"He was shaken by the overwhelming revelation that the headlong race between his misfortunes ad his dreams was at that moment reaching the finish line. The rest was darkness, 'Damn it,' he sighed. 'How will I ever get out of this labyrinth!"
― The General in His Labyrinth: Gabriel García Márquez
Sarah took the letter from the fox and scanned it quickly. It didn't make a difference the letter wasn't written in English.
"Sir Didymus can you tell me exactly what this letter says?"
"No my queen," the fox said shaking his head. "It's written in High Fae, it is forbidden for us to learn the language but surely…you speak it fluently?"
Sarah huffed in frustration. Of course she didn't speak it.
"Well then how did you find out who it's from and when he's coming?" she inquired.
"The letter was sent through the royal channels!" Sir Didymus replied indignant. "I know a royal seal when I see one my queen else what kind of knight would I be?"
Sarah bit her lip in concentration. She needed to know what to expect but more importantly, what the hell was going to happen now.
"Didymus, is there anyone in the kingdom who can translate High Fae? Like if say, hypothetically, I forgot the language."
"Forgot the language my queen? But that is impossible!"
"I said hypothetical! But who speaks High Fae in the kingdom?"
"No one my lady," Sir Didymus replied looking more and more distraught. "The Goblin Kingdom is solitary - no other nobility live within its limits."
Sarah sighed heavily. This was way too much to deal with first thing in the morning and especially too much for a land without coffee.
"Alright, I need to speak to someone but in the meantime," Sarah looked again at the letter she'd written the previous night. It seemed like such a stupid idea now. Absently she tucked it into her nightgown with the rest of the letters. "In the meantime I want the castle to prepare properly for a visit from the High King. I won't let him find any excuse to complain about our kingdom. Roll out the red carpet for him if you must."
"Roll out the red carpet?" Sir Didymus repeated in confusion.
"It's an expression, it just means, make sure he is treated like the king he insists he is."
"Of course my queen," he bowed deeply enough that his hat fell off and Sarah made a mental note that when this was all done she would buy him the fanciest hat he could ever want.
She intended to follow Sir Didymus but she was interrupted by Hoggle, worrying his hat between his hands, and looking for all the world like he wished he was anywhere else.
"Hoggle," Sarah said, greeting him with as warm a smile as she could muster. If she wanted him to stop being so afraid she had to appear as non-threatening as possible. Difficult when she'd only been awake for fifteen minutes and already wanted to scream and go back to bed.
"Yer Majesty," he replied bowing awkwardly. "I was hoping you might let me go home now? If that's alright?"
"But Hoggle," she said standing, making her way towards him. "You just got here. Why are you leaving?"
Hoggle took off his hat and began worrying it between his hands.
"I heards that the High King was on his ways. So I thinks it about times that I on my ways as well."
"Hoggle don't worry," Sarah reached out to put a steadying hand on his shoulder but the dwarf shied away. "I won't let anyone hurt you."
"Yer Majesty, I'm not sure there's much you cans do. So I'm gettin' out of here before the fightin' starts."
"My Queen!" she heard Sir Didymus cry from the hallway, "I have word that he is in sight of the Dark Gate!"
Hoggle started to back quickly towards the door.
"Ohhhhhh I'm outta here!" he cried before fleeing into the hall.
"Wait Hoggle!" Sarah cried, chasing after him.
The dwarf pulled an old painting away from the wall and disappeared. Sarah grabbed the same painting preparing to chase him behind whatever door he'd gone through, but instead she fell through an archway. She started falling downwards headfirst.
Sarah couldn't see where she was going let alone where the ground was. She braced herself for a rough landing, hoping that nothing would break. The sleeve of her nightgown caught on a rock and ripped, but it managed to slow her down enough so the fall was more bearable. With a thud, she landed in a pile of rags.
"Okay ow," she said rubbing her head, "where am I?"
Looking around, she saw only stone, windowless hallways in front of and behind her. A leaky pipe dripped, echoing through the chamber. She realized she was back in the tunnels under the Labyrinth, the last time she'd been down this way she was chased by the Cleaners. Ideally she wanted to avoid that happening again.
