VI
"Your majesty! Your majesty!" Tess raced through the halls of the castle desperately trying to reach Jareth as he stormed toward his daughter's chamber. "Where is she!" he roared as he threw open the doors and found the chamber empty. "Please your majesty, if you'll just listen!" Tess pleased as be began tearing apart the room in a vain attempt to find Jenny. "Your majesty, please," Tess squeaked as an inkwell went soaring past her head. "What is it!" he bellowed as he spun round to face her. "It's about Jenny, your majesty. Hoggle found her. She's in the throne room with Dorian," the young maid whimpered as Jareth levelled her with a deathly glare. "Why didn't you tell me this before!" he shot back as he stormed past her. "I tried to, sir," she muttered to herself as she hurried out after him.
"He was in quite a state when he realized you was missin' Jenny," Hoggle shook his head as Sarah held tightly to her daughter's hand. "And he definitely won' be expectin' to see you, Sarah," Hoggle added disapprovingly. "Well I'm sorry I didn't call first!" Sarah snapped as Dorian leaned down to whisper in Jenny's ear, "I can't wait to see the look on uncle's face when he realizes you've brought your mother here." He shot her a sly smile, which she returned with a sharp nudge.
The doors to the throne room flew open as Jareth burst in, a flurry of black fabric and glitter. Tess was close behind but slid to a halt once she saw the woman standing beside Jenny. "I see you haven't changed, still trying to make an entrance," Sarah scoffed as a thousand emotions flitted across the Goblin King's face before they settled back into an impassive mask. "What? No hello for your estranged wife and highly esteemed guest?" Sarah smirked as Jareth took a silent step back. Sarah turned to face Hoggle, who cowered at her side. "Take Jenny and Dorian and find them something to eat, they've had a long day," Sarah instructed as the dwarf bowed before hastily ushering the pair from the room, Tess close at their heels.
"Oh come on, you don't expect me to believe that I have actually rendered the Goblin King speechless," she mocked cruelly as she moved toward him. "What did you do?" he managed in a low growl. "Always so quick to place the blame. What if it was something you did?" Sarah shot back as she came to a stop before him. "Don't play games, Sarah," he snapped, finally finding his voice. "You will explain how Jenny and Dorian disappeared." He stalked around her. "I wish I could but they found me. Whatever happened before they got to my house was obviously enough to scare Jenny so much she wants to leave." Sarah held his gaze as he continued to circle her. "Explain," he barked as she crossed her arms across her chest. "She realized why you want her here and she feels trapped. She wants a choice and I think it's only fair that we give it to her," Sarah stated firmly as Jareth stilled. "A choice? Sarah, you know as well as I that she has no choice. Jenny is our heir, eventually she will have to face her responsibilities and learn how to govern this realm!" Jareth's shouts echoed throughout the throne room. Sarah kept her steely gaze locked on his.
"You are no more a changed man than Hoggle is a prince. I knew you had always been cruel, but this just takes the cake. Jenny didn't choose this life. I didn't choose this life. We all deserve a choice before we are sealed to our fate. Mark my words, Jareth, the more you push her into this role, the farther you will push her away. Then you'll have no one to blame but yourself when she runs from you," Sarah spoke the words in a low but menacing tone before she vanished back into her own realm.
A loud knock at the door pulled Jareth back to reality and he strode toward it, yanking it open. "Uncle," Dorian shuffled uncomfortably s Jareth glared at him. "What did you tell her?" He growled as Dorian stood uneasily just outside the door. "Nothing, I swear! I took her to the Goblin City and royal crypt. I didn't realize she didn't know her mother was queen. Then she demanded that I take her home so I did." Dorian watched as thinly veiled anger flamed in Jareth's gaze. "Pack your things," Jareth ground out as he turned away from his nephew. "What! Uncle you can't be serious!" Dorian cried out, curling his hands into fists at his side. "I expect you out of the castle by first light," Jareth added in a harsh tone. Dorian cast a heated glance in his uncle's direction before storming away.
Broken staircases wound up and down the walls of the room. "How you turn my world, you precious thing," Jareth crooned to her mother as Jenny watched the scene unfold from below. "You starve and near exhaust me," he continued s her mother explored the staircases. "Everything I've done, I've done for you!" He accused, shaking his finger at her mother but she would not be moved. "Your eyes can be so cruel! Just as I can be so cruel!" He cried out in a warning but her mother would not heed. "Live without the sunlight, love without your heartbeat," his voice was heavy with emotion but still her mother would not be swayed. "I can't live within you," he resigned in a tortured breath as her mother continued through the maze of staircases in her vain search.
Jenny watched as Jareth slipped from view and her mother slid to a stop at the edge of one of the staircase platforms. "NO!" She cried out as her mother stepped over the edge and jumped into the void. Everything began to shake violently as the staircases began to crumble and fall into the void. Jenny tried in vain to hold on but was through violently against the wall. "Jenny," an unfamiliar voice called out through the darkness. "It is time, you must come home. We have waited so long for you, so very long." The voice repeated as it began to fade into the blackness.
