Chapter 29

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To the Castle, Beyond the Goblin City

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"Has she waken yet?"

"No"

"Poor dear, does she know?"

"Yes"

Sarah heard voices in her half conscious state, her lids slide partially open and she made out the forms of Midge and Hoggle. "Midge" she managed to croak out, surprised by her own hoarse voice. Midge turned and sat in a chair by Sarah's bed, "I'm here, can I get you anything?" she offered.

"Hungry" Sarah whispered, she tried to sit up but a wave of heaviness hit her.

"You stay still, I heard you had quite the journey. We can talk once we get some nourishment in you." Midge ordered and left the room. Sarah couldn't argue with that. Hoggle helped prop Sarah up with some pillows, Sarah winced at the movement.

Hoggle patted Sarah's hand, concern written on his face. "Uugh, what happened. I feel terrible."

Hoggle looked about the room in his paranoid manner. "You mean, ya dont remember?" he whispered.

Sarah gave Hoggle a funny look, "The guards were coming...then I blacked out. I thought they caught me, but I woke up here." she said puzzled, the whole situation didnt make sence. Her friends wouldn't have been able to get her out of that mess, they would have been out numbered and unable to outrun them with her unconscious.

"You...ya used magic Sarah." Hoggle said in a whisper once more.

Sarah furrowed her brow, then she remembered what she had said before she blacked out. "That doesn't make sence, I've made plenty of wishes that haven't come true." she whispered back, her throat hurt and it was just as well. "Wait, is it the same as when I wished my family here in the first place. Am I able to wish myself other places too?" she asked, thinking. "That would have been more helpful to know a long time ago.."

Hoggle shook his head. "Don't think so...you shoulda only been able to wish yourself underground and back above."

"Well, what else could it be? I wasn't able to wish us back above, but I was able to wish us here? It doesn't make sence." she sighed.

"Here we are!" Midge called, coming back into the room carrying a tray. There was a hot bowl of broth, some soft bread and cheese and fresh milk.

"Thank you!" Sarah said feeling better just by seeing the food, she devoured her food. The broth soothed her throat and the food eased away her headache.

"Better?" Midge asked with a slight smile.

"Yes...Midge...I'm so sorry." Sarah said guilt stricken.

"Hush child! I won't hear any of it, this is not your fault! Know what I want you to tell me, is what you've been doing for the past month."

Sarah told Midge and Hoggle what had passed at the Ball with Jareth and the Duke. "I was so worried that something had happened when you didn't return my letters. Why didn't you tell write and tell me what had happened?" she asked.

"We wrote you several times, we were worried about you when you didn't respond." Midge replied.

"But..." then it dawned on Sarah, the mysterious coachman they had told her about, the missing letters. "It was him the whole time! He's set this up from the beginning, and Priya was in on it!" Sarah concluded angrily. "When I get my hands on that Goblin King..."

"You're not going anywhere just yet, your in no condition to stand up to any fae." Midge scolded.

Hoggle scoffed. "What makes you think that cousin of his ain't in on it too?"

"Don't judge him because he is related to the Goblin King, it isn't his fault." Sarah argued. Hoggle crossed his arms and became silent once more.

Midge looked concerned, if Hoggle didn't trust the Duke then she wasn't going to trust him readily. "But Sarah, what about those guards chasing you down?" she questioned.

Sarah sighed. "He only meant to protect me I'm sure. When I found out...I went to him. He was doing his best to negotiate their return. He was worried about my saftey and told me not to go." Sarah huffed. "He meant well, but I know I must face him...he will never let them go any other way." she sighed.

Midge was silent and looked down upon her step daughter with concern. She could tell Sarah was smitten with the Duke, she also knew that Sarah was determined to face the Goblin King. As much as Midge wanted to see her boys return home safely, it was against her better judgement to let Sarah go. However, Midge was wise enough to know, if the Duke couldn't keep Sarah locked in, then neither could she.

"Besides," Sarah said a bit defiantly. "The Duke has asked for my hand in marriage...and I accepted." Sarah held up the ring that lay at her chest. Midge gasped.

"You what?!" Hoggle exclaimed, flabbergasted and almost fell off the chair.

"This is so sudden Sarah." Midge was just as shocked. "You barely know him."

"I know him well enough." Sarahs chin jutted out slightly. "Besides...," she hesitated. "I...love him." she said softly as if she were unsure.

Hoggle could barely believe what he was hearing. "His Sarah was going to marry Jareth's horrible cousin?" Hoggle didn't know which of the two he hated more, but at this moment he hated the Duke more. Hoggle started to protest but Sarah cut him off.

