Christmas Time is Here Epilogue

Love is the irresistible desire to be desired irresistibly- Robert Frost

Epilogue

“I believe you’ve set a new record, Love,” Jareth said as he leaned his head back over the arm of his throne to look at her as she walked through the door.

“Aren’t you supposed to sit straight in that thing so that you can greet your Champion properly?” Sarah asked as she made her way towards her king. Leaning down over his head, she gave Jareth a kiss before moving around to sit beside him on the edge of the seat.

“Now really, Precious, you know me better than that. I refuse to be uncomfortable if I’m going to have to sit still all day.”

“You’ll have to get used to it once your parents step down,” Sarah warned.

“Yes, well, that won’t be for a long time yet,” He said as he waved his hand in dismissal.

The two sat in contented silence as Sarah leaned over so Jareth could wrap his arms around her as he slid over to give Sarah more room. They sat snuggling as they thought over the events of the past two years. After Sarah’s rather interesting reunion with her mother, Mab had insisted that Sarah come stay with her for a little while so they could make up for a little bit of lost time. Sarah conceded that she would but only for two weeks as she needed to be back to help Jareth after that. Jareth wasn’t happy that Sarah was leaving but she said it would make it easier for him to prepare for the children.

Mab had very nearly frozen Jareth where he stood when she heard this until Sarah managed to make her understand that she wasn’t pregnant. Her mother had then asked why he would need two weeks to prepare for children in his castle while giving her that look that always made her confess to any wrongdoings when she was younger. Sarah spilled her guts to her mother and when she’d finished, she waited for her mother’s temper to show itself but Mab had just laughed and begged them to let her help. They accepted whatever aid she wanted to give them gladly.

However, something rather interesting happened when she went to stay with her mother. When Sarah got to the Castle in the Winter Lands, Mab had a servant show her to her rooms while Mab went to do some paperwork she had been neglecting. As Sarah followed the maid and turned a corner, though, she came face to face with a Sidhe lord and lady but as Sarah was about to pass them by, she realized exactly who they were; it was Jane from the bakery and the man from the antique shop. To say she was surprised was an understatement but it was nothing to the way they looked. The two had obviously not expected to see her there.

Sarah had immediately gone to her mother to confront her and Mab actually blushed when she realized what had happened. She explained to Sarah that after she was forced to come back Underground, that she sent a Sidhe couple from her court, a couple she trusted, Aboveground to look after Sarah. Mab said the reason why her temper was so short Christmas Eve and Christmas Day was because they’d come and told her that Sarah had disappeared and they couldn’t find any trace of her. Sarah apologized profusely but Mab waved it off and told Sarah that there was no harm done but she did mention that Jane and her mate, Dom, had been very worried about her. She excused her self from her mother after that, and ended up spending the rest of the day with her two babysitters.

During Sarah’s stay, her mother started training her to keep her blossoming powers under control as they were beginning to become a problem. Sarah explained about her strong intuition and knowing things she shouldn’t to Mab but Mab had nodded and informed her that she got those from her. Her mother also taught Sarah to meditate so Sarah could control what information came to her. Two weeks later, after spending time with her mother in the Winter Lands and meeting as many people there as she could, they came back just in time to help Jareth put the finishing touches in place for their plans. Lords Dagon and Roald were already there and waiting for the fun to begin. Both had looked a little surprised at Mab’s presence but Lizzie quickly explained to them the circumstances as Sarah greeted Jareth. After that, the two kings were just as eager at having her help as the rest of them.

It wasn’t long before the first of the calls began to come and the goblins went into action. They were eager to have something to do after such a long period between wished aways. Sarah had decided that to give this event greater impact, the children should wish themselves away in front of their parents. Dagon had made the comment that this was a strange form of protest. The first children to appear were Jareth’s four siblings and two nieces. Next was Isabelle’s little brother and it just kept going from there.

All told, there were around sixty children of varying ages once everyone had wished themselves away and the adults had looked at the number with dismay. They hadn’t thought there would be this many. It had taken them a little while to get used to all the kids being underfoot but they finally managed to get into the rhythm of things. Jareth knew he was going to miss them after having them here for so long but he was also a little relieved they would be gone as it would be quiet again and give him more time with Sarah.

Link had informed them that children from “good” families had also wished themselves away to make sure the lesson Jareth and Sarah were trying to teach reached everyone. Jareth just shrugged helplessly and ordered more rooms made up for the extra thirty or so children that had unexpectedly appeared. It wasn’t long after they had gotten everyone settled that the first letters began to come in protesting what had happened.

