You Precious Thing
Chapter 3
Fall of the Goblin King

The figure raised a hand and pulled his fingertips through his hair. His lips curled into a smirk as he looked down at Toby. As he spoke, his voice seemed just as charming and exotic as ever. "My, my, somehow the little babe has returned."

He kneeled down to the child, his grin growing even more as he reached out his hand and ruffled Toby's hair. "Did you come by yourself? That's interesting…" He trailed off as his smile vanished. He was partially disappointed. It'd been three years since he'd laid eyes upon the only female who'd captured his heart.

"So… She didn't come with you, eh Toby? And you came all this way on your own. Such a pity."

Jareth moved his right hand over his staff and it vanished. He knelt down and pulled Toby into his arms. Jareth swayed him back and forth and he appeared to relax. When he took Toby the first time, he found a very tight bond existed between the two. Jareth had been the only human he'd ever seen in the Underground. When the lovely young woman and her younger brother appeared, Jareth didn't feel quite so lonely.

Jareth's voice emitted a chuckle as he nodded slowly. Things were going to become clear now. As soon as she found Toby was missing, she'd put the pieces together and then she'd come back to the Underground. He could use this to his advantage. He glanced down to Toby and raised him into the air to examine him.

"You've certainly grown a bit… You must be quite a handful for Sarah." His eyes sparkled with happiness. At least it looked that way. Jareth often had tricks up his sleeve and was quite skilled in manipulating others. He took great pride in knowing that he could charm just about everyone. He was even able to coax Sarah into falling in love with him. Of course, she was only fifteen at the time, so she was fickle with her affections and she was naive.

Toby watched Jareth enviously as he tilted his head to the side. He had the same warm feeling that he'd seen in his dreams. Toby had this feeling that like Sarah, this man was very important to him. Toby reached out his left hand and poked Jareth in the nose, as the Goblin King gave a laugh. And about that time, Toby understood the kind of bond there was that existed. Toby saw Jareth as a father figure.

As Jareth pulled Toby back against him securely, he heard Toby murmur. "Daddy..."

That kind word touched even Jareth's dark heart, and he closed his eyes as he nuzzled Toby gently. "That's right, babe. I'll be your father, your guardian. I'll protect you from everything."

Toby grasped a lock of Jareth's hair gently. He gave a contented sigh. I wish I was just like you...

Jareth hesitated for a moment and a sharp pain struck within his heart. Slowly he sank down to his knees, releasing Toby from his grasp. Such a sensation! He planted his hands upon the ground and closed his eyes. Jareth had been feeling rather ill lately. Perhaps he was just unaware of how difficult maintaining one's health could be. He felt his skin tighten and when he finally looked up, he saw a figure who looked similar to him. There was a difference in hair length and the colour of his eyes. Jareth narrowed his eyes at the other. "Who are you...?"

The figure gave a chuckle, eerily like Jareth's. The young man was beautiful. Of course, he had to be seeing how he was almost a spitting image of Jareth. As he spoke, he almost seemed like he was mocking the original. "Why, this is me… Dad. I'm surprised you're not more pleased."

Jareth pushed himself off the ground and brushed himself off. He placed his hands together to form his staff. Even after concentrating for a few minutes, he couldn't get it to appear. This can't be…! What's happened…?! He shook his head quickly. "Toby…what did you do? Why have you done this?!"

Toby laughed softly and withdrew Jareth's staff from the air. "Were you looking for this, Jareth?" He brushed his hands together and a spherical crystal formed as he threw it toward Jareth. It stopped in front of him and formed a mirror. "I've discovered since I've arrived here that any wish I make will come true. I merely wished to be like you. Now I no longer have the fear of lacking authority. I'm no longer a child. I don't need you to play with me anymore. I have all the power I need to get the things I want."

Jareth examined his reflection. He looked almost the same, but there was something different. "What have you done to me…? Why have you done this?" He wasn't really sure what was going on or how it came to be. Anger was replaced with confusion. "You intend to throw away what freedoms you have as a child?"

Toby cackled with laughter. Freedoms as a child? Jareth was being foolish! Toby pointed his staff at him and an eyebrow arched out of amusement. "My dear former Goblin King, sometimes the things you say completely contradict that exterior I so liked about you."

