The Destiny Within Series:

LOVE'S DESTINY

By Princess Destiny

[ princessdestiny@hotmail.com ]

CHAPTER ONE: ELUSIVE DREAMS

Sarah screamed, shooting of in bed so fast she almost tumbled off of the side. She was covered with sweat and her heart was racing so fast she thought it might jump out of her chest. Putting a hand up to her forehead to push her dark bangs back she fell limply back onto the bed, the sheets were tangled around her legs but she ignored the discomfort. Every night it was the same, the screaming, and the dream that she could never quite remember when she woke up. Something brushed her mind and she grasped at it only to have it slip away with the rest of the dream, it had been this way for almost 3 years now.

Three years since the nightmare's began, nightmares of another place where there were frightening little creatures and an endless maze from which she could not escape. Sarah got out of bed and padded into the bathroom, not turning on the light but merely illuminating it by the strong light of the Moon shining in the bathroom window. She stared at her reflection and saw how pale and haggard she looked, the dreams took a lot out of her and they had started to increase the last month or so.

Sometimes the dream was good where she would dance in the arms of a handsome Prince and be happy, but then came the darkness. A cold, damp darkness with rock floors and no way out. The dreams had started a year after her car accident when she got amnesia, she had eventually remembered everything but then the dreams started and had been going for three years now. They haunted her nights and shades of it left her mind in disquiet during the day.

She stared at the pale ghost-like visage of her beautiful face and then managed a smile briefly, it vanished with a churning of her stomach as she saw something fluttering at the window from the mirrors reflection. She spun around and saw that it was bird, a pure white owl with it's wings silently fluttering to keep it aloft. It seemed to look at her with it's eyes and Sarah stepped closer to it as if in a trance, the eyes were not usual for an owl. They were a cold blue colour that burned through her soul and seemed to see everything.

She backed away as it launched itself seemingly straight at the bathroom window and even though she knew the window was closed, she threw herself to the floor with a scream. Covering her head she cowered on the cold tiles and when nothing happened she looked up slowly to see the owl had perched right on the sill and was staring straight at her. Something struggled to be recognized in Sarah, but before she could grasp it, it slipped away and she was left to watch the owl who after a moment more flew away into the night.

Sarah blinked and rushed to the window, throwing it open and scanning the night anxiously, trying to see if she was going mad. Something brushed her cheek softly and she jerked back only to see a single white feather float in the window. She watched as it made it's slow way to the floor and settled there, looking somehow ominous. She picked it up hesitantly and touched it to her cheek again, laughter taking over as she realized she had been so scared of a feather...But whoever heard of an owl being in the center of a major city like New York?

Jareth stared at the crystal intently until Sarah went back to bed and lay awake, he watched her wide eyes as she thought about something.

"You owe me my beautiful Sarah, for the betrayal of 3 years ago, and I WILL collect" he laughed cruelly and then threw the Crystal into the air, where it shimmered and then vanished.

"Sarah! Over here" someone yelled and Sarah's head jerked up in surprise, she had entered the cafeteria of the University in a daze after her second class. The teacher had stared at her strangely when she sat in her desk for most part and looked into space, her face a blank. Then the teacher had spoken her name sharply and she looked up to see the empty classroom, the bell had gone and she hadn't heard it at all. Sarah merely blinked and then gathered her books and left quickly.

Sarah looked towards the voice and a smile lit her young face as she saw her best friend Lyanna and her boyfriend Brad. Brad was Captain of the Football team, with short blond hair and blue eyes. And Lyanna was a short red-headed girl with green eyes, a pretty girl that never lacked for attention from the boys. They had been friends with Sarah since the first day of school and she was grateful for the company. It had been hard when she moved out of home, leaving her father and step-mother behind.

She had grown quite fond of her step-mother in the last years, moving out had seemed to help the relationship a lot. Perhaps because they were not as much around each other as they used to be, and things had changed when she woke up in the hospital to see her parents anxious faces. Her step-mother had said that she wanted to be closer to Sarah, because they had never really tried to get along and Sarah had almost died in the car crash.

A year and a bit ago she had moved out and was sharing a small apartment with Lyanna until Brad had come along and Lyanna had wanted the Apartment to themselves. Sarah had been a little hurt but the last few months on her own had been better than she expected. She valued her privacy and only at night did she wish she weren't alone with her nightmares.

"Hey Brad, Lyanna, how have you been?" Sarah asked politely as she sat down at their table and was confronted with double stares of concern. She had not seen Lyanna for two weeks now, except briefly in the halls and class. Lyanna knew about the nightmares, it had been a little hard to hide the screaming from her friend.

"We've been fine Sarah, and you? You did look a bit distracted in class just now" Brad commented as he picked up his burger and took a big chunk out of it. Sarah stared at him strangely and Lyanna sighed, reaching across the table to take her friend's hand.

"Are the dreams bothering you again Sarah, do you want to talk about it yet?" Lyanna asked softly and Sarah slowly shook her head, she had never been able to talk about her dreams to anybody, even Lyanna.

"No, I'm fine, it's not the dreams..." Sarah said hesitantly, she hated to lie but...

"It's my family, I miss them" she sighed and looked across the cafeteria and out the window at the back. The tree's blew gently and her eyes grew unfocused as she looked at them almost unseeingly. A picture began to form in her mind and gently wavered into view, a park she recognized from home.

She was there and wearing a long white dress and her hair was up, and in her hands she held a book. Sarah looked down at the book almost in fear as she sensed something and then at the pages that she held open.

"Give me the Child..." she read and shivered violently, the picture disappeared and she gasped as the cafeteria came abruptly into view. She was looking out the window still and Lyanna's insistent voice was in the background.

"...toby don't you Sarah...Sarah are you listening?" she was saying and Sarah spun back quickly though her eyes were still slightly wild.

"What?" she mumbled and Lyanna flashed her a concerned look, she looked briefly at Brad and he shrugged as he continued to eat his lunch in silence.

"I said, you miss Toby terribly, don't you?" Lyanna said slightly irritably, she glared down at her text books in frustration and then her gaze softened as she again looked up at Sarah face. Even two years ago she had been drawn to Sarah, a strange quiet girl and she still believed that Sarah had the saddest eyes she had even seen.

"Yes, especially Toby, he's 5 now" Sarah said dreamily, her eyes focused on happier times with the little step-brother she loved. Soon she promised, soon she would see him again.

"Oh Sarah, I believe your jealous of your parents!" Lyanna laughed and Sarah glanced over in surprise. Then her eyes too filled with amusement and she laughed along with her friend.

"Yes, I suppose I am" she murmured to herself, she loved her little brother to distraction and couldn't wait to see him in the Break. Only as few months away now and she could go home and visit.

Just then the bell went and they all groaned, gathering their books and standing up to leave.

"I can't wait to escape after school" Sarah sighed and Lyanna nodded her head emphatically, grabbing Brad's arm to pull him away to their class. She turned back once to glance at Sarah as she walked in the other direction.

"Sarah! How about you meet me after school at Gino's for a pizza!" Lyanna shouted and Sarah smiled in relief, she hadn't really been looking forward to studying when she got home.

"Sure, see you!" Sarah yelled as she walked backwards, she waved to Lyanna and then spun around to go to her class, but smashed into someone's chest. She gasped and stumbled, strong arms coming up to hold her against a warm chest.

"I'm so sorry" she said breathlessly, her heart seeming to beat strangely fast at the contact, she looked at the black shirt before her and then her eyes trailed up to his shoulders where long blonde hair fell. Followed that up to a strong chin, and a stunningly handsome and somehow ageless face. She gasped as she saw his eyes, a blue-grey that seemed to swirl like a polished mirror. Sarah's lips parted and she gazed into his eyes as if hypnotized, and there was something strangely familiar about him…

She suddenly realized that the hall was deserted, they had been standing chest-to-chest for some time and he had not removed his arms from around her waist. She stepped back nervously and his arms fell away, he stared at her in amusement and Sarah took a deep breath before speaking.

"I'm so sorry, I was talking to a friend and didn't notice you there" she said quietly and he smiled slightly, but she noticed his eyes were cold as ice.

"That's quite all right, these things happen" the guy said and Sarah's breath caught at the sound of his voice, somehow it was familiar. She blinked and then her hands tightened on her books involuntarily as she looked around.

"Well, I'd better go, I'm late to class already" Sarah hinted and his smile widened at her slightly shaky tone. He stepped aside and she walked past him with head held high, not liking the way he was looking her over.

"Naturally you don't want to be late…Sarah" his mocking voice came from behind her and she spun around frightened to hear her name on his lips, she knew she had never met him before. But he was nowhere to be seen, it was as if he had disappeared.

CHAPTER TWO: ENCHANTMENT

The last bell went and Sarah sighed in relief, stretching cramped muscles and getting to her feet. She felt an excitement as she thought about meeting Lyanna soon and picked her books up and raced to her locker. Dialing the combination fast she thrust the books inside and grabbed her purse, then slammed it shut and walked quickly out of the school to her car.

The car was a ice blue colour and because her parents were fairly well-off she had gotten a nice one. It had reminded her of something the colour, and even the curtains in her place were that same colour. Sarah put her books and purse on the seat beside her and pulled the car out of the School grounds and onto the main road.

Her mind was a thousand miles away as she made the familiar way to Gino's, a place that Sarah and Lyanna used to go all the time before she had moved out. A fierce beeping shattered her reverie and she realized she had tried to push into a car park with a person already half way into it. Her hood was almost smashing into the driver's side window and the person leaned out of the window with a glare.

"Look lady, I was here first, so buzz off!" the balding man demanded and Sarah blushed vividly as she saw a few people in the car park where watching the confrontation with interest.

She looked back at the driver to apologize and gasped as she looked into icy blue eyes. The guy from earlier stared at her with a sardonic expression and then she blinked and it was the balding man again. Sarah shook her head in confusion, muttered and excuse and pulled her car back hurriedly to let the driver in the spot.

A few rows down she found another car spot and pulled in reluctantly, knowing that she would see the balding man inside and he was likely to start yelling again. She grabbed her purse and locked the car, walking quickly towards Gino's before the man could get there.