This was where Dagon and Roald stepped in and took over; writing letters in answer and beginning to start negotiations with the parents to get their children back. They also outlined any and all abuse they felt that the children had suffered. It had taken two years of negotiations, and Mab revealing she supported them, before the trial to get the children that had wished themselves away back. All told there had been six challengers, including Sarah, but Sarah had had the most number of people relying on her by far.

Titania and Oberon were her biggest supporters and Sarah had to admit that she’d been determined to do her best because of them. Sarah spent about as much time with Titania as she had with Mab in the past couple years as she’d been determined to try to figure out why Jareth’s mother had pushed him so hard in trying to find a mate. Titania had admitted that while wanting grandchildren was a factor, she’d actually done what she had out of worry for Jareth. There was quite a gap between Jareth and Jus so Jareth had been just a few years from being fully grown by the time his little brother was born. After Jus was born, Jareth took it upon himself to take care of him while his parents were busy and he had done so for every child his parents had after that. Titania had watched her son give up his own youth in favor of his younger siblings. She said that one time, a young lady had shown interest in trying to get to know him better and he’d told her he was too busy.

Jareth’s mother informed Sarah that it was a common misunderstanding that everyone seemed to carry, that said the reason why they’d made Jareth the Goblin King was because he’d been too idle but the truth was that they’d wanted him to actually enjoy being young.
Unfortunately, their plan backfired when they got there to coronate him and they saw exactly how badly the Goblin Kingdom had been neglected and they realized that with Jareth’s sense of responsibility, he would make sure to get this Kingdom back in shape no matter how long it took. In addition to taking care of his new kingdom, her son also made time to see his younger siblings which gave him very little free time. Titania admitted that by forbidding him to see them, which probably wasn’t the best way to go about getting him to do what they wanted, that he’d use that time to rest but that plan didn’t work either.

The Queen then figured that if he was going to take on all of this responsibility, then he might as well have a partner to help him. So Titania had started searching for someone that would be good for Jareth but by this time the whole business with Jus and Soren and all the other children of the Underground that had been wished away was taking place.
Titania admitted that everything had just gone downhill from there and Sarah could very well believe her. Jareth’s parents had only wanted him to enjoy his youth but they’d gone about it the wrong way.

Another group of people Sarah spent a lot of time with were her friends that she’d made the first time she came to the Labyrinth. However, Sarah hadn’t forgotten that they’d been keeping stuff about Jareth from her so she made sure to give them a talking to.
Hoggle, Didymus, and Ludo were all very sorry and they begged her to forgive them and, of course, she did; though, she made them promise never to keep stuff like that from her again. Sir Didymus informed her that they were afraid of what would happen if they’d told her because the king had been coming to ask about her. Sarah was surprised by this as no one had told her.

She promptly made them tell her exactly what had happened that night after the party and what condition Jareth was in the next few years. Hoggle was firmly against her knowing so Didymus was the one who painted the picture of what those years had been like for their king. Sarah had thanked him when he finished and gone to her room and cried for hours. Rin had gotten so worried about her that she’d made Jareth come and check on her. Sarah had apologized over and over for having hurt him but he just waved them away and said that some of the blame was partially his. He’d known better than to propose so early but he did it anyways. The two spent the next couple hours talking and straitening out their misunderstandings and regrets until they were satisfied they held no more secrets from the other.

“Tell me, Sarah,” Jareth said after an hour of quiet, “How did you make it here so quickly?”

“I turned left instead of right,” She said smugly and Jareth groaned.

Each challenger had been put at different entry points on the Labyrinth and given their thirteen hours. They were also forbidden to use any magic to help them through their trial. Sarah had entered at the same place she had last time and, on a whim, went to say hello to the little blue worm she’d met during her first run. They had talked a few minutes before she asked him what would happen if she went left instead of right this time and he’d told her it would take her straight to the castle. Sarah didn’t argue but proceeded down the path. Jareth groaned again when Sarah told him this.

“It was rather boring this time around, Jareth, there weren’t any turns off the path or monsters or anything,” Sarah pouted. She’d wanted a challenge!

“Well maybe you’ll have to run it again sometime but you found one of the Shortcuts, Precious,” Jareth said. He was pouting a little but shook it off and summoned a couple of peaches, “Want one?”

