Thank you everyone for your patience and continuing interest in this story. Yes I am still working on it. Unfortunately life got a little more hectic than I had planned. But i have chapters in the works and hope to update much quicker now. Again thank you and enjoy the chapter :)

Sarah closed her eyes against the rush of air and the swirling darkness that seemed to sweep over her like a wave. She wasn't sure if she was standing or falling but she suddenly felt disoriented and queasy. She clamped her mouth shut hoping that she wouldn't lose her stomach somewhere between her room and the Labyrinth. The sensation somewhat reminded her of a roller coaster in a dark tunnel. Somewhere in the back of her mind she wondered briefly if she would get used to summoning the Labyrinth. But she pushed that thought away quickly. She didn't plan to stay long enough to find out.

After what seemed like forever the air around her cleared. Sarah opened her eyes as soon as the whirlwind sensation passed. The dim light of the room, though not overwhelming in normal circumstances, surprised her and she blinked several times. She hadn't expected complete darkness but she wasn't prepared for the play of light around her. Slowly peeking at her surroundings she let her eyes adjust to the change and took in the room. Sarah had expected to see the entrance to the Labyrinth, but she immediately recognized the throne room.

"The castle?"

Hoggle smirked, or at least it appeared to Sarah to be a smirk. "What did ya expect, a garden?"

Sarah shrugged and decided not to bother with an answer. Instead she studied the room expectantly, wondering what she should do now. She had just assumed that someone would be awaiting her arrival. She had to admit that she really hadn't thought her idea out much. The stinging words Jareth had thrown at her during their last meeting rushed back to her. Sarah cringed inwardly and bit down on her lip before she could say anything out loud. Instead she walked over to the only decent chair in the room, she assumed it was the throne, and plopped down.

The seat was cold and hard. It reminded Sarah of so many parts of the Labyrinth she had encountered. She moved around in the chair, at if testing it out. But still it remained unyielding. She wondered how anyone could sit in such an uncomfortable chair. Sarah stood and looked around again, taking in the barren stone walls and floors. Other than the few furniture items put out for necessity purposes, the room was empty and impersonal. Sarah could see Jareth's personality in every inch of the room. It was cool, uninviting, and emotionless. It was a room for business, with no distractions. That observation caused a shiver to run through Sarah.

She didn't want to think about what that observation meant. Instead she turned to Hoggle. "So where is everyone?"

Hoggle grunted. "What do I look like, a goblin keeper? How should I know where everyone went? The only one you need to worry about will be here soon."

"Who?"

Hoggle gave her that look again, but didn't answer. Sarah groaned and turned back to her exploration. She wasn't sure just what she expected. Would whoever was coming crown her? Would there be some kind of ceremony? Sarah found as she walked around the room that her thoughts were not on the objects she looked at but on the possibilities ahead. Finally, after her third circuit around the room, she stopped and moved back to the throne. Restlessness had taken hold and Sarah flopped onto the chair in exasperation. She wasn't sure what she was waiting for but she was beginning to get very impatient. She contemplated her situation, anxious to restore whatever magic was needed to save her brother. But she still wasn't sure what she had to do to restore it, or how.

As she thought she noticed something that had slipped by her earlier inspections of the room. Curious, she sat up a bit and stared at it. The ornately decorated cabinet seemed oddly out of place in the nearly barren room. Sarah stood, fixated on the cabinet. She would never have dreamed such a beautiful piece of furniture could exist in Jareth's throne room. She moved closer, studying it intently. It was a dark wood, sturdy built with a gleaming polish. As Sarah studied it she noticed carvings of what looked to be a small boy, no older than a toddler. Each carving was enhanced with tiny jewels and touches of gold. The work had obviously been a painstaking labor, with each detail given the utmost care. Sarah reached out to grasp the delicate handle of one of the doors dominating the front.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Sarah nearly gasped out loud and looked over her shoulder. She had been studying the cabinet so intently she hadn't heard Hoggle approach. "I was curious." Sarah tried to sound indifferent, hoping she could hide her desire to peek inside. "After all, there's not much else to look at in here."

"Well you can't look at that." Hoggle glared as he looked between Sarah and the cabinet. He looked as if he disliked it being kept in such an open space. He tried not to show it but he was fidgeting.

Watching Hoggle react to her interest in the cabinet only made Sarah more curious. The dwarf had only ever acted so nervous when Jareth had been around. And they were alone. "So what's in there?"

"Nothing for you. Them's personal."

Sarah shrugged. "Nothing too personal if you know what it is. Since it's in the throne room I doubt it's yours. And if you know what it holds, even though it's not yours, it can't be that big a secret."

"What? Well no. But I know all about the secrets of the Labyrinth."

Sarah almost giggled. Seeing Hoggle act impertinent reminded her of the first time they had met. Not much had changed with the cranky dwarf. And Sarah had little doubt he knew much more about the Labyrinth than she would have ever gave him credit for. "Then what is it?"

"I'm not tellin'."

Sarah looked at the little dwarf a moment. It must be something valuable if even Hoggle was persistent. That alone made Sarah even more determined to see what was hidden inside. Suddenly she had an idea. She wasn't sure how well she could bluff with any of the creatures of the Labyrinth, but she had a feeling Hoggle would be more difficult than most. Sarah put on her most innocent face as she looked at Hoggle. "For you to be so adamant it must be terribly important. And if I'm going to be Queen then I should know of anything of importance to the Labyrinth right?"

"Oh no you don't. I know what you're tryin' to do. And it ain't gonna work. Not on me." Hoggle wagged

a pudgy finger in Sarah's face, as if that simple action would reiterate his point. The scowl on his face reminded Sarah of someone who had just tasted a sour lemon.

Sarah sighed dramatically, trying not to laugh at Hoggle. "For goblin's sake Hoggle you make it sound like there is a queen's ransom in jewels in there. It can't be that grand. The whole throne room looks like a wasteland." Sarah crossed her arms and shook her head. "It's probably empty anyway."

Hoggle grunted. "Shows what you know. It doesn't have to be jewels to be important."

"Then why won't you let me see it?" Sarah fixed a hard gaze on Hoggle.

Hoggle let out a breath and slumped, his gaze resigned. "It holds the source of the Labyrinth's magic."