Jareth sat back in his throne surrounded by his goblins. Thankfully the child had fallen asleep and was no longer wailing. Time to check on Sarah and that little trickster. He pulled out his crystal ball and waited for an image to appear. Curiously, the ball remained empty. He shook it, impatient to see what was happening in his labyrinth. Still nothing appeared and he grew more frustrated by the minute. Finally, he put the ball away as he surveyed his goblins.

Where could they be? He wondered as he absent-mindedly watched his subjects cavorting around the throne room. Abruptly he stood up and walked over to the sleeping baby. She cares too much about you not to finish. He thought as he studied the child. His elegant brows furrowed as he realized that the room had gone silent. Looking around, Jareth threw up his hands and forced a grin. "Well, get back to it!" The goblins squealed in delight and began their strange games again as Jareth made his way out to the balcony. "Oh, Sarah, please don't disappoint me again." He murmured as he looked over his labyrinth.

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Sarah and Hoggle jogged down the path, eager to get out of the gardens. Suddenly, they heard a loud roaring ahead. Sarah took off towards the sound, leaving Hoggle behind to cower in fear. She rounded the corner to find a bunch of goblins surrounding a large ginger-haired creature who was roaring in pain with every jab they gave him with their spears. Sarah ran at them, jerking back the first goblin she approached. "Hey, get off him you creeps!" She screamed, pushing her way next to the creature. She stood with her back to him, challenging the goblins. One of them charged and she shoved him back.

He fell backwards, landing on his rump to the great amusement of the other. "Well, ain't she a feisty one!" One goblin rasped, his grotesque eyes bulging.
"Just like the others!" Chimed in another as the first got back up.
"What do you care about this stupid beast anyway?" The first goblin asked as he brandished his pike at her. Another goblin moved in from the side, trying to stab her but she kicked at him. Hitting his knee, he dropped his pike and clutched his knee. "Ow! That hurts, you know!" He whined as he hopped backwards.

"I hope it did!" Sarah declared, angered by them. "You things are despicable!" The goblins squealed with laughter and bowed mockingly to her. "Why thank you!" They squeaked in unison. She made a step towards them and they quickly dispersed, disappearing before she could get another hit in. "That's right, you'd better run!" She yelled after them. Turning back to the creature, she saw that he wore a lopsided smile on his face. She smiled up at him. "Hello." She said timidly. "I'm Sarah."

Gently the creature caught her in his arms, holding her close. "Ludo...friend!" He crooned in a deep voice. "Ludo, is that your name?" Sarah asked, her voice muffled by his ginger fur. Releasing her, he nodded, horns bobbing violently. "I have to ask you for help. Do you think that you can help me?" She asked. Ludo nodded again, looking intently at her with sweet eyes. "Do you know how to get to the castle?" Instantly his head was shaking and Sarah felt her shoulders sagging. "I'll never get Michael back." She muttered.

Ludo continued to stare at her, his face still smiling. "Ludo...help." He said as she walked away. Trailing after her, he kept smiling and looking around. His good mood lifted her spirits. "You're right, Ludo, we should keep looking together." Onward they marched until they came to two doors each with a knocker. They were practically identical except for one knocker had a ring in it's mouth and the other had one in it's ears. Sarah studied them for a moment, wondering which was the right way to go.

"It's rude to stare." Snapped a nasally voice. Sarah jumped as she realized that the first knocker (the one with the ring in it's ears) had spoken. "Oh, excuse me." She breathed. "I was just trying to figure out which door to open."
"What?" The knocker cried. As she was about to reply, she heard mumbling coming from the second knocker. She stared at it curiously and the first knocker addressed her again. "He can't speak properly with that ring in his mouth."

Sarah reached up and grasped the ring, holding it while the knocker stretched out his mouth. "That feels so much better!" He exclaimed. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Sarah said ."Now what were you trying to say?" The second knocker looked at the first. "I was saying, no use talking to him, he can't hear you." This caused an argument to ensue which would have lasted for hours if Sarah wouldn't have interrupted them. "Which door leads to the castle?"

The knockers looked at each other and then at her. "I don't know." They said in unison. Flustered, Sarah stared pushing on the second door and Ludo even joined in her efforts. Unfortunately, they found no way to open it. Suddenly, the second knocker spoke. "You have to knock for the door to open."
Sarah glared at him. "Then take your ring back." The knocker refused, screwing up his mouth. She turned to the other knocker. "Oh, no." He moaned as she grabbed his ring and knocked loudly.

The door swung open and sounds of giggling came through the opening. Cautiously, she stuck her head through and looked around. Stepping in, she turned to Ludo whose face had gone somber. "I'm just gonna look around and see if this is the right way. I'll come get you if it is." She said reassuringly. He let out a low growl as she stepped further in, looking for the source of the laughter. Looking down, she realized that is was the grass beneath her feet. That's strange. She thought, turning to look at the tree. Soon everything around her was laughing and she had joined in, unable to stop.

She crawled back towards the door, her whole body shaking with laughter. Once she had gotten close enough to the door, Ludo reached out and pulled her through. He pushed the door shut behind them and gently lay her down, worried eyes watching her. After a few minutes laying still, she sat up slowly. "I'm okay." She told him, patting his arm. He grinned at her and helped her stand up.

Sarah turned to the second knocker, eyeing him cautiously. "I won't-" He opened his mouth and she quickly shoved the ring back in.
"Sorry but I need to find my brother." She apologized as he sputtered in anger. She knocked quickly and the door opened to reveal a dismal-looking forest. Ludo growled and walked away but Sarah stopped him. "We have to go through, it might be the only way out." She insisted, stepping through. He reluctantly followed and the door slammed shut behind them.

"Come on, there's nothing to be afraid of." She said bravely even though she was scared. "Let's try to climb that tree and see what is around us." She started towards it and Ludo shrank back only to have the ground open up and swallow him whole! Sarah didn't hear a thing and tried to climb up the tree. She grasped the lowest branch to hoist herself up and it snapped off. She peered at it in the dim light and quickly dropped once she realized that it was bone. The whole tree collapsed and soon all of the bone trees were falling.

"Ludo." Sarah gasped in fear, stepping back. Suddenly she looked around in a panic as she discovered that Ludo wasn't there. She took off running, fear coursing through her veins. "Ludo, where are you?" She called repeatedly as she ran. Sarah found herself in a glade and tried to regain her breath when a bright savage-looking figure jumped out in front of her causing her to screaming in fear. "What's going on?" It screeched.