Disclaimer: not mine, copyright Labyrinth Enterprises (at least, that's what it says on my copy of the movie), and Monty Python and the Holy Grail', copyright The National Film Trustee Corporation Limited. I guess the Jim Henson Company owns "The Storyteller", please correct me if I am wrong. No copyright infringement intended. Not making money of this.
Thank you Mr. Jim Henson way up high for creating such loveliness, thank you Pythons for being so marvelously loony.
Gnome references inspired by Mr. David Bowie's 1967 song 'The Laughing Gnome". No copyright infringement intended, just being an inspired fan here.
Enjoy
Ramowen
Diamond Tears
Chapter 7. The Bridge
A turn, another turn and yet another. Finally the exit to the caverns became visible by an angry slit of daylight in the distance. The weary travelers steeled themselves against the cold draft, but poor little Fred did not seem able to stop shivering.
"Are you cold, Fred?" asked Sarah concerned.
"Nah- just bloomin' scared! I'd like te go 'ome now, if that's all the same te ye lot."
So they said their good-byes and promises to visit again. Fred went back into the darkness with only his little light to guide him, singing and chuckling and apparently relieved to be going the other way. He had left his new friends their lanterns as a small gift, since it would be dark soon this side of the mountain.
Sarah, Hoggle and Sir Didymus emerged on a narrow ledge, immediately facing the plummeting Gorge of Eternal Peril.
It was a dismal place, surrounded by high rocks and half hidden by swirling cold mists. Mosses and moisture made the gray rock slippery. There was a smell of sulfur and something rotten coming from below, together with the harsh cries of fighting scavengers. The sky was overcast and gave no point of reference; there were no shadows in the unearthly failing light. Sarah had to fight a bout of nausea at the sight of the gap and stepped back inside. Neither Hoggle nor Sir Didymus seemed much affected. Didymus dashed forward with a happy 'Tallyhoo!', a roaring smoking flame leaping up at the spot the knight had just vacated. Hoggle swaggered after him, pointing out the bridge itself.
It wasn't a bridge- not by any standard Sarah was accustomed to. There were two ropes with some half-rotten planks at uneven distances attached to them and two more ropes a little higher to be used as handhold. The ropes had frayed and pieces of it hung down like tattered tassels. A fleeting moment Sarah was glad Ludo had stayed behind in the village- he'd been far too heavy.
Unexpectedly a happy cry came from the bridge.
"Didymus!"
"Horacio!"
Sarah and Hoggle looked at each other and said simultaneously: "Horacio?" Carefully they made their way to the old boys meeting.
The Keeper of the Bridge of Death over the Gorge of Eternal Peril appeared to be a small one-eyed vagabond with half of his teeth missing. His good eye in hiding beneath the wrinkles of his face, his bad eye large and milky white as a full moon staring one down blindly. His blond hair and beard unruly and filthy, his fur coat torn and patched up so many times there was no way of telling what it's original color had been. Old feathers were attached to the coat, only adding to the man's haggard appearance. They reminded Sarah of another somewhat tattered cloak. One made of white owl feathers and soft pristine down. She wondered if this odd mage possessed the ability to shape change into a bird- what would he be? He seemed too small for a vulture. The Keeper's hands were covered with old gray bandages. He was clutching a necklace made of brown beads and white bone. Perhaps some kind of talisman?
Right now the crumpled figure was holding Sir Didymus by the shoulders and shaking him, while the knightly foxhound pounded his small fist on the Keepers chest.
"Didymus, Didymus my old pal- whatever made you give up -your- bridge?"
"Oh, but my dear chap! Me, give up a post! My bridge collapsed!"
"You let somebody cross it?"
"Yes, old friend! Allow me to introduce thee to her ladyship Sarah."
The Keeper stared at Sarah without saying a word. Sarah suppressed a very girlish giggle and curtsied to follow up on Sir Didymus' introduction.
"And she is accompanied by our true friend, the brave Sir Hoggle."
Hoggle shrugged and muffled something unintelligible, but he did make a slight bow in the general direction of the Bridge-Keeper.
"But -why- did you let her cross!"
"Well- the lady did ask my permission."
"Oh well- anyway, those were your three questions, Didymus. So if -you- wish to -go- anywhere?"
"Oh dear, that is awfully swell of you, my old chum."
"As for you two-," the Bridge-keeper sighed, turned to Sarah and Hoggle and recited his lines rather bored, as if he had been saying them for forever. Which he probably had.
"Who approaches The Bridge of Death must answer me
"These questions three
"Ere the other side he see!
"Well actually- we do not know if we really want to cross your bridge."
"Eh?"
"You see, we really came to ask -you- some questions."
"Eh?"
Alright, flattery attack.
