Part 8
Sarah abruptly stood up and walked to the door of the library. She needed to ride, to expell that ominous feeling that something of terrible import was going to happen. She quickly opened the door and strode swiftly down the hallway to the main door of the castle. She nodded to the guard standing there, and walked down to the stables, where she went directly to Ghost. She ignored the grooms' worried looks over her breaking routine, and led the palomino out of the stall. She mounted bareback and rode out of the stable and headed out over the rolling plains.
She had no idea how long she rode, or how far, but the sound of hoofbeats coming up behind her drew her up short. She turned to see Jareth riding at Ghost's flank, on a large black stallion. Annoyed, she kicked her horse's sides and sped up. She didn't want company, most especially not the irritating Goblin King's. Soon, Ghost was practically flying over the ground. Sarah laughed and turned to see where Jareth was, and choked her laughter back. He was still with her. Gritting her teeth, she leaned low over her horse's neck and urged her to go faster. Then to her surprise, she felt an iron band wrap around her waist, and she was in the air, then seated in front of Jareth on his horse.
"How dare you!" she exclaimed, "You could have gotten me killed!" She looked up at his face and flinched from the black scowl covering it.
"You little fool," Jareth said in a quietly menacing voice, "You could have killed yourself going at that speed without any tack!"
"For your information, Jareth," she retorted, "I have been riding since I was five years old, and I happen to know how fast I can go without a saddle or reins. And I wouldn't have been going so fast if you had just stayed in the castle. I come here to be by myself."
He shifted in the saddle, and she realized what her anger hadn't let her really register before. She was sitting in the Goblin King's arms. She felt heat rush to her face, and she quickly turned away from him. "Put me down," she commanded, and winced when it came out a little breathlessly.
Jareth's chest shook, and she looked up at him. He was laughing at her! She struggled to get down, but he merely held on tighter. "I don't think so," he said, "I want to make sure you get back to the castle safely." His mirth abruptly faded. "Nothing can happen to you *Queen* Sarah. This land cannot fall into Alyssa's hands." He urged his horse into motion and whistled slightly. To Sarah's dismay, Ghost immediately responded, following.
She tamped down the strange feeling she got when she realized the only reason he cared for her was that he didn't want the kingdom to be in danger. It didn't matter to her what he thought. A small voice deep inside, whispered lowly, 'But it does.'
As they came to the stables, Sarah again blushed at the knowing looks on the servant's faces, and she again tried to get down. This time, Jareth let her go without a problem. She looked up at him, but his face was expressionless. She turned away and whistled to Ghost, leading the mare to her stall. When she came out, Jareth was nowhere to be seen, and she told herself that was what she wanted.
Jareth cursed himself as he walked back to the library. He wasn't sure what had possesed him to follow her when she had left so quickly, but now he wished whatever it was had left him alone. She had looked so concerned when she looked out the window, and when she had ridden by so quickly on that horse, he had been worried that she would hurt herself. Especially after Garrick's parting words.
Karen and his three 'guards' had joined Robert and Myst in the library. He put a smile on his face and walked over to them. His smile grew larger, and more genuine when he saw Toby sitting on the unicorn's lap.
"Well, Jareth," Robert began, "It was nice to see you again. Karen and I are leaving as soon as Sarah gets back."
"Oh, well be safe on your return," Jareth replied. It was a normal farewell, but he put an emphasis onto the words. Robert caught it and nodded.
All too soon, his old friend was gone, and he knew that he would have to leave himself. There really was no reason for him to remain. He knew Sarah didn't want him there, and while she talked and laughed with her friends, he felt the same depression he had experienced after she had beat the Labyrinth build up.
"It is time for us to leave," Jareth said, sharper than he had meant to, "Who knows what the goblins have done during my absense."
Didymus immediately jumped to attention, knowing his duty and taking it seriously. The monster and Hoggle both hesitated a moment, until Jareth scowled at them, then they too walked over to him.
"By Sarah," Hoggle said, "I hopes we can see you more often."
Didymus bowed to her. "Milady, I have treasured our time spent together, and verily do I look forward to our next meeting."
Ludo wasn't as restrained as the other two. He enveloped Sarah in a huge hug. "Bye Sawah."
Sarah smiled at them, and Jareth felt a moment's jealousy. "Let's go!" he snapped. Then he walked out the door.
Sarah was sitting in the courtyard, speaking with Jeffery and a quie who had come to get supplies, when Gavin came up to them. While his visit was a surprise, the look on his face, a mixture of sadness and terror was what grabbed Sarah's attention.
"What's the matter?" She asked him, fearing she already knew.
"Mother and Father, the ogre..." the young elf choked back a sob, "But that isn't the worst. Garret was coronated as soon as they died. He and Alyssa are coming here. They mean to take this kingdom. They're bringing the ogre Queen Sarah, they control it."
