Chapter 6

A Choice is Made

"Can we keep them?!" Toby asked Sarah excitedly, as he looked at her friends. Hoggle raised and eyebrow and Sarah couldn't help laughing.

"No Toby, they are individuals like you and me. They are not pets, you cannot keep them." his sister responded, giving Hoggle a wink. Toby nodded in understanding.

"Well." Sarah said with a sigh. "Father took it better than I had expected." she continued to fill Toby, Ludo and Didymus in on her plans. Toby was becoming more hyper by the minute the more he heard and understood. Once Sarah finished Toby declared he was going to pack and rushed off to his room. Sarah didn't have the heart or energy to tell him to wait. "Let's go see how my father is doing." she announced, standing up.

Hoggle shifted uncomfortably. "Don't you think we should stay here?" he asked.

"No, Hoggle. I need you guys more than ever now." she paused thinking. "Except for you Ludo, I don't think you'd be able to make it down the stairs. Maybe you can keep Toby company?" she asked, smiling at the large beast.

Ludo smiled and nodded. "Watch Toby." he said in his friendly way as he lumbered towards the door; having to turn himself sideways to squeeze out of Sarah's room and into Toby's.

Sarah, followed by Hoggle and Didymus, came down the stairs to find Mr. Williams slouched in his arm chair with a shot of brandy in hand. The trio stopped and stood, staring at Mr. Williams from the bottom of the stairs. Robert closed his eyes for a moment, when he opened them again the strange creatures were still standing there next to his daughter and he quickly downed the shot and poured himself another. Sarah looked upon her father, fully of sympathy and a tinge of guilt for suprising him in his vunerable state.

"Father," Sarah started to say before Robert lifted his hand to silence her. Downing another shot, he stood and almost fell over, gripping the chair for support. Sarah wondered just how much liquer her father had consumed before she came downstairs.

"I'm clearly halucinating..." Robert began, waving his hand drunkenly. "Sorry dear, I'm afraid I've gone off the deep end now." he fell back into his chair.

"Father, we need to make some decisions. I know this is hard for you to grasp, but" Sarah was interupted as her father erupted in laughter. Sarah stared at her father in shock, she'd never witnessed him like this before.

Waving his hand again. "Yes I am sure, you're a grown woman now. I trust you to make good decisions on your own now." Mr. Williams eyes were closed and his speech hardly understandable as he spoke. Sarah stood there for a moment not knowing what to do, then realized her father had passed out as he started to snore.

Shaking her head, Sarah pulled a throw off the couch and covered her father up before making her way back to her room. Silently followed by Hoggle and Didymus. Peeking in on Toby she found her little brother fast asleep in the arms of Ludo who sat on the floor. Not wanting to wake her brother, she made her way back to her own room.

"Now what?" Hoggle asked looking curiously at Sarah.

"We go. Tonight." Sarah said resolutely.

"Tonight!" Hoggle exclaimed. "Your father hardly agreed to any such thing..."

"My father said he trusted me to make good decisions." Sarah snapped back.

Hoggle stamped a foot. "You really think that's a good decision? How's he gonna deal with the underground if he reacts that way to us? There's more intimidating things than us three." Hoggle was irritable.

"I do think it's a good decision! He will adapt. Besides, my father isn't known to make any good decisions for himself or his family, intoxicated or not." Sarah was now standing with her arms crossed, glaring down at her friend.

Hoggle gulped, Sarah was reminding him of a certain someone at that moment. "Well I hope you know what you're doing." he sighed.

"We must have faith in our Lady Sarah." Didymus finally chimed in. "We shall all have grand adventures!" the little fox waved his staff around.

"That's what im worried about." Hoggle muttered.

"Alright, so did you find us a place to stay?" Sarah asked Hoggle.

"Yea, if you're sure you want to go. Ya won't be living like royalty, not as nice as you've got here." Hoggle stated in a warning voice. "You'll be staying with my friend Midge, she's a human. You'll be on a farm, you'll have to work hard to earn your keep. But she's a great lady and you and her will get along just fine."

