Title: Say The Words (Part Six)
Author: Amber
Distribution: Email me first (Arrilyn@hotmail.com), but other than that, all I ask is that my name and email addy be left attached!
Disclaimer: Same as each time before! Labyrinth and all its characters belong to Jim Henson and Lucasfilm(s?).. I own nothing, and I'm not looking to get any profit from this story! Heh...like anyone would wanna pay to read this!
Summary: Another one of those 'alternate ending' type fics, but I hope you enjoy it anyway! More conflict between Jareth and Sarah...and things are starting to happen now!
A/N: If you didn't read the past 5 parts, I suggest you go do that RIGHT NOW before you read this part! Also, a very big apology to those of you who were confused by my "The End!" comment at the end of Part 5! I forgot to tack on the 'for now' part after it! ;) My story is by no means over, so don't get scared! I think you'll know when it's over (at least, I HOPE so!) Thanks to all of you who have kept reading up 'til this point! :oD
"Hoggle? Hoggle, show yourself right now before I force you out!" By the tone of her voice, Hetta was clearly agitated. And who wouldn't be; she'd been searching for her brother in the Labyrinth for over an hour! By now, Sarah was surely wondering what had happened, and might even start searching! There was no time to waste.
"Would you quit your yelling?" Hoggle grumbled, coming out of hiding. "You might as well tell the whole city where we're hiding! Now what do you want?"
"It's about Sarah." That got his attention immediately. Hetta smiled briefly in satisfaction. "I thought that would make you listen." She looked around. "Where are the rest of your friends?"
"C'mon…" Hoggle led the way back toward his hiding place. Ludo and Sir Didymus, who had been waiting anxiously, relaxed when they saw the dwarf return with his sister. "Now…what about Sarah? Is she in trouble?"
"I don't know," Hetta replied. "But she's been acting strange, and I thought that since you knew her better, you might be able to help. It's like she doesn't remember anything anymore! I asked her about Toby just yesterday, and she replied with 'Why would I want to do anything about him?' Just like she didn't even know why I'd asked in the first place! Oh, she still remembers him, that much is clear, but it's like she doesn't even remember that she wanted to save him!"
"Did you ask her about Jareth?" Hoggle asked. His sister shook her head.
"I leave matters of the heart alone," she said proudly, unaware of the way Hoggle rolled his eyes. He knew how much Hetta loved to meddle in the affairs of others…especially when those matters were 'of the heart'. "Besides," she continued, "Sarah's been so happy these past days, I couldn't bear to bring King Jareth's name up! It always seems to make her unhappy, though I don't know why…he really is a very nice man…"
"Excuse me, Lady Hetta," Didymus interrupted, "but could you be imagining things?"
"Yes," Hoggle agreed, "maybe you're imagining things. I know Sarah wouldn't give up on her brother. She won't stop at anything until she gets him back!"
"I would have agreed with you, several days ago." Hetta's coarse features became thoughtful. Every bit as unattractive as her brother, she still seemed to be the wiser of the two, and the more perceptive. "But now…well, I think if I asked her to live with me forever, she would! She seems to have forgotten her entire reason for being here, and now just wants to live with me! Don't get me wrong now; I love the girl as much as the three of you do, but I need my privacy too! She should have gone back to King Jareth well before now!"
"Well, I'll come for a visit when I can," Hoggle said, "and see if there really is anything wrong with the little lady. But I still think you're imagining things."
"Now I know why I threw you out of my house all those years ago," Hetta commented dryly, moving toward the opening in the high wall. "You can be so irritating!" When her brother only shrugged, she huffed and stormed off, back to the Goblin City. She had to get back soon, before Sarah became worried.
She entered the house to find Sarah playing with Rilum on the dirt floor of the kitchen, both girl and baby laughing gleefully. Neither of them seemed to notice Hetta's entrance, until the goblin woman cried out in surprise. There were tiny men dancing on her floor! Sarah's head jerked up at the loud sound, her mouth rounding into an 'o' of surprise. "Hetta!" she exclaimed, looking for all the world like a little girl who'd been caught doing something she shouldn't have.
