A long day at work yesterday….but I'm back for more now. Enjoy!

"So let me get this straight," Sarah looked skeptically at Toby, "you were stuck at the doors and you were helped by a talking chicken?"

"Yeah! He was really cool actually and knew the right answer, too! He told me to pick the blue one and just move on with it, so I did."

"You trusted a talking chicken?" Sarah was incredulous.

"Why wouldn't I? I mean, I did think he might be a spy at first, but then I realized that it would be silly for a talking chicken to be a spy from the Goblin King, right? Don't look at me like that Sarah! It's no weirder than you making friends with a dwarf, a talking fox who acts like a knight and a big, red, hairy beast with sharp teeth and horns."

Sarah had to laugh at Toby's reminder of her strange friends, though she also felt a little sad that she didn't know where they were. She longed to see her dear friends; she hadn't seen Ludo, Didymus, or Ambrosius in many years, and she missed them. She was even worried about grumpy old Hoggle. He really was such a dear. Soon after she had defeated the labyrinth she had spoke to him about everything that had happened. She forgave him for his tricks, which made fiercely loyal to her, even in the face of Jareth's wrath. She was glad they had all met Toby, even if only for a short time. Did they get free from where they were trapped at the beginning of the labyrinth? She wondered. I bet they're worried about Toby and I; if only they would come to the palace and then we could all rest easy. She reluctantly put them to the side and focused again on Toby.

"So what did you do next, Toby, after your rope ran out? By the way, that was very clever of you. I wasn't that smart the first time I came here!" She tussled his hair and grinned broadly.

Toby looked like he was about to burst with pride at being praised so highly. "Well, Rook told me just to leave it, so I did. Then we walked a long time in what seemed like circles, only it wasn't, and we got to a place where the walls turned into bushes. Rook got excited because he said it meant we were getting close to the center of the labyrinth, which meant it wouldn't take much longer to get to the castle. I told him that if this was how long it took to get to the center, we'd never get to the castle. It felt like forever, Sarah! I'll never complain about gym class again." Sarah just grinned at him; she knew exactly how he felt.

"Then?"

"Oh, then we met this funny old guy with a bird for a hat; I thought he looked so funny, that I started laughing. Rook decided he didn't like the bird and they just glared at each other the whole time, but I liked the hat. He was funny."

"Did the wiseman tell you anything Toby?"

"Wiseman?"

"The man you met is the wiseman. He knows a lot of things because he has seen a lot of the world in the long time he has been alive, though it can take a little while to get him to say anything that makes sense," she looked bemusedly at Toby, remembering her two encounters with the wiseman and his hat.

Toby screwed up his face and thought for a minute. "I don't think he said anything really wise. I didn't really understand much of it and Rook was so annoyed at the talking bird-hat that we didn't stay long. He did say something about the water and mills. I didn't really get it because I don't know what a mill is or why you would use water in it. He did look surprised to see me here at least I think he said, 'A boy? What are you doing here?' The bird-hat said something about wanting the pretty girl back. It was something like that. I figured he didn't know about you being here, so I told him I came to rescue my sister, but he fell asleep. It was just like granddad, you know? How he always falls asleep right in the middle of us talking. That guy must be really old, like granddad."

Toby took a deep breath and continued. "So we went through the hedges for a while. Rook was nicer after we left the old man sleeping. I asked him why he didn't like the bird-hat and he said I wouldn't understand. We walked for a while longer, but I was getting tired. My feet hurt, so I asked if we could take a break. He didn't want to, but he let me sit down for a while—Oh, I remember what the old man said now!"

"What did he say Toby? It could be important."

"I think he said, 'Water that has gone downstream doesn't mill anymore.' Does that make any sense at all? Though I guess I can't really expect it to make sense because that whole maze didn't make any sense! There's no water in the labyrinth and I don't see any around here. Do you know what he meant Sarah?"

"You know, I'm not really sure. I think I remember Grandma saying something like that when Dad, Mom and I would go visit her on the farm. It's some kind of proverb, I think. I can't quite recall what it is supposed to mean, though. I'll let you know if I remember. Tell me what happened after that. Where did you go?"

"Oh, so I rested for a while and we heard noises coming from the other side of the hedge. I thought it might be Sir Didymus and Hoggle and Ludo coming to meet us, so I ran ahead to go meet them. But…" Toby turned red and looked down at his feet.

"What is it? You can tell me, Toby."

"I was wrong. It wasn't my friends at all," he glared back through the throne room doors, as if he could stare down the labyrinth itself. "It was the goblins. Rook warned me not to get ahead of him, but I didn't pay attention. I was so excited that it might be my friends, so I didn't listen to him. I ran right into a group of guards who were riding funny looking animals. You should have seen them Sarah! They looked kind of like dinosaurs, only they had silly faces and the knights rode them by grabbing onto their hair!"