Sarah controlled the frisson of fear those words sent, and calmly put her hand on Gavin's shoulder. "They cannot take this kingdom Gavin, I will not allow it." As she said it, she heard a horrifying sound. It was a cross between a scream and a growl, and it grated on the senses. It was the sound of an ogre.
She quickly strode to the castle gates and stepped outside, against Jeffery's and Gavin's protests. She knew that no matter what she would have to face this creature. Again she heard that blood curdling noise, closer now. She looked up and saw it. It was a horrible monster, indescribable by any standards. To say that it was repellant or even hideous was an understatement, and the smell, well it must take baths in the Bog of Eternal Stench.
Sarah stood her ground when it, and the twin elves came up to her. She quickly formed a crystal in her hand, knowing that it would do nothing to the evil monster. One person, or even two, no matter how powerful could not defeat evil. She saw the triumphant expression in Alyssa's eyes as the ogre bore down on her. Sarah stood straight and tall, ready to throw the crystal in her hand, when to her surprise, a thousand arrows pierced the creature's hard scaly body. It screamed again, but this was a scream of death.
Sarah looked around and saw, Jareth and King Jiggle, each leading an army made of there subjects as well as several elves. They had killed the ogre, but she knew they hadn't defeated the evil. It was very much in evidence in the twins' eyes.
"You have interfered where you are not wanted, Goblin King, Dwarf King," Garret stated, "For that you will suffer along with this child." He sneered at the elves in the army. "And all of you will pay for this treason."
As he was speaking, Areka and Jemin had come up behind them. "Yes, Jareth, Jiggle," Jemin said, "This is not your affair, you should have stayed out of it."
"Stayed out of stopping evil?" Jareth questioned angrily.
The two Fae monarchs looked confused. "What evil?" asked Areka, and Sarah realized that they had been blinded by some spell, and could not see nor smell the ogre laying practically at their feet.
"If you cannot see it," Jiggle said quietly, "Then you have more evil in your hearts than good."
Sarah and Jareth both stiffened. That was not what needed to be said, but it was too late to take them back. Gavin came out and stood beside them. "This is how it must be," the elf whispered. Sarah looked at him and knew that he was a seer like his father.
Alyssa glared at her younger brother. "Gavin, you too have betrayed your people!" she exclaimed, "Well, you will be punished along with the others when we take your armies out!" At those words, a battle began.
Several long hours had passed, and Sarah groaned from aches in places she didn't know she had. The causualties had been many, for both sides, but the ones who fought for good had won this one. She looked up to see Jareth standing with Gavin, helping to heal some of his wounds. They all three made eye contact. They all knew that this was only the beginning.
Sarah abruptly stood up and walked to the door of the library. She needed to ride, to expell that ominous feeling that something of terrible import was going to happen. She quickly opened the door and strode swiftly down the hallway to the main door of the castle. She nodded to the guard standing there, and walked down to the stables, where she went directly to Ghost. She ignored the grooms' worried looks over her breaking routine, and led the palomino out of the stall. She mounted bareback and rode out of the stable and headed out over the rolling plains.
She had no idea how long she rode, or how far, but the sound of hoofbeats coming up behind her drew her up short. She turned to see Jareth riding at Ghost's flank, on a large black stallion. Annoyed, she kicked her horse's sides and sped up. She didn't want company, most especially not the irritating Goblin King's. Soon, Ghost was practically flying over the ground. Sarah laughed and turned to see where Jareth was, and choked her laughter back. He was still with her. Gritting her teeth, she leaned low over her horse's neck and urged her to go faster. Then to her surprise, she felt an iron band wrap around her waist, and she was in the air, then seated in front of Jareth on his horse.
"How dare you!" she exclaimed, "You could have gotten me killed!" She looked up at his face and flinched from the black scowl covering it.
"You little fool," Jareth said in a quietly menacing voice, "You could have killed yourself going at that speed without any tack!"
"For your information, Jareth," she retorted, "I have been riding since I was five years old, and I happen to know how fast I can go without a saddle or reins. And I wouldn't have been going so fast if you had just stayed in the castle. I come here to be by myself."
He shifted in the saddle, and she realized what her anger hadn't let her really register before. She was sitting in the Goblin King's arms. She felt heat rush to her face, and she quickly turned away from him. "Put me down," she commanded, and winced when it came out a little breathlessly.
Jareth's chest shook, and she looked up at him. He was laughing at her! She struggled to get down, but he merely held on tighter. "I don't think so," he said, "I want to make sure you get back to the castle safely." His mirth abruptly faded. "Nothing can happen to you *Queen* Sarah. This land cannot fall into Alyssa's hands." He urged his horse into motion and whistled slightly. To Sarah's dismay, Ghost immediately responded, following.
She tamped down the strange feeling she got when she realized the only reason he cared for her was that he didn't want the kingdom to be in danger. It didn't matter to her what he thought. A small voice deep inside, whispered lowly, 'But it does.'
As they came to the stables, Sarah again blushed at the knowing looks on the servant's faces, and she again tried to get down. This time, Jareth let her go without a problem. She looked up at him, but his face was expressionless. She turned away and whistled to Ghost, leading the mare to her stall. When she came out, Jareth was nowhere to be seen, and she told herself that was what she wanted.