"What are these…brownies doing dancing on my kitchen floor?!" Hetta demanded, casting a menacing look at the tiny creatures. They shouted something in a garbled language she didn't understand (though she could have sworn they called her mother a 'fraggin' aardvark') and then ran off. Rilum started crying then, and she went over to pick him up.
"I'm sorry." Sarah blushed. "Rilum was getting cranky, so I thought I'd give him something to cheer him up 'til you came back."
"And how did they all get to be here?" she pressed. "They don't just come when called, you know."
"Actually, they do," Sarah murmured. A long pause followed before she finally spoke again, and her voice was even softer than before. "They come when called by the queen…"
"You called them here?" Hetta's white brows shot up in surprise. "How?" Sarah reached into the top of her dress and pulled out the delicate crescent moon, her expression a little forlorn. A wry smile tilted the corners of the goblin woman's thin lips. "That pendant. I would have thought you'd have gotten rid of that thing as soon as you could, seeing as King Jareth was the one who gave it to you.
"And what are your feelings toward the king, Sarah? Has your temper cooled down since you've been here? I think it's about time you returned to him, don't you? I expect he's probably eager to have you back."
"Oh Hetta, please don't say I can't stay here anymore!" Sarah's eyes suddenly looked panicked. "This is everything I've ever dreamed of! Everything I've always wanted is right here! It's like…well, it's like being able to live my dream!"
"'Live' your dream?" Something seemed to click in place Hetta's mind. Dreams…that pendant…everything seemed suddenly too obvious. It was a well-known fact that King Jareth used crystal spheres as a major aspect of his magical powers…and there was a crystal dangling from the top point of the crescent moon around Sarah's neck. From the story that Sarah had told Hetta, of the very first crystal Jareth had proffered-the one that would 'show her her dreams'-Hetta had a suspicion that that tiny crystal on the necklace was doing much the same thing. And if that were so, then it would mean that each time Sarah drew on her power, she was really delving into her dreams, becoming more and more lost to her own reality until eventually she would be living entirely in a dream world. Even to a simple goblin woman, this was obviously unhealthy.
"Hetta…?" Sarah began uncertainly.
"How often have you been using your power? And don't look so reluctant, girl! I know you've been using it, so how often?"
"Every day," she admitted quietly, her eyes downcast. Hetta frowned. If her theory was right…
"Sarah, answer me honestly. Do you remember why you're here?"
"Because Jareth told me I couldn't go back to the castle," Sarah replied sourly.
"No, no!" Hetta shook her head impatiently. "I mean, do you remember how you came to be in the Labyrinth in the first place?"
"I…" Sarah paused thoughtfully. "No, I don't remember…"
Long after Sarah and Rilum had fallen asleep, Hetta sat in her room and stared pensively out the window. She couldn't yet be sure that Sarah's forgetfulness was entirely due to the magic of that pendant, but it was obvious that the tiny crystal had something to do with the problem. Hoggle had been no help on the matter, and Hetta herself didn't know the girl well enough to think of other possibilities…who else would know what was wrong?
"King Jareth." The words were spoken almost before she'd even had time to think about them. Of course he would know! He was the one who had given Sarah that necklace, after all! He would know better than anybody else what was causing Sarah's unusual behavior! Jumping out of her chair, Hetta pulled on a pair of wooden shoes, threw a thick shawl around her shoulders, and crept silently from her house. She needed to talk to the Goblin King, and she was too impatient to wait until morning to seek an audience with him.
As she expected, he was still awake when she badgered her way into the castle, slumping on his throne with a dangerous expression on his face. He regarded the small goblin woman with the curious gaze of a wildcat, eyes glittering in the wan light thrown from several torches. Recognition finally dawned on his features, and he smirked. "I was wondering how long it would take you to come pester me," he said, not bothering to move. "I suppose you want to discuss Sarah?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact." Hetta adjusted her shawl and then gave the king a scrutinizing look. "You should have taken her back by now, instead of sitting on your throne brooding!"
