The usual disclaimer... I don't own the characters, places, or words. I just arranged them.
Nabber strode over to the Roman style couch in the middle of the room where Jareth had directed him to place the girl. The goblin pulled his blanket from the sack. With a flick of his wrists, he sent the blanket sprawling out onto the couch, as though he were making a bed. The blanket touched down on the couch, but did not lay flat. It was curved and bumped in the shape of a resting girl.
Nabber pulled the blanket off the couch and when he did, Megan blinked into awareness. The goblin, as he was instructed, fled without a sound.
Jareth smiled at his prize. She was perfect. Dark hair and light eyes. Not green, like Sarah's, but the elves would hardly notice.
Before she had regained her sensibilities, Jareth spoke. "You must be starving," he commented as Megan began to sit up.
"Famished," she agreed automatically. She turned to the left and then the right, surveying the room. Her eyes caught on a single arm weight resting beside her.
While her eyes were turned away, Jareth conjured an apple with the flick of his wrist. He held the large, beautifully hued fruit towards her. She accepted the proffered gift, but she did not raise it to her lips. "Where am I?" She asked, growing concerned.
"In my castle, in the Underground, in the city of the goblins," Jareth replied matter-of-factly.
"Right..." Megan chuckled, thinking the not-unattractive man to be joking. "But seriously, where am I? Did something happen?"
"You should eat," Jareth insisted.
Megan scrutinised the goblin king from top to bottom. He seemed peculiar, that was sure. Leather pants, leather boots, and a black shirt that did nothing to conceal his chest. He was not the sort of man she should be accepting food from after blacking out.
Jareth tilted his head forward and flashed a smile that seemed to promise excitement and danger.
Megan felt her cheeks grow ruddy at the intensity of his gaze. She raised the fruit to her lips merely to hide her sudden sense of embarrassment. The juices had barely touched her tongue when she began to feel the hallucinogen begin to take effect. "What did... you... do... to me?" She managed to say in a slurred voice before passing out.
Jareth dashed out a gloved hand to catch her as she fell into a deep slumber. He gently lowered her head onto the couch and then stepped back. "Finally," he said as he rolled his eyes. It was not as entertaining to allow his victims to keep their human minds. But, he needed this girl normal. At least for now, that is.
Jareth flourished his hand over the girl's slumbering form. The motion clothed her in Sarah's elf tunic. Then the goblin king moved his face next to Megan's. He produced a crystal and placed it on her lips. He whispered a spell to the crystal and it dissipated.
His task complete, Jareth stepped back and considered his creation. The colours and shapes were right, though the scent was not strong enough. Megan came into Jareth's possession through a wish so the scent of his influence was weaker than that of Sarah. Of course, that could not be helped. Sarah had directly surrendered and so he had a greater hold over her. But, Alvar might not notice the difference while the girl slumbered.
A gentle knock interrupted Jareth's concentration. "She is ready," Jareth instructed Captain Flit. The goblin entered and inspected the human.
"Is this really going to work, sire?" The captain asked. "She looks nothing like the future queen."
"Alvar and his subjects do not look at features. Shapes and colour; symmetry and life, those are their focus. They will not notice the switch until they begin asking questions. And even then, perhaps not," Jareth responded.
"I see..."
"Regardless of the success of this gambit, I am not handing over Sarah," Jareth swore.
"The elves have a cure then?"
"Oh yes."
"Can we retrieve it?"
Jareth swallowed. It was hard for him to admit his inadequacies, but elf magic was just too different from the sort he practiced. "We will find another way."
Captain Flit shuffled his weight from one leg to the other. He cleared his throat, deciding whether to ask or not. He yielded to his curiosity. "What is the cure?"
Jareth began to pace around the room, his voice growing in intensity. "Most elf magic has a regular remedy. Apply one type of herb and it can be cured with another. Mewling, pathetic magic. But Alvar could not gain the type of influence he wields with such simplicity. No, his magic has permanence to it." At the mention of his brother, Jareth's arms grew more animated as he spoke. "If I die, my magic is undone. Therefore, if I cast a spell," as he said this, he withdrew a crystal, "and if someone wishes to break it, they need only kill me."
