Chapter 3 : A king outside his realm

He was exactly like in her memories but also so much less and so much more. Less, because he no longer inspired her a feeling of abject terror. Sarah had beaten him once, that meant she could do it again. And more, because Sarah was an adult now and she could see the magnetic charm he was exuding. She never noticed it, before. The young woman had always known that she was the Goblin's King prey. Sarah remembered what he asked of her and what he offered in return. Despite this, she had been too innocent and frightened to really understand what he wanted from her. Had she realized she might not have dared to take one more step in the Labyrinth. Even today, he had the gaze and posture of a predator. The rags cloth he wore over a half-open shirt made him look even more dangerous.

He smiled at her, and she shuddered. His smile widened further. He made a curtsey and offered her his hand with and indolent gesture.

"What audacity, Sarah, to invite me to your house."

"I did not invite you," said Sarah, walking away.

She was afraid of touching him. Her heart was pounding, but he merely raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Really? You think you can teach me the rules of my kingdom?"

"You are not in your kingdom here, and I would never invite you anywhere on purpose."

"For your information, Sarah," he retorted in an ever-affable tone, "know that a sovereign always takes a little of his kingdom with him and that he is at home everywhere. This is our privilege."

"I prefer an elected leader."

He burst out laughing.

"Yes, it's one of your recent fads, is not it? It will not last. Your race likes to be dominated and subjugated. Well, are not you happy to see me?"

"I would rather know what you are doing here. Are you spying on me?"

The Goblin King had a great time and laughed again for a very long time. When he did stop, he took a moment to look at the room and raised a scornful eyebrow at the narrowness of the room and the minimalist decor Sarah was now fond of. After all, she had understood in his kingdom the danger of attaching yourself to memories and trinkets.

He stepped forward, and Sarah stepped back to stay out of reach. He ended up sitting on the desk as if it were a throne, carelessly sweeping Sarah's work and cavalierly put a foot on the bed. With his other boot, he gingerly lifted the quilt, sending a suggestive look in Sarah's direction. She looked away, her cheeks burning.

"Are you really surprised that I'm watching you?" He finally asked. "Do you know how many have defeated my Labyrinth? You alone."

"How long?"

"Since I came into his possession and even before. It never happened in goblin, fay or stone memory."
Sarah had never been proud of what she had done that night. However, to know that she was the first to teach him something was most satisfactory. Like the girl she had been, she wanted to say that it had been a piece of cake. Of course, they both would know that she was lying and that she had never faced an enemy as implacable as the Labyrinth and its master. The only thing that was as tricky was to look Toby in the eyes the next day and every day since. But she did not dare to brave him, and Sarah remained silent. She had seen the consequences of his anger too many times.

"So, you watch me. I suspected it to be true. But still, I would like to know what you are doing here right now."

"Is it not obvious? I'm looking for three traitors, and I heard you call them. Where are they?"

"I do not know."

Again, he burst out laughing, but it was now a threatening sound. He moved his hand, and a cane appeared. He used it to lift the curtain and check that no one was hiding behind.

"As if these three could resist your call. If you were a flame, those insects would die under your touch crying with joy. Tell them to come. I will not tolerate them hiding. If they tremble with fear enough to my taste, if they crawl at my feet and tell me how they escaped, I might show them mercy."
"Escaped !," she cried. "So you imprisoned them, monster? I knew there must have been a reason I didn't see them anymore."

"Be careful with your words, Sarah. I have never let anyone insult me more than once, and it's already the second time you've offended me. The third will mean death for you."

His posture was still nonchalant, but his eyes were as cold as ice, and his cane darted to Sarah's throat like a sword. She did not care. Her fear was gone now, replaced by a fury she did not want to control.

"Threats! That's all you can do, is it, threaten and destroy lives? My friends are not there, and if I knew you had imprisoned them, I would have come back and freed them."

The Goblins king jumped to his feet.

"Be careful, Sarah. You go too far."

"And you, did not you go too far when you kidnapped my brother again?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do not pretend to be surprised. Toby is gone. My father and mother do not even remember his existence."

The Goblin King waved his hand and Sarah found herself unable to say another word. Shoving his hand through his hair, Jareth paced the room. Below the window, he retrieved the bowl of milk, fallen during his intrusion and ran his finger over its entire surface. He began to look his finger under every angle and smelled it. He did the same with the window and door jamb.

"How long have you put milk on your window?" He asked, waving his hand again.

