AN: Happy Anniversary! It was one year ago today that I posted the first chapter of this story. It still has a long way to go, but I am so happy with how it's been going, for the most part. I was doing so well at posting chapters close together, but then life got in the way again. But good things happened, as I got to spend 10 months with my family. And unexpectedly three weeks ago, I was offered a job I'd applied for in early March. I'm back with Disney and they gave me my seniority straight away! Such a blessing.

My beta, Greenchimes, is ever the wonder for making sure the right words come out, and I am forever grateful to her.


Chapter 11: The Reluctant Bandit Takes the Deal

The wait was over. Sarah was home. Or, at least she was within eyesight of it.

Worry couldn't extinguish the elation and hope flooding Sarah's soul. Seven years ago she had spent ten short hours in this world and she had wanted to desperately return ever since. Now, she was finally here, granted not exactly where she wanted to be within the Underground, but she was still there. The Labyrinth clearly glowed in the sunlight as her eyes beheld it far off in the distance. Yet her feet were headed in the opposite direction. She couldn't help glancing behind her constantly, looking towards the castle that was getting further away with every step she took. It reminded her of what the wiseman had said, "The way forward is sometimes the way back." Forward to where these people were leading her was her way of getting back to the Labyrinth. Back to Jareth.

As she followed the silver-haired elf and kept pace with the gruff looking tracker beside her, Sarah couldn't help but to take in her surroundings. On her previous visit, she had arrived at the break of dawn. She remembered watching the shadows of the sun illuminating the Labyrinth as it rose above the horizon. Now, the position of the sun showed it was well past noon, or so Sarah supposed, with how warm the breeze was and how the shadow of her body lengthened along the sand. Even the sand seemed to magically sparkle, more proof that she was no longer in her world.

Ignoring the nagging feeling that she had been too rash in agreeing to go with these people was also something which Sarah was attempting. And failing. First of all, she was ill-prepared for this journey. How could she take care of her baby if she didn't even know how she was going to care for herself? Would these people be able to give her food and shelter? She didn't know. Would these people have an adverse reaction if they learned of her relationship to the Goblin King? God, she hoped not.

She still needed to get a better grasp on what these people expected of her and their true intention for needing to get into her kingdom.

"So, um, if I'm to get you in the Labyrinth, I was wondering what you know about it. I was only there less than half a day, and that was seven years ago. My memory's a bit blurry. What's it like?" Sarah asked.

"It's always changing, or at least, whenever a wish is made, it changes. So it may be completely different from when ya were here before." The man answered.

Sarah knew the Labyrinth changed for each wisher, but she wanted to gauge what they knew, to get a better understanding of their motivations. "If it changes, and I've not wished anyone away this time, how do you expect me to know my way through it? Logically, it will be different from when I was there, seven years ago."

"We trust you will instinctively know your way." The woman answered.

"Instinct?" Sarah laughed, thinking of her run. "If only that were true. I fumbled along as it changed all the time. If it wasn't for the friends I made there, I wouldn't have. And, what of the king? How do you expect to avoid him? From what I remember, he's a pretty intimidating guy."

"We have our ways." The man assuredly answered.

"What ways?" Sarah's tone oozed contempt, which was her automatic response at the possible threat to her husband. Only after the strangers both gave her suspicious looks did she cringe inside. She'd have to be more careful.

"Now is not the time. We'll talk more at the evening meal. We're here." The woman pointed with her head to look in front of them.

The camp was exactly as Sarah had imagined in her mind's eye. There were five tents made of stitched-together hides that were scattered in a semi-circle around a central bon-fire. The camp was nestled against the side of a rock formation; not exactly a cliff or side of a mountain, more like the boulders had been dropped from the heavens and plopped there as no other rock formations could be seen. Sarah was glad she could still view the Labyrinth in the distance, glowing in the late day sun. She noted that there were more people in the camp than she'd been told, but only by three. Three very relieved and excited people, as they came running into the arms of the man, tackling and hugging him.

She observed the woman and children clinging to this man, tears streaming down their faces. He kissed the top of his son's hair and hugged his teenage daughter to his side before moving away from them to snog his clearly expecting wife. This was a reunion of joy, of relief. Sarah remembered his fear and urgency in her world; he had feared never seeing his family again.

"Come, Wisher. Follow me."

Sarah turned to find the elf woman gesturing to the tent Sarah was to enter. When Sarah followed, lifting the flap that had fallen behind the other woman, she gasped at what she saw within. Such beauty in such a barren place was not expected. First off, the inside of the tent was much bigger than the outside indicated, which probably meant magic was involved. Secondly, the furniture and decorative touches were finery of the wealthy-or at least they would be way outside her price range if Sarah tried to own such things Above. The colors were vibrant blues, turquoises, and golden hues. It was worthy of a home design magazine cover.

"You will sleep here, in my tent." The elf woman pointed to a pile of plush pillows, cloth blankets and furs. "Should you need to relieve yourself, the bathing room is behind that curtain." She pointed behind a cloth of sky blue hanging from the ceiling down to the floor. "Enjoy the comfort tonight, for we won't be able to bring such niceties on our journey."

Sarah nodded as she placed the diaper bag and satchel down next to her designated bed. Mari started fussing with Sarah's frequent arm movements, making Sarah wonder where the baby could rest. She couldn't hold her indefinitely.

"I don't mean to be a bother since you have prepared everything so nicely, but do you have a box or something I could use as a cradle? Or a blanket I could wrap her in?"

"Of course." Against the side wall of the tent, above a table with two chairs was a doorless storage cabinet stocked with knick knack items: books, potion bottles, and vials of what looked to be spices. On top of the cabinet was a stack of containers of various sizes. With a flick of the woman's wrist, the stack shifted off the shelf and floated to the ground. "Would any of these suffice?"

Sarah grinned slightly at the use of magic and nodded, "The largest one should be fine."

She gathered a blanket of a lighter material to be the cloth to swaddle Mari in. She took the container made of a sturdy but lightweight wood, just the right size to ensure Mari wouldn't be cramped and deep enough she wouldn't wiggle anywhere. Sarah spotted a pillow in the pile of them on the floor to cushion the bottom of the box.

"Can I use this, too?" She asked, holding it up for the elf to see.

"Wisher, you don't have to ask. Use anything you need." The elf assured her.

"Sa... Peaches. Call me Peaches." Sarah second guessed giving her real name. They already knew her by Peaches because of Cassie; might as well keep it that way. "And, thank you."

The elf nodded. "You may call me Snigget."

Sarah thought that name definitely did not match the regal persona of the silver haired woman.

Mari started whimpering, a sound Sarah was starting to recognize as discomfort, but whether it was from a dirty diaper or hunger, she didn't know. Probably both.

