A/N: Chapter Eight! Thank you all for your fantastic reviews, I appreciate it!

Labyrinthlover30: No worries! I knew it was you. ;) Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry, and I'm SO glad to hear you're doing better! Being sick is the worst, and I unfortunately have plenty of experience with that. X(

Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own it.

Blind

Chapter Eight: Friends

The walk to the library was short, and Sarah was grateful for it. She wasn't feeling at all well. From what she could tell of the library, it was both clean and roomy-a significant change from the throne room. The library in all had a comfortable, peaceful feel to it, and Sarah felt a little better. Jareth was busy talking rapidly in a gibberish-like language to a goblin. Even though the language had a very strong nonsensical quality, Jareth's baritone voice managed to make it sound beautiful.

He had let go of Sarah, and the crackling of a fire nearby, accompanied by the warmth radiating from it, drew Sarah in. She hadn't realized it before, but she was actually quite cold. Moving toward the sound of the fire, she soaked in the heat, and it gradually began to warm her up.

She was nearing the fire when a pair of hands firmly but gently took hold of her arms. Sarah gasped, and before she could pull away, Jareth spoke to her. "Careful, Sarah. The fireplace is large. Don't get too close." With great care he turned her around, and her heart thudded strangely at his touch. Why did it seem so odd to her?

"O-Oh. Thank you." Sarah stammered, alarmed at both her near accident, and at how her heart beat went a little faster when he touched her. Not necessarily in fear-though there was some fear there-but another emotion she couldn't yet identify.

"Are you cold?" Jareth softly questioned, and Sarah found herself nodding a yes. "Come, we'll remedy that." He guided her, one hand on the small of her back, and the other ghosting down her arm to her hand. Goosebumps rose up on her skin when he did. She thought about the action and how it felt like there was something she was missing. Sarah put it to the back of her mind for now, and Jareth led her to a nearby arm chair. It was incredibly comfortable, and just the right distance from the fire to keep her warm. She closed her eyes upon sitting down, feeling tired. It'd been a rough day.

Jareth said something to the goblin, who replied in the same strange language. The creature then scuttled off, the library doors closing behind him. "Bark will send someone along with tea shortly." He said, and Sarah heard a second chair to her left sliding smoothly around so Jareth could sit down. He was sitting close enough that their hands on the armrests grazed each other, and he removed his hand so it didn't touch hers. Sarah, herself, pulled her hands into her lap, uncomfortable, and Jareth's next words captured her attention. "Your friends have done well here after your last visit-I've just sent for them. I thought perhaps you would like to spend some time with them." Sarah contemplated his words, her brow wrinkling in confusion.

"You didn't... punish them for helping me?" Sarah queried awkwardly. She would have expected as much from him.

Jareth's reply put her at ease. "Not at all. They did what was right-and I cannot fault them for their loyalty to one as noble and kind as yourself." Sarah sat in stunned silence, her cheeks burning under the compliment. His arm shifted against the armrest of his seat, and Sarah imagined him waving his hand gracefully as he then answered her earlier question about her friends. "Hoggle was promoted from his previous position outside the Labyrinth walls, as the pixie exterminator. Now he oversees the whole of the castle gardens." Sarah's eyes widened and Jareth chuckled as he added, "Although he'll likely tell you that he doesn't enjoy it nearly as much. I tend to be very particular, and more than occasionally eccentric."

Jareth's tone was heavy with meaning, like it was an inside joke that Sarah would understand, and she did. After she experienced the Labyrinth's design first hand, it was no surprise to her that the Goblin King's private garden would be any different. There was a knock at the door, which then opened at Jareth's invitation. A great deal of shuffling followed as what sounded like several goblins entered the room carrying a tray of shaking tea things. Jareth's chair squeaked as he turned-Sarah assumed-to watch their progress. With a worrisome rattle of china, the goblins set everything down on a small table tucked before Jareth and Sarah.

The one that must've been in charge exchanged words with the king, who sounded cheerful as he replied to the goblin before dismissing them. Sarah was wondering what he'd said, when he answered her unspoken question. "They brought some extra tea and pastry cream puffs for our next arrivals." Sarah's eyebrows lifted. He'd had extra tea made for her friends?

Sarah sat up in her seat. "So Hoggle works in the gardens? What about Sir Didymus and Ludo?" She asked, and Jareth shifted in the arm chair.

"Ah, the brothers." The king acknowledged thoughtfully, and his chair gave a quiet 'swoosh' as he slid forward. Sarah heard the teapot lid lifting and a moment later a heavenly aroma floated toward her. She couldn't help but to sniff the air, and her mouth involuntarily watered.

"What kind of tea is that?" She sat a little straighter, her hands clasped in her lap.

Jareth responded while replacing the lid. "It's a popular mix among my kind. Would you care for some?"

Sarah hesitated, a frown playing on her lips. The last time he'd given her food, it'd been a peach that pulled her into a dream-like ballroom where Jareth tried to convince her to forget her brother. She had to be certain it wasn't a similar situation. "It won't make me fall asleep or anything, will it?"

