~ Favorite Review of Chapter 18:

"Ooh, looks like that Oaralin has got the hots for our magic man. Too bad the only blonde he's into is himself." -Tek Sonay ~

Ok, that made me laugh right out loud! -S.

Chapter 19 : Careful

By morning the cold from the night before had sizzled away. Hoggle rose with a snort and kicked at the exquisite white cloak with a dirty boot.

"Hot, hot, hot!" He growled and wiped a beefy palm under his nose.

Sarah didn't answer. She had awakened hours before. Her own purple cloak sat tucked firmly in her medicine bag at her side.

The sky, still a gentle violet, lightened softly with brushes of pink and orange as the two moons moved aside to make way for a golden star. Sarah stared at it in silence. No sunrise in her life had ever been so beautiful.

"Daydreamin' and wishin'. What humans be doin' best." Hoggle murmured as he rose and spit. The dwarf began to walk away on unsteady feet. He stopped on the edge of a small patch of sand and moved to yank down the front of his trousers. Sarah gasped and turned away quickly. With averted eyes, she gathered the white cloak and began to fold it, popping it loudly to cover the sound of the dwarf urinating.

When Hoggle finished, he stumbled closer and yanked the cloak from Sarah's hand.

"That's mine!" He snapped.

Sarah simply stared at him in surprise.

Hoggle pulled the cloth to his face and sniffed deeply. "Smells like lil' flowers. Blah!" He gagged but did not hand it back. "Now, where'd I git this stinky thing?" He asked himself, not even glancing at Sarah.

"Jareth." The girl said lightly, turning away.

"Ja-Jaa!" The dwarf stuttered and roughly shoved the thick cloak back into Sarah's arms.

"Jareth." She repeated slowly.

"Don't go sayin' that name like that! Idjit, idjit!" Hoggle spoke in an angry whisper. Then he looked around himself and bowed to no one. "Oh, Majesty. Oh, King! Whatta nice smellin' thing I got."

Sarah watched the dwarf bow again and shook her head. "Hoggle, he isn't here. And even if he were…"

"Shhh..The King be here, alright, even when he ain't." Hoggle turned his bulging eyes to his left then right before he shook his head and cursed under his breath. "Sayin' his name like she be somethin' or somebody."

Sarah sighed and stuck the white cloak over the handle of her bag.

"Hoggle, we have bigger things to worry about."

"Bigger!" Hoggle gasped and stared at the girl as if she had grown another head.

"Yes." Sarah nodded. "The labyrinth has changed as we slept. It's backward."

"Humph." Hoggle shrugged and crossed his arms.

Sarah continued. "The markers that I made have moved as well. I know I placed an arrow in the sand facing an opening toward the center of that wall." Sarah pointed the place. "I remember, because it had such an unusual rock at its bottom. But see," she turned, "It is facing our backs now."

Hoggle stared at the marks and shrugged.

Sarah twisted her hair up in a messy bun that left several forgotten curls brushing her forehead and neck. The star was rising quickly and the heat was searing her pale skin through the thin fabric of her top. As she moved a step forward, Sarah felt a familiar rumble in her stomach and she placed a hand there instinctively. How long has it been since we have eaten? She wondered.

With a quick glance at the dwarf, Sarah placed her bag on a nearby rock and began to shuffle through it. There wasn't much inside that was edible. She kept most of those items in her gift basket. But, at the very bottom, Sarah found two small oranges and a tiny drawstring bag with nuts and dried fruit. Her stomach gurgled again as she removed the food and lifted her belongings.

She took a couple of steps closer to the dwarf and held out the orange.

"Here." She offered, with an encouraging smile. Hoggle frowned at her and snatched the fruit from her open hand. Before uttering a single word, the bulky male took a bite out of the orange, peel and all.

"Hog…" Sarah started in protest, but it was too late. The little orange had already been swallowed down. Juice ran along Hoggles mouth and he licked at it with a greedy tongue. Sarah sighed and began to peel her fruit. It too was gone too soon. The empty feeling inside her stomach did not disappear but it eased a little.

Sarah tucked the little bag of nuts away for later and began to walk.

"Don't even know where she goin." Huffed Hoggle, as he hurried to catch up.

Sarah shrugged. "No, not really Hoggle. But I assume it is the opposite way of my arrows. Time will tell."

And time did. As the day passed, Sarah became more and more sure she had chosen correctly. The dry, sandy path became richer until somewhere around midday there was grass beneath her boots. Her aching feet relaxed a little against the softened ground, and Sarah's heart felt slightly lighter as she moved slowly closer to Toby.

The travelers rested every now and then. Once by a cluster of weeds, then again under an unexpected tree.

Hoggle was a silent companion for the most part. His only contribution was a curse or two or the sound of him heaving a hefty spit at the sand.

That night, as the first moon appeared in the sky to Sarah's right, the path they were on suddenly and abruptly ended.

"How...?" Sarah wondered out loud as she looked around in confusion. "The road just ended." She muttered to herself, wiping the back of her hand across her damp and dusty forehead.