Sarah pulled the diaper bag closer, then took out the mat to lay the baby upon. She popped the buttons on the legs of the onesie, then unfolded a new diaper and hesitated. She only had one box of wipes. She'd have to ration them. Maybe there was something here she could use instead.

"Are there rags I can use to clean her? Maybe a bowl of water?"

The elf nodded and with another flick of her wrist, from behind the privy curtain, the requested items came floating to settle on the floor within Sarah's reach.

"Thanks." Sarah smiled, then started small talk as she began her task. "So, from the use of magic and your ears, I'm guessing you're an elf?"

"That's correct. I'm an Elf of the North."

Sarah didn't press the woman; she didn't want to let on that she didn't know what that was supposed to indicate. "I'm jealous of how easily you use magic. I could sure use some to change this diaper."

"I could, if you'd like." The elf offered.

"No." Sarah quickly answered. "No, I can do it. It was a joke. I don't think it is a task that needs to be completed by magic. I've lived without magic my entire life. I'll survive."

"And I can't imagine life without it." Snigget smirked. "Well, I'll leave you to it. I will bathe and change before the evening meal."

Snigget then headed behind the privy curtain.

Sarah took a deep breath as she thought about what she needed to remember on how to keep a newborn baby clean. She'd been doing it for less than a week, and even then, Karen had been by her side for most of it. Now that she had to do it all alone, it made her feel off; inadequate. She didn't want to get dirty in the process. She didn't want to accidentally hurt the baby if she zagged while Mari ziggled. It was an inevitable but unpleasant part of being a parent, this self-doubt. She had to start trusting herself.

After she changed the diaper, she made sure to clean Mari's umbilical cord and other parts that needed to stay clean. All the things she had read and been told about cleaning a newborn said to do it every few days so as to not dry out the baby's skin, and Mari hadn't been bathed in two days. All Sarah had was the water and cloth here; she hoped it was enough. Tears weld up thinking how stupid she was at not bringing the everyday supplies needed to care for the baby, like diaper cream. But, she shook it off; she'd do her best with what she had.

With the baby clean, Sarah looked around to decide where to make herself comfortable to nurse. There were no chairs other than the ones at the table, and they seemed very stiff, so she decided to settle into the plush pillows of her designated bed. This had been the longest between nursings for the both of them, and Sarah could tell. Mari eagerly suckled and the relief it caused was just a good feeling. After a while, Mari's eyes slowly closed as she continued to feed, though lazily. It surprised Sarah that she didn't feel sleepy; probably from the excitement of this new journey.

"Um, where should I throw this away?" Sarah asked when Snigget emerged, the used diaper in her hand.

Snigget grimaced when she realized what it was Sarah was holding. Her tone was sharp as she barked. "Burn it. You can take it to the fire at our meal."

"Nope, it won't burn. I tried." Sarah laughed. It had been a thought she had when Karen first had Toby and she found out it wasn't possible or safe to try to burn dirty diapers. It had been a disaster. "Maybe I can bury it…."

Before Sarah could finish her thought, the object disappeared from her hand. Snigget sighed in satisfaction, "There, it is gone."

Sarah cocked her head, "So, does it just disappear with magic? Does it still exist somewhere?"

"It is four feet under the ground, in a hole for refuse we dug with our own hands when we first made camp. Magic has its uses, but so does being practical." Snigget moved to sit on a cushion near Sarah and a mirror floated up so she could fix her hair. She started to braid it, beginning with the top of her scalp.

Sarah switched Mari to her other breast, all the while watching the elf do an intricate braid style she'd never seen before. From what Sarah could tell, seven strands were woven together, and after a moment she could see it was similar to the earthly Dutch style, for it appeared to be inverted. Over the years at Renaissance faires, Sarah observed many artisans skilled with making beautifully styled braids. Some braid styles took hours to complete. The elf finished her task in less than twelve minutes.

"That is beautiful. If I tried that with my hair, I think my arms would fall off from the strain." Sarah joked.

"I could do a braid for you, if you'd like."

"Yes, please." Sarah paused a moment; glancing at the baby reminded her she hadn't brushed her hair since leaving the house that morning. "On second thought, maybe not. I don't have a free hand at the moment to brush out my hair. Thanks for the offer."

"Nonsense. On our upcoming journey, having your hair securely placed will be one less worry. I have various combs. I also have a gentle touch, or so I was once told." Snigget's voice lowered in sadness.

"It's okay, I'll let you brush my hair." Sarah said quickly at seeing the woman's woeful expression, "I just didn't want to inconvenience you."

"It is no bother." The elf said while positioning herself to sit on her knees behind Sarah. "I used to braid my husband's hair like this. The braid of a battle warrior."

Hearing the title made Sarah go still. "Are you going to battle against the goblin kingdom? Is that why you put your hair that way?"

Snigget began to brush the knots out of Sarah's hair, as she answered thoughtfully, "No. It is merely a good style for a journey such as the one we will experience in the unknown challenges of the Labyrinth."

Her answer made Sarah relax. Seeing that Mari had fallen asleep, Sarah removed her from her breast. She then placed a cloth over her shoulder, asking, "Can you still do my hair while I burp her?" Snigget affirmed she could. As Sarah gently patted the baby's back, she asked her next question before she forgot it. "Is one of the men in camp your husband?"

"Oh no. My love and I haven't seen each other for a very long time. I hope to remedy that very soon."

Sarah heard the wistful sorrow in the woman's voice. She knew first-hand the type of sadness Snigget felt, and how hard it was to talk about the one you love when you could not be near them.

As the woman's fingers gently worked on Sarah's hair, she quietly asked, "Your earrings and bracelet are lovely. They look to be Elven made. And have the symbol of the Goblin Kingdom. How did you come by them if you claim to have not been Underground but for half of one day many years ago?"

Sarah heard the woman's nonchalant voice and her heart started to beat faster. This was the type of questioning she feared. "They were gifts from my husband. He knows of my run through the Labyrinth. I think he's proud I conquered it. I don't know where he got them."

"Is your husband living? You said he wasn't present to take the child when Raven-eye asked earlier."

Sarah stiffened and gripped Mari to her more tightly. "Yes, he is alive. But like you, I haven't seen my love in a while and desperately want to reunite with him."

"I see. As your child is days old, he's never seen her then?"

"No. He doesn't know of her." Sarah confessed.

"That is unfortunate." A moment of silence passed before Snigget placed a gentle hand on Sarah's shoulder. "I am finished."

Sarah let out the breath she had been holding, thankful that the woman didn't pursue further questions.

