Matters of the Heart (1980s Labyrinth fanfic)

Chapter 10

Sarah huffed angrily, glaring at the trees around her.

"There's got to be a path around here somewhere," she muttered to herself, "How can you have a carriage without a path?"

"A logical question," a voice replied.

Sarah gasped, whipping around to face the speaker. Her shoulders unconsciously slumped at the sight of Jareth grinning at her. She turned and kept walking, allowing the Goblin King to fall into step beside her.

"What do you want?" she grumbled.

"To make sure you're safe," Jareth answered readily.

"Yeah right. You just wanted to torment me, didn't you? Just like your friend. You certainly are two of a kind."

Jareth stopped in his tracks. Sarah let him fall a little ways behind before stopping as well and turning back to face him, her hands on her hips.

"What did I ever do to make you think so lowly of me?" Jareth demanded.

"What did you do?" Sarah echoed furiously, "I'll tell you what you did! You took Toby away from me!"

"You asked me to."

"But you knew it was a mistake! And you wouldn't give him back without making me solve your stupid labyrinth!"

"It's not my fault you didn't understand what consequences your words would have."

"Well, forgive me for thinking that some words from a silly little book were just that: some words from a silly little book!" Sarah shouted, sarcasm positively dripping from her voice, "How was I supposed to know all this existed?" She waved her arms at the surrounding forest. "How was I supposed to know you existed? How was I supposed to know any of it existed? But no! It wasn't enough for you to completely destroy what assurances I had of reality! You had to constantly interfere, trying to send me back to the beginning of the labyrinth, trying to stall me so I couldn't reach Toby in time, trying to seduce me when I was practically a child!"

Sarah stopped to catch her breath. Jareth was actually smiling at her, and she wished more than anything that she could just go up to him and slap it right off his stupid face.

"You're not a child anymore," Jareth said simply.

"No," Sarah agreed, "Which means I'm mature enough to know not to trust you."

"Alright, you don't have to trust me. But that doesn't change the fact that you need help. You can't possibly hope to get through this forest on your own when you don't know the way. Besides, there are dangerous creatures around."

Sarah blinked at him, "Dangerous creatures? You're saying that just to scare me."

"No, I'm not. These lands are wild. There's no telling what could be around."

Sarah sighed loudly, "Fine! But I have some questions."

"Very well. What are your questions?"

"First of all," Sarah began as she and Jareth started back to the camp, "You and Terra say that you're fairies—"

"Fae," Jareth corrected.

"Whatever. So are you all the same? I mean, are you all arrogant, selfish, cruel, scheming—"

"Must you be so unpleasant, Sarah?" Jareth sighed, "The answer is no. It's true that the Fae are a proud race but in character and looks and tastes we are as different as the people back in your own world."

"So if you're a Fae then why are you King of the Goblins?"

"Simple. They needed a wise and powerful ruler."