"Do not speak such evil!" Captain Flit proclaimed, aghast.
"It is the truth," Jareth admitted with uncomfortable frankness. "But Alvar's magic is external to his being. It is herbs and powders which have been designed and controlled. That is, controlled so that only he can break them. If he dies, the spell cannot be undone."
Flit's face hardened scornfully in empathy for his master. "So, we need to capture Alvar and make him undo the spell," the captain gulped as he contemplated how they could achieve that end. Alvar had been the dominant monarch in Caderyn's hierarchy. Any offensive action against him would be considered treason to Caderyn's authority. "We can do it, sire," he promised. It might mean the end of the kingdom, but the goblins would do the bidding of their lord.
"No," Jareth brushed the idea away. "I'll not let him administer the cure. I refuse. It is mine to take, not his."
"I am afraid I do not understand, sire."
"The cure is a kiss."
Sir Didymus had tracked Hoggle's scent from the bog to the hedge maze. He had traversed over the mountain of rubbish, through the fire gang's forest, and under the great chicken's nest. "My prey shall not elude me," Sir Didymus promised himself as they entered the goblin city. "Come Ambrosius, we are almost upon him."
"Luuuudooo," Ludo added.
"Yes, yes," Sir Didymus agreed, "I know thou art hither too Brother Ludo. But the king hath sent me on a quest to seek the lost dwarf Hoggle. We must hasten our search, for my quarry hath keenly evaded pursuit."
Ludo had faithfully followed Sir Didymus through the whole journey, but the courageous Didymus had allowed for no rest. "Ludo hungry," Ludo reminded his brother.
"Now is not the time for rest," Sir Didymus insisted.
Ambrosius, panting heavily, barked his disagreement with Didymus.
And Ludo, sensitive to the wearied steed, decided it was time to stop. He raised his head and howled to the rocks.
Listening to the call of the monster, the rocks in front of Sir Didymus rose from the ground and formed a wall, blocking the noble knight from further venturing.
"Brother, why hath thou called the rocks. My prey shall escape. Remove this wall at once!" Didymus protested.
"Ludo HUNGRY," Ludo reminded.
Refusing to give in, the hotheaded Didymus prodded the stonewall with his lance. The stone, however, was unyielding to the blows. Didymus leapt from Ambrosius and slipped his paws into the crevices in the rock, attempting to scale the wall. But it was no use. The face was nearly smooth. Realising the wall could not be moved or climbed, Didymus attempted to run around it.
Ludo cried to the rocks again and they followed the feisty knight, never allowing him to progress.
In fact, the rocks slowly enclosed around Didymus, herding him towards a building marked "Food."
"Stop this treachery, you coward!" Didymus protested. It was no use though. Ambrosius and Ludo were hungry enough to eat goblin food. Ludo opened the door and Ambrosius galloped through; he was followed quickly by Ludo.
"I suppose there is wisdom in seeking sustenance while it is available," Didymus conceded.
The trio found themselves in a darkened goblin tavern. The scent of sour dairy hung thick in the air. Goblins, sick from overindulgence, stumbled around. Sir Didymus inspected the whole room before setting foot within. His keen eyes evaluated each darkened corner searching for threats. He could see no danger that he could not handle so the knight stepped into the tavern. Nevertheless, he rested his hand on the hilt of his blade, just in case.
There was no seat that could fit Ludo, so the monster stood beside the bar. Ambrosius bounded up into the chair next to Ludo, panting furiously.
Before he seated himself, Didymus addressed the small goblin perched on the barstool next to him. "Friend, hath this seat an occupant?"
The little goblin muttered something incomprehensible and gestured for Didymus to seat himself. Didymus was barely in his seat when the bar maid came around demanding money. He tossed over a handful of coins, ordering drinks and dinner. The goblin maiden pocketed the coins and returned to the kitchen to bark orders to the kitchen staff.
"Ludo hungry," Ludo repeated.
