Chapter 14.

Bathing Sarah's feverish brow Kuri worried over her actions and inactions. She'd been watching the woman for a few hours now and there didn't appear to be any improvements. In fact she thought that Sarah looked far worse. Her color seemed even more ashen and gray, even her lips looked slightly blue. The bruises about her face looked darker, more pronounced and ugly. Looking at the brave woman made the Gwyllion girl feel unworthy. Kuri felt now that she and her grandfather had made mistakes, they should never have kept their presence secret. She blamed herself for the beating that Sarah's face had taken, regretting not getting Sarah to leave the Keep sooner. Had she but known whom the brave woman was it would have been different, she commiserated, had she but known.

Myrddin had fallen asleep in the corner; Cantus had placed a warm blanket over him before he excused himself to go to his chambers to seek more herbs and healing ointments. Kuri alone was left awake in the room, and now she wondered if there could be more she should be doing. Sarah seemed so ill at ease and restless, every so often she even moaned in pain. She dabbed the beads of sweat off Sarah's brow with the hemp-water soaked clothes dutifully.

--

Toby blinked several times, and sat up feeling unsteady and woozy, "Father," he whispered hoarsely. "Father…"

Jareth placed a steady hand on the shoulder of the changeling prince, "Hush, you had a bad dream."

"Any word?" he asked pulling the King's cloak closer and lying back down.

"They are being herded toward the Junkyard," Jareth assured the boy, "Sleep." Nodding the younger man closed his eyes once more. Quietly Jareth began to hum a soft tune, until the boy was once more asleep. He would have liked to have stolen a few moments to go to the rose suite to check up on Sarah. However it was more important that he be in the throne room, keeping watch over the progress of his little trouble makers against the Mountain invaders. Jareth had another reason for remaining in the throne room. He was aware of the changes in the boy, the transformation from human to Fae Changeling was nearly complete, and he wanted to monitor the progress. He was fairly certain that Sarah was changing also, but he had entrusted her to Cantus and he knew she was in good hands. The boy however was another matter altogether. He was younger and far more susceptible to the problems that came with the changes. His human body was craving attention, and his Fae body and mind would also be adolescently inclined. It was best for the King to be present to curb any conduct or actions that would cause problems. He watched the boy sleep, and wondered how he would react when given the bigger picture. He didn't look forward to explaining to the boy his own complex desires and cravings involving Sarah.

'This is an impossible situation,' the young Fae King thought to himself watching the boy slumber. 'I should have told him straight away…'

--

Dak`ar's spies moved about the tight confines they'd been led to. Skunkweed pushed others out of his path, growling fiercely. "This path leads us back to the castle," he spat. "That's the last place we want to be!"

Nightshade moaned. "We are doomed."

Toadface kicked at a wall that should have opened. "I thought you said you had a route all mapped out?"

"I did," snapped the furious leader. "I had not counted on being found out nor on being trapped."

"Little wonder no runner ever made it through here," muttered Nightshade.

Skunkweed stopped moving, the others huddled up against him. "The witch made it through…"

"Going forward," Toadface commented.

"Then we go forward," Skunkweed reasoned.

--

Dak`ar paced his hall, furious that his plans were being turned upside down. "He's not even a goblin, why do those fools follow him?" He thought about his counterpart in the other kingdom aloud.

"He may not be goblin born as you were," countered the wizard in an eloquent tone that was deliberately disrespectful to his captor. "He is however far more Goblin than you presume."

The face of the Mountain Goblin turned even uglier if possible. His lips curled back as he sneered at the Wizard. "Nonsense, he's nothing more than a dancing, prancing fop. Like the rest of his kind." Rising up to his full height, the monarch spread his arms. "I am Goblin." He declared darkly. "I am the stuff nightmares are made of," he growled in the back of his throat. "Can you imagine me dancing and prancing about?"

"My dear King Dak`ar," The Wizard in long gray robes appeared more amused than frightened. "Are you under the impression that your race is the only true Goblin race?"

"We are the oldest of Goblin races known," the monarch glowered.

"How can you be sure of that?" Challenged the Wizard feeling mentally empowered. "You yourself know that the Mountain Goblins had little or no interactions with other races until a few centuries ago."