"Oh no!" Sarah sounded appropriately appalled. Truth be told, Sarah remembered the mounted goblins from the battle in the goblin city, but she didn't want to interrupt Toby when he was having so much fun telling her what had happened. "What did you do?"

"Well, luckily I surprised them, so it took them a while to figure out that they should be chasing me. Rook ran under the middle guy's legs and I squeezed between two of them. They were so clunky! They could only move really slow, and then they were standing too close together, so they hit each other with their weapons. They got mad at each other—you should have seen how funny it was—and started chasing each other around. One of them came after me and Rook, so I ducked behind one of the bushes and then jumped out to scare it. The weird animal the knight was riding got so scared that it fell over."

By this time in the story, Sarah was laughing so hard her sides were hurting. Toby was doing such a funny impression of the confused goblins that she couldn't help it. When he got to the part about jumping out, he acted it out so perfectly that she could clearly picture the funny creature falling over in fright. Toby was giggling too, so enthralled was he in his antics. Jareth looked on, smirking mildly at his minions' incompetence. Like I said before, he certainly is a lively little chap. He could have made a very fine prince of the goblins. Such a pity he had to go and be rescued. A brief flicker of regret passed over Jareth's features, but he quickly smoothed it away.

Sarah and Toby were paying no attention to the Goblin King. Toby had moved on to talk about how they were almost through the hedges when they came upon another battalion of troops. "We'd tried hiding from them, because there were lots of them around, but we couldn't keep away from them all. Rook was getting more and more irritated and he thought we were lost at one point. He kept mumbling about missing a turn and we went down the same corridor four or five times looking for a door he couldn't find. The goblins caught up to us, though. We came around a corner and ran right into the goblins that were just here. We turned to go the other way, but the knights had found us and we were blocked in. I tried throwing my water bottle at them to make them confused, and Rook flew at them like a crazy bird, too. But they didn't give up. They just made a lot of noise and yelled a lot and finally, one of them got a hold of me. I didn't stop fighting though! I kicked and yelled and screamed until they gagged me," Toby looked very proudly at Sarah.

"You did a very good job, Toby. I'm so proud of you! I can't believe you made it so far! I know you could have made it here on your own if the goblins hadn't found you. You're just the bravest, smartest, coolest little brother in the world!" Sarah gave him another huge hug and Toby beamed with delight. He always wanted to impress his big sister because he thought she was the smartest and bravest person he knew. Her praise meant more to him than accomplishing the labyrinth and he grinned so broadly and stood so tall, one might have thought he had just successfully ran the labyrinth.

"Toby, what happened to Rook? He wasn't with you when you came in. I'd love to meet your friend."

"Oh, the goblins like to chase him and pick on him. He pecked at them a lot when they were bringing me here, but when they got me into the castle I didn't see where he went. He'll be around here, though. He says he used to spend a lot of time in the castle, especially the throne room. When I see him again, I'll let you meet him. He's the best talking chicken ever!"

From afar, Jareth continued to admire the little boy's courage and adventurous spirit. Sarah coming after Toby in the labyrinth was one thing: she had been well into her teenage years when she undertook to defeat the Labyrinth and in Jareth's limited experience, girls were notoriously maternal where babies and small children were concerned. They would do anything to protect them. But for a young boy of no more than—eight? Is that how old he is now? He must be at least that old. It was seven years ago—for a boy of eight to go into a mysterious and dangerous place like the labyrinth spoke volumes regarding not only his sense of adventure, but also his devotion to his sister.

Jareth wondered at Toby's all-too-obvious adoration of his older sister. Does he know about Sarah? He clearly understands that she has been here before, but I wonder if he knows the circumstances. He can't know. Didn't Sarah mention that she hadn't yet told him about her experience here seven years ago and what precipitated it? Perhaps now would be an appropriate time to enlighten him. Sarah might not want to ruin the strong bond they have together, but his courage deserves honesty. If I were in his position, I would want to know the truth.

Jareth thus convinced himself to tell the boy about the events of seven years ago. He told himself that he was motivated for the boy's best interests in telling him about Sarah. The sight of the young tow-headed boy moved him strangely. He was drawn to the boy because of the bond they had shared together, no matter how brief. He remembered every detail of their time together clearly, for he had grown oddly attached to the thought of young Toby one day being his heir. He knew the boy had been just an infant yet some part of him wondered if Toby had any memory of him.

