Persephone: The Sequel to The Labyrinth

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Sarah hugged her mother. As the two women parted, Helen wiped a tear from Sarah's cheek.

"Are you all right?"

Sarah nodded. "I'm fine. I got one good kick in."

Helen smiled. "That's good." She glanced over at Jareth and Gareth. "I can't believe Morpheus was Gareth, but it sort of makes sense."

Sarah glanced over at them as well. "Being able to control dreams."

Helen nodded. "Yes, but I think Gareth could always do that."

Suddenly four women came into the room. The youngest among them walked over to a man garbed in black.

Sarah leaned closer to her mother. "Who are they?"

"Aphrodite, Persephone, Demeter, and Hebe."

Sarah looked at the group of people before her. "They're all gods?"

"Of course. Oh, wait the only one you've met are Eros and Psyche."

Sarah nodded. "I knew Hades was still around at least when the Underground was created."

"Ah."

Sarah looked at Hades and Persephone. "I can't believe he married his niece."

Helen looked at Sarah. "He didn't. Only Zeus and Poseidon were his siblings."

"But her father was Zeus."

"No, he wasn't. I really know who it is. Sarah, not all of the myths got it right."

Sarah glanced over at Jareth. He and his father seemed to be watching her and her mother.

Helen sighed. "We'll have to push the wedding back. You will not be able to marry the High King without a great celebration."

Sarah turned back to her mother. "He's not the High King yet."

"He will be."

"I know."

Sarah watched as Hades walked over to Jareth and Gareth. He turned to the others in the room. "I take it, Gareth, you do not wish to be the High King."

"My reign has already ended."

Hades flicked his wrist and a crown appeared. "Then I crown you, Jareth, Goblin King, King of the Underground." He placed the crown of gold on Jareth's head.

Jareth looked over at Sarah. "I refuse to be called the High King."

Gareth nodded. "Achilles came up with the name. I was only called the Goblin King."

"Then I shall follow suit."

The gods and goddesses nodded. Sarah glanced around her. "Do you plan to move here? This place doesn't seem right."

Jareth nodded. "I didn't plan on moving, Sarah."

Helen glanced at the others. "I don't know about you, but I really want to get out of here."

The others agreed. Hades waved his hand and transported everyone back to the Castle Beyond The Goblin City.

Sarah stood near the doors of the massive throne room. Jareth sat in his throne, which had been transported from the small one. She watched as his grandparents greeted him. Suddenly she felt alone. She really missed Toby. She really wanted him here with her. Sarah had no idea how bad Irene was making his life. What was she telling him about why Sarah wasn't there or answering her phone?

Sarah glanced out the windows at the Goblin City. So much had happened. Now Jareth was King of the entire Underground. She was far as she knew she was a nobody. The only thing she had going for her was she had defeated the Labyrinth. There was no real reason for Jareth to marry her not even that night, but she would not leave the Underground. She would bring Toby here. There had to be somewhere she could live. If she was pregnant, well then she would deal with that on her own. Of course there was the chance everyone would know who its father was, but she would do it on her own, without him. He needed a real queen and she just wasn't one. So she would go alone.

XOXOX

Slowly the gods left till only Eros, Psyche, Gareth, and Helen remained. Eros and Gareth had gone off somewhere as had Psyche and Helen. Only he and Sarah remained in the throne room. She hadn't said anything to him since she had asked if he would be moving to Achilles' castle. She hadn't even come near him since he had appeared in the throne room and had protected her from Melanion.

Jareth stood up and walked to Sarah, who was still looking out the windows. He stood beside her and gentle took hold of her hand. "Sarah."

She turned her head and looked at him. "We need to talk, Jareth."

He looked at her worried. "Sarah, what's wrong?"

"I can't do it."

"Do what?"

Tears began to fall from Sarah's eyes. "I can't marry you. It isn't I don't want to, but…"

"But why, Sarah?" He wiped a tear from her cheek. "Is it because I'm now the King of everything?" He couldn't understand why she would not want to marry him. She had called for him. She had.., well only she could answer. "Sarah, I'm still the same person."

She snuffed. "I know, but I'm a nobody." Sarah turned her face from him.

Jareth gently turned her face back to him and wiped another tear away. "Sarah, you are not a nobody. You are the woman I love and the only one I want to rule beside me."

"But…"

"Sarah, you are a very important person. You hold my heart and you are the Lady of the Labyrinth."

"What's that?"

"You are the only being to ever solve the Labyrinth. It has a soul of a sort. It has given you the power to control it." He gently pulled her closer. "You are, after me, the most powerful person in the Underground. Besides everyone loves you." He smiled. "All we had to do was say you were in trouble and people came running to our aid." He looked into her eyes. "Sarah, I can't go on without you."

Sarah looked up at him. "I still don't feel worthy."

"Precious, I'm the one who's not worthy." He raised the hand he still held and kissed it. "It took me a long time to realize just how much you mean to me." He grinned at her. "Will you have me, Sarah, with all my faults?"

Sarah smiled. "Only if you bring my brother here."

Jareth smiled in return. "I was already planning to do that, but I think you'll have to come with me. He won't know who I am."

Sarah nodded. "When do we leave?"

"How about now?"

Jareth and Sarah disappeared and reappeared in a darkened bedroom. Sarah walked over to the small bed and gently began to wake the little boy.

Toby slowly woke up. When he realized whom the person that was waking him up was, he yelped. "Sarah!"

Sarah whispered. "Shh, Toby."

Toby followed his sister's example. "Where have you been? Mom wasn't happy that when we got here you weren't here."

"I'm sorry about that. Toby, would you like to come live with me?"

"Yes." He thought for a moment. "Can I bring Lancelot?"

"Of course, but Toby, if you come with me you can't come back and see your parents."

The little boy looked around the room. Nothing was his. They only thing that was really his was Lancelot. "That's fine. You're the only one who listen or cares about me." Toby climbed out of the bed holding onto Lancelot. He moved towards his sister. He then noticed the man standing in his room. "Who are you?"

Sarah knelt down beside him. "Toby, this is Jareth. He's a …"

Jareth moved forward. "A friend."

Toby looked up at him. "Hi."

"Hello." Jareth looked at Sarah. "Are we finished?"

Sarah sighed and stood up. "I think so."

Jareth nodded. "Toby, take your sister's hand."

Toby did as he was told and looked up at his sister. "Sarah, where are we going?"

Sarah looked at Jareth. "Home, Toby. We're going home."