Jareth cursed himself as he walked back to the library. He wasn't sure what had possesed him to follow her when she had left so quickly, but now he wished whatever it was had left him alone. She had looked so concerned when she looked out the window, and when she had ridden by so quickly on that horse, he had been worried that she would hurt herself. Especially after Garrick's parting words.
Karen and his three 'guards' had joined Robert and Myst in the library. He put a smile on his face and walked over to them. His smile grew larger, and more genuine when he saw Toby sitting on the unicorn's lap.
"Well, Jareth," Robert began, "It was nice to see you again. Karen and I are leaving as soon as Sarah gets back."
"Oh, well be safe on your return," Jareth replied. It was a normal farewell, but he put an emphasis onto the words. Robert caught it and nodded.
All too soon, his old friend was gone, and he knew that he would have to leave himself. There really was no reason for him to remain. He knew Sarah didn't want him there, and while she talked and laughed with her friends, he felt the same depression he had experienced after she had beat the Labyrinth build up.
"It is time for us to leave," Jareth said, sharper than he had meant to, "Who knows what the goblins have done during my absense."
Didymus immediately jumped to attention, knowing his duty and taking it seriously. The monster and Hoggle both hesitated a moment, until Jareth scowled at them, then they too walked over to him.
"By Sarah," Hoggle said, "I hopes we can see you more often."
Didymus bowed to her. "Milady, I have treasured our time spent together, and verily do I look forward to our next meeting."
Ludo wasn't as restrained as the other two. He enveloped Sarah in a huge hug. "Bye Sawah."
Sarah smiled at them, and Jareth felt a moment's jealousy. "Let's go!" he snapped. Then he walked out the door.
Sarah was sitting in the courtyard, speaking with Jeffery and a quie who had come to get supplies, when Gavin came up to them. While his visit was a surprise, the look on his face, a mixture of sadness and terror was what grabbed Sarah's attention.
"What's the matter?" She asked him, fearing she already knew.
"Mother and Father, the ogre..." the young elf choked back a sob, "But that isn't the worst. Garret was coronated as soon as they died. He and Alyssa are coming here. They mean to take this kingdom. They're bringing the ogre Queen Sarah, they control it."
Sarah controlled the frisson of fear those words sent, and calmly put her hand on Gavin's shoulder. "They cannot take this kingdom Gavin, I will not allow it." As she said it, she heard a horrifying sound. It was a cross between a scream and a growl, and it grated on the senses. It was the sound of an ogre.
She quickly strode to the castle gates and stepped outside, against Jeffery's and Gavin's protests. She knew that no matter what she would have to face this creature. Again she heard that blood curdling noise, closer now. She looked up and saw it. It was a horrible monster, indescribable by any standards. To say that it was repellant or even hideous was an understatement, and the smell, well it must take baths in the Bog of Eternal Stench.
Sarah stood her ground when it, and the twin elves came up to her. She quickly formed a crystal in her hand, knowing that it would do nothing to the evil monster. One person, or even two, no matter how powerful could not defeat evil. She saw the triumphant expression in Alyssa's eyes as the ogre bore down on her. Sarah stood straight and tall, ready to throw the crystal in her hand, when to her surprise, a thousand arrows pierced the creature's hard scaly body. It screamed again, but this was a scream of death.
Sarah looked around and saw, Jareth and King Jiggle, each leading an army made of there subjects as well as several elves. They had killed the ogre, but she knew they hadn't defeated the evil. It was very much in evidence in the twins' eyes.
"You have interfered where you are not wanted, Goblin King, Dwarf King," Garret stated, "For that you will suffer along with this child." He sneered at the elves in the army. "And all of you will pay for this treason."
As he was speaking, Areka and Jemin had come up behind them. "Yes, Jareth, Jiggle," Jemin said, "This is not your affair, you should have stayed out of it."
"Stayed out of stopping evil?" Jareth questioned angrily.
The two Fae monarchs looked confused. "What evil?" asked Areka, and Sarah realized that they had been blinded by some spell, and could not see nor smell the ogre laying practically at their feet.
"If you cannot see it," Jiggle said quietly, "Then you have more evil in your hearts than good."
Sarah and Jareth both stiffened. That was not what needed to be said, but it was too late to take them back. Gavin came out and stood beside them. "This is how it must be," the elf whispered. Sarah looked at him and knew that he was a seer like his father.
Alyssa glared at her younger brother. "Gavin, you too have betrayed your people!" she exclaimed, "Well, you will be punished along with the others when we take your armies out!" At those words, a battle began.
Several long hours had passed, and Sarah groaned from aches in places she didn't know she had. The causualties had been many, for both sides, but the ones who fought for good had won this one. She looked up to see Jareth standing with Gavin, helping to heal some of his wounds. They all three made eye contact. They all knew that this was only the beginning.