CHAPTER 4: OLD FRIENDS, NEW COMPANIONS
"Hello Sarah." A gruff voice greeted.
"Hoggle!" Sarah screamed with delight and hugged the little dwarf. "Hoggle I'd like you to meet my husband, Brand. Brand this is Hoggle the truest friend a girl could have."
"Greeting Hoggle, I want to thank you for keeping Sarah safe the last time she visited. Without your help, I fear I would have never met my dreams."
"It was nuthing." Hoggle grunted not looking at the man Sarah called husband, although he was very happy at being held in such esteem.
"Hoggle, we need to get to the Castle. Jareth has our friend there. Can you help us again?"
"Sure, but it aint gonna be easy yous know. The Labyrinth, its well, living again."
"With you helping us Hoggle, how can we fail!" Brand told the dwarf.
"Well then let's get going. Jus remember no saying what yous said last time, thems words always gets him angry!" Hoggle warned Sarah.
"What words?"
"Don't ask."
"It's ok Hoggle; I have a feeling that this game isn't going to be as easy."
Hoggle walked up to the wall and knocked three times, which caused a door to appear. "Come on, what yous waiting for?"
Sarah and Brand followed him into the Labyrinth again, which did indeed look livelier than their previous entry with Jo. The walls shimmered, the lichen followed their every move, and exits disappeared quicker than before and as they soon found out the challenges and riddles harder than ever.
Jo lounged on the lush green grass. The sun was pleasant, not too hot, and an occasional perfumed breeze passed her by. Jareth had disappeared after bringing her to the garden, mumbling something about having to run the kingdom. Jo took that to mean he was going to check on the progress of Sarah and Brand. Once he had left, she'd explored the garden. It was still the same as it had been twenty years ago, although Jo thought that there would have been some seating put in place by now. Unknowingly as she thought, the items appeared as she passed by. When she stopped and looked back she couldn't believe her eyes.
As she lounged Jo became aware that she was hungry and wondered where her backpack had got to. However looking towards the white marbled seating and tables that she had somehow brought into existence she wondered if she could do it again. Within seconds, she was sitting on a large blanket, with a huge picnic basket at her side containing all her favourite items of food and drink. Then looking down at herself, Jo realised that pants, boots and a shirt were not the best items to sunbathe in and they changed instantly to a black and gold bikini. 'By the Goddess, a girl could get use to this,' she thought, not questioning just why her powers had suddenly increased in their potency.
"Ello. His Majesty was wondering if you was in need of refreshment, but I can see that you've taken care of that!" A voice stated at her side a while later.
Jo raised herself up onto one elbow and lifted the sunglasses she was wearing with her free hand and stared at the being next to her. She was approximately two feet tall wearing a short tunic and trousers in a terracotta shade. Had whiskey coloured slanted eyes, pointed ears that was surrounded by copper toned light brown hair and a big mischievous grin.
"Who are you? I don't remember you from my last visit?"
"I'm Calypso or Cal for short if you like. I'm a pixie, in case you was wondering. I wandered into the Labyrinth one day, decided it was fun and didn't wander out. Although to be honest with you, I had been thinking about it, it was getting a little boring, but you're here, She's in there, His Majesty's more than a little pissed off, so everything's fun again."
"I see! So what are you doing running around being a messenger pixie for?"
"Cause the Goblins are mostly that thick, they'd screw the message up. Besides he thinks it keeps me out of trouble."
"And do you feel up to getting into some trouble?" Jo asked seizing the opportunity the Goddess had sent her.
"Depends!"
"On what?"
"What type of trouble you have in mind and if you'll let me try some of that brown stuff, you've been nibbling."
Jo looked down at the brown stuff that had been referred to. She could think of many names for it, but brown stuff wasn't one of the adjectives she would have used for a bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk Chocolate. "Ok."
Breaking off a piece of the cool chocolate, which somehow wasn't melting in the sun as it would Aboveground, Jo handed it to the pixie.
Calypso looked at it from all angles before popping it into her mouth. "Ooh, it's tasty, and soft and lovely." She said unable to give it any other description. "What do you want me to do?"
"Can you go and help my friends find their way here? I don't think Jare is playing by the rules."
"He's the King he doesn't have to?" Calypso stated simply. "I'll do it for more chocolate!"
With a little thought and a flick of her hand, Jo held out a small- insulated bag, full of small bars of chocolate, all by Cadbury's. Jo couldn't help it she was a bit of a snob when it came to chocolate, and that particular brand was her favourite.
"There you go Cal, just don't eat it all at once, you might be sick. The bag will keep them from melting."