"Since the beginning," replied Sarah, relieved to have found her voice. They loved the attention.
"Yes, it's a weakness of the Goblins," he admitted with contempt. "I'm sure they feasted, the first year. But since their imprisonment, others have become accustomed to finishing off their plate. Goblins and fairies who are not mine by the smell."

"Not yours? But then..."

He silenced her again with a gesture.

"Can you please show some judgment for five minutes? Did you really think that your little adventure had gone unnoticed? All the kingdoms have talk of nothing but this for the last six years. There even were a song or two. You are watched and spied on, and not only by me. You should be thankful: I have scared off the most obsessive of your admirers long ago."

It may be the truth, but Sarah did not doubt that she had felt Jareth's presence more than once in recent years, and it was so haunting that it scared those around her. He had frightened some people she did not want in her life but only to keep her to himself. She saw very well what the Goblin king was doing. He tried to flatter her ego or stir up her anger to keep control of the situation. She was not going to let him.

"You insinuate that it's my fault. That I drew those other goblins here and that it's my fault that Toby has disappeared."

She hadn't taken the bait, but he rushed to the one she was holding out for him. He knew she might be quick to anger, but she could stir up his urge to feel superior, to prove to her that she was the ignorant one. She could take advantage of this to learn something.

"They would have watched you even without that."

"What do I have that is so interesting?"

"You? Nothing. You are insignificant. Their target his me."

Sarah's ego could have been crushed if she had not expected something like that to come out of his mouth. But Jareth's ego was a bit excessive. She was going to protest, but he raised his hand to stop her.

"This does not concern you anymore. Go back to your pathetic little life."

He began to look at the window's edge with some kind of curiosity. Sarah glanced at him. Her brother had disappeared, and he thought she could give up? His inhumanity had never been so obvious. She said nothing and retrieved her bag, which she had left on the ground without bothering to empty it when she came home. She took out her change of clothes to replace it with a metal box filled with biscuits, a bottle of water, a few books and Lancelot. After a moment of reflexion, she opened a drawer of her dresser, pulled out a box and added it to the bag before closing it. Finally ready, she walked with a firm step towards the door. The Goblin King, who kept an eye on her while checking the dust on the floor, apostrophized her.

"I think I gave you an order, Sarah."

"And I think I'm not one of your subjects," said Sarah as she opened the door. "I don't have to take orders from you. I'm going to get Toby back."

The door handle escaped her hands. It closed, and the key turned itself in the lock. Outraged, Sarah turned around. The Goblin King had moved silently and stood right behind her.

"You are not reasonable, Sarah", he whispered while putting a hand on her.

"Not when it comes to my brother," she said, freeing her hand from his grip. "I have an idea of where he disappeared, and you will not stop me from going there."

"And then? How do you plan to leave your world? Do you know how to enter the Underground? Where will you look for your brother? You have no idea what you are doing."

"And you do?"

Sarah had asked the question without thinking, but she realized it was the only one that really mattered. Jareth said that Toby's kidnapping was an attack against him even if he discovered it a few moments ago. He spied on her and wasn't surprised that others did. Even more, Toby's disappearance has surprised him only for a few seconds. It could only mean one thing: he was expecting something of that sort. So, he had an interest in all of this. And if he really were targeted, his pride alone would drive him to act. On the other hand, it was clear that he wanted her to stay where she was. Sarah smiled. To her satisfaction, this time, he shivered for half a second. He was the one affected.

"You were not going to just sit by. You have to get Toby back."

"Do not be ridiculous. What would I care about a human child's fate?"

"Nothing, but he's my brother, and I care. I don't know a thing about the politics of your kingdoms, but I know I'm right. Someone wants to insult you, isn't it? So you have to act."

"And that's what I'll do if you stay in your place. They want you to come. Then they'll capture you and prove they are better than me to captivate a human."

He used that word, captivate, as if it were synonymous with capturing. Or even worse. For his kinds, perhaps it was one. Sarah's smile widened as she challenged the Goblin king.

"And they will succeed you can't keep me here. Close the doors, block the windows, I will start a fire to escape, or my friends will finally hear my call and free me."

He made a threatening gesture towards her.

"I could also lock you in the centre of my kingdom."

"No, you can't," she denied confidently. "There are rules. I defeated your Labyrinth, just and fair. You can't take me there again. Otherwise, you would have done it already to punish me for my victory. No, you'll have to go knowing that I'll escape and that if I get caught, your humiliation will be second to none."