Deep down, however, lurked Jareth's own mischievous and playful nature. The darker side of him wanted to know how this precocious and seemingly devoted boy would respond to finding out that his beloved sister had selfishly wished him away for her own benefit. He had no desire to destroy their relationship, but he cynically wondered if the boy's devotion to Sarah would remain if he discovered she had, at some point in the past, practically disowned him. How would Toby respond to finding out he had been rejected by his sister? Jareth wanted to know. However, even he was only dimly aware of these deeper motivations.

Taking a step toward the engrossed pair, Jareth donned a playful grin and addressed Toby, "Toby, do you know who I am?"

Toby turned and looked at the regal figure of Jareth standing before him. He saw the wild hair, the compelling blue eyes with one pupil larger than the other, the leather vest and gloves—his eyes settled on the gold amulet hanging against Jareth's chest. "You're him aren't you," he stated matter-of-factly, "You're the Goblin King."

Jareth bowed slightly and grinned more widely, "Smart boy, Toby. I am indeed Jareth, the King of the Goblins and Lord of the Labyrinth. Do you remember me at all?"

"Remember you? Well, I remember you from the book Sarah gave me if that's what you mean."

Jareth's smile faded and he drew closer to the boy, "You don't remember me personally, do you? You see, we've met before; only you were just a baby at the time. I had hoped you would remember, such a pity."

When the king had first addressed Toby, Sarah had felt sick. The manner of his address implied that he was about to reveal the circumstances of their first meeting. Sarah had hoped she would be able to tell Toby herself when he was old enough to understand that sometimes you say things to don't mean when you're really upset, but that doesn't mean they define reality completely. Her stomach was in knots; any moment, she thought she would vomit or pass out. She regretted not telling Toby sooner, but it couldn't be helped. On the one hand, Jareth was a not a man to be gainsaid; on the other, now that he had experience the Labyrinth for himself, it was time Toby found out anyway.

While Sarah collected her thoughts, Toby looked between his sister and the king, bewildered. "What do you mean I've been here before? Sarah was the one who was here, not me."

"No," Sarah finally spoke. "Jareth is right Toby. You were here before. In fact, you were here the same time I was."

"You could say," Jareth interjected. "That you're the reason Sarah was here, or perhaps it was the other way around?" He gave Sarah a calculated smile and Toby turned questioningly to his older sister.

"Sarah, what is he talking about? Why didn't you tell me I was here before?"

Sarah kneeled in front of Toby to look him in the eye. "I was ashamed to, Toby."

"Why would you be 'shamed of it Sarah? This is such a cool place."

"Toby, listen. There's a story I should have told you before now, but I didn't. Seven years ago, I was a very angry girl. Dad has told you that my Mom left us when I was a little girl; he had every right to marry again, but I was angry with him for it. I thought it meant he didn't love me anymore, that he wanted a new family instead of the one he had."

"That's silly, Sarah. Dad loves you lots."

"I know that now, Toby, but when I was a teenager, I didn't understand that. I thought he loved you more than me, which hurt a lot. I took it out on you. I thought that if you were gone then Dad would love me again, so one night when Karen and Dad wanted to go out, I got upset. I had been reading the book Labyrinth and I was so caught up in the fantasy of it all, that I accidentally wished you away."

"Tut, tut, Sarah, that's not how I remember it," Jareth scolded playfully.

"Fine. I did wish you away, but honestly, I didn't think anything would happen. At the time, I had no idea that goblins or the Labyrinth were real. I thought it was just a story, so I didn't know that my words actually had power."

"So it was like the princess in the book. She didn't know that she could wish her brother away and she did. And I was the baby brother," Toby hung his head.

"No, no, Toby! It wasn't like that," Sarah placed her hands on the boy's shoulders and looked into his sad face. "I mean it was kind of like that, but I didn't really mean it. I was being stupid and selfish. I could only think about how annoyed I was with Karen for making me stay home. There was a thunderstorm that night and you were really scared, so you were crying a lot. I didn't know what to do to help you calm down. I wasn't really mad at you, but I got so frustrated that I couldn't get you to calm down that I spoke out in anger."

"And the goblins came and took me away?" Toby asked.

"They did. As soon as I finished speaking, you were gone. And as soon as I'd wished you away, I regretted it. I knew it was selfish of me to think only about myself. Like the princess in the book, I realized too late just how much I loved you and wanted you in my life. I wanted to get you back, only…it took a bit more than I expected." Sarah glanced up at Jareth and Toby craned his neck to look at the graceful king lounging against the wall.

"I told Sarah that what was said is said. I couldn't just hand you back over, that's against the rules of this place. She had to earn you back."

