The land was vast below the face of the cliff where we stood. The wind picked up and ruffled my hair as well as Toby's. He was whining about not having a brush with him.
"This is where we stop, Sarah. Any further and we'd involve Jareth with trespassing notices." Hoggle informed me.
I turned to face my friends. "Thank you. I couldn't have asked for better friends than you guys. I hope to see you soon."
"So do we, milady." Sir Didymus said softly. "Should you need us again, call."
"Sawah and Toby take care."
"Bye, Ludo!" Toby nuzzled himself in Ludo's arms again.
"Come on, Tobes," I called out after a while. "Let's go. We don't have much time."
We finished our farewells and finally parted. It hurt to only see my dear friends for only a matter of hours and possibly never see them again. After they were out of my line of vision, Toby and I walked down the cliff to where it connected to the vast land. With our packs slung across our shoulders, we moved forward. We first came up to a thriving grassland with blades of grass easily able to hide Toby. There were occasional patches of flowers adding more colors than just living green.
The sun was nearly gone, but thankfully, Zem had packed a lantern and plenty of wicks, oil, and matches. After trekking nearly ten miles, we rested under the light of the full moon, which was glowing bright enough for me to save the lantern tonight. After we caught out breaths, we continued much to Toby's objections. I had to remind him that the Goblin King could turn into an owl, which happened to be a nocturnal bird and could fly farther and faster than walking.
"Sarah." Toby said. "What if we don't find a home like we had at the Goblin Castle?"
I stopped, thinking about that. Was it home there at all despite my fears? Could I have been too afraid to notice the nice hospitality we had? I looked at Toby, waiting for an answer. I knelt down, taking his shoulders in my hands. "Whatever happens, Toby, wherever we are, as long as we have each other, we're home, okay?"
"Okay. I love you, Sarah." He hugged me, leaning into me.
"I love you, too, Tobes." I held him tightly, knowing that what I said was only partially true, but I didn't have the heart to tell him the other half of having a good home; a place of belonging. He wouldn't understand that part. That's what I wanted to find elsewhere in the Underground, the sense of belonging. It's what I hoped to find.
"Alright, Toby." I tried to push him off, but his weight on me just came back leaning on me. "Toby?" He had fallen asleep. Sighing, I positioned him in one arm, wrapped my other around his legs and stood up carefully. I looked up to the clear bright sky before continuing our journey across the grass plain. The moonlight favored me apparently, because the plain started glowing with the cool reflected rays of the sun. I gave a silent thanks to the moon goddess, whether she was real or not. The gentle brush of the grass on my arms and legs reminded me a lot of Zem's light touch. My thoughts roamed to her and how she's doing, though I could imagine a lot of things happening.
.*.*.
"Xkozus!"
"Yes, my lord?" He bowed his covered head.
"Where is Zem Darkfire?"
"Do you want me to fetch her, my lord?"
"Yes. She was supposed to come to tell me if the lady and her brother were ready for dinner."
"I'll find her with haste then, sire." He left my library gracefully. I set my book down on my desk and gathered up the papers strewn about it. Once I had everything filed and ready for tomorrow's share of work the simple entrance opened, revealing Sarah's and my personal servants. Xkozus retreated to his usual place in the library while Zem walked straight to my standing form and curtsied.
"Zem."
"Yes, milord? What can I do for you?"
"You can tell me if Lady and Master Williams are ready."
She looked up a little. "Ready for what?"
I fumed. "To dine with me tonight!"
"I can assure you, milord, that they are not presentable at the moment." Her gray eyes quickly glanced into mine.
"When will they be?" I stepped away from my desk and to the balcony leading into the glorious moonlight.
"I cannot say, sire." I heard Zem say.
I grasped my hands behind my back. "Why ever not, might I ask?"
"Because they are not presentable." Zem repeated.
I turned my head until Zem was in my peripheral vision. "As in...?"
The door slammed opened and someone ran in. "Milord!"
I turned with agitation in my motion. "What?"
