Chapter 2~ It’s Not Fair!

Sarah stared coldly at Jareth. Why did he do this? What where his plans? Why was she at his castle, in the center of the Labyrinth, after she’d defeated him?

"What do you want?" She asked, her voice weak, but harsh. Jareth smirked.

"What kind of greeting is that, Sarah?" He asked.

"How could you? How cruel can you be?" Jareth’s smirk faded.

"Me? Cruel?" He repeated. "Oh, Sarah. Your eyes-they’re crueler, you know it." Sarah watched him carefully as he circled her, looking her over like a hawk.

Jareth observed Sarah’s face: scared, although pretending she wasn’t, upset, and puzzled. He grinned.

"I love the way you look when you’re scared." Sarah’s eyes widened.

"I doubt that’s true." She challenged. "You’re not capable of love."

"Really? Is that so?"

"You think tricking me into coming here again is love? You think pretending to be my mother is love? You think…" Sarah looked down at the ball dress. It was beautiful, enchanting-but it was from Jareth; she wouldn’t have anything to do with it. "Get this of off me." Sarah’s voice lowered, and she meant it.

"Patients. First, we’ll talk."

"I don’t want to talk. I want to go home and forget about this stupid place you call the ‘Underground’. But most of all, I want to forget about YOU." Jareth laughed.

"Perhaps you didn’t hear me," he insisted. "I said let’s talk first." He grabbed Sarah’s arm and began to walk around the castle. "So, how’s the child?" Jareth asked, obviously referring to Toby. Sarah tried to pull free, but couldn’t, and told herself to just go along with it.

"He’s fine. I just hope he doesn’t remember this someday and have nightmares." Jareth didn’t seem to hear her, or at least he pretended not to.

"Sarah, I’ve been waiting for you to say it, and I’m disappointed that it hasn’t occurred to you yet." Sarah was confused. She prepared herself for another trick, but he just stared at her and sighed.

"Must I do it all myself?" Jareth cleared his throat. Then, trying his best, he imitated Sarah’s cries of, "It’s not fair!" He laughed yet again and watched her for a few seconds. Sarah said nothing, just pulled herself from Jareth’s grip, crossed her arms over her chest-which was difficult because the sleeves of the dress would hardly allow it-and shook her head.

"If you were really watching me in that idiotic crystal of yours, you would have found out I’ve accepted the fact that life’s not fair." Her eyes narrowed and flashed fire toward Jareth. He took a small step back, but quickly shook himself. She’s only a girl. She can’t do any damage, now. Even those silly words won’t work. Only the first time. Only the first time. Only… The words repeated themselves in his mind.

"Well, no matter," he assured her. "I’d like to tell you my plans."

"Wonderful. Just what I wanted to hear." Sarah mumbled. Jareth stared at her, sniffed, and again ignored the remark.

"At thirteen o’ clock this evening, we’ll be married."

"What?!" Sarah shouted.

"I said, you’ll be my wife-the Goblin Queen."

Sarah tried to think, but her mind was a blank. What was she going to do? There was nothing she could do. Except…

"Through dangers untold-" She began.

"Ha!" Interrupted Jareth. "You think that will work again? Twice in the same night? No, sorry. Only the first time, and never again."

Damn! Sarah still racked her brain. She was defenseless. Without the Words, or even her friends, there was nothing she could do. Unless… Yes! That was it! Try to convince him that it’s a mistake!

"Me?" She started out, her heart pounding. "Marry you? I’m only fifteen, and you’re…you’re…"

"Immortal." Grinned Jareth casually.

"Really? You don’t look older than two hundred." Sarah insisted. Jareth grew impatient with this disrespectful young girl.

"Your sarcasm will only get you into trouble, Sarah!" He raised his hand, ready to bring it forward to Sarah’s face. She turned away, but reasoned out he changed his mind, and waited for his alternative.

She didn’t have to wait long. Before she could comprehend what was happening, Jareth seized her arm again and pulled her after him.

"Where are you taking me now?" She demanded, not really expecting an answer.

"To an oubliette," replied Jareth hurriedly. "You are to stay there. In the dark. And when you’re ready-or when I decide, whichever comes first-I’ll let you out."

He led Sarah down long, dark corridors, out into hot, dead, overgrown gardens, and through grotesque, slimy pools that reminded Sarah of the Bog of Eternal Stench. And all the while, Sarah was trying to brake free from Jareth’s grip-but he was too strong, and the only result was sore arms.

Finally, as they approached the oubliette, Sarah couldn’t take it anymore.

"Let me go, you rat!" She ordered. Jareth ignored her once again. Sarah took a deep breath. I don’t really expect this to work, she thought, but it’s my only chance. So here goes nothing… "Hoggle! Ludo! Sir Didymus! Help!" She screamed. Jareth stopped turned to face her.

"You’ll find that your friends won’t be able to help you this time." He informed Sarah. A wry smile crossed his face, then turned into a laugh.

"Why not?" Sarah glared at him.

"It so happens that after the party, when they left-"

"How did you know about that party?"

"Didn’t you see that white owl outside your window, sitting a tree branch?"

"You..you..!" Sarah freed herself again and rubbed her arms.

"After they came back to the Underground, I captured them, and and am now holding them prisoner. So, I’d advise you save your breath." He grabbed for her arm again, caught it-despite Sarah’s attempts to run-and pulled her along to the entrance of the black, frightening oubliette.

"No!" Sarah cried as Jareth forced her into the hole.

"It’s the only way to convince you." He sighed and closed the hole door. "Such a pity." Sarah heard him walk away, and in spite of the fact that she couldn’t see, and that she didn’t know what was down here, she laid down on the hard, cold ground.

"It’s not fair." She whispered. "It isn’t." Sarah took a deep breath, turned onto her side, and cried herself to sleep.