Didymus ignored the complaint and settled into his seat. His eyes were drawn to the goblin beside him. The small creature gulped down his beverage with tenacity, muttering words of despondence. "My friend," said Didymus to the goblin, "How long hath thou been like this?"
The goblin either did not realise he was not being addressed or he ignored the question, either way Didymus dropped the matter.
It was not long before the serving goblin returned. The food was mediocre at best. The bar maid slapped down the plates with little concern, splashing the patrons with droplets of the slop they called food. Didymus picked at it, trying to ignore the muttering of the little goblin beside him and the niggling feeling that they should be continuing their chase. By his estimation, Hoggle could be at the other end of the Labyrinth by now. However, after the little goblin had ordered his third glass, Didymus felt compelled to interrupt again. "You should not waste your days drinking curdled milk, my friend."
The little goblin laughed cynically and took another swig. "Life, what life?" He muttered.
"What trouble hath befallen you?" Didymus pressed, sensing an opportunity to be valiant.
The little goblin rubbed his hand across his perspiring face. "King came for her. King came for her and left Ant. Ant obeyed King. Ant found Stupid Girl and saved her. And King left Ant with elves. Stinking, smelly elves."
"Who is this maiden that thou hast saved?"
"Stupid Girl King favours. King made Ant her servant. Ant work so hard for King, moving book and protecting girl. And King leave Ant behind. What is point of life if King not care?"
"The maiden you speak of is the lady Sarah?" Didymus insisted on being answered.
Ant shrugged and waved his arm dismissively, but with the overemphatic grace of a goblin that spent too long drinking sour milk. "Stupid Girl named something starts with Ssss," He put his hand in his head, trying to remember her name. "She danced with king and king want to make her queen."
"You speak of Sarah!" Didymus exclaimed.
Ludo, hearing her name added, "Sarah friend!" And Ambrosius added a bark of confirmation.
Sir Didymus, thinking to learn more of Sarah's plight, opened his mouth to interrogate the little goblin further. However, a gruff hand seized his slender arm. "You're in my seat!" A stubborn voice fumed.
Didymus turned to the voice and to his shock, found himself face to face with a familiar dwarf. His shock at meeting another acquaintance of Sarah's was surpassed by the finding of the grumpy Hoggle. They exchanged looks of surprise, neither expecting to find the other here. "My friend Hoggle, how hath though hidden thy scent so well? I had thought thee far from this city. We hath followed thee across the king's domain."
"Eh?" Hoggle puzzled, "I haven't left the goblin city since the king sent me to trap Sarah."
"Stupid Girl!" Ant suddenly remembered that the future queen's name was indeed Sarah.
Hoggle's face scrunched up in disgust at the little goblin. "What's he talking about?"
"This fellow is an acquaintance of the lady Sarah," Sir Didymus explained.
"Sarah's not stupid!" Hoggle defended his friend. "She beat the king twice and she will do so again. I just know she will." He stumbled on his feet as he shot an angry finger at Ant.
Ant jumped to his feet as though to protest, but he lost his enthusiasm and sat back down. He turned to his drink again, but Didymus had had enough. He snatched the glass from Ant's reach.
"Oi!" Ant protested, leaping on to the bar to chase his beverage.
"Thou hast had enough," Didymus insisted.
"Yeah," Hoggle agreed. He snatched towards the glass, trying to seize it from Didymus. But Didymus did not need to use his keen sense of smell to know Hoggle had also spent too many days in the milk bar. He knocked the glass onto the ground, spilling the contents over the floor. The bar maid looked up from her picture book at the crash, but ignored it and returned to her occupation.
"The lady Sarah needs our aid. Now, both of you come join our quest," Didymus rallied his new recruits.
"There's nothing we can do," Hoggle argued.
"Art thou a coward?" Didymus persisted, hoping to invigorate his old friend.
"Yes," Hoggle admitted. "Yes, I am."
"Hoggle no coward," Ludo reminded them. "Hoggle beat giant door guard goblin."
Hoggle blushed, remembering how Sarah had inspired so many heroics in him. "Ohhh..." He grumbled, knowing it would not take much more effort to persuade him to, once again try and help his first friend. "Well, what are we going to do?" He conceded.
