Disclaimer: Nope, not the owner of any save Melani, Lumini, and the Castle of Shifting Shadows.
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Hoggle led them quickly out of bird territory, as promised. Melani came out of her hiding place in Sarah's hair and started dancing around on her shoulder once again. The stone around them changed texture and color, signaling a new section of the Stoneweb. Sarah noticed this immediately and asked Hoggle about it.
"We're now in the section of the Stoneweb known as the Marbletwist. The stone has changed from sandstone to marble. Go ahead and feel."
Sarah did as she was told and found the stone beneath her fingers smooth and even. It was indeed marble- natural marble, growing right out of the ground. She delighted in the smoothness.
"It's like silk," she said absently. Hoggle grunted an agreement and continued moving. Melani made a face at Hoggle's back before returning to her acrobatics on Sarah's shoulder. Sarah heard Hoggle mutter something under his breath involving "faeries" and "spray", but she didn't catch all of it and merely shrugged it off.
The Castle Beyond The Goblin City
Jareth continued watching Sarah through his little bubble, scheming when he would make his entrance. He could feel Lumini's presence in the back of his mind, spying on his love. The man had finally wormed his way into Jareth's mind. Jareth shrugged the sensation off. He would let Lumini keep up his game for now. There was no power on Earth that would get Lumini into the Labyrinth now.
The Goblin King smiled softly when she commented on the marble. Little things used to make Sarah so upset before. Perhaps she had changed more than he had originally anticipated. It was possible, he supposed. Whatever had happened, he liked what he was seeing in her now.
Marbletwist
Melani continued her dance on Sarah's shoulders, sometimes dancing more on air than on her friend's flesh. It was the only thing that could keep her calm at the moment. Something was setting Melani on edge. Hoggle's appearance did not bother her. Jareth had told her that he would be sending a guide. Sarah obviously knew the little dwarf, so he was not a threat. But there was something else wrong. There was something wrong with the very air around them. There was something there that shouldn't be.
"Sarah," Melani said softly, "I think there's someone watching us."
Sarah had felt it too, but she hadn't been able to put her finger on it. A specter watched them from the shadows; she just could not for the life of her figure out who it was or what they wanted. She could sense malevolence from it.
"Jareth told me he'd be watching to keep Sarah safe." Hoggle told them absently, only half-listening to their conversation.
"This isn't Jareth," Sarah said before Melani could.
"And how would you know, sweet one?" Hoggle asked bluntly.
"I can feel anger and hatred. Like it wants to hurt us." Sarah answered. Hoggle stopped on the path and closed his great eyes. A frown passed over his features and he opened his eyes once more.
"He shouldn't be able to get in here," the dwarf muttered.
"Who?"
Hoggle didn't answer Sarah's question, only snatched her hand and hurried her down the path they'd been following. Sarah kept pace with difficulty. Her dizzy spells came less frequently by now, but they still caught her when she pushed herself too hard.
The Castle Beyond the Goblin City
Jareth watched Hoggle speed Sarah along and cursed, forcing Lumini out of his mind once more. He should have known what was going on. Lumini had used Jareth as a median to get to Sarah. He could project his physical body to a place if he had to, just so long as he knew where he was going. Jareth could only hope that Lumini had not been able to memorize every detail of the place before he'd been forced out. If he had, Sarah was in real danger. Jareth closed his eyes and communed silently with the Spirit of the Labyrinth, warning it of the possible intrusion and apologizing for his carelessness. He felt acceptance.
Jareth returned his attention to the bubble, watching Hoggle pull Sarah along relentlessly. He cursed as Sarah stumbled more than once. Concern creased his features, though he would never admit it.
"Hoggle, slow her down! She'll pass out at this rate!"
Marbletwist
Hoggle was unaware of Jareth's concerns, too wrapped in his own. He had been able to identify Lumini as the cause of the disturbance, but his powers failed there. He didn't notice Sarah faltering over her own feet more than once, nor did he notice her breathing increasing dramatically. Melani did, however, and was exercising every ounce of magic she could spare to help keep Sarah at under her own control.
