Hi.
I am so sorry for the delay with this one- This story seems to be going rather slowly.
Thanks again to my dear reviewers and yet again this is dedicated to you...
Down In The Underground
Ruben stood at the out wall of the Labyrinth; searching for a way in.
"Thirty-four" a gruff voice counted, "Thirty-five"
The voice was followed by a short, leathery skinned man with a large nose and wisps of white hair poking out of the sides of his skull cap. The short man examined him a moment then demanded,
"What cha jus' starin' at th' wall fer?"
"I'm trying to find the way in"
The short man suddenly brought up a spray can and squirted a little flying thing, which fell to the ground with a muffled thump, raising a small cloud of dust.
"Thirty-six"
"What was that?"
"A fairy, Don' touch it though, it'll bite"
"You show me theā¦"
"Ya want t' find the way in. yer gotta ask the right question"
"Where's the entrance you stupid Gnome?" Ruben snapped
"I ain't no gnome- I's a Dwarf!" the Dwarf pointed at the wall, "There's tha entrance. Now clear off, I gots work ta do"
Jareth arrived in his throne room to find that the little blonde girl had climbed out of the pit and was perched on the arm of his throne; she was watching a group of the Goblins with interest.
"Shouldn't you be where you were put?" he asked her
"I don't know" she shrugged, "Mummy never said about it"
"Is that the way you address a king?" Jareth found that he was amused despite himself
The child turned to look at him; her large blue eyes seemed to be weighing him up, "I never met a king before Mister Jareth"
Jareth blinked, "And how do you know my name, little girl?"
"Mummy told me" she told him, "She says she knows you"
Jareth sat in his throne, with one leg between the child and the back of the throne, "So I once graced your mother with my presence did I?"
The girl let out a musical laugh
"And what is so funny?"
"You are" she giggled, "I'm Jae"
"Well Jae, how do you like your new home?"
"It's not my home" Jae stuck her tongue out at him, "You have no power over me"
Ruben meanwhile was wading through knee deep, gloopy marshland that smelt a distinctly like blue cheese. At this point he was wondering why he hadn't just asked that blue worm why he should never go 'that way'
All of a sudden he tripped, lost his footing and landed face first in the slop.
'Just wonderful'
"I have no power over you, eh" Jareth echoed, amused, "Now why say such a thing? Especially when you know it's a lie"
"Mummy told me that was how you beat the Goblin King"
"Your mother is a smart one isn't she- what is her name?"
"Mummy" Jae announced, unhelpfully
"GOBLIN KING!" a voice in his head bellowed, "GET YOUR LEATHER CLAD REAR UP HERE, RIGHT NOW!"
Jareth smirked, 'finally, she calls me'
"Look Jae" he produced a crystal and handed it to her, "I've just been called upon, use this to watch Ruben if you like, and for the gods' sake, behave yourself"
Sarah couldn't believe it- she'd returned to the theatre to pick up Jae, only to find an empty room, a pile of glitter and the feel of someone's magic in the air. Ruben had wished away the Goblin King's daughter- the clot.
She growled at him to come to her and sat down to wait.
While waiting she took deep steadying breaths- she wasn't ready for this; her intention had been to wait until Jae was older before she brought Jareth into the equation.
"Where are you Jareth?" she whispered, head in hands.
Hands closed gently around her shoulders, "Hello Sarah" he whispered back, "It's been a while"
There you go...
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