Didymus leapt to his feet. "The king hath summoned us. We shall appear before him and then, with the help of this goblin, find some way to save Sarah," he gestured to Ant.
The angry little goblin snarled at Didymus. "Ant not help you or Stupid Girl."
"Oh yes you will," Hoggle insisted. If he could be persuaded to be courageous, then the goblin could be incited to help. He lunged at the little goblin, attempting to catch him in his hand. Alas, Ant was too quick and Hoggle too unsteady on his feet. He stumbled forward, nearly driving his head into the barstool. Ant was just as unlucky; he leapt back from the attack, but landed unsteadily. He took two steps back to steady himself. Or, at least, it would have been two steps, had the second one not been in the open air.
Ambrosius leapt up onto the bar and then jumped down to catch the fallen goblin. Bearing the little creature to its master within the confines of its jaws, Ambrosius added his efforts to convince Ant.
"We art leaving hither," Didymus insisted. "Fresh air shall help cure thy poison." He shepherded the motley bunch outside and then instructed Ambrosius to release Ant. Ludo's rocks had mainly disappeared, except for a low wall that the friends elected to use as a bench.
"Ant not help you," Ant reiterated.
"If thou answereth my questions, I shall replace your drink for thee and maybe several more," Sir Didymus tempted, confident in his ability to persuade the goblin to join their efforts.
Lost as he was, Ant was happy for the offer of a free drink. "Fine," he begrudgingly agreed.
"Tell us everything you know of Sarah."
Ant shrugged as though it was inconsequential. "King made Ant her guard," he informed them. He failed to mention that his primary duties were more akin to that of a servant. "When Stupid Girl taken by nasty elves, Ant find her and help girl escape. Then King take her and leave Ant alone. He took Ant's magic too."
"Do you know where Sarah is?" Hoggle asked anxiously. "Can you bring us to her?" He had violently shoved Sarah last time they met. He wished for nothing more than an opportunity to apologize for the violence, though it had saved her from Jareth.
"Maybe," Ant shrugged. Assuming the king had not moved Sarah out of her chambers, Ant should know where she would be. But what was the point?
Didymus, showing an unusual perception, recognized that Ant had been enduring something of an existential crisis. Before goblins learn to be mischievous or to release poisonous sounds, they learn to love the king. The first word on almost all goblin babes' lips is "Jareth." The goblin king, as they were taught, was the source of everything good in their lives. And Ant, being a firm believer in the goodness of Jareth, had had his first awakening to the king's real nature. His faith had been shattered and he could not understand life without Jareth being the center of it. If Jareth rejected him, was it not Ant's job to also reject himself?
"The king hath forsaken you, my friend," Didymus spoke softly to the little goblin. "But lady Sarah is a true friend. She will not abandon you."
"Help us rescue her," Hoggle added with only a slight slur to his words.
"Help Stupid Girl?" Ant frowned at the idea. "Defy King?"
"She beat him before," Hoggle reminded him.
Ant reached deep into his magic and felt for the ability that made him materialize. He'd lost it in the elf realm, due to their magic blocking, but he'd had it when he returned to King's Road. But Jareth had stripped him of it so the goblin king could take Sarah to safety himself. The inability to use that magic was a clear testament that he'd been abandoned. Even after all his loyal service to the king, Ant had been rejected.
But did that mean he wanted to help the girl? Ant's head was fuzzy with thinking so hard. And he supposed that later, if he regretted his actions, he could blame it on the milk. "Girl in castle, most likely."
Thus, Sarah's rescuers set out from a goblin tavern to rescue her from the clutches of the king. Had Jareth known he was about to battle a knight with a not-so-keen sense of smell and his steed, a goblin prone to anacoluthia, a cowardly and slightly unstable dwarf, and a credulous monster he would have enjoyed a hearty guffaw. And if poor Sarah, trapped in the nightmares of the Morpheus Root, had known she was to be championed by that crew, she would have rejoiced in relief.
It was only a matter of time before the goblin king lost what he held most precious.