"You see sir, Didymus told us of the great wisdom and knowledge you poses in order to keep questioning all the people who would wish to cross the bridge. And I really need to know-"
"Stop!"
The mage seemed truly shocked by the girl's words.
"The last time anybody asked -me- something I found myself back down there!" Horacio pointed at the Gorge and really seemed upset. "I can't answer anything right here- If I don't know Ill be climbing all the way up again! And do you know how long it takes to get of out a bottomless pit!"
Before Sarah could say anything the mage lifted his hands in an averting gesture and said: "Never mind answering that one girl- that one was rhetorical- on the house." He beckoned the three to a spot a little away from the bridge, looked over his shoulder and nodded, judging the distance to the bridge to be safe.
"Alright, girl. What do you wish to know? You have three questions. What will they be."
"You are very kind sir."
"You're a friend of a friend. In the old days one did anything for a friend. I'm glad to see you three have not forgotten."
Didymus nodded happily, Hoggle frowned and Sarah asked: "What is a s'Quaerra?"
"An Earth dragon."
"Oh boy." said Sarah.
Hoggle sighed: "Damn you Jareth."
"What does the King have to do with this?"
"He is the one that sent me on a quest to get one of the blue eyes of the red s'Quaerra!"
Sarah turned and kicked a pebble away to vent some of her sudden anger.
"A dragons eye! How in the world am I supposed to get me a dragons eye!"
"Is that a question?"
"No- but this is: where can I find that dragon?"
"Well..." The Bridge-keeper grinned and nodded towards the bridge.
"Damn!"
"Oh don't worry girl- those dragons are not unreasonable and they have enough blue eyes. They'll give you one if you admire them."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Ask him how to gets one!" urged Hoggle.
But Sarah had a more urgent question
"Has the King ever set out to purposely harm anyone- I mean not in defense or anything?"
The Bridge-keeper fell silent for a moment and Sarah's friends looked at her in amazement. That was not a very relevant question, now was it?
But somehow Horatio understood. He closed his eyes- searching for a way to be truthful. If only the girl had asked the question differently. Like -why- has the King ever purposely set out to harm anyone. But those were not her chosen words. So the answer was as true as it was damning.
"Only his sister, child. Only her. Whatever action he ever took otherwise has only been in reaction. But with her, he did take initiative. He did made first strike.
"Why."
"Your questions are done. Do you wish to cross?"
"Yes, I do."
"I will take the lead, milady. Should there be dragons on the other side, I shall have slain them ere thee arrives!"
And gone was the impulsive knight, up and over the bridge before anyone could have stopped him. Horatio smiled fondly after Sir Didymus disappearing tail and his trust in his friends to make it through.
But the Bridge-keeper turned at Sarah with a vicious snarl.
"I do not like to be questioned!"
The change in the man was astonishing. Gone was all the friendliness. In it's place stood a cold being interested only in a kill. The one good eye stared coldly at Sarah- the poor devil had been guarding the bridge for so long it had eaten away part of his soul, taking all kindness and joy. He even lost any sadistic pleasure he might have known in throwing people into the gorge. Silently Sarah thanked whatever lucky star Didymus had guarding over him, since the little knight had not been so terribly affected by his long vigil at -his- bridge, even possessing the gift to kindle the last sparks of this creature's humanity.
But with Didymus gone, those sparks had died.
"So you are going to make things difficult?" asked Sarah.
"Now don't you dares to do anything to Sarah! You hear! Or I'll-"
"Hoggle! Please! I'll be alright!"
"And remember, dwarf! You have to answer for your -own- crossing!"
Sarah put up her chin and with more courage than she felt, dared the Bridge-keeper."
"Ask you're questions, Bridge-keeper. I'm not afraid!"
The Keeper motioned the two to stand a little closer to the gorge and began.
"What, is your name."
Sarah shrugged. "Sarah Williams."
"What, is your quest."
"To find the blue eye of a red s'Quaerra and take it to the Goblin King."
"What," sneered the Bridge-keeper, "am I thinking right now?"
And right now Sarah lost patience. "You are thinking that you are looking at some girl you can toss over the side like nothing! Well I'm not and I'm not going to get in there," she pointed at the gorge, " so you can just forget about that! Now move!"
Sarah simply pushed the mage aside and started her perilous walk across the tattered and violently swaying bridge. The Keeper gaped at her like a dead fish.
"Now how did she knew that?" he wondered silently- too wise by now to ask out loud so near the bridge.
Then he felt someone tugging his sleeve. It was a fuming Hoggle, who wanted simply to move passed the mage and follow his friends. But Horatio turned quickly and started his litany of questions. Since he could no longer toss the girl over the side, the dwarf should have to do- and he should have a lot more trouble with the same question.
"What, am I..."
