Yay! Chapter Two! I'm really getting into this. Thanks those who read chap. one and thanks for the comments! They inspire me to continue and are helpful in guiding me through my first fanfic writing
Too the story!
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Chapter 2-Don't Take My Shoes
Sarah slowly turned around expecting to see a blue fuzzy caterpillar, but in its stead was a small creature about a quarter of Sarah's height. The creature had dusty mousey hair mopped around its head. She had large brown eyes with very little whites showing. Her nose was large and flat hovering directly above a too large mouth. Her skin…fur? It looked like skin, but fuzzy. The fuzz was cream, but tanned like she had spent a lot of time in the sun. The brown eyes turned up to look at Sarah and said, "Lady Sarah?"
"Ummm. Ya." Sarah answered looking down at it.
"Follow me." The creature turned and started walking down the path of what Sarah presumed was the Labyrinth. Sarah didn't move to follow what she believed was a goblin, but stood there watching the goblin move away from her. When the little thing noticed Sarah's absence she stopped and spun around to face Sarah with hands on hips, "Well?" she asked gruffly.
Sarah replied, "You can tell the Goblin King that I'm not playing his games. If he wants me to run the labyrinth, well I'm not going to. So you better get his ass and figure this out."
The she-goblin brows frowned up at Sarah, "Goblin King no want you! He mad at you! You come me to cottage."
Sarah didn't have any misconception on the Goblin King being a fan of hers, but if she wasn't here for his amusement then what?
"What cottage and if his Majesty," she blurted the last bit out sarcastically, "didn't bring me then who and why? Am I to run the labyrinth?"
The goblin looked confused. Sarah thought maybe this thing was a one question at a time creature, "Who- brought -me -here -to -the -labyrinth?" Sarah said gesturing around her.
The goblin shrugged and answered, "Know not. You come now? Lyr job bring Sarah."
"Lyr? Is that your name?" Sarah asked.
"Yas. They say Lyr and I come." 'Go figure' Sarah thought.
"Why do I need to go to cottage?" Sarah asked again.
"NO NOT!" Lyr replied, "Come!"
"If I don't?"
"Lyr go home. You stay here. Lost in labyrinth you be." She finished with a stomp of one of her bare foot against the ground.
Sarah sighed, "Ok. Ok. I'll go."
Sarah really didn't know if Lyr knew anything, but regardless Sarah didn't want to stay in the labyrinth. The goblin seemed harmless and Sarah needed to know why she was brought back to the underground. This cottage seemed like the best option to get information.
The goblin smiled a big smile and turned to skip down the path. Sarah followed, mind buzzing with questions. 'This has to be the Goblin King. Why else would I be here? And to be greeted? I wasn't greeted last time. Except by Jareth, but that was only to tell me the rules. I stumbled upon Hoggle and the worm. Lyr is leading me. The only time I was guided last time was when Hoggle tricked me. So what now? Just play along?' Sarah followed Lyr down the path. She seemed to know where she was going turning here and there. Sarah was so deep in thought she didn't even notice the clearing until Lyr stopped her march causing Sarah to stumble over her.
Lyr spread her arms open wide and declared, "Here!"
Sarah inspected her surroundings. She was standing at the entrance to a small clearing somewhere in the Labyrinth. In the center of the clearing was a cottage very quant and small. Shade trees grew on either side of the cottage and neatly groomed grass sprung up to encircle the ground around. Birds chirps and flew overhead. This place was peaceful. Sarah got the impression Thomas Kinkade had been here at some point.
"Now what Lyr?" She looked down at the little goblin.
"Come in!" she said as she resumed her tramp for the front door.
Lyr walked up to the front door and pushed it open. She then stepped back to usher Sarah to enter the house. Sarah hesitantly stuck her head in to peak about before she committed to going incompletely. She didn't see much from this vantage point so she decided to take a step over the thresh hold, but she wasn't prepared for what she found inside.
What had appeared to be a small quant cottage turned into a… 'hotel?' Sarah wasn't sure if this place was that, but the only time she'd ever seen a room like this was a lounge at a nice hotel. The place was gorgeous in that hunting lodge kind of way. There was a large fire place to the right and little pockets of sitting areas scattered throughout the room. A large chandler hung from the ceiling and a large staircase leading up to balcony overlooking the entirety of the room. Everything looked to be carved of rich honey wood. The furniture, staircase, railing, even the chandler itself, all carved. Splashes of color were added around the room in paintings and rugs. The paintings captured images of animals wildly depicted in their frames. They were still, but so lifelike some appeared to move out of the corner of her eye. Some she recognized, but others were majestic beast Sarah had not known to exist.