"Hoggle!" she cried. "Where are you?"
But as far as she could see, there was no one else down here. Sarah started walking forwards, keeping an ear to the ground for any mechanical rumblings. As she walked, she pushed on different parts of the wall, she wasn't going to be making that mistake again.
"I really should have been using this time to prepare for the crazy monster magical tyrant who is on his way here to confront me," she mused out loud. "But noooo had to go exploring in the tunnels where I almost got killed last time. Great job, good planning Sarah."
She walked for what felt like an hour, pushing on every other stone. She was getting a very uncomfortable sense of deja vu.
"Goddamit," she muttered. "I'm supposed to be the queen you think the damn place could give me a rope or guide or something!"
As she said it, she pushed against a piece of stone that, to Sarah's great relief, gave way. Finally, she thought, pushing harder against the rest of the wall. The stones moved backwards giving her just enough of a gap to squeeze through into the next room.
The deja vu got stronger as Sarah surveyed the contents of the cavern. There was a rumbling of stone as the giant False Alarms came awake.
"My Queen!" "Your Majesty!" "Our Queen!" they cried as they spotted her.
Sarah smiled fondly at them. They had been the least harmful of all of Jareth's traps and she'd felt sorry for them as they begged her to say their spiel.
"Hello False Alarms," she greeted, touching the nearest one gently on the nose. "How are you?"
"Good! Not many runners down here lately! You must be doing a good job defeating them!"
Sarah shrugged and started to walk between them.
"Or maybe people don't take things for granted so much anymore."
The alarms paused as if in thought.
"Nahhhh," they shouted in unison.
"Beware!" one of them cried. "Stop what you are doing and turn back!"
Sarah laughed as she walked by, craning her neck to see if there were multiple paths she could take to get out of this cavern or just one winding road.
"Oh I know, you have to do your little speech, go ahead get it out of your system," she called to them.
"Leave this place at once!"
"There is nothing for you here!"
"Beware the further you go the closer you are to doom."
"Certain destruction lies ahead."
Sarah came to a spot where the cavern split with a fork in the road. Trying to tune out the sounds of the alarms she cast her memory back to the last time she'd been down here. She wasn't sure which one would lead back to the castle, but she'd take anything that wasn't these tunnels at this point. She started to go right when she got an uneasy feeling in her stomach. Her hands started sweating and she began to feel slightly dizzy. She looked down the path of the tunnel, it was only darkness. But still, something didn't feel right.
She kept going along the path, but each step she took, she was becoming more and more sure that something was wrong. Her head was pounding and her vision began to blur. It was so hard to think with the false alarms yelling in the background. Why was she here again? What was she even doing in these tunnels?
Sarah turned around and walked backwards towards the alarms. Her breathing slowed and the pulsing in her head began to subside. "False Alarms," she asked them, they'd stopped their shouting for the moment. "Did you see a small dwarf come this way? Possibly muttering about keeping out of trouble and kings and queens?"
"Yes my queen," one of them thundered in response. "We have seen the dwarf."
"Great," Sarah said relieved. "Which way did he go?"
"We can't tell you that," another alarm answered. "It goes against the code."
"What code is that?"
"That we can only lead travellers astray, never helping them find what they're looking for. If we started doing that then we'd be out of a job!"
"But I'm not a traveller," she argued.
"But you still seek something," the nearest one answered. "That makes you a traveller."
"Well," Sarah paused thinking. "Does it matter that I'm the queen and I'm ordering you to tell me?"
"No," they all replied in unison.
"Figures," she muttered. "Well how about this, if I started going left, would you say I was on the right path?"
"That depends what you're looking for."
"The dwarf - his name is Hoggle," Sarah replied, frustrated.
"Are you sure that's what you seek?" another alarm asked.
"Yes," Sarah said, impatient. Hoggle knew these tunnels better than anyone and if she wanted a chance to catch up she had to get going.
"Then I would say that way led you to your doom," the alarm answered.
"Great!" she started down the road going left.