"They're gone!" The goblin exclaimed.
"Who?" I shouted.
"Lady and Master Williams, sire. I saw the little master leave his room for his sister's and never came back. I checked at the sister's room, but no one was there."
"What?" I turned to Zem. "Where have they gone?"
"I do not know." The Teg calmly told me.
"Your majesty!"
"What now?" I asked quieter this time.
A goblin guard stepped through the open door. "Sire, I saw two figures traveling across the Grassy Sea on my watch. I called out for them but they couldn't hear me. It seemed as if they came from our realm."
My heart skipped a beat. The goblins can't follow them and I can't leave my castle unprotected under her watch. What can I do?
"Sire?" The guard brought my attention back.
"Leave." I said quietly. Confused faces looked back at me. "Leave!" I ordered. "All of you!" I conjured a crystal and threatened to throw it. The Tegs graced out after the goblins scrambled to be out of my throwing range. I leaned on one elbow on the balcony railing, looking out unto my Labyrinth and beyond, hoping to see a trail left behind by Sarah. She shouldn't have left. Not this time. I was careful with what I said and how I said it. I stared into the face of the moon. Right?
The moon glowed more brightly than ever at the moment, giving the land beyond a faint light. Just enough light to help weary travelers. I glanced at my crystal in my other hand. I lifted it to my eye level and was about to tell it to show me Sarah, but I learned that she could sense it when she was being watched after she left my realm. I needed to see if her little adventure was going fine in one of the most dangerous places in the Underground, but I couldn't check on her herself. Then, I heard a faint laugh from below me. The laugh sounded like her brother, though below was a former human boy finishing his job petting the Tickle Lilies. That's when I knew what to do.
"Show me Toby Williams." I ordered softly.
Upon the curved surfaced of the ball was an image of the little boy asleep, though he was still moving. I widened the view and saw that Sarah was holding him and wading through the grass. Her eyes were starting to droop, though occasionally, she'd shake her head and not feel tired for a minute. I knew that I needed to get her back here, but with the complications of battle and trespassing upon me, I myself or my goblins couldn't bring her here.
What can I do? I was staring at the moon again. She frowned upon me, though I don't know why. I repeated my question. A small cloud covered a small section of the light, sending a shadow to rest upon an area in my Labyrinth. I studied the area. It was one of many gardens. I couldn't get why this one though. There was nothing in it but the flowers I'd created to bloom at night and... I looked up at the moon again, thanking her for helping. I looked back at the crystal and panicked. I found her kneeling, with Toby laying next her, and looking up at the moon, crying. I heard what she was saying.
"Why? Why? I was happy enough at home. I wasn't completely happy but that's part of life, right? Then I just had to make that wish and end up in the Goblin King's place again. Why did it have to be him? Why couldn't my dreams show me someone other than him? Oh, please? Why did he have to be so loving in my dreams? I love Jareth." My heart did a flip. "But I don't love the real Jareth. The real Jareth wants to kill me."
My heart flopped in my ribcage, pushing down on my lungs and gut. Why were her dreams being so cruel to her? The past two nights I followed her wish for better dreams, though it had to take me a while. Halfway through the night I had to fight past a thick barrier in her mind and then the rest of the night is spent trying to calm her mind from whatever happened before I could get there.
"Please?" She pleaded to the sky. "Help me find a home for Toby and me. I don't have to be happy as long as Toby is. Please?" Her voice was getting softer and more tired sounding. Then, she fell forward and landed on a patch of grass bending under her head, creating a soft pillow.
I was frightened thinking that she was hurt, but when I heard that her happily sighing, I became relaxed, at least until I heard something through the crystal. Soft notes lifted up into the breeze, creating a circle of protection around the two forms and reassured me that she'd be safe for the night. Her stay so far had already unraveled one of her many gifts. I hoped that her dreams would fare sweet tonight.