Snigget shifted the floating mirror so Sarah could see her handywork. As Sarah examined her reflection, she lifted a hand to feel the braid, which was tight and neat and a bit more designed than the braid Snigget had done on herself.

"Wow, this is pretty. I've never seen anything like it. Thank you."

"I appreciate your gratitude." The elf said, nodding her head once. She then grasped Sarah's wrist with the bracelet and held it even when Sarah tried to pull away. "You would do well to conceal the momentos from your spouse. You are in the company of skilled thieves and those are valuable, in more ways than one. Should they find more profit in taking them from you than sticking to their assigned task, they won't hesitate."

Seeing the seriousness in the woman's face, all Sarah could do was nod. Once the woman released her, Sarah moved away. Sarah felt instantly compelled to comply and placed Mari in the makeshift crib to free her hands. She then took off all her jewelry, save her signet ring and wedding ring, which was her only piece that did not have the emblem of her kingdom. She tried to think of where she could keep the jewelry, then settled on the white leather pouch she had kept that Jareth had given her wedding ring in. Like all things he and her Underground friends had gifted her with, she kept the pouch in the leather satchel. Along with the bracelet and earrings, she placed her mirror necklace within as well since it also had the symbol of the Goblin Kingdom. As with generations of women before her, Sarah placed these most valuable possessions in her bra, close to her heart.

She then stood up and stretched her muscles; it felt really bad and really good at the same time. She glanced at her sleeping baby, then to the elf who was packing supplies into a bag, supposedly for their journey tomorrow. Sarah figured now was as good a time as ever to freshen up.

She grabbed a diaper for herself from the diaper bag and placed it over her sleeping daughter laying in the makeshift cradle. The box and baby together weighed less than twelve pounds, and Sarah was certain it would cause her no strain. It seemed within the weight limit the doctor had given her. Yet, when she bent down to lift the box, she winced and cried out at a sharp twinge in her lower abdomen. She paused and took a deep breath and tried again, this time working to stay silent through the pain.

"Peaches?" The elf woman said with concern.

Sarah shook her head and took short steps towards the privy, saying, "I'm going to clean up."

"The babe is sleeping. You need not burden yourself. I will keep watch over her."

"No!" Sarah said forcefully in a panic. Only in the care of Karen had Sarah let Mari out of her sight, and even then it had just been for quick necessity. She knew this woman was kind and hospitable, and she didn't mean to cause insult, but there was no way Sarah was going to trust her daughter with a stranger. "No, thank you."

"As you wish. Should you need assistance, you need only to ask." Snigget offered.

When Sarah pulled back the curtain, to be honest she was a little disappointed. With the elaborate features of the rest of the tent, she was hoping for a bathtub or some sort of porcelain toilet. Instead there was a water basin and a wooden frame with a hole. And no mirror. At least it didn't smell. She was grateful there was a waist-high toiletry cabinet she could easily place Mari's bed upon and not have to bend her torso to do so.

Sarah looked down the length of her, placing her hands on her still protruding stomach. She sighed. Her belly was not reducing as quickly as she had hoped and looked how it did when she was six months pregnant. Another sign that something might be wrong. The doctor assured her it could take a few months for her flat stomach to return, if it did at all, saying each woman had her own experience. With Karen's pregnancies, she was back to looking normal after three weeks. Sarah tried to not let herself worry; it had, after all, been less than a week since she gave birth. Were her expectations of herself too high again?

At least she didn't seem to be as sticky as she felt under her clothes after a day of walking in warm weather. Only from the waist down was her situation less than ideal. She dreaded peeling off the diaper from her body; the amount of red she saw when she did was alarming.

Next to the basin was a singular wash cloth. She dipped it into the water, then began to clean herself. It was embarrassing having to soil someone else's cloth, and without running water, how was she to rinse it properly? Even worse, what if there was no more water? Rinsing it out in the basin would ruin the supply. Sarah felt like crying. A few tears escaped, and she did her best to keep her whimpers silent.

"Peaches, please do not be insulted, but I have a keen sense of smell. You are bleeding. May I assist you?" Came Snigget's voice from the other side of the curtain.

Sarah shook her head, even though she knew the other woman couldn't see, and said meekly, "I'm...It's an after-effect of childbirth. I just don't know what to…" Sarah couldn't help but to sob out, "I don't want to dirty the water."

"You won't. The basin is enchanted to give unending water. You may cleanse as needed."

Not wanting to be rude and ask what 'unending' meant, Sarah took her hand, which was as red as the cloth she held, and placed it into the water. The blood dissipated as soon as it touched the surface, yet the water remained pristinely clear. Sarah released a breath in astonishment, then laughed as she placed the ruddy cloth within and it came out unblemished.

"This is amazing!" Sarah exclaimed, causing Mari to whimper a moment before settling down again. In a hushed voice so as to not awaken the baby, she asked, "Is this coming with us on the journey?"

"No. As I said, we must enjoy such comforts tonight as on our mission, we can only rely on what natural water sources we encounter."

While she cleaned herself, Sarah tried to remember all the places she encountered water in the Labyrinth. During her run for Toby, there had been only two and she never drank from them. The first was the tiny pool outside the gates where she had first encountered Hoggle; what he had been doing made the water unsanitary. And the other had been a fountain in the middle of the Goblin City, and that in itself made the water questionable.

In their dreams, Jareth had taken her places of ample water within their kingdom that she never would have thought possible during her run. The pool where they gave their marriage vows and the canals to which he took her on the second anniversary of their meeting had clear, flowing water. She was quite certain there were places she hadn't been shown yet and could only hope such sources could be easily found in the ever-changing maze.

Several minutes later, Sarah emerged feeling much more refreshed. Placing Mari's bed back on the ground caused little discomfort; perhaps moving more would make her feel better over time.

When Sarah looked up, she noticed Snigget was waiting with a bundle of clothes in her hands and a pair of brown leather boots next to her feet.

"Your garments are not suitable for a journey, so I have selected some for you. I hope they are to your liking." She passed on the bundle to Sarah. Then delicately, in a gentle tone, she said, "If you would allow me to bespell your woman's cloths for the journey, you wouldn't have to change them."

Sarah tried to not be embarrassed, but tears welled in her eyes as she nodded.

The woman hovered her hands over Sarah's lower abdomen, then hesitated. "May I touch you? Since you have the item on…"

"Yah, it's okay." Sarah answered softly.

Snigget stepped forward and placed a hand above Sarah's womb, barely touching her as she spoke words Sarah didn't understand. When completed, she nodded to Sarah. "There, it is done."

Sarah sniffled and she found her voice cracked as she spoke, "Can you just heal me?"

Snigget looked at Sarah, her voice forlorn, "It may seem as if magic can do anything, but that is an ability beyond my gifts. I am not a healer, and neither is anyone here. I am sorry."