The place was crowded and Sarah looked around and bit her lip as everyone seemed to stare at her. Then a hand waved over everyone's heads and Lyanna yelled for Sarah to come over. She took a deep breath and pasted a smile on her face, then walked over to where Lyanna was sitting. The red-head had already ordered Pizza and coke and Sarah sat down and took a piece gratefully.

"What's up Sarah, you look kinda down" Lyanna commented and Sarah flashed a smile at her friend.

"Just a little incident in the car park, I wasn't watching where I was going and tried to take the same spot as this man" Sarah explained in a humorous tone and they both laughed.

"So, tell me what happened earlier Sarah" Lyanna said eagerly and Sarah looked at her in bafflement.

"What do you mean?" she asked her friend and green eyes glittered excitedly back at her. Sarah had no idea what Lyanna was talking about, what had happened earlier…

"You know, that GORGEOUS guy you bashed into when I was talking to you" Lyanna squealed and Sarah looked around nervously at her friend's loud tone.

"Oh, him. Nothing really, I apologized and then raced off to class" she muttered, not mentioning what she had felt or the way he had looked at her. She tried to keep her face expressionless as her friend went on.

"Really? I would have thought you'd grab him! He was the most GORGEOUS guy I've ever seen…though don't tell Brad I said that" Lyanna hissed and Sarah nodded, a little dazed at the way her friend was going on about a guy she had seen briefly.

"That hair and that bod, wow. I couldn't make out his eyes though, what colour were they, and did you see they way those jeans molded to his legs?" Lyanna sighed in awe, her eyes wide with remembrance, but Sarah was thinking about the encounter again.

"Sarah?" Lyanna said, finally stopping to breath from her comments and noticing that Sarah was staring into space.

"Blue-grey, like a stormy sea" Sarah said quietly and Lyanna cocked her head in interest.

"What?" she asked and leaned in closer, Sarah blinked and smiled hesitantly. She picked up her drink and looked thoughtfully into the black depths.

"I said his eyes were blue-grey" she leaned in closer to Lyanna also, and her voice became conspirital.

"So Lyanna, what's this I heard about you and Brad at the Football game last week?"

Sarah locked her door and slumped into the nearest chair, kicking off her shoes. She had been at the Pizza place for three hours and still had homework to do, the place was eerily quiet but she paid no attention to it as she rested her head back and closed her eyes.

Sweet strains of music came to her and her eyes opened almost languorously as she got to her feet to follow the sound. Sarah followed it slowly, in a trance to her bedroom and pushed the door open. The hinges creaked and then fell silent as the door came to a stop half open and Sarah stepped into the room.

The music continued to play and it drew her to her dresser where her music box was, inside was a graceful dancer with a glittering white dress. Sarah's Mother had given it to her for her 15th birthday and it was Sarah's most treasured possession. She listened to the music with a dreamy smile on her face and somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that the music box was not playing the right tune.

It had always played 'Greensleeves' but right now it playing something completely haunting and very much familiar. A dizziness came over here and she fell to her knee's involuntarily, her eyes fixed on the dancer within the glass case as she began to whirl and spin gracefully. For a moment she thought she saw her face on the dolls and blinked in minor surprise, but was still too much within the spell of the song to feel anything.

She listened until the song finished and then it started again, but this time she heard words. A man's voice came to her mind as if from a far away place and then they became louder and stronger.

"…There's such a sad love

deep in your eyes

A kind of pale jewel

Opened and closed

within your eyes

I'll place the sky

within your eyes…"

A tear rolled slowly down Sarah's cheek, she listened to the song until it ended and then fainted as the last line echoed over and over.

"Falling in love…"

CHAPTER THREE: ENCOUNTER

"Sarah!" someone yelled and she looked up quickly, it was Lyanna and she was waving impatiently from a table in the far corner of the cafeteria. Sarah looked down again at her finger, which was acting very strangely, it tingled and was slightly red where a ring might have been. Looking closer as she sat down at the table, she saw that it did indeed have the circular shape of a ring. It was a worry but right now Sarah didn't have the time to think about it, Lyanna was almost bubbling over with excitement over something.

"So, did you see the new guy today?" Lyanna said suddenly, and Sarah looked at her sharply.

"No" She said slowly, a new person this far into the year was not usual, so she was curious.

"He's not a student though, in fact, it's someone you know" Shanna said with a self-satisfied smirk when Sarah stared at her.

"He's the new English teacher, and here's a hint...He's absolutely GORGEOUS"

Gorgeous? Sarah repeated to herself, and managed to show an interest as Shanna spilled out all the gossip, but Sarah's heart was beating do fast she was sure her friend could here it. Here hands gripped a Math Book in front of her tightly and her knuckles turned white as she waited for Lyanna to tell everything she knew.

"Yeah. You remember that guy you, Er bashed into in the hall the other day? He's got long blonde hair that he has tied back in a pony tail, and you were right, his eyes are blue-grey. And his bod is just fabulous" she gushed and Sarah rolled her eyes towards the ceiling, she knew he was gorgeous, she knew his body was to-die-for, but she also knew in her heart that he was dangerous.

Lyanna started to tell Sarah more but the bell went and she stopped reluctantly, then grinned as she looked at her time-table.

"Come on, we've got him next" Lyanna yelled as she started off towards the classroom, Sarah grabbed her books as she raced to stay up with her friend and almost fell back down the a stairs as they climbed to the second story of the school.

Sarah sat thinking as she waited in her seat beside Lyanna for the new teacher to arrive. This was the only class she had with Lyanna and though she usually was happy to talk to her friend, today she was so nervous she could feel the butterflies in her stomach. Sarah stared out of the window and her fingers grasped the top edge of the desk tightly, her mind wandering to last night.

She didn't remember much, only that she had gone home from Gino's and then...woken up on the floor 5 hours later. Sarah had been shocked, not having remembered even getting past the front living room, let alone making it to her own room where she apparently fainted. She was lying in a puddle of moonlight, coming through the open curtains. It had been the breeze that woke her, the breeze from an open window she knew she had not left that way.

This was New York, burglary was second nature to people there, and Sarah always checked that the windows were closed and locked before she went anywhere. Sarah heard faint strains of music and then it was gone, she forgot immediately and went into the kitchen to get a drink.

She poured herself a glass of water and had almost dropped the jug when her finger had gone painful and then suddenly numb. Sarah put the jug down and stared at her finger in worry, afraid she had cut it or been bitten, but there was no mark at all on the pure white skin.

Sarah switched all the lights off and carried her glass to bed, sitting there in her nightdress, the covers around her lap. The moonlight shone through her still open curtains and she thought she saw the ghostly form of an owl gliding smoothly in the air past her window.

Jareth strode down the hall and everyone watched him, there was something about him that made the girl's wish he was their boyfriend and the guy's glare with anger at a potential rival. Teacher or not, he was very good-looking and knew it. Jareth was very pleased with himself, he had gotten into this school all-too-easily. He could have entered as a student, but knew as a teacher that Sarah would be more intimidated.

He walked up the stairs to the second story of the school and looked in the window of the class doorway, Sarah was there and looking sightlessly out of the window. Jareth grinned widely and opened the door quickly so that it banged open, startling everyone so that the entire class fell silent.

He looked towards Sarah with a mocking expression and then walked over to the teachers desk and took his jacket off, then sat in the chair comfortably. He was not the usual type of teacher they had seen before and he smiled around at them before taking off his black sunglasses slowly.

Sarah turned back towards the front of the class as she sensed something, her remembrance of last night's events was sketchy at best and she wanted more time to think over it. But then someone walked in the door and drew her attention like a magnet. The other's in the class were all staring also, the girls in admiration the guys, sensing competition.

The guy who entered the class looked not that much older than the rest of them, in fact, he didn't look any different than the other guys in the school. He looked like a new student rather than the teacher, he had a black jacket and skin-tight black jeans, and he wore a pair of black sunglasses. His shoulder-length blonde hair was held back in a pony-tail at the back of his head and when he removed his jacket and turned around to put it over the back of his chair, Sarah saw it was held back in a strange silver circlet that looked old and glinted in the sunlight.

Then he sat down on the desk and removed his glasses, Sarah gasped as she saw the blue-grey of his gaze was staring straight at HER. The eyes, hair and gorgeous body added to his handsome face made him the most gorgeous guy Sarah had ever seen, but still her skin crawled under his steady stare. All the Time he called out the role, his eyes would swing back to her, though no one else seemed to notice. She usually didn't react to a guy this way, but this guy was absolutely perfect even if he was a teacher.

Sarah couldn't stop staring even when his gaze took in everyone in the classroom then came finally to rest on her.

His look strangely reminded her of the owl and she felt trapped, the teacher continued to stare intently at her for a moment and then crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'm your new teacher as you may or may not have guessed" he started in a voice like nothing Sarah had heard before, though it sounded hauntingly familiar, as if she had heard it in a dream or a nightmare. It was a soft voice, filled with secrets and power, Sarah shivered uncontrollably for a few seconds and wondered why she felt as if someone had walked over her grave. This was how this man made her feel and Sarah couldn't control the sense of menace she felt from him, when she looked at him and heard his voice, the word evil came to mind.

The rest of the class didn't seem to feel this and watched with a curious mixture of admiration and desire from the girls and watchfulness and distrust, even perhaps hate from the boys. It was a shocking display of emotion that this man produced in the students of this class, and he was totally aware of it.

He sat there casually and watched these emotions play over their faces, and he was amused. Sarah blinked rapidly, what was she thinking? She looked at the guys and saw nothing out of the usual, they sat their with the girls and looked cool and relaxed. Sarah don't know where she had gotten the impression of these emotions, but she must have imagined it, for he went on.

"My name is James Martin, but you can call me James" he continued and the students were thrilled and astonished, none of the other teachers had ever let them call them by their first name, and this simple act had quickly and efficiently accepted him into their friendship. Just as he had wanted, a small part of Sarah's mind whispered urgently, and he looked at her again as if sensing what she was thinking.

They all now looked at him in a friendly way and with smiles they started to talk to him, Sarah sat detachedly and watched with dull eyes as he spoke back to them. His smile lighting up his face so that the evil of his nature was hidden beneath, he seemed a young man eager to know his students, Sarah thought with a frown. Then she looked in his eyes and saw that the darkness and evil was still there.