Jareth gave her a long, angry, calculating look. Sarah refused to look away and watched him weigh his chances. Finally, his gaze softened and become a caress. To Sarah, it was worse than the threatening.

"You're smarter than I expected you to become all these years ago," he admitted, simulating boredom.
Sarah did not take the bait and continued to attack.

"There is another solution, though. I could accompany you."

The Goblin King's eyes gleamed with an unpleasant eagerness. He took a step toward her and was now so close that Sarah's pulse quickened. He leaned over as if to kiss her but changed his mind at the last second, much to Sarah's relief. She wouldn't have stopped him. She needed him too much. The fact that his perfume and his eyes' magnetism frightened her was a trivial thing.

"It would be just as humiliating," Jareth thought aloud. "The master of the Labyrinth and the city of Goblins accompanied by a girl? I can already hear the laughs. But ... You could beg me to be your guide for your quest."

"Would you do it?"

"Beg me."

His smile widened as he sat down in the chair as if it were a throne. Sarah tried to calculate him. That was her suggestion, but she wanted to be sure she could trust him. He did not take Toby away, but that did not mean he was not responsible for his situation, and Sarah still hated him. She did not really have a choice, though. The mere idea of venturing alone into the Underworld made her froze. Swallowing all that remained of her pride, Sarah knelt down.

"Oh Goblin's King, master of the Labyrinth, would you do me a favor to serve as my guide and to help me in my quest to find my brother and bring him safely to his parents? I can't do it alone."
Flattery visibly pleased Jareth, who applauded three times, then reached out to grab a strand of Sarah's hair and caress her head.

"I could do it, but what would you give me in return for that favour? What are you willing to give in exchange for your brother?"

"Almost everything, you know it," Sarah acknowledged.

"And if that's what I want?"

His voice was hoarse, and he shivered in anticipation as he leaned toward her. Sarah looked at him for a moment longer, then gave up.

"I will give you everything you ask if I can put two conditions."

"So, after the rescue of your brother, you will accompany me in my domain where you will reside until the end of your days?"

"Yes," Sarah agreed firmly, trying to ignore the need to puke. As long as I have my own apartments and my own servants that I would choose. And you'll swear that you'll continue to protect Toby and his parents every time this kind of threat happens again."

He burst out laughing, stood up to curtsy and applauded again.

"Well, Sarah! You're becoming quite good at this game. I will be your guide, and I accept your conditions."

He offered her a hand, and she gave her, accepting his help to get up. While giving her a caressing glance, he kissed her hand. Sarah fight to not cry. He did not come to get that from her, but both knew he had won. His revenge was complete now that Sarah had sworn to belong to him. However, if Toby were found safe and sound, Sarah would consider herself the winner.

"Will we go now?" She managed to ask bravely.

He raised an inquiring eyebrow.

"Where?"
"Silbury Hill, Avebury, Stonehenge," she said on her fingers. "He was there with my parents. That's where he disappeared, I guess."

"Interesting theory, which restricts the scope of possibilities. But we have another stop to make first. Take my hand and do not be afraid."

Sarah was and could not open her mouth to pretend otherwise. He held out a hand in which was placed a crystal ball. Sarah shivered involuntarily. She had too many bad memories related to those things. However, it was too late to backtrack, and she was almost sure to have found the right words to be sure of Jareth's cooperation. A sudden thought made her want to laugh. She said she wanted to study the power of words in Western folklore. Not loving the half-measures, she went straight to a practical study. Reinvigorated by that idea, she reached out and touched the sphere.

Everything blurred around her and Sarah thought she heard a strange noise, like many wings far away, just for a second before she felt hundreds of feathers swirling around her. Finally, everything stopped, and Sarah opened her eyes, her legs shaking, to discover herself in her parents' hotel room. To her relief, they were not there. She couldn't begin to imagine how to explain them her unexpected arrival or the presence of a man all dressed in black and purple leather. Of course, without Toby, they must be busy savouring the London nightlife. She tried not to blame them. It was not their fault that Toby had disappeared, or not only. It was mostly her's.

The young woman sat down to try to keep her nausea at bay. It was caused by her strange displacement, but not only. So far, she had always seen Jareth as her implacable enemy. She was not sure how much she could trust him. And then, the use of magic, even to her benefit for once, left her uneasy. She did not want to rely on the one thing which took Toby away. Twice. Maybe she did not have a choice, but it did not make the situation easier to accept.

While she tried to collect herself, her companion searched the two rooms, turning them upside down and ran his finger across all surfaces. He came back to her, thoughtful.