Sarah nodded slowly. Then, another thing to ask came to mind, even though it was overly hopeful for her to even try. "What about my baby's diapers?"

"Ah." The woman smiled and nodded. "That is a different matter. The frequency of necessity of cleanliness would prevent the same magic from being effective. However, I have another remedy. Where do you keep the child's supply of napiers?"

"In the gray bag." The scholar in her made Sarah want to dissect how the origin of their culture's word for diaper developed. It was as if a combination of the British nappy and American diaper.

The woman picked up the bag and spoke a spell over it. This time, Sarah could see the violet glow surrounding the bag a moment before dissipating. "There, now there will be an unending supply, at least for a month. Even for your woman's clothes, it is temporary. Such magic doesn't last indefinitely."

"Still, that's incredible." Sarah said, her voice breathy in awe. But one thing she had learned about the Underground; don't take things for granted. This woman was being very accommodating. Overly so. "From what I know of the Underground, there is a cost for everything. Nothing is freely given between strangers. Why are you being so nice to me? "

The elf placed a hand on Sarah's arm. "Peaches, I am going to take care of you. Your success in this mission is my gain. To that end, you cannot possibly travel comfortably or safely in those." Snigget sneered while pointing to Sarah's sandals. "You can have a pair of my boots. Here."

Sarah took the offered clothes, but shook her head looking at the boots. "My feet won't fit in those. They're too swollen." She looked upon her feet with resignation. "I made it through the fairground okay in these. I'm sure I'll be fine going through the Labyrinth again."

"The boots will fit. They are made with kipper hide." Snigget picked up the boots and placed them beside Sarah's feet. When Sarah still rejected them, the elf added, "They will be comfortable for your feet no matter your condition. Please, let me prepare you properly. If you fail, years of planning will have been all for nothing."

Sarah laughed at the irony as she finally took the boots. "I guess I literally have some pretty big shoes to fill."

The elf stared at her. "I don't understand the humor."

"It's an idiom, a saying we have Above. It means I hope I can live up to your expectations."

Snigget nodded. "Ah. Yes, then that does make sense. You're right, the expectations are high. You dress. I'm going to go check with my comrades on the evening meal." The woman advised before leaving the tent.

Sarah sat and examined the garments she had been given. In her studies of other cultures of the world, she had observed that clothing was rather unique to the region of origin. For instance, robes have been used since ancient times as a covering in Greek and Asian cultures; similar in purpose even if different in design. But over time, the more functional an item became, the more universally common the garment became across the globe, like shoes and glasses. Buttons were used before written history and in most cultures were both functional and ornate pieces of fashion. And then there were cloaks, typically used to protect one from the elements. Sarah had never in her life worn a cloak, but she supposed Jareth had the first and last times she'd seen him in person. His were definitely fashion over function. So seeing a hooded cloak amongst the items she had been given was only a slight surprise. It was not heavy as it was of a material similar to velvet, so it shouldn't be too warm to wear. She remembered running the Labyrinth in jeans this very week seven years ago. It had been bearable so she could only assume the weather would be similar now.

The rest of the garments were practical: Soft, tan suede leather pants that laced up the front, a gray billowy blouse much like the one she'd arrived in but of a much lighter fabric. Sarah was relieved that there had been no corset with laces to pull or buttons she couldn't reach. With the boots there were black socks, or rather stockings as they were of a stretchier material and long enough to go past her knees. She was grateful she could bend to put them on herself with no pain and her stomach didn't hinder her movement. As the elf claimed, the boots were fantastically comfortable, as if they had been created just for her. She was pleased she could easily put on everything herself without effort. Yet, not having a mirror, she had no idea how she looked. She supposed it didn't matter as long as she was comfortable.

Her task complete and her hostess absent, Sarah took the time to rest and lay on the pillows beside her slumbering infant. Her mind was blissfully quiet, although she knew she had every right to be in turmoil in anticipation for what tomorrow would bring. She didn't even dream, if she had fallen asleep at all. All she knew was the next time she opened her eyes, it was because Snigget was nudging her.

"Peaches, are you hungry?"

Sarah yawned as she nodded. Her stomach was certainly giving her grief for being empty, having not eaten in hours. "Always. I'm still eating for two."

"Come then. The evening meal is ready."

Not wanting to disturb Mari by putting her in the sling wrap, for the baby was thankfully still sound asleep, Sarah leaned down to lift the box to take with her. She did her best not to react to the twinge she felt, but she failed.

"Peaches, may I carry her for you?" Snigget asked.

Even though there was no way in hell she was ever going to let her baby out of her sight during this journey, Sarah nodded.


Jareth jerked awake. His neck ached from being thrown back against the rim of his throne. And his head throbbed with a pain he'd only experienced when sobering up from drinking too much, yet he hadn't consumed alcohol for weeks. If he'd slept, then that meant Sarah had been sleeping again, but it hadn't lasted long. He clearly remembered glancing at the clock when he returned from Above and barely an hour had passed since then; so even though she was Underground, she was still exhausted. Yet, there had been no dream. It was disappointing, but not unexpected. Over the years, the inconsistency of dreaming together was consistent. He refused to let himself consider that the dreams might end with her now being in his world.

Jareth arose and paced his throne room, the noise of the goblins helping to hone his thoughts. He needed the stirred chaos of sound to keep his mind moving, churning all that Cassandra had told him of Sarah's impulsive journey into his realm. Sarah was with a silver haired, pointy eared woman; standard characteristics of an Elf of the Northernlands. Cassandra's description of the male was of little use as 'normal' was subjective. But, with the little he deduced of Cassandra's thought processes, she was probably referring to the man looking human, which meant he could be human or Fae, since even in the Underground the physical traits of the two species were indistinguishable by looks alone.

This duo had requested Sarah, for she was 'someone who has defeated the Labyrinth'. To do what? And to go where? The Underground was vast, granted not as spacious or populated as the Above world, but without knowing something of this mission Sarah was on, it would be nearly impossible to find her, or help her, without more to go by. And the question above all: How did these recruiters even know Sarah had succeeded in the Labyrinth's challenge?

There was no telling if those who came for Sarah were friend or foe, royalty or common. Seeking help from the other kingdoms was out of the question. Bothering the other monarchs with his plight would either show weakness, cause annoyance, or possibly tip off the ones responsible. No, for this, he'd have to send out his own scouts.

This is where he sometimes wished he had more discreet subjects, for most of the creatures in his kingdom were childlike in their intellect and very loud. He had half a mind to send the dwarf and canine knight on such a task, but he was sure Sarah would hate for something to happen to her companions. But they could still be of use, as they would most likely be the ones Sarah would contact if she needed aid. He doubted Sarah would seek him out first for she probably would believe him to be quite cross with her rash decision. And he was.