"I am not brooding," Jareth responded irritably. "I'm sitting here trying to think, no thanks to you."
"You're brooding," Hetta repeated succinctly. "And it's quite unbecoming of you, if you'll pardon my rudeness." It was obvious at that point that she didn't care how rude he thought her to be; she was about to lecture him like some wizened grandmother, and she expected him to sit still and listen. "Why are you sitting here doing nothing, when your queen is there in the city forgetting about you?"
For the briefest of moments, she could have sworn she saw surprise flicker across his eyes. But if surprise had registered with the Goblin King, it was gone in an instant, replaced by cool indifference. "If she wants to forget about me, then let her. I obviously don't mean enough to her for her to remember me." His next words held heavy bitterness. "I could give her the moon wrapped in silver ribbons, and it would mean nothing to her."
"But King Jareth, that's just not so!" Hetta protested.
"Isn't it? Has Sarah shown one ounce of feeling for me, other than anger or disgust? Does she stay awake at night and wonder what will become of the two of us? Does she mourn that there can never be love between us because she refuses to let it happen? Does she? Because I do!"
"There's no need to yell, King Jareth." Hetta frowned slightly and backed away from Jareth, who had unconsciously risen from his throne and leaned toward her in a threatening manner. And the way he'd raised his voice…it was enough to wake the entire Goblin City! "I knew you had feelings for Queen Sarah. I think it's time you told her."
Jareth laughed humorlessly. "And watch as she throws my words right back in my face? She's become quite good at that. She can toss my feelings aside without caring at all how it affects me, while she goes on living in her little dream world…"
"That is what I wished to speak to you about. There's something wrong with Sarah, and I think it has to do with the necklace you gave her. I want to know how her power works."
"Why?"
"Because I think it has something to do with a dream crystal, and if you don't stop her from using her power now, she may forget about reality completely, and live only in a dream world! I know you don't want that, King Jareth. You have to help me."
"I don't have to do anything." His voice lacked the conviction it usually held. "Her dreams have always been more prized to her than reality, so maybe it's a gift that she's starting to live in them."
Hetta's hands clenched at her sides, and her face wrinkled up with the deep frown she suddenly wore. It was all she could do not to explode at the man in front of her. If he didn't stop this foolish charade soon, he would lose the most important person in his life! Was his pride so great that he would really allow that to happen? "Jareth," she ground out, purposely forgetting to add 'King' before his name. "I know you know that you're being stupid. If you won't help the girl, then tell me how I can, because I certainly don't want her living the rest of her life with me!"
The king smiled grudgingly at that. "I apologize for the imposition I've placed upon you."
"Queen Sarah is always welcome as a guest, but when I promised her friends that I would keep an eye on her, I didn't mean that I wanted her to live under my roof! It's time you took her back!"
"Yes, you've said that already." Jareth went back to sit on his throne again. "Why don't you ask Sarah if she wants to come back? If she does, then she's welcome to. And if not…"
"You know she'll say no!" The goblin woman harrumphed and began to storm out of the room. "I don't even know why I came here, you stubborn, selfish man…"
"Wait." The voice stopped Hetta in her tracks, but she didn't turn around to look at the Goblin King. "The only way to stop her from using her power is to take the necklace away. Bring it back to me, and I'll see if there's anything that can be done."
"Thank you, your Majesty." Hetta's brisk steps quickly led her away from the castle. Jareth hadn't given her much by way of help-taking off the necklace was an obvious solution-but the fact that he'd even offered, especially in his present selfishness, lifted the goblin woman's hopes. But was it too late to separate Sarah from her dreams?
As silently as she could, considering her weight and the way the floorboards creaked, Hetta crept into Sarah's room. Moonlight poured through the window, bathing most of the room in its silvery glow. Sarah was curled on her bed, the thin quilts piled atop her tucked underneath her chin. Her skin was pale in the light, contrasting heavily with her dark hair, which was fanned out on her pillow. Hetta smiled at the girl as she slept, but the expression was short-lived as she remembered her reason for being in that room. She continued moving toward the sleeping queen, breathing a quiet sigh of relief when Sarah remained asleep after the covers had been moved.
