Sarah: Beyond the Goblin City
It was apparent within moments of her ascension that she was much closer to the castle than she'd thought. As soon as she'd cleared the trees she could see its spires a few miles away, closer still as the winds carried her.
Softly, the wind began to lessen, dropping her gently in front of the door to the Goblin City. It was open, leading into the deserted entryway. The second set of doors was closed loosely, and Sarah could see the indent that once housed the giant robot guard--she couldn't help but smile at the memory of Hoggle taking on the humongous creature. Now she stood almost shyly in the massive doorway, hands caressing the heavy metal, eyes fastened on the sliver of the City she could see--it was nothing like she remembered.
The streets were spotlessly clean, the houses neat and tidy. What goblins she could see were very busy--some were occupied with applying fresh paint to houses, others swept stoops and streets, still others bustled about performing tasks Sarah couldn't name. There appeared to still be a few odd creatures about; chickens, cats, a few unidentifiable mouselike things, but these too seemed more obedient, even cleaner. Amazing.
Slowly, she parted the doors, stepping as inconspicuously as possible into the busy main street. Nobody really paid her any mind--they sized her up in a glance and turned back to their labors. She walked gingerly through the main street, heading towards the castle doors, eyes darting rather nervously about-well she remembered her last trip through the Goblin City, and the battle she'd endured.
Of course, in the years since her trip she'd looked back on the battle with a laugh and a shake of her dark head-it really had been absurd, and the goblin warriors quite stupid. But it had still been very frightening, and she was sure that the blades they had carried were sharp, and certainly the guns were real...and dangerous.
Her heart caught in her throat-yes, there was the heavily armed sentry. There had been two before, but one had been crushed by a rock-the remaining one stood at its post, guns drawn. She studied it a more closely and realized that there was no goblin within to run the guns. That didn't make her comfortable, but it did lessen her anxiety enough that she passed boldly by.
Closer to the castle now-was no one going to stop her? She expected at every step that a host of armored creatures would attack, that a battle cry would sound...anything! But the goblins around her remained impassive. Sarah wasn't sure what she'd expected...she let her eyes move over the castle walls and her mouth fell open.
Jareth sat on a great stone window ledge, spinning a crystal in his hand and watching her progress. His face was so devoid of emotion that he could have been wearing a mask--indeed, if it were not for the constantly rotating crystal slipping from hand to hand, he might have been mistaken for a skillfully painted statue.
She could see the castle gate, the doors as open and expectant as the gates to the Labyrinth had been. She tore her eyes from Jareth's and walked resolutely towards the doors, half expecting them to swing shut and block her entry. Instead she walked easily through them, through the echoing, empty great hall.
**** **** ****
Above her, Jareth dropped the crystal, watching it bounce off the ledge to fall gracefully before it shattered on the stones below. He turned from his window and walked back into the castle.
**** **** ****
The throne room was deserted when Sarah crossed it, much as it had been last time she'd tread through it-then, it had appeared that many creatures had fled in haste. Now it was neat, free of litter and debris. The throne seemed to have been polished; it was almost entirely made of gold, a fact she'd not noticed because of the filth that covered it. Great banners and tapestry hung on the walls, plaques and decorations gleamed. She had the strange feeling that the throne room had been prepared for her arrival, almost as if it was meant to impress her.
It had worked-she felt somewhat abashed by the unexpected splendor. Her dazzled eyes caught on a large window-she walked over to it, impressed by the sweeping view of the City, and the Labyrinth beyond it. Yes, this was most certainly the ledge where Jareth sat moments ago; the stone itself was still warm. But there was no sign of the Goblin King.
Sarah sighed as she gazed at the familiar, twisting staircase that arced up and away from the throne room. She knew where that lead-and she had no choice but to follow.
It was apparent within moments of her ascension that she was much closer to the castle than she'd thought. As soon as she'd cleared the trees she could see its spires a few miles away, closer still as the winds carried her.
Softly, the wind began to lessen, dropping her gently in front of the door to the Goblin City. It was open, leading into the deserted entryway. The second set of doors was closed loosely, and Sarah could see the indent that once housed the giant robot guard--she couldn't help but smile at the memory of Hoggle taking on the humongous creature. Now she stood almost shyly in the massive doorway, hands caressing the heavy metal, eyes fastened on the sliver of the City she could see--it was nothing like she remembered.
The streets were spotlessly clean, the houses neat and tidy. What goblins she could see were very busy--some were occupied with applying fresh paint to houses, others swept stoops and streets, still others bustled about performing tasks Sarah couldn't name. There appeared to still be a few odd creatures about; chickens, cats, a few unidentifiable mouselike things, but these too seemed more obedient, even cleaner. Amazing.
Slowly, she parted the doors, stepping as inconspicuously as possible into the busy main street. Nobody really paid her any mind--they sized her up in a glance and turned back to their labors. She walked gingerly through the main street, heading towards the castle doors, eyes darting rather nervously about-well she remembered her last trip through the Goblin City, and the battle she'd endured.
Of course, in the years since her trip she'd looked back on the battle with a laugh and a shake of her dark head-it really had been absurd, and the goblin warriors quite stupid. But it had still been very frightening, and she was sure that the blades they had carried were sharp, and certainly the guns were real...and dangerous.
Her heart caught in her throat-yes, there was the heavily armed sentry. There had been two before, but one had been crushed by a rock-the remaining one stood at its post, guns drawn. She studied it a more closely and realized that there was no goblin within to run the guns. That didn't make her comfortable, but it did lessen her anxiety enough that she passed boldly by.
Closer to the castle now-was no one going to stop her? She expected at every step that a host of armored creatures would attack, that a battle cry would sound...anything! But the goblins around her remained impassive. Sarah wasn't sure what she'd expected...she let her eyes move over the castle walls and her mouth fell open.
Jareth sat on a great stone window ledge, spinning a crystal in his hand and watching her progress. His face was so devoid of emotion that he could have been wearing a mask--indeed, if it were not for the constantly rotating crystal slipping from hand to hand, he might have been mistaken for a skillfully painted statue.
She could see the castle gate, the doors as open and expectant as the gates to the Labyrinth had been. She tore her eyes from Jareth's and walked resolutely towards the doors, half expecting them to swing shut and block her entry. Instead she walked easily through them, through the echoing, empty great hall.
**** **** ****
Above her, Jareth dropped the crystal, watching it bounce off the ledge to fall gracefully before it shattered on the stones below. He turned from his window and walked back into the castle.
**** **** ****
The throne room was deserted when Sarah crossed it, much as it had been last time she'd tread through it-then, it had appeared that many creatures had fled in haste. Now it was neat, free of litter and debris. The throne seemed to have been polished; it was almost entirely made of gold, a fact she'd not noticed because of the filth that covered it. Great banners and tapestry hung on the walls, plaques and decorations gleamed. She had the strange feeling that the throne room had been prepared for her arrival, almost as if it was meant to impress her.
It had worked-she felt somewhat abashed by the unexpected splendor. Her dazzled eyes caught on a large window-she walked over to it, impressed by the sweeping view of the City, and the Labyrinth beyond it. Yes, this was most certainly the ledge where Jareth sat moments ago; the stone itself was still warm. But there was no sign of the Goblin King.
Sarah sighed as she gazed at the familiar, twisting staircase that arced up and away from the throne room. She knew where that lead-and she had no choice but to follow.