He was quiet for a moment, contemplating what actions to take. He brought his hands back to flip up the collar of his mahogany vest. "You have an awful taste in clothes, Jareth. Then again, I'd nearly forgotten that you've been around for ages, so you're the only one capable of dressing yourself now." He took a couple steps closer to him. "The other thing I realize is that you haven't quite remembered what it's like to be a child. Perhaps I should bring back those times." He watched Jareth's reaction carefully. He knew Jareth was trying to remain calm and rational. He shook his index finger back and forth. "On the other hand, I think I'll leave you at your twenty years now. It'll be fun to play with your feelings. And it'll keep your grubby hands off of Sarah, seeing how she won't recognize you now." Toby knew that was going to irritate him something terrible.

Jareth narrowed his eyes at Toby and gave a dejected sigh. There was nothing that he could do. Toby already had the upper hand. The imagination was indeed a powerful thing. He enfolded his arms over his chest and tilted his head to the side. "So what are your intentions, Toby? Are you so insecure as to mimic me because you know you're nowhere near as good as the original?"

Toby clenched Jareth's staff within his tight grasp and then murmured in a low voice. Above them the sky was becoming dark and a shadow began to fall over the land. The goblins started to come out of their houses, curious about the sudden changes in the city. As Jareth's army laid eyes upon the Jareth twins, they began to creep toward them.

Toby glanced to the growing crowd, and his lips rose in a twisted grin. This was exactly what he wanted to happen. Now Jareth couldn't interrupt his plans. Toby pointed the tip of his staff at Jareth again. "My fellow goblins! This man before me is an imposter! He is attempting to take over the labyrinth. Come! Let us purge him from this land!"

Jareth almost couldn't hide his anger. He shook his head quickly and straightened his composure. He looked between the goblins and Toby. "Look between us and decide for yourselves who the true Goblin King is. I'll tell you now, there is a difference." The wind pulled his hair around his face, and his expression grew grave.

The goblins glanced between the two. Of course, they weren't very smart. Jareth wasn't sure about depending upon them to make the right decisions. And then the goblins spoke.

"They look the same to me!"

"They're wearing the same clothes too!"

Then the leader of them pointed to Toby. "The one with the crystal is the real one. Jareth is the only one with the power to wield such magic. That is what makes him the Goblin King!" Then the leader turned to Jareth. "This man is the imposter." The leading goblin began to step toward Jareth and the original took a couple steps back.

Within moments, Jareth was tackled by his own fellow disciples and they dragged him through the Goblin City and upon reaching the entrance, they threw him out.

Jareth sank to the damp ground as his hair fell into his eyes. How unfortunate things had turned. The young man he'd felt so close to had betrayed him. Or perhaps it was his fault for underestimating the boy. Whatever it was, he was paying the consequences.

Jareth sighed as he thought about the way he saw himself in Toby's mirror. He was younger looking. He had always liked the way he looked, but now that he was younger, he was starting to like that appearance more. Now… he just needed to find a way to get his title and castle back.

And then Sarah popped into his mind again. Of course! She was going to come back for Toby. He could just follow her and then at the last moment, he'd get rid of Toby and regain his honour. He looked around once more and finally stood up. He wondered what powers he'd been left with. And finally, he wondered what he was going to do next.

-x-x-x-

Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus were traveling around the labyrinth when the shadow fell. They'd been in the forest by the Goblin City, and Hoggle took off when he heard the front door slam shut. It took Ludo to pick him up to keep him from running away.

"Dearie me, I wonder whatever that could've been. Ambrosious! Come, and let us go find out!" Didymus was overcome with enthusiasm. How long had it been since he'd marched into battle?

Ambrosious whimpered softly. After three years and counting, he'd actually gained some courage. However, there were still times when he didn't want to put up with frightening battles. He scuttled over to Ludo and hid behind the large yeti.

Sir Didymus gave a sigh of disbelief, "Ambrosious! Don't start with that again! I thought thou were stronger than that! Do not be as the once valiant Sir Hoggle!" He shook his left paw at Ambrosious in a scornful manner.

Hoggle started to struggle angrily within Ludo's grasp until he was released and he dashed over to Didymus. Within moments he'd taken his spear and beat the fox over the head with it, "Call me a coward, why don't you! After you commended me for my bravery!"

Sir Didymus cried out in pain each time he was hit. He brought up his hands to shelter his head. "Ai! Ai! Yip!" He started to cringe. It didn't hurt too terribly much; he was just wishing that Hoggle didn't lose his temper so easily.

Ludo stopped sheltering Ambrosious and stepped in between the two as he grumbled, his eyes giving off a slight sadness. "Hoggle… Brother friends. Shadow comes." He raised a hairy paw above them and the forest was blanketed in darkness. Only the light of the pixies could illuminate the forest for navigation.

Hoggle and Sir Didymus looked up to the sky and their squabble was forgotten. A cold, icy wind blew through the forest, causing Hoggle to shudder.

