Sarah blinked as the world slowly swam into focus. "Why does that seem to get worse each time you do it?"
He shrugged and adjusted his jacket. "Perhaps it's because your mortal?"
"Maybe, but it's horrible," Sarah muttered.
Jareth began walking. "Is it your stomach? Your head? Perhaps we shouldn't transport you just after you have eaten?"
"It's my head, and it doesn't matter whether I've eaten or not, it spins a little worse each time."
"I don't know," Sarah answered, walking to catch up with him.
Jareth stuck his hands into his pockets. "It has been a bit hectic lately."
Sarah shrugged, then looked around. "Where are we going?"
He smiled over at her. "I was going to my thrown room to watch some goblin nonsense before dinner. You could join me if you like."
Sarah thought for a moment, then shook her head. "I think I'll look around a bit."
He nodded. "Be careful though. If anything happens call me. I'll come."
Sarah smiled and nodded, heading back through the castles huge double doors into the goblin city.
Goblins no higher than her waist dashed this way and that, doing whatever was on there minds at that moment. Little squat houses dotted the entire area and some goblins sat around, lazily trying to sell their wears.
"My, this has changed," Sarah murmured, taking a few pictures and wondering if she would be able to find her way back to other parts of the labyrinth to take pictures. Still wondering, she made her way out of the gates of the city and looked at the trash heap where she could make out a few goblins making their way through the scattered junk, adding some of it to their collections on their backs.
Sarah took a few more pictures before walking around the outside of the city's wall. Without warning the ground gave way beneath her and she let out a surprised yell as she fell through the hole. She hit the bottom and looked around in confusion.
"Well, it's got a door so at least it isn't an oubliette," she muttered, opening the door and stepping through.
"Vell, vhat to ve have here? Oh, it's you again, didn't you ever find your vay out?" a voice asked.
Sarah turned around and found herself looking at the still sleeping wiseman, his hat staring curiously at her.
"Yes, I found my way out, I just seem to have found my way back in again too."
"In and out. Sometimes it's all the same, depending on how you look at it," the old man said.
The hat rolled it's eyes. "Still talking crrap! Oi."
"Well, it was nice seeing you again, but I should probably start heading back to the castle. Oh, may I take your picture?" Sarah asked, waving her camera.
The old man nodded and the hat opened it's eyes wide and cocked it head to the side, posing.
"Vinally! Some appreciation!"
Sarah laughed softly and took a few pictures, waving at them as she started down a path.
The hat looked back at the wiseman, who was now snoring softly. "Ahh vell, as I said before. It's so stimulating being your hat."
Sarah set off at a leisurely pace, soon finding herself in the Fiery Forest. She sighed and started through it, hoping its inhabitants were elsewhere.
He head rolled out of a bush.
"Hey lady! You still got your head! You come back to chilly down wit' us?" it said.
"Nope, just passing through," Sarah said, snapping a picture of the freemoving head.
Jareth smiled as he watched Sarah through his crystal. A few goblins were gathered around him, looking over his shoulder. He pointed at Sarah.
"What do you think?"
The goblins yelled out there thoughts on Sarah. Not that he was listening. He was too busy watching and wondering if she would freak if he sent her a bubble. He smiled to himself and began to hum.
Sarah continued to make her way through the forest, when two more fiery's jumped out in front of her.
"Come'on! Just a little game!" they both said clapping there hands together.
"If you try to pull my head off, I'm not going to be happy," Sarah told them, hands on her hips.
They wilted. "Yoh hands?"
"Sorry guys, but my body parts stay attached."
"Den at least let us dance fo ya!"
With that twenty or more fierys jumped out and formed a circle.
Sarah laughed and sat down. "Sure."
They began dancing and playing catch with each others heads and chasing after body parts. Once fiery got too close to the fire and caught his tail on fire. It was quickly put out but the now singed fiery remained seated through the rest of the game.
Sarah watched them, taking pictures every once in a while, for about twenty minutes. Standing she looked at the pieces of fiery scattered everywhere.
"Well, I'm going now, have fun," she called out, making sure she didn't step on anybody as she left.
A white barn owl swooped down in front of her and landed on the ground. He hopped around to look at her and cocked it's head to the side, rearranging it's feathers.
"Yes?" she asked, looking at Jareth.
It puffed up and flew to her shoulder then sat there, content.
She shook her head and looked at the owl. "What do you want?"
A soft voice echoed around her. "Just spending time with my guest."
Sarah spun around and found the owl gone and Jareth sitting on the branch of a tree and looking at her.
He grinned and waved. "I thought of sending you another bubble but thought better of it."