Sarah wondered why he could have such a nature and yet could be so nice and friendly to everyone, surely a nature like that was fierce and uncontrollable. He spent the whole lesson talking to them all, which the students loved, because they didn't have to do any work. Then as the bell went and they all started to file out of the room Sarah felt a hand on her arm, she felt a tingling sensation where it was gripped and knew without turning it was the teacher.

"Hello, can I speak to you. You didn't introduce yourself earlier and I want to get to know everyone" Lyanna grinned and told Sarah she'd see her later, so Sarah sat down at a desk and waited while he shut the door after the last student and turned around. Her heart started to beat very fast as he stared at her and his eyes went startlingly dark blue, Sarah gasped and he smiled slightly.

"What is your name for starters" he said conversationally and sat down at the desk opposite Sarah, straddling the chair so that his arms rested on the back casually. He was very close and she couldn't shake off the feeling of danger, this was a teacher but she didn't feel safe in the slightest.

"Sarah Williams" she said quietly and he smiled, holding out his hand, Sarah watched this action warily because she hadn't seen him do this with any of the others. Then she blushed vividly and reluctantly thrust out her hand, as he softly.

"I won't bite Sarah" it was the most embarrassing thing that had ever happened to her and Sarah wanted to escape, worse, he seemed extremely amused by her behavior and then a frown came to his face.

"What's the matter?" he questioned lightly and Sarah struggled for a moment, trying to think of something to say.

"I'm going to be late for my next class" Sarah blurted out in relief and watched as his eyes narrowed slightly and she was surprised to see a familiar expression on his face that reminded her of someone, it was only faint but she could defiantly make out a malicious expression in his eyes.

It threw Sarah of entirely, showing an involuntarily stunned look on her face, something flashed in his eyes and then was gone. He stood up and went to the door, smiling charmingly so that her heart fluttered wildly.

"You don't want to be late" he added as she seemed to be frozen to her chair, Sarah scrambled up hastily and grabbed her things. Then left through the door he courteously held open, though she sensed this action was done through sardonic amusement. Sarah had lied about the next class and had a line off now, but luckily he hadn't known about it. She thought about him as she walked outside, he was very intelligent Sarah knew and she was afraid of him like nothing else in her life.

He was very dangerous and she felt a great darkness from him that confirmed it, it was strange how she feared him for no apparent reason and Sarah wondered suddenly were he was from.

"James" she said out loud and savored the name, it also felt faintly familiar as did his voice, though it was strange that his face did not...Only the eyes.

CHAPTER FOUR: WAKING DREAM

"Sarah! Get the ball and hit it to me!" Lyanna yelled and Sarah got her hands under it as it came down and thumped the ball towards her friend. Lyanna then hit it to Courtney who gladly whacked it back over the net to the other team. A team who had very lousy players and it was almost ludicrous to watch them fumbling for the ball.

Sarah didn't think it fair that all the good players were on her team, but Courtney always chose the same players for her team, knowing who the bad players were. Courtney was a tall blond with long hair and baby-blue eyes that seemed to melt whenever she looked at a guy. She was a Cheerleader and other than Sarah and Lyanna the rest of her team were Cheerleaders also.

"Arggggh!" Lisa screamed as she looked up from checking her nails to see the Volley Ball heading right for her face.

Naomi leapt sideways and hit the ball back over the Net quickly and turned to her friend, smiling triumphantly.

"Thanks Naomi, I just had to check this nail, look at it!" the short-haired blonde lamented loudly and the coach growled out something from the sidelines. Lisa looked shocked at the language and then tossed her head indifferently, trying to look cool.

Lyanna rolled her eyes and Sarah shrugged, wondering if she should have said no when Courtney asked her to be on the team. She grinned towards Lyanna and suddenly the smile slid off as everything went hazy and then black.

A picture came to her mind and she watched in a detachment, seeing herself in a maze of some sort. But it was a maze of stairs, stairs that went along the roof and sideways, up-side-down and ledges that went in every direction. It was confusing and she felt dizzy as she watched herself walk along a ledge and then heard a voice coming from beneath her.

"I've been expecting you" a man's voice came and Sarah frowned in thought, knowing the voice was familiar but unable to place it. With a deep breath she inched to the edge of the platform. Beyond her, apparently sitting on a vertical wall, was James.

Sarah frowned but was unable to do anything other than watch, and have a fleeting curiosity about why her teacher was in her dream. The voices faded in and out and she tried to make sense of it all.

"…Toby?"

"..in my keeping"

"I have come this far…"

"…luck" James chuckled and Sarah noticed his hair and clothes for the first time. James's hair was spiked on top and he was wearing completely black clothes and black boots, his hair startling against it.

A golden sickle shaped ornament, hung from a chain around his throat and dangling down to his chest. It dazzled her for a moment and she blinked, she thought she heard music but paid no attention as she suddenly saw her brother Toby.

But not as he was now, as he had been as a baby and something stirred at the back of her mind.

"You are cruel, Sarah. We are well matched, you and I. I need your cruelty just as you need mine" Jareth's voice called out to her and she snapped out of it long enough to spin and stare at him.

This had to be the strangest dream Sarah was ever having and she wanted to wake up, wanted to…but she had no idea…she was so tired…

"…live within you…" the song whispered to her and then suddenly there was a great pain in her face and she fell to her knees. Sound burst around her and she realized that she was kneeling on the Volley Ball court and several people were screaming at her.

Sarah put a hand to her throbbing forehead and realized the ball had hit her. She was dizzy for a second, trying to remember what she had been doing and feeling as if she had been somewhere else…

"You idiot!" Lisa glared.

"Stupid!" Naomi shouted, waving her fist around,

"Shut up! Are you all right Sarah?" Lyanna's firm voice came over the rest of the yelling and Sarah looked up gratefully. Lyanna tucked a stray piece of red hair behind her ear as she reached down and helped Sarah to her feet.

"Sarah you thoughtless…"Courtney started to shout but then the coach came over and she looked mad.

"Sarah Williams, just WHAT do you think you were doing?" Ms Spencer demanded and Courtney and her friends looked smug as Sarah tried to look as if she were anywhere but there.

"We were winning you dumb little…" Courtney tried to insult Sarah again but the Coach glared at her and she shut up quickly.

"Well? Why weren't you watching the ball, it's your own fault you were hit you know. I didn't teach my girls to be so careless, I thought you knew better than that…" The coach went on and on and Sarah's face went red and her hands clenched as she raised her head to yell back.

"…hopeless dreamer" Ms Spencer spat and Sarah went deadly white as she heard the words. The coach looked shocked as Sarah stepped back and swayed, her eyes enormous and her face as pale as a sheet. The girl's dark eyes dilated as she opened her mouth and then suddenly her shoulders dropped and she ran off.

They heard the sounds of crying as she headed towards the back of the School and Lyanna started to follow her.

"Let the baby go!" Lisa said spitefully and Courtney laughed, Lyanna turned back towards the girls and gave them both a rough shove before taking off after Sarah. Courtney and Lisa crashed into the other girls and they landed in a heap, and the other team laughed loudly. The coach looked around in bafflement, her usual steely expression of control had melted off, leaving her confused as to what had just happened.

Sarah ran blindly, tears in her eyes and her mind seething with confusion. What was happening to her, she had been dreaming again and ruined the game, but this had happened too often. She wondered if she was going mad, Sarah blinked away the tears long enough to spot the tree's at the back of the School.

The small copse of tree's that was off limits to the School and belonged to the property beyond. Sarah, however, didn't even think twice about it and ran straight into the tree's without stopping.

She collapsed a few meters in and sobbed as if her heart was going to break. Sarah didn't even remember much about the dream, something fleeting about James though, something…

"Sarah" a quiet voice said and she looked up quickly to see the new Teacher James standing quite close to her, leaning against the tree as if her thoughts had conjured him. His blond hair blew in the slight wind and her eyes fixed on it as she tried to remember something about the dream, hair…

"Are you all right Sarah? Why are you crying" James asked kindly and Sarah forgot everything except how miserable she was. Everything came pouring out about the car crash, the dreams, the problems because they happened because she was awake…and that she couldn't remember them.

Sarah sniffed and rubbed her face unconsciously against James's black shirt, it didn't click for a moment and then she gasped and pulled away in horror. Sometime during her tearful ramblings James had pulled her up and into his arms…or had she thrown herself there?

She was so horrified, and it was because she had enjoyed that warmth for a while and looking into his eyes she saw that they were a dark blue. And in those eyes was not a caring person who had been glad to console her, no there was a malice beyond imagining and it scared her.

She screamed loudly and couldn't seem to stop as pain suddenly rolled though her. Sarah's eyes went as dark as night and she fell to her knee's with her mind exploding.

Lyanna ran around looking for Sarah and after about 15 minutes she spotted the copse and figured that would be where Sarah would go to be alone. She wandered for a while and finally saw Sarah leaning against James and he had his arms around her tightly as she talked and cried.

James, he was talking to Sarah and then Sarah stepped back hurriedly as if embarrassed, when she suddenly let out a shrill scream, falling to her knee's and clutching her head.

Lyanna started forward purposefully until she saw that James too had clutched his head and was leaning his back against the tree Sarah and he had been standing against a few moments before.

Lyanna's mouth gaped opened and she stood on a twig, it was almost silent but somehow James heard and his head shot up from his hands. He glared towards Lyanna and though she was a fair distance away, she saw suddenly that his eyes glowed a furious bright blue. It burned through her soul and her mind blanked as her eyes met his.

She turned away slowly and walked back towards the school, her mind dazed and her face dumb. Lyanna entered the School and then blinked rapidly as she stared around in confusion. What had she been doing? She had no idea and then caught sight of herself in a window.

"Arggggh! My gym clothes and class is in a minute, WHAT was I thinking???" Lyanna shrieked as she ran back down the hall to the change rooms, very much confused as to why she had been roaming the halls in her Volley Ball skirt and top with class less than a minute away.

CHAPTER FIVE: DISTANT PAST

The first thing Sarah noticed when she awoke were leaves, a green leaf was right in front of her nose and she frowned at it for a moment. She noticed the delicate tracery of veins, and how a leaf this green had to have been pulled from the tree. It then struck her that she was lying on a cold surface and the leaf was on the ground, as was she.

