Categories > Movies > Labyrinth > 3,564 Clappers Later
Crystal Moon, Diamond Sun
Sarah speaks:
It’s about midnight. I’ve gone down to the castle garden to sit and enjoy the night air and the nocturnal blooming flowers Jareth had originally had planted there for his pleasure. I just happened to wake up: he always sneaks out of bed in the middle of the night to do laps around the castle in his totem form. I would’ve never thought it when I met him but he really is a creature of habit, it’s sort of funny. There he goes now, and around the bend - white as a ghost in the moonlight, dead silent. I still haven’t gotten used to our view of the moon: it’s about the size of a harvest moon on earth, only much brighter and clearer with a blue sort of haze, like you might see in winter. Only it’s summer here. It gets a little colder part of the year but I’ve never seen snow or ice. At least I’m somewhere temperate for eternity. Well, not quite eternity, but it might as well be.
I have no regrets. Alright, that’s a lie, I have one. I could never tell Toby where I was going. I left him as many clues as I dared. Maybe he’ll put it all together someday. The one person who did know died many years ago and took her secret to the grave. It still seems strange to me that she’s gone when I haven’t aged at all. I’ve outlived most of my family by now. I thought of bringing some of them here but, in all seriousness, I think they’d rather be where they are. Not many people could handle this life. It isn’t human. I’m no longer human, and it gives me a much broader scope in a way, a way forward. We did finally agree: we’re going to bring my little brother here at the end of his life and extend his health by about fifty years. A very warm welcome awaits him, even from the goblins. The Babe is finally coming home.
Time passes differently here; it’s almost impossible to accurately describe what it’s like unless you’ve felt it yourself. It ebbs and flows almost like an irregular tide and sometimes it’s still easy for me to lose track. Or it might just be a part of what I am now. I’m not really sure.
I don’t see the owl anymore; he must be finished. As intoxicating as the flowers are out here I should probably go turn in, too.
No. I’m going to the library to write. This account needs to be preserved and I’m suddenly in the mood to do so.
I pass back through the stone-arched door and produce a small flame in my hand; I don’t share Jareth’s night vision. In spite of the ordinance he made when I got here against civilian goblins in the castle at night, a handful of his subjects still sleep in the halls and I’m careful not to wake them. As much as the matter irritates my husband, I can’t find it in my heart to blame them: this was their home first. Ah, the library. I open the door as quietly as possible and slip inside, closing it with a very faint click. With a flick of my wrist all the candles are lit and I go for the parchment and ink. These small magics are as automatic now as flipping a light-switch in my old life. There’s a comfy velvet couch toward the back of the room and, parking my accumulated writing supplies with a small lap desk, I settle in. I don’t often stay up all night but this deserves it and we’ve nowhere go tomorrow. I dip my pen. Let’s see…
“I suppose it all began…”
No, that’s not right at all; that part’s in the history books.
laughter
That’s it.
“Jareth Ravensong crash-landed back into my life on June 15th of the earth year 2007, Common Era …”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jareth speaks:
It has been an age since I bonded Sarah to myself and, to be frank, it hasn’t always been an easy ride but we both knew it would be so. She seems to relate better in her exalted state but sometimes her humanness is still puzzling to me and causes periodic complications and rifts from what turns out to invariably be a simple case of misunderstanding. And I do not forget that she has her hands full with me, as well as our empire, if one could call such a ruckus chaos one. I had been a bachelor for far too long but she seemed to sense this right away and we have both learned how to accommodate each other for the most part. Her temper aside, I have no complaints. She is an excellent queen and mate.
Speaking of mating, the energy bond between us is a curious thing. I knew it would affect her up to a specific degree but had had no idea that it would affect me also. I often sense her feelings when she is not present without any attempt at communication and she claims to experience something similar, although she was a lot less ecstatic about that particular nuance than I was. She has adapted beautifully to life here, but there remain certain things which are simply alien to her nature and most likely always will be. Unbeknownst to my dear wife, I have had to learn how to shield my thoughts so that she does not feel overwhelmed by the constant flow of information. I’m rather sorry to admit the reverse situation has helped me to understand her better.
