Aw, I'm almost done with this story.. well, that kinda saddens me... Well, hope you guys like this chapter, it is similar to last one and you guys seemed to like that one good enough!
btw, I didn't know what the forest was called so I just made up a name, if it's actually called something just tell me and I'll fix it.
-Penguin
A Closer Watch ( Part 2: Forest Of Twilight)
During this fight, the baby was laughing hysterically and I sat there wondering why on earth did I appoint Didymus to guard the bridge of the Bog anyway. I suddenly remembered that I had accidently struck him with a spell that had forever altered his ability to smell. Though now that I think about it, I can't remember if it was an accident or on purpose…
"Enough!" Didymus suddenly shouted, pulling me out of my head.
"Huh?" The yeti said as both he and Sarah jumped and looked up to see Didymus in a hole in the tree.
"Before this day, never have I met my match in battle." He told them and I bit my lip as I smiled because, if I remember these fights correctly, there was a least a dozen of them that he met his match if not even better. "Yet this noble knight," He continued, "has fought me to a stand still."
"Are you alright, Ludo?" Sarah asked him kindly.
"Smell!" The yeti moaned again and I had to fight a smile once again.
The fox opened his mouth to speak once more: "Sir Ludo, if that is thy name, now I, Sir Didymus, yield to thee. Come! Let us become brothers hence forth, and fight for the right as one."
" Yeah" The yeti agreed and then helped the fox down. "Ludo get brother!" He said happily.
"Yeah, well." Didymus said actually sounding sheepish, "Well met, Sir Ludo."
"Good, Come on!" Sarah said as she made her to the bridge but was stopped once again by Didymus.
"Wait a minute!" He cried, "You forget my scared vow, my lady. I cannot let you pass."
"But you just said Ludo was your brother!" Sarah remarked, but to my surprise did not say not fair nor did she sound whiny.
"Yeah!" the yeti added unnecessarily
"I have taken an oath," Didymus told them, "and I must defend it to the death.
"Agh, smell!" the yeti complained.
"Okay!" Sarah sighed and taking a short breath said, "lets handle this thing logical. What exactly have you sworn?"
Getting all majestic-like, Didymus answered, "I have sworn with my life's blood that no one shall pass this way without my permission."
I never said with his life's blood, I thought rolling my eyes as I watching, wondering if she could figure out the puzzle.
"Well.." Sarah said looking at him in what I'm guessing was a polite, but to me an obviously incredulous way, "may we have your permission?"
"Well!... I… huh…" The fox, for the first time since I've met him, was struck speechless. Thinking if there was a loophole around this, he momentary paused before he looked up at Sarah and answered weakly, "Yes?"
"Thank you, noble sir." Sarah told him politely, though I thought I could hear a slight exasperation in her voice.
"My Lady." Didymus replied with a bow.
Sarah finally reached the bridge. Nervously, she put her feet onto it and started to walk slowly across.
"Have no fear, sweet lady." Didymus told her, probably sensing her hesitation, "this bridge has lasted for a thousand years."
He tapped the bridge with his staff and at the touch it started to fall apart. Screaming, Sarah quickly grabbed onto a tree branch that was high above her and hung onto it as the bridge fell down under her feet. My heart accelerated in fear and for a moment, I had the impulse to help her. But my mind was able to taken control again and scolding myself, I settled back down, attempting to ignore the nagging feeling that made me edgy.
"I seemed solid enough…" Didymus said to himself, looking over at the damage he had caused.
Sarah continued to scream and flare around, screaming on the top of her lungs, "LUDO! HOGGLE!"
Probably hearing her screams, I noticed that the dwarf had come back and jumped back in fright to see Sarah dangling above the Bog.
"Fear not, fair maiden! I will save thee!" Shouted Didymus to Sarah, then added quietly to himself, "Somehow…"
The yeti suddenly started to howl loudly, causing both the baby and me to jump. Frighten from the sudden noise, the baby started to cry. I bounced him on my knee, telling him everything was all right, and then he cheered up rather quickly and I once again turned to the crystal ball and was momentarily surprised to see that Sarah was suddenly standing on a rock in the middle of the bog.
"That's incredible Ludo!" Sarah cried, looking back at the yeti with delighted disbelief.
"My brother!" Didymus also piped up, "Canst thou summon up the very rocks?"
"Sure, rocks friends." The yeti answered with a shrugged as he made his way to the newly created stepping stone bridge.
Ah, that's right. How could I have forgotten? I thought as I watched them cross to the other shore where the dwarf now waited for them.
"Sir Ludo!" Didymus cried out as the yeti reached the other bank, "Wait for me!
Why is he tagging along? He wasn't even invited. I thought with annoyance but once again Sarah surprised me with not seeming to mind one bit.