"Wait!" the farthest alarm cried, "Don't say we didn't try and warn you!"
Sarah noticed a ladder imbedded in the wall and relief flooded through her. A way out.
Sarah noticed a ladder imbedded in the wall and relief flooded through her. A way out. Sarah smiled as she climbed up the ladder. They had to get bored shouting the same things over and over for whoever knows how many years. Hoggle had been right about them, pay them no mind they're harmless.
She pushed the cover off the top of the ladder and crawled out onto the stone floor. "Okay bye guys!"
Hoisting herself upwards, she realized that she'd somehow managed to wind up back in the throne room and Hoggle was nowhere to be found.
Instead there was a dark haired man, sitting in her chair, wearing an ivy and rose circlet around his head.
"Fuck," Sarah hissed when she realized what had happened. She'd stumbled out of the tunnels and right into her meeting with Ryuoth.
"My Queen," Sir Didymus cried from behind her and she turned around to see him dressed in red and navy, the same colors the High King was wearing. The little fox looked at her horrified and Sarah realized that she hadn't made it through the tunnels unscathed. Her nightgown was ripped and covered in dirt, her hair was tangled from sleeping on it and she'd managed to get a couple scrapes climbing up a ladder that probably hadn't been used in years.
Ah well, nothing for it, she thought to herself. She drew herself up to her full height and tried to pretend she hadn't just crawled out of a hole in the floor and that there wasn't chicken poop on her hem.
"Your Highness," Sarah bowed. She took a guess that all the other monarchs bowed to the high throne.
"Sarah," said Ryuoth rising from her throne. Sarah noticed he did not address her by title. "I'm afraid I've stolen your seat, your...seneschal informed me it would be best to wait for you in here. It appears he was right."
He wore long navy and red robes, and all Sarah could think when she looked at them was that it reminded her of blood and dark water. His eyes appeared black, but when she looked closer, she noticed that they were simply a very dark shade of blue. He kept an easy neutral expression on his face but Sarah knew that was more for his benefit than hers.
The fact that there weren't any guards or other Fae around told Sarah two things. One, that he wasn't worried about his safety with her. That meant he was arrogant and two, that anyone who visited a rival monarch without some kind of protection was powerful. Dangerously powerful.
Sarah didn't know what he knew about her so she made a snap decision that the best thing she could do would be to act like she knew what was going on. She'd had enough practice with the Fae to know that they pounced on any sign of weakness.
"I'm very sorry for presenting myself in such a state," she answered smoothly, trying to channel Jareth as best she could. "I was dealing with a rogue citizen who has since been dealt with accordingly. If you'd grant me a moment to change into something more appropriate, I'm sure Sir Didymus can arrange to have some food or drink brought to you."
"Ah don't worry Sarah," he replied, brushing her off. "This is a social visit, and I will not be staying long."
For some reason his use of her name so freely made Sarah bristle. She wasn't sure what the protocol was for addressing another monarch, but she didn't like the way her name rolled off his tongue. When Jareth said it, her name was a promise, when Ryuoth said it, it was a threat.
"I always enjoy a social visit Your Majesty," she said pointedly. "But I'm afraid your
letter was waterlogged by the time it reached my hands, the ink ran and I was unable to make out the purpose of your visit."
Sarah took a chance on the lie, she didn't want Ryuoth knowing she couldn't read High Fae.
"Did it?" Ryuoth wrinkled his nose in annoyance. "How frustrating. Well, I'll simply have to reprimand the messenger that allowed it to reach such a state."
Sarah kept her face impassive, trying to ignore his threat. If he planned on killing the messenger, her pleas wouldn't save them anyways and would tip her hand too soon. She had to believe it was an empty threat, designed to get a rise out of her.
"Nevertheless," he continued. "my purpose here is simple. Tell me where the Raven is and then we can all be on our way."
"The Raven sire? I don't know who you're talking about," she said carefully.
"No?" Ryuoth stepped closer. "You're quite sure about that?"
"Yes," Sarah answered coldly, meeting his gaze.
Ryuoth smiled lazily in response. "Well then perhaps you can tell me where Jareth is?" he began to slowly circle her. "Or are you unfamiliar with him as well?"
