CHAPTER 5
Sir Didymus was sitting just outside the bog when one of his two friends, Hoggle, decided he was going to go home. "Guess I'll see you guys later. Bye Did, bye Ludo!" Hoggle started to walk away. He got an itch on his wrist and went to scratch it; he saw the bracelet Sarah had given him when they had fallen into that hole. "Ah, I miss ya Sarah, we all do." Just as that was said, he heard a familiar voice. He wasn't sure if he was just hearing what he wished he would, but he ran as fast as his short legs would take him. "Sarah! Is that really you? Oh please say 'tis."
Sarah turned around to see Hoggle running to her. His face lit up brighter that a light bulb, so to speak. "Sarah! It is you!"
"Hoggle!" When he reached her, she lifted him up and gave her old friend a huge hug. "Oho, Hoggle I've missed you so much. It's so good to see you" She put him down, he smiled.
"I've missed you to Sarah. Hey! Sir Didymus and Ludo are back at the bog. Come come, I'll take you to them."
"Oh yes yes! Please do! I was on my way to see Didymus anyway."
On their way, Hoggle and Sarah told each other short stories of what happened to them through the three years that they've been apart. Then Hoggle stopped, and turned slightly. "Huh? They were just here a min-"
"Roaaaaaaaaaa!"
"A yes, very good dear lad. Two more stones and we've got ourselves a new crossing. Come here Ambroshious. Good boy, now look at what good old Ludo is doing for us." Ambroshious went to turn around, then barked. Didymus turned around and nearly jumped out of his eye-patch. "My word! Sarah, is it really you I see standing there? M'lady, how you've grown. Ludo look! I say, Sarah's back."
"Sawah...back....Ludo miss Sawah." Ludo went over and gave Sarah a big furry hug.
"Oh I missed you to Ludo. Sir Didymus, Ambroshious, how are you? My it's been a while hasn't it? I'm so glad to see that you're all alive and well."
Didymus quickly wiped away a tear of joy before anyone saw. "Sarah, we've missed you so. We are all very fine, yes very fine indeed. A lot has changed since you've last been here."
Sarah nodded understandingly. "Yes, so I've heard. Didymus, I was coming to see you for help to find a gem stone. A purple one to be exact. Do you know where it is?"
"Hmm, ah yes. But why do you need them, if you don't mind me asking?"
Sarah let a shy smile show. "If I can find all five gems, I can stay with Jareth for three months, while my parents and Toby are away. Though I was told there was trouble and that I should hurry and find them so I could help Jareth."
Ludo, Hoggle, and Didymus looked at each other, then to Sarah. Hoggle spoke. "Um, Sarah, are you sure that that's what you want? To be with Jareth and Zeria for the next three months? Zeria isn't really the nicest person."
Looking at them for a second, Sarah started to answer. "Silly, I don't plan on staying with this Zeria person. I've heard of her before though, but where? Oh yeah, Ratims told me! Anyway, I only plan to stay with Jareth; I've grown to well, love him I guess. So, will you help me get the gems? Plleeaassee!?"
Sarah missed the whisper that went between Hoggle and Didymus. "I don't think we should tell her. Jareth loved her before, maybe she can get rid of Zeria."
"I think ye may be right. Methinks that Jareth doesn't really know how he feels about that witch. Let us help Sarah." When the whisper was done, Didymus answered Sarah with the answer Sarah hoped for. "All right Sarah, we'll help. One condition, we get to come along with you, on another adventure!"
"Of course, you three can come. I wouldn't have it any other way." She giggled, then smiled.
"Ludo..go with Sawah."
"Yes m'lad, Ludo go with Sarah! Ach-hem, yes. The gem is in that nest up there. Though we shan't make any noise, that bird up there just went to bed not long past. Ludo, will you allow Sarah to stand on your shoulders to get to that darn nest?"
"Ludo let Sawah use shoulders."
Sarah got on to Ludo's shoulders. When she looked into the nest, it was large enough to sleep in. But she didn't get into it because of the gigantic bird sleeping there. "Now where is that gem? Ah, here it is." She reached in front of the bird to a string that had the gem on it tied around the big bird's neck and went to get the gem. By mistake, Sarah hit the bird lightly, but that was all it took to wake the bird.
"Rakkata! What does thy think thee is ding in moi nest? Oot I says, oot!" The bird had a funny accent, but Sarah soon understood it. "Rakkata! I sayed oot!"
Sarah got off of Ludo's shoulders and decided to try and talk to the bird.
"B-beg your p-pardon Sir, but I-I was only trying to get the p-purple gem you h-have." Sarah was nervous and started to stutter when the bird stood to his full height, spreading his wings for affect. His head was all black, save for a rough outline of what looked like a claw on his forehead, the feathers a stealish color. His wings were a mixture of the two colors, with a few other shades of gray in them. His body was white, with the slightest hint of gray in them.