"Why?" said Toby.

"Because that's just the way it is."

"Why?" Toby echoed his previous question.

"Because it is my Labyrinth and I make the rules. Sarah—both of you, in fact—learned that words have consequences. You can't simply undo what you wish hadn't happened. Even in a place of magic, the rules of logic still apply. I did as Sarah asked and I took you to my castle beyond the goblin city," Jareth gestured at his throne room expansively. "I gave her thirteen hours to solve the Labyrinth if she wanted to see you again."

"What would have happened if she hadn't saved me?"

"I told Sarah I would have turned you into a goblin."

Toby's eyes widened, "You really would have done that?"

Jareth paused. "I would have, in a sense. I wouldn't have actually physically made you a goblin. But you would have been a goblin in the sense that I would have adopted you myself."

"You mean I would have been Goblin King someday?"

"Someday, yes. I would have made you my prince and heir, since I have none of my own. Then when I, er, retired, you would have taken over."

"Sarah, you hear that? He was going to 'dopt me and make me a prince!"

"I heard, Toby." Sarah's mind was reeling with the revelation. Apparently, Jareth had not been fully honest with her about his intentions for the baby. Would it have changed anything if I had known? Probably not. I would have come to rescue Toby no matter what Jareth said he was going to do with him. But why didn't he tell me what he was really going to do? I suppose he wanted to 'up the stakes,' like he did later by taking away my time. I wouldn't put that past him. Still, Toby as Goblin King? Sarah shook her head. She tried to picture her baby brother working magic with crystals and ordering the goblins around. The picture in her mind was too strange to ponder for long; it simply didn't fit the affectionate, gregarious boy she knew. Perhaps he wouldn't have turned out this way if Jareth had raised him. She shivered slightly. Jareth as a father was a bit too much for her to contemplate.

She glanced sidelong at Jareth to find him watching her closely. She quickly averted her gaze, flushing. She told herself that it was embarrassment at having the details of her selfish teenage years so closely scrutinized by her brother. She didn't want to admit that Jareth's searching gaze made her heart pound a bit harder than normal. Why is he staring at me? But she couldn't answer that question, so she returned her attention to Toby.

"When Jareth took you away, I resolved to come after you no matter what he threw at me. I was thrown into a foul-smelling bog, tricked into eating an enchanted peach, dropped in a dark hole, almost chopped to bits and nearly decapitated by crazy fire dancers. But none of that could keep me from you. I would overcome any obstacle for you Toby, because I love you. You are my precious, wonderful, brave little brother. I only wish I had known that sooner and I would never have wished you away.

I am so sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but I am even more sorry for how this must hurt you. I admit that I was selfish in the way I acted and I want you to forgive me, Toby. I understand if you are angry at me and if you don't want to talk to me right now, but please know that no matter what I did then, you mean more to me now than anything in the world." Sarah was nearly crying and so was Toby. He didn't say anything for a while, but he looked searchingly into Sarah's eyes as he processed everything she and the king had told him.

Finally, he rubbed angrily at his tears and threw his arms around Sarah. "I don't care what you said then, Sarah. I forgive you. And I don't care what you say," Toby glared at Jareth, suddenly fiercely protective of his older sister, "Sarah is the best older sister in the world. Nothing you say or do could make me be mad at her because I love her. And that is what you do when you love someone, you forgive them." He turned back to Sarah and hugged her tightly. She could hear the tears in his voice when he whispered, "I love you" into her ruined hair.

Stunned by Toby's vehemence and defensiveness, Jareth could only stare silently at the two humans in his throne room. He had never known anyone so fiercely protective of someone who had clearly betrayed them. Perhaps it was his youth or maybe his personality, but Toby's response had shook Jareth to the core. He had secretly wondered how the boy would respond to his sister's guilt. However, Jareth had not expected a reaction so opposite anything he had experienced. Toby had the choice between forgiveness and bitterness, between a false image of his faultless sister or a true image—one that includes her selfishness and thoughtless actions. Toby had chosen both to see his sister for who she truly was and to forgive her for it. He hadn't responded in anger or retaliation. He had chosen to love her anyway.

Jareth stole silently from the room, the boy's adamant rejection of his attempts to expose Sarah still echoing in his ears, "Nothing you say could make me be mad at her because I love her." How did the boy learn such devotion? Is it possible that Sarah herself is the cause of his adoration? Could she have changed that much in the seven years that her brother could be so loyal to her even in the face of her betrayal? It makes no sense at all! Yet in a strange way, it did. Jareth recalled his promise to do anything for Sarah because of his love for her, a promise he had made when she was but a girl. But things had changed. He had discovered she could be selfish and cruel. How could you love someone after they treat you so callously? By the gods, she thought him worthless enough to wish him away to the goblins! (—which is quite a wretched way to get rid of someone you're mad at because you don't know how to get them to stop crying.) He was a defenseless child and she sent him to be cared for by, well, me. He smirked ironically. If she'd met me before hand, she probably would have thought twice before wishing the child away.