They rushed out of the Marbletwist, stone surroundings giving way to grass and trees. Sarah saw a tiny purple mound of flowers and her legs shuddered. The movement caught her off-guard, and Sarah went down. Melani left her friend's shoulder as soon as the downward plunge became apparent. Hoggle stopped and whipped around when Sarah's hand left his.
Sarah was lying sprawled on the ground. Her breath came in quick, extremely short gasps, not getting her nearly enough oxygen. She couldn't get her lungs to slow down. The world spun wildly around her, so she closed her eyes quickly. She knew Hoggle was saying something to her, but she couldn't hear what. Instead, she just got back to her feet and bolted after Hoggle's already moving form.
The Castle Beyond the Goblin City
Jareth watched her fall and couldn't just sit there anymore. The Goblin King made sure the Labyrinth's shields were in place to keep Sarah safe while he was gone from the castle. Taking his own necessary precautions to keep the palace under control, he placed a small spell to keep everybody but him from going in and out. So doing, he morphed to his owl form and took to the air. He had to get to his love quickly.
Just Inside the Lullaby Grove
Sarah was forced to let Hoggle lead her rapidly down the path into the woods. She still couldn't see; every time she opened her eyes the world would turn and dissolve into a mess of colors and nonexistent shapes. Hoggle didn't notice- nor did Melani, who was riding Hoggle's shoulder at this point.
The dizziness was fast overcoming her mobility. Sarah's steps faltered with each new movement. Her head felt like it was twisting tighter and tighter. She could feel every muscle in her body spasm in time with her steps. If she couldn't get her breath back, she was going to fly out of control.
Hoggle led Sarah automatically down the path Jareth had instructed him to take. He was heading toward the Grotto as told. He had no idea why the Goblin King wanted Sarah there, only knew that he had to get her there.
The Grotto was inside the Lullaby Grove, just outside the Marbletwist. It was a kind of small lake, bigger than a pond, complete with waterfall in one corner. The Grotto was the most magical place in the entire Labyrinth. It was said by the more intelligent creatures that in the Grotto one's heart's desires would come true. If that were so, Hoggle could think of only one reason Jareth would want Sarah there.
Somewhere Above the Lullaby Grove
A screech owl hovered above the Lullaby Grove. Great mismatched eyes scanned what could be seen of the ground, searching for Sarah. Jareth could feel her pain even from this height and knew there wasn't much time left. She wouldn't be conscious for too much more time. Jareth's heart stopped within his feathered chest. He had just gotten his bearings. Hoggle was leading her straight to the Grotto, it was true; they were just on the side that had the waterfall! Releasing a screech of warning, he searched frantically for Sarah's form.
The Castle of Shifting Shadows
Lumini screamed his frustration to the darkness that oppressed him. He had not managed to get in. Jareth had forced him out right when the spell was about to be completed. His stump throbbed with his anger, forcing a moan of pain from his mouth. Covering the weakness with another roar of frustration, he attempted once again to enter the Labyrinth. Surprise laced through his body, cooling his anger instantly. He was able to root the spell! What had happened to the barriers the Spirit of the Labyrinth had erected? Lumini didn't think about it too hard. It was not important as he completed the spell. Lumini smirked as he was instantly transported into a hostile-feeling Labyrinth.
Just Before the Waterfall of Tears
Hoggle realized abruptly where they were. The speed at which Sarah was stumbling was not bad- he could stop her. He turned his attention to Melani, still not noticing that Sarah's eyes were all but sealed shut.
"Melani," Hoggle said softly so as not to scare Sarah, "we're coming up on the Waterfall of Tears pretty fast here. We have to stop Sarah quickly."
Melani nodded her assent, looking alarmed. She swiftly lifted off of Hoggle's shoulder and flitted back to Sarah's, speaking softly into her ear.
"Sarah. Listen to me. You have to slow down, sweet one."
