Labyrinth II: Return to the Underground

Chapter 5: "Only Then Can You Belong To Me" contd.

Aurora pulled away from her and looked out at the horizon. Once again, she found herself staring at the Crystal Kingdom. "I did, Morighana, I truly did. And still do. But things changed and I had no other choice but to leave."



The resentment she had tried to hold against Aurora was nowhere to be found. "You never even said good-bye."



Aurora turned on her heel and met the girl's eyes. "I couldn't, Mori. I knew I'd never go if I did. And I had to leave. It was the best thing for everyone involved. Didn't Jareth give you my letter?"



Morighana nodded. "It's not the same though. Everything was such a mess after you left. Nothing got better."



"I know. I know." Aurora held her hand out to Morighana. "I was so young then; I thought I was doing the right thing."



Morighana put her arm around the redhead's waist and they began to walk. Kemper took his place on Aurora's shoulder and Ribito walked along side Morighana after she said hello to Aurora. Ribito was glad to see her again, though she had only been a cub when Aurora lived in Sominus.



"It doesn't matter anymore, Rory," Morighana chirped, "because you're here now and everything will be the way it was before."



Aurora swallowed. This was worse than anything Jareth could have possibly come up with; Morighana's hurt was real as well as her wanting to reunite the past with present and pretend nothing was changed.



"Morighana." They kept walking. "I'm afraid that won't happen. I'm not here to stay. "



Morighana stopped. "Of course you are," she said not wanting to accept what Aurora was saying. "Uncle Jareth brought you home."



Aurora shook her head. "No, he didn't. My neice is here and I'm going to take her home."



Morighana stubbornly shook her head. "No," she retorted. "You are going to stay. You have to. This is your home!"



Aurora said nothing. How like Jareth she is, she thought. Both stubborn and childish when they don't get their way. Suddenly, Aurora wished she didn't have to go back. But the feeling was fleeting. She gazed steadily at Morighana.



"Mori, completely disappearing from your life was wrong of me and selfish. I regret that. But I'm sure Jareth won't mind if you come visit me when I go back." She purposely left out saying "home". She wasn't sure exactly what home was anymore.



Morighana seemed a bit less stubborn and no longer looked as though she going to pull a tantrum. "He never let me go with him when he went see you."



"Maybe he'll change his mind."



Morighana considered that. "I never thought to ask him if I could go with him," she admitted somewhat sheepishly. "I guess I was too angry with you for leaving and mad at him for not offering to take me with him."



Aurora arched an eyebrow and grinned. "Well, you should ask him. He's never been able to say no to you."



Morighana returned her grin. "True."



They resumed walking and Morighana asked, "Who's your neice?"



"Sarah." Aurora explained the situation and Jareth's role in it and didn't see Morighana's eyes darken at the mention of Sarah's name.



Now Morighana had all the more reason to hate Sarah. Not only was she trying to seduce her uncle, but she would also send Aurora back to the human world in order to keep her away from Jareth. Though she had yet to devise a plan that disposed of Sarah and yet kept Aurora in Sominus, she would. And it would work. Because Morighana, like her uncle, always got what she wanted.



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The sun was beginning to set and as it did it set the Underground afire. Jareth took Sarah to a hilltop overlooking the Far Side of the Labyrinth. From there, the world was made of gold and diamonds. The diamonds were what caught Sarah's eye.



"That looks like a city down there!" she exclaimed, looking over her shoulder at Jareth whose face was shrouded in shadow.



"It is a city," he said walking up behind her. "It's the Dweller City."



He was very close to her and his breath was warm against her cheek. "Don't you wonder what happens to the Wished-Aways after they grow up? They can't remain children forever."



He ran his hand over her hair. She turned her head slightly.



"Every Dweller in the city is either a Wished-Away or can trace their heritage back to a Wished-Away. The city is as old as the Underground itself."



Sarah's heart began to pound so loud she was sure Jareth could hear it. In the twilight, the city was magical and desirable.



"I want to see the city," she whispered. "I want to meet the people. Spend the day there."



Jareth put his mouth against her ear. "You could spend forever there. You could have your own flat if you so wished it."



She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. "A small one?"



"A palace if you wished it so."



Sarah looked at the Dweller City and wanted nothing as much as she wanted to be apart of the Underground.



"My offer still stands." Jareth held a crystal sphere in front of her. "Let me give you your dreams..."



"I have no brother here to give you in trade."



"All I ask, Sarah, is that you stay here. Stay here and never look back at the world you came from. Never return to your family and friends. Give them up and you can have your dreams. Forever."



Sarah faced him. Trembling, she placed her hand on the sphere he still held out to her.



In the darkness, Jareth grinned evilly. She was his now; it had been almost too easy. In many ways, she was like her aunt had been at sixteen. Innocent and very naive.



Sarah moistened her lips. With her free hand his took his hand and looked at him unable to see the triumphant gleam in his eyes.



"I wish to remain in the Underground.... Forever."