Oh, how he was. Furious.

Jareth ungracefully flopped upon his throne, then formed a crystal to summon the trio, Sarah's closest companions. The ones she would seek should she attempt to avoid him.

"Hoggle, Didymus, Ludo. I require your presence."

He didn't expect them to come rushing as he had not made it a command. Should they take too long, however, they knew there would be consequences.

Dutiful as ever, Sir Didymus, riding in on his loyal canine steed, was the first to arrive. "My liege, how might I be of assistance?"

"Hello, knight. I shall wait for the dwarf and the beast to arrive before my inquiry begins."

"In...Inquiry, my lord? I swear I know nothing." The knight reiterated his words by tapping his staff upon the ground at the last word.

Jareth narrowed his eyes. "What a strange answer before even knowing what I would ask. Should I be asking something?"

The whiskers on the tip of Didymus's nose shivered slightly, "N-No?"

"What'd ya want?" Hoggle asked as he stormed into the throne room, nearly being bumped into by a goblin tugging a piglet on a leash. He came to stand in front of Jareth, placing his hands on his hips. "I was in the middle of fixin' a broken chicken coop out by my house. Thirty chickens now roostin' in the blasted thing, smellin' up my garden. A damn kiez chewed through the boards and ate all the eggs. I had nothin' for breakfast."

Jareth struggled to maintain his composure, as the dwarf was covered in black feathers, several jutting out of his hair. "I'll give you some from my kitchen for your trouble."

"So, what are we here for?" Hoggle asked impatiently.

"I shall delve into the details once the beast arrives." Jareth answered.

"Ludo ain't comin. He's got more youngin's on the way. He's out findin' food for his mate." Hoggle stated.

"Gods help us." Jareth mumbled under his breath. "Fine, then I expect the two of you to inform him of this. Sarah is Underground."

"What?!" "She made it?!" They said simultaneously.

"She has been recruited for a mission. Of what sort, I do not know. But by your reactions, I take it she has not contacted you?"

"No." They both answered, looking to each other for confirmation.

"If she does, you are to tell me immediately." Jareth commanded.

"Is...is she alone?" Hoggle asked.

"She is traveling with at least two, an elf woman and a man of human form, but whether or not he has magic is uncertain."

Sir Didymus and Hoggle nodded to each other at this information.

"Should she ask anything of us, thou shall be the first to know." The knight bowed before taking his leave.

Hoggle lingered a moment, his hand playing with the plastic bracelet on his wrist.

"Is there something else, Hoggle?" Jareth asked, curious as to why the dwarf had stayed.

"If Sarah contacts you, will you tell us, too? I'm...she's..." He took a deep breath as he tried to formulate his words, "When you had us give her your gift, she gave us one too and I want to make sure nothin' happens to that gift. It's tiny and precious, but I think it will change us all for the better."

The king narrowed his eyes, remembering Sarah mentioning she had been given a gift as well. She said it was something she loved very much and otherwise talked circles around it. If the dwarf knew about it, why hadn't he informed Jareth of this gift two days ago when he returned after visiting with her?

"What is this gift?"

Hoggle looked straight into Jareth's eyes, "Sarah doesn't want us to tell you about it. And I think's ya' need to know, but a promise is a promise. A queen's order must be obeyed too, so I can't say nothin'. But I can tell ya, it's the best gift anyone can get. It brings hope, love, an' everything good you can think of."

Jareth sneered down at the dwarf and scoffed, "I didn't know you to be the sentimental type."

The dwarf turned to walk away, shaking his head. "I shouldn't have wasted my breath."

Jareth felt….something at seeing the dwarf look defeated over such a petty jest. "Hoggle." After calling the dwarf's name, he suddenly didn't have anything to say. The way the dwarf looked at him expectantly made Jareth soften and remember that Hoggle wanted Sarah's safety and happiness as much as he. And the dwarf was owed a repayment of eggs. Jareth formed a crystal and with a thought, a basket of eggs appeared. "Here. If I hear from Sarah, you'll be the first to know."

Hoggle raised his brows in surprise as he took the offered basket. He nodded, then left.

Feeling clueless was becoming tiresome. Everything anyone had been saying was cryptic and he was not the one holding the cipher. For now, he didn't have time to dwell on it. His next task was to decide which of his goblins would become his eyes and ears in the other kingdoms as he tried to discover Sarah's wearabouts.

"Jareth, is she here?"

He whirled around at the sound of his mother's voice. Finding her out of the ballroom was quite a surprise. Actually, seeing her at all constantly astounded him. She was an anomaly, a mystery whose existence only magic could elucidate. Maria looked not an hour older than the day she ran for him and defeated the Owl King. Should anyone observe them side by side, they would assume he was her elder. He felt a fondness for her and cared for her deeply, yet there was a disconnect from his brain with his heart that she was his mother. He had to take care of her over the centuries, made sure her needs were met, fed into her desire to avoid the real world. He was more a parent to her than she had ever been to him. Though, it wasn't her fault. None of it was her fault.

In nearly two centuries, his mother had only ventured away from the masquerade two other times. The first was a time during his first decade of rule where she sensed his displeasure when a poor farmer and his wife kept having children and kept wishing them away, six in total, never choosing to run for them and yet reaping the benefits of getting their desires fulfilled. When the sixth babe from the couple was collected, Jareth tried to intimidate them to cease their selfishness, shouted for the man to use contraception, but they laughed in his face. They dared to claim their god said no seed was to be wasted, that it was some sacred duty to procreate. They refused to listen to reason and he got so angry. He would have castrated the man himself if he could. Sensing his displeasure, his mother had sought him out to soothe him. She had him lay on a sofa and place his head on her lap as she rocked gently. She spoke soft words to calm him as she traced patterns over his face with gentle fingers, like she had done when he was an infant-the one year they had truly been together as mother and child. He had fallen asleep to the comfort she had given him. But when he awoke, she was gone; back to her fantasy.

Having her there with him in that moment, it was beautiful and bittersweet. He wished his childhood hadn't been stolen from him. Their bond as mother and son would have been strong. He knew she loved him; she had, after all, fought fiercely for him. Yet, he knew she stayed away because she thought she had failed him. Dancing was her avoidance of reality. If she accepted the reality that her husband had forsaken her and their son, that would mean she had to face the truth. Reality hurt. She found solace twirling in the arms of his father's forged mechanical visage, her escape from the real world.