But Hoggle, with whatever patience he might have had lost by now, interrupted him rudely.
"Ye're daft! that's what ye are!"
"What are you saying?"
"I ams saying that you are mad, bonkers, out of your bloody friggin' mind! You're a loony!"
Now the Bridge-keeper turned really angry. "Do you know who you are talking to! You cowardly good for nothing turnip!"
"Me no is Turnip! Is Hoggle! And I don't knows ye and I don't care! Now let me pass!"
The mage stared a moment at the fuming dwarf, thought about what was said and silently counted to three on his fingers.
"Oh alright- you may cross."
Hoggle, oblivious of the danger he had just escaped, gingerly made his way over the rotten planks and -tried- not to look down. Horatio stared at him for a moment, then changed himself into his bird-form to scurry back to his warm nest inside the cave.
In the Underground, Dodo's are not extinct.
Hoggle found himself back in a place where there was no mist and where the evening was slowly settling itself over the land. He heard seagulls and smelled salt water. Looking round, he understood. He stood on a lonely strip of land known as the Far Coast. His friends he saw, in one piece and unharmed, at the water's edge with the remains of their ill-fated hay-cart. And high above, supported by clouds, loomed a lovely marble castle.
"Look, this is what caused the accident," Sarah pointed out. She indicated the broken axle.
Hoggle glanced at the cart, then looked back up at the castle and nearly tripped over his own feet in the sand.
"That's one daft friend you've got there." He said to Didymus, indicating with his thumb the way he had come.
Didymus nodded. "Thee shoulds have known him in the old days- tall, handsome, well dressed. A gentleman mage in all aspects."
"The old day's? Let me guess, about three hundred years ago?"
"Oh no, milady. The guild of guardians is much older than that."
"You know, Sir Didymus, I never really understood this one- why, when you have all those lovely and magical passageways do you block them of!"
"Well, it is the way."
Sarah shrugged and inspected the cart some more, as if it held answers. Hoggle and Didymus exchanged a glance as if to say 'what do you expect, she's only human' and then forgot about it.
"So, what is next," mused Sarah. "And why did that bridge bring us here and not on the island itself!"
Hoggle stared in the distance for a while. The old gatekeeper quickly understood.
"Because this is one of those pesky islands with a ferryman. And you don't gets to an island with a ferryman unless you're on a pegasus, a sea dragon, a griffin -or- with the ferryman himself."
"We will have to pay our fare, won't we?"
"I do have some gold coins. You know, this is likely the only time I am glad my poor Ambrosius is not with us. You see, the last time I tried to obtain transportation with one of those fellows, my loyal steed went of with his thigh-bone."
"His what!"
Hoggle grinned, while he pointed out a tiny speck of darkness floating from the island to the coast.
"Those ferry-guys usually are very old men- or dressed up skeletons."
"You mean like ghosts?" Sarah inquired aghast.
"Yeah well, they usually deserve what they got."
"And milady- never, ever take over the oar of the ferryman."
"Or you have to take his place- yeah, I knew that one! So we will have to wait until he's here. By the way, what do you make of these?" Sarah held up the chewed through rains. It was fairly logical the odd horses had freed themselves by gnawing them. She simply needed to distract herself from the idea she had to firstly take a boat-trip with a ghost and secondly poke out the eye of a dragon.
"I suspect our horses freed themselves."
"Must have been water ghosts."
"Indeed, good Sir Hoggle, indeed."
"Dragons, ghosts- Any vampires around I should know of?"
"Oh no, milady- not at Far Coast."
Sarah hugged herself and stared up at the floating castle. "Good name for this place."
Hoggle followed her gaze.
"You knows them?"
Didymus shook his head. "It is odd, you know. I have this feel I -should- remember. It is such a wonderful abode, it must be a noble and powerful magic user who resides there. But for the life of me- I cannot remember."
Sarah also stared up at the castle. "If you don't mind me asking- but how long have you two been around? I thought that you," Sarah pointed at Hoggle, "were older then Sir Didymus?"
Hoggle smiled and nodded. "I ams- but the dwarf folk remained longer Aboveground then his kind. And I was in some of the last groups that left."
"So you all did 'walk the earth' so to speak."
"Sure- but your kind becames too many. You changed the world. You stopped believing in us, took to gods that saw most of us as evil. And we did not like the way your wars took ye, what you did to the trees and the lakes. If it weren't for people like you, Sarah, we might not bother with you at all anymore."
"I'm not that special. And the rest of us is not that bad. And there -are- humans here."
"Milady, thou art one of the few who dares to dream. One of the few who dare to believe in something beyond what thou art taught to believe. One of those who won't give up the child inside because it hurts sometimes, or would be convenient if it were not there. And therefore, thou wilst always be able to reach us. And we thee."