“Thanks,” Sarah said as she took one of the fruits and took a big bite. She was hungry.
In the last two years of living with Jareth and his love for this particular fruit, she’d eventually started liking them again, “What are those?”

“They’re just what their name suggests. These passages lead straight through the Labyrinth without any interference from outside influences,” Jareth explained as he took a bite of his own peach, “the only way to get into one of these is through their entrances and until they’re found and used they stay in one place but if someone finds one, and uses it to get to the castle, then they move. There’s no telling where it will go next and not even I know how many there are since Rin won’t tell me.”

Not even the king is privy to all my secrets.

“They’re also only present during a runner’s challenge,” He sniffed, “If an invader were actually able to make it inside the Labyrinth, then it would be very inconvenient if they were to find one.”

Sarah laughed at Jareth’s expression but she was a little miffed that her shortcut wasn’t going to be there when she got back. On the other hand, that just made things more challenging. She also approved of them being there only temporarily.

“So how are the others doing?” She asked out of a deep satisfaction at having proven their snide comments wrong. Sarah wanted to know how badly she’d beaten them.

Jareth sat up and produced a crystal, “Well Temm and Lain are still trying to find their way in.”

Sarah shook her head at that. She didn’t know what the ones backing them had been thinking by choosing those two as they were complete idiots.

“Hoggle’s just led Tekka back to the beginning…again,” Jareth said in satisfaction. This was the one his two sisters were backing and he was happy to see she was just as stupid as they were. It looked like, with only three hours left, he was going to be raising his two nieces. Sarah just shook her head again. Really. What had they been thinking?
“Kip is in the stone maze and Caroline is in an oubliette. Hoggle hasn’t been able to get to her because he’s had to deal with that other girl. How many are we going to have under our care?” He asked looking at Sarah.

“Twenty-one,” Sarah said in disgust but there was a sad note to her voice. She had learned to greatly dislike those children’s parents over the last two years, “That’s without counting Lizzie and Soren’s twins, Curren and Lilah, but their parents will be looking after them so I guess they don’t count anyways. How are we going to look after that many?”

Jareth laughed, “I know it may not look it, Precious Thing, but I do have other subjects besides the ones you’ve seen. There is a part of the Labyrinth that is not open to runners where a settlement made up of the children who were wished away live. Quite a few didn’t want to leave after they were grown so I created a village where they could live. They’ve agreed to take in these children and look after them until they’re old enough to be presented at court. But my nieces will be staying here with us and I will raise them as I did Soren.”

“You mean ‘we’,” Sarah said, “Which reminds me, you still haven’t proposed yet.”

“Yes well we have been a little busy these last two years,” Jareth laughed as he gave her a lingering kiss.

Sarah pulled back and Jareth groaned as Toby came running through the doors. After everything had calmed down, somewhat, Sarah had gone back to her home in the Aboveground to talk to her parents. She’d had a hard time convincing them it was the truth until Toby had piped up that he remembered everything and he would really like to see Jareth again. Her parents had still been skeptical until she’d called Nip out and then they’d had to wait for Karen to wake up until they could continue their conversation.

Her parents had finally agreed to let her take Toby back with her but they were going to stay where they were for a few more years before they made the trip themselves. Sarah hadn’t yet told her dad that Sarah’s mother was alive or that she was half Sidhe herself.
Jareth had supported her in this. When they got to the castle, Toby had turned to Sarah and said he thought her mother was dead as soon as he caught sight of Mab. After Sarah informed him of the situation, he’d thought about it for a second before nodding. The next thing she knew, Toby was in front of her mother and lecturing her on how what she’d done was wrong and how much she’d hurt his sister. Mab had liked him immediately.

“Mama Mab says that you two had better be separated by the time she gets in here,” The thirteen year old laughed.

Sarah was up and standing a good foot away from the throne before Jareth could blink but he didn’t really blame her. Mab had apparently adopted a very old fashioned view when she was in the Above; either that or she just took perverse pleasure in denying him contact with her daughter. Jareth suspected it was the latter. Though, it could also be punishment for the peach he’d given Sarah during her run. Said person walked in and Sarah ran to give her mother a big hug.

“Mama!”

“Sarah,” Mab laughed, “How long did it take you this time?”

“Nine hours,” Sarah said smugly.

Mab raised an eyebrow at Jareth and he just shrugged, “She found a Shortcut.”