"Why?" she asked, walking over and leaning against the tree trunk.
"Why not?" he asked walking around from behind the tree and smiling at her.
Sarah jumped slightly and looked at him. "It's quite unnerving when you disappear and reappear."
"I hate being predictable," came is voice from her other side. She spun around and found him leaning up against the tree beside her.
"Predictable isn't really all that bad," she murmured with a smile.
Jareth was about to speak but heard a noise that stopped him. He glanced over her shoulder and smiled.
"Shall we be going? Your fiery friends have pulled themselves together and seem to be planning another game."
Sarah glanced behind her, then nodded. "Sure."
When she turned back, Jareth was gone and the white owl stood in his place. The owl flew to her shoulder and perched there.
"Predictable can be quite nice at times," she muttered, finding a path that led through a large stone wall.
"All right, now where, last time I was here I was up on the wall, not down below, and ended up falling into the Bog of Eternal Stench," Sarah said, looking at the owl.
Jareth was suddenly standing behind her...quite close.
"Let's get on top of the wall then. But let's skip the bog. It's not a fun place to be," he said softly into her ear.
"I agree," she murmured, wondering if her shiver was from the memory of the Bog or Jareth's breath on the back of her neck.
He nodded and created a crystal. He handed it to Sarah.
"Here. You do the honors. Just smash it against the wall."
Sarah looked at the crystal before throwing it against the wall, wondering what would happen.
It struck the wall and created a rope ladder. Jareth clapped his hands. He held out his arm toward the ladder.
"Ladies first."
Sarah tugged at the ladder, hoping it would hold her weight. She began to slowly climb, soon reaching the top and frowning when she saw the ladder wasn't attached to anything.
Jareth was looking over he shoulder at the ladder. "A strange magic you work Sarah."
"Why didn't you climb the ladder?"
He knelt down and ran his hand through the ladder. It crumbled into dust. He looked back up at her and smiled.
"I don't get sick when I zap myself here or there."
"Oh. So, where to from here?"
He shrugged and stuck his hands in his jeans pockets.
"Where ever. You lead and I'll follow."
"But, I don't know the way back from here," Sarah protested.
"I do. Don't worry. I won't let anything happen. Let's just walk for now all right?"
"All right, but if I get us lost, it's your fault," she murmured, walking to her left and trusting that Jareth was following.
She rounded a corner and almost ran into Jareth who was leaning against the wall.
"You won't get us lost. If worst comes to worst I'll zap us back to the castle." he said smiling at her.
Sarah frowned at him and shook her head. "Quit doing that."
He grinned. "But I love the expression on your face. I can't help it."
She shook her head and pressed onward, hoping she was going in the right direction. After a few minutes she found herself at a dead end and sighed, turning around to find that a wall had sprung up behind her.
Looking around, she began to feel each wall, looking for a way out and wondering where Jareth was.
He revealed himself a moment later by handing her a cola.
"I thought you might be thirsty."
"Annoyed is more like it," Sarah muttered, taking a sip of the drink and looking around at the nonmoving walls.
Jareth looked around himself. "Hmm. Dead end. Remind me to fix that later."
He finished his soda and dropped his glass which turned to dust at his feat and walked over to a wall. He jumped and half-flew half-jumped onto the top. He looked down at Sarah and knelt holding out his hand.
"Come on. We'll cheat."
Sarah shook her head and jumped, grabbing onto his outstretched hand.
He pulled her up and into him. He struggled not to fall over the other side of the wall. When he regained his balance he took a step away from Sarah.
"Sorry. I didn't think you would be so light."
"What, you thought I was heavy?"
His cheeks darkened. "I didn't say that it's just that. I thought you would be light but not that light."
He began to study the ground.
"You're blushing," she said with a smirk, slowly walking on the wall and trying to keep her balance.
His face darkened more. "I am not."
"Are too," she said, turning and calling back over her shoulder. She began to sway and put her arms out to try and steady herself.
Immediately Jareth's arms were wrapped around her waist.
"Careful. I don't think you would enjoy breaking something just now."
"Please remind me not to look over my shoulder when I'm trying to balance," Sarah whispered, leaning against Jareth.
"All right. Would you like to continue or go back to the castle for dinner?" he asked softly.
"What time is it?" Sarah asked, slowly turning around to face him.
"In your time...about five thirty I would guess," he said swallowing hard at her closeness.
"How long would it take to get back to the castle without zapping there?"
He shrugged. "Two or three hours walk."
He noticed her eyes were moving from left to right as they looked into his own and smiled.
She frowned and sighed. "I guess that means the crystal."
His mind struggled to think. "Maybe it won't be so bad."