Sarah pushed herself up quickly and brushed the long dark hair back from her face as she looked around in shock, it was night-time and had been for sometime from the position of the Moon.

"What on earth happened, did I faint?" Sarah murmured to herself as she tried shakily to get to her feet but ended up falling back. A hand went under her elbow firmly and helped her to stand, the touch familiar and yet…

Sarah peered at the figure that was covered completely from head to toe in a black cloak, satin by the look of it she noted absently. The figure stood straighter and released Sarah as her legs became stronger.

"Yes" the figure said in a decidedly feminine tone and Sarah blinked in confusion.

"I beg your pardon?" she said and the figure laughed gently in amusement.

"Yes, you did faint…in a way" the figure told her in a softly mocking tone and Sarah stared in amazement as the air seemed to blur and suddenly they were inside Sarah's apartment, just inside the front door. She staggered in surprise as she looked around and then fell into the nearest chair, watching as the figure moved about the room looking at random things.

"You have a nice apartment Sarah" the figure said and then threw back the hood of the long cloak. Sarah gasped as she saw a strangely familiar face, familiar only because she saw herself in the girl standing before her. Not an identical face, but still, there was the same long dark hair, but the eyes were a deep green and the skin alabaster white like Sarah's.

They were roughly the same height and Sarah thought she saw herself as she had been years ago before the accident. A strength and courage was in that beautiful face and a will that was indomitable, just as Sarah had thought herself. The girl was about Sarah's age, 18, but she was dressed strangely as if from another century.

The long green dress she wore was a dark velvet with a low neckline that Sarah knew had been popular from a few centuries back. She wore no jewelry except for a large emerald ring on her left hand, the band silver. The girl stared back at Sarah with an amused look on her face and Sarah closed her gaping mouth for a moment as the girl sat down opposite her gracefully.

"You have questions I suppose, it's only natural" the girl said smiling and Sarah involuntarily smiled back at her.

"Yes I do…who are you?" Sarah started and the girl leaned backward into the seat with a sigh of contentment. She tapped a finger on her delicate chin thoughtfully and Sarah waited impatiently.

"I am a…relative of yours in a way…" the girl paused and Sarah stared in bemusement as the girl ran a hand through her long dark hair distractedly.

"I am from the past, I am your great aunt, with a lot of great's behind it I'm afraid. You see, I am from the past, 300 years to be exact" the girl said casually and Sarah almost fell from her chair in shock.

"What? The past, 300 years, but…" Sarah spluttered and the girl held up her hand commandingly, with Sarah had no trouble obeying because the girl had an air of command about her. There was something almost undeniable, something in the eyes. And if she were as old as she had claimed to be...Sarah somehow believed this stranger.

"I am you aunt Selia and I know this is hard, but I sensed your trouble child and I have come to help you gain your heritage" Selia looked at Sarah with sincerity in her dark eyes and Sarah looked straight back, somehow knowing this was no dream.

"It is no dream Sarah" Selia commented as she got to her feet and walked out of the room and down the hall to Sarah's room. She stepped through the doorway and went straight to the music box, it strangely started to play as soon as the girl went near, but not it's usual tune.

It was a haunting tune that was very much familiar to Sarah and she looked at her aunt to see that the girl was smiling darkly at the Music Box.

"It was as I had thought" she said quietly to herself and Sarah just caught the words, so low were they.

"What did you think?" she asked with a great curiosity, moving unconsciously closer to the Music Box and swaying slightly to the tune. Selia raised a hand briefly and the music was cut off in mid-tune. Sarah half-opened her mouth, feeling as if she had lost something precious, but Selia picked up the Music box and Sarah watched as she carefully turned it over.

Selia turned to her Niece and gazed silently at her for a moment, then she walked towards the bed and sat down, the Music Box on her lap.

"Oh Sarah, there is so much to explain, but first you must remember what you have forgotten" Selia said and Sarah frowned in confusion, she sat down on the bed beside Selia and twisted the quilt between her slender fingers nervously. Selia was staring at her so intensely that Sarah felt like running away from the strength she saw in the green gaze.

"But…What do you mean, I haven't forgotten anything?" Sarah said it in an almost questioning tone, the firm conviction going out the window as she looked into the girl's beautiful face. Her aunt seemed so sure…but what and when could she have forgotten?

"Three years ago Sarah, the car accident, you lost memories from just before then" Selia prompted and Sarah frowned in thought, then her face crumpled slightly as tears came to her eyes.

"I…I can't remember everything, I may have forgotten something…" she trailed off as she tried to think and suddenly a fog came down over her mind so that she sat dully. She dimly heard Selia hiss in anger as the girl muttered something furiously under her breath…it sounded like…Mind block?

Sarah couldn't think and slumped slightly into Selia's shoulder, the girl passed a gentle hand over Sarah's face and then everything went black.

The room was dark and only a single light burnt in the fireplace as the Goblin King sprawled gracefully on his chair. He looked into the flames and then touched his forehead slightly, wincing as the pain dully echoed through his head. He glared angrily and threw his goblet of wine into the fire, it hissed and he swung a leg slowly back and forth over the leg of the chair.

Today had been surprising, he had felt Sarah's fear and sadness after he had sent the vision to her, and had watched as she ran from the taunts of her friends. A smile crossed his handsome face as he remembered her anguish acutely, his revenge was coming along nicely. At least that was what he had though until he found her amongst the tree's sobbing, something had clenched in his heart but was gone so quickly he could not define it.

He had said her name and she had spun around looking so upset and terrified that someone had seen her in that state. Jareth had looked into her tear-drenched eyes and asked her what had been the matter, with poison sweetness that she had not detected.

He did not know exactly how, but sometime during her telling him everything that had happened to her, she had ended up in his arms and for a moment he felt some of the softness he once would have felt for her. Then his heart hardened and he knew he was beginning to get his revenge, Sarah was hysterical and he couldn't stop the look of malicious enjoyment from covering his face.

Sarah had chosen to look up at that moment and had seen the look, a look of terror covering her beautiful face. Then she had screamed and Jareth's mind had exploded as the scream echoed through his head mentally. He dimly saw Sarah fall to her knee's from the mental blast that had echoed from her mind and was answered with his. He leaned back against the tree somewhat weakly and then his head shot up when he heard a noise to see Sarah's best friend Lyanna there.

She stared with astonishment that turned to fear as Jareth glared at her, he erased her memory and sent her back to the school hurriedly and then looked down at Sarah. Jareth reached down for her and then paused as a smile broke over his face, he carefully erased the knowledge of his presence today from her mind and left her there.

She would wake-up scared naturally, but it would only help his revenge more if she though she were going crazy.

Jareth transported himself from the copse to his private chambers and sat on a chair before the fire with a sigh. Things had definitely developed interestingly, he still had yet to define what had happened between Sarah and himself.

Jareth shot up from his seat as he felt something stir in his mind, he reached out with a thought and encountered Sarah's mind. She was trying to remember the past, but it was not the time, his revenge came from the knowledge she would not completely remember things. Only as much as he showed her, but something was interfering and he put the block onto her mind, erasing any tendrils of memory she had collected.

He glared darkly at the wall, feeling as if something were not right, Jareth entered her mind and tried to see what she had been doing before she had tried to remember and he encountered a strong block there. Jareth got to his feet and summoned a crystal, looking into it's depths that showed Sarah's room clearly. She was on the bed sprawled out in sleep, the music box beside her and he smiled at the vision.

He probed her mind once more and found that the block had disappeared, Jareth delved through her mind but found nothing there, she had come straight home and gone to sleep.

Selia smiled grimly from where she was standing in Jareth's bed room, behind the hangings on the canopy she watched as he gazed absorbed into the crystal. But she was not worried that he would find anything in her Niece's mind, Selia had been careful to erase her presence from the girl's mind.

When it was time, Sarah would remember it all, but until then, Selia could play mind games as well as Jareth. She smiled in amusement as he threw the crystal into the air and watched as it shimmered and vanished. Selia let go of the black curtains and turned to leave, Jareth turning to stare in her direction as he felt a breeze at her leaving.

He saw nothing but felt as if someone had been watching him, but none of his Goblins would dare to enter his chambers without his summoning.

CHAPTER: WATCHFUL

He was watching her again, she could feel it, Sarah looked up and sure enough there he was with his dark green eyes on her face. She stared around the room to see if anyone else had noticed, but even her New teacher James, as watchful as he always was, had not seen anything.

Sarah sighed and looked back to meet the guy's eyes squarely, he was new this week having transferred from somewhere and his name was Marcus. She was a little vague of where exactly that somewhere was, no one seemed to remember.

He really was handsome though with his short black hair tumbling into his intense green eyes, Marcus always seemed to have his bangs in his eyes and it made him absolutely gorgeous. But still, there was something about him that made Sarah steer clear warily. He had walked into her Math class as if he owned it and sat a few seats from her.

Marcus' eyes had gone to Sarah's face almost immediately and ever since that day a few Sarah had felt his eyes occasionally swing in her direction. Sometimes Marcus' gaze was indefinable, other times thoughtful and always on his face when she looked back at him was an amused smile. His eyes were a mystery too, somehow comforting and yet at the same time, warning her that he was not to be trifled with.

James had disliked Marcus from the first moment he stepped into his class Sarah knew, it wasn't something she had seen for they had both been smiling. Rather something that she had sensed, as if they were really two rivals sizing each other up.

Sarah blinked at that thought, she must be imagining things. She looked down at her work and wrote another sentence absently onto her paper. The notes on the board were brief and for that everyone had been thankful, if there was one thing the students hated it was taking notes. James seemed to sense this and wrote as little as possible, he talked more often than not.

Sarah thought about the debate he had gotten the whole class into the day before, a wide smile on her face. A debate on whether Mythology had really been true events that had been recorded and handed down the generations, gradually slipping into Mythology as people started to disbelieve.

History was never dull now and although Sarah felt a fear of her teacher, she somehow looked forward to her classes. She looked up slowly and her eyes rested on the James who was leaning back in his chair casually, watching the class with brooding blue-grey eyes.

And somehow he always sensed her gaze, as he did now, and he looked over at her with a mocking glint in his eyes. Sarah tried to look away but found that she could not and stared transfixed as he slowly smiled and his eyes changed to dark blue.