"Well, how do ya think, human? It's magic. And this magic don't want you here." Hoggle answered with disinterested disdain.

Sarah didn't answer. Her eyes moved along the long red wall that had suddenly appeared before her eyes. She pulled her chapped bottom lip into her mouth and swallowed, trying to ignore the thirst that made her throat dry.

Her voice came out coarse and parched. "Yes, Hoggle, I am aware."

Sarah dropped her bag and leaned forward with her hands on her knees. Her back ached. Her thighs burned. The blisters on her heels that had gone numb hours before suddenly stung.

She gazed at the wall. There were areas on it that were covered in climbing plants. The type was similar to ivy but instead of glossy leaves, it grew spiked blades of green foliage. Sarah paused for a moment before reaching out a careful hand and brushing the plant aside.

"My eyes! My eyes!"

"Too bright! Too bright!"

Sarah and Hoggle both jumped back at the voices that screeched out. The vine flung back into place as Sarah pressed her hand to her chest.

"Better."

"Better." The voices spoke in unison.

The girl and the dwarf exchanged glances before Sarah swallowed and stepped forward again. This time, as she moved the plant to the side, both she and Hoggle waited for a response. It came instantly.

"Too bright! Too bright!"

"My eyes! My eyes!" Something screamed.

Sarah blinked at the sight. Two creatures, both bent and covered in armor, stood before them with their eyes firmly screwed tight.

"Goblin guards." Hoggle whispered in Sarah's ear with a rancid huff. She looked over at him with a thankful nod and a half smile. He is proving to be a helpful companion, she thought quickly as she turned back to the goblins.

They were not beautiful like the fairies but neither were they big and bulky like Hoggle. The goblins were lean and strong. They were Sarah's height, which was small even for other humans. Their faces were round and flat.

Sarah watched as they lifted long spears to their sides and slammed the bottoms to the ground. Their expressions turned fierce all the way from their pug noses to their sharply pointed ears.

"Here…" One started.

"Here!" The other finished.

"By the power of His most glistening,"

"Glittering …"

"Glimmering …"

"Shimmering …"

"Immerin', timmerin' wimmerin'," Hoggle groaned, "Git on with it!"

"Highness." The two guards finished together with another loud slam of their spears. "We order you to halt!"

"We have halted." Sarah said with a frown.

"Well, halt again." The second goblin answered and pointed his weapon at Sarah.

Hunger and thirst were beginning to make her dizzy.

Sarah adjusted the heavy bag strap on her shoulder and responded, slightly annoyed.

"Well, I'm not sure how we could halt again…" She sighed and turned to Hoggle.

"Don' look at me. Crazy goblins makin' no sense."

Sarah glanced back at the guards who once again had closed their eyes.

"You wouldn't happen to know where we might find some water, would you?" She asked, barely hoping.

The first goblin guard opened his eyes. "You want water?" He asked slowly. "She wants water." He elbowed his companion.

The other guard shrugged and kept his eyes closed before they suddenly popped open and his round cheeks puffed out.

"Water?" He asked, turning to the other goblin.

"Water." The first answered back.

"She can't have it." The second guard shook his head.

"Can she have it?" The first guard questioned. The two goblins stared at each other with bulbous eyes before they both turned to Sarah.

"We'll see."

"We'll see."

Sarah waited for them to continue but they simply looked back at her. "Um...thank you, gentlemen." She inclined her head, tired but still polite.

"You are welcome."

"You are welcome." Came the now expected echo from the second guard.

"Well, where is it? We ain't got all day!" Hoggle stepped forward and glared at the two.

"Nowhere." Said one.

"Here." Said the other, and they both pointed to another part of the labyrinth wall that was covered in prickly vines.

Sarah paused only for a moment before she stepped forward and carefully pulled the curtain of plants aside.

Beyond the veil was a beautiful wishing well. The white stones that comprised it shined with tiny sparkles and at the base was a river of colorful flowers. The light from the moons, fully risen in the sky, seemed to shine directly upon it. As Sarah stepped past the wall and into the open space a cold breeze blew and lifted a sweet fragrance into the air.

"Careful."

"Careful." The goblins called after her and dashed their eyes around the space.

Sarah stopped but whispered to herself. "It's so beautiful."

"What is?" Hoggle asked so loudly it caused Sarah to cringe as she turned to him. The dwarf stepped forward and walked with zero hesitation to the well in the center of it all. He placed his hands on the side and looked down.

"Helllloooo!" He called down and turned his head for the echo that spiraled back up at him.

He smiled a toothy grin and called down again. "Go awwaaaayyy!" The dwarf laughed out loud as the words came back, "Go awwaaayyy!"

"Careful." The first guard said again from his station at the entrance.

"Careful." Repeated his friend.

Sarah moved next to Hoggle. "Is it safe to drink?" She asked, letting her fingers lightly touch a delicate yellow flower.

"No." Said a goblin.

