Chapter Thirteen
Jareth sat on his bed, looking through his homework a final time before calling it a night. Tomorrow was his birthday, not that it truly mattered because after ninety years, it was just another day after all. He straightened his papers and notebooks and stuffed everything in his bag. He gave a satisfied little sigh and switched off the light magically, settling down in his bed. He closed his eyes and-.
Was abruptly brought back to the present by angry squawking and banging on the window. He stumbled by and flipped on the light switch to see the black bird, more handsome then a garbage picking crow and much larger as well, flapping at the window. He sighed and threw it open and it flew in gracefully before looking up in annoyance.
Took you long enough buddy boy! It clicked its beak sharply.
"Am I dreaming again?" Jareth asked, uncertain now. He once had mastered dreaming but this was new. Never before had someone sought to invade his dreams.
Of course not! You see me as I am, don't you. The raven ruffled its feathers slightly. Now we have lots to discuss, boy.
"I'll say!" he crossed his arms over his chest. "By what right do you interfere with my plans?"
It cackled. What? The girl doesn't deserve protection or anything?
"That wasn't protection! I was no where near harming her and you knew it. Who are you?" Jareth felt a swirling rage build in his chest which he tried to stamp down with effort. Blowing up at some kind of spirit/guardian was not a good plan.
Who do you think I am? It asked with a cock of its head.
"I don't want to play this game." Jareth said sourly. "Tomorrow is a big day you know."
Ah, yes. Your birthday. What special thing happens on your birthday? The raven asked. It had a gleam in its eye that Jareth didn't like.
"It's my ninety third birthday. Nothing special is to happen."
Do you recall your sisters' ninety third birthdays?
He raised an eye brow. "I only experienced one and the only thing that happened was she got engaged-." Jareth broke off, his eyes widening and they darted left and right quickly. "It's too early for goblins to get-." He squeaked lowly "Married."
Goblins who are common, perhaps. Your friends are too young to get married but diplomacy insists-.
"Who?" Jareth asked harshly. "Who am I engaged to?" his brain was thinking a mile a minute. There were a couple of nobles who had daughters of a suitable age for him to marry but he was here in the above, there would be no engagement until he returned, he was sure of it.
Maybe you are, maybe you are not. The raven cackled again.
"You're a trickster!" Jareth accused, pointing at the feathered guest. "I shouldn't even believe you! I would have been prepared-."
"Was your sister prepared?" another voice asked. Jareth spun to see the old woman from the camping grounds standing in his bedroom.
"What are you doing here?" he asked unbelievably.
I thought you learned by now. Never take anything for granted.
Jareth groaned and felt the urge to bunk his head on the foot of the bed almost too much to resist. He had thought this whole was beginning to feel familiar. "Can I ask you one more time who you are?"
The raven grinned, if birds could grin, and flapped its wings, flying to land on the woman's shoulder.
She clucked. "Tomorrow is here, boy. Go have your silly celebration. I think you'll be- surprised as to who will be making an appearance."
Jareth woke abruptly, the sun shinning strongly through the window. His body hurt as if he stayed upright all night long and he was slightly drowsy. He fought the urge to cry. "This is messed up!" He whined before getting up and slowly dressing, wearing the everyday garb of the above. He didn't feel the need to get dressed up again to prove a point. He had a slight feeling that a point had been proved on him anyway.
GOBLINKINGxGNIKNILBOG
He dragged his feet into class. The dream-walking was too much on his poor body and after several restless nights he was feeling the bone deep weariness. His heavy, swollen eyes were the topic of much gossip, especially considering that it was the thirteenth and a Friday.
The teachers left him alone, surprisingly but his classmates were not as polite. He sat with his head down on his desk, just resting his eyes for a moment before suddenly a hand fell on his shoulder.
"Hey, Jareth! Been partying too much?" Keith, one of the boys in his class snickered. "Hope you don't fall asleep before tonight!" a couple of other guys cat called and laughed.
"Sometimes, boys, there is a time to grow up. Happy birthday Jareth." Mr. Carson said as he walked in. Everything was said in the same tone, sounding as if the birthday wish was a death wish. Jareth felt as if it was, especially not fully understanding what those spirits truly wanted of him.
"Put your books away. Quiz time." The class groaned and put their books on the floor of back in their bags. He handed out a sheet of written questions. Jareth couldn't even focus on the writing. He just sighed and scribbled his name in the top right hand corner, rubbed his eyes hard until they were left bloodshot and blinked at the writing. It wasn't much better. The day only got worse…
GOBLINKINGxGNIKNILBOG
Jareth sat at a cafeteria table and picked at his lunch. He sighed wistfully and found himself overshadowed suddenly. He looked up, jumped and fell back, over the bench and sprawled on the ground.
