The driver of the carriage had been quite nervous about entering Jareth's castle with his cargo; he had heard plenty of stories of the King's quick temper and wrath. But there was plenty of gold in it for him if he completed this task, so he urged his horse up to the castle with the carriage lumbering behind. He was surprised to find the Goblin King waiting for him, looking into a mysterious blue crystal. When the King spotted him, he turned and strode over to the carriage in a few quick steps.
"Is it intact?" was the blunt welcome.
"Indeed 'it' is, sir. Uh, shall I.. bring her in for you?" There was fear in his voice that he tried and failed to hide. He had no idea why he was assigned to bring this "cargo" to the labyrinth, but he knew that asking too many questions was not wise when dealing with situations like this.
The King held up one gloved hand and shook his head. "That is what servants are for." He nodded to a group of servants who had been standing nearby, who promptly approached the carriage and removed a rather large bulky.. something wrapped in a sheet, and with the utmost care, took it into the castle. The King turned back to the driver and tossed him a small bag, which made a 'clink' sound as it landed on the seat beside the driver, giving hint to its contents. "I know you will be paid when you return. Consider this a personal bonus." He waited not a moment more, turned and followed the servants into the castle. The goblin that had led the carriage through the labyrinth reached up and tugged on the horse's reins; the driver nodded and turned to go. With a shudder, he tried not to imagine what would be going on in that castle shortly.
Jareth nearly ran to the room where the "cargo" had been placed by his servants, who themselves had disappeared, eager to be far from the King's unpredictable emotions. When he saw "it" lying on a table, he closed the distance and lifted the cloth that covered 'it'. Beneath was revealed the face of a young woman with long, flowing blonde hair and pale, cold skin. The cold skin and pale countinence told Jareth the girl had not been dead long, but was most definitely dead. He pulled the rest of the cloth away and tossed it to the floor.
He took Sarah's crystal in his hand and smiled slightly into it. "It is time, my love..." Taking a deep breath, he positioned the dead girl's hands so they lay open, palms up, on her chest. He carefully set Sarah's crystal in the girl's hands. He removed the gloves from his own hands and set one hand on the crystal, one over the dead girl's heart. Quietly, so quiet he could barely hear it himself, he began chanting in the same ancient language he had used to capture Sarah's spirit. The chant slowly became louder, adding more ancient phrases as it did so. The crystal's blue glow swelled to a bright, nearly white, glare, so bright that had Jareth's eyes been open, it could have blinded them. The light encompassed the room, leaving no corner of shadows, and Jareth's chant was now nearly screaming in his own ears. The chant ended abruptly. The bright light from the crystal faded quickly, until no light came from it at all; the blue glow, too, had faded. Jareth, his energies spent, collapsed across the body. His hand still lay over the girl's heart, which slowly began to beat..
"Is it intact?" was the blunt welcome.
"Indeed 'it' is, sir. Uh, shall I.. bring her in for you?" There was fear in his voice that he tried and failed to hide. He had no idea why he was assigned to bring this "cargo" to the labyrinth, but he knew that asking too many questions was not wise when dealing with situations like this.
The King held up one gloved hand and shook his head. "That is what servants are for." He nodded to a group of servants who had been standing nearby, who promptly approached the carriage and removed a rather large bulky.. something wrapped in a sheet, and with the utmost care, took it into the castle. The King turned back to the driver and tossed him a small bag, which made a 'clink' sound as it landed on the seat beside the driver, giving hint to its contents. "I know you will be paid when you return. Consider this a personal bonus." He waited not a moment more, turned and followed the servants into the castle. The goblin that had led the carriage through the labyrinth reached up and tugged on the horse's reins; the driver nodded and turned to go. With a shudder, he tried not to imagine what would be going on in that castle shortly.
Jareth nearly ran to the room where the "cargo" had been placed by his servants, who themselves had disappeared, eager to be far from the King's unpredictable emotions. When he saw "it" lying on a table, he closed the distance and lifted the cloth that covered 'it'. Beneath was revealed the face of a young woman with long, flowing blonde hair and pale, cold skin. The cold skin and pale countinence told Jareth the girl had not been dead long, but was most definitely dead. He pulled the rest of the cloth away and tossed it to the floor.
He took Sarah's crystal in his hand and smiled slightly into it. "It is time, my love..." Taking a deep breath, he positioned the dead girl's hands so they lay open, palms up, on her chest. He carefully set Sarah's crystal in the girl's hands. He removed the gloves from his own hands and set one hand on the crystal, one over the dead girl's heart. Quietly, so quiet he could barely hear it himself, he began chanting in the same ancient language he had used to capture Sarah's spirit. The chant slowly became louder, adding more ancient phrases as it did so. The crystal's blue glow swelled to a bright, nearly white, glare, so bright that had Jareth's eyes been open, it could have blinded them. The light encompassed the room, leaving no corner of shadows, and Jareth's chant was now nearly screaming in his own ears. The chant ended abruptly. The bright light from the crystal faded quickly, until no light came from it at all; the blue glow, too, had faded. Jareth, his energies spent, collapsed across the body. His hand still lay over the girl's heart, which slowly began to beat..