Chapter 3: For He Fell In Love
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Disclaimer: I own nothing.
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A/N: As always, please review.
UPDATE: Sorry about all errors (E.g calling Hoggle a troll.) Out of my own foolishness I selected the wrong document. I fixed the few errors that I could notice at 5 am.
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Sarah's hands were scraped raw from using them to navigate her way around the oubliette. The rough stone tore through her soft flesh and her knees were slowly starting to suffer the same fate as the denim of her jeans wore through.
She simply couldn't find the door. Granted, it probably didn't help that she couldn't see anything in this hole, yet she was determined to find that way out that had taken them to the tunnel the first time around. She leaned against a wall for a moment taking a deep breath.
She wasn't going home. But that was what he was doing, he was simply trying to break her spirit until she was miserable enough to beg for him to send her home. She had already come this far for Toby, she wasnt going to leave him in the hands of the wicked Goblin King.
She sighed wiping a layer of sweat off her face and proceeded to run her hands over the walls. For all she knew, the door could still be on the wall after Hoggle had pulled it up from the ground. All she knew was that she had to find it, and get back into the Labyrinth.
She wasn't leaving this miserable dank hole until she had her hand on the knob of that door. However, her hands were starting to get sticky with blood and all she could feel was pain. It was simply ridiculous, how she was killing herself over trying to get out of there. However, it was the Goblin King's fault, if he hadn't acted like such a small child, refusing to budge at all, than this simply wouldn't be the case.
She sighed with relief as her hand brushed against the worn wood of the door. She leaned against it exhausted. She would just close her eyes for a few minutes, after that she would be on her way out. She had to, her head was killing her, her eyes ached from their failed attempts to adjust to the darkness, and her hands and knees were stinging painfully. All she had to do was simply close her eyes, and before she knew it the world faded into a dream.
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It bothered Jareth that Sarah simply lay there. Why couldn't she simply accept his offer and leave? Why did she feel it was necessary to navigate her way to the castle? She wouldn't accomplish anything. Her time was gone, and Jareth was generous but he had to stand by his word. He was unable to change the stated word for anyone, not even her.
Yet, he longed to give her whatever would please her, he wanted to risk the consequences of going back on his word and giving her Toby, and send them both on their way. This was all simply a complete and utter mess.
Perhaps the girl believed that somehow, attempting to finish the Labyrinth for a second time would convince him to give her back her brother. Or perhaps, she was simply stubborn enough to attempt to get herself out of this mess instead of taking what she viewed as a pity offer from him.
She was a strong girl, he knew that. He loved that. However, she was possibly strong enough to crack the stronghold he was holding up against her.
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When Sarah woke up, the oubliette was bathed in light. She squinted and rubbed her eyes, blinded by the sudden bright addition to the hole. She scowled softly wishing the light would dim, or even just disappear. But it stayed, continuing to burn holes into her eyes.
She waited a few minutes and slowly opened her eyes, only to see Hoggle before.
"Hoggle!" He simply grumbled in response as his jewels jingled against his leg. She pushed herself up and stayed bent down as she made her way over to the small dwarf. "Oh Hoggle, Im so happy to see you, I need your help."
"I ain't helping you no more."
"But, Hoggle. We are friends. Friends help each other." She knew bringing up the topic of friendship would break his stony physique. She watched as his scowl twitched and he looked at her.
"Fine. But this is the last time. I ain't ending up in that bog again because of the likes of you."
In all honesty, Hoggle felt guilty. He was only asked to help her again, because he had to go and give her that silly peach. If it wasn't for him she'd be out of here at home with the brat she was trying to save.
Yet, he also realized, this would give him a chance to redeem himself to her. And keep the only friend he ever had. He let out a sigh and went over to the door, "Come on, Ill take ya straight to the Goblin City. Jareth be damned this time."
He was surprised as Sarah rushed up to him and hugged him. "Oh thank you Hoggle! You have no idea how much this means to me. He's... he's horrible Hoggle. He put me in here. He wont give me my brother. All just to simply laugh at me."
As Hoggle watched a few tears stream down Sarah's cheeks he took in every word she told him. Everyone who resided in the Labyrinth knew very well the story, the one that Sarah held so dear as fiction. However, all these mystical creatures knew otherwise, that if Jareth was acting this way at this point of the game, then he was probably not doing it simply to laugh at the girl. He was doing it to attempt to ensnare her.
And claim the young girl for himself. For as the story stated, the Goblin King had fallen in love with the girl.
Sarah was simply the only one who would never realize it.