The crescent moon pendant sparkled brightly in the silvery light, almost in response to the moon outside. The tiny crystal hanging from the pendant was glowing a strange silvery-blue, the colors swirling in a lazy whirlpool within the glassy enclosure. Were those Sarah's dreams stirring inside the crystal? It was too small for Hetta to be able to tell. Even more difficult was the task of trying to unclasp the delicate chain around Sarah's neck, though after several long minutes, Hetta found the clasp and slowly removed the necklace.
Almost immediately thereafter, Sarah's face contorted into an expression of fear, and she began tossing on her bed, throwing the covers off as she attempted to flee from some unknown terror. Hetta watched in shock as the girl thrashed and moaned fearfully in her sleep, but her eyes gradually came to rest on the necklace clutched in her hand. The crystal had gone black and lifeless, its swirls of color vanished. As the small woman began to wonder if maybe Sarah needed to wear this necklace now, Sarah stopped moving, her features once again smoothing out in peaceful slumber. An aftereffect of having her power taken away? Hetta left the room with quiet steps, thoughts racing through her mind.
"It's gone!"
Sarah jumped out of bed in a panic, throwing the quilts off of her bed as she began searching for her missing necklace. She'd known as soon as her eyes had opened that it was missing; she could feel the absence where once that strange power had been. What could have happened to that necklace? The search through her bedcovers proved fruitless, as did her search underneath the bed and around her tiny room. How could she have lost it? She'd been wearing it when she went to bed, and now it was gone!
"Hetta! Hetta, where are you?" Sarah rushed down the stairs in search of the goblin woman, but the house was empty. Even Rilum was gone, she discovered after a thorough search of the house. Had they abandoned her? No, they couldn't have. Hetta wouldn't just leave like that. Maybe she's with Hoggle. After throwing on a new dress, Sarah left the house and ventured into the Labyrinth.
Hoggle met up with her as she was turning a corner, and together they went back to the place where the trio had been hiding for the past several days. Hetta was nowhere to be found, and when asked, Hoggle said he hadn't seen her since the day before. Sarah's worry began to grow; where had the woman gone?
"She'll be back," Hoggle assured. "She never goes far from that house."
"My lady?" Didymus interrupted, tilting his head curiously. "You don't look well…are you feeling alright?"
"Look bad," Ludo agreed. Sarah chuckled.
"Gee, thanks Ludo," she commented dryly. "I'm fine. I just didn't sleep very well last night. I lost that necklace…the one that Jareth gave me? It's gone, and I don't know what happened to it! You don't suppose…could Hetta have taken it?" She shook her head before the others could answer. "No, she wouldn't do that to me. But it's still suspicious that she's missing along with that necklace…"
"What do you care about an old necklace anyway?" Hoggle asked. "Especially when it was Jareth who gave it to you!"
"I don't know," Sarah confessed. "I guess I care about it because it gave me power…and without it, he has all the power over…"
Realization swept over her in a tide. The words. The words she had forgotten when she'd confronted Jareth. Good Lord, how could she have forgotten something so simple? She knew the words now! But…could she say them?
"Well, well, what do we have here?" spoke a familiar, mocking voice. Sarah spun around to find Jareth standing there. Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus began backing away in fear. "Three little traitors and my queen. What shall I do with them?"
"Nothing," Sarah replied, lifting her chin and staring him straight in the eyes. "You made a promise, remember? Not to harm them if I found them first?"
"I take it back."
Smirking condescendingly, Sarah crossed her arms in her most imperious manner. "What's said is said. Such a pity."
"I see your time away has done nothing to curb your tongue. Very well. It's time to leave, Sarah."
Now was the perfect moment. By just saying those six simple words, she-and Toby-would be freed from the Underground forever. So why couldn't she force them past her lips?
The End...for now! ;) Part 7 is in the works! Excuse any mistakes that were made in this part...I checked through, but I'm tired, so I probably missed something!
