Chapter Eleven

Moving past the Junk

Sarah finished with her tears, then tied what was left of the drape about her. She pulled a cord free from one of the other drapes and tied it around her to hold the fabric. Holding her garment up so she would not trip, she moved to the gapping hole in the wall of glass and stepped though. The other side was a junkyard. The same one she had journeyed though on her first visit. She saw men and women moving about, gathering bits and pieces and adding them to enormous piles.

Agnes the Junk-lady had tried to strap a pile on Sarah on her last trip though this forest of trash. This time, she was not going to be distracted Sarah walked past them, only once wishing she had slippers or shoes. When a pair of comfortable slippers appeared in a pile, Sarah walked past them.

In the middle of the path, she stood glaring. The junk woman's puckered face was staring crossly at her from beneath a load of bent metal objects. "You!"Her finger came up and wiggled. "You get out of here, you're not wanted."

Sarah looked at the old goblin woman and frowned, it was another trap.

"Where are you going?" The junk woman sniffed.

"Away from here." Sarah shoved the goblin away from her. "Don't you dare try to put any of your junk on me. I carry enough of my own baggage, thank you!"

The junk woman chuckled, mollified. "Well, of course you do, dearie." She shuffled on the path. "Don't we all?"

Sarah was looking past the old woman, knowing she had to get past her to get to the gate at the edge of the Goblin City. Her time was running out, and she had to save the children. Her children that Paul had tossed away like the junk here in this pile. Her anger at Jareth subsided for a moment and shifted to Paul. The selfish bastard had done everything short of having robbed her blind during their marriage. 'You made bad choices.' She heard Jareth's voice in her head as she thought of Paul.

The Junk lady saw that Sarah was distracted for the moment. "Why don't you go in there and see if there's anything you'd like?" She was pointing to a sort of tent they had come to, as colorless as the rest of nowhere.

Sarah turned, took a step forward, then stopped. "No. Not this time you don't!" She shoved the old woman again. "Get out of my way."

Agnes laughed. "You can shove me out of the way, dearie. Can you shove the rest of your baggage?"

Sarah could see a great pair of grotesque gates. Beyond the gates was Jareth's castle. "Let me worry about my baggage." She said walking past the woman with the heap of junk on her back. "The gate." She moved on.

Sarah looked at the grotesque gates; they were just as she remembered. Just as ugly and just as locked. Outside the gates, a goblin guard was leaning on his spear, sound asleep. Sarah suspected it was the same guard. She walked quietly past him, not wishing to disturb him. She shoved the gates, and they swung open. Sarah stepped inside, and the gates slammed shut behind her. Ahead another gate stood, already open.

Within the new gate stood the remains of a titanic, mailed warrior, whom the goblins called Humongous. It was frozen now to the spot where Hoggle had overloaded its circuits. Sarah almost felt sorry for the metal goblin, until she looked at the axe still in the arch above the giant.

"More junk." Sarah sighed as she walked past the hulking metal figure.

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Jareth was lounging on his throne, propped up on one elbow. Goblins stood around, watching. The three traitors were still shackled to their posts. Jareth had changed, and was fiddling with one glove while he awaited news.

A goblin came running into the chamber, tripped, fell flat on his face, and from there delivered his message. "Your Highness! The girl!"

Jareth glanced up laconically. "What?"

The goblin's eyes were boggling, and he had one arm flung out behind him, pointing. "She's here."

Jareth scrutinized the moronic messenger. "It took her long enough," he said as if he were waiting for a letter. He lowered his legs from the arm of the throne, and looked at the three shackled prisoners. "Well boys, its show time."

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Goblin City was comprised of ramshackle houses hiding in each other's shadows on winding lanes. Most of the buildings decorated in the Goblin Grotesque style. The place was huddled in the shadow of the castle. A wide flight of steps, the main entrance to the castle, faced the inner gates of the courtyard, and must have formed an imposing approach before the town rose up on the steps. It was dawn and the city was fast asleep.

Sarah came to the open square, the scene of one of her last battles here. She saw that the damages inflicted by the battle had been undone. Rocks called up by Ludo were gone, or piled into additions on the buildings.

Sarah looked at the steps of the castle and pushed on. Her legs hurt, her back hurt and her pride hurt. There was no battle with goblin armies this time. No three companions to share the victory. At the top of the steps was a tall, narrow, grotesquely carved door, the ceremonial entrance. Sarah looked at it, and it opened on its own. "Oh I don't like that," she said as she moved past the entrance.

Inside the castle, a grand corridor ran ahead of her and at the far end of it, through an open door, she could see the throne, with a white barn owl perched above it. Lounging in the throne, as she would so often pictured him, was Jareth the Goblin King. He pointed to the hands of the clock. The great hands looked like swords, pointing to one minuet past thirteen. "You're late."

Horned, hairy, helmeted goblins racketed around the place, across the floor, over the steps of the throne, up on the ledges of the room. The goblins cackled wickedly, dancing and prancing around. Their jaws gaped with merriment, and they slapped their thighs. They looked at Sarah and howled with merriment.

Sarah, her bare feet bleeding and sore from the long journey sunk to her knees. "You bastard," tears streaked her face, and her garment was less then a rag now.

Jareth watched her with an amused smile. "Poor Sarah," he clicked his tongue. "Not as quick as you once were."

Sarah looked sadly at the three prisoners, Ludo had great tears welling, and Didymus was sniffling. Hoggle would not even meet her gaze. "You must be so pleased."