He grumbled unhappily, "Something is rotten in the Underworld. And it sure ain't Jareth's power. There's somethin' terribly wrong." He shook his head slowly. And then he turned to the others. "We need to call Sarah. We're gonna' need her help this time." He had wanted to see her again, but this might've been the way. Would they only meet in times of trouble?

"What an absolutely splendid idea, Sir Hoggle! Our fair lady would be more than willing to help us out!" He paused and looked around hesitantly. "The problem is… How do we get to her…? We'd have to go back to the start of the labyrinth in order to see her again."

The three sat down in a circle while Hoggle began to make a fire. They'd have to make camp for the night. Maybe it'd be easier to make their way to the beginning by morning.

Jareth slipped through the forest quietly. That was one thing he always excelled at. He was very good at hiding himself, very good at sinking into the shadows. He paused when he heard Hoggle's voice, and a smile came to his face. "Aha. The protagonist…" He inched a bit closer to them and peeked around a rather large tree. He saw the three familiar characters sitting around the fire and he watched them carefully. They seemed as though they were deep in thought. What could they be thinking about, though? They were close enough to the Goblin City to hear the commotion. Surely they had seen the shadow cloaking the world in all its dark glory.

After a few minutes of silence, Ludo gave a loud sigh. When he spoke, the disappointment in his voice was apparent. "Ludo sad… no idea…" He raised his furry paws and placed them over his eyes as he shook his head slowly.

Hoggle stood up and he kicked a couple rocks out of his way. "I feel the same, Ludo. We gotta get the little lady here. I ain't waitin' for tomorrow to come. How come there just ain't no way to get to her?" He started to pace back and forth. He was getting nervous. Something wasn't right. They all knew it. He'd never felt so powerless except against Jareth. Damn that Jareth anyway.

Sir Didymus was roasting leaves over the fire as he spoke. "How do we find a mirror this time of eve? It's not like a mirror is going to come out of nowhere."

A mirror… That's what they need? That's how they keep in touch with her?

Jareth had an idea. Maybe, just maybe, if he concentrated enough he could bring a mirror to his aid. Of course, maybe he could wish for one and get it. The second idea seemed unlikely to happen.

I wish I had a mirror…

After standing around for a few minutes in silence, he scowled.

I knew that wouldn't work.

He folded his arms over his chest thoughtfully. What else could he do? He shook his head slowly in a manner of distaste. It meant that he was going to have to concentrate and at least make the attempt to try.

"So the labyrinth's a piece of cake? Let's see how you deal with this slice."

As a crystal sphere formed between his hands, Jareth smiled. So he wasn't completely powerless. He pulled his hand back and thrust the sphere forward, mimicking Toby's spell of creating the mirror. As soon as the sphere left his hands, Jareth found himself falling forward in pain. There was a price to pay for each time he used magic. There was going to be no pointless spell casting. He'd have to wait until Toby was gone before he could charm Sarah.

When he regained the strength to stand, he slowly took a couple steps closer to his mirror he had created. So now he had the mirror, but how was he going to get to her? Maybe if he stuck around longer, he'd be able to hear Hoggle or one of the other two blurt out the secret. On the other hand, time was growing short, and they all needed Sarah present as soon as possible.

Jareth brought up a hand to his pendant and he fingered the small ruby ring. It wasn't his, but since it was given to him, he had vowed to protect it until he found the owner. His fingers brushed over it, and he smiled fondly. Where she was was where he wanted to go.

Sarah...

And as he thought the name, his inner desire to see her granted him access through the mirror. As his outstretched hand grazed against the smooth glass, the mirror's surface rippled and then swallowed him whole as he vanished into a flash of light.

Ambrosious caught the flash in the corner of his eye and he released a loud yelp of surprise. Sir Didymus, sitting next to him, nearly found himself falling into the fire.

He turned to the almost fully white furred dog and regained his composure. "Ambrosious, what was the reason for such a disturbance to the peace?" He noticed the poor dog trembling and he walked over to him. As he peered around the tree, he saw Jareth's mirror. "Sir Hoggle, Ludo, look at this! Fate has smiled upon us! I believe yon lady has sent us a sign!"

Hoggle and Ludo quickly joined Sir Didymus' side and examined the mirror. It was lovely, full of exquisite detail and encrusted jewels. Perhaps that had been why Hoggle knew that there was more to it than what met the eye. As he glanced to the ground, he saw shards of crystal stained with a ruddy hue. As he picked up one, he held it towards the dim light of the twin moons.

"This was made by Jareth..."