Sarah merely raised an eyebrow and looked at him.
"Well...we could walk part way there and sleep out here then walk the rest of the way tomorrow."
Sarah paled at the mention of sleeping in the Labyrinth. "I'd rather not."
He nodded and made a crystal.
"Hold on tight."
She took a step closer and wrapped her arms around his waist, nestling her head beneath his chin.
A shudder went through Jareth as he zapped them into the castle. They ended up in front of her rooms with Hoggle standing a few feet away. Hoggle looked at them and raised his eyebrows in surprise. Jareth didn't notice him and lay his cheek down on Sarah's head.
"How do you feel? Ok?"
"A little dizzy," she murmured, slowly taking a step back.
He shoved his hands into his pockets, his eyes still closed.
"Would you join me for dinner?"
"Yes, I'll try not to get stuck in an Escher room this time," Sarah said softly.
He nodded and brought his hand out of his pocket. It contained a crystal. He looked up at her, smiled and disagreed.
Shaking her head, Sarah turned and found Hoggle looking at her. "Hi Hoggle."
He waved grinning at her.
"So. Yous and the King are getting along now are ya?"
"Yeah, you could say that," Sarah said, smiling as she walked into her room.
Hoggle followed.
"What you do today?"
"Wandered around the Labyrinth after Jareth took me to see the unicorns."
Hoggles jaw dropped. "He took you to see 'em? You sure got his attention you did!"
"What do you mean?" Sarah asked, setting her camera on top of her backpack before sitting down.
"That's not even in his kingdom! He hasn't gone out of his Kingdom since ya left...'sept up to your world o'course."
"I thought it was part of the fae kingdom, just like here is."
"It is but it's his brothers part," Hoggle explained.
"Oh, do his other brothers rule something also?"
Hoggle nodded. "His father split the kingdom into four parts but since Jareth was the youngest he got this little realm in the center of the four."
"That makes sense I guess," Sarah murmured.
Hoggle chuckled to himself. I should go 'elp out with dinner. You get ready for Jareth."
"All right," Sarah said softly, watching as Hoggle left the room. Standing, she walked over to the wardrobe and wondered what to wear.
Jareth was having a time of his own. He had no clue what to wear. What would she like? A smile crept across his face... He had an idea.
Sarah finally grabbed a dress and went into the bathroom to see what she could do with her hair.
He shrugged and adjusted his jacket. "Perhaps it's because your mortal?"
"Maybe, but it's horrible," Sarah muttered.
Jareth began walking. "Is it your stomach? Your head? Perhaps we shouldn't transport you just after you have eaten?"
"It's my head, and it doesn't matter whether I've eaten or not, it spins a little worse each time."
"I don't know," Sarah answered, walking to catch up with him.
Jareth stuck his hands into his pockets. "It has been a bit hectic lately."
Sarah shrugged, then looked around. "Where are we going?"
He smiled over at her. "I was going to my thrown room to watch some goblin nonsense before dinner. You could join me if you like."
Sarah thought for a moment, then shook her head. "I think I'll look around a bit."
He nodded. "Be careful though. If anything happens call me. I'll come."
Sarah smiled and nodded, heading back through the castles huge double doors into the goblin city.
Goblins no higher than her waist dashed this way and that, doing whatever was on there minds at that moment. Little squat houses dotted the entire area and some goblins sat around, lazily trying to sell their wears.
"My, this has changed," Sarah murmured, taking a few pictures and wondering if she would be able to find her way back to other parts of the labyrinth to take pictures. Still wondering, she made her way out of the gates of the city and looked at the trash heap where she could make out a few goblins making their way through the scattered junk, adding some of it to their collections on their backs.
Sarah took a few more pictures before walking around the outside of the city's wall. Without warning the ground gave way beneath her and she let out a surprised yell as she fell through the hole. She hit the bottom and looked around in confusion.
"Well, it's got a door so at least it isn't an oubliette," she muttered, opening the door and stepping through.
"Vell, vhat to ve have here? Oh, it's you again, didn't you ever find your vay out?" a voice asked.
Sarah turned around and found herself looking at the still sleeping wiseman, his hat staring curiously at her.
"Yes, I found my way out, I just seem to have found my way back in again too."
"In and out. Sometimes it's all the same, depending on how you look at it," the old man said.
The hat rolled it's eyes. "Still talking crrap! Oi."
"Well, it was nice seeing you again, but I should probably start heading back to the castle. Oh, may I take your picture?" Sarah asked, waving her camera.
The old man nodded and the hat opened it's eyes wide and cocked it head to the side, posing.