Author: Amber
Distribution: Email me first (Arrilyn@hotmail.com), but other than that, all I ask is that my name and email addy be left attached!
Disclaimer: Same as each time before! Labyrinth and all its characters belong to Jim Henson and Lucasfilm(s?).. I own nothing, and I'm not looking to get any profit from this story! Heh...like anyone would wanna pay to read this!
Summary: Another one of those 'alternate ending' type fics, but I hope you enjoy it anyway! More conflict between Jareth and Sarah...and things are starting to happen now!
A/N: If you didn't read the past 5 parts, I suggest you go do that RIGHT NOW before you read this part! Also, a very big apology to those of you who were confused by my "The End!" comment at the end of Part 5! I forgot to tack on the 'for now' part after it! ;) My story is by no means over, so don't get scared! I think you'll know when it's over (at least, I HOPE so!) Thanks to all of you who have kept reading up 'til this point! :oD
Say The Words
"Hoggle? Hoggle, show yourself right now before I force you out!" By the tone of her voice, Hetta was clearly agitated. And who wouldn't be; she'd been searching for her brother in the Labyrinth for over an hour! By now, Sarah was surely wondering what had happened, and might even start searching! There was no time to waste.
"Would you quit your yelling?" Hoggle grumbled, coming out of hiding. "You might as well tell the whole city where we're hiding! Now what do you want?"
"It's about Sarah." That got his attention immediately. Hetta smiled briefly in satisfaction. "I thought that would make you listen." She looked around. "Where are the rest of your friends?"
"C'mon…" Hoggle led the way back toward his hiding place. Ludo and Sir Didymus, who had been waiting anxiously, relaxed when they saw the dwarf return with his sister. "Now…what about Sarah? Is she in trouble?"
"I don't know," Hetta replied. "But she's been acting strange, and I thought that since you knew her better, you might be able to help. It's like she doesn't remember anything anymore! I asked her about Toby just yesterday, and she replied with 'Why would I want to do anything about him?' Just like she didn't even know why I'd asked in the first place! Oh, she still remembers him, that much is clear, but it's like she doesn't even remember that she wanted to save him!"
"Did you ask her about Jareth?" Hoggle asked. His sister shook her head.
"I leave matters of the heart alone," she said proudly, unaware of the way Hoggle rolled his eyes. He knew how much Hetta loved to meddle in the affairs of others…especially when those matters were 'of the heart'. "Besides," she continued, "Sarah's been so happy these past days, I couldn't bear to bring King Jareth's name up! It always seems to make her unhappy, though I don't know why…he really is a very nice man…"
"Excuse me, Lady Hetta," Didymus interrupted, "but could you be imagining things?"
"Yes," Hoggle agreed, "maybe you're imagining things. I know Sarah wouldn't give up on her brother. She won't stop at anything until she gets him back!"
"I would have agreed with you, several days ago." Hetta's coarse features became thoughtful. Every bit as unattractive as her brother, she still seemed to be the wiser of the two, and the more perceptive. "But now…well, I think if I asked her to live with me forever, she would! She seems to have forgotten her entire reason for being here, and now just wants to live with me! Don't get me wrong now; I love the girl as much as the three of you do, but I need my privacy too! She should have gone back to King Jareth well before now!"
"Well, I'll come for a visit when I can," Hoggle said, "and see if there really is anything wrong with the little lady. But I still think you're imagining things."
"Now I know why I threw you out of my house all those years ago," Hetta commented dryly, moving toward the opening in the high wall. "You can be so irritating!" When her brother only shrugged, she huffed and stormed off, back to the Goblin City. She had to get back soon, before Sarah became worried.
She entered the house to find Sarah playing with Rilum on the dirt floor of the kitchen, both girl and baby laughing gleefully. Neither of them seemed to notice Hetta's entrance, until the goblin woman cried out in surprise. There were tiny men dancing on her floor! Sarah's head jerked up at the loud sound, her mouth rounding into an 'o' of surprise. "Hetta!" she exclaimed, looking for all the world like a little girl who'd been caught doing something she shouldn't have.