"He's out," she responded simply.
"Out?" he prodded.
"Yes."
"Do you know when I could expect him back?"
"Hard to say with Jareth," she answered shrugging. She'd read somewhere that the Fae folk were incapable of lying. She wasn't sure if that was actually true, they certainly had their ways around those rules either way, but she did know that she was bound by no such rules and had every intention of lying her ass off. It was after all, her human right.
"Interesting that you knew who I was referring to," Ryuoth replied, continuing to circle her. "There's not many people left in this world who would know that name. But maybe you're not from this world are you Sarah?"
"Jareth is my husband," Sarah said taking a risk.
"So it would seem," Ryuoth said reaching out to touch her pendant with his gloved hand. "Are you missing him Sarah? Or maybe there's someone else you're missing. Perhaps your father? Or your baby brother? Toby was it?"
His tone remained light but Sarah knew what he was implying. She opted to say nothing, trying to keep her face as neutral as possible.
"Tell you what Sarah," he responded evenly. "You tell me where the Raven is, and I'll make sure you don't have to worry about missing anyone ever again. You'll find I'm nothing if not fair."
The way he drew the final word out told Sarah that he was probably well informed about her history. Sarah seriously wished she'd thought to at least arm herself before this meeting. It was becoming increasingly tempting to just shoot first and ask questions later.
"There's a lot of ravens in the Labyrinth," she responded. "I couldn't possibly know which one you're looking for but you're welcome to take a look around."
"This raven is unique. You'll notice it by its ability to turn into a woman."
"Can't say I've seen any ravens turning into women," Sarah said taking a step towards him. "But I'll keep my eyes peeled."
Ryuoth paused for a moment, considering her. He smiled "Sarah," he said raising a hand to stroke her cheek. "I admit I see the charm, nothing compared to the High Fae of course my dear, but nevertheless it would be a shame to waste it. I appreciate beauty, even on a human."
Without warning Ryuoth grabbed her by a chunk of her hair and yanked her to her knees. Sarah couldn't keep from crying out with pain.
"But I similarly do not tolerate insolence. A human never stands in the presence of a King, not even one so foolish as to think herself above her station. She will kneel until her knees are raw and bloody until she learns some respect. Now, where is the Raven?"
Sarah bit her lip to keep herself from saying something she'd regret. She was unarmed and he had magic on his side. This was not a fight she could win.
"Not ready to answer me yet?" he said mockingly, peering at her curiously. "Well, that's alright, nobody has corrected your poor manners in years. In this world Sarah, there are consequences for not answering when your king is speaking."
"You're not my king," she hissed. Sarah hadn't meant to say anything, but she'd never been good at learning when to keep her mouth shut.
Ryuoth raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"So she has courage. But she lacks common sense. You know I've always wondered why your kind are so liberal with their lives. I suppose on some level you understand that you don't matter."
Sarah didn't respond.
"Come now, I thought we were having such a nice talk Sarah. Or are you so ready to be finished with the conversation part of this meeting? Would you rather we move along to the physical - I'd like to see how you scream under my touch Sarah.
She couldn't keep back a shudder at the thought of his hands on her. Ryuoth noticed and gave a crooked smile in response. He reached down and took Sarah's right hand in his. Gently, he placed a kiss on the back of her palm. Then, without a second thought, he snapped Sarah's wrist between his hands. Sarah heard the bone break as the pain flooded through her. She screamed before he let her wrist drop, before grabbing the other and breaking it similarly in two. The bone pierced through the skin and Sarah felt she was going to be sick.
Her knees gave out and Ryuoth grabbed her by the waist.
"You thought I wanted to sleep with you? That I would debase myself to touch a human in such a way? Courage is one thing Sarah, but I'm not sure I've ever met someone so foolish before. Coming to this meeting dressed in such a way that even the goblins would take offence, lying to my face, insulting me - what did you expect to happen Sarah?"
Sarah could only watch helplessly as her head swam with pain and the blood began to pool out of the broken skin around her wrists. She looked to the doorway for Sir Didymus, for anyone, to help her, but she and Ryuoth were alone.