"The people that live here come from folk that came with us, or kids that Jareth and his kind stole and did not turn into goblins."
"Changeling children."
"And they are not so different from the rest of us."
"Even if most of them have remained short-lived mortals."
"So our worlds are not completely apart?"
"They never will be that, milady. Never that."
"I am so sorry you all had to leave because of us."
"Ah, girl. Don't be. We have our place here and usually life is good. It is your kind that misses out. We knows you miss us, and our magic. You've schools now. And people that look at the stars with machines and think they understand everything. That is your way now."
Sarah shook her head and stared up at the castle. "It's not -my- way. I don't feel as if I belong in that place you describe. My world has grown so cold!"
Hoggle followed her gaze and shook his head. "No, Sarah, that's not real true either. If your place was so cold, how come it made you? You nearly gave up everything for your little brother. You're people know the magic of love and friendship just as we do. You just have to dig a little deeper and look a little harder sometimes. And sometimes you even have to say, 'Oi- here am I' instead of waiting for someone te come te you."
"Don't give up on your kind so easily, milady. The bards in your world are wonderful. And all those who put pen to paper do bring a little of the magic back. Just as long as they care, we won't be forgotten. And the magic will remain trough those who dare to look beyond."
Sarah sighed. "I always though of becoming an actress- perhaps I should be a writer. God knows I have found here enough to write about."
Nothing came from above. The castle hovered silently, like one of the clouds it was carried by. A magical prop in the background only there to make sure Sarah would not forget this beach was not one of her world.
On the other hand, a ten feet tall ferryman, dressed in a black robe, hooded and with his sleeves falling over his hands at his oar and in a little boat that seemed to float slightly above the waves instead of on them, was a dead give away to the fact that Sarah was not exactly in Kansas anymore.
The Ferryman ignored the tide, beached his boat and waited solemnly. Sarah approached in dread, but as so many times before was far too stubborn to back out or down.
"Excuse me sir, are you the ferryman who takes people to the island of the s'Quaerra?"
The Ferryman nodded regally.
"Would you please take us there?"
The Ferryman nodded very regally.
"Do we have to pay for our fare?"
Two lights within the black depths of the Ferryman's hood blinked with a red intensity and with a deep, booming voice he stated: "Well, let me see what you got then."
He put down his oar in the boat, rubbed his hands together, still hidden by his overlong sleeves, cocked his head an stepped outside the boat. He came to the travelers not at all very regally with childlike greed in the set of his shoulders and an eager attitude.
But when Sarah showed her necklace, Hoggle his gems and Didymus his gold, the Ferryman almost nervously backed away from them.
"I am so sorry, can't take any of those, so sorry."
"But why," Sarah asked urgently. "If these treasures are not what you take as payment, what -do- you take!"
Now -did- the Ferryman blink nervously at the castle, or did it only seem so? He rubbed his hands again. He hunched a little, as is sometimes the habit of tall people who would like to be smaller. It gave Sarah the impression as if he were doing is best to threateningly loom over them. With his booming voice merely bartering, he failed to do so.
"You see, this is a very special place you desire to go to, so you must give me something extremely precious!"
Hoggle grunted. Sir Didymus looked surprised and stared at the Ferryman with wide unbelieving eyes. Sarah crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked very bored with the whole situation. It would be dark soon, and she wanted to be on her way by then. Sleeping dragons had to be far more easily overpowered than wake ones. And she did not fancy to spend the night on the beach while the air was chilling already.
"I need something, that is uniquely you. Gold won't do. Your treasure won't do. I need a pure thing. An untainted thing. I cannot accept anything less!"
"Look," said Sarah, "this is all we have. Take it or leave it."
"Then I must leave you. When you have found something, come back here. I promise, so will I."
"Well I never!" exclaimed Sir Didymus, while the Ferryman stepped back in his boat and sailed off again ignoring the both the tide and the wind.
"My sentiments exactly!" intoned Sarah. "Now what!"
"Now," said Hoggle, "we finds ourselves a place to sleep, somewhere between the dunes and a little out of the wind."
"And tomorrow we are going to find something pure. You know guys, for one short moment I thought Jareth was making it easy on me. For one very short moment!"
The lanterns of the three came to life when the sun left the sky more and more. In the castle high above gentle light gleamed through the windows.
Suddenly Sarah spotted a speeding glitter. From the land, a rainbow of darkest green and swirling purples, highlighted with silver, flew swiftly towards the castle. At one of the window's it seemed to take almost a human shape, though the limbs were out of proportion and the energies kept radiating of the being.
"What was that?" asked Sarah astonished.
From behind a warm baritone answered.
"That, dear child, was a dark Fairy from the deepest most hidden woods. Not good company for the young and innocent such as yourself."