Typically, he made an effort to see his mother every few days-sometimes just to say hello and let her know he was still around. She'd simply wave to him but didn't stop dancing. On the occasion where he would be away for a long while if he was going to visit another kingdom, he would make sure she stopped twirling long enough to acknowledge she understood him. With the way she typically responded to him, he wondered if she found it an annoyance that he sought her out at all. But she must have noticed his absence, for the second time that Maria ventured away from her fantasy was to seek out her son after Sarah's triumph over the Labyrinth. It had taken him weeks to mend everything that Sarah's defiance had crumbled to rubble and there was more yet to fix. With how concentrated he was on repairing the aftermath of Sarah, checking with his mother had slipped his mind.

Her coming to see him wasn't a burden, but her questioning the reason behind his mood was. His ego still bruised from Sarah's rejection, he had been annoyed by his mother's interrogation. Maria's fiery eyes told him he'd better not argue with her when she asked him what was bothering him. So he laid out his burden to her, telling her of the mess the girl had left behind, his annoyance with incompetent goblins, and his displeasure with having to use so much magic to fix everything. His mother had the audacity to empathize with the girl, saying she admired how Sarah attempted to correct her mistake in making the wish. She admired how Sarah didn't give up or give in. His mother saying such things angered him, because he had been trying so hard to not think of Sarah at all. He escorted his mother back to her ball and assured her he would be fine. As he had told his mother after Sarah won her brother back, he didn't need her. Of course, he had been so wrong.

Jareth wondered what had aroused his mother to journey away from the ballroom this time around. "Is who here, mother?"

"Your little girl." Maria answered.

Ah, she meant Sarah then. "No, she isn't here."

"But she is coming." She insisted.

It took a moment for him to answer, for the notion that Sarah was currently somewhere Underground still thrilled him, even if she wasn't in his arms yet. "Yes, she is."

Maria smiled fondly, "My namesake. Bring her to me when she arrives. I'd like to meet her."

"I will bring her to you as soon as she is here." Jareth confirmed. "How did you know she was here? She only arrived today."

"They were whispering." She answered casually.

Jareth nodded yet shuddered, knowing she meant the other dancers in her ball. Those who had been wished away who could not be adopted or simpletons who wandered in he saved from becoming goblins by placing them in the masquerade. He often wondered if the Labyrinth spoke to them; with them telling his mother of Sarah's arrival, it seemed a confirmation.

Not wanting to dwell on it, he changed the subject, "Are you well? Do you have need of anything?"

Her eyes darted around the room before she took a step backwards. "No, thank you. I should be getting back to your father."

Internally, he cringed at her referring to the machine as his father. The last thing he wanted was to break her fantasy and chance making her feel lesser because of her attachment to the thing. He didn't blame her for her choice and wouldn't steal her happiness even if he didn't understand it.

"May I escort you back?" He asked, taking steps closer to her.

She held out her hand and smiled. "I would like that."

Jareth's intention was to leave his mother at the entrance of the room, yet she insisted that he come visit his father. Indulging her, he approached the automaton; after all, it did hold the real part of his father that had made his mother fall in love with him. It called him son. Jareth tried to fool himself into accepting the title, even though the face of the machine was corrugated, a constant reminder of the farce. But he imagined it would be what his father would be like had he lived. It could, after all, hold an intelligent conversation with him. Still, Jareth wouldn't let himself emotionally care. Being in the presence of the machine was merely him upholding an obligatory duty he had to his mother. If it weren't for her blind attachment to the thing, he would have thrown it out long ago.

Once she started dancing again, returning to her illusion, Jareth took his leave.

Just when he thought there couldn't be anything else to distract him from searching for Sarah, he was stopped in the journey back to the throne room by five overly dressed goblins. The Goblin Council. Every decade or so, the goblins would vote on the five goblins that would represent them, and by 'vote', that meant they would see who could collect the most eggs without breaking them or being pecked by the chickens. At least, that was how the vote was most recently decided. It seemed to change up every few decades; Jareth didn't care to keep track.

"If your majesty is ready, it is the hour of the sporing of the mushrooms. We have not convened since the day of the great salamander hiccup. Far too long between congresses."

Internally, Jareth groaned from trying to keep track of how Goblin kind kept time. How these goblins were civilized and unrouty baffled him. "What would you like to talk of today?"

They glanced back and forth amongst themselves, then one spoke, "What do you want to talk about?"

Jareth grinned, finding them to be the perfect solution to his previous conundrum. "I have a task for each of you."

Five kingdoms. Five members of the Goblin Council. It was about time he gave them a task to challenge their intelligence. They had lived in leisure far too long without earning their keep. He called them before him, and as expected, there was open grumbling. But they knew better than to say no to their king. Once he offered three barrels of ale each, their instant compliance was humorous as they nearly fell over themselves to do as he demanded. Despite their dedication to their dutiful responsibility of being wise leaders, they were, after all, in their core the same as any other goblin; led by their stomach. He didn't task them with anything too difficult; they were diplomats, not warriors. He was confident they would be rather skilled at espionage. They could visit the courts of the other kingdoms on the premise that a revised trade agreement was needed if the other monarchies were interested in increasing the allotment of magical bog water they received annually. This was sure to entice negotiation and allow for days of discussion and thus allowing the Goblin Council to search for signs of Sarah in the other kingdoms without drawing suspicion to whomever may have recruited her.

The members of the Goblin Council had been informed of his marriage to his Above paramour in late winter, of which the Council was ecstatic. Learning that their mission would involve finding the whereabouts of their queen was a great motivation; they nearly fell over themselves to begin their task.

Once they were gone, Jareth returned to his chambers, mentally exhausted. He had done all he could to set into motion finding Sarah. Now, all he could do was wait.


The moment Sarah exited the tent, the savory smell of fire and cooked meat struck her nostrils and her mouth instantly watered. Other than the day she gave birth, this was the longest she had gone between meals in months. She was definitely ready to eat.

Snigget placed Mari's cradle next to a stump and motioned for Sarah to sit. The other woman, the wife of the man who recruited her, handed her a plate of food right away, for which Sarah couldn't have been more grateful. It tasted as good as it smelled, although strange. The meat had the consistency of tuna, yet it didn't seem to be from a fish, as it was dark like beef after being cooked, and it had a nutty flavor similar to brazil nuts. The vegetable side dish was an orange bean pod, slightly burned but it enhanced the flavor; maybe it had been singed on purpose. The slice of bread with creamy butter was the only thing Sarah found identical to that from her world.

She noticed that there was lots of smiling and comradery around the man who had helped bring her here. His family was all smiles, his son clinging to his arm. Two of the other men, twins by the look of them, started singing what sounded like a drinking song, joyful and fast paced. They pulled the father away from his family to join them in their song, and he happily obliged. Then, Sarah spotted the last of their company, someone who wore a full suit of shiny brass armor. When she saw his face, she was taken aback for he had the face of a goblin. Or, at least that's what she thought he was; the tallest goblin she'd ever seen.