"Sarah!" Lyanna hissed and Sarah almost leaped out of her seat as she spun towards Lyanna who was sitting at the desk next to her. Her friend was grinning like a fool and Sarah knew that look well, her friend got it whenever she thought of guys.

Lyanna looked sideways to the green eyed guy who was a few desks to the left of her and next to the window. Sarah followed her gaze and then looked down at her hands which were clenched on her lap, James was still watching her and she had never felt so uncomfortable. Then he looked away and she sighed in relief as she peeked up through her lashes, her dark eyes nervous.

"Sarah, isn't that guy such a cutie!" Lyanna said in a stage whisper and Sarah almost crawled under the desk as Marcus' dark green eyes turned towards them.

"Uh, yeah" Sarah said more quietly and Lyanna looked towards him flirtingly, he smiled back with a lifted eyebrow and a devilish look in his eyes. Then Lyanna looked away with a flush as she suddenly remembered her boyfriend Brad and her eyes flooded with guilt.

"Yeah but, nothing compared to Brad…" Lyanna said half-heartedly and looked sideways at Marcus again.

Sarah sighed and looked down at her page until the writing blurred and she suddenly felt the familiar feeling of sinking. All noise faded from around her and a picture formed, as if she were staring into a pool of water. The vision swam into focus, but unlike the other visions she had, this one was merely a picture.

A picture of a maze, a huge maze that stretched as far as the eyes could see, Sarah studied the picture and from the point she was looking from. It seemed as if she were on a hill, looking down at the huge walls. She followed the corridors of the maze as hard as she could but could not seem to be able to find a way to the center of it.

Sarah lifted her eyes a bit and stared at the center fixedly, feeling as if she should know the castle she saw vaguely in the distance. She felt a feeling of dread and yet an excitement, a knowledge that something waited for her there if she could but reach it. She lifted an arm unconsciously reaching towards it and then the vision faded abruptly and she was left staring at her outstretched arm.

She put it down quickly and looked at Lyanna to see a strange look on her face and Sarah realized that her hand had been reaching out straight at James. He was gazing steadily at her with a half-smile on his face and his eyes were the darkest blue she had ever seen them.

CHAPTER SEVEN: MESMERIZE

The day dawned dark and gloomy and Sarah watched the grey clouds roll slowly across the sky with a feeling of foreboding. She had woken just before dawn and walked to the window clad only in her thin white nightgown, expecting to see the glory of the dawn.

But instead had been greeted with a dark sky and a terrible feeling that the day would bring nothing but trouble. Sarah looked at the tree's blowing outside her window and stared at a green leaf as it was blow against the pane. Her smooth forehead creased for a moment as something elusive brushed her memory and then was gone.

She shrugged and snapped the curtains closed sharply, turning back to face her bedroom with a sigh. She still had hours before she had to leave for school, Sarah threw on a wrap and walked out of her room and down the hall to the kitchen. She filled the jug and sat down to let it boil, she really had no idea what had a wakened her so early, but coffee was definitely in order.

Jareth watched the sun go down from the balcony with a dark glare, nothing was going right lately, his revenge over Sarah was progressing too slowly for his liking. Some drastic action was in order, but what to do, he didn't want her to remember too quickly but also her remembering something to haunt her was important… And now there was this boy Marcus, Jareth knew that Marcus was more than interested in Sarah and it made the Goblin King furious.

Marcus would interfere with Jareth's plans and there was something about the boy that Jareth didn't trust in the slightest. Sarah, what was she doing now he wondered. Jareth summoned a crystal ball and watched as the red light of setting sun against the sky cast a glow like blood over the pale beauty's face as she appeared in his crystal.

Sarah was sleeping as peacefully as a baby and Jareth studied her innocent face intently, his face softening for a moment as he thought about the strong confident girl she had used to be. But she was gone, the one that had thrilled him, the one who defied him so long ago and won her brother back as no other had ever done.

She had been the first to solve the Labyrinth and he had let her, captivated by this pretty girl-child who dared to be so arrogant in thinking she could win against the King of the Goblins. And when they had danced together and she had looked into his eyes with so much love and he had felt it too…

But then she had remembered her little brother and he watched the look fade from her beautiful dark eyes with a feeling of unutterable loss. He was only a fantasy for her, not real and later she had said the words that had freed herself and her brother of his control. It had taken a year to regain his powers and the kingdom had almost fallen to ruin in that time…and all to win the love of a spoilt child.

But no more, not ever again, Jareth thought darkly as he watched the Moon rise into the sky, the sun disappearing like a memory. The sky cracked with thunder to match his mood as his powers reined uncontrollably for a moment, then he laughed mockingly and threw the crystal to the ground.

The face in it smashed into a thousand unrecognizable pieces and his face broke into a cruel smile as he prepared for another day in the Mundane world. Not realizing that at the same moment he had smashed her visage in the crystal, Sarah had awoken with a shudder to a sky as stormy as that of the Labyrinth.

Sarah wandered into the school and looked around the halls for Lyanna, spotting her red hair near the lockers. She started to call out to her best friend until she noticed the dark-haired head bent closely over Lyanna's laughing face. Sarah felt a chill and knew immediately that it was Marcus' form and she slowed almost to a stop a few meters from them both dark thoughts in her mind.

Lyanna spotted her first and backed away from Marcus with an embarrassed laugh, he spun around smoothly to stare at Sarah with intent green eyes. The mocking glint that had been missing when he was talking to Lyanna appeared and Sarah found herself scowling fiercely at the new guy.

She distrusted him near her friend and switched her gaze to Lyanna to see her staring at Marcus with a dazed expression on her face, adoration in her lighter green eyes.

"Lyanna, can I talk to you?" Sarah asked sweetly and Lyanna snapped out of her love-trance to look at Sarah with a happy expression. She nodded and smiled back at Marcus as she trotted away next to Sarah. The girl was practically walking on air and Sarah was hard-put not to shake some sense into her.

"Lyanna, what were you doing?" Sarah asked carefully and Lyanna's eyes went immediately glassy.

"Talking to Marcus, isn't he dreamy?" Lyanna gushed and Sarah looked sideways at her friend with disbelief. Lyanna, gushing? She had a weakness when it came to boys true, but never like this…

"He asked me out and I said yes, but I wanted to talk to you first…

Sarah gasped "You what?" she said in astonishment but Lyanna swept on without-seemingly noticing.

"…About dumping Brad" she finished and Sarah stopped outside Lyanna's classroom door so fast that several people behind them bashed into her and they all almost tumbled into class in a pile. Sarah straightened and glared at her friend for a moment before pushing back through everyone and into the hallway.

"I'll talk to you at lunch" Sarah said with gritted teeth and Lyanna nodded absently, several people watched Sarah walk away but she was oblivious.

Brad watched from the back of the class, not liking the look on his girlfriend's face, a look she had never had for him but that he had seen on other girl's faces when they were infatuated with some guy.

Marcus watched with a smile, knowing that a fight between the two girls would not be long in coming. Soon Sarah would have no one to turn to…but him.

Jareth saw what happened from the teacher's staff-room, he had felt that something was going on and pulled a crystal ball from the air quickly to see the dark look on Sarah's face as she stared at Lyanna and Marcus. He had heard what Lyanna said and Sarah's reaction and to him it seemed as if Sarah was actually…jealous.

CHAPTER EIGHT: SUSPICIONS

Lyanna stared adoringly into Marcus' eyes and Sarah sighed angrily, it had been a week now since Lyanna had dumped Brad for Marcus and nothing seemed right. Lyanna never had time for Sarah anymore, all her time was spent with Marcus, and the thing that bugged Sarah the most was that the new guy really didn't seem to care about his girlfriend.

He sent her on errands for him, he barely talked to her and only when he wanted information and he never kissed her. But poor Lyanna never seemed to notice, so in a trance did she seem to Sarah. It was as if Marcus had hypnotized her best friend, and the red-head's eyes were rarely conscious of her surroundings except in class.

One class to be exact, James' class. Sarah had seen Lyanna snap to attention as soon as she entered James' classroom and it kept Sarah wake at night wondering if she were going mad. The dreams had no been as bad either, as if Sarah was subconsciously blocking them. It was History Class now and Lyanna was swapping her attention between the board and Marcus.

Sarah was sitting behind them both, but it was as if she didn't even exist to Lyanna, the red-head had looked right through her everyday since Sarah had blown her up about dumping Brad. It had been loud and attracted many people, Lyanna had run off cry, swearing she would never speak to Sarah again as long as they both lived.

This had been the day after Sarah had first seen Lyanna and Marcus in the hall, and Sarah was lonely now. Brad had seemed to blame Sarah for Lyanna's defection and Sarah was now totally alone.

"Sarah" someone said loudly and she jerked her head up to see James and the rest of the class looking at her expectantly. She blushed a vivid red and saw James watching it spread over her white skin with an almost seeming fascination.

"Ah, yes?" she said hesitantly and James walked down the rows of tables to stand before her desk, blocking Marcus' view of her as he turned in his chair to see better.

"I asked if you knew what Civilization lived on Crete and what the Palace was called" James said softly, patiently and Sarah bit her lip as she thought hard. It had been research from two days ago and she had been so worried about Lyanna and her dreams that she had not researched at all.

"I Ah…" she stammered and James smiled almost in satisfaction, Sarah thought in surprise.

"You didn't do your research then, Miss Williams" James said sternly and she saw that his eyes were mocking as he looked at her flustered face.

"I'm afraid you will have to do detention then…" James started to say and then suddenly the answer popped into her head.

"The Minoans" she blurted and watched a look of incredulity spread over everyone's faces. James however, was watching her narrowly, he tapped a pen against his thigh thoughtfully and Sarah swallowed nervously.

"And the Palace?" James asked slowly, Sarah searched her mind frantically again but came up with a zero…until the answer again popped obligingly into her head.

"Knossos" she breathed in relief, already knowing that she was right from the intent look on the teacher's face. He watched her for a moment longer and then turned quickly away, walking back to his desk and when he turned his face was amused.

"Very good Sarah, you must had studied after all" James said smoothly and Sarah opened her mouth to protest but closed it when his eyes turned a deep blue and a strange look of warning flashed into them. It was gone as quickly as it had come as his eyes changed back to grey-blue and Sarah slumped back into her chair with a sigh.

