V
She stood on the edge of the ballroom watching as Jareth sauntered across the room, a smug look of satisfaction etched into his harsh features. He continued forward toward her mother who stood on the opposite side of the ballroom. She could see the hatred burning just beneath her mother's veiled gaze. He reached her in three strides and his arms banded like steel around her waist as they twirled across the ballroom. "You look beautiful in that dress, Sarah," he cooed into her ear, eliciting a shiver from his partner. "Why are you doing this?" she hissed as he continued to twirl her around. "Even Goblin Kings get lonely, Sarah." He sneered as she struggled to pull away. "I hate you!" Sarah snapped as he abruptly released her. "You are such an ungrateful child, what a pity." He clucked his tongue against the roof of his moth as she staggered away. When he reached out to grab hold of her arm once more Sarah began to run. Then came the crash and everything went dark.
Jenny sat on the window seat and watched as the sun began to rise over the Goblin Kingdom. To the west, the fields of grain shone like liquid gold. In the east the tall chimneys of the Goblin City blew out little puffs of grey smoke that floated away on the gentle breeze. To the north lay the dark borderlands of her father's kingdoms. "Impressive, no?" the familiar baritone made her jump. "What are you doing here?" she snapped as she turned to face the intruder. "I thought we might continue our explorations today," Dorian sauntered forward and leaned against the wall to her left. "I thought Jareth wanted to start 'training' today," Jenny stood and pushed past him. "Yes well, he can't 'train' us if we aren't here, now can he?" Dorian raised a sardonic brow as she made her way to her wardrobe. "And how are we going to get out of the castle without being noticed?" Jenny drawled as she laid her clothes out on the bed. "Those clothes will never do," he chided as he hurried over and hung them back in the wardrobe. "Excuse me!" Jenny choked out as she stared at Dorian in disbelief. "We're trying to blend in with the city, not stand out! The whole point is for Jareth not to be able to find us," he explained as he pulled a more traditional ensemble from the wardrobe. "I'll wait for you in the hall," he added as he slipped out the door. "But you still didn't explain how we're going to get out without Jareth seeing," Jenny hissed. "Trust me," Dorian winked as he poked his head around the door before leaving Jenny alone to change.
"Finally! I thought you were going to chicken out!" Dorian sighed in annoyance as Jenny closed the door to her chamber softly. "Let's go before we get caught," she snapped as he took her hand. "What are you doing!" she exclaimed as he drew his other hand over her mouth. "If this is going to work, I'm going to need you to shut up. Now just close your eyes and hopefully everything will go as planned," he said as she reluctantly lowered her eyelids. A moment later she felt a great rush of air as the floor vanished beneath her feet. She tried to scream but Dorian's palm was still clamped securely over her mouth.
"You can open your eyes now, Jenny." Dorian chuckled into her ear as he removed his hand from her mouth. "What the hell just happened!" She jumped away from him and looked nervously around. "Magic," he grinned as he raised his hands in an exaggerated gesture. "No kidding," she inhaled deeply as she laid her hand on her chest. "You look ill," Dorian observed as he took a step forward. "I'm fine just give a little warning next time." She sighed running a hand through her unkempt hair. "Right, well, here we are!" Dorian smiled as he took her arm. "The Goblin City," Jenny breathed as she looked out at the vast expanse of houses and massive stone buildings before her. "What would you like to see first?" Dorian asked as he pulled her excitedly along. "What's the best spot in the city?" Jenny returned as they hurried through the twisting streets of the Goblin City. "How about the royal crypt? All the Goblin Kings, and Queens, have been buried there." Dorian continued forward through a large market filled with various Goblins hawking their wares. "Sounds exciting!" Jenny beamed as they made their way toward the crypt.
Tess was in utter panic when she opened the doors to Jenny's chamber only to find it empty. "Sir Hoggle!" she cried out as she chased him down the corridor just outside the throne room. "Yes," the dwarf sighed heavily as he turned to face the frantic lady's maid. "Jenny. The chamber!" Tess panted as she waved her arms wildly about. "Calm down and explain yourself!" Hoggle snapped as he grabbed hold her wrists. "Jenny's gone! I went up to fetch her for breakfast but when I got to the chamber, it was empty!" Tess sobbed as Hoggle tried to hush her. "Quiet girl! Do you want to alarm Jareth?" Hoggle hissed as Tess hiccupped. "No sir," she managed through her quiet sobs. "Good. Now go up to Jenny's chamber and pretend that she's just overslept." Hoggle commanded and Tess immediately complied, rushing down the corridor to her mistress' chamber. "Damn you Jenny," Hoggle muttered darkly as he stepped into the throne room. "Good morning Hoggle!" Jareth rose from his throne and closed the room to meet him. "Morning Jareth," Hoggle twisted his hands nervously. "Have you seen Jenny and Dorian? I looked in the library but they weren't there," Jareth watched as Hoggle wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. "Is there something wrong Hoggle? You look ill," Jareth knelt before the trembling dwarf. "Uh, no yer majesty, everything's fine. I'll just go and check their chambers." Hoggle sputtered as he turned and hurried from the throne room.