As forewarned, she feels when I am physically far removed but that effect also is mutual. As a result, we travel together as often as my situation allows when I must go abroad in the other kingdoms. And - thankfully for her sake - there have been no true wishers since; that ridiculous movie they made garbled the incantation and I don’t have to answer when people say it incorrectly. I think that phase of my life may finally be over but perhaps it’s still too early to say.
I know my Sarah often wakes up when I go do my nightly laps around the castle in my totem form. I think she subconsciously feels my absence but it can’t be helped; my body literally won’t let me sleep without indulging this instinct around 12:00 A.M. Occasionally she just waits up for me or attends to her own body - it’s a short flight. More often she comes and watches and I feels her amusement from far below in the garden. Such was the case tonight.
I retransformed into my power state, grateful that I can once again do this simple act at will and, feeling greatly refreshed, transported back to our quarters. To my surprise, she isn’t back. No lights on. Bathroom empty. As gratifying as it would be to see where she is, I will refrain from forming a crystal. We made a pact many years ago not to spy on each other save in times of great emergency. I sense that she’s working on something calmly; at least she’s not in trouble. Probably in the library. It wouldn’t be the first time she’s retreated there so as not to disturb me whether working or resting. Thank the gods there’s somewhere in this rathole of a fortress that feels like home to her. I try not to needlessly worry as I close my eyes. She’s alright.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sarah’s right hand ached and was stained with black ink; she had been writing for hours and was finally nearing the present. She yawned and stretched her hands and arms, extinguishing the torches along the walls. The lamp next to her would suffice; the trailers of a red dawn were approaching over the horizon and the high medieval windows along the outer wall were beginning to let in sufficient natural light. She shook her head slightly to try and wake up, desperately missing coffee, and dipped her quill again.
“Of course, there is one last little thing - very, very little at present. I haven’t said anything to Jareth in fear of getting his hopes up over nothing but-”
She was interrupted by a hot, open-mouthed kiss on the right side of her neck.
“Good morning,” her husband purred deeply in her ear. “And what were we up to in the small hours of the night when you should be snuggling with me, hmm? It looks like you were struck with a fit of writing from the muse Clio - that’s a whole ream of paper!”
“It’s all about us. My memory is a lot better now but I realized the other day that I was having trouble remembering some things and I didn’t want to forget this.”
“I see,” he smiled, wrapping his arms about her from behind, kissing her head. It was then that he finally noticed what was on the page he had interrupted and froze. When he spoke again his voice was trembling. “Does that mean what I think it means? After all these years?”
Sarah turned to face him with quietly beaming hope. “I just missed a second cycle.”
Without another word, Jareth scooped her up under her arms from out of the lap desk and turned her around. She gave a little yell of surprise as he spun with her in his arms about the floor, laughing in triumph, holding her high. He abruptly stopped, carefully putting her down on her feet again, and knelt before her, putting an ear to her stomach. Sarah laughed.
“Jareth, it’s barely two months old! You’re not going to be able to notice it like that yet!”
He continued unperturbed until he found what he was looking for: a small spark of life within the larger one. He was still miniscule, barely a lump of organic matter, but alive and strong and growing. Jareth blinked. Him. He looked up at Sarah with such love.
“We have a healthy son.” He hugged her abdomen where he knelt, silently crying into her dress as she stroked his hair, fondling his neck and shoulders. He came up bright-eyed and kissed her for a long time before suddenly noticing the dawn. Sarah felt her own totem stirring and sighed.
“I can’t fly or do any more magic until he’s delivered, right?”
“I would advise against transporting until you have him but metamorphosis can’t hurt him for a couple more weeks; he’s still small enough. Go enjoy your flights while you can. I’ll get my lute. My son deserves a new song.”
He kissed her once more and Sarah was off like a flash, all her tiredness forgotten, racing up the stairs to the parapets.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Lord of the Labyrinth sat out on the ledge of a glassless window in a tower, serenading the lone falcon soaring high above the castle, calling out to the sun of a new day.
