I suppose I should get on with the disclaimer, seeing as I neglected to add
it to the two previous chapters. Nobody in this story belongs to me except
any characters that do not appear in the movie. There. Now I don't have
to worry about getting sued LOL
Now, hopefully the story gets more interesting. Maybe then it will attract more reviews? (hint, hint!) LOL
*****
Sarah and her friends sat around the table drinking tea and eating biscuits that Didymus had made. Ambrosius was lying at her feet, relishing the way Sarah scratched behind his ears. They were enjoying each others company and were catching up on old times. They laughed as Sarah told them about her stepmother Karen's reaction when she saw the mess in Sarah's room after their post-labyrinth party. She had almost fainted dead away at the mess, and actually did when Sarah told her about who the guests were. Of course, her parents didn't believe her, but it was amusing nonetheless. She was quite happy to hear that Ludo had been reunited with his family and was to marry soon. They were impressed that Sarah had taken on a double major in college. Not only had she taken up acting as she had planned to, but she found that she had a love of art as well.
Jareth sat away from the group on a stool next to the fireplace. He sat with his arms crossed and had a strange expression on his face as he watched the rest interact with each other. He could not believe how much she had changed over the past two years. But then again he had also been changed since that fateful day. At first he had been humiliated and angered that a 16-year-old mortal brat had gotten the best of him. Later he was humbled by it as his world began to crumble. A small, bitter smile appeared on his face as he felt a bit of jealousy creep in at how close Sarah was to Hoggle and Didymus. He doubted she would ever consider him to be such a friend, but he could always hope. He got up with a sigh and put another piece of wood on the fire before heading off to bed.
Sarah watched him go with a brief look of disappointment that did not go unnoticed by the two 'match-makers.' After her long and surprising day she was suddenly exhausted. She turned back and smiled to her friends and excused herself as she headed up to the loft for some much-needed sleep. She was glad that she was so tired, for it wouldn't allow her to toss and turn all not as she tried to figure Jareth out. She barely finished that thought when she was sound asleep.
*****
"Does thou think His Majesty suspects something, Sir Hoggle?" Didymus asked once they were in their room.
"I's not sure." replied Hoggle. "He did look at us funny though. We has to make up something, 'cuz he ain't to know we's the reason Sarah's here."
"Quite. And the Fair Maiden shan't know as well. For then they shall know who cast the spell and she will be sent home. Then all our work will have been for naught." Didymus agreed.
"I suppose he will wants a talk with us first thing in the morn. I'll thinks of something to tell him."
*****
Sure enough, Jareth was waiting for them outside the cottage door in the morning. "I thought I might accompany you on your walk today," he stated.
They walked for a while and when Jareth thought they were far enough away from the cottage, he stopped and turned to them. "Alright. What are you two up to?" he asked with a scowl.
Hoggle and Didymus feigned innocence as they looked back at him. "Why, Your Majesty, whatever does thou mean?" asked Didymus.
"You know very well what I mean. I find it highly odd that Sarah shows up here, and suddenly the cottage is cleaned up. Of the two years I have lived with you neither of you have bothered to put it in order. It's almost as if you were expecting her to be here!" he just about shouted. "Now I demand a straight answer!"
Hoggle sighed. "Ok, Jareth. We was expecting her." Jareth relaxed a little, but his eyes were still narrowed at Hoggle.
"Explain yourself."
"Well, uh, Didymus and me were out lookin' for some wood and we saw Sarah and you talking. We was just surprised to sees her and we thought you might brings her to the cottage so we cleaned it. We don't have company that much so's we wanted the cottage to look nice in case you brought her." he babbled.
"Verily!" Didymus agreed. "The Fair Maiden is a most good friend and we did not want for her to be uncomfortable should she be staying with us."
Jareth considered what they had just told him. It didn't appear that they were lying to him. Besides, what they said did make sense. He had to admit he would have been rather embarrassed to have Sarah see the hovel they had been living in.
"I see. For a moment there I thought you were up to no good," he said. "Very well. I'm glad you thought to do what you did." With that he turned and walked in the opposite direction.
That was the as close as a 'thank-you' they could expect from Jareth. Even though they had been friendly with him for the past couple years, Jareth still had some pride and stubbornness left in him. He was born a royal and being so all these years made it difficult for him to act as though her were not.
