Chapter Fourteen: She's Come Undone

"What would I wish for? If I could count the stars, if I were given magic powers, if I could fly between the sun and the moon— what is there to wish for, except to come home to you? Oh Erik, Erik, you're so far away and there's no getting to you, now or ever. We're from two different worlds, you and I, and strong as love is, it cannot build bridges—"

It was uncharacteristically silent in the castle beyond the Goblin City.

Jareth returned, his mouth turned down— something ate at him, nipping away the enjoyment he had previously taken in this mischief he caused, slowly destroying the veneer of cruelty that allowed him to take such detached interest in the affairs of humankind, revealing underneath—

He half-smiled.

More cruelty, and a cold stone heart that lusted but did not love.

He approached the chair— turned away from him, the high back all but hid the head of the person sitting in it. He could just make out some bright hair, wispy and thin; a slight humming noise provided the only definite clue that there was someone in the room other than Jareth.

He laid a gentle hand on the child's head, and she shrieked.

A child— yes. Nineteen, perhaps, perhaps twenty, but the kind of girl that would never become a woman. Large eyes peered at him, the throat palpitated as she swallowed her fear, and her fingers clutched at the arms of the chair, then released them to twine together nervously.

Jareth pulled a chair up with a gesture of his finger. Sinking into it, he put his elbows on his knees and leaned forward.

"Would you like to see some magic, Christine?" he asked gently.

Sarah and Ludo walked along, aware that there were trees surrounding them now, but unable to remember entering the forest. Nervously, Sarah reached for Ludo's hand once more, finding comfort in the man's grasp. He twisted his lips in what was clearly intended to be a smile— the fact that all of his teeth were canines made it slightly scary, but Sarah took it as it was meant, and managed a smile back.

"I'm sure there's nothing frightening here," she said. "I mean— just a forest, right? Forests are nice."

She let go of Ludo's hand and patted him on the arm, then strode forward determinedly.

Behind her, something was happening. Claws had come and attached themselves to Ludo, curving around his arms and legs, trying to haul him upwards. He uttered a brief yell of alarm.

Sarah didn't turn around, only called, "Its alright, Ludo!"

Which is when he started to change again. In almost total silence, he beat the beasts off, and they fled with shrieks higher than the normal ear could hear.

"Nothing to be afraid of," said Sarah, trying to convince herself of the same fact, and apparently developing a headache. "Just a forest, nothing to worry about—"

Ludo let out a moan, and she turned around and screamed, but just a little.

She advanced on him and took one hairy arm tentatively, looking him up and down. "You changed back into a beast! How—"

Then something behind her made a noise, and she whirled around to see a slight, bent form, made apparently of grass. Bulged-out button eyes looked at her, the slit of a mouth and the slit of a nose, the angular chin, the apparent surfeit of elbows— all in all, frightening but hardly alarming. Sarah took a step backwards to Ludo's side.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Hurrr," said Ludo, without any clear inflection.

"Is it hurt? It looks hurt— is it alright?"

The creature looked up at her as she advanced tentatively. It was quite clearly very old, and shivered a bit with a noise like an ocean of dried grass rubbing their stalks together. It moved creakily, as though its joints, if it had joints, were stiff from disuse. She began to bend over it, and that's when the eyes flashed bright red, the teeth showed, and something grabbed her from behind.

In two seconds she was airborne, and screaming her head off.

Below her she could see several more of the creatures trying to pick up Ludo, without marked success. He roared at them, fended them off, and shouted—

"Sar-raaah!"

She looked up at the creature that held her in its grasp. Dirty grey talons dug into her shoulders, and above her she could see the face of the creature grinning down at her, those teeth in that impossibly tiny mouth wickedly sharp. She screamed at it.

It screamed back, and her head throbbed harder.

She beat at its grasp on her shoulders— it let out a call, and she felt something else, another of the creatures, come up behind her.

It took a very firm grasp on her head, and began to pull.

She screamed harder, louder, shriller than she ever had before, and felt an impact as something struck the creature that was trying to pull her head off. It shrieked and let go— another impact and the one who held her shoulders dropped her, its body bleeding from the blow. The downdraft of invisible wings hastened her fall towards the earth.

She was caught in a pair of warm, strong arms; caught and held as though she were precious to her bearer.

She said, "Is it alright?"

Behind them, Ludo began, apparently spontaneously, to change.

"Yes," said Erik, making no move to put her down, but instead pulling her closer, holding her up against his chest and resting her head in the crook of his neck. "It is safe."

Ludo gave a despairing groan, and, halfway through the transformation, began to change back.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, of course I'm sure. You can open your eyes now."

She clutched his shirt with both hands.

"I'm afraid to."

"There's nothing to be afraid of," he said, his voice soothing. "Its gone now."

"Gaaaaar," said Ludo, as his body struggled between man and beast, man and beast.

Sarah opened her eyes to look after him, but got distracted by the warm amber eyes so close to hers. For a moment they simply looked at each other; then she cupped her hand around the back of his head, pulled him forward, and planted a kiss on his forehead.

"Thank you," she said.

Erik put her down, very carefully, and rubbed his fingertips where her lips had touched. She could not tell if it was disgust or appreciation— likely the former, she thought wryly— only, he had come back for her, after all—

She turned to Ludo.

"What is it?"

Ludo moaned and his body shuddered. Hair began to sprout and his shoulders bulked.

Sarah turned to Erik. "What—"

"He is bi-species," said Erik explanatorily. "Usually the transformation is triggered by some word or other. I would guess that is what's happening." He gave a small, amused smile. "Nature of the beast, as it were."

"Aaaaaargh!" said Ludo, as the hair fell out. His skin was red from twisting and changing so often in such a short time.

"Oh!" said Sarah, clasping her hands and looking on him sympathetically. "Poor Ludo! We have to figure out what the word is so we can stop saying it."

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrgh!" said Ludo, as the process began again. Erik chuckled quietly to himself. Sarah looked at him.

"It isn't funny!"

Ludo gave another moan, and Erik laughed a little harder.

"What?" demanded Sarah. "Stop laughing! We have to figure out what the word is."

"I know what the word is."

"Well, tell me! What is—"

Erik stepped close and laid a hand over her mouth.

She stared at him, wide-eyed.

"Understand?" he inquired.

Sarah nodded.

"Alright then. Now. Let us continue. We have to save your brother now, don't we?"

Sarah watched him as he removed his hand from her mouth and began to walk on. She wondered what it was that had made him decide to come back—

But to ask him would, unless she indulged in some fancy word-work, cause poor Ludo to change back again— clearly, she thought, looking at the man/beast, he would not appreciate it. He looked tired and haggard.

So she was content, for the moment, to catch up with Erik and take his arm, walking along with him.

"What were those things, anyway?"

"Wolds," said Erik. "You must always be careful when entering a foresterie— wolds are the most dangerous creatures in the Labyrinth. If they carried you off, I doubt even Jareth could save you in time."

She clutched his arm closer, and he laid one cool hand over hers, allowing her fingers to intertwine with his own. Unspoken between them were apologies, explanations, remonstrances—

And a secret.