Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the movie Labyrinth. You know the rest of the drill.
Your Eyes
Story by Jessica Arbuckle (Jessi, Princess of Impatience)
June to possibly September, 2005
Chapter Thirteen, A Truce Is Called…
Appearing in the Labyrinth in the corner of a wide opening in the middle of the hedge maze, Jareth immediately began looking around. Unlike the world he had left, the sun shone brightly in the sky. He looked into the crystal in his hand, then up in the direction of one of the hedges closest to him.
"Hoghead," he called, his voice soft so as not to disturb Toby, but pitching it magically so it grew louder and demanding as it traveled away from him. He knew the surly gardener's name, but also knew he would be unable to ignore the slight and would show himself. It would save him time if the dwarf came to him because the dwarf had a way of avoiding when Jareth was the one looking for him.
The dwarf had been different since he had saved Sarah from the colossal city guard. He no longer feared Jareth and would ignore him frequently. Even threat of the Bog wasn't very effective anymore if the dwarf didn't want to do what was asked, so Jareth very rarely asked him to do anything other than his gardening duties. In fact, he hadn't said more than a few words to him since the night Sarah had called for him. He had been so jealous Sarah had called for the dwarf when he had hoped she would call for him, he feared he might have actually stuck the dwarf in the Bog. Contrary to the dwarf's belief, Jareth hardly ever meant the threat, as he certainly didn't want his gardener to smell up the whole Labyrinth.
"It's HogGLE," a grumpy voice came from behind the hedge. "S'not hard to remember," the voice continued in a grumble as dwarf appeared with hedge clippers in his hand.
"Hoggle, I do not have time for this. I require your assistance," Jareth said, still softly, trying not to awake Toby. He wanted him to sleep until he was ready to explain what was going on.
"My assistance?" Hoggle said, glaring up at the man with the boy in his arms. "What for?"
"I need you to take care of this boy for me. This is Toby, Sarah's brother."
Hoggle started violently. He hadn't heard from Sarah in so long, for many months of Aboveground time. He missed her very much, although he certainly wouldn't admit it to anyone. He focused on Toby, who had grown in the last three years, then glared at Jareth suspiciously.
"You can't convince me she wished him away again, so what in the blazes are you up to?" Hoggle demanded, walking forward as if to grab the boy from Jareth's arms to protect him.
"I do not have time for this," Jareth thundered, in his temper forgetting his desire to not wake Toby.
The small boy woke up abruptly, his body tensing, as he looked around frantically, until he found Jareth's face, close to his.
"Hi," Toby said, relaxing and grinning at Jareth. Jareth smiled briefly at the boy as Toby continued, looking around. "What's going on? Where are we? Where's Sarah?"
"Sarah had to take care of some things." Jareth said gently.
"But I want Sarah," Toby said, looking close to tears.
"I know. But where she is you would not find much fun, so she asked me to bring you here to visit a friend of hers," Jareth said, hoping desperately Toby would not cry. He wasn't quite sure he would be able to leave the boy if he did.
Toby looked around, not seeing anyone. He was puzzled about who Jareth meant and was about to ask when he noticed a short wrinkled man on the ground below him. Jareth, seeing where Toby looked, bent down, depositing Toby in front of Hoggle.
"Hi," Toby said, looking at the little man with the grumpy look on his face. "What are you?"
Hoggle said grouchily, "I'm not a what I'm a who and m'name's Hoggle."
Toby clapped his hands together in glee. "Oh wow, Sarah's told me all about you! She told me you were her best friend in the Labyrinth."
A look of great pleasure briefly crossed Hoggle's wrinkled face before the grumpy mask came back. "Are you in trouble Toby? 'Cuz if this lunkhead," he said, glaring menacingly at Jareth, "stole you away from Sarah, I'll help you find her."
Toby giggled. "No Hoggle, I'm not in trouble!" He turned and grabbed hold of Jareth's hand. "Jareth loves my sister. He's not a lunkhead, he's a good guy!"
Jareth looked down at Toby, surprised and pleased. That was the first time he'd ever been the 'good guy' for a child. Hoggle snorted scornfully and Jareth glared at him as Toby continued.
"He came to get Sarah and they kissed," Toby whispered to Hoggle. "They love each other."
"S'bout time," Hoggle muttered under his breath. Jareth looked sharply at the dwarf, but the creature ignored him. Just then, a high voice came from the corner opposite to where they were standing.
"Sir Hoggle? Where art thou?" A small dog-like creature appeared, taking in the scene before him. The appearance of the creature made Toby shout in excitement.
"Sir Didymus?" Toby asked, pulling his hand from Jareth's as he ran to the fox dressed like a knight.
"Tis I, but who art thee?" Sir Didymus said with a sweeping bow.
"I'm Toby, Sarah's brother," Toby declared.
"Ah, sweet lady Sarah, who has not graced us with her fair presence in an eternity," the fox said grandly. "Well, Sir Tobias, it is an honor to meet you." With that, he bowed again.
Toby laughed with glee. He liked this small creature with his silly way of saying things. He turned back to Jareth, who was crouched down, discussing something with Sarah's dwarf friend. He watched the exchange silently for a moment until Jareth saw him watching them and called Toby back over. Toby looked at his new friend, grabbing the fox's small paw to drag him over to Jareth with him.
"Toby," Jareth said when the boy had returned to his side, "I have to go back to Sarah now, but I'll be back soon. Anything you need, just ask Hoggle. And if he doesn't do it, threaten to throw him in the Bog of Eternal Stench," he said with a wink and a grin.
An angry look on his face, inside Hoggle was surprised. Jareth, a decent sense of humor? It surprised him, but so had many things about Jareth in the last few minutes. His kindness for Toby, Toby's declarations of Jareth's and Sarah's love, the tone of voice and the look in the Goblin King's eyes as he had related the sad events Sarah was currently living through.
Hoggle watched as Toby launched himself into Jareth's arms, hugging him tightly. He saw the surprise in Jareth's face before he had returned the embrace, standing up and swinging the small boy round as both laughed gaily. Hoggle suspicion that Jareth had feelings for Sarah was pretty much confirmed. What he still couldn't wrap his brain around was the way Jareth acted with Toby.
Hoggle was wrenched from his thoughts when a sharp voice said, "Watch him as though your life depended on it, for it does," Jareth growled, then disappeared.
Hoggle looked at Toby, who was chattering happily to Sir Didymus. In the distance a thunder-like howl cried, "Brother, Ludo loooosssst." He turned to Toby with a faint grin and said, "Well kid, bout time you met another of Sarah's friends."
a/n: Yeah, I have much love for this chapter.
As always, please R/R, I would just adore it!