Jenny woke from her dream and hurried to her desk to record it in the small journal Richard had given to her. Then, after tucking the journal underneath a stack of linens in the wardrobe, she grabbed a candle from the side table, slipped on her sneakers and a warm sweater and headed for the library.
She slipped silently through the library doors and crept along the bookshelves until she found the shelf containing the books written on the history of the Underground. As she scanned the shelf by the dim light of her candle, she found the once white volume now yellowed with age and pulled. From behind the shelf came a great rumbling as the shelf began to slide slowly away to reveal the passage within. Once the shelf stilled, Jenny pulled her sweater tightly around her shoulders and stepped into the dark passage, the dim candlelight casting eerie shadows across the walls. "Come on feet," Jenny sighed as she started off, the bookshelf rolling shut behind her.
"Something is wrong." Sarah bolted up in her bed as Richard groaned beside her. "What are you talking about?" he muttered turning over and pulling the sheet tighter around his shoulders. "It's Jenny, something is wrong. We have to go!" Sarah hurried from the bed and began frantically throwing on clothes. "Come back to bed!" Richard groaned again as he reluctantly sat up against the headboard. "Not until I'm sure that she's alright. Are you coming or not?" she snapped as she pulled on her sneakers. "Alright, alright," he sighed, moving from the bed to pull on his jeans.
Armed with flashlights, Sarah led Richard away from the farmhouse toward the woods. "Shouldn't we take the car?" Richard called out from behind. "Can't get there by car," Sarah ground out as she continued forward. "What? Sarah where the hell are we going?" Richard shouted as he grabbed her arm and forced her back. "Look I don't have time to explain, you'll just have to trust me." She broke away and hurried off again. Richard gave an exasperated sigh, but followed.
They came to a halt before a mighty gnarled oak with a massive hole in the middle of its trunk. "Sarah, for the love of God! Please tell me where we're going!" Richard panted as he jogged alongside her. "We have to go in there," she motioned toward the hole. "You have got to be kidding me," he muttered incredulously. "I know you think I'm crazy but please just trust me. I promise I'll explain everything when we find Jenny," Sarah looked to him, fear mounting in her gaze. Richard sighed and shook his head but allowed Sarah to lead him into the large hole. Neither uttered a sound as they crawled farther and farther into the darkness.
The deeper they travelled the closer they came to a faint light at the edge of the seemingly endless darkness. "Nearly there," Sarah whispered as she reached out to feel the walls of the tunnel. Richard remained silent, his eyes focused on Sarah's dim outline as she led him onward. The light began to grow brighter and Richard could hear the echoes of bustling city streets. Sarah took his hand and helped him from the tunnel as the two stood side by side just outside the gates to the Goblin Castle.
"Where the hell are we?" Richard stammered as Sarah gripped his hand tighter. "Jareth's house, of course," Sarah chuckled nervously as she pulled him along through the gate and up the palace steps. As they neared the doors, Sarah spotted a cloaked figure hunched over on the top step. "Dorian?" She called out as she neared, instantly recognizing the young man's sharp features. Immediately he stood and approached her. "Mrs. Williams?" He managed, "What are you doing here?" he sputtered as he looked from Sarah to Richard then back again. "Jenny, is she alright?" Sarah grabbed his arms and gave him a violent shake. "I don't know, Jareth ordered me to leave the Goblin Kingdom right after you left. I haven't seen her since," Dorian searched her frantic gaze. "I must see Jareth immediately!" Sarah thrust Dorian aside and pounded on the heavy castle doors. "Hoggle, I need you." She sobbed as she lay her head against the wood.
The doors began to creak and groan as Sarah took a hesitant step backwards into Richard's sturdy embrace. "Sarah? What are you doin' 'ere?" the gruff voice chastised from the open doorway. "Hoggle! Oh Hoggle!" Sarah dropped to the ground before him. "Where's Jenny? Please take me to her!" Sarah managed between sobs. "Jenny's in 'er room, Tess took her up right after you left," Hoggle patted her shoulder softly. "I need to see her. Hoggle, please," Jenny pleaded as Richard moved to stand behind her. "All right, but his majesty will not be 'appy yer 'ere," Hoggle shook his head as Richard helped Sarah to stand.
The trio followed Hoggle through the winding halls of the Goblin Castle. The pale light from his candle making their shadows dance across the walls. "Jenny's room is just ahead," Hoggle announced as the party neared the end of the long corridor. As they came to rest before the door, Hoggle turned and handed the candle to Sarah while he rummaged through his pockets for the key to the chamber door. The dwarf sighed in satisfaction as he pulled the heavy key from his pocket and proceeded to align it with the keyhole on the door.
"And just what do you think you're doing?" the familiar brogue threatened from behind, forcing all four to turn and face the speaker. "I have a right to see her," Sarah snapped back as she stepped around Richard. "Sarah," he warned as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright Richard. Jareth can't do anything to me. I'm rightful queen of this realm after all." Sarah pushed his hand away and raised an eyebrow in defiance.