"What are these…brownies doing dancing on my kitchen floor?!" Hetta demanded, casting a menacing look at the tiny creatures. They shouted something in a garbled language she didn't understand (though she could have sworn they called her mother a 'fraggin' aardvark') and then ran off. Rilum started crying then, and she went over to pick him up.
"I'm sorry." Sarah blushed. "Rilum was getting cranky, so I thought I'd give him something to cheer him up 'til you came back."
"And how did they all get to be here?" she pressed. "They don't just come when called, you know."
"Actually, they do," Sarah murmured. A long pause followed before she finally spoke again, and her voice was even softer than before. "They come when called by the queen…"
"You called them here?" Hetta's white brows shot up in surprise. "How?" Sarah reached into the top of her dress and pulled out the delicate crescent moon, her expression a little forlorn. A wry smile tilted the corners of the goblin woman's thin lips. "That pendant. I would have thought you'd have gotten rid of that thing as soon as you could, seeing as King Jareth was the one who gave it to you.
"And what are your feelings toward the king, Sarah? Has your temper cooled down since you've been here? I think it's about time you returned to him, don't you? I expect he's probably eager to have you back."
"Oh Hetta, please don't say I can't stay here anymore!" Sarah's eyes suddenly looked panicked. "This is everything I've ever dreamed of! Everything I've always wanted is right here! It's like…well, it's like being able to live my dream!"
"'Live' your dream?" Something seemed to click in place Hetta's mind. Dreams…that pendant…everything seemed suddenly too obvious. It was a well-known fact that King Jareth used crystal spheres as a major aspect of his magical powers…and there was a crystal dangling from the top point of the crescent moon around Sarah's neck. From the story that Sarah had told Hetta, of the very first crystal Jareth had proffered-the one that would 'show her her dreams'-Hetta had a suspicion that that tiny crystal on the necklace was doing much the same thing. And if that were so, then it would mean that each time Sarah drew on her power, she was really delving into her dreams, becoming more and more lost to her own reality until eventually she would be living entirely in a dream world. Even to a simple goblin woman, this was obviously unhealthy.
"Hetta…?" Sarah began uncertainly.
"How often have you been using your power? And don't look so reluctant, girl! I know you've been using it, so how often?"
"Every day," she admitted quietly, her eyes downcast. Hetta frowned. If her theory was right…
"Sarah, answer me honestly. Do you remember why you're here?"
"Because Jareth told me I couldn't go back to the castle," Sarah replied sourly.
"No, no!" Hetta shook her head impatiently. "I mean, do you remember how you came to be in the Labyrinth in the first place?"
"I…" Sarah paused thoughtfully. "No, I don't remember…"
Long after Sarah and Rilum had fallen asleep, Hetta sat in her room and stared pensively out the window. She couldn't yet be sure that Sarah's forgetfulness was entirely due to the magic of that pendant, but it was obvious that the tiny crystal had something to do with the problem. Hoggle had been no help on the matter, and Hetta herself didn't know the girl well enough to think of other possibilities…who else would know what was wrong?
"King Jareth." The words were spoken almost before she'd even had time to think about them. Of course he would know! He was the one who had given Sarah that necklace, after all! He would know better than anybody else what was causing Sarah's unusual behavior! Jumping out of her chair, Hetta pulled on a pair of wooden shoes, threw a thick shawl around her shoulders, and crept silently from her house. She needed to talk to the Goblin King, and she was too impatient to wait until morning to seek an audience with him.
As she expected, he was still awake when she badgered her way into the castle, slumping on his throne with a dangerous expression on his face. He regarded the small goblin woman with the curious gaze of a wildcat, eyes glittering in the wan light thrown from several torches. Recognition finally dawned on his features, and he smirked. "I was wondering how long it would take you to come pester me," he said, not bothering to move. "I suppose you want to discuss Sarah?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact." Hetta adjusted her shawl and then gave the king a scrutinizing look. "You should have taken her back by now, instead of sitting on your throne brooding!"