“Ah,” Mab said in understanding, “Well is anyone else even close?”

“Not even,” Sarah answered.

“Well there’s only a little while left. You might want to get everyone ready.”

“Mama could you get all the kids outside and lined up?”

Mab nodded before kissing her daughter on the forehead, tickling her, and then quickly running before Sarah could retaliate.

“Come on Toby!” She called over her shoulder. Toby ran out of the room after her to the sound of Sarah’s laughter.

Sarah felt Jareth slip his arms around her waist and kiss her neck. She leaned back into his chest in quiet contentment but he pulled away and she turned to find him on one knee. Her mouth opened in shock as tears pricked her eyes and he took her hands in his.

“You’ve beaten me again, Precious,” Jareth said as he kissed her palms, “I think it’s time I made this offer properly,” He traced his fingers over her hands as he looked up at her, “Sarah, you’ve held my heart for far longer than you are aware and while I admit I should have waited to propose that first time, I was elated, as well as miffed, that you had beaten the Labyrinth and I knew that you were truly more than I could have ever hoped for. I had given up hope on ever finding anyone but then I met you and my world changed.
Your coming here the first time did indeed turn my world upside down but I was happy that I could finally show you my home. Your rejection of me told me that I had been foolish in expecting a favorable answer from you after all that had already happened. I thought I would die without you there, I almost did, but my father shone a light in my world and gave me hope again and so I waited for the right opportunity to go to you again.”

“That opportunity finally presented itself again two years ago when I desperately needed a date for the Christmas Ball and you fulfilled everything I could have ever hoped for when you said yes to accompanying me. These last two years have been years of utter bliss since you’ve been here with me; even with sixty odd children running about. The only thing that could make any of this better would be if you were mine and we added children of our own to those running our halls. Would you, Sarah Williams, do me the honor of becoming my wife and telling me that my love is returned?”

Sarah stood there the whole time he spoke with tears running down her face as she listened. When he finished she couldn’t seem to find any words so all she could do was nod. Jareth grinned up at her but there was a playful look in his eyes that gave her pause.

“I believe the letter you wrote me two years ago said you would give me a verbal answer,” He said cheekily.

Sarah threw her head back and laughed.

“Yes,” she said softly, “Yes,” Sarah repeated a little louder, “A thousand times yes!”

Jareth stood and picked her up as he spun her around before giving her a lingering kiss. Stepping back, he handed her a crystal which disappeared to reveal a beautifully simple silver ring. Intricate Celtic knots made up the band with diamonds interspersed here and there. A small owl in flight flew along the top of the band, carrying a crystal in its claws. Jareth slipped the band on her finger and she looked at it in wonder before gazing at him. Sarah held her hand up to show him the ring on her finger before throwing herself into his arms and hugging him.

“Finally!” Mab said as she came through the door. Jareth and Sarah just looked at her with identical grins as they held each other, “The children are all gathered, by the way. You should probably make your way out there as the clock is about to chime.”

Jareth looked down at his betrothed and smiled, “Don’t forget you have an announcement to make as well, Mab.”

“I know. I know. Now hurry up!” She said; exasperated.

Jareth nodded and then took Sarah’s arm, before leading them out to the front of the castle to meet their fates as the clock began to chime thirteen. Somewhere, three women were fanning themselves as they calmed down from celebrating. Those two had finally gotten together and it was about damn time.

00000000000000000000 2nd Ending 0000000000000000000

Sarah felt Jareth slip his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. She leaned back into his chest in quiet contentment as his arms tightened around her waist to hold her in place; as if he were afraid she would disappear on him. Jareth sighed as he stepped back and took Sarah’s hand.

“Let’s get going, Precious,” He said tiredly, “I want to get this over and done with.”

Sarah nodded as they made there way to the front of the castle to wait for the clock to chime thirteen. They stepped out onto the front steps to find all the children lined up to the right of the courtyard while all the parents were lined up on the other. Sarah could see the High King and Queen among them. Titania and Oberon were very upset at the whole situation but had willingly listened as Dagon and Roald listed all the things wrong that they’d noted about the children. Sarah didn’t know where Jus was, currently, but she knew it was unpleasant wherever it was.

