Labyrinth 2: The Return Of The Goblin King

Chapter nine: The Only Way (Jareth's POV)

Author's note: okay, I know that some of you reading can't see jareth doing any of this, but it's for a good reason. He's trying to be sweet to see if it would help with her falling in love with him so he doesn't have to marry Edna. I probably should've mentioned this beforehand, sorry. Also, he sort of changed since his heart was broken big time.

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Chapter nine: The Only Way (Jareth's POV)

Jareth sat on his bed as well, gazing out the window where he could see miles and miles of the Labyrinth. It was his choice to make it go on forever, to make the one going through it feel like they never move from the spot they tread on. It was his choice and his choice alone. This was his realm. He could make it anything he longed for it to be. And for years, it had been. But now...why did it feel so...wrong to him?

This was not how he'd wanted Sarah, cooped up in his castle with nowhere to go. Sure, he told her that she wasn't a prisoner. More of a guest really. She even seemed to tell herself that over and over again to herself. But let's face it: she's no mere visitor staying for a while. She agreed to stay forever under his rule. But why? To save her brother? Most definitely. Why would she ever love someone like Jareth, The Goblin King: the one who's captured her little brother twice. With his incompetence, he might as well go down in history for being the worst flirt-er on the face of the planet.

"Am I interrupting anything, sir?" a voice was heard behind him, echoing at least a million times in the vast room. The voice was familiar, a little too familiar. Jareth turned. It was Haggy, standing in the open door withhis clipboard that he always carries around everywhere in his arms. It looked like there weren't too many papers on it today. He must not have been busy doing whatever he does with those papers on there. Jareth never gets to see exactly what he clips there because Haggy would never show him. He always wondered what they were, however...

"Leave my bedroom, I wish to be alone," he said sadly, turning back to the window. But Haggy was the hardest goblin to get rid of when it came to such situations. Jareth could sense that he took a deep breath and walked over to sit on the bed with him and stared out the window himself. Neither looked at each other, lost in thought for a while as the silence of the room consumed them.

"...May I ask what's bugging you, sire?" he asked in a soft voice that soothed Jareth's voice in the least bit. Jareth sighed.

"I just don't feel this is right," he began. "Of course, I never wanted Sarah in this way, keeping her prisoner in a world kept away from her friends, family, and home. But what choice do I have? If I know Edna, when and if I let Sarah leave and be forced to wed her, she will stop at nothing to destroy the Labyrinth, along with any goblins that come between her and her target." Jareth kept his eyes on the clouds in the outside world's sky as Haggy raised his eyes to his master's with sympathy.

"Sire," he said comfortingly, placing a hand on Jareth's knee comfortingly, "if I may aid you in this tragic time-"

"Is there really a thing in this imperfect world that will assist me to overcome my sadness?" Jareth asked with doubt. He was not in the mood to think of other things, things that may cheer him up. Haggy nodded.

"Your highness, if anyone knows how to make you feel better it's me, not that I wish to brag about it," Haggy said sincerely. "May I proceed?" Jareth sighed, giving up.

"Yes, do as you wish," he said. "As long as I'd achieve benefit from it.

"You said that you were regretting your decisions, correct?"

"Yes."

"Well, the best thing to do during a time like this is to do the right thing; the thing your heart encourages from you every time you look back on it. I do understand the predicament you've gotten yourself into, however, which sort of turns it around. In this proposition you're involved in, the pros of the result of you winning are as follows:" He looked down at his clipboard to begin reading them out loud to him. So THAT'S what his clipboard is used for! "You, master, will have Sarah as your queen, your kingdom may slowly heal and become it's natural form once again, and we'll all be alive. The cons of this result, however, are that Sarah will most likely not be as fond of you as you had hoped and Edna may start a war. Now let's look at the other result." He flipped a page from his clipboard and read it off.

"The pros of this action will be that we will have more added to our army if she speaks the truth about her side of the deal and Sarah may respect you in the very least. The cons...we'll lose many men to her advantages, you'll haveyour heart broken, Sarah will eventually die in her own world and can never be reincarnated, the Slakks will have full control over our land, the Labyrinth will be in ruins...shall I go on?"

"No need," Jareth scowled. "I get the picture. So I have to do all I can to win this fight, yet I have to make Sarah happy..." Haggy's face brightened when he thought of an idea. His voice was fuul of extra confidence now.

"Master," he interrupted his thoughts," I apologize, intruding your schemes and all, but I think I may have the perfect way to beat her AND win over Sarah! If you will allow me to help you along with this suggestion I have to offer, it will happen way before the due date!" Jareth finally took his eyes-now wide with interest-off of the sky outside his window and lowered them to look at Haggy.

"...I'm listening..."

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                                                              (MYSTERY SPEAKERS!)

"Did master...accomplish task?"

"Oh yes, my child. Indeed. Once the second part of my plan unfolds, I'll know Jareth's weaknesses, his advantages, and I shall be victorious! Go ahead and attempt to win Sarah's heart, Jareth, because you'll never get her now!"

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Who was that? Was that a secret ally of Edna? Edna herself? Or maybe...another villain??!! Don't turn back now, continue reading! Or else you'll never know!!