Chapter 4- In Which Two Old Friends are Found and Babysitting Takes its Toll

"This place hasn't changed at all has it?" The walls were the same dark grey stone covered with a light powdering of glitter. The grey stone also made up the floor, which was still littered with branches and debris.

Hoggle shook his head beside her. "No it hasn't. Jareth wanted everything to stay the same as it was when you left. I mean he had the town rebuilt and part of the castle, but the Labyrinth its self froze."

Sarah's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "But wouldn't that mean I would know the way through? Isn't the point of the Labyrinth to keep people from getting to the center?"

Hoggle nodded, almost sadly. "The Labyrinth is supposed to keep people out but Jareth wants you to make it to the center and be..." He shut his mouth quickly. The human girl's eyebrows furrowed further. "I should stop talking before I say something that would get you in trouble Sarah. Come on we need to find Ludo and Didymus." The dwarf headed down the corridor to the right.

Sarah followed her friend down the corridor, all the while her mind was swirling with thoughts. 'What was Hoggle going to say? Why did he stop? And what does Jareth want with me?' Similar thoughts were going through Hoggle's head. 'Why did I say so much? What would Jareth do if he found out?'

Both of their sets of musings were interrupted by a sound from a small stone ledge. "'Ello."

"Hello to you to." Sarah and Hoggle looked at the little blue worm.

The worm nodded. "You are back miss. It's nice to see ya before ya get to the castle." He smiled warmly and opened his mouth.

Hoggle coughed before he could continue. "Well nice seeing you. We should be off before the King comes looking for us." The Dwarf shepherded the girl away from anyone who would unwittingly give away the king's plan, one that Hoggle agreed partially with. "Come on Sarah, I can get us to the others quickly through here." He turned down the right hand path that Sarah had taken last time she had been here.

Instead of appearing in the lighter stone area of the Labyrinth, they appeared in the hedge maze where Ludo joined the company. "I thought this ended somewhere else."

"Well you took a different exit than we did just now, the first time you was here." Hoggle looked up at his friend. "Ludo should be around here somewhere." The dwarf went to take a step forward.

As if on cue a voice spoke from behind them. "Sawah?"

Jareth was ready to hit his head against a wall. The only thin that stopped him was the comforting thought that once Sarah was in his possession the boy would leave and he could get some rest with his beloved queen by his side. "Why won't anyone tell Sarah why she's here?" The Goblin King almost let out a groan. The boy seemed to enjoy asking an endless list of questions and getting, or not getting, answers.

"My subjects will not tell her why she is here because she will find some way of foiling my again." He moved his hand away from his eyes to survey the room. Surprisingly there were not any goblins lollygagging around the throne room, however a few stray chickens still loitered in the corners. Toby sat at the window overlooking the Labyrinth, staring into the crystal that showed his sister. Curious, Jareth summoned one of his crystals and thought of his Queen. She was hugging the fuzzy beast. Ludo might be his name, the only reason he knew the names of the misfits was because of how dear they were to his Sarah.

Sarah herself was progressing marvelously, already she had made it almost half way to his castle without incident. He was also pleased to note that she was beginning to show the signs of a fey; her ears were becoming pointed, here eyebrows were slanting, her teeth were sharpening slightly, and her overall appearance was beginning to glow. The Labyrinth was already sensing that she would conquer it again. 'I will see you soon my Queen.' Jareth tossed the crystal up and laughed.