Sarah was not entirely sure that she had not imagined the whole thing, but for the fact she hadnot researched the Minoans. She looked away from James, who was explaining the Minoan Civilization to the class and saw that Marcus was still turned in his chair in front of her and his dark green eyes were narrowed assessingly. Sarah could think of nothing to say and her gaze turned slightly to look at Lyanna, she felt a great rush of hate towards Marcus and she turned back to glare fiercely at him.

His eyes widened slightly and then a look passed over his face that Sarah barely recognized, incredulity widening her dark brown eyes. He turned back to the front of the class and Sarah was left staring at the back of his black jacket with a stunned expression, Marcus' look had been one of… possessiveness.

Jareth watched the sun rise with a thoughtful expression on his handsome face, his eyes were narrowed intently as he stared out over the Labyrinth. Something strange had happened between him and Sarah in School today and he knew he was very close to finding out the reason. And then there was that boy Marcus, Jareth had felt the power in the new student. He had also seen what Marcus had done to Sarah's friend Lyanna, the girl was totally under Marcus' spell.

And the strange thing was…Sarah knew it, and she shouldn't have been able to. The same way she had not known the answer to the question he asked in class about the Minoans, until suddenly…she did. Jareth clenched his hand as he restrained the urge to spy on Sarah with a crystal, there was no mystery, she just studied and forgot.

…Except, Jareth had picked a subject that he had not told them to study, throwing a quick spell over the class so that they would think that they had been told to study it. Sarah had been taken by surprise, much in the same way that Marcus had been when he found his magic over Lyanna wouldn't work when he was anywhere near Jareth. The boy hadn't figured it out yet though, but Jareth knew one thing very well…Marcus wanted Sarah.

CHAPTER NINE: CONFRONTATION

The next day Jareth was watching Marcus intently, trying to hide the hate on his face now that he knew Marcus was definitely going to interfere. His blood boiled as he saw Sarah enter the class and Marcus stared at her with desire clear in his green eyes. Sarah never noticed because she was looking at Lyanna, who was studiously ignoring her ex-friend.

Class dragged out slowly and Jareth found it hard not to blast Marcus with a crystal, he found himself unconsciously forming a them in his hand as he talked from his desk. His eyes swept constantly to Sarah, who was oblivious of the undercurrents in the room…or so he thought until she looked at him nervously one time when his eyes turned almost black with fury.

He immediately hid the feeling, but he could tell she still felt something and it baffled him that she could when even Marcus could not. Class finally ended and everyone left for the next one, they all filed out and Sarah glanced back once before she left. Jareth sat back in his chair and put his feet up as the door closed and left him in silence, but only for a moment before it banged open again to admit the next class.

He glared out the window darkly…waiting.

Marcus walked down the hall, looking left and right to see only deserted halls, just as he wanted. It was time to teach that arrogant teacher of his a lesson, he would make the man a slave of his, but only after he had beaten the living hell out of him. Marcus clenched his fists as he remembered the look of hate he had caught on James' face when the teacher had thought he was not looking. The teacher needed some lessons in manners and Marcus was more than willing to administer it, everyone in School had left and he sensed that James was still in class.

The door swung silently open to his power and it closed behind him without him touching it. James was at the window staring out at the sunlight and Marcus smiled grimly as he walked quietly up behind the teacher. His fist swung back and then shot forward towards the back of James' head, but suddenly the teacher ducked and spun with a punch of his own.

It landed an upper-cut to Marcus' face and the boy spun helplessly backwards to fall over some chairs and hit his head on the corner of the teacher's desk. He fell limply to the floor but was up again immediately, his eyes flashing a deep green with hatred blazing freely from them.

"You…" he hissed and summoned a fire blade from the air, throwing it in a deadly line towards James' throat. He watched with satisfaction until the teacher reached up almost casually, but with an astonishing swiftness to catch the knife a few centimeters from his neck.

He held it from the hilt until the blue flame faded and the knife was thrown away contemptuously into a corner. Marcus gaped as he suddenly sense the teacher's power flare into life, realizing that he had made a fatal mistake and that James had been hiding his power all along.

"What do you want with Sarah?" Jareth asked coolly, with an amused glint at the blood running slowly down the boy's face. He had clearly misjudged his 'Teacher' when he had thrown that punch, Jareth had been more than ready for him.

"That's none of your business!" Marcus snarled as he straightened and wiped the blood from his brow roughly. He raised his hands and a glow formed there, a dark light that swirled menacingly. He looked up with a triumphant grin to see that James had disappeared.

"What?" Marcus said in surprise as he looked around the classroom, it was empty but the door was still closed. He had not even heard his teacher move, then something bright glinted in the corner of his vision and he spun to be hit abruptly with something hard and cold. Marcus flew back against the wall and realized he was stuck when he didn't slide down to the floor, he looked down quickly to see that he was held onto the wall with ice.

Jareth smiled as he stepped out of invisibility and twirled the other ice crystal casually around his fingers. The boy was more stupid than he had thought, falling for an old trick like that. Jareth studied him carefully as Marcus struggled futilely against the ice that bound his arms to his sides. The ice had been thrown waist height, freezing the boy's arms and stomach, so that he was totally helpless as the Goblin King approached.

"You have power, but are not very wise Marcus" Jareth said softly and Marcus spat at him in a defiant act that merely widened the King's amused smile. He walked up to Marcus till her was a few feet and then sat down on the nearest desk, holding the Ice Crystal up so that the dark-haired boy could see the weapon clearly.

"Now then…tell me what you want with Sarah or…" Jareth trailed off suggestively and a bead of sweat ran down Marcus' forehead, but his green eyes blazed hatred.

"Or?" he spat and watched as James' eyes went as cold as the ice Marcus was bound in.

"…Or I'll freeze this over your face" James said softly and Marcus went pale, knowing that he would suffocate before the ice could slowly freeze him to death. Marcus stared into the cold merciless grey-blue yes before him and shuddered to think of his miscalculation. He had thought to cower this 'Teacher' of Sarah's, not having sensed the power in James until it was too late.

He could die here and no one would know…except…Marcus blanked his face and let fear show on his face.

"Fine, you should know what I want from her anyway!" he shouted and flinched as James' eyes went flinty with ice-cold rage, his hand tightened about the fragile crystal until Marcus thought it would shatter.

"And what is it that I should I know?" Jareth asked his captive in a deceptively mild voice as he relaxed his fingers from the ice Crystal. Marcus struggled a bit and then slumped, knowing he was helpless until he was set free.

"About her power of course, Sarah has practically been radiating it for the last few weeks!" he looked away, hating the fact that he had been made to reveal his plans to this powerful stranger, who just as obviously had business with Sarah. He was so busy with his thoughts that he did not see the stunned look that came over James' face at his words.

CHAPTER 10: DISCOVERY

Jareth was more than stunned, he had just figured out so many things that had been puzzling him for so long. Why Sarah and he had fallen in pain that day in the copse, it had been a psychic attack prompted by her fear of him and his own mind had reacted.

Sometimes lately he had been unable to get into her mind as easily as normal, it had been as if someone was blocking him…and it had been Sarah.

How she had always known when he was watching her, when he was angry and why he hadn't been able to get her out of his mind the last three years!

And lastly how Sarah had known the answer to the Minoan question, she had picked it right out of his mind! She had become so flustered that she had used her powers without noticing, her urgency to know the answer had joined their minds again and Jareth now knew something that he had sensed three years ago when they had danced together in the Labyrinth…

Sarah and he had bonded.

Selia looked up from her embroidery slowly, knowing that something had just happened, something that would affect Sarah. She stuck the needle in and put the cloth down, getting to her feet to smooth her pale blue dress down. Sarah was going to need her soon and Selia had to be nearby when she remembered the Labyrinth…and Jareth.

Sarah was walking through the park after School when she felt a jolt on the back of her hand, as if she had struck something, but there was no mark. She groped her way to a bench and sat down quickly, feeling a wave of dizziness come over her.

"Not again!" she cried out as she felt blackness cover her vision and she fell forward in a dead faint. Voices whispered at her from the darkness and Sarah peered futilely, trying to see where there was no light.

"Who's there? Where am I?" her voice echoed faintly, her voice sounding so small and lost. The whispers got louder and Sarah suddenly could hear that they were saying her name over and over.

"Sarahhhhhhhhh" the voices hissed, rough and soft, different voices coming from all around until she fell to her knee's overwhelmed.

"What do you WANT of me?" she screamed as she beat her fists angrily on the ground and something began to shake her furiously. Sarah struggled to get away and then someone lightly slapped her face and she woke up swiftly. A face was above her and she stared around wildly to see that it was now night-time.

Sarah scrambled to her feet and backed away from the stranger who was dressed in a long black coat. She could not see the features but knew from what she could see that it was a man. He laughed softly as the street light behind him shone on her frightened face.

"Don't you know me Sarahhhhhhh" he said cruelly and Sarah screamed, suddenly waking up and seeing that it really was night. She stared around in fear, but knew that the man and the voices had just been a nightmare, and she had been lying on the ground for hours. She stumbled to her feet and picked up her purse as she stood on it, walking quickly in the direction of home.

A pain hit Jareth and he winced as he shouted for more wine and his voice echoed around the throne room. Since he had realized Sarah and he were linked, he had come to realize that all the pains he had gotten lately were not all his own. It was Sarah, she was in trouble and afraid and with his fighting with Marcus, it could have been going on for some time.

He sat up and dropped the almost empty glass of red wine, pulling out a crystal quickly. The sky was darkened and a lone figure lay on the grass of a park beside a bench.

Jareth had no trouble recognizing Sarah's pale face and he got to his feet hurriedly, staggering as Sarah screamed in her mind, trapped in a nightmare. It came through loud and clear and the Goblin King clenched his teeth as he blocked it out. He transported to the park and was about to go to her when she awoke and got to her feet, looking around frantically as if someone were after her.

The goblin King was hidden in the shadows and she did not even sense him in the state she was in, staggering towards home with Jareth following close behind unseen. He knew that Marcus was responsible for this and walked Sarah all the way home, invisible to everyone. Once she stopped when she got to the porch of her house, looking back into the darkness of the street and seemingly straight at him.

