Author's Notes:
In my haste and excitement to post this story, I forgot to mention that this story was created in response to a challenge posted Amazonian21's story A Glass of Sherry. I highly recommend her excellent stories.
Standard disclaimers apply.
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The Goblin King shape-shifted into his owl form and flew through his study's open window . It was time to do his daily inspection of the Labyrinth, and though Jareth was a lackadaisical ruler, he pretended urgent business as an excuse to leave Hoggle to follow the floating crystal.
The shimmering crystal bubble floated to the door and down a few corridors before leading Hoggle to an oak door featuring a carving of a barn owl resting on the branch of a tree. Hoggle rapped on the door smartly.
" Go away! ", came a young woman's voice.
" Sarah? ", asked Hoggle.
" I said, 'GO AWAY!' " the young woman shrilled.
" Sarah, it's me! Hoggle! " said the dwarf.
" Hoggle? " said Sarah, incredulous. The girl peered through the keyhole and saw Hoggle's eye topped bye a bushy eyebrow staring back at her.
Hoggle! " Sarah squealed with joy, and opened the door. Sarah seized the dwarf and squeezed him in a tight embrace, and promptly burst into sobs.
Hoggle was confounded with the Sarah's outburst of emotion. "There, there", he said awkwardly, while patting her shoulder in a clumsy attempt to comfort the girl." He hasn't tried to hurt you or anything, has he? "
There was no need to name who he was...
" N-no " Sarah confessed, " He just frightened me, is all "
Hoggle exhaled in relief, and Sarah hugged him once again, glad to see a friendly face. Meanwhile, the crystal bubble floated into the room, unnoticed by the girl and the dwarf.
From the Castle gardens, the Goblin King eavesdropped on Sarah and Hoggle's bittersweet reunion through yet another crystal.....
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