Once upon a cursed king

Chapter 11: Deals and Purple Smoke

Sarah and Jareth shared a look of disbelief with each other before turning to face Duvessa.

"You've got to be joking, it can't be that simple!" Sarah exclaimed.

"And why is that dear? You know yourself that things are not always what they seem. You immediately thought that it would be an impossible task, to regain Jareth's memory. By doing that you closed your mind to the possibility of it being rather simple." Duvessa said patronizing her.

"You say it is a simple task, yet we have no idea how to get back to the labyrinth." Jareth interrupted, disliking the way she was speaking to Sarah.

"Oh, how forgetful of me! Well, come on then no time like the present." She called over her shoulder as she strode towards the door.

Sarah and Jareth hurried after her, both confused as to where it was they were going.

"Wait where are we going?" Sarah asked her.

"To the source of the magic of course." Her condescending attitude was really beginning to annoy Sarah.

"But there is no magic here, August told me, that was the point of this place. No magic, no happy endings, nothing." Sarah insisted.

"Ah but that will soon be rectified, don't worry, everything is going to plan." Her reply sent a chill down Jareth's spine.

They walked swiftly through the town and into the forest, no one spoke again, all were lost in their own thoughts. As they climbed steadily up a hill, Sarah could hear people speaking. She looked questionably at Jareth, he looked back at her his face immediately showing that he didn't like this one bit.

They reached the top of the hill, to the left of them was a well and there stood the people Sarah had heard speaking. One was a short, thin looking man with grey cropped hair, he wore a suit and in his hand, he held a cane. The other was a woman, she had long brown hair that was extremely matted, she wore what looked like a hospital gown. Sarah moved closer to Jareth, afraid of what they had gotten themselves into. Jareth grasped Sarah's hand, he knew no matter what that he would do anything to keep her safe. He didn't try to analyse where that feeling came from he just knew he had to.

"Hello rumple, I see your love is back from the dead." Duvessa greeted him with a small kiss on his cheek.

"Duvessa, just as unpleasant as ever. I thought you were only sending one through?" He asked.

"Unforeseen circumstances being what they are, no matter, though. You have the vial?" Duvessa replied dismissively.

"Of course, you forget to whom you speak." He criticized scathingly.

"I forget nothing, dark one." Duvessa grinned menacingly.

Jareth and Sarah stood silently watching the exchange between the two, Jareth's grip on Sarah tightened, trying, unsuccessfully to reassure her.

"Let's get on with it then, rumple," Duvessa demanded.

"After this, my debt to you is paid," Rumplestiltskin stated.

"Yes, yes fine whatever." Duvessa agreed reluctantly.

Everybody watched as he poured the contents of the vial into the well. A huge cloud of purple smoke began to rise out of the well, quickly flooding towards them. Jareth wrapped his arms around Sarah protectively as she buried her head into his shoulder.

They waited a few minutes before moving to see what had happened. Gasping Sarah looked around them realising they were now stood on a very familiar dusty hill. Duvessa stood next to the barren tree, the exact same place that Jareth had stood on that fateful night.

"What.. how did we get here? I don't understand, what was that purple smoke? And who was that man?" Sarah asked.

"Oh my so many questions, first of all, that man was an old acquaintance of mine, Rumplestiltskin or should as I say Mr gold as he's known as now. A little obvious if you ask me but there you go. In simple terms, that purple smoke was magic, Rumplestiltskin wanted to bring magic to Storybrooke and by doing that he briefly thinned the veil in that area, allowing me to slip us through." Duvessa explained.

"Why was it that he owed you a debt? Are you in the business of making deals? If so then what exactly has this cost us?" Jareth questioned warily.

"Now, now Jareth there's no need for all that. Now it's time for you two to start your journey through the labyrinth." Duvessa exclaimed theatrically.

Sarah and Jareth simultaneously turned back to face the labyrinth but something was wrong, it looked different to how it did when they first arrived. It was dark and murky, the very walls looked sickly. They quickly looked over at Duvessa only to find that she herself had changed, she now stood in a long figure hugging black dress and a cloak of what looked like raven feathers so black that they reflected an almost blue tinge.

"What is going on?" Jareth was the first to voice his displeasure.

"What have you done to the labyrinth?" Sarah added.

"Nothing has been done to the labyrinth darling, this is my labyrinth and it is quite perfect I must say," Duvessa said gleefully.

"You said you would take us to the labyrinth." Sarah was enraged, how dare this woman have the gall to do this.

"Ah, but I didn't specify which labyrinth I was taking you to. Now it is time for the fun to start, how does it go again? Oh yes, you have thirteen hours... no that's much too long. As lovely as my labyrinth is, it isn't quite as big as yours Jareth my love. Now let's see, you have 3 hours to solve this labyrinth if you do not Jareth will be mine and you Sarah will die." Duvessa laughed maniacally as she faded from view.

"Curse that woman, I knew we should never have trusted her. If it wasn't for your friend we wouldn't be in this situation." Jareth paced back and forth in anger.

"Hey don't go jumping to conclusions now, if she had the power to do this then surely she could manage something as simple as forging James's handwriting." Sarah moved to grab hold of Jareth, to try and calm him down.

"Look I'm pissed off as well but we haven't got a lot of time, I don't particularly want to die thank you very much and I'm sure you don't want to end up as some sort of deprived slave to that woman." Sarah tried her hardest to be the voice of reason even though she was absolutely terrified.

"Your right, we need to work together for this." Jareth agreed.

"Right, well come on feet." Sarah began moving down the hill before realising Jareth was still stood at the top.

"You've said that before, at the beginning of your journey through the labyrinth,"Jareth muttered almost inaudibly.

"You was watching me? Hang on your remembering?" Sarah asked excitedly.

"Calm down precious, only bits and pieces, nothing concrete as of yet," Jareth replied gently.

Sarah blushed at his endearment, he may not remember everything just yet but there was hope for them, she could feel it, even under their current situation.