See? See? I told you. Ten minuets. Well this chapter is much longer and I hope more enjoyable for that reason.

Now, you read the chapter while I see to my wounds.

Chapter 7: Encounters

The next thing Sarah knew she was waking up on the forest floor with a start. She choked and coughed up some water. She looked around her and shivered. It looked like the forest in which they had met the fireys, but the feeling she got here was far more sinister. She shivered again wrapping her arms around herself as she walked through the trees. The sky was pitch black and she could hear things moving in the undergrowth.

"Suddenly Jareth's company is much more appealing." She mumbled to herself, using the sound of her own voice to ward off the feeling of dread that was creeping up on her.

"Well, I'm not Jareth, but I'm far superior to that merciful fool." Sarah spun around to see Aaron standing a few feet behind her.

"Oh don't look so surprised. You think I would leave my lady alone in a dark dangerous place such as this?"

Sarah took a step back and glared at him. "I can take care of myself." It was spoken firmly with a confidence that belayed her rising fear.

He smiled slightly "Can you? Is that why you're afraid of me Sarah?"

"I am not afraid of you." She spat out moving backwards again.

"Yes you are." Aaron stepped forward and grabbed Sarah by her upper arms. "That's just the way it is. You will fear and love me."

Sarah shivered as the words conjured up memories of her face off with Jareth. It made her realise how 'generous' he had actually been. He had asked her, given her a choice. Aaron was telling her that there was no way around it.

She looked up into his onyx eyes. "Why are you here? I still have a day left."

His face became angry suddenly. "I reasoned that if Jareth can have his way with you, so can I."

She was about to deny his statement when his mouth descended on hers. She tried to struggle but he had her pinned up against a tree. Aaron tried to force his tongue into her mouth but when she resisted he bit down hard on her lip drawing blood and causing her to cry out against his kisses and he used this opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth, savagely exploring with both his tongue and hands. She cried out again as he fondled her breast painfully. She could feel that he was hard as he ground his hips against hers. She slipped a hand free and managed to push him off her. He stumbled back slightly breathing hard.

She moved away from the tree. "I haven't lost yet. I will never love you or fear you. Your nothing but a coward that hides behind powers and a kingdom."

He hit her again with such force that she went flying back and hit a log. When she looked up he was gone. She rolled over groaning at the pain in her back and looked up at the starless sky.

"I really have to learn to keep my stupid mouth shut."

Sarah stumbled over the uneven ground. It had been about 2 hours since her unpleasant encounter with Aaron and she still hadn't seen anything alive since. She stopped at a small stream to wash her face and hands. There was still blood on her face from where Aaron had bitten and hit her. She washed her arms and chest, unconsciously scrubbing harder where he had touched her. She felt physically sick at the thought of him touching her again.

"This SUCKS!" she said loudly her voice echoing off into the night.

Oh yeah, bright Williams. Why not just send up a flare to tell all the beasties where you are!!

A loud howl echoed back to her and Sarah jumped about ten feet. She calmed down trying not to concentrate on her heart, which was pounding at about 400 bpm in her throat. As she got closer to the mournful sound she began to recognise it.

Ludo?

She peeked out from behind a bush and had to suppress a whimper. It was Ludo. The gentle beast was bound hand and foot, with 3 large, primitive looking men beating him with clubs and blades. Sarah fought back the overwhelming urge to cry and let her anger take over. She could hardly remember the last time she had been so angry and not just at these men, at Aaron too for letting this happen. She looked on. There was no way Sarah could take them on by herself. She ran back in to the woods a few meters.

"Fireys? I need you guys, right now." It's always worked in the past

"Ya called little lady?" She spun round to see a grinning head sticking out of the bushes.

"Hey guys, I need your help."

"Dat's wat we're here for." Sarah led the fireys over to the clearing and pointed to the brutes who were still terrorizing Ludo. The strange orange beings got the idea instantly and set upon the men in their own unique way.

It was not a pleasant sight to see a person being turned in to a Firey, but it held the same kind of morbid fascination that over comes you when you see a car crash and are unable to tear away your gaze. Sarah felt physically ill just watching but once it was over she rushed over to Ludo, who had now fallen quiet. She rushed over to the large beast and cut his binds.

She nearly let out her own howl of sorrow when she saw her friend. His body was covered in large gashes, the blood had dried into his shaggy hair turning it a sickly brown. Sarah touched his face gently and he opened his eyes. He attempted to move away but found his body unwilling to cooperate. Sarah felt broken at the look of fear in his eyes, so she laid a comforting hand on his cheek.

"Shh, its o.k., I'm a friend."

"Friend?" Ludo's voice was hoarse and weak.

She smiled sadly "Yeah, I'm a friend Ludo, I'm Sarah."

"Sawah.....friend." She choked back a sob as she heard those words and she nodded. She knew he was not going to last very long. "Go to sleep Ludo, its o.k."

The beast closed his eyes slowly, letting the darkness swallow him up.

Sarah walked away slowly swiping away a stray tear. The rage boiling up inside her was unrelenting, but she pushed it back down inside her waiting for the right place to let it explode. One of the fireys bounded up to her.

"Hey Little lady, where you be goin'? We havein' a party for our new brothers!"

She looked down at the jovial creature. "I...I need to go find Jareth. Got to get to the castle."

The firey stopped nodding slowly.

"Well," he grinned up at her "You goin' ta need some company, for some of da way anyway. Wouldn't want ya getting' into any more trouble till you find your boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend." She said firmly, though she had fanaticised about it several times. The firey handed her his head for some unknown reason while his body bounded of in another direction. The head in Sarah's hands glanced up at her.

"He's your friend aint he?"

"Well.....I...no..I mean yes, no...sort of...I don't know."

"Let's just say yes. And hes a boy aint he?"

"Well a man, and what a man....um.." Sarah turned nearly as red as the face in her hands. TELL me I didn't just say that out loud, I need some sleep.

The head grinned at her again. "So you got the hots for him, huh? Lucky guy."

Sarah shook the head and brought it up so she could look him in the eyes. "You listen here," she had a dangerous glint her eyes. "You mention even one syllable of what I just said to Jareth and I will make sure that you never see that gangly body of yours again. Verstehen?"

"I assume that means understand?"

Sarah shook the head again and made a move to throw in into the river. "Alright, alright, I'll keep my mouth zipped."

"Good."

"Fine."

"Great."

"Stop it."

Just as she said this a small group of firey's jumped out of the trees and Sarah handed the head back to the appropriate body.

"Pretty lady, these are some of the bravest fireys this side of the underground."

"Oh what, you mean that these are the one's that get drunk and pass out most often?" The firey nodded vigorously. Sarah sighed for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Well, we best get moving then, hadn't we?" Sarah moved away and headed down then wooded path with the strange procession of joking and laughing fireys behind her.

End Chap.

Well? Did you love it? Do you think I should throw myself off a bridge for writing such tripe?

Jareth: The latter, I would think.

Quiet you. Please review.

Much Grá Lads.