Here's a bit of Labyrinth fanfiction.....usual disclaimer: Labyrinth is the property of Jim Henson, Brian Froud, etc... no infringement on their rights was intended. Any similarity to any other story is purely accidental. The character of Dreamspinner and the all stuff relating to her is mine. I hope you like it! Comments are most welcome... Thank you! Email  Dreamspinner@twilightrealm.com :-)

"After Moonset"

by

Sean-Perrin "Dreamspinner" Parker

Chapter 1

Out in the calm summer night, a single white owl perched on a limb of the oak tree shadowed by the great gables of a victorian house. The owl was staring intently into a young girl's bedroom window- the same young girl that had just defeated him and his labyrinth in a game of dare. But victory was bitter-sweet, even as the girl partied on into the night with his subjects, her face mirrored the loss of childhood dreams, and he wondered if all would ever be the same for her. He watched the merrymaking for a moment longer, then took off silently to return to his home. As he glided off through the darkness, he realized that he wasn't ready to go back to the palace, and changed his course for Dreamspinner's cottage located in the wild woods of Faerie, just beyond the labyrinth walls. It was a place of refuge, safety, and warmth, all of which he so desperately needed now. He was very tired.

Chapter 2

Dreamspinner gazed at the moon absently as she caught little sliver spider-silk strands from the air to weave them into the small tapestry on the loom before her. One strand decided to become a silver bracelet on her slender alabaster wrist, and she watched its endeavors with mild amusement. "No little one- you belong to the web," her rich honeyed voice smoothed the tension from the little strand and it relaxed, sliding down into her long-fingered hands, "you are very important to the integrity of this piece, little one, as are all the strands on my loom." She gently weaved the strand of starlight into the greater pattern of the web. "There! Most satisfactory..." she caressed the fabric, humming a sweet melody.

"This will be your best yet, Dreamspinner," Jareth said as he entered the cottage with relief etched strongly on his pale features. "I felt your presence when you entered the glade," Dreamspinner turned in her seat to regard him, "but I dared not hope you'd make an appearance!" she smiled impishly up at him, and noticing his mood, offered him her hand. "Tell me what happened." She sat still as he spun the tale before her eyes, her expression unreadable. When he finished, she glanced sadly at him. "Please tell me what you think- tell me how this story will end," he whispered softly.
"Oh, Jareth, the crystal was so ill-used. That child will never trust herself to dream again... She will be like a plant deprived of the sun- she will wither in upon herself," Dreamspinner sighed, and a line of worry appeared between her auburn brows. The tapestry on the loom shivered in quiet sympathy.
"You will interfere, won't you?" he asked quietly. "Yes, I feel I have to. 'Tis a shame for one of her kind to lose what she valued most. Their lives are short and painful enough as it is," her hands were idle now, her vision somewhere far away- he knew as he stood in front of her that she was looking beyond him into the twilight realms. "She made the wish, I only did what she asked of me...." his words stopped abruptly as Dreamspinner's attention snapped back and focused on him. He squirmed and looked down, unable to hold her gaze. 'Oh, really' sang her mental retort. She smiled gently, as she squeezed his hand, "Fear not, I hold nothing against you." Jareth's gaze shifted from the floor back to Dreamspinner's face. He saw her fond smile and returned it. They briefly touched minds in mutual comfort. "Go and do what you do best..." Jareth sighed. She rose from her bench, playfully blew him a kiss, curtsied dramatically, then disappeared. Jareth sat down heavily in the winged back chair by the hearth and called a scrying crystal to him.

Chapter 3

Sarah heard a small noise behind her as she sat tiding her desk and spun quickly around to face a tall flame-haired faerie woman who had a gentle, pleased smile on her lips. The woman gestured to the edge of Sarah's bed and spoke softly, "Hello child, may I sit here awhile with you?" After Sarah got over the shock of the woman's sudden appearance, she softly replied, "Hello, umm...yes, please do.." Sarah didn't know how or why, but she knew this bright-lady would never harm her. She exuded an aura of peace and tranquility, apparent even to Sarah's untrained eyes.
"This is for you," the lady said and Sarah noticed that she held in her alabaster hands a small crystal that shone softly with a cool blue light.
"Uh, I don't know...." Sarah stammered, having had enough of crystals in this one night to last a lifetime. Dreamspinner laughed softly in understanding and replied, "Tis not like the one Jareth offered you."

"He said it would show me my dreams.....," Sarah mused.
"It would have," Dreamspinner stated solemnly, "It would have shown you your real dreams, and what kind of dreams would you have had with you brother's fate resting on your conscience?"
"Oh!" Sarah gasped in horror as she caught the meaning of that simple statement. She realized that nightmares were dreams too.
"Do not be afraid to dream, child. It is an important part of your existence," Dreamspinner said as she rose and crossed over to where Sarah was sitting. "Take it, it's yours," she said gently as she held the crystal out to Sarah, "It will remind you of the positive aspects of the labyrinth."
"Like what?" Sarah really wanted to know what Dreamspinner would say to that. 'Oh, I know her name...' she thought, totally mystified.
Dreamspinner critically surveyed the girl in front of her. She knew Sarah's anger would eventually pass, given time. "Your friends, the adventure, etc... You've had quite a journey. Do not be afraid of me, I do not intend to harm, only to heal. And you are so deeply wounded."
"Yes...." Sarah sighed mournfully like a dove, and accepted the crystal. As she took it into her hands, she felt the almost-forgotten warmth of her mother's embrace, and she felt whole once more. She gazed into the crystal's fathomless depths, tears burning in her eyes and said, "Thank you...". But Dreamspinner had already gone, leaving only a slight scent of lavender in the air to indicate that she had even been there at all.


Chapter 4


Jareth was still in the cottage when Dreamspinner returned. He had not moved out of his place by the hearth. "Thank you," he said softly as he waved away his scrying crystal. It disappeared with a slight popping noise.
"Nice sound effects. I was expecting it to do something else, though." Dreamspinner said with a mischievous glint in her teal-bright eyes. Jareth opened his mind and caught a tendril of her thoughts- and surged out of the chair to chase her out of the cottage and into the night, both of them laughing
wildly. She was as fleet-footed as a doe, and he knew that he would have a time of it catching her. They were caught by the freedom of the moment, as if they were children once again and the labyrinth was their playground. They ran on and on under the twinkling stars until Dreamspinner finally cried, "Enough! I yield!" and fell to the ground laughing.
"You let me catch you," Jareth said in mock-seriousness, then threw himself onto the soft grass.
"Is that so bad?" she asked innocently.
"Not at all," he replied as they both turned to watch the night sky. It was a pleasant night, calm and serene. And all was well once more in the underground.

*****The End*****