"Yes." Said his partner.

Sarah flickered her blue eyes back to the goblins and gave a wry laugh. "Well, that is very comforting."

She looked back at Hoggle and asked more quietly. "Shall we try it?"

Hoggle shrugged.

The lack of water was making her feel desperate.

A large golden pail hung from the center of the well by a fine silver chain. The strand looked so elegant it might easily have been worn as a necklace by Sarah's new stepmother.

She reached her hand forward and began to lower the pail. It only took a moment before it grew heavy with water.

Sarah pulled the pail back up. The water glistened inside. It was the clearest she had ever seen. Sarah looked down upon it and swallowed.

Then she heard murmuring behind her back.

"Too sad." Said an armored guard.

"So bad." Said the other.

Hoggle humphed and pushed Sarah aside. "Lemme try. Humans ain't got no skills. No skills. Useless."

Before Sarah could refuse, he was dropping the pail back into the well and letting the fragile chain violently unravel as it went.

"Gently Hoggle, the chain will snap." Sarah protested lifting a hand just as the dwarf yanked it hard with his brawny palm.

"Chain?" Asked Hoggle, shaking his head.

"Chain?" Asked both guards at once.

Sarah frowned. Something very odd was happening.

Hoggle was heaving the water up again. It splashed over the side of the pail and fell in droplets into the well below.

"Ugh!" Hoggle complained and plopped the pail down on the side of the stones. "Dry as dry."

Sarah looked from Hoggle to the goblins and shook her head. "What do you mean? It's full of water."

All three of the males stared at Sarah. Hoggle laughed out loud and the guards seemed to be communicating with their eyes.

"She sees it." Said goblin one.

"He doesn't." Said goblin two.

"Who doesn't?" Said Sarah.

"We doesn't." Said the guards at the same time.

Sarah looked at Hoggle in surprise. "You don't see the water?"

"Idjit." Hoggle shook his head and walked away to the other side of the space. He looked around for a moment and then shook his head. "Don't like it here." He exited the moonlit area with a grunt.

The goblins watched him go before turning back to the girl.

"Careful." They said again.

Sarah tilted her head to the side. "Be careful of what? Will the water hurt me?" She asked as she moved closer to the well and peered done at the rippling liquid. The water was so pure the reflection of the moons seemed to be sitting at the bottom of the golden pail.

"Hurt you?" A goblin repeated. Then he turned to his pair and asked, "Hurt her?"

"Hurt her?" The other guard answered. "Who's sure?"

"Not me." Answered the first.

"Not me." Answered the second. He waited for a moment and pointed to the well. "Read the well."

"Read the well, well" The first goblin instructed and pointed as well.

For the first time, Sarah noticed words on the side of the pail.

The gold was engraved with masterful lettering. Sarah ran her finger across the wet metal and bent down for a closer look.

"With my thoughts, I called you. With my mind, I cried. With my heart I cursed you. With my soul, I died. But in my well of honesty, where only truth abides, my thoughts, my mind, my heart, my soul, are yours. To tell the truth, I lied."

The words weren't written for her, and Sarah blushed as though she had been caught reading someone else's love letter. She stepped back and glanced over at the goblins.

"It...um...it doesn't say if it is safe or not." She mumbled and looked away.

"But you can see it?" Asked the first goblin.

"You can read it?" The second asked.

Their round eyes were looking at Sarah with open doubt.

"Yes." Sarah answered.

The goblins nodded and relaxed their spears. "Drink." They said together.

"Drink?" Sarah responded, surprised.

The goblin guards nodded and spoke at once as though reading a script. "But beware. The water of truth can tell no lies and once you drink, neither can you."

"Neither can I?" Sarah's heart was racing. The smell of the sweet water drifted up to her nose and made her feel drunk from dehydration. Her heavy tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. Her voice was even dryer as she spoke. "You are saying that if I drink from this well I won't be able to lie? For how long?"

The guards shrugged together.

Sarah stared hard at them and then back at the well. Her head began to sway. She was honestly so thirsty. So deathly thirsty.

"Just drink your 'maginary water and let's rest. Not here though, human. Tha' place gives me wormies." Hoggle shouted from behind the thorny veil.

Sarah tried to swallow but her throat just tightened, almost choking her.

Without another thought Sarah knelt down beside the well. Her knees brushed against the fragrant blooms and the stones pressed cold against her breasts. She looked up at the moons and dipped a gentle hand into the cool, clear water. The smell of spring filled her senses and Sarah took a deep breath.

Then she lifted the water to her lips and drank.

A.N. I do not own Labyrinth

Hello readers! Now we are moving! Sarah and Hoggle are road trip buddies and it looks like they are making friends. What are your thoughts of these goblin guards? Are you curious about the magic water? Here, take a sip and let me know all your secret thoughts. I promise not to tell!

Make sure to follow, dear readers, this ship is sailing and you don't want to miss what comes next!

As always, thank you for reading, reviewing, following and/or favoriting. -S.