Sarah could not hear Melani's words, even in her ear. Tears fell from her eyes as her lungs seized on her, refusing to continue to bring in oxygen. Her entire body gave one great shudder. She did not hear Hoggle's cry of warning nor Melani's fear-filled shriek.
A hand clamped over Sarah's wrist. Unable to do anything against the attacker she could not see, she twisted as hard as she could away from the hand. The terrain beneath her foot crumbled, and Sarah released a scream as she fell backwards- directly over the waterfall.
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Jareth dove into the trees, all but blindly. He knew he was over the falls, just not where exactly. His heart beat skidded to a halt for the second time in ten minutes. Lumini stood there. He grasped Sarah's wrist and tried to yank her to him. Sarah twisted away from him and went directly over the falls. Her scream tore at Jareth.
Mentally, Jareth called for the Spirit to get Lumini out. His pleading was all it took. Lumini's form wavered and began to disappear. Jareth could hear him cursing viciously but did not stay to watch.
Do NOT follow her yet! He growled in Hoggle and Melani's minds before diving over the falls after Sarah.
He abandoned his owl form half-way down. Sarah's tumbling form was just ahead of him for a split second before she disappeared under the surface of the water. Jareth reached out before hitting the water and submerging after her. The impact had knocked the air from his lungs, but he felt Sarah struggling far more than he. She was floating just above the bottom, about fifteen feet below him. Her eyes were shut and her hair billowed around her like some dark shadow. Her skin illuminated blue from the fading light falling into the water, and she looked rather like a sprite.
Sarah.
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Sarah's entire body shuddered once. The lack of oxygen began suffocating her. Her lungs refused to assimilate any of the air, and the world still whirled around her. Her eyes felt weighted shut. Her muscles continued their protest and tremors still shook through each and every inch of her body.
Sarah. She moaned underwater, losing what little oxygen she had in the first place. Her mind knew the voice, but her mind had long since shut down. Her heart knew the voice- not by name, but by the emotions lacing through it.
Don't give up. Stay conscious, Sarah. Wait- I'm coming.
Sarah couldn't move anyway, so she chose to follow the instructions. Her body seized instantly, though, and her mouth opened automatically to try and absorb the air her lungs refused to take. Water filled her mouth, and she was choking instantly.
Jareth cut through the water as easily as a knife cut through air. He reached her as her body gave one violent jerk and she went limp.
No! Sarah, hold on to me. You must not lose awareness! Stay awake!
He felt her trying to do as he said. He could feel her struggle to breath and went for the surface as fast as he could. She clung pitifully to him, unable to do anything else. Jareth broke the surface and composed himself quickly, getting his breath back hastily. He turned to Sarah, still in his arms. Her eyes still didn't open, and he could tell she was too weak to fight him.
Sarah?
She didn't respond. Jareth held her to him and kicked for the shoreline. Once he reached it, he pulled her up half-underneath him. She stayed limp and unresisting- but she wasn't breathing.
"Sarah," he whispered. She moaned once in response. Her face turned to the side and the water trapped in her mouth pooled in the sand beneath her. One cough racked her body and then she went completely still.
Jareth lowered his face hers. He matched his lips against Sarah's and opened her mouth with his tongue. Delving as deep as he could, he forced her to respond to his advances and wake up. Weakly at first, then with more resolve, Sarah reacted. When Jareth finally pulled back to make sure she was breathing, Sarah's eyes opened.
"Sarah," he murmured tenderly. Her eyes were glazed for a moment as the world continued to spin. It finally settled as her lungs inflated for the first time in many minutes. His wet hair stuck to his face and hung in dripping strands around her eyes. She saw thin lips, a narrow nose, and mismatched eyes. Without saying a word, Sarah pulled Jareth's face back to her own, kissing him as fiercely as she knew how. Memory crashed into her mind- she had found herself in his eyes. Tongues battled for dominance as remembered lust raced through both bodies.
"Well, well, well. What have we here?" The voice sent ice shooting through Sarah's veins.
