Chapter Eighteen - Stressful Day
"What!?!" cried Sarah. She knew there had to be something sinister about the girl but
nothing could have prepared her for this. She just thought the girl was a servant or a
spy. A child of the Goblin King? The very idea was too extraordinary to contemplate.
"Well not biologically." said Arian trying in vain to calm the woman down. "I was
wished away when I was very young and he adopted me."
"And you're OK with that?"
"Not really! I only found out when Hogbrain here had to open his big mouth."
"It's HOGGLE!!" screamed the dwarf angrily.
"I didn't know the Goblin King had a daughter!" said Sarah.
"Well if you had bothered to call, missy, I would have told ya." snapped Hoggle.
"Oh! Right. Sorry about that." she replied sheepishly then turned back to Arian "But
why? What are you doing here? You haven't run away, have you?"
"No! Of course not." said Arian defensively "Well, at least, I intend to go back. Just
not right now."
"What's happened?" said Sarah staring wide-eyed at the strange girl in front of her.
"I really don't want to talk about it." replied the girl suddenly looking very harassed
and fragile. "I've been walking round in circles all day and squashed into trains and
things and I'd really like to lie down now." It was the truth. She was exhausted from
her little outing with Hoggle. The hot and muggy day had not helped with its mixture
of carbon monoxide and human perspiration and although it was early April the city
still felt like it was under the searing grill of summer.
Ten minutes later and Arian was fast asleep in the only bedroom while Sarah and
Hoggle caught up over a mug of instant coffee. Inevitably the conversation led to the
slumbering girl above them.
"So what's wrong with her?" asked Sarah.
"Nothing's wrong with hers. She just wanted some time out." replied the dwarf. "His
Majesty's been pressuring her to take over the kingdom and she's wants no part in it."
"Poor thing. It must be horrible being stuck all alone in that castle with Him."
"Well I don't know her that well, but I think she's a tad neglected." said Hoggle,
always one for gossip. "Jareth's been pretty preoccupied with foreign affairs these last
few years so she's been alone for a long time. And now she's supposed to learn magic
and become a princess just like that! Yous can see how stressful it must be."
"Sounds terrible!" said Sarah. She knew full well what it was like to be ignored as a
child. She would have to make this kid feel accepted and make her stay as enjoyable
as it could be. It was a good idea to always let the child open up to you in their own
time once you earn their trust...
"What!?!" cried Sarah. She knew there had to be something sinister about the girl but
nothing could have prepared her for this. She just thought the girl was a servant or a
spy. A child of the Goblin King? The very idea was too extraordinary to contemplate.
"Well not biologically." said Arian trying in vain to calm the woman down. "I was
wished away when I was very young and he adopted me."
"And you're OK with that?"
"Not really! I only found out when Hogbrain here had to open his big mouth."
"It's HOGGLE!!" screamed the dwarf angrily.
"I didn't know the Goblin King had a daughter!" said Sarah.
"Well if you had bothered to call, missy, I would have told ya." snapped Hoggle.
"Oh! Right. Sorry about that." she replied sheepishly then turned back to Arian "But
why? What are you doing here? You haven't run away, have you?"
"No! Of course not." said Arian defensively "Well, at least, I intend to go back. Just
not right now."
"What's happened?" said Sarah staring wide-eyed at the strange girl in front of her.
"I really don't want to talk about it." replied the girl suddenly looking very harassed
and fragile. "I've been walking round in circles all day and squashed into trains and
things and I'd really like to lie down now." It was the truth. She was exhausted from
her little outing with Hoggle. The hot and muggy day had not helped with its mixture
of carbon monoxide and human perspiration and although it was early April the city
still felt like it was under the searing grill of summer.
Ten minutes later and Arian was fast asleep in the only bedroom while Sarah and
Hoggle caught up over a mug of instant coffee. Inevitably the conversation led to the
slumbering girl above them.
"So what's wrong with her?" asked Sarah.
"Nothing's wrong with hers. She just wanted some time out." replied the dwarf. "His
Majesty's been pressuring her to take over the kingdom and she's wants no part in it."
"Poor thing. It must be horrible being stuck all alone in that castle with Him."
"Well I don't know her that well, but I think she's a tad neglected." said Hoggle,
always one for gossip. "Jareth's been pretty preoccupied with foreign affairs these last
few years so she's been alone for a long time. And now she's supposed to learn magic
and become a princess just like that! Yous can see how stressful it must be."
"Sounds terrible!" said Sarah. She knew full well what it was like to be ignored as a
child. She would have to make this kid feel accepted and make her stay as enjoyable
as it could be. It was a good idea to always let the child open up to you in their own
time once you earn their trust...