"Vinally! Some appreciation!"
Sarah laughed softly and took a few pictures, waving at them as she started down a path.
The hat looked back at the wiseman, who was now snoring softly. "Ahh vell, as I said before. It's so stimulating being your hat."
Sarah set off at a leisurely pace, soon finding herself in the Fiery Forest. She sighed and started through it, hoping its inhabitants were elsewhere.
He head rolled out of a bush.
"Hey lady! You still got your head! You come back to chilly down wit' us?" it said.
"Nope, just passing through," Sarah said, snapping a picture of the freemoving head.
Jareth smiled as he watched Sarah through his crystal. A few goblins were gathered around him, looking over his shoulder. He pointed at Sarah.
"What do you think?"
The goblins yelled out there thoughts on Sarah. Not that he was listening. He was too busy watching and wondering if she would freak if he sent her a bubble. He smiled to himself and began to hum.
Sarah continued to make her way through the forest, when two more fiery's jumped out in front of her.
"Come'on! Just a little game!" they both said clapping there hands together.
"If you try to pull my head off, I'm not going to be happy," Sarah told them, hands on her hips.
They wilted. "Yoh hands?"
"Sorry guys, but my body parts stay attached."
"Den at least let us dance fo ya!"
With that twenty or more fierys jumped out and formed a circle.
Sarah laughed and sat down. "Sure."
They began dancing and playing catch with each others heads and chasing after body parts. Once fiery got too close to the fire and caught his tail on fire. It was quickly put out but the now singed fiery remained seated through the rest of the game.
Sarah watched them, taking pictures every once in a while, for about twenty minutes. Standing she looked at the pieces of fiery scattered everywhere.
"Well, I'm going now, have fun," she called out, making sure she didn't step on anybody as she left.
A white barn owl swooped down in front of her and landed on the ground. He hopped around to look at her and cocked it's head to the side, rearranging it's feathers.
"Yes?" she asked, looking at Jareth.
It puffed up and flew to her shoulder then sat there, content.
She shook her head and looked at the owl. "What do you want?"
A soft voice echoed around her. "Just spending time with my guest."
Sarah spun around and found the owl gone and Jareth sitting on the branch of a tree and looking at her.
He grinned and waved. "I thought of sending you another bubble but thought better of it."
"Why?" she asked, walking over and leaning against the tree trunk.
"Why not?" he asked walking around from behind the tree and smiling at her.
Sarah jumped slightly and looked at him. "It's quite unnerving when you disappear and reappear."
"I hate being predictable," came is voice from her other side. She spun around and found him leaning up against the tree beside her.
"Predictable isn't really all that bad," she murmured with a smile.
Jareth was about to speak but heard a noise that stopped him. He glanced over her shoulder and smiled.
"Shall we be going? Your fiery friends have pulled themselves together and seem to be planning another game."
Sarah glanced behind her, then nodded. "Sure."
When she turned back, Jareth was gone and the white owl stood in his place. The owl flew to her shoulder and perched there.
"Predictable can be quite nice at times," she muttered, finding a path that led through a large stone wall.
"All right, now where, last time I was here I was up on the wall, not down below, and ended up falling into the Bog of Eternal Stench," Sarah said, looking at the owl.
Jareth was suddenly standing behind her...quite close.
"Let's get on top of the wall then. But let's skip the bog. It's not a fun place to be," he said softly into her ear.
"I agree," she murmured, wondering if her shiver was from the memory of the Bog or Jareth's breath on the back of her neck.
He nodded and created a crystal. He handed it to Sarah.
"Here. You do the honors. Just smash it against the wall."
Sarah looked at the crystal before throwing it against the wall, wondering what would happen.
It struck the wall and created a rope ladder. Jareth clapped his hands. He held out his arm toward the ladder.
"Ladies first."
Sarah tugged at the ladder, hoping it would hold her weight. She began to slowly climb, soon reaching the top and frowning when she saw the ladder wasn't attached to anything.
Jareth was looking over he shoulder at the ladder. "A strange magic you work Sarah."
"Why didn't you climb the ladder?"
He knelt down and ran his hand through the ladder. It crumbled into dust. He looked back up at her and smiled.
"I don't get sick when I zap myself here or there."
"Oh. So, where to from here?"
He shrugged and stuck his hands in his jeans pockets.
"Where ever. You lead and I'll follow."
"But, I don't know the way back from here," Sarah protested.
"I do. Don't worry. I won't let anything happen. Let's just walk for now all right?"
"All right, but if I get us lost, it's your fault," she murmured, walking to her left and trusting that Jareth was following.
She rounded a corner and almost ran into Jareth who was leaning against the wall.
