Title: Faeries on Her Shoulder

Fandom: Labyrinth

Parts: one

Rating: G

disclaimer: henson owns the movie characters, anything else is mine

Summary: How can there be love if you're fated?

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Sarah Williams didn't know it, but two faeries sat on her shoulder. One

male, one female, they had been with her since she was born, a gift from

the magical forces of olden days that were slowly dwindling in modern

times. She was one of the few people alive to have such a blessing, yet

she was totally ignorant of its benefits or consequences.

      What a pity.

      It wasn't chance that gave her the book, but her two pixie guardians

willed it into her possession. Unfortunately, it was not the right book.

      You see, Krias, the male, was terribly smitten with the young woman

 the tiny babe had eventually blossomed into. Her warm brown eyes, the up-

turned nose, and the expression of naivity that graced her features - he

wanted those for his own - he longed to have the creature he was destined

 to have in his care. And he knew his sister, Zira, the female, would do

as he asked because she loved her dear brother, and in that way she was

just as naive as Sarah.

      So, they called the book - the book they sought to tempt her with so

that she would long for the other world, so she would despise her own.

At night the duo whispered into her welcoming ear about how horrible her

stepmother was, how awful her brother was, and wouldn't it be nice to have

a way to escape, to live with the magic she had been given at birth?

      And she was tempted.

      And she longed.

      And she despised her world,

      Hated her new mother,

      And loathed her new little brother.

      But it was not the mantra to cross to Faerieland that she whispered.

No, it was the age-old incantation of the Goblin King.

      But still, she could have had a happy ending. Didn't you know that?

 Had she asked, the good King Jareth would have returned her brother and

would even have let her dwell there, with him if she so wanted, to quench

 the longings of her soul. But how would she know when the faeries

whispered other things in her ear.

      Instead of "You may have your brother and leave, but take care in

the future," she heard "You have thirteen hours to solve the labyrinth or

your brother will become one of us...forever." Instead of "Let me help

you" she heard "I can be cruel." Instead of "Stay with me...please," she

heard Krias' words, his desires: "Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I

 will be your slave." And as she entered the realm her supposed guardians

 slipped a legendary Fae salve in her eyes to make her see horrid things.

 Yes, there were goblins, but she saw them as dangerous instead of

amusing. Yes, there were obstacles, but to Sarah they were deadly instead

of the adventure of a lifetime. Everything that should have been seen as

welcoming, mystical, and intriguing appeared to her as things that had to

be

avoided, or else.

      And all because she was blessed.

      Because of this blessing she never did find true love. So what if

the Goblin King was her intended, that matters little when your faerie

guardians act by their own selfish desires. So what if Sarah could have

been

 popular - when you have voices whispering in your dreams that they could

 be trouble you hear nothing else. So what if she could have been a

Broadway superstar - she never found a director that those indistinct

voices liked.

      Never mind that she would never meet her guardians, she would never

 know they even existed, she would go through life, separating herself

from everyone because it seemed to be alone was better than to dare, to

try, to feel. She would live alone, die alone, and be buried in a lonely

graveyard, totally unaware of her blessing and her curse.

      All because she had faeries on her shoulder.

The End