Chapter 5: A New Labyrinth
The next day Sarah got sick of orders. What was it about that man that brought out such rebellious courage in her? She slipped out of the castle and began to roam the city. She found a point in the wall that was perfect for escape. She was dually surprised to find a perfect way down on the other side. "Please don't let this be a trap..." she whispered to herself. She entered the junkyard hesitantly. "Lord, help me find my friends, please!" she cried softly. All around her the Labyrinth seemed to moan and shiver, but Sarah took no notice of it. She turned a corner then looked back. What she saw startled her. She was looking back exactly the way she came! The Labyrinth hadn't moved! "Thank you, Lord! Now, which way do I go?"
Jareth felt a jolt in the Labyrinth. Moving to the window, he could see the Labyrinth had ceased its endless twisting. "What is going on?" he growled under his breath. Then he saw her. "That cursed mortal!" She had released the beast and the dog knight already. Now she was close to finding that dwarf at the outer bounds. With a roar of frustration, he flung a crystal to the ground and disappeared in a swirl of glitter.
Sarah had found the dwarf she most wanted to see, and found he'd missed her too. He loved her new light-hearted spirit. She was no longer a whiny teenager, but she'd lost none of her courage!
"How'd you gets back to us, Missy?" Hoggle had asked in surprise.
Sarah laughed at the irony of her situation. She had become the only one to beat the Labyrinth and now she'd been wished away! "My friend accidentally wished me away actually."
"I was awonderin' why the Labyrinth stopped movin'. Seems you haven't lost yer charm."
Sarah laughed again, and Hoggle hoped she'd do it again. The last time she'd been whiny and worried. Now she had a musical laugh that came easily to her. Her laughter died suddenly, however. Hoggle turned to see Jareth leaning against one of the stone walls. His nonchalant posture did nothing to hide the fact that he was furious! Ludo was cowering hoping not to be seen. Sir Didymus gave a hesitant bow, but Hoggle held his chin up. He'd learned a lot from Sarah, but he knew the King was different now and more dangerous. He could see the King was mad!
"It seems you have made a career out of defying me," Jareth said coolly though his tone held thunder beneath it.
"Oh, contraire, Goblin King! It is no work at all to defy someone like you!" Though her chin was raised in defiance, Sarah wondered where in the world this courage was coming from. Jareth was powerful and he was angry. Why did she feel the need to be the thorn in his side? Suddenly he was mere inches from her.
"I could break your fiery spirit, Sarah... Do you really want to know the consequences for angering me?"
He was so close she could taste the temptation he was testing her with. Her gaze hardened.
"You cannot tempt me, Goblin King!" she said firmly as she looked straight into his icy stare. But Jareth had more tricks up his sleeve.
"Well then... You can solve the Labyrinth on your way back to the castle. And I would suggest you return before nightfall. If darkness descends with you still in my maze, I will see if your friend's spirit is so tough!" With his threat hanging in the air, Jareth disappeared.
"No!" Sarah shouted at the place he'd been standing. "You can't hurt Elaine!"
"He can and will, Missy," Hoggle said. "The King's been a lot worse since you was here last. His mood's is blacker, and his threat's is darker."
"Then I can't just stand here!" Sarah exclaimed her eyes widening. "I have to get back to the castle and rescue Elaine!"
"Tally ho then!' Didymus replied with a grin on his fox-like face.
"Wait!" Hoggle cautioned. "You know what happened the last time we disobeyed him!"
Sarah put her hand on Hoggle's shoulder.
"Hoggle, weren't all three of you standing here with me already defying him when he appeared?"
"Well, yeah..." Hoggle said fidgeting.
"And did he say anything of it to the three of you when he did appear?"
"Well, no..."
"Did Jareth say anything about the three of you not helping me?"
Hoggle smiled. "No... no he didn't!" Sarah smiled mischievously. "Hang it all, Sarah, I think you're as crafty as he is!" This made Sarah laugh, but the four friends immediately started for the castle. "He is asking the impossible. You know that don't you, Sarah?"
"What do you mean, Hoggle?"
"Watch out!" Hoggle yelled as he pulled her back from walking in front of a gorgeous large flower that seemed in some way related to a lily of her world.
"Hoggle, it's a flower..."
"Watch and learn, Missy..."
Hoggle kicked a large stone into the flower's path. The flower shook the came alive with teeth! It lunged on the rock and swallowed it whole!
"Now we can go..." Hoggle said moving the company past the flower. "There's many new dangers in the Labyrinth, Missy. Tiger lilies is only one of 'em!"
Sarah looked at the flower once more... "He's become more dangerous..."
"You have no idea, milady..." Didymus commented.
"What happened?" Sarah asked.
"You would probably have something to do with it," Hoggle said. "Not long after you beat him, he started all this dangerous stuff..." Hoggle stopped abruptly.
"What?" Sarah asked.
"He don't like no one talkin' about it, and he's always listenin'..."
"Hoggle, are you afraid of him or not?" Sarah finally asked. She was starting to get really confused.
"It ain't the same, Missy," Hoggle said then looked around. "I wasn't afraid of him after you left, but then he started all them new dangers. He ain't the same King you met Sarah; I ain't got the same fear... Before I was afraid of the Bog, now I'm afraid for me life!" Sarah understood. She'd seen the difference in Jareth... "Oh no!" Sarah cried looking into the sky. "The sun is setting, and we haven't gotten to the castle yet!" Sarah tried diligently to hurry, but Hoggle had to keep her safe from many new dangers. Sarah felt desperation taking over her as darkness descended...