"You won't get us lost. If worst comes to worst I'll zap us back to the castle." he said smiling at her.
Sarah frowned at him and shook her head. "Quit doing that."
He grinned. "But I love the expression on your face. I can't help it."
She shook her head and pressed onward, hoping she was going in the right direction. After a few minutes she found herself at a dead end and sighed, turning around to find that a wall had sprung up behind her.
Looking around, she began to feel each wall, looking for a way out and wondering where Jareth was.
He revealed himself a moment later by handing her a cola.
"I thought you might be thirsty."
"Annoyed is more like it," Sarah muttered, taking a sip of the drink and looking around at the nonmoving walls.
Jareth looked around himself. "Hmm. Dead end. Remind me to fix that later."
He finished his soda and dropped his glass which turned to dust at his feat and walked over to a wall. He jumped and half-flew half-jumped onto the top. He looked down at Sarah and knelt holding out his hand.
"Come on. We'll cheat."
Sarah shook her head and jumped, grabbing onto his outstretched hand.
He pulled her up and into him. He struggled not to fall over the other side of the wall. When he regained his balance he took a step away from Sarah.
"Sorry. I didn't think you would be so light."
"What, you thought I was heavy?"
His cheeks darkened. "I didn't say that it's just that. I thought you would be light but not that light."
He began to study the ground.
"You're blushing," she said with a smirk, slowly walking on the wall and trying to keep her balance.
His face darkened more. "I am not."
"Are too," she said, turning and calling back over her shoulder. She began to sway and put her arms out to try and steady herself.
Immediately Jareth's arms were wrapped around her waist.
"Careful. I don't think you would enjoy breaking something just now."
"Please remind me not to look over my shoulder when I'm trying to balance," Sarah whispered, leaning against Jareth.
"All right. Would you like to continue or go back to the castle for dinner?" he asked softly.
"What time is it?" Sarah asked, slowly turning around to face him.
"In your time...about five thirty I would guess," he said swallowing hard at her closeness.
"How long would it take to get back to the castle without zapping there?"
He shrugged. "Two or three hours walk."
He noticed her eyes were moving from left to right as they looked into his own and smiled.
She frowned and sighed. "I guess that means the crystal."
His mind struggled to think. "Maybe it won't be so bad."
Sarah merely raised an eyebrow and looked at him.
"Well...we could walk part way there and sleep out here then walk the rest of the way tomorrow."
Sarah paled at the mention of sleeping in the Labyrinth. "I'd rather not."
He nodded and made a crystal.
"Hold on tight."
She took a step closer and wrapped her arms around his waist, nestling her head beneath his chin.
A shudder went through Jareth as he zapped them into the castle. They ended up in front of her rooms with Hoggle standing a few feet away. Hoggle looked at them and raised his eyebrows in surprise. Jareth didn't notice him and lay his cheek down on Sarah's head.
"How do you feel? Ok?"
"A little dizzy," she murmured, slowly taking a step back.
He shoved his hands into his pockets, his eyes still closed.
"Would you join me for dinner?"
"Yes, I'll try not to get stuck in an Escher room this time," Sarah said softly.
He nodded and brought his hand out of his pocket. It contained a crystal. He looked up at her, smiled and disagreed.
Shaking her head, Sarah turned and found Hoggle looking at her. "Hi Hoggle."
He waved grinning at her.
"So. Yous and the King are getting along now are ya?"
"Yeah, you could say that," Sarah said, smiling as she walked into her room.
Hoggle followed.
"What you do today?"
"Wandered around the Labyrinth after Jareth took me to see the unicorns."
Hoggles jaw dropped. "He took you to see 'em? You sure got his attention you did!"
"What do you mean?" Sarah asked, setting her camera on top of her backpack before sitting down.
"That's not even in his kingdom! He hasn't gone out of his Kingdom since ya left...'sept up to your world o'course."
"I thought it was part of the fae kingdom, just like here is."
"It is but it's his brothers part," Hoggle explained.
"Oh, do his other brothers rule something also?"
Hoggle nodded. "His father split the kingdom into four parts but since Jareth was the youngest he got this little realm in the center of the four."
"That makes sense I guess," Sarah murmured.
Hoggle chuckled to himself. I should go 'elp out with dinner. You get ready for Jareth."
"All right," Sarah said softly, watching as Hoggle left the room. Standing, she walked over to the wardrobe and wondered what to wear.
Jareth was having a time of his own. He had no clue what to wear. What would she like? A smile crept across his face... He had an idea.
Sarah finally grabbed a dress and went into the bathroom to see what she could do with her hair.