"Purple gem little girl? Does thy mean the one I show 'round moi nack? And don't call me 'Sir', the name's Stealclaw Ratcher! Rakkata!" He glared at Sarah with his beady jet-black eyes. Sarah didn't want to be treated as a lower subject than this rude, obnoxious, feather bag excuse for a bird!
She toughened up her attitude towards Stealclaw. "I am not a 'little girl'! My name is Sarah, Sarah Williams, and yes I mean the one around your neck! My task was to find all five gems, and I already have three. All I need is the black, and the one you wear. Now if you don't mind, may I have it?"
The bird obviously thought higher of Sarah after hearing the bravery in her voice, but he still questioned her a little. "Raka, thy is brave talking to me loik that. I shall give thee the gem, but pray tell, what does thy need et fer? Jareth has given the gem to me, so I woold loik a good reason, if thee don't moind."
"Oh, I don't mind telling you at all. Jareth is allowing me to stay with him for three months while my parents and brother are away. He has told me that if I find the five hidden gems, he will allow it to be so." She could tell that she had caught the big bird's interest.
"And how do ye know that he will keep his word?"
Sarah simply smiled. "Things aren't always what they seem, and neither are people once you get to know them, and I know Jareth enough to trust his word."
Stealclaw had a smile, or at least what a beak would allow for a smile, cross his black head. "Ye has a brave heart, ye may have the gem." He bent his head down, so Sarah could take it from around his neck.
"I thank you Stealclaw. One more question, that is if you don't mind."
"Rakkata! Not at all my dear Sarah. Ask away."
"The last gem is the black one, said to be hidden in the statues eye. Do you know where I could find it?" Stealclaw's expression went blank, the he nodded.
"Yes, I do. Head strait till ye gets to a four topped laughing willow, turn left, and ye should find the statue not far from there." He seemed pleased with himself that he was able to help her, but when he looked at her once more, he thought. "Ye doesn't know what a laughing willow is do ye?" Sarah shook her head. "Well Sarah, the willow laughs at everything. Not a very good conversationalist, always interrupting. Thy friends over younder will know what to be lookin' for. Well, I must bid ye farewell and good fortune. Good luck my little friends, and Sarah, beware Zeria, she gets jealous easily." With that he was gone.
Sir Didymus was sitting just outside the bog when one of his two friends, Hoggle, decided he was going to go home. "Guess I'll see you guys later. Bye Did, bye Ludo!" Hoggle started to walk away. He got an itch on his wrist and went to scratch it; he saw the bracelet Sarah had given him when they had fallen into that hole. "Ah, I miss ya Sarah, we all do." Just as that was said, he heard a familiar voice. He wasn't sure if he was just hearing what he wished he would, but he ran as fast as his short legs would take him. "Sarah! Is that really you? Oh please say 'tis."
Sarah turned around to see Hoggle running to her. His face lit up brighter that a light bulb, so to speak. "Sarah! It is you!"
"Hoggle!" When he reached her, she lifted him up and gave her old friend a huge hug. "Oho, Hoggle I've missed you so much. It's so good to see you" She put him down, he smiled.
"I've missed you to Sarah. Hey! Sir Didymus and Ludo are back at the bog. Come come, I'll take you to them."
"Oh yes yes! Please do! I was on my way to see Didymus anyway."
On their way, Hoggle and Sarah told each other short stories of what happened to them through the three years that they've been apart. Then Hoggle stopped, and turned slightly. "Huh? They were just here a min-"
"Roaaaaaaaaaa!"
"A yes, very good dear lad. Two more stones and we've got ourselves a new crossing. Come here Ambroshious. Good boy, now look at what good old Ludo is doing for us." Ambroshious went to turn around, then barked. Didymus turned around and nearly jumped out of his eye-patch. "My word! Sarah, is it really you I see standing there? M'lady, how you've grown. Ludo look! I say, Sarah's back."
"Sawah...back....Ludo miss Sawah." Ludo went over and gave Sarah a big furry hug.
"Oh I missed you to Ludo. Sir Didymus, Ambroshious, how are you? My it's been a while hasn't it? I'm so glad to see that you're all alive and well."
Didymus quickly wiped away a tear of joy before anyone saw. "Sarah, we've missed you so. We are all very fine, yes very fine indeed. A lot has changed since you've last been here."
Sarah nodded understandingly. "Yes, so I've heard. Didymus, I was coming to see you for help to find a gem stone. A purple one to be exact. Do you know where it is?"
"Hmm, ah yes. But why do you need them, if you don't mind me asking?"
