Witching Hour
"Another person--this time; but a figure of quite as unmistakable horror and evil: a woman in black, pale and dreadful--with such an air also, and such a face!--on the other side of the lake. I was there with the child-- quiet for the hour; and in the midst of it she came." Henry James The Turn of the ScrewWITCH, n. (1) Any ugly and repulsive old woman, in a wicked league with the devil. (2) A beautiful and attractive young woman, in wickedness a league beyond the devil. The Devil's Dictionary
Sarah had to think fast. In a crisis such as this her mind went in a quick spin as thoughts hit rapid fire, "someone pulled a ventriloquist act...what the hell was that all about? Did you see Jareth jump...actually that was pretty funny.....I can't think of that now, I will think about that tomorrow at Tara. After all, tomorrow is another day!... Noooo, wrong script...remember we are in Goblin King meets Sarah land...Oh my God, he's holding me, he's holding me...mmmm...get a grip....think Sarah, think....what to say to parents when they see me in arms of Goth Man...Oh, Hi, meet Jareth...he's from out of town...Oh, his clothes and makeup? Well, you see, that the fashion in his native country, Okersmacken. What do you mean where is Okersmacken?....ohhhh"
They materialized in her bedroom at a little past one o'clock in the morning and everyone was asleep, thank God. The moonlight allowed her to somewhat see in the dark and peeking through her eyelashes she watched as Jareth carefully laid her on her bed. Sarah could feel her heart wanting to jump out of her chest, he was so close and she wasn't a frightened little girl anymore.
He shook her gently but urgently and spoke low, as if to a child, "Sarah, where is it, where is the potion?" She had to keep him quiet....but how?" Making it up as she went along she pretended to rouse and said, "Oh, it's you. Why are you here?" After Jareth patiently explained Sarah weakly said, "Please don't wake anyone up. I don't know if I'm contagious and a danger to my family." Jareth thought that was very noble.
The Goblin King nodded his agreement, "Where is the potion?" How she was going to say this with a straight face she would never know, ""It's in the kitchen, in a drawer....it's a little packet named "Kool Aid." Mix it with a quart of water and bring a glass of it to me" Jareth looked relieved as he quietly headed to the kitchen, to him it made sense that the cure would have the word "Aid" in it's name. After Jareth left the room Sarah put her face in the pillow and laughed until her sides hurt, then she pinched herself to get back under control.
The hooded one entered through Sonya's window and raspingly reported that Sarah was no longer in the Underground She was ready to destroy the creature and come up with a new plan when she heard the forlorn screams of the Banshee once again. Last night when she heard them she smugly thought they were for Sarah. Now, with dawning horror she realized the wails were for her. The cries stopped and Sonya's blood ran cold.
Sarial's voice filled the room and echoed everywhere at once, "You failed, Queen." Sonya turned and faced him; he was stunning to look at even at a moment like this. He stepped forward and spoke impassively, "You know the price." Sonya's face contorted with terror as a ring of blue fire surrounded her. She cried out, "Noooo." Slowly her form changed from a beautiful young woman into a misshapen ugly crone. For a vain creature like Sonya this fate was beyond cruel. Sarial smiled as he brought forth a mirror and said, "Come, come, don't be shy...look at who you are for eternity." Sonya backed away but Sarial grabbed her and made her look. Seeing her reflection Sonya's shrieks echoed through the castle.
Jareth re-entered the room with the scarlet medicine and cradling Sarah's head commanded, "Here, drink this." He then helped her drink the whole glass. Sarah winced, Strawberry Kool Aid without sugar was bitter all right. Jareth smiled, medicines that were good for you often tasted badly, so her sour face pleased him. "How long will this cure take?" Jareth questioned. Sarah weakly said, "I don't know, I never had Mazitis before," she paused looking uncomfortable, "Jareth, please take me back to Hoggle's cottage, I can't stay here and risk my family."
The Goblin King put his hands on his hips and paced a little. He stopped and turned to her, "Sarah, you are not well and I would rather you stay under my protection. I know you don't trust me but trust this, I am duty bound to see to your recovery and I can't do that easily at Hatwart's cottage. My healer will take good care of you and Huttle can visit."
Jareth knew better than to give Sarah an opportunity to protest, so before she could respond he gathered her off the bed and snapped his fingers. All ten packages of Kool Aid appeared in his hand and with a flick of his wrist the couple disappeared.
When they materialized inside the castle the place was in an uproar. Drawfs and Goblins were everywhere searching for Sonya. They had heard the screams and rushed to her bedchamber to find it empty. A goblin ran up to Jareth, "Majesty, majesty she's gone...black eyes is gone." Jareth spun with Sarah firmly in his arms, "What do you mean she's gone? Search everywhere till you find her...move."
The Goblin King quickly carried Sarah to a bedchamber near his own. The room was huge and austere, with gray stonewalls and floor, but the fireplace and few select pieces of furniture were magnificent in design. The head of the four postered bed was eight feet high with a deep intricate carving of the Labyrinth. Each of the four posters bore the head of a goblin with vines that wove down its length. A mammoth fireplace across from the bed was surrounded in black granite that reflected firelight back into the room. A richly carved mirrored vanity with attached closet complimented the high backed sofa and chairs and completed the furnishings. But what really gave the room character were the four sets of French doors that bathed the room in moonlight.
When they reached the bed Jareth cocked his head and immediately Sarah found herself in it with covers up to her neck. She was no longer dressed in her green suit; she now donned a high-necked flannel nightgown and booties. "This relationship definitely needs some help." She thought sardonically.
At a wave of Jareth's hand Sarah found a tray with steaming soup on her lap. "I expect you to eat that before I return, all of it." Jareth commanded with a look that said "Don't defy me." Walking to the middle of the room he said, "I must find Sonya. Hatail will watch you while I'm gone." With that Jareth smashed a crystal on the floor and Hoggle appeared. "What? Oh, Sarah, yer majesty, what...." Jareth interrupted on his way out the door, "Sarah will explain."
In the throne room Glasis looked at the Kool Aid packets in his hand, "You just mix these with ordinary water, that's all?" Jareth waved dismissively at him, "Yes, yes, a quart of water to each package, it's a red powder that turns the water scarlet. It tastes foul, her face tells me so. She has to drink it three times a day, see to it Healer." Glasis left throne room mumbling to himself about strange human ways.
The Dwarfs were now searching the outside grounds but the Goblins were in a panic still searching the castle. Of course being goblins they were looking inane places like in teapots and under rugs. Ignoring them Jareth strode into Sonya's bedchamber and immediately found a note on the mantle. The goblins were looking for a person not a note and so took no notice of it.
Jareth tore the note open, "Dearest, I have gone back to my kingdom to rethink our impending union. You see I cannot abide goblins a moment longer; and I found myself screaming at the thought of being around them constantly. Please give me this time alone to come to a decision. I will contact you on the eve of the new moon so we can talk. Sonya."
While his vanity took a small hit overall he was relieved, his feelings regarding Sonya were also in turmoil. Striding into the throne room he yelled, "Stop." All goblins stopped in their tracks. "I have found Sonya, she's gone home for a while." At this news the goblins jumped up and down laughing and slapping each other on the back. "Maybe the goblins couldn't abide her too much either." Jareth mused.