"Hoggle I don't want to hear it, I've already gave him my acceptance." her voice was somewhat cold. "Now I think I should like to get out of bed and get some fresh air."

Sarah spent most of the day outside, laughing with Sir Didymus, Ludo and Lily. She sat in the sun, watching them play games around her. She had wrapped herself in one of the blankets she'd brought from home, it was comforting to her as she thought of what she still must do. Night came all too quickly, Sarah's muscles were still extremly sore from her ridding and she was generally exhausted from the little teleportation trick she'd pulled. Once again, Sarah lay awake in her bed waiting for the little cottage to fall silent and asleep. Everyone had advised her that she should wait a week or so before making anymore decisions, given how she felt she would have liked to rest but she just couldn't wait.

Once she was sure that Lily was deep asleep, she got up from her bed. Lily had been very fond of Seafoam and Sarah had written her a note, telling her to take good care of the horse while she was gone.Sarah knew she would get there faster taking Seafoam but she knew her legs were too sore for that. This time she remembered to grab gloves and a cloak, she tip toed into the kitchen to steal some food, wrapping in into a cloth bundle and tieing it to the belt at her waist. Carefully she made her way through the small cottage, taking care not to trip over ludo's long tail. Sarah scrunched her noise as the door creaked as she opening it, she held her breath, sure that it would have waken everyone. The cottage was still, Sarah sighed in relief and made her way out.

"Leaving with out me?" Sarah started at the voice that came from behind her.

"Hoggle, what are you doing?" she whispered, looking at the little dwarf who held a lantern.

The dwarf chuckled. "You think I woudda let ya leave without me? You aint 'ave been able to find those tunnels without me." he boasted.

"I was going to try wishing myself there." Sarah admitted.

"Sarah! Use that head o' yours! In your condition you could die if ya try that again." he scolded her.

"Oh. I guess you're right." Sarah said miserably.

"Hmph. I've been gone too long now anyways, that rat's always pokin his nose inta my business." Hoggle grunted annoyed.

Sarah smiled as they took the road together. "If you hate him so much, why do you still live there and work for him?" she asked.

"I errr, well thats jus the way things are I suppose." he shrugged.

"Why don't you go live with the other dwarves."

Hoggle sighed. "I don't get along with 'em other dwarves. Imma outcast." he slumped his shoulders.

"I'm sorry Hoggle." Sarah said sympathetically.

"Them thick brained dwarves, only love the gold and jewels under the dirt. No appreciation for anything else." he grunted.

Sarah smirked. "I remember a particular dwarf who was fond of jewels." she teased.

"I love'd them jewels but I learnt to appreaciate more important things!" Hoggle defended himself.

Sarah chuckled. "We both learned a lot didnt we?" Hoggle shook his head in agreement.

It took Sarah almost twice as long as before to travel the tunnels due to her condition. She was forced to stop and rest often, causing Hoggle to worry more and more. "Ya sure yous be able to face him like this?"

Sarah tried to mask her discomfort. "I'm fine." she insisted. "A little exhaustion isn't going to keep me from my family." she said determined. Morning had come and gone, and it was late afternoon by the time Hoggle stoped.

"Ah here we are." he announced. "ya sure you want to do this?" he asked again.

"Hoggle." Sarah glared.

Hoggle just shook his head and pushed open the secret door. Sarah blinked as her eyes adjusted to the daylight pouring down from above. They were in some sort of storage room underground, there was a staircase leading out. They asended the stairs and Sarah found herself in the familiar goblin city. "You better make yourself scarce Hoggle, I don't want you to get into anymore trouble." Sarah insisted, remembering what Hoggle had told her early about the BOES.

Hoggle shuddered. "I'll be jus a call away...should you need me..."

Sarah smiled. "I'll call." then she turned and headed towards the Castle. Sarah couldn't help but smile as she walked through the city, the goblins who noticed her and recognized her had darted into their homes, locking their doors and closing their shutters. As she neared the Castle she steeled herself, she was determined that she would leave here with her family, no matter how weary she was. "Come on feet." she said as she ascended the steps to the Castle.

- - -

"Yer Majesty! Yer Majesty!" Jareth frowned as one of his goblin guards came scurring into his throne room, interupting his brooding.

"What is it now?" he drawled, he swore they were always disturbing him with their petty problems.

"The girl! The girl who solved the Labyrinth!" the guard cried out of breath.

At this the Goblin King became alert. "What of her?" he tried to seem somewhat uninterested infront of his subjects.