"No problem, I shall be back soon."
Jo watched as Calypso the Pixie disappeared and then turned over to lie on her front, resting her head on her arms. Within minutes she had fallen asleep.
"What the hell is wrong with this place?" Sarah demanded as she returned to the same point in the Labyrinth for the sixth time, re-joining Brand and Hoggle.
"What's right with it?" Brand countered, "we've seen red water, purple grass and Goblins that don't attack us but just run past, point and laugh."
"Thems the babies." Hoggle explained sitting down next to Brand who was pulling out a pack of sandwiches from his backpack.
"Honey, have something to eat and think about it."
"Hoggle you must know a way out."
"Sorry Sarah but Ise aint ever seen this part of the Labyrinth before."
"Are you telling me this is new? Goddess help me, when I get hold of that flounced up fairy I'm going to knock him into next week. This isn't fair!" Sarah screamed into the atmosphere.
Hoggle groaned loudly then bit into the tuna fish sandwich that Brand handed to him. Sarah reluctantly joined them not knowing what else to do. The three paths that they'd all been through at least once silently mocked her. Each went off in a different direction but all ended in the same spot.
Their peaceful contemplation was ruined moments later by very heavy footsteps pounding through the forest nearby and faint hollers of "Tally Ho." Sarah and Hoggle looked at one another and smiled. Help was on its way.
"Why aren't we getting up and leaving?" Brand enquired as the noises became louder.
"Relax, they're friends."
"So you hope!" Brand retorted.
Jareth was in one of his turret rooms, away from the noise and chaos of the castle's occupants. He was watching Sarah's journey through the Labyrinth, and was in a fairly good mood when the group had finally been stumped at the arches. They only had two hours left, this time he thought he would win. The Goblin King looked down at his current guest, who was lying in the sun, and showing more flesh than he deemed appropriate outside a bedchamber. Deciding to go down and reprimand her, Jareth took one last look in the crystal to find that the group had been joined by not only the fox and the monster but also by Calypso! Her last mission had been to ask his guest if she required a repast, but now the damn pixie was in the Labyrinth and could have only been sent in by Jo. Suddenly he had a different reason to see his guest and his mood was no longer playful.
When he reached her, Jo was fast asleep, tossing and turning on the blanket. Jareth lowered himself and lounged by her side, one leg stretched out the other bent. Reaching out he removed a strand of hair that had got caught on her face and let it trail across his gloved hand. All thoughts of reprimands and chastisement had flown from his head, all he wanted now was to know what was going on in her head.
In her head Jo was at a Latino style nightclub where the alcohol was strong enough to sterilise surgical equipment and the dancing left you wondering if the dancers Siamese twins joined at the groin and chest.
Slowly she moved past the dancers searching, always searching, for him. The man of her fantasies. Sometimes Jo thought she had found him, but the eyes were always wrong. "Usted desear para bailar bonito señora ?" A man questioned.
"Ningún gracias senor." Jo answered and continued to look for him.
The man who had asked her to dance watched her leave admiring the sway of the long red hair, that had been left unbound, and the tempting movements of her body as she moved to the hot Latino music unconsciously, the short black dress revealing shapely legs that ended in very high heels. José thought that the person she was looking for was a very lucky person indeed.
Then when she was about to leave she saw him, he was standing near the bar in shadow. Jo knew it was him, every part of her body screamed for him and slowly, keeping her eyes locked with his mis-matched blue and brown eyes, she walked towards him.
He was dressed in a black mesh T, tight black leather pants, his blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail and black gloves covered his hands. Jo stood in front of him and took his drink out of his hand and sipped it slowly, before speaking. "I've been searching for you!"
"Really? Why?" The mystery man of her dreams sounded bored but intrigued.
"Truthfully, I'm not sure." Emptying the glass, Jo reach past him placing the glass on the bar, and then letting her hand slide down to his leather covered behind.
"You are exceeding the bounds of familiarity." He stated and removed her hand, keeping it in his grasp however.
Jo smiled, a slight upturning of the glossy red lips and cast him a seductive glance from under black lashes. "Dance with me!" she demanded and reached out to put her hand into his blond hair.
In the garden Jo shifted and turned into Jareth her dream words reaching his ears and her hand cupping his head. A shock ran through him as suddenly he found himself being pulled onto a dance floor, with people dancing as if they were performing a mating ritual.
"What have you done to me?" Jareth asked looking at Jo as she moved to the music in front of him.
"Me done to you? Oh no. You're the one who started this. Always I'm looking for you but until tonight I've never found you?" Jo answered looping her arms around his neck, bringing her body close to his.