"Gents, let's calm down and greet our guest." Snigged announced once she had settled in her own spot at the end of the stump next to Sarah, a plate of food in one hand and a mug of drink in the other. Sarah noticed the elf held herself a bit looser than she had when in her tent, as if she was forcing herself to not be so prim and proper.

"Alright, alright. Come on now." The father sat back down with his family. Once his comrades were also seated, he focused his gaze on Sarah. "Lass, we've waited a long time to meet ya', the one who felled the castle of the Labyrinth."

Sarah cocked her head reflexively at not understanding what he meant, "I did what?"

"You beat the Labyrinth. Destroyed the castle. It took the ol' king weeks to put it all back together." One of the twins said.

"We were hopin' he wouldn't, but 'e did." The other chimed in.

Sarah's heart dropped. "I had no idea. I wasn't told."

How had Jareth kept that from her. How had her friends?

"Well, you wouldn't 'ave known, would ya'? You were sent back to your world." The father took a drink before continuing, "But, now you're here and we can get on with our mission."

Sarah nodded, trying to keep tears from forming. She was there now. The past was the past. "Right, I'm to get you into the Labyrinth."

"Not just get into the Labyrinth, but get us to the castle and the vault within." Snigget clarified.

"I take it you have a plan?" Sarah asked.

"We've got a general idea." The father stated. "With you and Scubbin havin' been there before, we figure we'll do alright getting through once you get us in."

"Scubbin, which one is he?" Sarah asked.

"Ah, that would be me, my Lady. And you are…?"

"That's right, we need some introduction. I'm Tocpe, and this is my family." He pointed to his wife and children. Then he indicted the twins, "These rascals are Myght and Rheit. Slickest thieves you'll ever know." He then pointed to the goblin knight, "An' last but not least, that's Scubbin. He was born and raised in the Labyrinth but left when his father was defeated by the current king."

Sarah straightened and looked towards Scubbin, "Your father was the Owl King?"

"'Tis true. He was a scoundrel and I couldn't get away from him soon enough. This lot knows I will assist in their quest to invade the vaults, but should the Goblin King retaliate, I in no way will fight him. His mother was my friend, and I will not dishonor her memory in any way."

"Bleedin' soul." Rheit teased.

Sarah wanted to ask Scubbin so many questions about where he came from and how he knew Jareth's mother, but with present company, it was neither the right time nor place.

"And that leaves you, Peaches." Tocpe said. "So, now that we're all acquainted, let's get down to the gist of things. Snigget's aunt, our benefactor, has tasked us with getting something from that vault. It might be big, it might be small. We don't know. All we know is Snigget will know what it is we need to filch once inside. So, that means we have to stick together for this to work."

Sarah had long lost her appetite and placed her plate on the ground beside her. She listened while the plan was revealed. Seemed simple enough. It didn't appear that they had any ill intent, no free-for-all robbery, although the twins mentioned if they saw something shiny, it was theirs.

Mari woke up and her little cry startled everyone into silence. Everyone stared at her, then to Sarah, then to Snigget.

"What the hell is that!" Myght crowed.

"You can't be serious, Toc. She can't possibly bring the braddle with us." Rheit chimed.

Tocpe's wife came over to Sarah, "Don't listen to them. They don't have children of their own. My name is Reinna, not that my husband cared to share that. He's a bit overly excited today, with you coming here and his birth celebration today."

The men were still arguing, Snigget also getting into the fray.

"Would you like to nurse somewhere more quiet?" Reinna asked.

Sarah couldn't help but to shed the tears that had formed, overwhelmed by the change in atmosphere. "Yes, please."

Reinna rubbed her hands together and closed her eyes. After a moment, a bright glow began to shimmer as a ball of light emerged. She then grinned at Sarah and said, "Come with me."

Sarah left the cradle in the sand and just took her baby along. She noticed this kind woman wore no shoes as she followed through the sand. The sun had set and the campfire gave just enough light for them to see where they were going. Reinna led her into a tent, one of much baser means than the one Snigget occupied. But there was a pile of furs that Sarah could recline on.

"Do all people Underground have magic?" Sarah asked once she and Mari were settled.

"In one way or another, if they were born here or stay long enough." She rubbed her own swelling belly.

"Were you born here?" Sarah asked.

"I was. So was everyone here. Very few were born Above. They've come less and less with this king."

Sarah frowned. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Don't know. I doubt it's his doing. From what I've heard, the Labyrinth needs wished-aways to survive. Maybe that means people above don't believe in magic as much as they used to."

Sarah nodded, "Pretty sure it's the latter. Magic is very rare above. If I hadn't run the Labyrinth for myself, I probably wouldn't believe magic existed."

Reinna softly laughed, "And I can't imagine life without it."

Sarah had the feeling this woman was not going on the journey with her, so she might be more forthcoming in answering her questions. "Scubbin said he wouldn't try to hurt the king in this quest that we're going on. Is that the same for everyone? That they won't hurt him?"

"Bandits aren't soldiers. They are, though, cunning at evasion and will try to avoid him at all costs. But that doesn't mean he won't fight back. They know how to protect themselves if it comes to that."

Mari started wailing against Sarah's breast, startling her. This was something new she hadn't done before. Sarah tried to soothe her while trying to see if she was fussy from a dirty diaper. From the smell of things, that's what it was. She panicked, knowing the diaper bag was in the other tent and she didn't want to have to venture there in the dark.

"Here." The woman produced a cloth diaper and handed it to Sarah.

Sarah shook her head, "I don't know how to tie one of those."

"May I?" Sarah nodded. Reinna took her and gently placed Mari on the floor, attempting to take off her Huggies diaper. "And I don't know how to take this one off."

Sarah did so, then moved back so Reinna could work. "I have done this so many times, I could probably do it in my sleep. I probably have done it in my sleep with at least my last one."

"How many do you have?"

"Right now, four. If my husband has his way, it'll be half-a-dozen more."

Sarah blanched. "I think if I had that many babies, I'd die."

"I take it she is your first?" When Sarah nodded, a solemn look came over Reinna. "How old is she?"

"Six days. Why?"

The woman placed the baby back in Sarah's arms before marching out of the tent. Sarah tried to quickly put her shirt back into place while following her back to the campfire.

"You think you're taking a newborn into that kieper trap?" Reinna nearly screamed up into her husband's face. "You are a father of three, soon to be four! You know better!"

"Now love, it's not my fault the one we were looking for has a child. I'm only followin' orders. The little one can stay with you…."

"No!" Sarah shouted. "Absolutely not. My baby stays with me. There will be no negotiation on that."

