The Unknown Gypsy

Chapter one

The Return

It had been 5years since she came back and eight years since she ran first came. She just never felt like she belonged in the Aboveground. Hoggle had helped her returned as well as introduced her to the gypsies. They were leaving the Labyrinth at the time and had stopped by his hut to buy some herbs from him. The leader, Marc, upon hearing part of Sarah's tales, had offered her to join them. The first year she traveled with them, she lived with the fortuneteller, Madeline.

She was a sweet old woman. She had taken her in and treated her as a daughter. Though she loved the old woman, Sarah save almost every coin she got so she could get a wagon of her own. Madeline knew she was not leaving because she did not enjoy staying with her, but just need her own space from time to time.

Now, five years later since meeting them, she had her own wagon. She had learned the dances, and had the best looking young man in the clan, Besnik, after her. Though she tried to tell him that she was not interested, he was determined to woo her. The reason she wasn't interested, was not that she didn't like him, but she had already given her heart to someone. Though no one knew who he was, not even he knew he held her heart.

"Sarah, the children are asking if the storyteller would tell another tale about the Maiden of the Labyrinth and the Goblin King." Marc told her as he sat down a upside bucket

The children called her the storyteller as she had a different tale every night for them. They would beg every night after dinner chores were done for a tale. Sarah, the softhearted woman she was, could never tell them no.

Marc shook his head. "I would love to know how you know so much about the Monarch. If I didn't know better I say you knew him personally."

She looked away. Hoggle and Sarah had never told him about her run through the Labyrinth. Therefore, he never understood where her tales come from.

"I don't know him and as for the child, they have already had their story tonight. I was just about to head to bed, myself."

He nodded, "I know I told them that. I just want to tell you that we will be performing at the Goblin City in two days. We'll be moving to a field outside the gates tomorrow."

She nodded, keeping her back to him as she gathered the few items that she didn't want to leave out. Being in the Labyrinth, Madeline had told her never to leave anything that she couldn't replace, but she had known that without anyone telling her. She left Marc to enjoy the small fire she had started for herself. After dressing for bed, she crawled in to the twin size bed at the back of the wagon.

…}{…

"Where was it coming from?" Jareth growled causing his horse, Breck, to snort at him. He narrowed his eyes, "This feeling. I know I felt this before, but where and when?" He nudged the stallion on seeing a light of a fire ahead of him, thinking it was the Firies trying to catch the forest on fire again. He came into a large clearing and sighed with relief.

The Gypsies were back again. He normally let them come and perform then let them leave, but tonight, the feeling was coming from the camp. He dismounted and led his horse into the firelight. Marc, the leader of them, lifted his head to look at him. He frowned and stood.

"Sire?"

Jareth nodded and handed the reins over to a young man telling him to take good care of him.

"Marc, good to see you again. What's it been? Five…six years?"

The old man smiled, "Five…please sit." He waved a hand to a log across from him.

Jareth gave a nod of thanks and sat down after removing his cloak. "Came back for the fall festival I see." He looked around, "Madam Madeline still telling everyone their going to meet a tall dark stranger?" He stopped looking around as he came upon an extra wagon next to the fortuneteller. "Found a new straggle sis you?"

Marc looked at the wagon and nodded. "Found her as were leaving almost five years ago. She had run away from the Aboveground to here. I offered to let her come with us. Madam Madeline took her in for the first year until she had enough coins saved for her own wagon." He laughed and turned back to the fire, "The children call her the Storyteller. You should hear some of the tales she has." He shook his head, "If didn't know better I would swear she was born and raised in the Underground.'

Jareth looked back at him, "Why is that?"

He shrugged, "She knows so much about the place. You think with her being from Aboveground she have tales from that place, but no. Her tales are all about the Underground." He smiled and looked at Jareth. "The most loved is the Tale about the Maiden of the Labyrinth and the Goblin King."

Jareth frowned, "Me?"

"Yep. Believe me when I first heard the tale, I surprised too, but not at her knowing of you, but at how much she knew. She knew how you looked, the way you treated your subjects, at least the goblins part of them. It was eerie really. She just told me that the tales came from her mind and the people came from a book she used to read when she was Aboveground."

"Really?" The feeling was so strong. He could feel it tugging at him. "Does she tell her tales for the performances?"

Marc shrugged, "Sometimes. When she doesn't she either sells tickets or dances. I don't know what she is going to do this time."

He nodded, "I would like to hear the tales myself.'

Marc smiled, "I thought you might. Well if the field by the gates is still clear, we will be moving there tomorrow to set up. It never fails for the children to pull a tale out of her and at the moment they stuck on the Maiden and the Goblin King." He looked at Jareth, "I would like to extend an invitation for dinner tomorrow night."