But then she opened the front door and went inside, leaving Jareth to ask himself who was really getting the revenge here with her powers running so painfully free…

CHAPTER ELEVEN: WAITING FOR REMBERENCE

Jareth looked over the pile of Homework with an expression of disgust, then down at the goblins milling around the throne room.

"You!" he said loudly to the nearest goblin and the creature immediately scampered over to grovel at the Goblin King's feet. Jareth threw the bundle of paper-work at the ugly creature and it looked stupidly around as the papers fluttered and then scattered in every direction.

All the goblins were soon falling over each other in an effort to get all the papers together. There were quite a few fights until the pile was sitting in the first Goblin's hands, rather more dirty than they had been before the scuffle.

"Mark these, I don't care how, but have them ready by tomorrow morning!" Jareth ordered and the Goblin looked vastly confused before grinning grotesquely and hobbling off. Jareth watched until the Goblin disappeared out the door and then sighed, passing a hand over his face wearily.

No one said getting revenge was ever easy, but there just had to be a better way of getting it than this.

About the same time Sarah was sitting in the kitchen after watching the late-night movie, she had been restless after her day. Being in that class had been a complete trial and she realized she looked forward to seeing him again as much as she dreaded it.

There was just SOMETHING about James that made her wonder, he just didn't seem right though no one else had seemed to sensed it. Sarah reached for her glass and realized it was empty, she went to the fridge and pulled out the juice, taking it to the bench to pour and she stood lost in her thoughts. Her hand brushed a package and she snapped out of it quickly to see it falling from the bench.

Sarah caught it deftly and looked it over curiously, having forgotten about the package that arrive an hour after she had come home from School. It was a fairly small package and she looked at the return address with surprise, seeing that it was her father's address. Sarah opened the box with a knife and opened the flaps, extracting the letter that was immediately on top.

It was in her dad's scrawl and she sat down at the table with the package and set it down as she read the letter.

'My Darling Sarah, we were fixing up your room for when you come home for the Summer Holidays.

We decided to move your bed and your step-mother tripped on a loose floor-board. I investigated, thinking to nail it down when I noticed a black cloth sticking out of the side, I pried it up and found a bundle.

Opening it I discovered that it was an old book, you must have put it there for safe-keeping and forgotten about it Sarah, so I thought I'd send it to you seeing as how you have moved out.

Sarah, we are all missing you and looking forward to your coming home for a while. Especially your brother Toby, he loved the toy car you sent him for his Birthday.

Love, dad.'

Sarah put down the note and stared at the box before her, little pieces of Styrofoam padded the box and the bundle within.

"That's strange, I don't remember putting a book under the floor-boards" Sarah murmured as she shifted on her chair at the table and looked back at the letter thoughtfully.

She reached out slowly and brushed the Styrofoam aside and pulled out the clothed bundle, her heart beating strangely fast. It was a black velvet as soft as the night, and Sarah pushed the box out of the way to set the bundle down on the table.

She unwrapped the bundle quickly and set the cloth aside to look down at the small book in her hand, it's cover was a soft red leather and the title of the book was in gold lettering.

"The Labyrinth" Sarah read-out slowly and suddenly thunder crashed outside the window, she looked up startled.

"Looks like the rain finally reached us" Sarah said to herself, it had been so hot lately that no one had believed it could ever rain. She got up to open her curtains and stared out into the night, then rain began to fall and she watched the rivulets begin to slide down the window.

As she stared into the darkness her thoughts turned to James as they did far too much these days. She couldn't forget him, or his mocking expressions, it was as if he knew something that she did not about herself and was greatly amused by it. Sarah sighed and went over to sit on her bed, curling her feet up under her as she looked down at the book still clutched in her hand. A book that seemed to be hers even though she had no memory of ever owning it.

She traced the gold lettering and then shook her head regretfully, she would get to read the book tomorrow, but for tonight she was just too exhausted.

Jareth stared into the crystal intently as Sarah came back from the window and sat on her bed, she looked down at the book and he watched the way she traced the words on the cover almost lovingly. He looked closer and then saw her shaking her head, she put the book on her night-stand and turned off the light.

"Damn her!" Jareth snarled and threw the crystal from him, it flew a few feet away and then hovered almost tauntingly, showing Sarah's beautiful face as she rolled over and fell asleep. Then it suddenly popped and the vision of the sleeping girl disappeared.

CHAPTER TWELVE: THE LABYRINTH

Sarah woke up the next morning feeling strangely refreshed and with a puzzling feeling of anticipation. School was in an hour and she went into the bathroom to shower and change, she emerged from the steamy bathroom and went to her dressing table to pick up her brush. She ran the bristles through the long dark strands and her eyes fell on the night stand and a red-leather book there.

With a start she remembered the book her father had sent her the night before and put down the brush to walk over and pick the "Labyrinth" up. Sarah turned it over and over, as if searching for something, then opened the front cover. They were blank, no author or anything, it just suddenly began the story.

Sarah found herself sitting down almost involuntarily and reading the first lines of the book, before she knew it she was in the middle and then the end. She looked up slowly, trying to absorb the story, and her eyes alighted on the clock on the wall.

"10 o'clock! No that can't be right!" Sarah cried in shock as she dashed to the kitchen and looked at the flashing time on the oven, it said the same and Sarah was horrified.

"How could this happen, I'm NEVER late!" Sarah cried and raced to the table to pick up her homework and purse , if she hurried she could just make James' class….

Sarah dashed into class and everyone looked up, Marcus' green eyes were one of the first set of eyes, as if he had been looking out for her. James watched her with half closed eyes from his desk and flashed her his mocking smile.

"So late Sarah, what is your excuse I wonder…" James mused and everyone held their breath as James opened his mouth to give Sarah detention.

"I was reading a book" Sarah blurted and James closed his mouth abruptly, his eyes suddenly, shocking dark blue.

"A book you say?" he mused, but said nothing as he eyed her piercingly. Sarah waited before his desk, head lowered as if she were a disobedient child and he was silent till she looked up again.

"Sit down Miss Williams, we will talk after class" James told her with a dismissing smile and Sarah walked to her seat behind Marcus and Lyanna quickly.

James looked at the class with an amused smile on his handsome face that made Sarah catch her breath.

"Now if you were all as dedicated as Sarah in her studies…" he suggested jokingly and they all laughed, Sarah flushed guiltily and slid further down in her chair. She took out the books she had stopped at her locker for and then put her homework at the top of the desk to hand in. Something fell from the pages and thumped on the floor, Sarah reached down for it swiftly and pulled it onto her lap.

She looked down and almost gasped as she saw the red-leather cover of "The Labyrinth" realizing she must have carried it with her accidentally in her mad dash to school. A page was slightly turned at one corner at the end 0of the book and she opened it to smooth it carefully. Words jumped out at her and she read them slowly, almost silently.

"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City, to take back the child you have stolen…" A hand came down abruptly on the book and it was knocked out of Sarah's hands to fall onto the table, the spine still open.

Sarah's head jerked up to see James' angry face, his hands laid flat on her table as he leaned forward over her almost menacingly.

"I hope you have a good reason for disrupting my class Sarah" he said quietly and the whole class seemed to hold it's breath, gleeful that Sarah had gotten in trouble for the second time in less than 10 minutes.

"I Ah" Sarah muttered and James' eyes flashed as he stared down at the cover of her book, a strange expression came over his face and he stood up and took a step back.

"Well then, I suggest you go to detention after school and you can do all your reading there" James ordered and Sarah heard several sniggers of laughter, Sarah had never been to detention in her life…

"Yes Sir" Sarah murmured and James leaned back, a hand cupped to his left ear.

"What was that Miss Williams, I didn't quite catch it?" James asked again a patronizing expression on his face and only she saw his eyes were mocking her discomfort openly. She almost glared until she remembered who she was talking to and looked down at the table miserably.

"I said yes Sir" Sarah said loudly and James stepped back with a satisfied expression on his face, his eyes had an amused glint as she stared fixedly at the cover of her book.

No more was said as he walked away and Sarah slowly picked up the book to close the cover, the page was at the end of the book and Sarah had not noticed it before because it was written on the blank pages at the end of the story.

It said:

"Sarah, never forget the Labyrinth or HIM"

Sarah blinked, the writing was her own and a few spaces down was a name written in red ink in large letters across the whole page.

JARETH

The world spun as Sarah read the name and she got to her feet as her head suddenly filled with memory after memory. Her wish, the Goblins taking her brother Toby, the ball…

And the fatal words she had spoken to free them both from the King's rule, Sarah looked up slowly and her eyes met the teachers as he stood before the class. She ignored everything else as her eyes locked onto his, she stepped towards him and an icy anger filled her.

"Jareth!" She hissed with loathing and the Goblin King stood straighter, his face full of mockery and amusement.

"Yes?" he questioned lightly and a crystal flashed into his hands, he gestured and the class went dead silent. Sarah looked around quickly and saw that they were all unmoving, Jareth had frozen time.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: THE GOBLIN CASTLE

Sarah clenched her fists, her face filled with anger as she looked at the Goblin King, he stepped towards her casually and gestured. Everything blurred and suddenly they were in the Castle Throne Room, some of the goblins stopped what they were doing to look at Sarah curiously.

"Hey! Don't I know you?" one of the more intelligent one's demanded and Sarah stared down at it in loathing.

"I don't think so…" she started to say but Jareth interrupted her, his voice filled with amusement.

"Of course you do, this is the young lady that solved my Labyrinth three years ago and rescued her baby brother" Jareth explained, his grey-blue eyes wicked as all the goblins stopped what they were doing to glare at Sarah accusingly.

"You! You took our king from us!"

"He was gone for ages, it was really boring!"

"Yeah"

"Why'd you do that Lady?"

"No more songs" a squat little goblin lamented as he tried to bite Sarah's leg, she pulled it back and then booted the goblin across the room. The room burst into laughter, they enjoyed the show and Sarah sighed.

"Hey! She's all right" a drunk goblin slurred and then gave a huge burp and passed out.

"I've been wanting to do that for years" a female, at least Sarah thought it looked female, muttered under her breath and stomped away. As soon as it had been decided that Sarah was all right, they completely ignored her and their King and went back to chasing chickens, beating each other up and getting drunk.

