Chapter 11: First Shroom on the Left

"Oh! That rat!" exclaimed Hoggle, shaking his fist at the retreating carriage. "Some day I'll show him!". Sarah laughed,

"Same old Hoggle. . .". He turned as if just realizing she stood beside him.
"Sarah? Is it really you? Look at you! You're beautiful!". Sarah blushed as the dwarf launched himself at her with open arms. "Oh it's been so long since Hoggle has seen his friend!".

"Too long", Sarah agreed, hugging him back fiercely. They embraced a few seconds longer before Hoggle seemed to remember he was a grumpy dwarf, not prone to smiling, and hopped out of her embrace. If Sarah didn't know better she'd have sworn she'd seen a blush spread across his leathery cheeks as he turned quickly to take her bags and headed off into the woods. Sarah had to run to catch up as he stalked through the trees.

"Hoggle, where are we going?". He paused,

"To me house of course, unless you'd like to sleep in the woods."

"Is it very far?"

"Oh, it's farther than you can imagine", he teased.

"Hoggle!"

"Just kidding Sarah. It's right up here on the left". Sarah scoured the underbrush, but saw nothing but an outcropping of brownish dried mushrooms. To her surprise, Hoggle headed straight towards them and began poking at the one on the far left. After a few pokes the patch began to tremble and before Sarah's eyes grew and transformed into one massive shroom cottage, complete with windows, door, and warmly smoking chimney.

"This way", said Hoggle, opening the door with a key he pulled from his treasure sack. Being a dwarf sized cottage Sarah was inclined to duck as she entered but found the inside quite large enough for comfort and cozily warm. No sooner had Hoggle set her bags on the floor then what appeared to Sarah to be a small bundle of rags lunged at him and attached itself to his leg. Hoggle began to laugh as the small creature looked up at him and cried,

"Daddy!". It took Sarah a second to realize what was going on.

"Hoggle? You have children?". Hoggle laughed at her confusion.

"You didn't think time just stood still after you left the Labyrinth did ya? This is my little terror, Elsmira". The tiny dwarf looked up with small brown eyes from his leg,

"Daddy did you bring me a present?"

"I did. Elsmira, this is Sarah, she's your new friend". The child's face contorted in awe.

"I never had a friend before". Sarah got down on her knees and took the little dwarf's hand,

"Pleased to meet you Elsmira". The girl began to scream, and for a second Sarah thought she'd scared her, but then she found herself launched upon as Elsmira caught her in a tiny hug.

"I suppose he hasn't told you about me either", said a crackling voice from what must be the kitchen as a simply dressed dwarf woman emerged from its confines carrying a mixing bowl. "I'd be Gonda, Hoggle's Missus"

"It's nice to meet you Gonda", Sarah smiled

"Bah!" said the woman, throwing up her arm with annoyance and scuttling back to the kitchen.

"Well she's a jewel. . . " Sarah mumbled under her breath.

"Isn't she. . . ", Hoggle sighed, staring dreamily after his wife before once again picking up her bags and leading her and Elsmira down a dark hallway. "He's your room Sarah, it's not much, but it's home"

"And it's right next to mine!" piped in Elsmira. Sarah surveyed her quarters. There was a simple bed covered in thick linen sheets, a small bedside stand with a candle and a water pitcher, and a tiny chest of drawers.

"This is perfect Hoggle", she reassured, taking her bag and setting it on the dresser. Turning she shot him one of her Sarah smiles.

"Well," said the dwarf, falling over himself, "we'll leave you to unpack, dinner should be in about an hour, make sure you're on time of Gonda'll have a fit." he began to exit but ducked back in, "And Sarah?"

"Yes Hoggle"

"I'm happy you're here"

"Me too Hoggle".

It didn't take very long to unpack the few things she'd brought with her. Tucking the bags under the bed she threw herself onto its sheets. I wonder what Jareth's doing, she thought. It was probably something devious. They're relationship was so new, the next few days were going to be agony.

"Oh Jareth. . . " she sighed.

"Yes luv?" purred a voice suddenly beside her on the bed. Sarah jumped.

"What are you doing here?"

"You called me again luv" he said plainly, propping his head up beside her and running a palm absent mindedly over her stomach to rest below her breast, "any time you say my name remember?"

"Oh, I forgot, I'm sorry"

"Don't be. I was just thinking how droll the carriage ride was getting"

"Why do you need a carriage if you can just pop from place to place?"

"Appearances luv. Popping from place is great for startling little girls, but I'm on King's business today and must conduct myself accordingly". She ran her hand through his hair.

"Must you go back immediately?". He laughed,

"I've only been gone an hour, you miss me that much?". Sarah bit her lip,

"Maybe. . ."

"Hmmm. . ." he teased, "I think I can spare a minute or two. . .". Pulling himself above her he gently parted her thighs with his knee, tracing the form of her face with the tips of his fingers. Sarah's breath caught in her throat as he brought his face a breath away from her own.

"See you soon love" he breathed, disappearing into the air.

"JARETH!", Sarah screamed in frustration. Summoned by her call he appeared once more, pressing her into a passionate kiss before vanishing again. "Damn you!" she huffed, almost swearing she heard a kingly laugh as she did so. Throwing herself back onto the bed she thought, I'll show him next time, before glancing at the clock on the wall. Oh, Shit! Dinner!, she remembered. Springing from the bed she ran down the hall, almost slamming smack into Gonda who was carrying a hot tureen of soup to the table.

"Late, just as I expected", the dwarf woman mumbled as Sarah slid into an empty chair between Elsmira and Hoggle.

"Don't blame Sarah Mommy", chirped the little dwarf girl, "she couldn't leave, the king was kissing her!". Sarah froze, a slice of ham hanging from a serving fork above her plate.

"The king!" exclaimed Hoggle, "what was that rat doing in my house". Sarah blushed,

"I'm sorry Hoggle, I accidently called him here. . . "

"Called him here? Why'd you wanna go and do a thing like that?". The dwarf was hopping mad now. "Well. . . " Sarah said sheepishly, "I missed him. . . "

"Missed him! MISSED HIM!", Hoggle began to scream, "Why would anybody miss a scummy bog hopping lout like King Jareth!". Sarah felt as if she were about to cry, seeing the blatant hate her best friend so obviously harbored towards the king.

"I love him Hoggle", she whispered, dropping her fork before dashing from the room.

"Mortals sure are touchy", noted Gonda through a mouth full of fried spuds. Hoggle stared ashamedly towards the hall.