The trio turned to be faced by a small, broadly smiling man with a somewhat square nose, ears to large for his head and an old brownish dog at his side.
In his hands he held one of Jareth's crystals.
Thank you Mr. Jim Henson way up high for creating such loveliness, thank you Pythons for being so marvelously loony.
Gnome references inspired by Mr. David Bowie's 1967 song 'The Laughing Gnome". No copyright infringement intended, just being an inspired fan here.
Enjoy
Ramowen
Diamond Tears
Chapter 7. The Bridge
A turn, another turn and yet another. Finally the exit to the caverns became visible by an angry slit of daylight in the distance. The weary travelers steeled themselves against the cold draft, but poor little Fred did not seem able to stop shivering.
"Are you cold, Fred?" asked Sarah concerned.
"Nah- just bloomin' scared! I'd like te go 'ome now, if that's all the same te ye lot."
So they said their good-byes and promises to visit again. Fred went back into the darkness with only his little light to guide him, singing and chuckling and apparently relieved to be going the other way. He had left his new friends their lanterns as a small gift, since it would be dark soon this side of the mountain.
Sarah, Hoggle and Sir Didymus emerged on a narrow ledge, immediately facing the plummeting Gorge of Eternal Peril.
It was a dismal place, surrounded by high rocks and half hidden by swirling cold mists. Mosses and moisture made the gray rock slippery. There was a smell of sulfur and something rotten coming from below, together with the harsh cries of fighting scavengers. The sky was overcast and gave no point of reference; there were no shadows in the unearthly failing light. Sarah had to fight a bout of nausea at the sight of the gap and stepped back inside. Neither Hoggle nor Sir Didymus seemed much affected. Didymus dashed forward with a happy 'Tallyhoo!', a roaring smoking flame leaping up at the spot the knight had just vacated. Hoggle swaggered after him, pointing out the bridge itself.
It wasn't a bridge- not by any standard Sarah was accustomed to. There were two ropes with some half-rotten planks at uneven distances attached to them and two more ropes a little higher to be used as handhold. The ropes had frayed and pieces of it hung down like tattered tassels. A fleeting moment Sarah was glad Ludo had stayed behind in the village- he'd been far too heavy.
Unexpectedly a happy cry came from the bridge.
"Didymus!"
"Horacio!"
Sarah and Hoggle looked at each other and said simultaneously: "Horacio?" Carefully they made their way to the old boys meeting.
The Keeper of the Bridge of Death over the Gorge of Eternal Peril appeared to be a small one-eyed vagabond with half of his teeth missing. His good eye in hiding beneath the wrinkles of his face, his bad eye large and milky white as a full moon staring one down blindly. His blond hair and beard unruly and filthy, his fur coat torn and patched up so many times there was no way of telling what it's original color had been. Old feathers were attached to the coat, only adding to the man's haggard appearance. They reminded Sarah of another somewhat tattered cloak. One made of white owl feathers and soft pristine down. She wondered if this odd mage possessed the ability to shape change into a bird- what would he be? He seemed too small for a vulture. The Keeper's hands were covered with old gray bandages. He was clutching a necklace made of brown beads and white bone. Perhaps some kind of talisman?
Right now the crumpled figure was holding Sir Didymus by the shoulders and shaking him, while the knightly foxhound pounded his small fist on the Keepers chest.
"Didymus, Didymus my old pal- whatever made you give up -your- bridge?"
"Oh, but my dear chap! Me, give up a post! My bridge collapsed!"
"You let somebody cross it?"
"Yes, old friend! Allow me to introduce thee to her ladyship Sarah."
The Keeper stared at Sarah without saying a word. Sarah suppressed a very girlish giggle and curtsied to follow up on Sir Didymus' introduction.
"And she is accompanied by our true friend, the brave Sir Hoggle."
Hoggle shrugged and muffled something unintelligible, but he did make a slight bow in the general direction of the Bridge-Keeper.
"But -why- did you let her cross!"
"Well- the lady did ask my permission."
"Oh well- anyway, those were your three questions, Didymus. So if -you- wish to -go- anywhere?"
"Oh dear, that is awfully swell of you, my old chum."
"As for you two-," the Bridge-keeper sighed, turned to Sarah and Hoggle and recited his lines rather bored, as if he had been saying them for forever. Which he probably had.
"Who approaches The Bridge of Death must answer me
"These questions three
"Ere the other side he see!
"Well actually- we do not know if we really want to cross your bridge."
"Eh?"
"You see, we really came to ask -you- some questions."
"Eh?"
Alright, flattery attack.
"You see sir, Didymus told us of the great wisdom and knowledge you poses in order to keep questioning all the people who would wish to cross the bridge. And I really need to know-"
"Stop!"
The mage seemed truly shocked by the girl's words.
