Out of the maze

Sarah stood there for a moment looking at the child.

He had jet black hair like hers, standing at all directions like Jareth's, a mouth with full cherry coloured lips like hers and bright green eyes like Jareth's, his skin was a bit pale like it missed the sun, but showed a golden quality like the peaches she and Jareth loved so much. He was looking around frightened with tears running from his beautiful eyes, his oversized clothes making he look even smaller that he was and his tiny little arms wrapped around himself as he felt unprotected. He couldn't be older than six.

"Hello" Sarah said in her most sweet voice.

"Hello" he answered, it was barely a whisper.

"What is your name, little one?"

"Harry, Harry Potter, mam"

"And why are you crying, Harry?"

"My cousin made the goblins take me away and now I'm lost. If I'm not home before dark my uncle will be mad at me"

"Oh! And what will your mom and dad do?"

"I don't have a mom or a dad. Just my uncle, my aunt and my cousin"

Sarah opened an even bigger smile, no parents was good and, judging by the clothes, the family was either very poor or didn't care for the child very much. Either way, those were things they could use to keep the child, because by no force in the universe Sarah would give up the treasure she just found. She would never give up this child. Assuming that whomever wished the boy away solved the labyrinth, of course.

No this child was not going away, this child was home. He was HER child.

The law was clear. If you wish someone away you had thirteen hours to solve the labyrinth and get the person back or the underground could keep the person as one of its own. In that situation the person would be transformed in whatever species of fae he or she had most in common with and live with them forever. The only other option was a trade, if you came in to try to free someone else but fail, the person could return if you agree to stay instead. Sarah never really cared if the one who made the wish did solve or not the labyrinth for the game was always fun, but this time, oh! This time, Sarah had every intention of seeing this wisher fail and leave empty handed.

"Well, I'll tell you what. Why don't you come with me and see if we can find something fun to do while we wait for my husband and when he gets here we'll see how we can get you where you belong?"

"Something fun? Really?"

"Really, come on." And taking the boy by the hand Sarah took him to visit a few of her favourite places of the kingdom. To her delight, the boy didn't get scared by the strange creatures they met on their way. He seemed to enjoy everything, what was quite unusual for a normal human child, but pleased Sarah very much.

*****

Jareth arrived at a very well kept living room where a fat blonde kid was watching the movie Labyrinth on the TV. He stood by the boy who was gasping for air while looking at him with wide eyes.

"I really should thank who ever did this movie, I never had so many people down at the labyrinth.

"You're the goblin King"

"Yes, and I have a present for you"

"Really, what is it?"

"It's a crystal ball, see, if you hold it like this it will show you all your dreams, but this is a special gift, for a special boy, not for a boy who has to watch over his cousin"

"You took him, didn't you? This is like a trade. I know, I've seen the movie before"

"So you know how it works. How is it going to be? Do you want the gift or do you want your chance at the labyrinth?"

"Me? Go to the labyrinth? To get that freak back? No way, give me the sodding ball"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah"

"Well, if this is what you want, we must play by the rules"¦ you can keep the crystal ball, but because of your age, you have until your 13th birthday to change your mind. Just use the ball to call upon me and you'll get your chance at the underground" and with that Jareth disappeared, going back to his kingdom.

He hated these types of situations. The wisher was too young and by the laws of the underworld he would have to wait for another seven years before he could turn whoever the boy sent in to a fae. That would mean he and Sarah would have a guest for what could easily be seven years. Blast! That meant problems, he just knew, something like that didn't just happen in the underworld for no reason, that was something else to the matter and the sooner he found out what the better.