No, it wasn't Toby's reaction to him that was bothering Jareth; another thought plagued him. Jareth could possibly understand why the boy would be so defensive of Sarah. She was family, the only family he had in this place, and Jareth was an outsider 'attacking' his sister's character. It was natural to side with her over a perfect stranger. However, Jareth could not comprehend Toby's quick and wiling forgiveness. Toby had thought for a grand total of two minutes before throwing himself headlong into the arms of his sister with willing abandon. The boy had flung aside bitterness like so much worthless junk. Before my very eyes is a child faced with the same decision I was seven years ago. Yet he continues to love her and think well of her while I rot in self-pity and resentment. How can the child be so forgiving of one who has treated him so cruelly? "…that is what you do when you love someone, you forgive them." The words stung. From the mouth of babes…Jareth thought ruefully. Toby, my boy, you have given me more to think about than you know.

Alone in the throne room, Sarah and Toby cried together for a few minutes. Sarah's heart was filled to overflowing with gratitude. Toby forgave me. I told him what I did and he forgave me. I can't believe it. I thought for sure he would hate me for a few years, but no. He loves me too much to be angry at me for long and I don't deserve it. I can't believe I almost lost him because I was self-absorbed in my stupid teenage angst. I would never have been able to forgive myself if I'd lost him.

Toby soon grew uncomfortable with all the crying and hugging. He was an affectionate boy, but even loving little boys have their limit of how much emoting they can do at one time. Sensing this, Sarah withdrew and wiped the tears from her face. "Well, Toby. We certainly look like messes!" She smiled, brightening the heaviness of the room with her bell-like laughter. Toby joined in.

"You look worse than I do Sarah."

"Do not!"

"Do, too!"

"Do not. Do not. Do not!"

"Do too. Do too. Do too!" Toby stuck out his tongue and wiggled his hands by his face. Sarah lunged for him and proceeded to tickle him mercilessly until they were both gasping for air. They lay on the floor, panting. Sarah closed her eyes; she was very tired.

"What are you thinking about Sarah?"

"Me? Oh nothing Toby. I'm just tired."

"Are you thinking about him?" Toby asked innocently.

Sarah opened one eye at him. "Who do you mean?"

"You know, him. The Goblin King, duh."

"Why would I be Toby?" Sarah replied as casually as she could, but his question made her a bit nervous. She couldn't help but blush slightly; she hoped Toby wouldn't notice.

"I dunno. I just thought you might be. I noticed he was looking at you a lot."

"I'm sure you were just imagining it, Toby. Besides, he was talking to us, he's supposed to look at us when he talks."

"Not like that."

"Like what, Toby?"

"You know, like he likes you and stuff."

Sarah blushed a deeper shade of red. "Toby, I think you misunderstood him. Jareth doesn't think of me like that."

"Aren't you guys friends?"

"You could say so, but we don't really…get along well. I think he's still a bit upset that I defeated his Labyrinth."

Toby shrugged. "Maybe, but that would be a long time to be mad at someone for something so silly. Besides, the book says that the Goblin King was really in love with the princess the whole time and that is why he does everything she asks."

Sarah sighed, "Toby, this isn't the book. That was just a story."

"Yeah, but you thought the goblins were just a part of the story, and the Labyrinth, and the Goblin King, and they're all real. Maybe that part is true, too."

"Toby, I don't think you understand what's…happened. Jareth has good reason to be angry with me for how I've acted."

Toby shook his head, unconvinced, "No matter what you did, Sarah, he doesn't have to be angry at you. I forgave you, so can he. Besides," Toby grinned impishly and nudged her in the ribs, "I still think he likes you."

Sarah nudged him back and they fell to tickling again before a nervous goblin interrupted their fun to say that Jareth had set aside rooms for them to stay in. Toby's words were never far from her thoughts, so when the goblin led both of them to guestrooms to rest and freshen up, Sarah spent most of the time staring into nothingness—mulling over Toby's observations. She seemed to be doing a lot of that lately.

Thanks for reading everyone! I'm taking the GRE tomorrow, so I'm off to bed to get some rest. I'll be gone in the morning, but I have the rest of the day off so tomorrow afternoon will be a writing frenzy! Yay!

Love those reviews, so keep it up! Tell me what you think.