"The last time anybody asked -me- something I found myself back down there!" Horacio pointed at the Gorge and really seemed upset. "I can't answer anything right here- If I don't know Ill be climbing all the way up again! And do you know how long it takes to get of out a bottomless pit!"
Before Sarah could say anything the mage lifted his hands in an averting gesture and said: "Never mind answering that one girl- that one was rhetorical- on the house." He beckoned the three to a spot a little away from the bridge, looked over his shoulder and nodded, judging the distance to the bridge to be safe.
"Alright, girl. What do you wish to know? You have three questions. What will they be."
"You are very kind sir."
"You're a friend of a friend. In the old days one did anything for a friend. I'm glad to see you three have not forgotten."
Didymus nodded happily, Hoggle frowned and Sarah asked: "What is a s'Quaerra?"
"An Earth dragon."
"Oh boy." said Sarah.
Hoggle sighed: "Damn you Jareth."
"What does the King have to do with this?"
"He is the one that sent me on a quest to get one of the blue eyes of the red s'Quaerra!"
Sarah turned and kicked a pebble away to vent some of her sudden anger.
"A dragons eye! How in the world am I supposed to get me a dragons eye!"
"Is that a question?"
"No- but this is: where can I find that dragon?"
"Well..." The Bridge-keeper grinned and nodded towards the bridge.
"Damn!"
"Oh don't worry girl- those dragons are not unreasonable and they have enough blue eyes. They'll give you one if you admire them."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Ask him how to gets one!" urged Hoggle.
But Sarah had a more urgent question
"Has the King ever set out to purposely harm anyone- I mean not in defense or anything?"
The Bridge-keeper fell silent for a moment and Sarah's friends looked at her in amazement. That was not a very relevant question, now was it?
But somehow Horatio understood. He closed his eyes- searching for a way to be truthful. If only the girl had asked the question differently. Like -why- has the King ever purposely set out to harm anyone. But those were not her chosen words. So the answer was as true as it was damning.
"Only his sister, child. Only her. Whatever action he ever took otherwise has only been in reaction. But with her, he did take initiative. He did made first strike.
"Why."
"Your questions are done. Do you wish to cross?"
"Yes, I do."
"I will take the lead, milady. Should there be dragons on the other side, I shall have slain them ere thee arrives!"
And gone was the impulsive knight, up and over the bridge before anyone could have stopped him. Horatio smiled fondly after Sir Didymus disappearing tail and his trust in his friends to make it through.
But the Bridge-keeper turned at Sarah with a vicious snarl.
"I do not like to be questioned!"
The change in the man was astonishing. Gone was all the friendliness. In it's place stood a cold being interested only in a kill. The one good eye stared coldly at Sarah- the poor devil had been guarding the bridge for so long it had eaten away part of his soul, taking all kindness and joy. He even lost any sadistic pleasure he might have known in throwing people into the gorge. Silently Sarah thanked whatever lucky star Didymus had guarding over him, since the little knight had not been so terribly affected by his long vigil at -his- bridge, even possessing the gift to kindle the last sparks of this creature's humanity.
But with Didymus gone, those sparks had died.
"So you are going to make things difficult?" asked Sarah.
"Now don't you dares to do anything to Sarah! You hear! Or I'll-"
"Hoggle! Please! I'll be alright!"
"And remember, dwarf! You have to answer for your -own- crossing!"
Sarah put up her chin and with more courage than she felt, dared the Bridge-keeper."
"Ask you're questions, Bridge-keeper. I'm not afraid!"
The Keeper motioned the two to stand a little closer to the gorge and began.
"What, is your name."
Sarah shrugged. "Sarah Williams."
"What, is your quest."
"To find the blue eye of a red s'Quaerra and take it to the Goblin King."
"What," sneered the Bridge-keeper, "am I thinking right now?"
And right now Sarah lost patience. "You are thinking that you are looking at some girl you can toss over the side like nothing! Well I'm not and I'm not going to get in there," she pointed at the gorge, " so you can just forget about that! Now move!"
Sarah simply pushed the mage aside and started her perilous walk across the tattered and violently swaying bridge. The Keeper gaped at her like a dead fish.
"Now how did she knew that?" he wondered silently- too wise by now to ask out loud so near the bridge.
Then he felt someone tugging his sleeve. It was a fuming Hoggle, who wanted simply to move passed the mage and follow his friends. But Horatio turned quickly and started his litany of questions. Since he could no longer toss the girl over the side, the dwarf should have to do- and he should have a lot more trouble with the same question.
"What, am I..."
But Hoggle, with whatever patience he might have had lost by now, interrupted him rudely.
"Ye're daft! that's what ye are!"
"What are you saying?"