Her dreams are really acting strange and... My thoughts trailed off. "Her dreams," I whispered. "Her dreams are the key." I turned to the moon. Her surface glowed happily as if she agreed with what I just came up with, but she reminded me of the little garden. "I understand, milady." I bowed my head and walked back into the castle, glancing once more into the crystal. "Soon, Sarah. So very soon." I popped the crystal and strolled out of my library and into the dark castle before me.
.*.*.
"Sarah." A light voice was talking to me. I wanted to get away from it, but no matter what I did, the voice was there. Then, I felt a finger poke my cheek annoyingly. I opened my eyes and saw Toby, but he wasn't looking at me. I followed his gaze and felt my heart skipped a beat.
A few yards from us was a hump rolling through the green grass like a snake stalking it's prey. As it got closer I saw that it had bluish scales green enough to hide in the tall blades, but shiny enough to know that it wasn't a plant. A rumble shook the very ground beneath my body. The creature snaked closer.
"Sarah?" Toby said hiding behind me. "What are we going to do? That thing eats meat. I saw it kill a strange looking deer earlier." He twisted my tunic in his hands, staring intently at the monster. "What are you gonna do?"
"I don't know, Tobes." I whispered, peeking at him slightly. I turned back and caught a glint. At least... I hoped I did. It was a slight flash as if the morning light was hitting off of something nearby. I looked around, but I couldn't find it again. All I saw was the creature growing ever presently.
Toby hid his face in the small of my back when the creature lifted itself out of the grass. First came mighty night-blue horns, followed by a mane of blue-green slightly sparkling with a magical sheen. Then, the strange blood red pupil-less eyes appeared, seeming to be hungry and impatient. Finally, the long jaws, shut for now, became free from the living blades. I heard a slight hiss as the rest of the creature appeared behind it; the long lean body, the furry scaled tail, and the great wings stretching to it's length. It's eyes never left mine, but I could tell that it's mind was elsewhere, even as it poised to strike.
My heart began speeding up, knowing that this was the end, that this monster would devour us, and spit out our bones for the scavengers of this place. It stretched over ten feet above my head and several feet away, but the distance didn't matter. It would get us even if we tried to run.
A hiss sounded from the creature as it opened it toothy mouth and leaned back a bit. It finally rushed forward. I turned around as quickly as I could and embraced Toby in my arms, hiding our heads in the others body. Then, I heard an odd thump and realized that the serpent struck but didn't hit. I lifted my head and turned to see the monster unconscious at the base a sparkling wall. The sparkles rippled up and around Toby and I as if someone had put a dome over us as we slept. The sparkles, though, were electric and easily woke the creature. It shook it's spade shaped head and stared at me, with a different hunger in it's eyes. I recognized the hunger for comfort that I'd seen many times from my mother before she left and my father and stepmother when they came home from work and...
...and from the Goblin King when I finished the monologue.
"What happened, Sar?"
"Shh!" I let Toby go and walked up to the monster, stopping at the wall of the magical dome. The creature lowered it's head so that it's eyes were level with mine. Then the oddest thing happened. It's eyes changed to a lighter red and a slitted pupil grew. Curious, I stepped through the dome with ease and offered my hand to the monster. It snorted, scaring me, but then it turned it's head so that it's snout pointed to something I failed to see before; a wound in it's chest, oozing dark purple liquid around a wooden thing jammed in. I looked at the creature, it's eyes begging, pleading. I slowly walked forward and rested my hand on the wood thing. It was a broken spear that had probably been stuck for a few hours or maybe a day.
I peeked at the creature as I tested some tugs. It's head was facing toward the distance, but a frown sat upon it's jaws. I decided to speak to it, hoping to keep it from eating me if I pulled too hard and accidentally hurt it."It's really deep so it might hurt." I started off, hoping that it understood.
'Do whatever you can to get rid of it.'
I nearly jumped out of my skin. It talked to me, even though I was still looking at it's closed jaws. It turned it's giant head and stared at my frozen body a good yard from where I stood a few moments ago.
'Well?'
