Chapter 4
As Sarah walked down the hallway, she looked at the many portraits that lined the walls. Many looked to be really old. She guessed that they might have been kings and queens of previous generations.
"Lady Sarah, we have arrived at the dining hall. His majesty will be waiting for you inside." Meeky replied bowing and leaving Sarah to enter the dining hall.
From outside, Sarah could smell the variations of food, from Chicken to Spaghetti, and some others that she couldn't make out.
Sarah heard her stomach growl with its need to be filled with the wonderful smelling food.
"Alright, alright. I'm going in." Sarah said to her stomach, as if it was a live person.
Sarah walked through the large doors into a large dining hall, with a long table in the center. She walked up to the table, and saw many different foods, from her world and what she guessed from this world as well. Some of what she saw was again the Chicken and Spaghetti that she could smell from outside, but she also saw Chinese Food, shrimp, green beans, hot dogs, potatoes and much more. In the center, Sarah saw what she believed was a pig, with an apple in its mouth. Sarah had only seen them in pictures before, so it was amazing to see one right in front of her.
"Welcome Sarah. I take you like the variety of food I have had the cooks prepare for us." Jareth said where he was sitting at the end of the table.
Sarah looked up startled. She hadn't even seen him sitting there.
"Um, yea. But how are we going to eat all this. I don't even think I have eaten this much in all my life, let alone in one meal." Sarah said, taking a seat.
"Oh it's alright. Whatever we can't eat will be separated amongst the Goblins in the city." Jareth replied.
"Oh so you do have a heart." Sarah said looking at Jareth.
"Yes, what made you think I didn't?" Jareth said, amused with her snippy attitude with him.
"Well I was unsure; since Meeky has the worst clothing I have ever seen on a Goblin. And that's saying something, since the last time I saw a Goblin, it was Hoggle who was leading me towards your castle." Sarah replied.
"My dear Sarah, I have offered Meeky the best clothing a Goblin could own, but she has refused it time and time again. She believes she must dress in rags to please me, but I have told her it would be better for her to dress in better clothing, but she doesn't want to listen to that." Jareth replied, taking a large piece of chicken from a plate full of chicken legs, wings, and breasts.
"Oh." Sarah said, looking down embarrassed.
"Well, go on and chose your helping of food. I can hear your stomach from here. You need to eat." Jareth said.
Sarah looked up at all the food in front of her. "What to chose?" Sarah thought to herself. She then decided to take a piece of chicken. She then reached over for a helping of green beans and some mashed potatoes. She then sat back and enjoyed her dinner.
After dinner, Jareth offered to accompany Sarah back to her room. But before that, he asked Sarah if she would like a tour of his castle.
"Sure." Sarah replied. "Might as well get a look at what I will be staying in for the rest of my life."
Sarah listened as Jareth gave a small laugh. It kinda frightened her, but then also made her feel calm and safe. "Why was that?" Sarah thought.
"Well then, I will take you first the hall where portraits of previous kings and queens are placed." Jareth said as he started back down the way Sarah had walked on her way to the dining hall.
Jareth walked up to the first picture that lined the hall. "This is the very first king of the Labyrinth. He ruled up to 2000 years, before he was killed in a deadly war between the above and underground." Jareth said.
"How did he become king?" Sarah asked.
"Well, he had started his life in the aboveground. But one day, he decided he didn't like the way the world was falling out, so he made a deal with the devil, as the above grounders would call it. He asked the devil to change the way the world was, which was into his liking. The devil disagreed, but told him he could start his own world, which is now the underground. So as you can see, he started his own world here." Jareth explained.
"Where did all the Goblins come from?" Sarah asked, really intrigued with the history of the Labyrinth.
"Well, the Goblins and other creatures that are here, you can't find on earth. Except for before the underground came to be. Goblins, fairies and so on used to live on the aboveground. But as the aboveground formed, people began to not believe in magic as much as before, and forced anything that could produce magic into the underground." Jareth said.
"Oh."
"Yea, well let' get on with this tour." Jareth said, going down the hallway, and explaining more of the history of the Labyrinth and the previous kings and queens of it.
It was very late when Jareth had finally taken Sarah back to her room. He bid her goodnight, and then left to his own room.
Sarah went and changed into a loose fitting nightgown. When she walked back into the room, she saw that her bed had been turned down and ready for her to sleep in. She walked over to it and laid down; bring the covers up over her, up to her chin. She lay there, still as a rock, as she slowly sinked into the soft mattress.
Her thoughts slowly drifted into thoughts of Jareth and her new home. For the last five years, she has thoroughly convinced herself that Jareth was a cold hearted basterd, but after today, she wasn't so sure of that anymore. But she was also unsure if she should believe what he said about the Goblins and Meeky.
Well, she would have to think more on that tomorrow. She was so tired now, that she couldn't say the alphabet. So she drifted off into a dreamful sleep.