Labyrinth

Chapter 10: The Spell

Didymus after talking to Sarah and Ludo did let them pass. This bridge however didn't look really sturdy...

Sarah walked on it after she thanked the fox. She took a few steps and the bridge began to fail. She heard the cracking from under her feet and she jumped to the nearest branch. Sarah screamed as she hung on for dear life on that branch.

Hoggle was quite worried, Ludo howled, and Sir Didymus was trying to find a way to help Sarah.

"We shall come and save you my lady! I hope so anyway..."

Ludo howled and suddenly rocks began floating up from the bog, making a path for Sarah. She stepped onto the path and followed it to the other side.

Ludo and Sir Didymus (along with his noble steed, Ambrosius) went on there way to the other side. Sarah thanked Ludo for his wonderful rescue as they all journied into the forest.

The forest was covered in spiders webs, glitter and fog. It was beautiful in the hazy sunlight that hardly came through the canopy.

Sarah walked and her stomach started to grumble. She hasn't eaten for quite awhile now, according to her.

"I'm quite hungry... maybe we can find some berries in this forest." She said and then Hoggle got the courage to reveal he had a peach in his pocket.

"Uh Sarah? I have a peach, if you are really hungry..." Hoggle said, already regretting this.

Sarah happily took the peach. "Oh you are a life saver, Hoggle! Thank you!" And she bit into the peach.

As soon as she did, she felt a little funny... the forest itself was spinning to her.

"What... what is happening? Everything is spinning..." she said as she looked in Hoggle's direction. "What did you do?"

"Damn Jareth... And damn me too..." and he left Sarah as she started spinning and trying to regain her balance.

Everything was dancing... She was in a daze... colors filled her head, music like a music box filling her ears... She leaned right against a tree and sat on the forest floor.

"What is all of this? Is this real?" She started to succumb to the dazed feeling and eventually bubbles appeared around her. Before she knew it, she was trapped in a bubble, floating to who knows where.

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Sarah looked around her new surroundings... new people all around. Everyone wore a mask and danced around in a psychedelic way. This was a ballroom.

This ballroom was made by Jareth himself. He wanted to have the perfect space to make Sarah forget everything. He wanted her to lose.

As Sarah walked around, she seemed quite frightened... especially by some of the scary faces. Then someone in a royal blue gown came to her.

"Enjoying this beautiful ball, Sarah?" She asked, her silver eyes piercing into Sarah.

Sarah was just so speechless from her surroundings, she wasn't really sure what to say.

"I haven't been to a ball in ages and yet my father makes one now that you are here... What makes you so special? You are just a spoiled girl..." The girl in blue said, who turned out to be Roselea when she took off her mask.

"I don't know... unless the book is true about something that I can't put my finger on at the moment..." Sarah replied, still in a dream-like state.

Roselea then thought... how did that book go? She rushed off to find her father who then took her for a dance.

Roselea in that moment actually felt happier dancing with her father. She could still remember the first ball he ever took her to. She wore a beautiful royal blue gown to match her father and he taught her how to dance like a proper lady. This exact moment made her feel all that love and magic again.

"Remember when we danced like this when I was little?" She said as she looked up at her father who seemed a little sidetracked.

"Of course I do, my little rose. You danced beautifully." He said as he looked and Roselea knew he was trying to find Sarah.

"Father... I love you..." Roselea said to try to get her father to look at her.

"I love you too, Roselea." He said as if it were routine. Roselea danced still even though she felt like her father didn't really love her. He was paying attention to Sarah and Toby more than he did his own daughter.

Jareth then split away from Roselea to dance with Sarah. Jareth even sang to Sarah as they danced.

I'll paint you mornings of gold
I'll spin you Valentine evenings
Though we're strangers 'til now,
We're choosing the path
Between the stars
I'll leave my love
Between the stars

As the pain sweeps through,
Makes no sense for you
Every thrill is gone
Wasn't too much fun at all,
But I'll be there for you-ou-ou
As the world falls down

Roselea had it... Her eyes started to tear as she watched her father dance with Sarah and he was really wanting to stay there with her forever.

Roselea made the clock appear with her magic and increased the volume of it's ticking sound so Sarah could hear it.

Sarah then panicked as she heard the clock and she rushed away from Jareth. She ran away and tried to think of a way to get out of there.

"This place is made of crystal. Use an object to break it." Roselea planted the thought in Sarah's head. Sarah then found a chair and shattered the crystal wall, making the spell collapse.

Sarah fell into the trash heap below.

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"What happened to my spell?! I was sure it was going to work." Jareth said as he paced in his throne room.

"What did I do wrong? I've made illusions that are stronger than that one and that one failed? She was so wrapped up in the dream until that bloody clock rang." He said as he looked at Roselea.

"Well... maybe something is wrong with the clock? Or it didn't like that spell?" Roselea tried to cover up her involvement in Sarah's escape.

"I don't think so... the clock never interrupted before." Jareth said as he paced, thinking but also looked quite glum. "Maybe I got lost in something and it made me lose a little control of my spell."

"It could be, father. It literally could be anything. Maybe it's Sarah's fault. She is the most unique runner yet."

"Either way, she still won't have enough time to get her little brother." Jareth said as he sat down with Toby in his arms.

Roselea snuck out with a little red book in her satchel and flew off when her father wasn't looking.