"I am not brooding," Jareth responded irritably. "I'm sitting here trying to think, no thanks to you."
"You're brooding," Hetta repeated succinctly. "And it's quite unbecoming of you, if you'll pardon my rudeness." It was obvious at that point that she didn't care how rude he thought her to be; she was about to lecture him like some wizened grandmother, and she expected him to sit still and listen. "Why are you sitting here doing nothing, when your queen is there in the city forgetting about you?"
For the briefest of moments, she could have sworn she saw surprise flicker across his eyes. But if surprise had registered with the Goblin King, it was gone in an instant, replaced by cool indifference. "If she wants to forget about me, then let her. I obviously don't mean enough to her for her to remember me." His next words held heavy bitterness. "I could give her the moon wrapped in silver ribbons, and it would mean nothing to her."
"But King Jareth, that's just not so!" Hetta protested.
"Isn't it? Has Sarah shown one ounce of feeling for me, other than anger or disgust? Does she stay awake at night and wonder what will become of the two of us? Does she mourn that there can never be love between us because she refuses to let it happen? Does she? Because I do!"
"There's no need to yell, King Jareth." Hetta frowned slightly and backed away from Jareth, who had unconsciously risen from his throne and leaned toward her in a threatening manner. And the way he'd raised his voice…it was enough to wake the entire Goblin City! "I knew you had feelings for Queen Sarah. I think it's time you told her."
Jareth laughed humorlessly. "And watch as she throws my words right back in my face? She's become quite good at that. She can toss my feelings aside without caring at all how it affects me, while she goes on living in her little dream world…"
"That is what I wished to speak to you about. There's something wrong with Sarah, and I think it has to do with the necklace you gave her. I want to know how her power works."
"Why?"
"Because I think it has something to do with a dream crystal, and if you don't stop her from using her power now, she may forget about reality completely, and live only in a dream world! I know you don't want that, King Jareth. You have to help me."
"I don't have to do anything." His voice lacked the conviction it usually held. "Her dreams have always been more prized to her than reality, so maybe it's a gift that she's starting to live in them."
Hetta's hands clenched at her sides, and her face wrinkled up with the deep frown she suddenly wore. It was all she could do not to explode at the man in front of her. If he didn't stop this foolish charade soon, he would lose the most important person in his life! Was his pride so great that he would really allow that to happen? "Jareth," she ground out, purposely forgetting to add 'King' before his name. "I know you know that you're being stupid. If you won't help the girl, then tell me how I can, because I certainly don't want her living the rest of her life with me!"
The king smiled grudgingly at that. "I apologize for the imposition I've placed upon you."
"Queen Sarah is always welcome as a guest, but when I promised her friends that I would keep an eye on her, I didn't mean that I wanted her to live under my roof! It's time you took her back!"
"Yes, you've said that already." Jareth went back to sit on his throne again. "Why don't you ask Sarah if she wants to come back? If she does, then she's welcome to. And if not…"
"You know she'll say no!" The goblin woman harrumphed and began to storm out of the room. "I don't even know why I came here, you stubborn, selfish man…"
"Wait." The voice stopped Hetta in her tracks, but she didn't turn around to look at the Goblin King. "The only way to stop her from using her power is to take the necklace away. Bring it back to me, and I'll see if there's anything that can be done."
"Thank you, your Majesty." Hetta's brisk steps quickly led her away from the castle. Jareth hadn't given her much by way of help-taking off the necklace was an obvious solution-but the fact that he'd even offered, especially in his present selfishness, lifted the goblin woman's hopes. But was it too late to separate Sarah from her dreams?
As silently as she could, considering her weight and the way the floorboards creaked, Hetta crept into Sarah's room. Moonlight poured through the window, bathing most of the room in its silvery glow. Sarah was curled on her bed, the thin quilts piled atop her tucked underneath her chin. Her skin was pale in the light, contrasting heavily with her dark hair, which was fanned out on her pillow. Hetta smiled at the girl as she slept, but the expression was short-lived as she remembered her reason for being in that room. She continued moving toward the sleeping queen, breathing a quiet sigh of relief when Sarah remained asleep after the covers had been moved.
