AN: Hello readers. I meant to post this earlier, but I've been so sad about the passing of our beloved Bowie that it was hard for me to work on this chapter. This is a short chapter, but Jareth is the main character. It's my small tribute to a great artist who will be sorely missed.
Please read and review! Thank you! xoxo
Back in the Mystagog's cave, Selise and Mylan were still arguing. Jareth was gracefully slumped against the cave wall holding his aching head in his shackled hands, rolling his eyes at the shrieking and whining in the background.
"Domestic drama, how charming," he muttered to himself. The one bright spot was that Selise and Mylan were so intent on their fight that they were leaving him alone. Sneaking a glance their way to ensure that they weren't watching him, Jareth bent his head down as if in pain and ran his hand over his forehead. A slight glow emanated from his hand as his features visibly relaxed in relief.
"Ah, that's better," he thought. Being able to heal himself was always such a useful power. For some reason Selise and Mylan seemed to think that the iron shackles were blocking his magic. Of course that was nonsense, but Jareth had decided that it might be advantageous to let them think he was powerless in order to get more information about what they were really up to. He also suspected that if Selise and Mylan were busy trying to turn him over to the dwarves that Sarah and her friends must have gotten away. He was sorely tempted to form a crystal to try to look in on Sarah, but he didn't want to risk Mylan or Selise seeing him until he could find out more about their plans.
Suddenly Jareth heard a whispered hiss. "Psst! Kingy!"
Jareth looked up sharply. There in a dark shadowed overhang of the cave his owl eyes spotted two little goblins. It was Bumper and Stumps! His eyebrows shot up in surprise and he gave them a questioning look.
"Are you in trouble, Kingy?" Stumps asked in a comically loud whisper. Jareth grimaced and tilted his head toward Selise and Mylan, trying to encourage his goblins to be quiet.
"Ooops, sorry," Stumps whispered sheepishly.
"Don't worry, King! We will get them and set you free!" Bumper said determinedly. Jareth started to mouth "NO" but it was too late for brave little Bumper. With a loud cry he launched himself down off the cave ledge and right onto Selise's head. Not to be outdone, Stumps followed immediately after, choosing Mylan as his target. The Mystagogs shrieked in surprise and terror as the ferocious little goblins attacked. Though Bumper and Stumps were two of the smaller goblins in Jareth's kingdom, they were surprisingly vicious when it came to defending their beloved King.
Jareth watched the spectacle for a moment, half annoyed, half amused, before rising to his feet in one fluid motion. By the time he stood up Selise was howling in pain as Bumper hung from her hair and Mylan was cowering on the floor as Stumps jumped up and down on his back.
"Bumper, Stumps, that's quite enough," he said, calling the goblins off. Bumper and Stumps immediately jumped to their King's side and adopted defensive poses. Mylan and Selise watched in disbelief as Jareth casually shook his wrists and the shackles dissolved into sparkling dust. He elegantly blew on his fingertips and the last of the dust drifted away.
"But – but how?" Selise wailed.
"You really thought iron shackles would work on me?" Jareth asked disdainfully. "Where did you hear that one?"
Selise continued to gape at Jareth while Mylan began to shake in terror.
"Remember Goblin King, it was all her idea, not mine!" Mylan cried.
"Probably the gnomes again," Jareth mused. "They're full of misinformation. You know you shouldn't believe everything you hear, especially when the consequences are so…serious." He flashed a pointy smile at the Mystagogs while the goblins smugly nodded in agreement.
"Anyway, we have to be going now," Jareth said conversationally. "So good of you to host us. I'll make sure to mention your hospitality when you're brought before the High Council." With a flourish, he formed two crystals and captured both Selise and Mylan.
"And since it would just be annoying to have to deal with you escaping again…" Jareth trailed off as he tossed both crystals into the air, where they popped like bubbles.
"Where did they go?" Bumper asked in amazement.
"Sent them to the dungeon back home," Jareth answered. "They'll be comfortable enough there until I return, as long as they don't mind listening to goblin singing."
"Yay Kingy!" Stumps and Bumper cheered.
"Yes, yes," Jareth said impatiently, but he was smiling. "So thank you both for your rescue attempt, though it was ridiculous, wholly unnecessary, and actually counterproductive to my plans at the time."
"Anytime!" Stumps said modestly.
"Now, where are the others? Where is Sarah?" Jareth asked.
"The Lady's friends escaped with the rock callers," Bumper said. "But the Lady wasn't with them. We came back to look for you and for the Lady."
"What?" Jareth asked, alarmed. Quickly he formed a crystal and sought Sarah's image.
"I know she hates this, but this is urgent," he murmured to himself. Sarah appeared in his crystal, hair dripping and clinging to a black rock in her sodden dress.
"Oh no, she's in the lagoon!" Jareth cried. His eyes widened in shock as a pale green arm slid into view and dragged Sarah down into the swirling green waters.
"Sarah!" Jareth cried.