"I ams saying that you are mad, bonkers, out of your bloody friggin' mind! You're a loony!"
Now the Bridge-keeper turned really angry. "Do you know who you are talking to! You cowardly good for nothing turnip!"
"Me no is Turnip! Is Hoggle! And I don't knows ye and I don't care! Now let me pass!"
The mage stared a moment at the fuming dwarf, thought about what was said and silently counted to three on his fingers.
"Oh alright- you may cross."
Hoggle, oblivious of the danger he had just escaped, gingerly made his way over the rotten planks and -tried- not to look down. Horatio stared at him for a moment, then changed himself into his bird-form to scurry back to his warm nest inside the cave.
In the Underground, Dodo's are not extinct.
Hoggle found himself back in a place where there was no mist and where the evening was slowly settling itself over the land. He heard seagulls and smelled salt water. Looking round, he understood. He stood on a lonely strip of land known as the Far Coast. His friends he saw, in one piece and unharmed, at the water's edge with the remains of their ill-fated hay-cart. And high above, supported by clouds, loomed a lovely marble castle.
"Look, this is what caused the accident," Sarah pointed out. She indicated the broken axle.
Hoggle glanced at the cart, then looked back up at the castle and nearly tripped over his own feet in the sand.
"That's one daft friend you've got there." He said to Didymus, indicating with his thumb the way he had come.
Didymus nodded. "Thee shoulds have known him in the old days- tall, handsome, well dressed. A gentleman mage in all aspects."
"The old day's? Let me guess, about three hundred years ago?"
"Oh no, milady. The guild of guardians is much older than that."
"You know, Sir Didymus, I never really understood this one- why, when you have all those lovely and magical passageways do you block them of!"
"Well, it is the way."
Sarah shrugged and inspected the cart some more, as if it held answers. Hoggle and Didymus exchanged a glance as if to say 'what do you expect, she's only human' and then forgot about it.
"So, what is next," mused Sarah. "And why did that bridge bring us here and not on the island itself!"
Hoggle stared in the distance for a while. The old gatekeeper quickly understood.
"Because this is one of those pesky islands with a ferryman. And you don't gets to an island with a ferryman unless you're on a pegasus, a sea dragon, a griffin -or- with the ferryman himself."
"We will have to pay our fare, won't we?"
"I do have some gold coins. You know, this is likely the only time I am glad my poor Ambrosius is not with us. You see, the last time I tried to obtain transportation with one of those fellows, my loyal steed went of with his thigh-bone."
"His what!"
Hoggle grinned, while he pointed out a tiny speck of darkness floating from the island to the coast.
"Those ferry-guys usually are very old men- or dressed up skeletons."
"You mean like ghosts?" Sarah inquired aghast.
"Yeah well, they usually deserve what they got."
"And milady- never, ever take over the oar of the ferryman."
"Or you have to take his place- yeah, I knew that one! So we will have to wait until he's here. By the way, what do you make of these?" Sarah held up the chewed through rains. It was fairly logical the odd horses had freed themselves by gnawing them. She simply needed to distract herself from the idea she had to firstly take a boat-trip with a ghost and secondly poke out the eye of a dragon.
"I suspect our horses freed themselves."
"Must have been water ghosts."
"Indeed, good Sir Hoggle, indeed."
"Dragons, ghosts- Any vampires around I should know of?"
"Oh no, milady- not at Far Coast."
Sarah hugged herself and stared up at the floating castle. "Good name for this place."
Hoggle followed her gaze.
"You knows them?"
Didymus shook his head. "It is odd, you know. I have this feel I -should- remember. It is such a wonderful abode, it must be a noble and powerful magic user who resides there. But for the life of me- I cannot remember."
Sarah also stared up at the castle. "If you don't mind me asking- but how long have you two been around? I thought that you," Sarah pointed at Hoggle, "were older then Sir Didymus?"
Hoggle smiled and nodded. "I ams- but the dwarf folk remained longer Aboveground then his kind. And I was in some of the last groups that left."
"So you all did 'walk the earth' so to speak."
"Sure- but your kind becames too many. You changed the world. You stopped believing in us, took to gods that saw most of us as evil. And we did not like the way your wars took ye, what you did to the trees and the lakes. If it weren't for people like you, Sarah, we might not bother with you at all anymore."
"I'm not that special. And the rest of us is not that bad. And there -are- humans here."
"Milady, thou art one of the few who dares to dream. One of the few who dare to believe in something beyond what thou art taught to believe. One of those who won't give up the child inside because it hurts sometimes, or would be convenient if it were not there. And therefore, thou wilst always be able to reach us. And we thee."
"The people that live here come from folk that came with us, or kids that Jareth and his kind stole and did not turn into goblins."
"Changeling children."
"And they are not so different from the rest of us."