The crescent moon pendant sparkled brightly in the silvery light, almost in response to the moon outside. The tiny crystal hanging from the pendant was glowing a strange silvery-blue, the colors swirling in a lazy whirlpool within the glassy enclosure. Were those Sarah's dreams stirring inside the crystal? It was too small for Hetta to be able to tell. Even more difficult was the task of trying to unclasp the delicate chain around Sarah's neck, though after several long minutes, Hetta found the clasp and slowly removed the necklace.
Almost immediately thereafter, Sarah's face contorted into an expression of fear, and she began tossing on her bed, throwing the covers off as she attempted to flee from some unknown terror. Hetta watched in shock as the girl thrashed and moaned fearfully in her sleep, but her eyes gradually came to rest on the necklace clutched in her hand. The crystal had gone black and lifeless, its swirls of color vanished. As the small woman began to wonder if maybe Sarah needed to wear this necklace now, Sarah stopped moving, her features once again smoothing out in peaceful slumber. An aftereffect of having her power taken away? Hetta left the room with quiet steps, thoughts racing through her mind.
"It's gone!"
Sarah jumped out of bed in a panic, throwing the quilts off of her bed as she began searching for her missing necklace. She'd known as soon as her eyes had opened that it was missing; she could feel the absence where once that strange power had been. What could have happened to that necklace? The search through her bedcovers proved fruitless, as did her search underneath the bed and around her tiny room. How could she have lost it? She'd been wearing it when she went to bed, and now it was gone!
"Hetta! Hetta, where are you?" Sarah rushed down the stairs in search of the goblin woman, but the house was empty. Even Rilum was gone, she discovered after a thorough search of the house. Had they abandoned her? No, they couldn't have. Hetta wouldn't just leave like that. Maybe she's with Hoggle. After throwing on a new dress, Sarah left the house and ventured into the Labyrinth.
Hoggle met up with her as she was turning a corner, and together they went back to the place where the trio had been hiding for the past several days. Hetta was nowhere to be found, and when asked, Hoggle said he hadn't seen her since the day before. Sarah's worry began to grow; where had the woman gone?
"She'll be back," Hoggle assured. "She never goes far from that house."
"My lady?" Didymus interrupted, tilting his head curiously. "You don't look well…are you feeling alright?"
"Look bad," Ludo agreed. Sarah chuckled.
"Gee, thanks Ludo," she commented dryly. "I'm fine. I just didn't sleep very well last night. I lost that necklace…the one that Jareth gave me? It's gone, and I don't know what happened to it! You don't suppose…could Hetta have taken it?" She shook her head before the others could answer. "No, she wouldn't do that to me. But it's still suspicious that she's missing along with that necklace…"
"What do you care about an old necklace anyway?" Hoggle asked. "Especially when it was Jareth who gave it to you!"
"I don't know," Sarah confessed. "I guess I care about it because it gave me power…and without it, he has all the power over…"
Realization swept over her in a tide. The words. The words she had forgotten when she'd confronted Jareth. Good Lord, how could she have forgotten something so simple? She knew the words now! But…could she say them?
"Well, well, what do we have here?" spoke a familiar, mocking voice. Sarah spun around to find Jareth standing there. Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus began backing away in fear. "Three little traitors and my queen. What shall I do with them?"
"Nothing," Sarah replied, lifting her chin and staring him straight in the eyes. "You made a promise, remember? Not to harm them if I found them first?"
"I take it back."
Smirking condescendingly, Sarah crossed her arms in her most imperious manner. "What's said is said. Such a pity."
"I see your time away has done nothing to curb your tongue. Very well. It's time to leave, Sarah."
Now was the perfect moment. By just saying those six simple words, she-and Toby-would be freed from the Underground forever. So why couldn't she force them past her lips?
The End...for now! ;) Part 7 is in the works! Excuse any mistakes that were made in this part...I checked through, but I'm tired, so I probably missed something!