"We don't need other races," Dak`ar snarled. "WE are self sufficient."

Feeling more bravado than he had in some time, the Wizard threw back his head and laughed rudely. "That's perhaps the saddest lie you've told yourself." When his laughter trailed off he challenged the monarch curtly. "You are a fool Dak`ar… you're people have been scavengers for eons! You are not self sufficient, you would be nothing without the other races that you raid for your needs. Not to mention the mortal realm that you abhor and find insufferable. Were it not for raids upon human settlements in the first years of your clan coming to this mountain…"

"Silence," ordered the enraged Mountain Goblin. "Curb your tongue or lose it."

Leaning on his staff, and smiling contentedly, the Wizard chuckled. "This is a battle you'll not win, Dak`ar… if for no other reason than the Gods favor the Goblin King…"

"I am the Goblin King," Dak`ar screamed.

--

Cantus returned to find Kuri near tears as she bathed Sarah's face. The old Gwyllion healer was still slumbering in the corner. On soft footfalls, Cantus came up beside Kuri. "You have a true healers touch," he commented in a voice that was quiet and soothing. "I've seen few who are as devoted to the healing arts as you are with this maiden."

"Her injuries are partly my fault," Kuri confessed with tears forming in her big blue eyes that she didn't turn toward the Fae Healer.

"How so," he asked taking a seat in the chair beside the bed. He knew that sometimes allowing someone to voice their innermost feelings was a catharsis.

"We were in hiding," Kuri whispered. "There are a myriad of tunnels in and out of the Keep…. They've been there since the dark times. Few Goblins know of them, and those that do don't speak of them. The Gwyllion who dwell in this land however know of every tunnel and cove… we are a secret people, travelers by night and shadow. The Keep's tunnels afforded us a good place to hide and to keep things. No goblins of this court go there, and the King cannot…" She remembered the iron manacles that had held Sarah to the wall. "We were there when they brought Lady Sarah in; we didn't make ourselves known…" She paused, feeling responsible for the cruel treatment Sarah had received. "I thought she was human," Kuri hoarsely whispered in an emotional outburst. "I didn't know she wasn't…that the iron was poisoning her…" She looked at Sarah with despair. "If she dies it will be my fault for not acting faster…for not having the knowledge or skills to save her, or courage to fight those who held her."

Having heard the girl out, Cantus sighed. "You did what you could for her… you didn't take her captive, nor did you chain her to that wall…"

"But I didn't free her soon enough…" Kuri wept. "I should have insisted, instead of allowing her to stay and then… when she bit that Goblin's arm…"

"Child, Lady Sarah refused to leave," Cantus reasoned. "She felt honor bound… and you had no choice but to honor her wishes. The information she gave the King may help him to outsmart the Mountain King."

"At what cost," Kuri commiserated.

"From what I know of her," Cantus rationalized logically, looking at the Gwyllion girl sympathically. "She would not have left her chains if there was a chance to get information to save her brother."

"Several times she mentioned this brother," Kuri acknowledged. "And yet he has not come forward looking for her."

Cantus knowing that the boy would not be likely to do so anytime soon reasoned. "Perhaps he does not know the gravity of the situation."

Looking to the Fae mentor, the Gwyllion whispered. "She doesn't appear to be getting any better."

"The iron poisons are hampering her transformation," Cantus explained. "We've purged as much of her blood as we dare," his voice was serious and earnest. "She is in the hands of the Gods now, little Gwyllion. We have done all that we can."

"There should have been more," Kuri complained. "She's~ Sarah, the only runner to ever champion the Labyrinth."

Amused Cantus asked. "Your people speak of her?"

"There isn't a race that dwells in the Labyrinth that does not," Kuri declared sounding proud. "She's a heroine to all who strive to achieve impossible goals."

Cantus looked at the battered creature in the bed. 'Attila the Hun in feminine form,' he mused to himself, remembering the words of the King. "I have faith that this is not the end of Lady Sarah," he said aloud. "She has too much spirit to be taken down by a few measly Mountain Goblins."

Kuri blinked, considering his words. "Yes," she nodded giving more positive thought to it. "Yes."