"It seems you were right, as unlikely as it sounds, he did not disappear here. However, his captors have left some traces, and this limits the possibilities. Are you sure of the places your family went?"
Sarah nodded silently. She was still worried about Toby, but now she felt some sort of academic excitement.

"So it's true, what the folklore says? These places are gateways to the fairy world? But you didn't need one to take Toby."

The King of Goblins dismissed the argument with a hand gesture. He was so indifferent Sarah wanted to scream.

"Humans cannot always be wrong, and your ancestors were often less stupid than you are these days. If we are not invited, as you did when you urged me to take your brother, we have to take byways. Ancient sites are not an obligation, but we have always loved traditions. Stonehenge has not been used for a long time, except by the populace. The place is too busy. Avebury and Silbury have their regulars users, though."

He reached out for her hand. Sarah sat up and grabbed it reluctantly now that she knew what to expect. The travel was a difficult moment, and when she opened her eyes, she found herself in the middle of a field surrounded by a series of standing stones. A road crossed it, and some houses stood in the middle. Gray and brown owl feathers fell around them. Sarah immediately let go of Jareth's hand and walked away from him. The Goblin King sniffed the atmosphere and smiled.

"There has been a recent passage," he commented with delight. "We are in the right place."

"How do you know?"

Sarah reluctantly accepted the gallant hand and let him guide her to one of the larger stones. Jareth put a gloved finger on it before handing it to Sarah for inspection. It was covered with glittering dust.

"They have not been careful enough in covering their tracks, which tends to prove that they want to be followed, by you or by me. And a frightened human child leaves a particularly easy-to-spot smell. Your brother was standing there when he was captivated. Of course, since then, they'll have arranged for him to be no longer afraid and we will not be able to track him once we cross the door."

Sarah was horrified, and she couldn't stop looking at him. With his royal manners, he almost make her forget that he was a monster. He talked about kidnapping children as if it was a common thing to do and the idea that Toby's fear could be tracked? She was petrified.

Finally, she turned her attention to the stone so she would not have to look at her companion. For the first time this evening, Sarah really realized that she was going to venture into the Underworld again. She thought back to her first time there. The walls closing behind her,the hands grabbing her to rush her into a dungeon, the traps and armies waiting for her at every corner. She shivered. The Goblin King released her arm, only to put his hand on her shoulder.

"Are you scared, Sarah?", he whispered in her neck.

"No."
"Yes, you are" he laughed. "All the better, otherwise I would not give much of your chances of success."

He embraced her, pressing his chest against Sarah's back. She wanted to protest, to escape, but he held her firmly, and the world shifted. The stones were still there, but the sky above them was bright red. The field was now a hill that floated above a misty swamp. The village and the road were gone. Wherever she looks, Sarah saw only water and lanky trees. With a violent wave of her shoulder, Sarah freed herself and turned to stare furiously at the Goblin King.
"My chances of success? Should not you say our chances? I thought you were there to help me, you promised me."

"Of course, and I will do it, Sarah, but there are rules to follow. Last time, did your companions do everything for you?"

Sarah pondered her answer.

"They helped me yes, but not the same way. Hoggle was my guide and advised me. Ludo and Sir Didymus fought for me."

Those two fought, yes, but neither of them had guided or advised her, even though they were as familiar with the Labyrinth as was Hoggle. They helped her with the stones magic and the spear. And Hoggle? He had never fought for her. Sarah realized that everything in the Underworld was governed by rules. It was not the chaos she'd thought she'd face in the past. If she could grasp the logic of these rules, she would have already half won.

"I can guide you," said Jareth, "or advise or fight for you, but I can only do one of the three. The choice is yours."

The first solution was stupid. It was not his kingdom and, even if Jareth knew the way Toby and his kidnappers went, no doubt that this land's master would find a way to make them lose their direction. She had no idea if he was a capable warrior. She wouldn't say it out loud, but she thought he was a coward, hiding behind his walls and his goblins. Besides, it was her duty to fight for Toby. The man who had kidnapped her brother once could not sincerely fight for him. But he could guide or assist her in her fight.

"Your advice will be useful to me."

He bowed with reverence. Sarah looked around them, looking for something that would tell her where to go. It was in vain, all the trees looked alike, and the fog grew stronger. She had to make a decision though, so she decided to move on to what seemed to be the south. She glanced at Jareth, but his face was blank, and he did not reveal what he thought of her decision.