"Answer me!" he shouted as he struck her across the face.
But everything she'd said had only made it worse. If he was going to kill her she could at least keep her friends safe. Isn't that what she'd always promised? To save them from the tyrannical king? Well she'd make good on that at least.
"Which bone shall I break next hmm?" he whispered into her ear. "I'm going to break it regardless, but as this is your first offence I find myself being merciful. Your face? Shall it be your jaw? Perhaps your eye socket? What about your sweet little nose? Or should we stick to the hands and I break what's left of those bones?"
Sarah was only dimly aware of what he was saying. This wasn't how this was supposed to go at all. She was supposed to be armed. She was supposed to have a plan. She was supposed to have back up.
"Stop," she managed to choke out.
"Why?" he replied with mock curiosity. "If what you say is true and you don't know the Raven, well then nobody will care if the human monarch from a backwater kingdom is executed for treason. Now if you are lying to me, as your kind are wont to do, well then, I simply cannot have liars in my midst Sarah. That won't do at all."
And with that, he squeezed his hand around her waist and Sarah felt like her chest was caving in. There was a sharp pain and the wind was knocked out of her. She struggled to breathe but couldn't catch her breath.
It's pierced my lung, she thought absently before he let go, sending her falling to the ground.
"Disappointing," he mused staring down at her. "I'd hoped this would have been more difficult."
"Then you, can leave," she rasped, struggling for air.
"Oh I'm afraid not," he said settling back into her throne. "I'm afraid I squeezed a bit too tight. You will die unless tended to. But who will tend to you Sarah? Who will come to your rescue? I'm interested to find out so I think I will wait."
"Nobody is coming," she hissed, each word a knife in her side.
"Wrong again," he said wagging a finger at her. "Our guest of honour should be here right about...now."
He gestured to the window and Sarah could make out something flying toward her.
"Jareth," she whispered hopefully.
"What was that?" the King demanded. But Sarah was instead focused on the dark figure that flying through the open window. The raven landed and transformed into a redheaded woman.
"Jemara," Ryuoth beamed from Sarah's throne. "How kind of you to join us. I believe you know our gracious host."
Sarah took in Jem's appearance. She was used to seeing the woman in long skirts and simple blouses. Instead she appeared in all black, a breastplate on her chest and a tattered black cape flying behind her. Her hair was stacked wild and shot through with streaks of white, gold, and black. If possible, her face looked less human and more fearsome than Sarah had ever seen it. She had painted her eyes like Jareth's and while she wore no weaponry, Ryuoth's abuse had told Sarah in no uncertain terms how little their kind needed it.
"Tsk tsk tsk Sarah, we just spoke of this, a good queen stands to greet her guests."
He lifted a hand and pulled her upward. Like she was no more than a puppet and he held all the strings.
"Stop," Jem shouted.
"As you wish," he said dropping his hand. Sarah fell and crumpled to the ground.
Jem rushed over to her. Sarah felt her take her face between her gloved hands. She was having a hard time focusing, everything was getting distorted and fuzzy. Her hands, the leather - they felt so much like Jareth's. The pain was starting to ebb and if Sarah closed her eyes she could pretend they were back in her dream. Lying lazily in bed, she felt herself drift toward unconsciousness. Then she could hold him, he would be there. They could be there.
"Sarah I need you to focus," Jem whispered in her ear.
"Jareth," she mumbled back.
"I know," she said quieting her. "But Sarah, listen. Look at me."
"Sarah opened her eyes and met two icy blue ones. Just like his.
"Sarah, I need you to Stop."
Jem put her hands on Sarah's shoulders and Sarah felt herself go completely still. She couldn't talk, she couldn't move, she was still in pain but no longer felt like she was going to pass out.
"Come now sister, Father was very clear that we must share our toys."
Ryuoth extended his hand back toward Sarah. She braced herself for the inevitable snap of another bone.
"Oh very clever," he said quietly when nothing happened. "But she cannot exist like that forever."