Jumping on his steed, a black and white shaggy haired dog by the name of Ambrosius, Didymus rode his way on the stepping-stones to the other side.
When he reached everyone else, Sarah said with relief, "Let's get out of here!"
So they made their way away from the Bog, but my eyes didn't miss the dwarf lagging behind. I watched him as he stood, looking down at his hand where I noticed the peach for Sarah was. He shiftily looked around him, as though afraid someone was watching, which was smart of him to do for someone was watching, and then edged his way closer to the Bog.
Amused at his attempted to disobey me, I brought the crystal ball up to my mouth and threatened him as he was about to drop the peach into the Bog, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
The dwarf pulled back with surprise and fear and looking up in the air, moaned, "Oh please, I can't give it to her…"
Well, you don't have a choice. I thought coldly. But then worry began to seep through. What if the dwarf never gives her the peach? He better…. I starting to believe I need him too… And if he doesn't? Asked a worried voice in my head. Well, then he'll have to live in the Bog of Eternal Stench. I thought venomously, and this time, I'll make sure he'll land in it even if I have to kick him in it myself.
As I watched them travel further on their journey, I wasn't as surprise to see that they had reached the Forest of Twilight in a matter of about only ten minutes. They continued to travel in a fast pace even as they reached the forest. Sarah, I noticed, was growing edgier by the minute; she occasionally jogged and even when she walked, she seemed tense and tried her best to ignored the hunger and weariness that I could see sometimes slip through her usually unchanging face of determination. It seems like once something is on her mind; she won't stop until she gets it. I thought again with that same stupid admiration. Shaking my head, I tried my best to ignore her and to focus instead on the place she was traveling through, but it seems that no matter how hard I try, that my mind and gaze kept subconsciously wander back to her. Finally, I concluded that there was no way around not thinking about her.
Even though she could not hear me, I taunted her anyway by saying to myself, "Look Sarah, is this what you're trying to find?"
I looked down at the baby; he was staring intensely at the ball and started to clap his hands together, talking to himself.
Smiling down at him, I continued saying to myself, "So much trouble over such a little thing, but not for long." Then, I foolishly started talking to the baby, "She'll soon forget all about you, my fine fellow. Just as soon as Hoggle gives her my present. Then she'll forget everything…"
Turning back to the crystal I came to realize that they were nearing the edge of the Forest of Twilight. But fortunately, there came a problem that even I would have had trouble solving.
"Is that my stomach or yours, Ambrosius?" Didymus said as he led the way, slowing down due to his empty stomach.
"Hungry…" Moaned the yeti, whom came trudging behind Didymus.
"Yeah… Well, we can't stop now." Sarah said with a sigh, and then added in an attempt to encourage her friends, "Maybe we can find some berries or something…"
"Uh… Sarah?" The dwarf suddenly said from behind her.
I watched him; he was all shifty and seemed to drag himself a bit, and he didn't dare to look at Sarah's face. To my delight, I thought he was going to do what I would have done if in his shoes at this moment….
"Yeah?" Sarah asked, turning around.
"Uh…" The dwarf hesitated, and I watched with my adrenaline pumping madly, as he slowly raised his arm and mumbled, "Here."
Excitement pulsed through me as Sarah's face spilt into a smile as she exclaimed, "Hoggle! Thank you! You're a lifesaver!"
I could barely sit still as I watched her take the peach from the dwarf's hand. Rolling around in her hands, she then closed her eyes and eagerly took a bite out of it.
Yes! I yelled out in my head as my face broke out in a huge sly smile and Sarah's looked shocked, feeling the charm settling in. Now the tables have turned, I thought happily as I quickly stood up, there's no way she'll win this puzzle… no way.
Putting the baby down, I walked out of the throne room with the goblins suddenly exploded with chatter of questions of where I was going, but none dared to follow. I rushed to the closest window on the northern side of the castle; as I reached it, I released the crystal into the air. Creating four more, I twirled them in my right hand and picking the one of top, I released it into the air to follow the first one. As I did the same with the other three, watching them make their steady ascent down, I felt a sudden burst of relief swept through me. The spell is complete; she'll now be in a deep sleep in a dream that she'll be too absorbed up in to think of anything else, if anything at all.
But it is this girl… The thought came into my head. You've seen everything she's done, everything you thought she would never do but she did it as easily as if you were the one doing it. She's read the Labyrinth like an open book most of the time… Am I really going to gamble away that she'll not beat this puzzle like she's beaten the rest?
Not if I'm there, I decided, yes, if I'm there making sure she'll not beat this one, then I have nothing to worry about at all. Creating another crystal, I rolled it around in my hand; Sarah's dream world still a tumbled chaotic mess. My eyelids suddenly felt heavy and with a yawn I felt myself slip into sleep, wondering what kind of world Sarah was dreaming of.