She noticed armed guards coming toward her. "Is that necessary? I'm hardly a threat to you now, am I?"

"Customary." Jareth tapped his boot.

The guards helped her to stand, brought her before the throne. "May I say good bye to the children?"

"No." Jareth did not bother to look at her, still fiddling with his glove.

Sarah closed her eyes. "Please, Jareth."

"You will address me as Your Majesty, or Sire, before this company, Madame." His voice was rock hard.

Taking a step toward the throne, she whispered. "You want me to beg? Fine I'll beg. You want me to grovel; you've got it! Anything you want. Please, Your Majesty, please let me say one last good bye to my children."

"No." He repeated, only this time he looked at her. His were the same eyes as that of the owl above his throne. "Now, Madame…"

"I know… you're sending me back… no children, and no memory of them." She lowered her eyes, not able to look at the Goblin King.

"No, you are here to stand trial for crimes committed against the throne." He shifted and sat upright in the throne. "Who has the charges?"

A goblin scurried past Sarah with a scroll in his hand. He looked vaguely familiar. Sarah blinked. "Charges?"

"Quiet," one of the guards whispered.

"What charges?" Sarah ignored the guard and shoved him aside to advance on the throne.

Jareth smirked as he read, "Well, let's see; Criminal trespass, reckless endangerment of the citizens… oh and my favorite, destruction to public property." He looked up from the scroll, "You destroyed one of my bridges, remember?"

The guards were trying to restrain her and although they were Fae, it seemed their grips on her were extremely gentle. "Are you out of your mind?"

Jareth looked back at the scroll, "That has been suggested."

"What do you plan to do, fine me?" Sarah pulled her arms free.

"Banishment is the usual penalty," Jareth informed her. "However, in your case it's out of the question." He tossed the scroll and stepped away from the throne. The owl watched with wide eyes.

"And why would that be?" her eyes narrowed as he moved to stand before her.

"Letting you leave now would endanger one of our citizens." He looked too pleased with himself.

"I am not one of your citizens!" She moved back a pace.

"No, you are not…as of yet," he agreed placing a finger under her chin.

"Then who will be endangered if I leave?"

Jareth leaned closer. "My heir."

"What heir?" Sarah glared.

The finger released her chin, and his hand moved down to her abdomen. "The one you carry."

"I'm not pregnant!" She backed away from his touch.

"Yes you are," he winked.

"No, that's not possible."

"I was there, it's more than possible," he reminded her, then pointed to the three prisoners. "And I have witnesses."

Sarah looked toward her former companions, none could meet her eyes. "You bastard."

"Established," he agreed, placing his hand on her tummy once more, this time with possessiveness. "So instead of banishment, it will be a life sentence, I fear. Once, you have delivered this precious bundle to me, I will have an heir, but I will be needing a spare…or two." He felt her knees buckle before she did. His hands moved to support her.

She looked at him. Just before the room went black, she choked out. "You're insane."

Jareth lifted her up and looked at her. "That remains to be seen." He looked at the prisoners. "As citizens of the realm you are bound by your oaths. You witnessed the coupling of your King to this mortal. Therefore the child she will bring forth will be my lawful heir."

Hoggle thrashed, and muffled a curse on the King.

Jareth carried her back to the throne. He took his seat and cradled her in his arms. "Oh Sarah, my revenge is just getting started." He felt her stir in his arms. "Feeling better, my dear?" When she tried to pull free, he tightened his grip. "I rather like this turn of events."

"You're sick." She raised her had, prepared to slap him.

"I would not do that if I were you," he warned sternly. "We both know I will strike you back. In your delicate condition, that would not be good. I have no wish to harm you or our child."

Sarah shuddered. "Why?"

"Poetic justice." He leaned back, indolently. "You deprived me of an heir by taking Toby away. It's only right that you provide me with another."

"I don't recall you…" she paused, looked round the room. "I don't recall you…"

"I'm Fae, Sarah. I can release my seed at will." He studied her the way one looks at an acquisition. "I planted my seed the moment I entered you."

"You raped me."

"Yes, I did." He patted her arm.

"No remorse?"

"None," he said firmly.

"You are a cheat," she accused.

"Yes, I am. I like to win. It's my game, my kingdom, my rules." Jareth looked at her, head to bare toes. "Now I have your children, you and my heir. I'd say that makes us even Sarah."

"May I see the children?" she asked coldly.

Jareth eyed her with equally cold eyes. "Soon."

"Do they have to stay tied to those posts?" she pointed to the three prisoners.

"No," He motioned the guards to release the three. "Take care with the dwarf, he's likely to balk." Jareth draped an arm over her. "I wanted them to witness our coupling. That done, they are now free to leave." He looked at the three. "You may return to your homes and former duties."

Sir Didymus rubbed his little wrists, "Sire, what you have done is not part of the code I taught you." He frowned. "I am most disappointed."

"Go back to your bridge, and don't let any other maiden turn your head." The king ordered. He looked at Ludo. "Go." The beast lumbered off. He looked at Hoggle, who was glaring at him. "Sarah, did you know that little scab harbors a crush on you? Why, I bet he's even imaged you without clothes."

The dwarf took a step toward the throne, raised a hand and growled. "If you ever hurt her, I'll be your worst nightmare, Jareth." The dwarf did not look at Sarah, nor did she look at him. He turned to leave.

"Go poison a fairy," Jareth called as the dwarf departed. He then smiled at Sarah.