Chapter 3

Almost without thought, Sarah whipped out her cell phone. Strangely, it didn't faze her when she saw she had great reception. Nothing about the Goblin Kingdom had ever been normal or even logical. Quickly, she called her assistant to free up her schedule for a few days. Then she turned her mind about what to do for the Goblin King. If he'd been human, Sarah would have just dosed him with a good cold medicine and gone home. Unfortunately, she was too afraid to try that with Jareth. Who knew what effect human medicine could have? It might even actually kill him for real! Luckily, Sarah had an idea. Her stepmother, Karen, had recently become a bit of a health nut, advocating anything and everything natural. Sarah put in a call to her, claiming to need advice for a friend who disliked doctors. Karen quickly gave Sarah instructions that she felt she could follow and could help make the king better. But, she was going to need help.

Sarah headed back to the throne room after sending Hoggle back to her apartment for supplies and tried to stir up some support. Predictably, the goblins seemed reluctant.

"Look," Sarah protested. "Do you want me to save the King or not?"

"We do!" one of them replied. "We just afraid of the Kingy. He never let any of us help take care of him ever! He always do everything by magic! Nobody done that stuff since Brunella."

Curious, Sarah had to ask. "Who's Brunella?"

"The Kngy's old nanny. She retired now. But she used to take car of Kingy for years!"

"Is she still around?" Sarah inquired.

"Oh, yes!" came the reply.

Sarah stared at the goblin who looked blankly back at her.

In exasperation she yelled," Well? GO GET HER!!"

A goblin dashed off to fetch the mysterious Brunella as Sarah shook her head in disgust.

Though she liked them, the goblins weren't very bright and could be quite infuriating. Sarah was beginning to understand why Jareth felt the need to kick them occasionally.

Shortly, the goblin returned with a rather older looking female of indeterminate age who seemed none to happy to be summoned.

" Why you bothering me? Me old and retired. Who wants me?" she complained.

"I do." said Sarah emphatically.

The female peered hard at Sarah and soon looked angry.

"I know you! You that mean girl who was nasty to my Jarrykins! Me no like you! Go away!"

It took a moment for Sarah to realize that "Jarrykins" was in fact the great Goblin King, Jareth. Sarah fought down a snort of laughter at the childish nickname.

"My name is Sarah." she pronounced loudly. "I'm here to try to save your precious Goblin King and I need your help." That got Brunella's attention immediately.

"Save? What you mean save?" she said slowly.

"The Goblin King is very sick. He may even be dying." Sarah stated dramatically.

"Dying?" Brunella cried in distress. "Me knew me never should have retired and leave these lunkheads to look after my precious Jarrykins. They so stupid they make dirt look smart!"

Turning to Sarah, she ventured cautiously, "You really come to help my Jarrykins?"

"Absolutely!" Sarah agreed.

"Then count me in." Brunella affirmed strongly. "You gonna need somebody with some brains to help. These dingbats couldn't make mud even if they had a recipe for it!"

A short time later, the Goblin King was awakened by a disturbance and looked up to see Sarah enter his room followed by a line of goblins carrying various things.

"What is this?" he croaked irritably.

"This is the beginning of your treatment, your majesty." she asserted firmly. "First up, you get a bath! I assume this mausoleum has a bathroom."

" No!" Jareth protested. "No one is going to give ME a bath!"

"Don't you talk to me that way, Jarrykins!" came the loud reply." You getting bath right now, young man!"

The Goblin King looked past Sarah to see his old nanny standing there.

"Brunella?" he said somewhat bewildered.

"Yes! Me here now and you going to get better. Me knew me shouldn't have retired!" Brunella turned to the large goblin next to her and kicked his large behind." Get moving, Lunkhead! Take Kingy to bathroom, Now!"

The big Goblin reluctantly picked up the King and took him out, followed closely by Brunella. Sarah couldn't hide a smug smile as she heard Brunella telling her "Jarrykins" not to worry. Quickly, she, too, set to work.

Some time later, the Goblin King was carried back to his bed, much to his disgust. He had endured the indignity of being stripped and thoroughly scrubbed by his old nanny as if he were a young child again. Worse yet had been having her address him as "Jarrykins" throughout the humiliating ordeal. Still, Jareth had to reluctantly admit that it felt rather good to be clean again. Sarah, it seemed, had been at work as well. Jareth's bed had been stripped and laid with fresh sheets. The curtains had been opened, letting in much needed light and air, and a fire now blazed away in the huge stone fireplace. Momentarily, Sarah herself re-entered carrying a tray.

'Here." she announced. "I've brought you something to help with your cold." Sarah placed a large bowl on a table next to the bed, instructing Jareth to sit up and lean over it.

Jareth started to balk and then decided against it. The sooner he got better, the sooner he could settle the score with Sarah Williams. Sarah poured hot water into the bowl, put a cloth over Jareth's head, and told him to breathe deeply. After a bit, the Goblin King was quite surprised to discover that he was actually beginning to feel some better. Sarah then took the bowl away and came back with something else.

"Brunella sent you some soup." she informed Jareth.

"I'm not hungry." he grumbled, almost sounding normal. Brunella chose that moment to reappear and immediately stepped in.

"What?!! Me made that soup just for you, Jarrykins. You going to eat it if me have to feed you!" Brunella asserted.

'Well, I'll leave the Goblin King in your capable hands, Brunella." Sarah said, barely containing her laughter. "I need to see about getting the goblins back under control."

"You no worry, Missy Sarah." Brunella instructed. "Me got everything here under control." Hastily, Sarah left before she burst out laughing.

The Goblin King endured the further humiliation of Brunella standing over him as he finished all his food. To top things off, she insisted on tucking him in and actually kissed his forehead.

"Nighty, night, my little Jarrykins." she whispered. "Missy Sarah and me gonna take good care of you."

Irritated beyond measure and exhausted by the day's events, he soon fell asleep.