--

Agnes watched as the invaders were now moving more readily the path the sentient creature that was known as the Labyrinth wanted them to go. She had lived in the junkyard a long time, and knew its darkest secrets that few ever escaped. She had learned to live with it, and abide by its secret language and set of laws. Agnes had even learned to be able to disengage herself from the massive pack of horded belongings she had strapped to her back. Not for long, no one living within the junkyard could leave their obsessions and discarded belongings for long. However the longer you lived in the junkyard, the more tricks you learned.

Shrugging out of the harness, and taking one last swig off the bottle of Goblin Ale, Agnes ventured forward. She hid against the moving packs and ambling bodies. Her dirty face, and grimy hands camouflaged in the endless filth and grunge of the surroundings of the junkyard. Her face twisted in pleasure at the thought of make these intruders suffer. One didn't live in the junkyard long without becoming twisted and bitter not to mention cruel.

Looking at the creatures being herded her way, she judged them as being of a mountain tribe. She'd come into contact with a few of these creatures before and found them to be totally without redeeming qualities. Agnes was still intelligent enough to keep her wits about her, and not rush in without knowing this enemy. She crouched down, hiding in the filth to listen to them as they passed by her.

"So we are going to allow this thing to lead us?" one said to the one in front, Agnes knew he must be the leader.

"That's right, we'll let it think we are going along," the leader boasted. "Perhaps we can do our king and ourselves a favor and take out the Fae pretender while we are at it."

Agnes heard the breath catch in her throat, her eyes narrowed and she glared at the group. No one plotted against the King, not while she was on watch! One of the other junkyard folk also heard and moved closer to Agnes unbenounced, her cold shark like eyes met with Agnes. Silently she told the other that she'd do whatever it was Agnes thought was best. Agnes motioned that she was going to follow, and to pass the word that these goblins were nothing but trouble. She didn't want them hampered in the move toward the castle, but she did want them watched. If they were going to try something, they would find that the Goblins of the Labyrinth were more than ready. They may have been under the impression that because no runner was ever really harmed that the goblins who lived there were harmless. Chuckling to herself, Agnes enjoyed the thought of proving that impression wrong.

--

Hoggle and Sir Didymus entered the throne room together, both looking pleased with them-selves. Hoggle spoke for both of them. "They're on their way to the main gate; would you like us to pull Humongous out of mothballs?"

Jareth was intrigued by the devious look of fiendish delight on the dwarf's face. "I don't recall you being so delighted the last time we employed Humongous."

"I was on the receiving end that time," Hoggle defended himself.

"Sire I must protest the use of that… contraption, it's unreliable and less than effective." Sir Didymus protested. "Allow me a go at them…"

Placing a hand on the knight's collar Jareth whispered, "Would that not be taking unfair advantage of them?"

Silence followed the question, Didymus was dumbfounded and flabbergasted. Cocking his head from side to side he contemplated the insinuation of unscrupulous behavior. He was not certain if the King were jesting or being serious, he chose serious. Shrugging he concluded, "Perhaps it would at that."

Jareth understood the pride of his oldest and most trusted knight. "Besides, I need you to protect me," he said knowing it was consolation enough for the knight's self-esteem and dignity. Seeing the look of satisfaction on Didymus' face he turned to Hoggle. "Is everyone prepared?"

"Prepared," a sleepy voice behind them inquired; "For what?"

"Never you mind;" Hoggle grumbled sarcastically. "This don't concern youngun's like yerself."

"Everything in the Kingdom concerns me, Hickup… and what does my age have to do with anything," Toby growled back.

"Silence," commanded the King and both fractions backed up, if not off. "Jarethkin, you are to stay here," a gloved hand went up to head off the protests that were about to erupt. "You are not trained in the art of warfare, yet…" Jareth looked at his adopted son with thoughtfulness. "You are too important to me to take any chances with, not now." He kept his tone resolute and unyielding. "I need you to stay here and observe," he tossed the boy a crystal. "Practice while I deal with the intruders. Should they try anything, I will be more able to deal with it knowing you are safe here." He watched the young changeling gazing at the orb he'd caught. "Am I understood?"

"Yes Father," Toby replied calmly. "I will stay here and practice." He held up the orb and it began to dance over his raised fingers.

"Good," The Goblin King looked at his supporters, "Let us go greet our uninvited guests."