"What realm shall we be living in?" Sarah asked, getting excited.

"You'll be outside of the goblin realm. In the central land of the united Fae Kingdoms. It's the closest village to the Goblin Realm, so we will be able to visit you from time to time. It's mostly a farming and hunting community, mostly inhabited by humans." Hoggle stated. Sarah nodded in understanding. Hoggle moved back behind Sarah's bed and hauled up a sack that Sarah had not noticed when they had first arrived that night. "I found you some suitable clothing to wear" Hoggle said as he pulled clothing out of the bag.

"Oh you are the best!" Sarah exclaimed kneeling down to giver her friend a big hug and kiss. Hoggle grunted and smiled for the first time that night.

"Well I figured you'd need some suitable clothing,they aren't anything fancy." Hoggle said shrugging it off. There were breeches and Tunics for Robert and Toby. A drab brown dress and nightshift for Sarah as well as brown leather shoes for the three of them.

"It's great, really." she replied smiling at Hoggle.

Sarah, with the help of Hoggle and Didymus began to pack a few small bags of personal items.First she shuffeld through the bag that Toby had packed, it contained a few of his favorite toys and a certain overly loved stuffed bear. Smiling she added a few books to his bag, grabed his favorite blanket and pillow and deposited them in the living room next to her sleeping father. She also grabed a blanket and pillow for herself and father. After packing a few of her father's personal items and some tolietries, she went to her room to gather a few of her own things. A small box of costume jewelry and hair accessories, some books, a small bag of cosmetics and a bottle of her favorite perfume. She stood for a moment, looking around her room. Walking to her closet she pulled down a box from the top shelf, dust flew up as she droped it onto the floor. This particular box held items that she had tucked away after her adventure, she slowly opened it up, peering inside. She took out what she was looking for, a red leather bound book, she couldn't leave it behind. She ran her fingers over the gold lettering, she could feel the power and magic lingering beneath her fingers. "Such a small thing could leave such a huge impact on ones life..." she mused to herself. Two mismatched eyes caught her attention, she set the book down and pulled out the ominous figuring staring up at her. Sarah smirked back at the figurine, her mother had sent the figurine along with the book as a gift. "funny how his outfit was the same as the one on this doll..." she thought to herself. "But really you don't do him any justice." she said aloud to the figurine. For some reason she stuffed the figurine along with the book into her bag, just before Hoggle walked into her room.

"You about ready Sarah?" Hoggle asked her.

"Yes, I believe so." Sarah surveyed her room one last time. "Wait." she said, walking back to her closet. She pulled out a beautifully and well made renaissance costume gown; rolled it up and stuffed it into her bag. "Well just incase I need it." she said to Hoggle who had raised his eyebrow at the dress. Walking back into Toby's room she placed a hand on Ludo's shoulder and shook him gently until he woke. "Time to go Ludo."

Handing her bag to Hoggle she picked up the sleeping Toby from Ludo's arms. "We shall see you soon my Lady" Didymus bowed his fairwell as he and Ludo began to shimmer away. "Bye!" she called back to them causing Toby to wake.

Toby rubbed his sleepy eyes. "Are we going now Sarah?" he asked.

"Yes Toby, let's get you changed." Sarah put him down and fetched the clothing that Hoggle had brought with him. After getting Toby into his new outfit, she let Toby and Hoggle make there way downstairs while she changed into the dress that Hoggle brought. Looking at herself in the mirror, Sarah thought "Well I look like a peasant alright." but was suprised that the fabric was somewhat comfortable and did not scratch her skin as she had expected. After one long look around her room, she breathed deeply and made her way downstairs. "This is it" she thought.

"Ya sure you want to go through with this?" Hoggle asked.

"Yes I am sure." Sarah said confidently, and took Toby up in her arms. "Are you ready to go Toby?" she asked. He nodded his head sleepily with a smile.

"Alright, here I go..." she paused, taking another breath. "I wish, I wish that we were all in the Underground." Sarah whispered.

AN: Okay so this is a pretty dull chapter,sorry! Thanks for everyone who reviews.