"Disgusting" Sarah murmured and looked up quickly as she felt a warm breath on her ear from behind, Jareth put his hands on her shoulders and spun her around to face him.

"We are not here to discuss my subjects Sarah" he said softly as he stared into her eyes and her dark one's hardened, her chin going up. She stepped back and crossed her arms, glaring fiercely at him. He had changed his clothes and was wearing the grey tights and black vest over a white shirt.

"Why do you always wear gloves?" Sarah had asked before she could stop herself and she clapped a hand over her mouth in shock. Jareth appeared startled at first and then he smiled in genuine amusement as he held up a black gloved hand.

"I think they are very comfortable…there is another reason of course, maybe I will tell you one day" Jareth murmured, his eyes unreadable as he summoned a crystal and looked into it for a moment.

"Come here Sarah" he said softly and Sarah eyed him warily, her chin still at a stubborn angle.

"Why?" she demanded and a slight smiled crossed the Goblin King's face.

"Humor me my Dear" he murmured and Sarah reluctantly walked over to stand near him, he extended the Crystal to her and she peered into it curiously. At first she saw nothing and looked up at Jareth in puzzlement.

"I see nothing" she told him and he moved closer to look at the shinning globe, it had a slight luminescence to it, unlike most of his Crystals.

"Look deeper, this is not an ordinary Crystal, it shows you…" Sarah interrupted him quickly and glared into his face accusingly.

"…My dreams?" she demanded angrily and Jareth flashed her a quick unreadable look.

"No, I only offer them once, you refused…no this Crystal is very old and it will show you you're future to an extent" Sarah's eyes widened and her mouth parted slightly as she stared back at him.

"My future?" her eyes were filled with wonder and Jareth watched her with an intensity she found disconcerting.

Then she looked at him suspiciously, pushing back her hair as it fell into her face.

"Why are you showing me this?" she wanted to know and Jareth smiled charmingly.

"It's a gift…for taking your Brother all those years ago" Jareth lied and Sarah seemed to accept it, her eyes softening as she looked into his sincere face. Then she looked away and into the Crystal, her hands coming up unconsciously to grip the hands that held the Crystal and pull it closer to her face.

"What do you see Sarah, what is in your Future?" Jareth asked softly and Sarah's face went smooth and expressionless, her eyes far away though she still stared into the Crystal.

"Destiny…power…many things to come…secrets long buried" the girl murmured and Jareth found himself looking into her beautiful face longingly. He so wanted revenge over this girl for what she had done to him, but still, she was the most beautiful girl to have ever come into the Labyrinth. And the only one to solve it…despite the consequences.

"And what do you see for me Sarah?" Jareth murmured, his eyes slightly worried as he awaited her answer…

Sarah blinked and looked around, Jareth was standing off to the side and looking pensive, the clock on the wall said that she had been here for 3 hours, but she remembered nothing.

"What happened?" Sarah said shakily as she lowered the Crystal and Jareth spun around, a wicked smile on his face.

"Nothing, you just looked into the Crystal and stood there…I couldn't wake you" Jareth said quietly as he walked over and took the Crystal from her hands, she let go of it dazedly. A frown on her face as she tried to remember, but could not a suspicion on her face as she followed him.

He walked back to his throne and she stood at the foot of the dais, her eyes flying to his face as he laughed.

"Oh Sarah, if you could see your face" Jareth smiled widely and Sarah glared fiercely, turning away.

"Why did you bring me here Jareth?" she shouted suddenly and Jareth's face went cold, his eyes icy.

"Why to see your face again my Dear" Jareth said charmingly, at odds with his expression and Sarah shivered.

"You lie, why are you pretending to be my teacher, why did you bring me back here…what do you want?" Sarah said desperately and Jareth smiled pleasantly, he summoned a Crystal and flung it in Sarah's direction.

She put up her hands defensively as it consumed her and she was trapped within it, everything blurred and she found herself in her bedroom at home. The Moon shone through her opened curtains and she gasped as she saw it was 9 o'clock at night.

Jareth smiled as he watched her in his Crystal, it had been all to easy to get answers out of the little fool. She really had no idea of what powers she had, he had been searching for someone able to read the Destiny Crystal. Sarah's power was only just awakening and he would make sure she was completely under his power when she reached her full potential.

She had told him of his future and his smile widened as he remembered what she had said, things were working out quite nicely and that was the way they were going to stay…

Sarah ate her sandwich slowly, her thoughts on what had happened that day. Only an hour had passed in the Labyrinth whereas 11 had passed in the real world, she was sure that Jareth had made everyone forget that either of them had been missing.

"What is going ON?" Sarah suddenly shrieked and threw her plate across the room in rage, it smashed to pieces and then the doorbell rang. Sarah started in shock and walked towards it uncertainly, then shook her head, Jareth would never use the front door.

She opened it to see a young girl there, about Sarah's age wearing Jeans and a T-shirt. The girl looked familiar and Sarah had a sense of Deja vu, the girl smiled and Sarah found herself trusting her as she stepped aside to let her guest in.

"Hi Sarah" the girl said and reached out a hand to touch Sarah's forehead lightly, Sarah felt a light surge go through her body and when she blinked she recognized the girl.

"Selia!" she exclaimed in surprise and hugged the dark-haired girl close, remembering that they were related.

"Selia what is happening, everything is so crazy and I forgot you…" Sarah said upset as she led the way to the couches to sit down.

"I made you forget, Jareth was controlling your mind and he would have sensed my presence" her Aunt murmured, Sarah's eyes went wide as everything suddenly made sense.

"HE was controlling me? The nightmares, the visions…I was just in the Labyrinth!" Sarah yelled in fury, banging her fist on the table while Selia looked on calmly.

"I know, I sensed your danger but could not interfere until you remembered me again" Selia said softly, she leaned forward and Sarah saw how serious her beautiful face was.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: BIRTHRIGHT

"Sarah, now that you have remembered the Labyrinth, I can tell you your birthright" Selia told her softly and Sarah blinked in surprise at her Aunt.

"My…birthright?" Sarah said slowly, suspicious of the almost delighted expression on the dark-haired girl's face, her eyes too were vastly amused, something barely suppressed below the surface.

"Yes Sarah, your birthright, you are a sorceress, the most powerful of us that has been born in over 3 hundred years" Selia told the stunned teenager, Sarah's mouth gaped open incredulously and Selia's smile widened, her eyes twinkling wickedly as she gestured and two goblets of red wine appeared on the table between them.

Selia picked them up and Sarah took hers automatically, her mind still whirling. Selia raised her glass and Sarah held hers out as they clinked.

"A toast…to our new Princess!" Selia intoned, and her voice seemed to echo and Sarah looked at her sharply, going pale.

"Princess? What do you mean?" she stammered, her hand shook and she set the goblet down without drinking any wine.

"The sorceress' in our family that are born every 3 hundred years are the heir's to the throne. I am the last, I step down for you Sarah, you are our new Princess" Selia told her, her eyes intent as Sarah slumped back, her eyes were wild but somehow she knew that Selia would never lie to her.

"But Princess of where? And of whom?" Sarah asked almost frantically, wondering as if some mistake had been made and she had been mixed up with someone else.

"No Sarah, you are the one, we have watched you since your birth, I am now your guardian until I have trained you in your powers" Selia leaned forward over the small table and lay her hand on Sarah's as they lay clutched frantically on her lap.

"Sarah, I understand, three hundred years ago in MY 18th year I was told of my birthright. Times were different then and I had been the daughter of a Marquis, I knew what my duty was…" the girl paused and Sarah found it hard to believe that Selia was any older than she was.

"…You stop aging Sarah, when you come into your power, it has always been the way" a slight smile graced her Aunt's face and Sarah found herself smiling back involuntarily at the sparking look in the green eyes.

"You can imagine my shock when I learned that I would be this way for the next three hundred years…but what good are we to our people if we age and die before our task is for filled?" Selia mused and Sarah's mind reeled at the casual way this girl dismissed three centuries.

"It is not so bad Sarah, it will be hard, but the people need you" Selia gracefully stood and walked down the hall to Sarah's bedroom where she went to the Music Box and pulled it down from the shelf. She handled it almost fondly and Sarah and she walked back into the Living room, taking their seats again silently.

"Sarah, do you remember your fifteenth Birthday when your Mother gave this to you, do you remember what she said?" Selia asked softly and Sarah stared at the Box as it began to play 'Greensleeves' slowly, languorously. She frowned and cast her mind back to the day, trying to remember and then the words came to her.

"This is for you my Darling Daughter, it is very special so always keep it by your side, for one day you will need it…" Sarah repeated the words out loud and Selia smiled gently as realization flooded Sarah's eyes.

"You gave it to her for me…but then…she must know…" Sarah stammered, trying to keep her voice steady and barely succeeding. Her eyes were wide with disbelief as she remembered the soft, but sad look in her Mother's eyes. The words she had spoken that day when Jeremy had left the room, and the look in her eyes that had so baffled Sarah then were now clear.

"But why isn't SHE your Princess and why did she leave me if she knew?" Sarah burst-out angrily, the betrayal her Mother had made was now complete. It had been bad enough for Sarah when her Mother left for good, the cards and presents had never been enough to fill the gap in her heart. And now, to know that her Mother had been aware that she was betraying her daughter, not be around when Sarah needed her most…

"How DARE she leave me here, she KNEW damn her" Sarah screamed in rage and her eyes focused absently on the goblet of wine before her on the table she glared at it and suddenly her dark eyes blazed a brilliant green. Her head was filled with flames and she felt something build and then leave her in a rush, Sarah heard Selia gasp and her head cleared so that she could see that both goblets had melted into a puddle of metal.

Sarah gaped at it and watched as the last of the flames consumed the table rapidly and turned it to ash. Sarah raised a foot and stomped on the last spark before it could burn the carpet and her white sock was now a terrible black-grey colour. She made a face at it and then pulled both socks off, throwing them into a corner as she looked dazedly at the mess on the carpet.

"Ugh, what happened?" Sarah demanded with a look of distaste on her beautiful face, wondering how she would ever get the black out of the sky blue carpet.

"You happened Sarah, I had not expected you to be able to use your power so quickly…" Selia murmured worriedly her green eyes filled with a sort of fear that made Sarah's heart skip a beat.