Part Two

Caillean came to groggily, her head hurt for some reason, she briefly remembered falling down, but someone had caught her. Someone had caught her and asked her if she was okay, she remembered his eyes. They seemed so much like…

"Oh my God."

Caillean sat up, suddenly remembering everything. Expecting to find herself laying on the floor of the copyroom, she was surprised to find herself instead on a plush couch covered by a soft blue blanket. Looking around her she realized she wasn't in her office anymore, but a rather large bedroom. The ceilings seemed to be twenty feet high, and there was a large fireplace, with a fire burning cheerily to the left of her.

"She's awake!"

Caillean looked up and nearly screamed. She was staring, face to face with a goblin. Shaking her head and blinking her eyes a few times she struggled not to pass out once more.

"You're a goblin."

The staunch fellow laughed. "Yeah, whadya think I am, a fairy?" He hobbled over to the fire and picked up a kettle, brining it over to a small table where she sat. "The master told me ta bring ya some good tea, you seemed to have a nasty fall there."

Caillean nodded slowly, not taking her eyes off the strange creature. "Thank you., ah, well,.."

The goblin laughed briefly, it was not a pleasant sound. "M'name is Handel. Thought you'd recognize me at once."

"Handel…" Caillean frowned. "But, you're, I mean, I made you!"

At that Handel nearly fell over. "Made me? Ha! I assure you Mistress Caillean I was not created by you! You don't look like the type to give birth to a goblin, pardon me."

"But… my stories." She tried vainly.

"Aye. Those stories of yours. Some of them aren't that bad, though I must say I'd never be frightened by a young lady in a nightdress." He poured some of the hot water into a cup and handed it to her. "Here, drink this, it'll help clear your mind."

Caillean gently took the cup and ventured a small sip. The hot liquid burned at first, but it had a pleasant taste, and soon her whole body was feeling more normal. She found it hard to believe that she was sitting in a room talking to a goblin she had just written about the other day.

More suprises were in store for her though, as a young woman burst through the doors. Caillean recognized her at once. "Chrystabelle!"

The girl stopped and smiled. "My lady Caillean, what a wonderful occasion to have you in the castle this holiday season. I am sorry for the way you got here of course, but his majesty Jareth said you would get much better care here than anywhere else."

"I can't believe I'm talking to you both. So everyone I created.." Handel coughed " everyone I write about is here?"

"But of course," Crystabelle answered. "And what lovely stories you tell too. Sometimes the netgoblins will bring back a new one from the mortal world and Stephan will read it to the castle. I must say, you're tales here are rather popular for winter nights."

Caillean didn't know what to say. "My stories," she thought " they read them as if they were fairy tales on a cold winter's night. Handel says I never created them but that I did write the stories. So if I didn't make them all, who did?" She glanced back up to the two in front of her. " How long have you been in the Labyrinth?"

Handel laughed, and mumbled "All my life. How hard did you hit your head?"

Crystabelle smiled and said. " I think it's been about a year now. Jareth has been very kind to us all, and although it's nothing like Stephan's kingdom here…"

"Wait." Said Caillean. "Are you telling me Stephan is here? He's a part of this too?"

Now it was Crystabelle's turn to laugh. "But of course my lady."

The two standing before her were glancing at Caillean with a touch of pity. She decided to get to the bottom of the whole thing. "Where is Jareth?"

"In the throne room I believe. Would you care for one of us to request his presence here?"

"No Handel, I believe I will go to him."

Crystabelle looked up. "All right my lady, but we'll need to change your attire first."

Caillean, remembering that Crystabelle had never been a lady's maid but a year ago, decided she had fallen into her new position rather well. As Crystabelle opened a grand closet, revealing many dresses of different shades and materials. Like a child, Caillean felt them all, smiling at the beauty of the fabrics. Finally, she picked out a dark green dress with little adornment, and made her way to the bathroom.

The first thing that made her stop was the fact she knew where the bathroom was. The second thing that made her stop mentally was the bathroom itself.

It looked exactly as she had imagined the one for Cassandra's room.

" I don't believe this."

Crystabelle drew a bath for her and Caillean sunk into the bubbles with a sigh. Well, as much as this room reminded her of the one she thought up for Cassandra, she never imagined it to be this conformable.

After her bath, Caillean put on the green dress, and was amazed to see it fit her perfectly. Crystabelle came over and began to work on her hair, piling it high on her head and allowing small ringlets to fall across her shoulders.

"Perfect."

Caillean took a deep breath and gazed at herself in the mirror. The picture was rather striking. Crystabelle, she determined, was a miracle worker.

"Now, I'm ready to see the king."