--

Sarah opened her eyes and looked worriedly about herself. She was not sure if she had dreamed Jareth showing up, or if she were hallucinating this suite now. Kuri bathed her face once more, "Lady Sarah, do you know where you are?"

"I'm not dead," Sarah inquired with a bit more sass than she really felt.

Cantus chuckled, "Not unless your idea of heaven is the Labyrinth and the Goblin Castle."

Edging up on her elbows, the green eyed girl pushed up off her pillows only to collapse right back down and moan in pain. "Did someone get the number of the truck that hit me?"

Kuri, confused, turned to Cantus and mouthed. 'What is she talking about?'

The Fae healer motioned the Gwyllion healer out of his way. "Lady Sarah, your injuries were made worse by iron poisoning." His voice was soothing and kept his patient calm. "We had to purge your blood system and clean your wounds. You are going to be weak for a time, but you will recover."

"Thank you Doctor," Sarah expressed gratitude and appreciation for the care shown her. "How long was I unconscious?"

"A good many hours," Cantus stated calmly.

"Have I been here more than thirteen hours," there was panic in the inquiry.

"From the moment you entered the Underground until now," he posed thoughtfully. "Yes, it's been more than thirteen hours."

Sarah place a hand to her brow, "Oh no, Toby… I must find Toby…" She tried once more to pull herself up only to fall back in pain. "You have to give me something…."

"There is nothing, except time," Cantus stated finitely. "Your body has been through a traumatizing devastation. Twice you've had wounds opened and cleaned and you've been purged… you are not going to just get up and walk about as if you were on a Sunday stroll young woman!"

Tears threatened to spill out of the emerald eyes. "I need to save my brother," she gulped in a whisper.

"That can wait," suggested the Fae healer with gentle hands taking her pulse. "You are very weak, and you're body will heal faster if you follow my instructions."

"I suppose," Sarah said, not really believing.

"I will ask one of the maids to go fetch a nice bowl of soup…" Cantus started to say.

Sarah shook her head, "No, I can't eat anything… I'm not staying her." She drew on reserves of strength that were not really there. "I'm finding my brother and taking him back home… just as I did the last time…"

"Lady Sarah," Cantus pressed her shoulders back to the mattress.

"No," she slapped away the helpful hands of the healer. "I'm not staying, and that's final!"

Kuri didn't like the change in the other girl's demeanor or the change in her color. "Lady Sarah," she warned. "You're going to hurt yourself."

The reserves gave way and Sarah collapsed back into the pillows, weak as a kitten. "I have to find Toby." She wept. "He does not understand…" her eyes closed and she once more lost consciousness.

Cantus placed a hand to her brow, "Kuri, ask a maid for some clear broth… we'll spoon feed it to her."

"What did she mean when she said she was not staying, that she could not eat…" Kuri asked.

"Something that would have served her better had she thought about it upon her first visit," Cantus said while placing a dropper of herbal water into Sarah's mouth and empting it. "I do apologize Lady Sarah," he whispered. "But my Healer's oath comes first." He looked at Kuri and motioned her to go. "Get the broth, girl." Once the Gwyllion girl had departed, Cantus spoke to the old man in the corner playing possum. "You wish to comment, Myrddin?"

"She's going to be madder than a wet hen," the old man yawned.

"At least she'll be a live hen, instead of a dead duck," Cantus filled the dropper with more medicated liquid and once more placed it into the girl's mouth and emptied it.

Myrddin shook his head, "You should have warned her of the transformation…"

"I think it's more King Jareth's place to do the honors," Cantus argued good naturedly.

"Honors," questioned the old Gwyllion. "She believes she's here to save her brother once more. I doubt she will find it an honor to be kept from doing just that." He sat upward and sniffed the air. "And if my nose is right, she's not the only changeling here."

"Your nose is right," Cantus sighed empting the dropper once more. "Both she and her brother are changeling wards of the King… the boy adopted and made heir…"

"And this young woman," Myrddin inquired curtly, "Surely not to be the king's daughter."

"No," Cantus said just as curtly. "The king desires a more~ intimate relationship with the Lady Sarah."

Pursing his lips together, Myrddin asked, "Has the king lost his mind?"

"Only his heart, my dear Gwyllion, only his heart," Cantus chuckled.