Jareth's heart almost stopped beating at the sensations running through him, and he braced her to him with a strong arm around her back. Using his arm to keep her balance, Jo leaned backwards, her hips adulating to the music and her hair swept the floor, and Jareth to a deep breath to order his body to remain in control. When he could bear no more he gripped her by a strand of hair and pulled her upwards turning her so that they were both facing the same way.
His right arm remained at her waist, while his left hand found a natural resting place on the black stocking clad left thigh. Jareth moved and placed his right leg in between Jo's and began to move the way he'd been watching the other male dancers. With possessive movements and a predatory manner, forcing Jo to move as he did. After a few minutes Jo turned into him, her eyes closed her lips slightly parted in pleasure. One arm wrapped itself around his neck the other cupped his buttocks as they moved together. Keeping the arm around her waist Jareth buried the other hand deep into the mass of curls and brought his lips down to hers.
Electric shocks danced along their skin and they both drew back in wonder staring at each other. Jareth lifted her up so she looked down at him briefly, before he slowly brought her back down his body allowing no space between them. He caught her soft gasp with his lips as she realised how aroused he was. "Are you mated?" He asked desperately.
"Mated?" Jo replied confused as he kissed her again.
"Do you share you body with another?"
"No. There is no-one at the moment."
"And there never will be again. You are mine, Jordan!" He said kissing her passionately. "I will tolerate no other man touching you."
"I don't even know your name, yet I know you in my heart."
"My name is Jareth, Jordan. Your magickal forever friend." He replied holding her close and kissing her deeply.
Jo woke wrapped in Jareth's arms, her head rested on his chest, their legs entangled. Her lips felt bruised and swollen, her body tingled as if she had performed a full ritual and forgotten to ground herself after it. Jo attempted to ease herself away but at her slight movement Jareth pulled her back. She'd found him in her dream she remembered. At first it was just like her other dreams but then something had changed. She looked at the peaceful face of the Goblin King. Never had she seen him so relaxed. Jo lifted a hand and traced the outline of his lips, before pushing a strand of hair behind his ear, and felt her fingers tingle. Just as they had done in her dream when she had asked her fantasy to dance. 'No' she wondered, 'could I have done it? Did I bring Jareth into my dream world?' Judging by the way they were lying together, it was a strong possibility Jo realised, but how far had reality and fantasy mixed?
"Hello Sarah." A gruff voice greeted.
"Hoggle!" Sarah screamed with delight and hugged the little dwarf. "Hoggle I'd like you to meet my husband, Brand. Brand this is Hoggle the truest friend a girl could have."
"Greeting Hoggle, I want to thank you for keeping Sarah safe the last time she visited. Without your help, I fear I would have never met my dreams."
"It was nuthing." Hoggle grunted not looking at the man Sarah called husband, although he was very happy at being held in such esteem.
"Hoggle, we need to get to the Castle. Jareth has our friend there. Can you help us again?"
"Sure, but it aint gonna be easy yous know. The Labyrinth, its well, living again."
"With you helping us Hoggle, how can we fail!" Brand told the dwarf.
"Well then let's get going. Jus remember no saying what yous said last time, thems words always gets him angry!" Hoggle warned Sarah.
"What words?"
"Don't ask."
"It's ok Hoggle; I have a feeling that this game isn't going to be as easy."
Hoggle walked up to the wall and knocked three times, which caused a door to appear. "Come on, what yous waiting for?"
Sarah and Brand followed him into the Labyrinth again, which did indeed look livelier than their previous entry with Jo. The walls shimmered, the lichen followed their every move, and exits disappeared quicker than before and as they soon found out the challenges and riddles harder than ever.
Jo lounged on the lush green grass. The sun was pleasant, not too hot, and an occasional perfumed breeze passed her by. Jareth had disappeared after bringing her to the garden, mumbling something about having to run the kingdom. Jo took that to mean he was going to check on the progress of Sarah and Brand. Once he had left, she'd explored the garden. It was still the same as it had been twenty years ago, although Jo thought that there would have been some seating put in place by now. Unknowingly as she thought, the items appeared as she passed by. When she stopped and looked back she couldn't believe her eyes.
As she lounged Jo became aware that she was hungry and wondered where her backpack had got to. However looking towards the white marbled seating and tables that she had somehow brought into existence she wondered if she could do it again. Within seconds, she was sitting on a large blanket, with a huge picnic basket at her side containing all her favourite items of food and drink. Then looking down at herself, Jo realised that pants, boots and a shirt were not the best items to sunbathe in and they changed instantly to a black and gold bikini. 'By the Goddess, a girl could get use to this,' she thought, not questioning just why her powers had suddenly increased in their potency.
