Corey woke up the next morning in a strange bedroom. Sure, she'd fallen asleep in a strange bedroom too, but this one was different again. It was pink. Well, not really pink, that wasn't quite true. But the canopy on the bed was a pinky red, and the ornaments on the bureau were pink. Red was the main colour, actually. Corey groaned, thinking of the night before, then pushing it out of her mind and investigating the tall clothes-closet to find something to wear. Once she was decent, the girl ventured outside. She pulled at the skirt of the dress she wore uncomfortably; her jeans and shirt from yesterday were nowhere to be seen, and so she'd had to select a gown from the closet. Corey scowled and started to set off down the corridor, but as she turned the corner, there he was.

"Hello, Corey," was all Jareth said. She restrained the urge to turn and run, instead facing him determinedly.

"Now will you send my mother and I back?" She demanded. Jareth smiled; Corey frowned inwardly. Why, when he smiled, did a picture of a demon thinking of his latest evil escapade come to her mind? Well...

"I have already sent your mother back. You paid me for her last night. If you would be willing again, I would send you back-"

"No!" She cried. The demon picture had been right.

"What do you think I am, some sort of prostitute? I will not sink to that level. Up yours!" She snarled, storming back to her room and slamming the door. But when she turned around, there he was. Corey jumped, startled. She cursed herself inwardly, she should've known; he had magic.

"You must understand that you are residing in my castle, and that you lost the Labyrinth and so are under my command," he said calmly, arms crossed. The Goblin King paused, waiting for the horrified look on her face- under his command? Uh oh- to be replaced with one of hostility- don't let him think you're weak!- before continuing.

"As it is, I will arrange for you to have something to do to pass your time here. My offer still stands, when you come to your senses and realise you cannot get home any other way, just call for me and I will come," he smirked and vanished. Corey wavered, and collapsed on the upholstered chair. His words still echoed through her head. She couldn't get home any other way? He must be lying. She would find a way home, and he would eat his words! She would win this new battle. Corey thumped her hand on the arm of the chair, startling the small girl who had entered the room.

"My excuses, miss. I was sent to bring you to your rooms and tell you that you'll be working in the gardens with Master Burdock," the girl piped. Corey sat up, frowning.

"I thought I was staying here," she motioned to the room around her. The stranger looked startled.

"But miss, his Majesty doesn't let servants stay in the noble rooms. We have made space for you in the servants quarters, come," she beckoned. Corey sighed and followed her. Servants quarters? It must be another cruel part of Jareth's plan to make her beg him to send her back. Well, she would take the work and the living conditions as she was given them. They were probably better than she was used to anyway.

"Are you a goblin?" She asked the girl as they walked through endless corridors. The little figure laughed.

"No, indeed not. The only goblins in this castle are his Majesty's army, and some that live in the village yonder. I'm a sprite. We little folk work as servants in the castle, cleaning and tending it and its people. There are many others, too. Some fae, like his Majesty. Humans live on the outskirts of the Labyrinth, in the woodlands and villages beyond. They sometimes come here to seek healing for their sick, as they only have natural remedies. Herbs only go so far, every so often someone falls dreadfully ill and needs magical curing," the sprite chattered. Corey knew already that this girl liked talking.

"My name is Lilyberry, by the way. I already know you're Corey, the latest to fail his Majesty's labyrinth,"

"I didn't fail it," Corey replied hotly.

"Of course you didn't. This is where you'll sleep," Lilyberry chirped, pushing open a large door with amazing strength for her small frame. Inside were rows of beds, next to each a small chest. Each chest was decorated a different way. Some had been painted, some decorated with fresh or dried flowers, others etched with ink or engraved. Every bedspread was different, too. Patchworks of different material, or snatches of velvet sewn together, or even some stuffed with what was probably feathers or fuzz. Lilyberry caught her staring and smiled.

"You should make your own bedspread, in your spare time. Decide what you would like it to be, and I'll ask Cottonseed to see if she can find material for you to make it," the sprite led her to a bed down the very back.

"Here you are. All your belongings are here, we found them in the laundry chute and though you might like to keep them. You'll find the servant uniform in the top drawers of your chest, put it on and come out to meet Burdock," Lilyberry left, and Corey found her ears having to adjust to the sudden silence. The girl certainly could talk.

*~*~*~*

Corey fell into bed that night exhausted. Burdock had been a friendly old sprite with a long mouse-grey beard who showed her how to work the garden beds. He had talked just as much as Lilyberry, but for a different purpose. He was teaching her everything there was to know about plants. It was like school all over again. But she found that she liked the garden, and it's peaceful willingness to listen to her troubles. Maybe life wouldn't be so bad, if she could only avoid Jareth.

*~*~*~*

Weeks passed. The girl was happy with her new pint-sized friends, even though she hadn't seen anyone over 4 feet since that morning when she first came. But nothing went smoothly for long. One day she woke up and swung her feet over the side of the bed, only to find herself running for the privy to lose last night's evening meal. Corey felt nauseous, sick and had a strange longing for lemon juice. Her friends crowded around the privy door, Lilyberry bearing a cup of water and a sprig of mint to rid the bad taste from her mouth. After awhile she felt much better, and ventured outside to help Burdock weed the tomato patch.

"I'm fine, really," she insisted. But her day would not run smoothly. For one thing, while she was drawing water from the well to water the spring beans, she spotted the Goblin King watching her from a balcony. She scowled and picked up the buckets to take them back, but went no further than three steps when terrible pains ripped through her stomach. Corey fell to her hands and knees gasping, her uniform soaked by the water from the buckets.

"Corey!" Burdock must have seen her. Hands supported her as she tried to sit, but it wasn't the old sprite's concerned face who filled her vision. She jerked her arm out of Jareth's grip and tried to stand, but in her rush the pains started again and she fell into blackness.

*~*~*~*

"She's waking, Rose! Look!" Corey heard relieved voices as she groggily opened her eyes. The pain was no more, but she was about to...

"Here's the basin, young'un," Rose the cook held her head as Corey again lost her last meal. When she finally was able to sit up and accept the water and mint leaf from Lilyberry, Rose sat beside her, giving the basin to a maid.

"You gave us a shock, young Corey," The sprite handed her a cool cloth to wipe her face.

"His Majesty brought you in, you out cold and all. Burdock had come'd in moments before, jabbering about you fallin' and all, we were real worried. His Highness brought a healer doctor, brought him special," Rose said, looking flustered.

"Whats wrong with me, Rose? Stop dancing around the bush," Corey met the little woman's eyes, trying to read her face.

"Child, you're...."

*~*~*~*

Hah! Yes, I'll be evil and end it there. But I put some clues in the text, you smart readers should find them and figure out that she's....

No, I won't say. You can't make me! But you can try. Bribes might work... cookies, anyone?

Sweet Sunshine and Guesses,

Seul Loup