Sarah let a shy smile show. "If I can find all five gems, I can stay with Jareth for three months, while my parents and Toby are away. Though I was told there was trouble and that I should hurry and find them so I could help Jareth."
Ludo, Hoggle, and Didymus looked at each other, then to Sarah. Hoggle spoke. "Um, Sarah, are you sure that that's what you want? To be with Jareth and Zeria for the next three months? Zeria isn't really the nicest person."
Looking at them for a second, Sarah started to answer. "Silly, I don't plan on staying with this Zeria person. I've heard of her before though, but where? Oh yeah, Ratims told me! Anyway, I only plan to stay with Jareth; I've grown to well, love him I guess. So, will you help me get the gems? Plleeaassee!?"
Sarah missed the whisper that went between Hoggle and Didymus. "I don't think we should tell her. Jareth loved her before, maybe she can get rid of Zeria."
"I think ye may be right. Methinks that Jareth doesn't really know how he feels about that witch. Let us help Sarah." When the whisper was done, Didymus answered Sarah with the answer Sarah hoped for. "All right Sarah, we'll help. One condition, we get to come along with you, on another adventure!"
"Of course, you three can come. I wouldn't have it any other way." She giggled, then smiled.
"Ludo..go with Sawah."
"Yes m'lad, Ludo go with Sarah! Ach-hem, yes. The gem is in that nest up there. Though we shan't make any noise, that bird up there just went to bed not long past. Ludo, will you allow Sarah to stand on your shoulders to get to that darn nest?"
"Ludo let Sawah use shoulders."
Sarah got on to Ludo's shoulders. When she looked into the nest, it was large enough to sleep in. But she didn't get into it because of the gigantic bird sleeping there. "Now where is that gem? Ah, here it is." She reached in front of the bird to a string that had the gem on it tied around the big bird's neck and went to get the gem. By mistake, Sarah hit the bird lightly, but that was all it took to wake the bird.
"Rakkata! What does thy think thee is ding in moi nest? Oot I says, oot!" The bird had a funny accent, but Sarah soon understood it. "Rakkata! I sayed oot!"
Sarah got off of Ludo's shoulders and decided to try and talk to the bird.
"B-beg your p-pardon Sir, but I-I was only trying to get the p-purple gem you h-have." Sarah was nervous and started to stutter when the bird stood to his full height, spreading his wings for affect. His head was all black, save for a rough outline of what looked like a claw on his forehead, the feathers a stealish color. His wings were a mixture of the two colors, with a few other shades of gray in them. His body was white, with the slightest hint of gray in them.
"Purple gem little girl? Does thy mean the one I show 'round moi nack? And don't call me 'Sir', the name's Stealclaw Ratcher! Rakkata!" He glared at Sarah with his beady jet-black eyes. Sarah didn't want to be treated as a lower subject than this rude, obnoxious, feather bag excuse for a bird!
She toughened up her attitude towards Stealclaw. "I am not a 'little girl'! My name is Sarah, Sarah Williams, and yes I mean the one around your neck! My task was to find all five gems, and I already have three. All I need is the black, and the one you wear. Now if you don't mind, may I have it?"
The bird obviously thought higher of Sarah after hearing the bravery in her voice, but he still questioned her a little. "Raka, thy is brave talking to me loik that. I shall give thee the gem, but pray tell, what does thy need et fer? Jareth has given the gem to me, so I woold loik a good reason, if thee don't moind."
"Oh, I don't mind telling you at all. Jareth is allowing me to stay with him for three months while my parents and brother are away. He has told me that if I find the five hidden gems, he will allow it to be so." She could tell that she had caught the big bird's interest.
"And how do ye know that he will keep his word?"
Sarah simply smiled. "Things aren't always what they seem, and neither are people once you get to know them, and I know Jareth enough to trust his word."
Stealclaw had a smile, or at least what a beak would allow for a smile, cross his black head. "Ye has a brave heart, ye may have the gem." He bent his head down, so Sarah could take it from around his neck.
"I thank you Stealclaw. One more question, that is if you don't mind."
"Rakkata! Not at all my dear Sarah. Ask away."
"The last gem is the black one, said to be hidden in the statues eye. Do you know where I could find it?" Stealclaw's expression went blank, the he nodded.
"Yes, I do. Head strait till ye gets to a four topped laughing willow, turn left, and ye should find the statue not far from there." He seemed pleased with himself that he was able to help her, but when he looked at her once more, he thought. "Ye doesn't know what a laughing willow is do ye?" Sarah shook her head. "Well Sarah, the willow laughs at everything. Not a very good conversationalist, always interrupting. Thy friends over younder will know what to be lookin' for. Well, I must bid ye farewell and good fortune. Good luck my little friends, and Sarah, beware Zeria, she gets jealous easily." With that he was gone.