"The royal crypt," Dorian announced as they skid to a stop before a massive marble mausoleum. "And they let you just waltz in and look at the bodies of dead kings?" Jenny raised an eyebrow as Dorian urged her forward. "Why not? I don't know about the aboveground, but here the kings and queens who have died become revered figures. For instance," he paused as he led her through the doors of the crypt and stopped before the first large, gilded tomb. "This is the final resting place of the first Goblin Queen. During her rule the harvests were bountiful so farmers in the realm leave offerings to her to be blessed with a good harvest." Dorian explained as Jenny examined the various offerings placed neatly around the tomb. "So dead kings and queens are like religious symbols?" Jenny asked as they continued through the crypt. "I guess so," Dorian shrugged. "So when Jareth dies what will he be remembered for?" Jenny teased as they passed a group of goblins lying prostrate before a tomb. "Great hair, I suppose. And your mother? What will she be remembered for?" Dorian stopped to face her. "What do you mean? Why would my mom need to be remembered here?" Jenny's eyes grew dark as she took a tentative step away from Dorian. "You didn't know? I thought for sure Jareth would have told you," Dorian watched as confusion spread through her gaze. "He mentioned something about co-regents but I just assumed she forfeited the right to rule when she returned aboveground," Jenny managed as Dorian took her arm and guided her to a bench. "Jenny, your mother is rightful ruler of this realm and she is revered and respected by all the subjects in her kingdom. Sir Hoggle has acted on her behalf on all matters of state since she came of legal age," Dorian explained as Jenny buried her head in her hands. "Why didn't they tell me?" Jenny whispered. "Perhaps your mother thought keeping you away was best," Dorian patted her shoulder comfortingly. "Maybe she was right. Maybe I shouldn't have come, I mean how can I live in a place I know nothing about! Every time you turn around the history changes!" She threw up her hands in frustration. "Dorian, I want to go home." She sniffed as she fought back tears. "Right, we'll go back straight away and you can talk to Jareth about all this," he gave her another pat before she spun out of his grip. "I don't mean the castle! I mean home, my home. Where mom and Toby and Richard are, a place where everything makes sense! Where it's all black or white, a place with no gray area!" She broke down, Dorian reached out to catch her as she slipped to the floor of the crypt. "Alright then, let's get you home. But you know Jareth'll have my head for this," Dorian attempted to humor her as he helped her out of the crypt.
They travelled back through the market, past the vendors and their colorful stalls, until they reached the spot where they had arrived that morning. "Close your eyes, hold tight and hope for the best." Dorian whispered into her ear as he wrapped his arms around her. "Here goes nothing," he muttered as the ground vanished from beneath their feet and they were sucked into the void. Jenny bit her lip, hard, as a myriad of colors danced before her eyelids. "Home," she repeated silently to herself in the hope they would reach it.
"You can open your eyes, Jenny." Dorian gave her a gently shake as she very slowly forced her lids open. "Did it work?" he asked nervously as she scanned their surroundings. "Follow me," she gave a sly smile before dragging him off into the woods. "Jenny!" he protested as they continued onward. "We're nearly there!" she exclaimed as they ran full tilt for a clearing just outside the wood. "Home," she breathed as they came to a halt in the clearing. To the east, Dorian saw what must be Jenny's home. A modest sized farmhouse, puffy clouds of gray smoke floating up from the chimney.
"Jenny?" Sarah stared at her daughter in disbelief. "Hi mom," Jenny gave a small wave as she stepped through the front door. "Jenny?" Sarah repeated as she gently closed the door and turned to face the guilty looking pair standing in her living room. "I know you're probably confused and have a million questions," Jenny started but Sarah held up a hand to stop her. "Does Jareth know you're here?" Sarah fell back into the large armchair in the corner of the room as she furiously rubbed her temple. "No but-" Sarah shot Jenny a silencing glare as she took a long breath. "You mean to tell me that somehow you magically popped from the castle to my yard and you didn't tell your father?" Sarah rose from the chair and took a menacing step forward. "He's only my father by blood," Jenny muttered as Dorian tried to disappear into a corner. "He's your father Jenny and it was wrong of you to come back without letting him know. Now you managed to poof yourself here so you can go ahead and poof yourself back," Sarah snapped, closing the distance between them. "But I don't want to go back!" Jenny protested. "You made a commitment. You promised your father you would spend the summer with him and I won't let you go back on your word," her tone brokered no argument and Jenny hung her head. "Fine," she muttered as Sarah turned to Dorian. "Excuse me," she paused and waited for him to introduce himself. "Dorian," he replied quickly shrinking further into the corner. "Dorian, would you mind stepping outside so I can talk to my daughter in private?" Sarah folded her arms across her chest as he scrambled for the door.
"Well go on, explain yourself." Sarah tapped her foot impatiently as Jenny stared guiltily at the floor. "You didn't tell me," Jenny finally managed, unable to meet her mother's gaze. "Tell you what?" Sarah snapped as she continued to stare daggers at her daughter. "About being queen. You didn't tell me about being queen of a place that shouldn't even exist!" Jenny's voice rose to a shrill shriek as she threw her hands up in exasperation. "I knew you shouldn't have gone there." Sarah unfolded her arms and moved forward to wrap her daughter in a comforting embrace. "Why didn't you tell me?" Jenny sobbed into her mother's shoulder.
"I thought I could manage it without Jareth ever getting curious, obviously that was the wrong choice but we can't go back in time and change it. If you truly don't want to go back, I will talk with Jareth and I'm sure we can figure something out. I know how unfair it must seem that you didn't choose this life and I think if Jareth is truly as changed as Hoggle claims he will give you the choice," Sarah rubbed Jenny's back as the young girl hiccupped and wiped her eyes. "Will you come back with us then?" Jenny asked as she pulled away. Sarah hesitated a moment as she looked into her daughter's wide blue eyes. "Only to sort this out. Then I will come back, I'm not interested in making this a long trip," Sarah responded sternly.