When he was out of sight, Hoggle let out the breath he had been holding. "That was close. I wasn't sure if he was gonna buy it or not."
"Why should he not. We spoke the truth, just not its wholeness," Didymus said.
"You're right," Hoggle decided, "But if he asked if we was sure, I think we woulda had a problem. I's not a very good fibber."
"We shall have to toil greatly, my brother, if we are to make this work!"
*****
Sarah had awoken to find everyone had gone. "Ah, no matter," she said aloud. They'd all have to come back sometime. After cleaning up after last night's tea, she decided to use her alone time to further examine her surroundings. Looking out the window she saw that the fog was gone and decided to go outdoors. Dense trees surrounded the area, but in the cottage and yard area they were sparse. Sunlight streamed in through the opening in the treetops and seemed to shine straight down onto the cottage. This accentuated its weather-beaten look, showing small cracks in the stone walls and places where the thatch roof needed replacing. The yard around looked like it had once been beautiful, but now was full of weeds and crabgrass. But as a whole the cottage was charming.
Sarah sat down on a rock and took a little sketch book and pencil out of her back pocket. She always had them with her, for she never knew when she would be inspired to draw something. It wasn't much of a book, but it was good enough to use until she got to her art class, where she would usually sketch a better one. She began to draw the cottage and yard, not as they were now, but perhaps how they had been in their prime.
*****
Didymus and Hoggle returned to the cottage a while later. Hoggle had his arms full of wood and Didymus was walking Ambrosius, who had a burlap sack full of some food and other things they needed. Hoggle stopped short, dropping the wood at about the same rate that his jaw dropped. Didymus wasn't paying attention and walked right into him.
"Why art thou not looking at where thou is going?" grumbled Didymus.
All Hoggle could do was point and stare. When Didymus saw what had troubled his friend he was equally amazed. Both ran over to a pale and shaken Sarah. "Gods, Sarah," asked Hoggle, "What's happened?"
Trembling, Sarah showed him the sketchbook. "I-I only wanted to draw a picture!" Then her eyes rolled back and she fainted away. As Hoggle worked to bring her around, Didymus gasped. He really needn't have looked at the picture. All he had to do was look at the now beautiful cottage and garden to see a full-color version of what Sarah had drawn.
Now, hopefully the story gets more interesting. Maybe then it will attract more reviews? (hint, hint!) LOL
*****
Sarah and her friends sat around the table drinking tea and eating biscuits that Didymus had made. Ambrosius was lying at her feet, relishing the way Sarah scratched behind his ears. They were enjoying each others company and were catching up on old times. They laughed as Sarah told them about her stepmother Karen's reaction when she saw the mess in Sarah's room after their post-labyrinth party. She had almost fainted dead away at the mess, and actually did when Sarah told her about who the guests were. Of course, her parents didn't believe her, but it was amusing nonetheless. She was quite happy to hear that Ludo had been reunited with his family and was to marry soon. They were impressed that Sarah had taken on a double major in college. Not only had she taken up acting as she had planned to, but she found that she had a love of art as well.
Jareth sat away from the group on a stool next to the fireplace. He sat with his arms crossed and had a strange expression on his face as he watched the rest interact with each other. He could not believe how much she had changed over the past two years. But then again he had also been changed since that fateful day. At first he had been humiliated and angered that a 16-year-old mortal brat had gotten the best of him. Later he was humbled by it as his world began to crumble. A small, bitter smile appeared on his face as he felt a bit of jealousy creep in at how close Sarah was to Hoggle and Didymus. He doubted she would ever consider him to be such a friend, but he could always hope. He got up with a sigh and put another piece of wood on the fire before heading off to bed.
Sarah watched him go with a brief look of disappointment that did not go unnoticed by the two 'match-makers.' After her long and surprising day she was suddenly exhausted. She turned back and smiled to her friends and excused herself as she headed up to the loft for some much-needed sleep. She was glad that she was so tired, for it wouldn't allow her to toss and turn all not as she tried to figure Jareth out. She barely finished that thought when she was sound asleep.
*****
"Does thou think His Majesty suspects something, Sir Hoggle?" Didymus asked once they were in their room.
"I's not sure." replied Hoggle. "He did look at us funny though. We has to make up something, 'cuz he ain't to know we's the reason Sarah's here."
