Chapter 8
Hoggle stomped from foot to foot as he pursued the biting fairy. It darted forwards, then to the left and then right into the lethal spray that the dwarf shot at it. "Got you, you little bugger" Hoggle said in smug satisfaction. He grabbed a nearby wall as the ground trembled beneath him and rolled his eyes. Someone must have pissed off Jareth and he thanked the gods that it wasn't him. Hoggle made sure he made as little contact as possible with his king. Helping Sarah all those years ago against Jareth was an act of treason and he was damn grateful he was still killing biting fairies and not hanging by the neck from a rope.
"Are you Hoggle?"
Hoggle looked at the elf. He looked just a kid, but one never knew about elves, they were ones who never really seemed to age. Kind of like the Fay. "Who wants to know?" he asked cautiously.
"I'm Flick, I need his help-" the elf began but he suddenly dropped to the ground and Hoggle noticed for the first time that this Flick looked like something that just dragged itself out of an oubliette after a hundred years. The young one's face was slack and his eyelids drooped with lack of sleep. The dark hair was a mess and his clothes were torn, one sleeve darkened with what looked suspiciously like dried blood.
Hoggle moved over to the elf and laid a hand on the shivering shoulder. "Yous alright kid?"
"I'm fine Hoggle, nice to see you still care."
Hoggle gasped and stumbled back. The voice wasn't the kid's. It was deeper with an underlying hint of amusement and utterly familiar. The elf raised his head and Hoggle's fears were confirmed. Those eyes, completely black except for the burning emerald iris stared at him.
The elf - no, the Labyrinth rose to its feet and sneered down at the quivering dwarf. "I need to speak with you Hoggle. You and I have business to discuss."
"We do?" Hoggle asked and heard his own voice crack. Then he felt something inside crack as he was flung against a wall. Sliding down he breathed and felt pain. 'Must have been a rib' he thought absently.
"I wouldn't have thought that 50,000 years would diminished your manners Hoggle. Maybe I should take time out to help you remember. One can never give too much time to those less than yourself."
"No Master" Hoggle grated out. "I'm sorrys for forgetting. Yous being here just surprise me."
The Labyrinth squatted down in front of the fallen dwarf. "Don't try to get out of it Hoggle. Yet your punishment will have to come later, I have need of your services first."
Hoggle flinched as the Labyrinth laid a hand on his chest but gave an inward sigh as he felt the cracked rib being healed. The Labyrinth stepped back and leaned against the opposite wall. Hoggle wondered if Jareth knew how much he was like the Labyrinth. He quickly changed that thought. Jareth was much better than the Labyrinth, much, much nicer. If it wasn't for the situation he was in Hoggle may have laughed. Jareth? Nice! But now was definitely no time to laugh.
"4 years ago" the Labyrinth began, "a mortal made passage through my walls. I believe you know her - Sarah her name was.
Hoggle's heart leaped to his throat and his stomach plunged down.
"She's here in the Underground. At Jareth castle to be specific. Go and bring her into my walls once again Hoggle. Her and I have much to speak about."
"Your. you're not going to hurt the lass are you." Hoggle was having a major case of déjà vu and his thoughts were on fire. Sarah? In the Underground? How was she here? How long had she been here? Was Jareth keeping her prisoner?"
"Hurt her? Never. But Hoggle," The Labyrinth waited until he had the dwarf's full attention, "fail me, talk to Jareth, or disobey me in any other way and I will redefine pain for you." He smiled and somehow Hoggle found the most frightening of all.
"Yes Master" Hoggle said and scrambled off before anything more happened.
The Labyrinth watched the creature scamper off with a sneer. His green eyes flickered and darkened to a normal shade and Flick became aware of where he was. 'Where had the dwarf gone?'
//Do not worry about the dwarf Flick. Why don't you rest for now? Surely you are tired after all the work you have done? //
"Sleep would be good" mumbled Flick and laid down where he was, the dust stirring lazily as he settled down on the hard ground.
The Labyrinth slithered impatiently inside the elf. Soon he could leave this miserable being and be strong enough to form his own body. It grinned inwardly as it remembered the power it had used to hurt and heal the dwarf. His power was returning in full force. When Sarah came to him, he would be ready.