"How?" all Sarah could manage to stammer out.
Lyr walked across the room to flop down on a red decoratively carved couch. She thru her feet into the air landing them on the arm of the couch, placed her arms behind her head, and closed her eyes. "Lyr done, me nap!"
Sarah looked down at the creature who within seconds of hitting the couch had fallen asleep. "Well…?"
"Well nothing! You have not the time to gawk about, get undress now!"
Sarah quickly spun around to face the voice who had just given the order. Coming toward Sarah was another creature this one Sarah didn't recognize. It was stout, but not too short. Its gray and brown hair was pinned high with sticks and leafs, holding it in place above her pointed ears. She wore what looked to be a brown sun dress and soft leather souled shoes. She had a sharp nose and brown eyes. She wore bracelets, rings, and necklaces all made from carved and twisted wood. Lines crested her face and spots of her skin were darken brown. Sarah got the impression of a crazy cat lady.
The brown mess came toward Sarah at a brisk pace carry a bundle of material and sewing supplies. "Let's go! Undress! We have not the time!" Her voice was deep and gruff. Sarah thought of the sound of a hollow tree as you spoke into it. A resonating deep echo sound.
"Umm…no…I'm not getting undress! What's goi-" Before Sarah could finish her question the creature had dropped her bundle and was on Sarah with measuring tape. She grabbed and pulled at Sarah trying to remover her cloths and measure Sarah at the same time. Sarah attempted to keep her cloths on and remove the creature from her person, but to no avail. The little thing was determined to do whatever it was trying to accomplish. Sarah called and yelled all the while Lyr laid on the couch with one eye open watching the battle.
"Leave me alone!" Sarah yelled.
"Stop moving!" the creature would retort.
"Give me back my shoes."
"I have to remove them."
"No you don't!"
"Stop fighting, we have not the time."
"Stop pulling my shirt!" The creature had managed to get Sarah's shirt up and over Sarah's head and now had Sarah bent over as she tugged on it. Sarah was now stuck inside the shirt struggling to keep it on and wiggle away from her accoster. This would have been comical if Sarah wasn't so damned pissed. Thus was the predicament they were when a voice rang out throughout the room.
"Enough!" Both paused in their struggle as yet another creature gracefully moving down the staircase. Sarah's shirt was released and she hastily pulled it down and stood up straight. Both of them stood staring at other descending the stair.
This creature was petite and small. Her hair was a seafoam green cut short and worn in loose curls. Her pale limbs were light and slender. She wore a dress of pastel cloth pieces sew together in pretty patterns. As she came closer Sarah could see that she had large green eyes and huge pointed ears. The ears were longer than Sarah's hand from middle figure to wrist.
"Dele, she must be readied now or she will be late." Said the mousey brown creature.
"Well, Verdure, she will be late if you continue to fight with her. Have you tried talking with Lady Sarah? Explain what you are trying to do?" Said the new comer.
"Ummm….I… well…no." she shook her head trying to process the simplicity of the suggestion. The creature looked completely baffled by the idea. As if the thought had never crossed her mind till this very moment.
"Well, let us try." The new one turned to Sarah and gave graceful curtsy. "Please excuse my dear friend. She tends to rush into things before explaining. How about a proper introduction? I am Delerae." She gestured toward Sarah's offended, "This is Verdure and you have meet Lyr. It is an honor to meet you Lady Sarah" She curtsied again.
Verdure stepped forward and curtsied less gracefully before Sarah, "Please forgive me Lady Sarah. I meant no offense."
Sarah stared at the two before her, looking from one to the other. She now noticed the one called Verdure didn't have brown spots on her skin, but instead what looked like tree bark grown into her skin.
"Ok. So what were you trying to do?" Sarah asked her.
"I was merely trying to fit you for a dress so I could quickly alter what I have brought." Verdure pointed to the pile of material she had abandoned on the floor. "Then you could leave for the assembly and be presented in grandeur."
"What Assembly?" Sarah asked earnestly, the only thing of interest she caught.
Delerae stepped forward clasping Sarah's hands, "I am sorry Lady Sarah. I know you are confused, but we are out of time. The assembly has started and we must hurry. I will try to explain as we travel." She grabbed Sarah's hand and started to guide her toward a large mirror. Delerae placed her free hand to the mirror. The mirror reflection began to ripple. Sarah was reminded of a lake just after someone had disturbed the surface. Little did she know the impact of this comparison.
Delerae stepped into the mirror and disappeared. Sarah didn't have time to object before she pulled through by Delerae's clasped hand in hers. As Sarah was pulled in she could hear Verdure murmur something about Sarah having proper attire before presentation.