"She's here! She's almost to the Castle yer majesty!" the guard exclaimed, wondering what the King would do this time.

Jareth was pleasantly surprised. "Old Hoggwart came through did he?" he mused. Pressing his fingers together, forming a steeple he pressed his thumbs into his chin as he smiled. "Let it begin then."

"Yer majesty? What shall we do?" the guard broke Jareth thoughts once more.

"Do nothing!" he bounded lightly from his throne. The goblins looked up at him confused. "Get out! All of you! Clear the Castle." he ordered. The goblins did not need to be told twice, seeing the look in their King's eyes. Goblins scrambled out of the throne room and halls and into hiding.

- - -

Sarah had a hard time pushing open the Castle doors without Ludo's help, but she eventually managed and sliped inside. The scene was eerily familiar, not a goblin or Goblin King in sight. Sarah made her way towards the throne room as she had before. "Empty, just like before." she thought frustrated. "I don't want to play his games, I just want my family back."

"Goblin King!" she cried out angrily. "Show yourself! I know you kidnapped my family!" She waited but nothing happened. "Damn him!" she turned about, trying to decide what to do next.

- - -

Priya started as she heard Sarah's angry voice echo through the Castle and then she felt his presence behind her. Priya turned and faced her King, "She's here now, appeased?" she rolled her eyes. "If you were intelligent you would release her family." Priya turned her back on him once more.

"Stay out of sight. I don't want her to see you." he snapped at her before vanishing.

Priya shook her head. "Why does he sabotage himself?" but she did as her King said, she really had no desire to face Sarah's wrath.

- - -

Sarah left the throne room the way she had entered. "I'll search this entire Castle if I have to" she fumed. It was then that she heard the music, a very familiar melody that she couldn't place. "What is he up to?" she thought suspiciously as she followed the sound of the music. Sarah came to a door where the music seemed to be coming from behind. Cautiously she opened the door and peered inside. She glanced around and then she saw him, Toby was sitting on the floor his back to her. He was holding the music box that she use to own, with the dancing girl. "Toby!" she cried.

Toby turned, dropping the music box as he saw his sister. "Sarah! I knew you would come!" he cried and ran towards her. Sarah moved towards her brother, kneeling down so that she could embracing him. He was just about to fall into her arms, he was so close and then he vanished as she tried to wrap her arms tightly around him. "Toby?" She stood angry at the Goblin King's tricks.

She heard someone running outside the room, a child's laugh. "Toby!" she called again and rushed out of the room. She swore she saw him rush around a corner as she entered the hallway. "Toby come back!" she called and ran after him. Rounding the corner, no one was there. She heard the music playing again, she ran towards it source. Everynow and again she thought she saw Toby and heard his laughter. She shook her head, "he's playing games with you Sarah."

The music grew louder, she saw a door slam shut before her. She raced into the room, to find herself in a room full of mirrors. It was like a maze of mirrors and she was acutely reminded of the fun houses they have in amusment parks. "I hate fun houses." she thought to herself. The music was loud, almost deafening and all around her. The she saw Toby's reflection in one of the mirrors. "Toby!" she turned, there was no one there. She ran in and out and around the mirror maze, chasing the phantom image of her brother.

Sarah's exhaustion was begining to catch up with her, she stoped at a dead end, Mirrors surrounded her on everyside. She bent over, hands on her knees, out of breath. "Sarah?" she heard her brother call. Looking up she saw Toby reflected in all the mirrors, she did not move, she knew it was only an illusion.

"I'm not playing your sick games Goblin King!" she screamed. "You have no power over me." The mirrors cracked all around her, giving her a fright. Then she saw him, reflected in the cracked mirrors. The Goblin King sat in his throne and glared at her, he held Toby's wrist who stood at his side. Sarah gathered her remaining energy with her strong will and found her way back to the throne room as quickly as she could.

When she entered the throne room, he was there with Toby just as was reflected in the mirrors. She was breathing hard and her knees felt weak but she willed herself to be strong. "Sarah!" Toby cried and wrenched himself free of the Goblin King's grasp. Sarah bent and embraced her brother. "I knew you would come! What took you so long!" he cried.

"I'm sorry Tobe, I was far away I came as quickly as I could." she reassured him lovingly.She tried to lift him, but he was heavy and her weak body couldn't do it. She stood and grasped her brother's hand tightly.

Toby stuck out his tongue at the Goblin King. "I told you she would come for us!"

Jareth, who had been silent cracked a smile. "Just as I had hoped." he drawled.

"I'm not playing your games Goblin King!" Sarah spat.