The air between them grew momentarily uncomfortable, and she could feel Jareth's eyes on her. He was regretful when he responded. "Sarah, I wish you no ill will, please understand that. I promise you that it's nothing but regular-albeit particularly delicious-tea." Amusement tenuously frosted the last part of his sentence, and the tension lessened.

Sarah sat thinking about what he'd said. If he had wanted to hurt her, he certainly would've done it by now. Otherwise what would he gain from all he'd done for her? She couldn't think of anything. While these thoughts churned in Sarah's head, the atmosphere between them turned more pleasant, and his tone cheerful. "Now, would you care for some tea?"

"Yes... please."

Jareth poured them tea, and in the meantime Sarah asked him again. "So what do Ludo and Sir Didymus do now? Have they been given jobs, too?"

Jareth replied. "In a moment." He began. "Your tea is ready. If you hold out your hands, I'll place it there."

Sarah did as he directed. The teacup and saucer rattled like the tinkling of a tiny bell as he lifted them from the tray. With great care he placed them in her hands, turning the handle of the teacup to her dominant hand when she began searching for it. She managed a timid thank you, her cheeks growing warm as he answered her question.

"The brothers were given new occupations, yes. Sir Didymus did not wish to leave the bog, but his brother's complaints about the smell convinced him that they would do better outside of that particular part of the Labyrinth." Jareth sipped his tea while Sarah asked him another question.

"What do they do now?"

Jareth set his teacup back onto its saucer. "Didymus has been training the Goblin Army for some time, now. He was very pleased, actually, when I requested he do it. His bravery in protecting you convinced me he'd be perfect for it." Jareth said. "And after his full five minutes of eloquently profuse thanks, he took to the task with great enthusiasm. The goblins were dismayed initially at his elaborate routine, but they like him very much now, I think." He took another sip. "Ludo and the rocks help him create obstacle courses and training battle grounds to train the goblins. The rocks that Ludo speaks to occasionally assist in that-although I suspect they like chasing the goblins more than training them." Jareth chuckled, and a smile tugged at one corner of Sarah's lips. "How is the tea? Does it require cream or sugar?" He inquired.

Sarah lifted the cup to her lips, and taking a careful sip, was exceptionally pleased with the mix of flavors. Fruity, warm, and fresh, it was like sunlight and spring flowers. It tasted like springtime. "It's delicious! I don't think it needs anything added to it, at all." She said, and she couldn't help smiling a little. It was the first smile she'd offered since her arrival, and Jareth became momentarily still at it.

At last he cleared his throat. "I'm glad you like it-it is a particular favorite of mine." He then offered her cream puffs, and was unperturbed when she accidentally dropped a few on the ground. He merely picked them up, all the while continuing their conversation as though nothing had happened-and Sarah could not express how grateful she was for it. Just then there was a heavy knock on the door, and Jareth set down his teacup before he turned to face the door and invited the newcomer in. The doors opened with a creak, and Sarah's head turned at the voice that followed.

"My lady!" Sir Didymus's voice carried to her in delight. "How art thou?"

"Sarah!" Ludo growled happily.

"Sarah! Why, it's really you!" Hoggle's own excited voice cried.

"Hey guys!" Sarah's smile could not have been bigger when she faced her friends, and the group began to make their way over to her.

"Well, I'll leave you to it." Jareth said, coming to his feet. "You all have much to speak about."

Sarah's head lifted toward him. "Jareth, wait!" His boots clicked when he paused half a step away, and Sarah went on. "Thank you. For all of this. It means a lot to me."

There was both the hint of a smile, and a touch of something else in his voice. "Enjoy yourselves. I'll step away to give you time to talk." Jareth spoke next to Hoggle. "Send for me before you leave, Hoggle."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Don't worry 'bout us."

Jareth replied, satisfied. "Thank you." Then he slipped out of the room. A silence followed his absence, and Ludo broke it with his rumbling voice.

"King Good." Ludo said to Sarah. "Help Sarah."

"He's a rat, but he's a good rat." Hoggle allowed, and despite his words, they were without the anger that many years ago would have accompanied such a remark.

Ludo shuffled over to Sarah's side and sat next to her chair. "Sarah-Blind?"

Sarah nodded her head, smiling sadly in Ludo's direction. She could feel his furry shoulder against the side of her chair and her own arm. "Yes, Ludo. I'm blind."

Sir Didymus's knightley voice spoke next. "His Majesty informed us shortly after thy accident, my lady. We were greatly distressed to be unable to assist thee."

"Couldn't do nothing." Hoggle grunted angrily. "Couldn't do nothing, but worry."

Ludo's great head came down to Sarah's level, his breath huffing across her arm as he spoke. "King promised. Help Sarah." Ludo said, and Sarah's eyebrows lifted.

"He promised you he'd help me? Why?"

Hoggle was the one to answer. "'Cause he knows we care about you, Sarah. He's the one that found out first about your accident." Hoggle went on to explain. "He called us to meet with him to discuss what could be done to help you."

A/N: Hope you guys liked it!

Disclaimer: Clearly, I don't own it.