Chapter Six - The Northern Gate
******
Hoggle the Dwarf began his morning ritual around the Labyrinth's perimeter. The
fairies were beginning to get out of hand that year. They bred faster than he could
spray them. He was pretty much alone on the outer edge. That 'little incident' fifteen
years ago had led to his eventual banishment from Goblin City and he was now forced
to scrape a living together on the outer edge taking care of the plants and occasionally
trading the odd trinket. He hardly saw anyone nowadays. Nobody came to solve the
Labyrinth anymore as the old legend disappeared into the mists of time and from the
memories of the mortal children. Sad really, no more entertainment. Imagine his
surprise when the Northern Gate was suddenly flung open and a pale, thin young
woman with mousy hair rushed out of it. She was crying bitterly and her long black
dress was dirty around the bottom.
"That must have been the Lady Arian." he thought to himself. Oh yes, he's heard of
the mysterious Black Star from the foreign traders across the border. Stories of her
intellect were widespread in the Underground but so were tales of her indifference.
"Too bright by half and twice as distant." they'd say "But that's nothing compared to
her father."
The girl didn't look anything like a Black Star to Hoggle. Just a strange and unhappy
child. But then, who wouldn't be if they had Jareth for a father? She hadn't noticed
him, so for a few moments he watched the fragile looking child slide down into a
sitting position against the wall and bury her face in her hands. Her long, tangled braid
trailed on the dusty ground.
"Something on your mind?" he said loudly.
Arian jumped with fright when she heard the voice and looked up suddenly. Her dark,
red rimmed eyes met with the pale blue ones of a little dwarf with a face like a rotten
apple.
"Oh! Jesus! Don't do that!" she cried.
"I don't know. Ya shows a little concern for someone and they goes off and shout at
ya." said the dwarf indignantly.
"I'm sorry. You just scared me, that's all."
"That's quite all right. I tend to have that effect on women!" said Hoggle and waggled
his eyebrows playfully.
Arian laughed for the first time in ages. "You're a dwarf aren't you?"
"Aww! What gave me away?" said Hoggle jokingly and proceeded to turn around
trying to find some telltale sign of his racial origin (which was everything). "I've never
seen you before." he said when he had finished "Am I right in guessing that you're the
Lady Arianhad, his Majesty's daughter?"
"Yes. I'm afraid so. I don't usually go outside the Labyrinth." replied Arian, drying her
eyes on her sleeve. "I keep meaning to, but I've never got round to it."
"Well, there's not much here." said Hoggle, conversationally "Just my house, the pond
and the morning glories, and the fairies of course." To prove his point, the dwarf
sprayed one out of the air and stamped on it.
"You're horrible!" said Arian.
"No I ain't. I'm Hoggle!" said Hoggle angrily "And for your information, I only sprays
them with instant starch. It doesn't kill them, but they glide up the windows!" Arian
giggled again. On those rare occasions when she did smile, she could be quite
beautiful. "So what's the matter?" said the dwarf kindly.
"Oh nothing. I had an argument with my father."
"He ain't done nothing to harm ya, has he?"
"No. He just wants me to learn magic even though I'm useless at it."
"Well that's what learnin's for, ain't it?" said Hoggle "To get better at things."
"But I don't want to get better at it!" cried Arian angrily "The whole thing makes me
feel ill!"
"You're a funny one ain't ya! I know hundreds of young girls who would give their
right arm to learn magic."
"All the girls that you're likely to know, wish their brothers and sisters away. Should I
follow that example as well?"
Hoggle paused. She had point there. "Well, I suggest you stay on his good side. I
disobeyed him once and I got banished."
"Banished! What for?" asked Arian, eyes wide with curiosity.
"I can't say right now. It's not safe." said Hoggle nervously, looking from side to side.
"All I can say now is that you should go and apologise and give the magic thing a try.
You never know, you might grow to like it."
"OK. Bye then. Nice talking to you, Hogwart." said Arian.
"It's Hoggle!" growled the dwarf angrily as she made her way back to the castle.