Jem stood up and turned back around to face her brother.
"Ryuoth," she said calmly.
His face twisted in anger.
"How dare you speak it so openly. And in front of a human?"
"Ryuoth," she continued as if she hadn't heard him. "Leave now. You are not prepared for a fight. If you try and fight me now, you will lose. Go home; I will not follow."
"You cannot touch me either. All we have to fight over is our sweet little friend here. Of course, I could always bring your charming brother home. See what games he's good for."
"Then do it brother," Jem replied evenly. "I'd like to see you face the Goblin King head on. You're good, but is he better? I confess I have wondered."
Ryuoth's eye twitched in annoyance.
"You know my terms. Your brother can come home today if you like, just as soon as you get rid of those selfish delusions. Is being right really more important than your brother's entire existence?"
"I will not be goaded into submission any more than you will Ryuoth. The stalemate stands. You already have my brother, this girl is just his replacement. Kill her and another will appear just as surely. And another, and another. How long are you prepared to wage war against the Goblin Throne? I love my brother Ryuoth, you know this. I loved my mother and the man who raised me. But they are both dead now. I do not love the Goblin Throne. So repeatedly killing their monarchs does nothing more than irritate the Arid Lands into a situation where they have no choice but to go to war. You want to fight me and my supporters Ryuoth. Not a whole territory."
"And you can honestly tell me this girl is not on your side? Actively working to return the Goblin King?"
"I can," Jem said evenly. "Sarah has repeatedly informed me she is not interested in helping us. In fact, her prime directive when she found herself Underground was to try and kill the Goblin King."
"Then return her home," Ryuoth thundered.
"To what point or purpose?" Jem shouted back. "There must always be Goblin Throne."
"She has declared him her husband! She obviously cares for him!"
"Ryuoth, consider the situation. How could Jareth be her husband? They haven't seen each other since she was a child. You know this."
"Then bring me another champion," he demanded.
"You know as well as I that the last champion died over a century ago. Besides, why would any of them be preferable to her? Who is she to you Ryuoth? Are you truly that threatened by a slip of a human girl? Whose wrists and ribs you broke with barely a flick of your hand? What threat could she possibly pose to you? She is a joke, a placeholder, a farce. If she appeared at court as she did before you today she'd be laughed out of the room. She has no training, no knowledge of our ways. What do you expect her to do? March an army to your door? Do you really feel so threatened by a human led army of goblins? I'd worry more about your own generals if that is the case."
Sarah listened to Jem's words, unable to refute them even if physically could. She knew Jem was only saying them to protect her from Ryuoth, but she was right, she was useless.
"Do not insult me sister," he hissed. "Of course she is nothing."
"Well then I'm glad we've settled that." Jem said returning to her pleasant demeanour. "So how would you like to proceed?"
"Alison," he replied sharply.
"What of her?" Sarah noticed Jem's body tense slightly at the mention of the name.
"I should have killed her when I had the chance," he said, tugging at his gloves.
"Maybe," Jem nodded. "But she is lost to both of us now."
Ryuoth stood up and walked toward the door.
"You are a bastard and will always be a bastard. No amount of magic will change that. Just as no amount of magic will save your brother from my wrath. Make no mistake, he will suffer for this ... distraction."
"If you touch a hair on his head," Jem said darkly. "Erasure will be a kindness after what I will do to you."
Ryuoth turned around and smiled.
"Sweet sister, erasure was my kindness."
He slammed the door behind him and was gone.
"Sarah!" Jem cried rushing to her side. Sarah was still unable to speak, suspended in position by Jem. "Forward," Jem spoke quietly, laying her hands on Sarah's shoulders.
Sarah felt as though she had been snapped like a rubber band back into reality. While she'd been stuck in place, the pain had been there but it had moved to a dull ache. When Jem removed whatever spell she'd put over her, all of it came rushing back and rushing out as Sarah retched blood all over the throne room floor.
"I'm getting you out of here," Jem declared. Jem lifted Sarah up like she was no more than a doll and carried her to the window. "I'm sorry for this part, but it's the fastest way there."