Jareth laughed. "Why would you come? If not to play games Sarah?" he mocked her.

"You have no power over me." she stated again. "You truely stole my family this time and you will return them immeadiatly!" she demanded.

Jareth smirked and drumed his fingers lazily along the arm of his throne. "I may not have power of you, but I do have power over your family." his teeth glittered.

"You have no right!" she yelled angrily.

"Oh but I do!" he yelled back, standing now a fire in his eyes. "Your family trespassed on my realm and therefore they are mine!"

"You tricked them! You brought them onto your property! They never would have entered your realm on purpose!" she spat.

Jareth laughed fully now. "If only that were true, things would be much less complicated for you wouldn't it?" he cocked his head.

Somehow Sarah knew that he was not lying and she would be unable to bring her family back home. She desperatly tried to think of something, anything to pursuade him. "He doesn't want them, he wants me...That's what this is really about. He wants revenge, he wants me to be his prisoner." she thought miserably.

"Take me instead." she offered solemly.

Jareth smirked. "A trade? hmmm?"

"No!" Toby cried in protest.

"Shhh Tobe, it will be okay." she tried to soothe her brother.

Jareth eye's glittered mischievously. "Ah, but whom shall you trade yourself in for Sarah?" Jareth asked. Sarah shot Jareth a look. "I have three prisoners, you are only one. Which shall you trade yourself in for?" he questioned her.

Sarah was enraged. "How dare he do this to us! It's not fair." she thought, making sure she did not say those words aloud. Sarah felt her will slipping, she was so tired, she fought to keep herself upright. "You have to release them all!" Sarah spat.

"Then you have to offer me more in return." Jareth said coldly.

Sarah sighed. "I have nothing more to offer you Goblin King."

Jareth took a few steps towards them. "Ah but you do Sarah." he smiled cruely. "Give me power over you and I shall be generous and let your father and your step brother go."

Sarah hung her head, knowing she had no other choice. "Let me say goodbye." she asked.

Jareth smiled, very pleased with himself. Sarah raised her head to find her father and Gavin standing in the throne room. "Sarah!" the called in unison and ran towards her. "You should not have come." Gavin said sadly, full knowing how the fae played their games.

Sarah frowned at him. "I could not let you rot here because of me." she hugged him and her father. Robert embraced his daughter, tearfully and then picked up his son.

Jareth scowled as he watched them embrace, finally he cut in. "Robert your daughter has made a trade with me, I shall send you and your sons home."

"What about Sarah?" Robert asked, afraid to hear the answer.

Jareth smiled. "Your daughter has traded herself in and she will submit to me." he turned his gaze to Sarah. "Now Sarah, come now we have an agreement. Say the words."

"No Sarah dont! There has to be another way." Robert lamented.

Sarah frowned and fought back tears. "I will not cry infront of the Goblin King, I wont!" her mind screamed. "This is the way it has to be father. I love you. I love you all." she smiled at her boys.

Pulling herself away from them she walked over to and faced the Goblin King. She would face him, she would not cower before him. She looked into his mismatched eyes while she spoke the words that would change everything. "Goblin King...you...have all...power over me."

Jareth relished the moment and as soon as she had finished, her family vanished from the throne room. He stood and closed the space between them. "Now Sarah, that wasn't too hard was it?" he mocked.

Sarah said nothing but stared at him coldly. It was then that Jareth noticed the ring that lay on a cord on Sarah's chest. Reaching out he grabed ahold of the ring, taking a good look at it. "Let go!" Sarah hissed.

Jareth's eyes went stoney as he recognized the significance of his cousin's ring. In a fury he tore it from Sarah's neck, who cried out in pain as the cord pulled sharply against her skin before breaking loose. "Give that back!" she spat and reach out for it. Jareth threw the ring up into the air where it transformed into a crystal and floated out a window. Sarah watched in dispair as her engagement ring floated out of sight.

"I hate you!" she lashed out at the Goblin King pushing him hard in the chest. As Sarah's hands came into contact with the King's chest, a red light pulsed forth from her hands, knocking the King backwards. Jareth's stony masked disapeared with a look of genuine shock, the blast had been weak and not hurt him but Sarah should not have been able to weild any such magic. Sarah was looking at her hands in shock, forgetting her anger.

"How?" Jareth started but stoped as he noticed Sarah's eye's rolled back and caught her as she collapsed.

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Author's Note: Well there you have it! I hope you like it. Later it will be explained why Sarah has use of magic and so forth. Wonder where Jareth sent that engagement ring? hehe. Please review.