******
Hoggle the Dwarf began his morning ritual around the Labyrinth's perimeter. The
fairies were beginning to get out of hand that year. They bred faster than he could
spray them. He was pretty much alone on the outer edge. That 'little incident' fifteen
years ago had led to his eventual banishment from Goblin City and he was now forced
to scrape a living together on the outer edge taking care of the plants and occasionally
trading the odd trinket. He hardly saw anyone nowadays. Nobody came to solve the
Labyrinth anymore as the old legend disappeared into the mists of time and from the
memories of the mortal children. Sad really, no more entertainment. Imagine his
surprise when the Northern Gate was suddenly flung open and a pale, thin young
woman with mousy hair rushed out of it. She was crying bitterly and her long black
dress was dirty around the bottom.
"That must have been the Lady Arian." he thought to himself. Oh yes, he's heard of
the mysterious Black Star from the foreign traders across the border. Stories of her
intellect were widespread in the Underground but so were tales of her indifference.
"Too bright by half and twice as distant." they'd say "But that's nothing compared to
her father."
The girl didn't look anything like a Black Star to Hoggle. Just a strange and unhappy
child. But then, who wouldn't be if they had Jareth for a father? She hadn't noticed
him, so for a few moments he watched the fragile looking child slide down into a
sitting position against the wall and bury her face in her hands. Her long, tangled braid
trailed on the dusty ground.
"Something on your mind?" he said loudly.
Arian jumped with fright when she heard the voice and looked up suddenly. Her dark,
red rimmed eyes met with the pale blue ones of a little dwarf with a face like a rotten
apple.
"Oh! Jesus! Don't do that!" she cried.
"I don't know. Ya shows a little concern for someone and they goes off and shout at
ya." said the dwarf indignantly.
"I'm sorry. You just scared me, that's all."
"That's quite all right. I tend to have that effect on women!" said Hoggle and waggled
his eyebrows playfully.
Arian laughed for the first time in ages. "You're a dwarf aren't you?"
"Aww! What gave me away?" said Hoggle jokingly and proceeded to turn around
trying to find some telltale sign of his racial origin (which was everything). "I've never
seen you before." he said when he had finished "Am I right in guessing that you're the
Lady Arianhad, his Majesty's daughter?"
"Yes. I'm afraid so. I don't usually go outside the Labyrinth." replied Arian, drying her
eyes on her sleeve. "I keep meaning to, but I've never got round to it."
"Well, there's not much here." said Hoggle, conversationally "Just my house, the pond
and the morning glories, and the fairies of course." To prove his point, the dwarf
sprayed one out of the air and stamped on it.
"You're horrible!" said Arian.
"No I ain't. I'm Hoggle!" said Hoggle angrily "And for your information, I only sprays
them with instant starch. It doesn't kill them, but they glide up the windows!" Arian
giggled again. On those rare occasions when she did smile, she could be quite
beautiful. "So what's the matter?" said the dwarf kindly.
"Oh nothing. I had an argument with my father."
"He ain't done nothing to harm ya, has he?"
"No. He just wants me to learn magic even though I'm useless at it."
"Well that's what learnin's for, ain't it?" said Hoggle "To get better at things."
"But I don't want to get better at it!" cried Arian angrily "The whole thing makes me
feel ill!"
"You're a funny one ain't ya! I know hundreds of young girls who would give their
right arm to learn magic."
"All the girls that you're likely to know, wish their brothers and sisters away. Should I
follow that example as well?"
Hoggle paused. She had point there. "Well, I suggest you stay on his good side. I
disobeyed him once and I got banished."
"Banished! What for?" asked Arian, eyes wide with curiosity.
"I can't say right now. It's not safe." said Hoggle nervously, looking from side to side.
"All I can say now is that you should go and apologise and give the magic thing a try.
You never know, you might grow to like it."
"OK. Bye then. Nice talking to you, Hogwart." said Arian.
"It's Hoggle!" growled the dwarf angrily as she made her way back to the castle.