THE END
________________________________________________________________________
Exit Music: ‘Apollo’ (Drop Black Sky, Sticks and Shadows)
Sarah speaks:
It’s about midnight. I’ve gone down to the castle garden to sit and enjoy the night air and the nocturnal blooming flowers Jareth had originally had planted there for his pleasure. I just happened to wake up: he always sneaks out of bed in the middle of the night to do laps around the castle in his totem form. I would’ve never thought it when I met him but he really is a creature of habit, it’s sort of funny. There he goes now, and around the bend - white as a ghost in the moonlight, dead silent. I still haven’t gotten used to our view of the moon: it’s about the size of a harvest moon on earth, only much brighter and clearer with a blue sort of haze, like you might see in winter. Only it’s summer here. It gets a little colder part of the year but I’ve never seen snow or ice. At least I’m somewhere temperate for eternity. Well, not quite eternity, but it might as well be.
I have no regrets. Alright, that’s a lie, I have one. I could never tell Toby where I was going. I left him as many clues as I dared. Maybe he’ll put it all together someday. The one person who did know died many years ago and took her secret to the grave. It still seems strange to me that she’s gone when I haven’t aged at all. I’ve outlived most of my family by now. I thought of bringing some of them here but, in all seriousness, I think they’d rather be where they are. Not many people could handle this life. It isn’t human. I’m no longer human, and it gives me a much broader scope in a way, a way forward. We did finally agree: we’re going to bring my little brother here at the end of his life and extend his health by about fifty years. A very warm welcome awaits him, even from the goblins. The Babe is finally coming home.
Time passes differently here; it’s almost impossible to accurately describe what it’s like unless you’ve felt it yourself. It ebbs and flows almost like an irregular tide and sometimes it’s still easy for me to lose track. Or it might just be a part of what I am now. I’m not really sure.
I don’t see the owl anymore; he must be finished. As intoxicating as the flowers are out here I should probably go turn in, too.
No. I’m going to the library to write. This account needs to be preserved and I’m suddenly in the mood to do so.
I pass back through the stone-arched door and produce a small flame in my hand; I don’t share Jareth’s night vision. In spite of the ordinance he made when I got here against civilian goblins in the castle at night, a handful of his subjects still sleep in the halls and I’m careful not to wake them. As much as the matter irritates my husband, I can’t find it in my heart to blame them: this was their home first. Ah, the library. I open the door as quietly as possible and slip inside, closing it with a very faint click. With a flick of my wrist all the candles are lit and I go for the parchment and ink. These small magics are as automatic now as flipping a light-switch in my old life. There’s a comfy velvet couch toward the back of the room and, parking my accumulated writing supplies with a small lap desk, I settle in. I don’t often stay up all night but this deserves it and we’ve nowhere go tomorrow. I dip my pen. Let’s see…
“I suppose it all began…”
No, that’s not right at all; that part’s in the history books.
laughter
That’s it.
“Jareth Ravensong crash-landed back into my life on June 15th of the earth year 2007, Common Era …”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jareth speaks:
It has been an age since I bonded Sarah to myself and, to be frank, it hasn’t always been an easy ride but we both knew it would be so. She seems to relate better in her exalted state but sometimes her humanness is still puzzling to me and causes periodic complications and rifts from what turns out to invariably be a simple case of misunderstanding. And I do not forget that she has her hands full with me, as well as our empire, if one could call such a ruckus chaos one. I had been a bachelor for far too long but she seemed to sense this right away and we have both learned how to accommodate each other for the most part. Her temper aside, I have no complaints. She is an excellent queen and mate.
Speaking of mating, the energy bond between us is a curious thing. I knew it would affect her up to a specific degree but had had no idea that it would affect me also. I often sense her feelings when she is not present without any attempt at communication and she claims to experience something similar, although she was a lot less ecstatic about that particular nuance than I was. She has adapted beautifully to life here, but there remain certain things which are simply alien to her nature and most likely always will be. Unbeknownst to my dear wife, I have had to learn how to shield my thoughts so that she does not feel overwhelmed by the constant flow of information. I’m rather sorry to admit the reverse situation has helped me to understand her better.
