BARGUEST
Jareth, damn him to hell, had decided to once again torment Sarah's life. She knew that it was him, who else would be petty enough to rip her away from her world, ten years after she had humiliated him.
Three months previously Sarah was promoted at work and was shipped out to her works U.K office. She was ecstatic, having wanted to go to England for many years now, partially because of the myths and legends that the isles were steeped in, due to its long and bloody history, and partly because of her time in the labyrinth, and it's kings accent (although Sarah would never admit that to herself).
A couple of days ago Sarah's flatmate Morgan had said that if Sarah wanted to see beyond the city of London and see the true England, then go into the country after all she had claimed that is the true heart of England. So after letting the matters weigh for a couple of days until she decided that she would go. The plan was that she would leave in the morning driving to Wiltshire, she would go to the stone circle at Avebury, spending the night in the village and the next day she go and see the world famous Stonehenge and Salisbury before heading back to Avebury to spend the night, before going back to London the following day. It was at Stonehenge that Sarah vanished from the mortal world into another.
The forest of the firey's was a gloomy and ominous place, with deep pockets of shadows in which anything could live, but Sarah was unafraid after all did she not survive the forest when she was sixteen and now she was ten years older, ten years wiser and not at all fearful of the snotty Goblin King. Just wait until she came face to face with him again she thought as she headed out towards the Goblin Castle.
Three hours later Sarah had to admit that she was well and truly lost. She was sure that she knew the way but instead of coming to the Bog of Eternal Stench and Sir Didymus she had ended up in a large green field covered in ruins of buildings and at the far end of the field she could make out a waterfall. She realised that she remembered nothing like this one her first trip into the Labyrinth and regardless she was thirsty so she headed towards the roaring water. If only Sarah had looked behind her she would have seen the large petrifying beast with the blood red eyes step out from the bushes.
Sarah was half way across the huge field when she heard the loud deep sound of a horn looking in the direction of the sound she saw nothing Sarah took another two steps when the hairs at the back of the neck stood to attention. She knew then that she was not alone. Turning round Sarah froze to the spot at the sight of horrifying beast.
The eyes, the colour of blood, burned into Sarah's soul, the teeth as sharp as knives and the sharp black horns gave the dog an unearthly feel. The dog slowly trudged towards her, stopping only when the horn was once again heard in the distance. As in answer to the horn the dog howled a woeful sound before once again starting towards her like a lion towards its prey. She was going to die raced through her head. Lost and alone in a strange land, she was going to die at the hands of a creature from hell. Closing her eyes she waited for her final moments; and in what seemed like hours she opened them, seeing the beast slain, it's life force draining into the ground from the slash along it's neck, looking by the beast she saw a figure wiping it's sword along the grass.
"Call the Goblin King" the figure whispered "Call to him now." The figure vanished and Sarah screamed for the Goblin King.
x-x-x-x-x
Sarah was in shock, the woollen blanket placed around her shoulders and the hot cup of well, whatever it was, was slowly warming her shaking body up, while the spiting fire in the stone hearth danced merrily in vibrant autumn colours of reds, oranges and yellows, but giving out warmth that would rival any summers day.
Jareth, King of the Goblins, stood to one side watching the trembling mortal woman wondering how in the name of Herne had a human end up in the Underground without him knowing, hell, how had Sarah, the one human who had peaked his curiosity in the short time he had known her ended up in the ruins of the once almighty city of Emain Macha stood, with the corpse of a slain Barguest nearby. A Barguest was the hunter of Woden's Hunt; a beast so horrific that the sound of its woeful cry was enough to send even the mightiest warriors fleeing in terror.
Deciding that now was not the time to deal with the situation especially with the guests slowly starting to arrive in preparation of the next day's Duir Ball. Jareth walked over to her mumbling something in language, which she did not understand and with a simple wave of his hand Sarah fell into a dreamless sleep.