"Even if most of them have remained short-lived mortals."
"So our worlds are not completely apart?"
"They never will be that, milady. Never that."
"I am so sorry you all had to leave because of us."
"Ah, girl. Don't be. We have our place here and usually life is good. It is your kind that misses out. We knows you miss us, and our magic. You've schools now. And people that look at the stars with machines and think they understand everything. That is your way now."
Sarah shook her head and stared up at the castle. "It's not -my- way. I don't feel as if I belong in that place you describe. My world has grown so cold!"
Hoggle followed her gaze and shook his head. "No, Sarah, that's not real true either. If your place was so cold, how come it made you? You nearly gave up everything for your little brother. You're people know the magic of love and friendship just as we do. You just have to dig a little deeper and look a little harder sometimes. And sometimes you even have to say, 'Oi- here am I' instead of waiting for someone te come te you."
"Don't give up on your kind so easily, milady. The bards in your world are wonderful. And all those who put pen to paper do bring a little of the magic back. Just as long as they care, we won't be forgotten. And the magic will remain trough those who dare to look beyond."
Sarah sighed. "I always though of becoming an actress- perhaps I should be a writer. God knows I have found here enough to write about."
Nothing came from above. The castle hovered silently, like one of the clouds it was carried by. A magical prop in the background only there to make sure Sarah would not forget this beach was not one of her world.
On the other hand, a ten feet tall ferryman, dressed in a black robe, hooded and with his sleeves falling over his hands at his oar and in a little boat that seemed to float slightly above the waves instead of on them, was a dead give away to the fact that Sarah was not exactly in Kansas anymore.
The Ferryman ignored the tide, beached his boat and waited solemnly. Sarah approached in dread, but as so many times before was far too stubborn to back out or down.
"Excuse me sir, are you the ferryman who takes people to the island of the s'Quaerra?"
The Ferryman nodded regally.
"Would you please take us there?"
The Ferryman nodded very regally.
"Do we have to pay for our fare?"
Two lights within the black depths of the Ferryman's hood blinked with a red intensity and with a deep, booming voice he stated: "Well, let me see what you got then."
He put down his oar in the boat, rubbed his hands together, still hidden by his overlong sleeves, cocked his head an stepped outside the boat. He came to the travelers not at all very regally with childlike greed in the set of his shoulders and an eager attitude.
But when Sarah showed her necklace, Hoggle his gems and Didymus his gold, the Ferryman almost nervously backed away from them.
"I am so sorry, can't take any of those, so sorry."
"But why," Sarah asked urgently. "If these treasures are not what you take as payment, what -do- you take!"
Now -did- the Ferryman blink nervously at the castle, or did it only seem so? He rubbed his hands again. He hunched a little, as is sometimes the habit of tall people who would like to be smaller. It gave Sarah the impression as if he were doing is best to threateningly loom over them. With his booming voice merely bartering, he failed to do so.
"You see, this is a very special place you desire to go to, so you must give me something extremely precious!"
Hoggle grunted. Sir Didymus looked surprised and stared at the Ferryman with wide unbelieving eyes. Sarah crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked very bored with the whole situation. It would be dark soon, and she wanted to be on her way by then. Sleeping dragons had to be far more easily overpowered than wake ones. And she did not fancy to spend the night on the beach while the air was chilling already.
"I need something, that is uniquely you. Gold won't do. Your treasure won't do. I need a pure thing. An untainted thing. I cannot accept anything less!"
"Look," said Sarah, "this is all we have. Take it or leave it."
"Then I must leave you. When you have found something, come back here. I promise, so will I."
"Well I never!" exclaimed Sir Didymus, while the Ferryman stepped back in his boat and sailed off again ignoring the both the tide and the wind.
"My sentiments exactly!" intoned Sarah. "Now what!"
"Now," said Hoggle, "we finds ourselves a place to sleep, somewhere between the dunes and a little out of the wind."
"And tomorrow we are going to find something pure. You know guys, for one short moment I thought Jareth was making it easy on me. For one very short moment!"
The lanterns of the three came to life when the sun left the sky more and more. In the castle high above gentle light gleamed through the windows.
Suddenly Sarah spotted a speeding glitter. From the land, a rainbow of darkest green and swirling purples, highlighted with silver, flew swiftly towards the castle. At one of the window's it seemed to take almost a human shape, though the limbs were out of proportion and the energies kept radiating of the being.
"What was that?" asked Sarah astonished.
From behind a warm baritone answered.
"That, dear child, was a dark Fairy from the deepest most hidden woods. Not good company for the young and innocent such as yourself."
The trio turned to be faced by a small, broadly smiling man with a somewhat square nose, ears to large for his head and an old brownish dog at his side.
In his hands he held one of Jareth's crystals.