As forewarned, she feels when I am physically far removed but that effect also is mutual. As a result, we travel together as often as my situation allows when I must go abroad in the other kingdoms. And - thankfully for her sake - there have been no true wishers since; that ridiculous movie they made garbled the incantation and I don’t have to answer when people say it incorrectly. I think that phase of my life may finally be over but perhaps it’s still too early to say.
I know my Sarah often wakes up when I go do my nightly laps around the castle in my totem form. I think she subconsciously feels my absence but it can’t be helped; my body literally won’t let me sleep without indulging this instinct around 12:00 A.M. Occasionally she just waits up for me or attends to her own body - it’s a short flight. More often she comes and watches and I feels her amusement from far below in the garden. Such was the case tonight.
I retransformed into my power state, grateful that I can once again do this simple act at will and, feeling greatly refreshed, transported back to our quarters. To my surprise, she isn’t back. No lights on. Bathroom empty. As gratifying as it would be to see where she is, I will refrain from forming a crystal. We made a pact many years ago not to spy on each other save in times of great emergency. I sense that she’s working on something calmly; at least she’s not in trouble. Probably in the library. It wouldn’t be the first time she’s retreated there so as not to disturb me whether working or resting. Thank the gods there’s somewhere in this rathole of a fortress that feels like home to her. I try not to needlessly worry as I close my eyes. She’s alright.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sarah’s right hand ached and was stained with black ink; she had been writing for hours and was finally nearing the present. She yawned and stretched her hands and arms, extinguishing the torches along the walls. The lamp next to her would suffice; the trailers of a red dawn were approaching over the horizon and the high medieval windows along the outer wall were beginning to let in sufficient natural light. She shook her head slightly to try and wake up, desperately missing coffee, and dipped her quill again.
“Of course, there is one last little thing - very, very little at present. I haven’t said anything to Jareth in fear of getting his hopes up over nothing but-”
She was interrupted by a hot, open-mouthed kiss on the right side of her neck.
“Good morning,” her husband purred deeply in her ear. “And what were we up to in the small hours of the night when you should be snuggling with me, hmm? It looks like you were struck with a fit of writing from the muse Clio - that’s a whole ream of paper!”
“It’s all about us. My memory is a lot better now but I realized the other day that I was having trouble remembering some things and I didn’t want to forget this.”
“I see,” he smiled, wrapping his arms about her from behind, kissing her head. It was then that he finally noticed what was on the page he had interrupted and froze. When he spoke again his voice was trembling. “Does that mean what I think it means? After all these years?”
Sarah turned to face him with quietly beaming hope. “I just missed a second cycle.”
Without another word, Jareth scooped her up under her arms from out of the lap desk and turned her around. She gave a little yell of surprise as he spun with her in his arms about the floor, laughing in triumph, holding her high. He abruptly stopped, carefully putting her down on her feet again, and knelt before her, putting an ear to her stomach. Sarah laughed.
“Jareth, it’s barely two months old! You’re not going to be able to notice it like that yet!”
He continued unperturbed until he found what he was looking for: a small spark of life within the larger one. He was still miniscule, barely a lump of organic matter, but alive and strong and growing. Jareth blinked. Him. He looked up at Sarah with such love.
“We have a healthy son.” He hugged her abdomen where he knelt, silently crying into her dress as she stroked his hair, fondling his neck and shoulders. He came up bright-eyed and kissed her for a long time before suddenly noticing the dawn. Sarah felt her own totem stirring and sighed.
“I can’t fly or do any more magic until he’s delivered, right?”
“I would advise against transporting until you have him but metamorphosis can’t hurt him for a couple more weeks; he’s still small enough. Go enjoy your flights while you can. I’ll get my lute. My son deserves a new song.”
He kissed her once more and Sarah was off like a flash, all her tiredness forgotten, racing up the stairs to the parapets.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Lord of the Labyrinth sat out on the ledge of a glassless window in a tower, serenading the lone falcon soaring high above the castle, calling out to the sun of a new day.
THE END
________________________________________________________________________
Exit Music: ‘Apollo’ (Drop Black Sky, Sticks and Shadows)
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