I regained my composure for now and stepped up the the spear again. I probed the spear to see if I could find a way to get the weapon out without hurting the creature. I tugged, it didn't work efficiently. I slightly twisted, not a chance. I just pulled and it slid a bit, but I needed another pair of hands. I looked at Toby and wondered if the creature wouldn't eat him if was helping me. I sighed at the Fates.
"Toby, come here."
"Okay." Toby answered timidly.
'Why do you need that little human?'
"Because this spear of yours requires one person to always be slightly pulling and another to be at the base near the wound to ease it out." I stopped myself from saying any more. I couldn't believe that I was talking to a carnivorous beast.
"Did you say something, Sar?" Toby said when he inched to my side.
I shook my head and directed him to the end of the spear. He started pulling when I got my hands around the spear at the base of the wound. It was sliding out easily until we got the the spearhead. I told Toby to just hold the spear now as I began to stretch the wound wide enough for the spear to fall out, but even at a little tug on the wound sent the creature to roar in discomfort.
'What are you doing, human?'
"I'm trying to help you! The only way to get this thing out is to widen your wound a bit!" I said forcefully, staring into the creature's eyes with as much power as I could conjure. Then, I softened up and talked more calmly. "I know it's a bit tender, your wound, but sometimes one needs to endure pain to appreciate comfort. Will you allow me to inflict a bit of pain so you can be free?"
The beast thought for a while then nodded it's head. I did a mental jump of glee when I won a battle against a mighty creature and didn't die. I turned to the wound and continued the task. Stifled snarls erupted from the creature but he never tried to strike at us again. When I thought that the spearhead would slip out, I told Toby to pull again. Sure enough, the metal tip of the spear fell into the grass. The monster then collapsed on itself, falling away from Toby and me. While the creature was breathing heavily, I saw that the dome was gone now. Toby rushed to find it again, but his hands fell through empty space. He looked at the creature and rushed back to my side. I couldn't help but laugh quietly at his silliness.
Even when scared, my little brother can try to lighten any atmosphere. I thought as my foot hit the spear. I grasped it far from the bloody tip and the splintery end. By the finest and most patient hands did the engravings on the wood show that the maker was otherworldly. The grooves slithered around the shaft and jumped at me with the power of magic in it's woodwork. I held the spear with both hands and calmed the excited power within the weapon. The motion of the grooves slowed and gathered around my hands, wanting me to do... something.
'Are you human?' The creature asked heavily.
"Yes, why do you ask?" I noticed that Toby was looking at me strangely.
'Because you have an Underground aura about you and humans don't get that unless they've been turned by a potion or a spell. Just by smelling you, though, I can tell that neither has happened to you.'
I gawked at the creature as it lifted it's head of the pillow of grass a bit. "I'm all human. Sorry to disappoint you. Well..." I tied to predict the time using the sun, but it was hopeless cause I didn't know how to do that. "My brother and I must get going." I urged Toby to get our packs.
'Where are you headed?'
"Nowhere particular. We're just trying to get as far as we can from a place still close by as fast as we can." Toby came over to me with his pack secured on his back and handed me mine.
'I would like to help you, human.'
"Why?"
'Because you intrigue me with your great power.'
I laughed disbelieving. "I don't have any powers."
The creature moved until it stared straight into my eyes. 'Prove the protection shield that was around you two and that.' It motioned to the spear in my hands. The engravings were gone. All that was left was a clean spear shaft. I looked at my hands holding the spear. All along my hands and arms were the same shapes as the grooves that used to be on the spear as if I had gotten henna tattoos in their likeness.
I looked back at the creature. It was staring at the spear with distaste. I turned so that it was partially hidden by my body. "I didn't tell it to do that."
'It doesn't matter. It's magic and I would like to figure out why I don't know what exactly you are. I'll assist you on your journey. These waters are dangerous.'
I looked at the grass around Toby and I with new eyes. If this creature was able to hide here, other things could be lurking within the blades as well. "Alright, you can come as long as you don't, for any reason, eat or hurt us."
The creature tilted it's head. 'Why would I want to hurt my saviors?'