She spotted Lizzie and Soren at the top of the steps to their left; each holding a squirming one and a half year old. Curren and Lilah wanted down so they could go see their Aunt Sarah but their parents held them fast as this was important. Lizzie whispered that they could go see her after they were done here and the twins calmed down for the time being. The clock began to chime and the other runners suddenly appeared in the middle of the courtyard in front of them. They all looked the worse for the wear and they each had a sullen expression on their faces as they looked up at the Goblin King.
“You have failed the trial,” Jareth announced in a loud voice, “Sarah Williams is the only one to complete the trial. Again. In nine hours this time,” he grumbled, “The children of the ones you represented are forfeit to the Goblin Kingdom and shall become one of us. However, before this goes any further, I have something I need to do.”

Sarah wasn’t the only one who was confused and she turned to ask him what he was talking about to find him on one knee beside her. Her mouth opened in shock as most everyone in the courtyard gasped. Titania, Mab, Oberon, Soren, and Lizzie just smirked. He’d been planning this with them for weeks now and it was about time, too! But that didn’t mean the three women weren’t crying as they watched the display. Oberon and Soren just puffed up proudly as they watched Jareth propose.

“You’ve beaten me again, Precious,” Jareth said as he kissed her palms, “I think it’s time I made this offer properly,” He traced his fingers over her hands as he looked up at her, “Sarah, you’ve held my heart for far longer than you are aware and while I admit I should have waited to propose that first time, I was elated, as well as miffed, that you had beaten the Labyrinth and I knew that you were truly more than I could have ever hoped for. I had given up hope on ever finding anyone but then I met you and my world changed. Your coming here the first time, did indeed turn my world upside down but I was happy that I could finally show you my world. Your rejection of me told me that I had been foolish in expecting a favorable answer from you after all that had already happened. I thought I would die without you there, I almost did, but my father shone a light in my world and gave me hope again and so I waited for the right opportunity to go to you again.”

“That opportunity finally presented itself again two years ago when I desperately needed a date for the Christmas Ball and you fulfilled everything I could have ever hoped for when you said yes to accompanying me. These last two years have been years of utter bliss since you’ve been here with me; even with sixty odd children running about. The only thing that could make any of this better would be if you were mine and we added children of our own to those running our halls. Would you, Sarah Williams, do me the honor of becoming my wife and telling me that my love is returned?”

Sarah stood there the whole time he spoke with tears running down her face as she listened. When he finished she couldn’t seem to find any words so all she could do was nod. Jareth grinned up at her but there was a playful look in his eyes that gave her pause.

“I believe the letter you wrote me two years ago said you would give me a verbal answer,” He said cheekily.

Sarah threw her head back and laughed.

“Yes,” she said softly, “Yes,” Sarah repeated a little louder, “A thousand times yes!”

Jareth stood and picked her up as he spun her around before giving her a lingering kiss.
Stepping back, he handed her a crystal which disappeared to reveal a beautifully simple silver ring. Intricate Celtiic knots made up the band with diamonds interspersed here and there. A small owl in flight flew along the top of the band, carrying a crystal in its claws. Jareth slipped the band on her finger and she looked at it in wonder before gazing at him. Sarah held her hand up to show him the ring on her finger before throwing herself into his arms and hugging him. A great cheer went up from most everyone with the added calls from Jareth’s subjects. Sarah turned to see Hoggle, Orca, Ludo, and Didymus cheering and clapping over to one side and she smiled at them through her tears.

“Before we begin truly celebrating,” Dagon roared through the noise; which promptly had everyone quiet, “We need to sort out these children-”

“But first I have an announcement to make,” Mab interrupted and the courtyard was suddenly silent as they waited for what she had to say, “About thirty years ago, most of you know I went to the Aboveground for what was supposed to be a short excursion; however, I fell in love with a human there,” gasps went through the gathered crowd, “and I had a child with him. A beautiful little girl that we named Sarah and who, at ten years old, I was forced to leave behind when I came back here. Sarah Williams, Champion, and Lady, of the Labyrinth is my daughter and heir to the Winter Lands.”

Sarah laughed at the dumbfounded expressions on everyone’s faces and Toby snorted in amusement that they hadn’t noticed like he had. Dagon finally recovered and began directing what children stayed, and the families they would be staying with, while telling their parents to clear out; which they promptly did. Everyone else filed into the castle for the feast in honor of Jareth and Sarah’s betrothal. The couple waited for everyone else to make their way inside before following after. Kissing one more time they made their way towards their destiny and forever.

Somewhere, three women were fanning themselves as they calmed down from celebrating. Those two had finally gotten together and it was about damn time.