though, this time, Sarah did not do it to hide the ache she felt at the loss of the magical world. No, this time she did it so as not to focus on the ache the loss of her family left.

She continued to pass her classes and study for her exams, which were coming upon her faster than she would have expected, but she added even more studies to her mandatory ones. Sarah began to comb the University library for any mention of the fair folk and, more importantly, how to beat them. She drove to different libraries, including the three library of congresses in D.C., whenever she thought they may aid her.

Sarah hunted down those who claimed to have experienced the Fae, most wacks, and spent more than one day speaking to white haired woman, most senile. In the end, she found very few with actually information on the immortal race. When she found someone who appeared promising, they normally shut down and refused to speak on such matters.

Though, in reality, she could not blame them. After all, to get the attention of the Fae, any of them, never ended well for the mortal. If some collage kid came knocking at her door and demanded answers to things that had happened, she would have shut the door in the kids face. She just wished that they did not actually  shut the door in her face.

 Sarah rubbed her nose at the memory of a rather solid English oak that had nearly broken her nose. All that she had to show for her efforts was a file, not even that large, of what she knew about the Fae. She had another file on the myths and rumors of the Fae, but they were mostly incorrect. In the end, Sarah felt just as she had when she first entered the Labyrinth. She was still underprepared and childish, but now the risk was far greater.

When the day of her graduation came, Sarah was in a near fit of panic. It would be his style to appear on the stage at the exact moment she accepted her diploma. She had no doubt that he would not quietly waltz back into her life as he had before. The Goblin King was not one to do the same thing twice.

It was with a held breath and ready to bolt that Sarah stood when her name was called and walked over to where she was sure the Fae King would appear. Right in the center of the stage.

She smiled and shook hands and accepted the piece of paper she was certain would seal her doom...and nothing happened. Sarah smiled in relief as she walked back to her seat and she nearly cried at the thought that he had not revealed himself to thousands of mortals. It was unlike him, but she was grateful.

Then she was not.

He had not appeared. What would happen next? Did he expect her to call for him? Had he given up on her and would not allow her to at least attempt to save her family? Did he believe she could not find what she had lost?

Worries and doubts mingled together and Sarah suddenly hated herself. She hated that she had given him so much power over herself, that she was so uncertain, and she hated that she was weak. She was weak to give him power, she was weak to feel disappointed that he had not shown himself.

And then she got pissed.

Who was he to not show? Who was he to break the pact they had made?

Sarah was the first one out of her cap and gown, the first to sneak away from the congratulating parents and friends, and the first to clear out her dorm. She was the first to have her car loaded up and the first to leave the collage without even looking back.

Though she had not found what she needed, Sarah would still do as Jareth said and look for her lost memories. She had to try, after all, Sarah could not let him to keep her family.