"Ello. His Majesty was wondering if you was in need of refreshment, but I can see that you've taken care of that!" A voice stated at her side a while later.
Jo raised herself up onto one elbow and lifted the sunglasses she was wearing with her free hand and stared at the being next to her. She was approximately two feet tall wearing a short tunic and trousers in a terracotta shade. Had whiskey coloured slanted eyes, pointed ears that was surrounded by copper toned light brown hair and a big mischievous grin.
"Who are you? I don't remember you from my last visit?"
"I'm Calypso or Cal for short if you like. I'm a pixie, in case you was wondering. I wandered into the Labyrinth one day, decided it was fun and didn't wander out. Although to be honest with you, I had been thinking about it, it was getting a little boring, but you're here, She's in there, His Majesty's more than a little pissed off, so everything's fun again."
"I see! So what are you doing running around being a messenger pixie for?"
"Cause the Goblins are mostly that thick, they'd screw the message up. Besides he thinks it keeps me out of trouble."
"And do you feel up to getting into some trouble?" Jo asked seizing the opportunity the Goddess had sent her.
"Depends!"
"On what?"
"What type of trouble you have in mind and if you'll let me try some of that brown stuff, you've been nibbling."
Jo looked down at the brown stuff that had been referred to. She could think of many names for it, but brown stuff wasn't one of the adjectives she would have used for a bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk Chocolate. "Ok."
Breaking off a piece of the cool chocolate, which somehow wasn't melting in the sun as it would Aboveground, Jo handed it to the pixie.
Calypso looked at it from all angles before popping it into her mouth. "Ooh, it's tasty, and soft and lovely." She said unable to give it any other description. "What do you want me to do?"
"Can you go and help my friends find their way here? I don't think Jare is playing by the rules."
"He's the King he doesn't have to?" Calypso stated simply. "I'll do it for more chocolate!"
With a little thought and a flick of her hand, Jo held out a small- insulated bag, full of small bars of chocolate, all by Cadbury's. Jo couldn't help it she was a bit of a snob when it came to chocolate, and that particular brand was her favourite.
"There you go Cal, just don't eat it all at once, you might be sick. The bag will keep them from melting."
"No problem, I shall be back soon."
Jo watched as Calypso the Pixie disappeared and then turned over to lie on her front, resting her head on her arms. Within minutes she had fallen asleep.
"What the hell is wrong with this place?" Sarah demanded as she returned to the same point in the Labyrinth for the sixth time, re-joining Brand and Hoggle.
"What's right with it?" Brand countered, "we've seen red water, purple grass and Goblins that don't attack us but just run past, point and laugh."
"Thems the babies." Hoggle explained sitting down next to Brand who was pulling out a pack of sandwiches from his backpack.
"Honey, have something to eat and think about it."
"Hoggle you must know a way out."
"Sorry Sarah but Ise aint ever seen this part of the Labyrinth before."
"Are you telling me this is new? Goddess help me, when I get hold of that flounced up fairy I'm going to knock him into next week. This isn't fair!" Sarah screamed into the atmosphere.
Hoggle groaned loudly then bit into the tuna fish sandwich that Brand handed to him. Sarah reluctantly joined them not knowing what else to do. The three paths that they'd all been through at least once silently mocked her. Each went off in a different direction but all ended in the same spot.
Their peaceful contemplation was ruined moments later by very heavy footsteps pounding through the forest nearby and faint hollers of "Tally Ho." Sarah and Hoggle looked at one another and smiled. Help was on its way.
"Why aren't we getting up and leaving?" Brand enquired as the noises became louder.
"Relax, they're friends."
"So you hope!" Brand retorted.
Jareth was in one of his turret rooms, away from the noise and chaos of the castle's occupants. He was watching Sarah's journey through the Labyrinth, and was in a fairly good mood when the group had finally been stumped at the arches. They only had two hours left, this time he thought he would win. The Goblin King looked down at his current guest, who was lying in the sun, and showing more flesh than he deemed appropriate outside a bedchamber. Deciding to go down and reprimand her, Jareth took one last look in the crystal to find that the group had been joined by not only the fox and the monster but also by Calypso! Her last mission had been to ask his guest if she required a repast, but now the damn pixie was in the Labyrinth and could have only been sent in by Jo. Suddenly he had a different reason to see his guest and his mood was no longer playful.
When he reached her, Jo was fast asleep, tossing and turning on the blanket. Jareth lowered himself and lounged by her side, one leg stretched out the other bent. Reaching out he removed a strand of hair that had got caught on her face and let it trail across his gloved hand. All thoughts of reprimands and chastisement had flown from his head, all he wanted now was to know what was going on in her head.
