Took a while, but the Goblins and I had a terrible writersblock and I just couldn't find the right words to get the chapter going. I DID bring three other stories nline though. With twists! Anyway,the new chapis finnaly here.

Rosakara: héhé (innocent whistle) oops. Sorry girl,I did tryto update soonthough.

Dragon of Sesshoumaru: Thanx! I'm twist-addicted, you can expect a twist in every story of me. I like your name by the way! Sesshoumaru is kinda cute really ;-)


Chapter 17. 'Rejoicing of two Old Enemies'

The dark grey clouds covered the sun. Jareth looked up. This was particularly odd, as there was rarely thunder in the Labyrinth. Still, though Jareth didn't notice this, this was no thunder. There was no rain, and no lightning. There was only a fierce wind, racing through the countless halls and corridors of the Castle. As Jareth got up, he thought he heard someone, somewhere, calling his name, though it was like a barely noticeable breeze within the roaring storm outside. Jareth, now fully dressed in his brown leather armoured suit with knee-high boots and blue grey pair of breeches, began to pace up and down before the fire-place, considering his chances with a confrontation with Samuel. He knew Samuel, and Samuel knew him. Only the two men and Markla knew the real story behind this all, and even Markla didn't know the whole story. Jareth knew why he was here. He knew what Samuel wanted. It was just that, although he wanted to, Jareth couldn't tell. He was afraid. Afraid for embarrassment, for loss of pride, or maybe even his Kingdom. But either Jareth told his subjects the truth willingly, or Samuel would force him to tell different. Jareth moved resolute to the door of his chamber, having made up his mind. He carefully closed the door behind him, and walked through the corridors of the Castle. The open windows allowed the fierce wind to haunt the hallways and Jareth had difficulty with walking along the halls. He finally reached the wooden doors to the Throne Room. He ran a hand through his messed up hair before opening the two dark wooden doors. Jareth's first impression of the room was that is was awfully quiet, most unusual for the Goblins. But then he saw the reason. There were no Goblins, only one. Markla, who sat with a devilish grin on his throne. Jareth wanted to ask why and how, when she pointed smiling to the other side of the room. Jareth gasped.

In a corner sat Hoggle, sir Didymus, Ludo and Sarah huddled together. One of Sarah's sleeves had been ripped off, and now lay off her left shoulder. To Jareth's alarm, he saw that there was blood dripping from the cream white fabric. The four friends looked relieved up when they saw Jareth.

"Jareth! Markla, she has-" Sarah started, but she was cut short by Markla.

"Shut up you stupid little girl, or do you want to see your friends disappear into something even worse then the Bog of Eternal Stench?" she snapped. Sarah lowered her head and made no more sound. Hoggle looked angrily at the female Goblin, his eyes, just like Didymus' and Ludo's, were like fire.

"Markla, what is this? What have you done to Sarah and the other three?" Jareth demanded with a deep voice, recovered from his shock. Markla gave him a cold smile.

"Oh Jareth, you fool," she laughed. Her smirk was so egocentric, that Jareth wondered what he had said wrong. She said no more. Clearly thinking that Markla had taken leave of her senses, Jareth walked to the four friends to help them. He reached out to Sarah.

"Jareth don't-" Sarah screamed. Many blue sparks suddenly appeared where Jareth's hands were, and spread up the King's arms and over his body. Jareth roared with pain and fell back on the stone floor. The sparks disappeared. Jareth got to his feet with narrowed eyes.

"Samuel!" he yelled. The sparks had come from a magic wall that didn't allow him to get near the prisoners, and besides himself, only Samuel had the magical gift.

"Show yourself!" he cried into the completely silent room. Singsong laughter echoed through the room. All looked wildly around to see where it came from, but saw nothing. Then the doors swung open and Kranlar stepped inside. His green eyes had turned black and red, and it was like his pointy face was glowing. He wore an old black cape that fluttered in the wind. As he stepped to the throne, he waved his arms to close the doors again. The iron breastplate he wore was broken of old age and his helmet with two horns on it, looked, though its' small size, still rather dangerous. The faded red colour of his hair was in perfect match with the rusty breastplate. Sarah gasped as she recognized him. He was the same Goblin as in her nightmare that brought the ill news of Jareth's death. 'So this is that Kranlar guy,' she thought.

"Kranlar," Jareth growled with narrowed eyes.

Kranlar gave him a swift grin, and then turned to Markla. He said some strange words and a dark spark was extracted from her body. Kranlar caught the spark between his hands. It disappeared between his fingers as Kranlar chanted several more words. Markla, who was now freed from the curse Kranlar had put on her, fell off the throne. Her eyes became blue again, and her voice went back to normal.

"What? Who?" she mumbled. She looked up and saw Kranlar taking accession to the throne. Jareth standing quite shocked near her, and the three friends and Lady Sarah in a corner.

"Kranlar, didn't I take all your little toys away?" Jareth queried.

"Before we will start a tug-o-war Jareth, let me first take care of some things," Kranlar interrupted him. He turned from the King to Markla, who still lay on the floor. She looked up, frightened. The male Goblin waved with his right hand, and Markla was pushed through the air by a strange power. She flew straight to the captives in the corner. Luckily Hoggle was just in the right position to catch her and she made a reasonably soft landing. Jareth followed how Markla rubbed her head and looked in amazement to Kranlar. Seeing that she was safe for the moment, Jareth focused to the other Goblin again.

"What is this?" he yelled at him.

"What is this?" Kranlar mimicked annoyingly.

"Not even a 'nice to see you' to give me a cordial welcome. I guess that has never been your best side, being polite and friendly to people," Kranlar tutted. He smiled when he saw that Jareth was losing his nerves.

"Kranlar I ask you one more time, what is going on here?" he said, his voice changed from yelling to dangerously calm. Kranlar sighed of deep annoyance, and looked like he was thinking very hard.

"Well, let's see," he began. "Do you mean besides taking over the throne, torturing you and seeing you die in misery?" he said with a smile. Jareth did everything he could not to show his anger, but he was really beginning to lose his nerves.

"Or do you want to hear that I'm here for a tea-party with you, to talk about all the years we haven't seen each other?" Kranlar added in hope that the Goblin Kings control would break.

On the other side of the room, Sarah watched in amazement at the two men. It was clear they knew each other, but by the look of Jareth, they weren't friends. But why? And why was Kranlar keeping them captive? Sarah could not answer they questions that haunted her mind, and the other three looked just as confused as she did. Sarah turned back to the two men, hoping she would get answers.