Labyrinth: Saving the Fallen City

A Promise Kept

 "Won't this take a long time?" I asked Jareth as we walked down the corridors after he made the announcement. Jareth looked at me and flashed a smile. We came to a room in the dead center of his castle and he turned to me. "This is where we will travel fast to the other kingdoms. I need to speak to someone first though. This will only take a moment. Don't touch anything" He warned. "What?" I asked incredulously. He gave me a look and I smiled sweetly. With a sigh he walked away leaving me to the room in front of me. My fingers itched to open the door.

               I finally resorted to tracing the door with my finger. A grunt sounded behind me and I faced it. Jareth's smirking gaze met mine. "I didn't open the door!" I said making him laugh. He held a crystal in his hands and he twirled it in his hands. I watched mesmerized and he walked past me. He opened the door and walked in the dark room. I watched as the crystal glow. Jareth tossed it in the air and it illuminated the darkness. He held a hand out to me and I took it allowing him to pull me into the room.

               It was quiet small, only allowing about four people to be able to fit in it comfortably. The walls had three different doors that looked like mirrors. Jareth looked at each in confusion for a moment but then pointed to the one on my left.  "That one" He muttered putting his hands on my hips and pushing towards the door. I put my hands up to protect myself from impact, but instead of hitting the door, I went through it.

                I gasped when I stumbled onto sand and Jareth bumped into me. We stumbled to the cracked wall and laughed at our clumsiness. The laughter soon stopped when a Sand Dweller walked around the corner and stiffened. We straightened out our appearance and Jareth approached the shocked Sand Dweller. "I am here to speak to your king Hedian" He spoke clearly. The Sand Dweller looked terrified as he nodded quickly and raced off with us trailing behind.

               We came to Hedian's door and we walked through the rushing water without a single drop on us. "He is in his throne room" The guard muttered and we walked with him down the hall I remembered in a blur. We approached the throne room and I suddenly became very nervous. "It's Hedian, you'll be fine" Jareth reassured. I nodded weakly, but the nerves were still there. The guard knocked on the door, making me jump, and the doors were opened.

               Hedian was in deep conversation with a leader in his army. He didn't look up to us at first but Jareth quickly fixed that. "Ignoring your own brother...Even when he brings great news!" Jareth complained. Hedian looked up quickly and embraced Jareth in a competitive brotherly manner. Jareth and Hedian shared a few words quietly before Jareth stepped out of the way to let Hedian see me.

               At first he just stared like he'd never met me before, then his face was covered in shock. "Is she..." He said looking to Jareth stunned. "Meet my soon to be wife, Sarah Williams" Jareth said proudly. "This is great news!" Hedian said running towards me and picking me up in a bear hug and swinging me around. I laughed at his enthusiasm and he kissed me on the cheek. "Welcome to the family" He said returning to Jareth to pat him on the back.

               "When is the wedding?" Hedian asked eagerly. "We will travel to the High Kingdom and have the wedding there. The date is uncertain. I'm afraid we will have to take our leave now though" Jareth explained. Hedian frowned but nodded. "I understand. I would come with you, but my people need me for the immense damage done to the kingdom. Inform me immediately when the wedding is!" Hedian said. Jareth smiled and Hedian gave us both one last hug before showing us the quickest way to Sina's Kingdom. "Oh! And I expect you to be back here with more announcements soon. I need to be the first to hear!" Hedian said smiling. "What?" I asked confused. "I do want to be an uncle sometime!" He cried. My face grew extremely red and Jareth laughed with his brother and continued to push me through a door.