"Quite. And the Fair Maiden shan't know as well. For then they shall know who cast the spell and she will be sent home. Then all our work will have been for naught." Didymus agreed.
"I suppose he will wants a talk with us first thing in the morn. I'll thinks of something to tell him."
*****
Sure enough, Jareth was waiting for them outside the cottage door in the morning. "I thought I might accompany you on your walk today," he stated.
They walked for a while and when Jareth thought they were far enough away from the cottage, he stopped and turned to them. "Alright. What are you two up to?" he asked with a scowl.
Hoggle and Didymus feigned innocence as they looked back at him. "Why, Your Majesty, whatever does thou mean?" asked Didymus.
"You know very well what I mean. I find it highly odd that Sarah shows up here, and suddenly the cottage is cleaned up. Of the two years I have lived with you neither of you have bothered to put it in order. It's almost as if you were expecting her to be here!" he just about shouted. "Now I demand a straight answer!"
Hoggle sighed. "Ok, Jareth. We was expecting her." Jareth relaxed a little, but his eyes were still narrowed at Hoggle.
"Explain yourself."
"Well, uh, Didymus and me were out lookin' for some wood and we saw Sarah and you talking. We was just surprised to sees her and we thought you might brings her to the cottage so we cleaned it. We don't have company that much so's we wanted the cottage to look nice in case you brought her." he babbled.
"Verily!" Didymus agreed. "The Fair Maiden is a most good friend and we did not want for her to be uncomfortable should she be staying with us."
Jareth considered what they had just told him. It didn't appear that they were lying to him. Besides, what they said did make sense. He had to admit he would have been rather embarrassed to have Sarah see the hovel they had been living in.
"I see. For a moment there I thought you were up to no good," he said. "Very well. I'm glad you thought to do what you did." With that he turned and walked in the opposite direction.
That was the as close as a 'thank-you' they could expect from Jareth. Even though they had been friendly with him for the past couple years, Jareth still had some pride and stubbornness left in him. He was born a royal and being so all these years made it difficult for him to act as though her were not.
When he was out of sight, Hoggle let out the breath he had been holding. "That was close. I wasn't sure if he was gonna buy it or not."
"Why should he not. We spoke the truth, just not its wholeness," Didymus said.
"You're right," Hoggle decided, "But if he asked if we was sure, I think we woulda had a problem. I's not a very good fibber."
"We shall have to toil greatly, my brother, if we are to make this work!"
*****
Sarah had awoken to find everyone had gone. "Ah, no matter," she said aloud. They'd all have to come back sometime. After cleaning up after last night's tea, she decided to use her alone time to further examine her surroundings. Looking out the window she saw that the fog was gone and decided to go outdoors. Dense trees surrounded the area, but in the cottage and yard area they were sparse. Sunlight streamed in through the opening in the treetops and seemed to shine straight down onto the cottage. This accentuated its weather-beaten look, showing small cracks in the stone walls and places where the thatch roof needed replacing. The yard around looked like it had once been beautiful, but now was full of weeds and crabgrass. But as a whole the cottage was charming.
Sarah sat down on a rock and took a little sketch book and pencil out of her back pocket. She always had them with her, for she never knew when she would be inspired to draw something. It wasn't much of a book, but it was good enough to use until she got to her art class, where she would usually sketch a better one. She began to draw the cottage and yard, not as they were now, but perhaps how they had been in their prime.
*****
Didymus and Hoggle returned to the cottage a while later. Hoggle had his arms full of wood and Didymus was walking Ambrosius, who had a burlap sack full of some food and other things they needed. Hoggle stopped short, dropping the wood at about the same rate that his jaw dropped. Didymus wasn't paying attention and walked right into him.
"Why art thou not looking at where thou is going?" grumbled Didymus.
All Hoggle could do was point and stare. When Didymus saw what had troubled his friend he was equally amazed. Both ran over to a pale and shaken Sarah. "Gods, Sarah," asked Hoggle, "What's happened?"
Trembling, Sarah showed him the sketchbook. "I-I only wanted to draw a picture!" Then her eyes rolled back and she fainted away. As Hoggle worked to bring her around, Didymus gasped. He really needn't have looked at the picture. All he had to do was look at the now beautiful cottage and garden to see a full-color version of what Sarah had drawn.