"So, that's that." Tocpe stated matter of factly to his wife.

"Speaking of negotiation," Rheit started, "We still have to go over logistics."

"Yeah, if she's joining our mission, shouldn't she have to take the oath?" Myght agreed.

Sarah settled back in her seat, swaying to lull Mari back to sleep. "What oath?"

"The Oath of the Bandit Creed, my lady." Scubbin said while rising from his seat, slowly pacing around the fire as he spoke in a sing-song rhyme.

"To he, or she, that seek to loot and ravage, be it so.
In comradery, may it ever be, to plunder you must go.
If you fall behind, your pursuit unkind, your duty lost control;
Should you oppose, you stray alone, your fate then be your own."

As he said the words, Sarah noticed the other men and Snigget started in with him under their breath, as if compelled to quote it.

"What does that mean?" Sarah asked once he finished.

"In short, it means if we stay together and stay to our quest, we each get to keep our share of the loot. If one should stray and fall behind, we won't be there to save them. You're fate is your own." Snigget straight out answered.

"What are the conditions?" Sarah huffed, "How am I to know what I should or should not do on this quest?"

"For one, you can't let the Goblin King or any citizen of the Labyrinth know you are there. Your goal is to get us to the vault unseen. Once we are in and out of the Labyrinth, we'll take you back to your home. Then you can do whatever you want. If you break your end of the deal, your girl will be our payment."

"Tocpe! No!" His wife yelled.

"Reinna, stay out of this." He told her. "She needs to realize there are consequences if she betrays us."

"You never said anything about my baby…" Sarah snarled.

"You didn't ask. You fail, we take what's most precious to you as compensation."

"Snigget?" Sarah looked to the elf, to the one person here she thought could contradict them, but her silence indicated her compliance.

"That's a part of the creed, my Lady." Scubbin stated, "To ensure all parties stick to their task, should they fail, they must give up what's most dear."

Sarah stood up and bounced her arms as she paced, trying to comprehend what this all meant. "So let me get this straight, you want me to get you through the Labyrinth, which is full of goblins and other creatures, in and out unseen? That's crazy! You can't expect me to not be spotted by someone in the Labyrinth. I've only been there once, but I remember enough to know that its citizens are everywhere and anywhere. And I am quite sure they will recognize me. I will not purposely seek them out, but you can't expect me to not be seen by them."

Snigget nodded in understanding. "Alright. Then as long as you do not seek out a denizen of the maze, you've held up to your end of the bargain."

"I have two conditions of my own. I am the sole source of my baby's nourishment. She cannot live without me and I will not go anywhere without her. I will need to be given time to feed her when she gets hungry, whenever and however long that may be. And my other condition; once I have helped you and done my part, I want you to leave me and my child at the center of the Labyrinth."

"Simple enough. Done." Snigget agreed.

Sarah took a deep breath and closed her eyes a moment, contemplating the mess she had gotten herself into. Now that they had threatened to take her daughter-her mind was numb. She didn't know what to think, or how to think.

When she opened her eyes, she focused on Snigget. "Tell me what it is you need to steal, or I take everything back. I will not help you until I know."

"My goal is to reunite with my lover who was falsely imprisoned five centuries ago. He is somewhere in the Vault at the heart of the Labyrinth. That is why I need you, to help me steal him."

In that moment, all that could be heard was the crackling of the fire. The other bandits were struck dumb, having finally learned what this task was all about.

Sarah fiddled with her signet ring, pondering, "Couldn't you have just asked the Goblin King?"

"Why would he help me? I'm not a royal diplomat. I have no station nor anything to offer him for his assistance."

"So your plan is to break in, which could have worse consequences than if you had just asked?"

The woman was silent, then admitted, "It never occured to me to ask. It just isn't what is done."

"You'd be surprised how generous he can be, especially if his wife has anything to say about it."

"The Goblin King took a queen? We have heard no such news." Rheit contradicted.

"Well, he has. Maybe if you ask her, she will help your cause. It sounds to me like your cause is just."

"How would we contact her without her king finding out? We don't even know who she is."

"It was just an idea. Does it change anything?" Sarah asked.

"No, I suppose not. But it might save us a fight, should it come to that." Myght added.

"So, Peaches. Do you accept the oath of the creed?" Tocpe asked.

"If you promise I get to stay in the Labyrinth and you never threaten to take my baby away from me again, yes. Or no deal." Sarah looked him in the eye, unwavering.

After a moment, he blinked and sighed, "Fine then."

He held out his hand. She balanced Mari with one arm and took his proffered hand. The moment she shook it, she felt a zap of magic enter her and saw a blue glow blip around her fingers. The oath was sealed.

"Now that is settled, I have one way to ensure the Goblin King does not see us." Snigget said, pulling the bracelet Tocpe's daughter had stolen the day before. "Peaches, if you wear this you and all who touch you will be shielded from the king's gaze."

Sarah took it into her hand, examining it before placing it on her wrist. It looked simple enough, a woven turquoise thread with one clear bead the size of a grape. When she held it up to the firelight, she saw something inside. "Is that a hair?"

"Yes. Your hair." Snigget stated, "I bespelled it so you will be invisible to the Goblin King, as long as you wear it."

Sarah nodded, "Then I vow to not take it off during this mission."

"Well, I'm bushed. G'night all." Myght yawned, then turned towards his tent.

"Yes, we should all retire. We'll begin our journey after first meal in the morning." Scubbin stated.

Sarah stood, staring into the fire, fighting the feeling that she had just agreed to the biggest mistake in her life. She was so desperate to get to Jareth, she'd blindly agreed to this chaotic plan. She was willingly allowing this invasion to her kingdom, even if it was for a good cause in reuniting a long separated couple and freeing someone from wrongful imprisonment. She was sure if she just had a means to contact Jareth, he'd let this happen. But she'd made the oath. Even if she found a way to reach Jareth, she couldn't until this task was done.

"Peaches, are you coming?" Snigget asked.

Sarah absently nodded and turned to follow the elf back to her tent. Sarah was quite certain it was not just Mari which would cause her to not sleep that night.


AN2: I am a bit worried about how readers might take this story from here on. In the early chapters, the story jumped forward in time in each section. Now, we're going to follow our protagonists almost moment by moment a bit more. I hope this doesn't make the story feel different or slower. I hope I'm worrying about nothing.

You may have noticed a few words like braddle, kieper, etc. These are intentional. I'm wanting to have a bit of Underground culture slip through. Pretty sure most things won't need translation with the context.

Believe it or not, I wrote the entire last section, 2900 words, in four hours. I wasn't going to post this chapter until that section was finished. I'm so glad my brain cooperated.