"What are you talking about," she mumbled back. It didn't matter anymore, all she wanted was to take a nap.
"No sleeping Sarah," Jem said seriously. "Stay awake, do not close your eyes. Actually wait, no, do close your eyes but don't go to sleep."
"What?"
But Jem didn't bother responding before jumping out the throne room window.
The only reason Sarah didn't scream was that the hole in her lung was making it hurt to breathe let alone any sound louder than a whisper.
Well if I was going to die anyways, she thought to herself, this was the fastest way.
She took Jem's advice and closed her eyes, bracing for impact. But none came. Sarah opened one eye slowly. She was amazed to see Jem was still carrying her, but they were flying through the air, above the Labyrinth. Jem's eyes were open but she was muttering something under her breath. Sarah thought better than to interrupt her while they were literally flying through the air in case she lost concentration and dropped them.
Then without warning they started towards the ground and gently came to a stop just outside of Jem's cottage.
Jem didn't let go of Sarah, instead carrying her as she rushed her inside.
"I can fix the punctured lung and set the bones in only a few minutes," she said quickly. "But it's going to hurt. Unless you're okay with taking some of my medicinal herbs but I understand if you don't want to given what happened last time."
"I don't care," Sarah said faintly.
Jem laid Sarah out on her bed and then ran to the kitchen, throwing jars and pots and pans everywhere.
Sarah looked back up to Jem's ceiling.
The stars. There was something about the stars she had to remember. Or would need to remember. Something.
"Here take this," Jem said rushing back over, tilting a mug of something dark and foul smelling into her mouth. "Drink it all, it may make you woozy."
Sarah gratefully drank the whole thing as Jem watched her nervously.
"The stars," Sarah repeated when she finished.
"Yes yes, watch the stars," Jem said brushing her off.
Sarah tried to explain but the room was getting dimmer. She'd rest now, explain in the morning.
She was back in the dark room. Only it wasn't dark anymore, not completely. A small tiny stream of light was coming through a hole in the ceiling. Sarah looked up and saw the moon and a constellation she didn't recognize.
"A triangle," she whispered, tracing the three visible stars together.
"When is a triangle not a triangle?" he asked.
"I hate your riddles," she didn't bother to look for him this time. It didn't matter, it wasn't real anyways.
"Three is a powerfully magical number Sarah," he replied. "But when is three not three?"
"I don't understand you here," she said. "I never know what you're saying. It's useless."
"Look there," he answered. "Do you see it?"
"It's pitch dark in here I can't see anything," she responded. But then she looked closer. The faint moonlight coming through had made it possible to just barely make out a dark creature, hunched into a ball in the corner.
Sarah's heart sped up. "What is that?" she asked barely above a whisper. She wanted to approach it and get a better look, but something told her not to.
"Why did you not fear the beast?"
"Ludo?" Sarah said, confused. "He wasn't a beast. He was just...Ludo."
"But before he was your friend who was he?"
"I don't know," Sarah said, flopping down to the ground in frustration. "Why don't you tell me?"
"What was he?"
"I don't know!" she shouted, not caring if she woke the creature. It didn't matter anyways, it was just a dream.
"Think Sarah!" he shouted back. He had never raised his voice to her here. It startled her.
"Scared! Alone! Attacked! I don't know! He could have been with his herd, I never asked. I never asked any of them," she cried.
"Will you free him?" he replied, his voice calm and even again.
"Ludo?" she guessed, "I already freed him."
She heard a low chuckle and felt hands on her shoulders.
"You're getting closer. I am sorry about your wrists"
"My wrists?" she looked down at her arms. They seemed fine to her.
"And you are not, nor have you ever been, useless Sarah."
"Why did you say that?" she asked, increasingly confused.
"Because I could not come," he replied darkly, "and I refuse to let that happen again."
"Come where?" this was just getting more confusing and she was getting nowhere.
"But you must remember soon."
"Jareth," she turned around and reached for him. But grasped only at air.
"This may hurt," he said in her ear again behind her.
She didn't even have a chance to question him before she heard a scream. It took her a minute to realize the scream was hers.