Hoggle stomped from foot to foot as he pursued the biting fairy. It darted forwards, then to the left and then right into the lethal spray that the dwarf shot at it. "Got you, you little bugger" Hoggle said in smug satisfaction. He grabbed a nearby wall as the ground trembled beneath him and rolled his eyes. Someone must have pissed off Jareth and he thanked the gods that it wasn't him. Hoggle made sure he made as little contact as possible with his king. Helping Sarah all those years ago against Jareth was an act of treason and he was damn grateful he was still killing biting fairies and not hanging by the neck from a rope.
"Are you Hoggle?"
Hoggle looked at the elf. He looked just a kid, but one never knew about elves, they were ones who never really seemed to age. Kind of like the Fay. "Who wants to know?" he asked cautiously.
"I'm Flick, I need his help-" the elf began but he suddenly dropped to the ground and Hoggle noticed for the first time that this Flick looked like something that just dragged itself out of an oubliette after a hundred years. The young one's face was slack and his eyelids drooped with lack of sleep. The dark hair was a mess and his clothes were torn, one sleeve darkened with what looked suspiciously like dried blood.
Hoggle moved over to the elf and laid a hand on the shivering shoulder. "Yous alright kid?"
"I'm fine Hoggle, nice to see you still care."
Hoggle gasped and stumbled back. The voice wasn't the kid's. It was deeper with an underlying hint of amusement and utterly familiar. The elf raised his head and Hoggle's fears were confirmed. Those eyes, completely black except for the burning emerald iris stared at him.
The elf - no, the Labyrinth rose to its feet and sneered down at the quivering dwarf. "I need to speak with you Hoggle. You and I have business to discuss."
"We do?" Hoggle asked and heard his own voice crack. Then he felt something inside crack as he was flung against a wall. Sliding down he breathed and felt pain. 'Must have been a rib' he thought absently.
"I wouldn't have thought that 50,000 years would diminished your manners Hoggle. Maybe I should take time out to help you remember. One can never give too much time to those less than yourself."
"No Master" Hoggle grated out. "I'm sorrys for forgetting. Yous being here just surprise me."
The Labyrinth squatted down in front of the fallen dwarf. "Don't try to get out of it Hoggle. Yet your punishment will have to come later, I have need of your services first."
Hoggle flinched as the Labyrinth laid a hand on his chest but gave an inward sigh as he felt the cracked rib being healed. The Labyrinth stepped back and leaned against the opposite wall. Hoggle wondered if Jareth knew how much he was like the Labyrinth. He quickly changed that thought. Jareth was much better than the Labyrinth, much, much nicer. If it wasn't for the situation he was in Hoggle may have laughed. Jareth? Nice! But now was definitely no time to laugh.
"4 years ago" the Labyrinth began, "a mortal made passage through my walls. I believe you know her - Sarah her name was.
Hoggle's heart leaped to his throat and his stomach plunged down.
"She's here in the Underground. At Jareth castle to be specific. Go and bring her into my walls once again Hoggle. Her and I have much to speak about."
"Your. you're not going to hurt the lass are you." Hoggle was having a major case of déjà vu and his thoughts were on fire. Sarah? In the Underground? How was she here? How long had she been here? Was Jareth keeping her prisoner?"
"Hurt her? Never. But Hoggle," The Labyrinth waited until he had the dwarf's full attention, "fail me, talk to Jareth, or disobey me in any other way and I will redefine pain for you." He smiled and somehow Hoggle found the most frightening of all.
"Yes Master" Hoggle said and scrambled off before anything more happened.
The Labyrinth watched the creature scamper off with a sneer. His green eyes flickered and darkened to a normal shade and Flick became aware of where he was. 'Where had the dwarf gone?'
//Do not worry about the dwarf Flick. Why don't you rest for now? Surely you are tired after all the work you have done? //
"Sleep would be good" mumbled Flick and laid down where he was, the dust stirring lazily as he settled down on the hard ground.
The Labyrinth slithered impatiently inside the elf. Soon he could leave this miserable being and be strong enough to form his own body. It grinned inwardly as it remembered the power it had used to hurt and heal the dwarf. His power was returning in full force. When Sarah came to him, he would be ready.