Chapter 11
Ludos Strength
"So riddles that if yous can't answer turns yous to stone, the temptation of yours fondest dreams, a bridge yous can't get to unless yous go across a rickety old bridge, monsters from your nightmares. So much for the oblin king making this easy for us" Hoggle said.
Toby replied "we have to stay positive Hoggle and I'm positive once we get to the goblin castle I'm going to kill that kidnapping rat. The only difference between Jareth and a rat is a rat has morals ".
Sir Didymus said "it makes you think what's next".
West commented "in this crazy place I'm guessing anything from a giant snake to something worst than our worst nightmare". They heard Lacey yawn "poor thing she isn't used to staying up this late, must be sleepy".
Toby said "but we have to save Sarah, West how much time we have".
West looked at his watch and said "do you want the good news first or the bad"?
"The good"
"We still have plenty of time"
Hoggle asked "then what's the bad news"
West said "that would be our time if Jareth hadn't taken time off of us. Taking away the hours he took away I'd say we have half an hour"
"Half an hour, Lacey you can sleep later we don't have much time left." Lacey struggled to carry on walking her little body wasn't used to so much walking.
As they kept on walking Hoggle said "Sarah told me when we were talking that if time was running out you should give up and me, Ludo and Sir Didymus should run. I told her that I think I spoke for all us when I said even if we were running out of time we'd never think of leaving hers there but I'd talk to you about it but I ad a feeling you'd agree not to desert her".
Sir Didymus said "you're right, we can't possible abandon milady in her time of need"
West said "I couldn't agree more, giving up is not an option" At that moment the wall surrounding the goblin city was clearly in view
Toby said "I think we may be able to make it in time". They began running but the ground beneath them began to crumble away into a bottomless gorge. They all made a leap for the other side and made it but once they recovered "wait where's Lacey"?
Ludo said "Lacey" and pointed to the other side of the gorge where Lacey lay fast asleep
Hoggle commented "I guess your demanding big brother voice don't work so well"
West said "look the ground is still crumbling away on Lacey's side it's too wide for us to jump across now".
Toby watched as the ground slowly but surely continued to crumble away into the growing gorge. Toby said "wait one of could still get across, Ludo with his giant size he could jump there, get Lacey and jump back."
Ludo immediately jumped there picked up Lacey who in her sub-consciously grabbed Ludos fur and nestled her face in it. Ludo then jumped back and was amazingly able to land safely on the other side.
Sarah and Jareth watched their progress through the crystal. Sarah said "they'll be here soon".
Jareth smirked and said "well at least if they win I'll still be able to take out my anger on those friends of yours".
"Please Jareth, don't hurt them. They're just being good loyal friends".
"Their loyalty is supposed to be towards me and treason is still treason no matter what you say".
"Can't you just send them home now".
"And pass off the chance to get what I want finally after setting this all up, why in the underground would I do that".
"Setting this all" her eyes widened in realization "you planned this, you never intended to send them back at all and you knew the's wouldn't give up".
"Of course and once they get here they'll see they can never win".
"Why are you doing this" ?
"I offered you everything you wanted and you rejected it. Of course when that disgusting mortal offered you only a fraction of what I did you accepted it in a heartbeat. I still don't understand what you see in him".
"How about humanity, maybe I accepted West because he unlike you has tried to help me with any difficulties I faced and he for one never threatened to change my little brothers and sisters species".
"I still don't understand what's so special about them. I can't realize why you would fight so hard for a baby brother and exchange yourself for a little sister to who you're only half related to, why do you even care about them along with an ordinary everyday mortal, a cowardly dwarf, a giant fur ball and a hyper active fox".
"I care because I love them. Eleven years ago it took me five seconds for me to realise how much I cared about Toby. Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus helped me get through the labyrinth, From the moment Lacey first called me mommy my heart just melted, she's such a sweet child. As for West I know he loves me and he's always nice to Toby and Lacey and I can't imagine my life without him anymore. His determination and dedication made my love for him as deep as the ocean.
"Well you can say goodbye to that dream, you belong to me now".
"I belong to no one least of all you".
"I told you you'd have to stay in the underground forever and be mine".
"Apparently our agreement is no longer binding because I made it with the full intention of keeping Lacey out of the Labyrinth not having her gallabanting in a place her nightmares originated from".
"Oh really Sarah, looks like I'm going to have to speed things up" They both appeared in the throne room and then Toby, Lacey who was still asleep in Ludo's arms, West, Hoggle and Sir Didymus suddenly appeared in the throne room too. Jareth's goblin army surrounded them and grabbed them holding them a little apart from each other even Ludo and the still sleeping Lacey
Toby commented "that's Lacey for you, can sleep through anything".
Jareth said "Game Over, you lose".