Looking up he saw the old woman standing over him. She held a staff in her gnarled hands. There was something different about this apparition that didn't exist in the other one who kept on appearing as the different spirit guides. This thought brought him up short. Does that mean that the trickster was his spirit guide? Uh oh…
"Don't look so shocked boy! Stand up!" The old woman said, waving her free hand. Jareth stood and looked around to see how everyone handled the sudden appearance of the wise woman but the room was empty. Everything was gone. All that was left was his single table in a long narrow room, light filtering in from the large windows.
He blinked and looked around him before sagging again. "I fell asleep." He groaned. "I can't believe it! Hoggle is not going to let me live this down."
"Ah yes, the little dwarf. Not to worry, this is more important than your reputation." The woman sat down on the bench and motioned for Jareth to do that same. "My sister has visited you a number of times and twice in the guise of myself. She is not allowed to do this but…" the woman hesitated. "She is the girl's guardian."
Jareth arched an eyebrow. "The girl would be Sarah of course?"
An amused smile lit her face and she nodded. "Of course."
"Oh for the love of-." He bit off his curse and took a deep breath. "Why would she need a guardian spirit?" he asked, trying to keep his tone level. This was getting ridiculous. And why would the trickster be her guardian?
The old woman smiled but it couldn't be described as overly friendly. "Why wouldn't she need a guardian? You plan to take her from her home and make her live in hell with the maiden snatching monster-king."
"Maiden snatching? My father's never snatched anyone, maiden or otherwise!" Jareth growled. "And monsters?"
The woman shrugged. "Goblin-Monster. Same thing." She waved the term aside. "Why should you have an easy time with your task? Did you give her an easy path through your little maze?"
Jareth felt his eye twitch. Maze? It was a labyrinth and the greatest one in existence, thank you very much. But instead he said, "She was more than its match in solving it but I screwed up, happy? I need to bring her back or she might inadvertently bring others to the labyrinth and get into a whole world of trouble!"
"Yes, but it is your fault so why should she suffer?"
"She didn't seem all that hard done by when I told her I had to bring her back."
The old woman just shook her head and leaned one arm on the table behind her. Her eye twinkled with something Jareth only truly saw in the younger goblins getting into ale.
"What do you know that I don't?" he asked.
"Plenty." She said. Jareth glared at her and she looked patiently back. "Have you forgotten your lessons so soon? My sister may have over stepped her bounds but she was right on several levels."
Jareth sighed and rolled his eyes. "Ask the right questions." He muttered before taking a deep breath and asking, "What can you tell me that I might need to know concerning Sarah."
The old woman shook her head, wearing that small chilling smile. "Nothing is as it seems. You take too much for granted."
Jareth hurrrrhuphed and muttered, "You sound like the worm."
She laughed, musical rather than the harsh laugh of her dark-haired sister. "You should listen to your worm, boy! That is sound advice."
"Well, can you talk to your sister for me? I need to convince her to come Underground and I don't really want to force her though it may come to that." Jareth asked. He turned to swing his legs under the table and slumped forward a bit. "You understand don't you?"
The woman shook her head. "You've taken her advice, boy. She did nothing to force you so it's your own fault and you have to fix it on your own merit. I've just come to impart some knowledge."
Jareth put his head down on the empty table, the wariness of dream walking catching up all at once. "Thanks anyway, I'll call my dad this afternoon and talk to him about perhaps changing his rules…" his eyes closed then snapped open.
His forehead was resting in a small pile of fried chips and gravy. Laughter erupted all around him at the table. Jareth cursed all native spirits and myths that just happened to be true.
GOBLINKINGxGNIKNILBOG
Kendrick Goblin King sat on his stone throne twirling a crystal on his finger. The doors slammed open and he jumped slightly, letting the crystal drop and shatter. He looked down on the pile of shards and sighed, swiping his hand over it and making it vanish. It's been years since he tried his crystal tricks. His son was an adept, never having to learn the talent as it was just there. Kendrick envied that.
A small goblin ran up, snagged a mug from the ledge running around the room and, after looking quickly left and right, took a long sip. Kendrick looked on in amusement before clearing his throat roughly. The goblin jumped, looked up, saw the king and placed a finger to his lips. "Shhh," he said, "I is drinking Jibbs drink. He doesn't know."
Another goblin suddenly rushed into the room in a flurry, saw the culprit with the empty cup and howled, "Saaag!!! You stoles my beeeeer! I will geeets you!!!"
Kendrick watched in amazement as he could almost see the extra exclamation marks behind everything Jibb said. He shook his head, watching what used to be two brothers at one time fight over the cup. Changed wished aways were amazingly good at being goblins.
He heard a distant call and sighed. If only he could wish his own son away…
A/N: I thought something had to be done with the trickster though I'll miss her. She'll be sure to make another appearance one day. Next chapter: Friday the thirteenth. The Masque!