In her head Jo was at a Latino style nightclub where the alcohol was strong enough to sterilise surgical equipment and the dancing left you wondering if the dancers Siamese twins joined at the groin and chest.
Slowly she moved past the dancers searching, always searching, for him. The man of her fantasies. Sometimes Jo thought she had found him, but the eyes were always wrong. "Usted desear para bailar bonito señora ?" A man questioned.
"Ningún gracias senor." Jo answered and continued to look for him.
The man who had asked her to dance watched her leave admiring the sway of the long red hair, that had been left unbound, and the tempting movements of her body as she moved to the hot Latino music unconsciously, the short black dress revealing shapely legs that ended in very high heels. José thought that the person she was looking for was a very lucky person indeed.
Then when she was about to leave she saw him, he was standing near the bar in shadow. Jo knew it was him, every part of her body screamed for him and slowly, keeping her eyes locked with his mis-matched blue and brown eyes, she walked towards him.
He was dressed in a black mesh T, tight black leather pants, his blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail and black gloves covered his hands. Jo stood in front of him and took his drink out of his hand and sipped it slowly, before speaking. "I've been searching for you!"
"Really? Why?" The mystery man of her dreams sounded bored but intrigued.
"Truthfully, I'm not sure." Emptying the glass, Jo reach past him placing the glass on the bar, and then letting her hand slide down to his leather covered behind.
"You are exceeding the bounds of familiarity." He stated and removed her hand, keeping it in his grasp however.
Jo smiled, a slight upturning of the glossy red lips and cast him a seductive glance from under black lashes. "Dance with me!" she demanded and reached out to put her hand into his blond hair.
In the garden Jo shifted and turned into Jareth her dream words reaching his ears and her hand cupping his head. A shock ran through him as suddenly he found himself being pulled onto a dance floor, with people dancing as if they were performing a mating ritual.
"What have you done to me?" Jareth asked looking at Jo as she moved to the music in front of him.
"Me done to you? Oh no. You're the one who started this. Always I'm looking for you but until tonight I've never found you?" Jo answered looping her arms around his neck, bringing her body close to his.
Jareth's heart almost stopped beating at the sensations running through him, and he braced her to him with a strong arm around her back. Using his arm to keep her balance, Jo leaned backwards, her hips adulating to the music and her hair swept the floor, and Jareth to a deep breath to order his body to remain in control. When he could bear no more he gripped her by a strand of hair and pulled her upwards turning her so that they were both facing the same way.
His right arm remained at her waist, while his left hand found a natural resting place on the black stocking clad left thigh. Jareth moved and placed his right leg in between Jo's and began to move the way he'd been watching the other male dancers. With possessive movements and a predatory manner, forcing Jo to move as he did. After a few minutes Jo turned into him, her eyes closed her lips slightly parted in pleasure. One arm wrapped itself around his neck the other cupped his buttocks as they moved together. Keeping the arm around her waist Jareth buried the other hand deep into the mass of curls and brought his lips down to hers.
Electric shocks danced along their skin and they both drew back in wonder staring at each other. Jareth lifted her up so she looked down at him briefly, before he slowly brought her back down his body allowing no space between them. He caught her soft gasp with his lips as she realised how aroused he was. "Are you mated?" He asked desperately.
"Mated?" Jo replied confused as he kissed her again.
"Do you share you body with another?"
"No. There is no-one at the moment."
"And there never will be again. You are mine, Jordan!" He said kissing her passionately. "I will tolerate no other man touching you."
"I don't even know your name, yet I know you in my heart."
"My name is Jareth, Jordan. Your magickal forever friend." He replied holding her close and kissing her deeply.
Jo woke wrapped in Jareth's arms, her head rested on his chest, their legs entangled. Her lips felt bruised and swollen, her body tingled as if she had performed a full ritual and forgotten to ground herself after it. Jo attempted to ease herself away but at her slight movement Jareth pulled her back. She'd found him in her dream she remembered. At first it was just like her other dreams but then something had changed. She looked at the peaceful face of the Goblin King. Never had she seen him so relaxed. Jo lifted a hand and traced the outline of his lips, before pushing a strand of hair behind his ear, and felt her fingers tingle. Just as they had done in her dream when she had asked her fantasy to dance. 'No' she wondered, 'could I have done it? Did I bring Jareth into my dream world?' Judging by the way they were lying together, it was a strong possibility Jo realised, but how far had reality and fantasy mixed?