"Oh how awful!" Solemnly Kathrin nodded and looked down at the ground, "Well, I think you're in luck!" Slowly she rose her head to see what the dog like creature meant.
"It just so happens that we," He paused gesturing to himself, Ambrosius and Ludo, "Have already defeated the Labyrinth and would gladly do so again for such a gallant warrior as you My Lady!" A wave of relief surged through Kathrin at the news a large smile worked its way onto her face and she picked up the small creature and spun it around in her arms.
"You would, Oh Thank you, thank you so much," Before she had realized what she was doing she pressed a gentle kiss to Sir Didymus's head and placed him back on the ground. The creature began to blush and smile meekly. Kathrin was glad that she would no longer be adventuring alone, and instead had made some friends. Perhaps they would be allowed to visit her when she defeated the Labyrinth, if she defeated the Labyrinth.
Before she could allow herself to fall back into dark thoughts, Sir Didymus announced that they were going to find someone who could help them navigate this awful place.
They had been walking for what seemed like forever and had finally escaped the jungle. It was crazy to think that whilst she was here the world continued on as normal not even knowing this whole other universe existed. It was quite strange really and a little humorous.
Suddenly their party stopped, Kathrin noticed that they were at a small shack like house. Sir Didymus rode Ambrosius to the door as she and Ludo stood a little further back, raising his small fist he knocked on the door an unhuman grumble reverberating from the other side.
"Go away, I don't want whatever you is selling!" The door swung open revealing the owner of the croaky voice. It was a short dwarf like creature with wrinkled brown skin and fluffy white eyebrows. Kathrin thought he was cute in a strange way.
"Friend," Ludo growled out beside you, "Hoggle friend," the small creature nodded but no smiled reached his face.
"Yes, Yes, what do you two want now?" His eyes met hers and widened with a mixture of shock and annoyance, "Oh no, not again I got in enough trouble last time!"
"Sir Hoggle, how could you be such a coward?" Called Didymus clearly shocked as Hoggle attempted to shut the door that was blocked by the little creature.
"Sarah," Came another soft growl from Ludo's lips and Hoggle stopped struggling to close the door. Kathrin was a little confused on what was going on but decided not to interfere in their moment.
Hoggle's eyes met Ludo's and slowly looked down to meet hers. She could see the eternal battle he was having. Whoever this Sarah person was she sure meant a lot to all of them.
"Okay fine, but if he gets on my trail I'm leaving you all!" Kathrin wondered who 'he' was. Maybe it was Jareth, maybe he knew who this Sarah was. It didn't seem unlikely for him to know, he was the ruler of this place after all.
"Thank you," It was the first time she had spoken to Hoggle and he seemed to almost blush at her words. The short creature waved a hand at her and returned into the shack liked house, joining them outside again moments later with a small brown satchel.
Without so much as a whisper the five set off on their almost impossible journey.
In a matter of minutes they met their first obstacle.
It was nothing like the changing walls Kathrin had experienced before, in comparison they seemed rather fair. Two doors, one was black the other white. Now that didn't seem like much but the doors weren't made of wood or any other material you could make doors with.
No the doors almost seemed like they were living, a swirling gunk, oozing and undulating mass of both black and white gunk.
"W-What are they?" The words left her lips as a horrified whisper, Ambrosius had hidden behind her legs and even brave Sir Didymus looked slightly unsettled.
"They be the doors," Hoggle stated as if it was obvious. Kathrin couldn't remember them in her book. " We got to turn around," The party swiveled turning around only to discover that the way behind them was blocked.
"Typical," an all too familiar sultry voice called out behind them. Hoggle froze his shoulders raised as if he was expecting to be hit. "I should have known you'd find the merry men," taking a deep breath Kathrin turned to face him.
Just as predicted there in all his glory stood Jareth a coy smirk tugging at his lips. It felt like all the wind had been knocked out of her as he pressed off of the tree he had previously been leaning on and stalked over to her.
"Hello my dear," even a simple greeting sent unwanted shivers down her spine. Kathrin tried to remain calm but the man in front of her seemed to send her mind and body into some unholy frenzy. "How are you finding my Labyrinth thus far?"
Gulping Kathrin wanted to hold her head high and say it was easy, but that would be a lie and her mother had told her never to tell lies. Slowly she took a step forward and looked up at him, so her eyes met his perfectly mismatched ones.
"Its not very fair," a chuckle drew from his lips, a very lively chuckle. They was nothing sinister about it and Kathrin found she almost rather liked it.
"Life is nit fair my dear, However this once I will help you," he turned and with a gesture of his hand the gunky doors had disappeared. A smile broke out on her face and if the others had not been there she may have wrapped her arms around him. But the others were there so instead she smiled.
"I must be leaving now, but know that this favor I have committed means that you owe me a favor yourself."
And with those words he was gone,
"Well that was very ominous."