Hehe...sorry it's been so long guys. I PROMISE I'LL KEEP UP WITH THIS BETTER IN THE FUTURE! Once again, I do not own this story or any of the characters, I am merely posting it.
As The World Falls Down
"I could very well keep this to myself. Then, I could be the richest creature in the world and I could have hundreds of goblins bowing down to me, instead of me bowing down to that wretched Jareth."
Hoggle stumbled along, admiring the orb in his hand and pondering over what to do. True, Jareth had demanded that he use it to save the obnoxious king, but Hoggle wasn't sure how to use the orbs and he didn't know how to get help. Besides, he didn't want to save Jareth. That Goblin King had kicked him around more than he cared to remember, and now he had the chance for revenge. All he needed to do was figure out how to use the orb.
A sudden threatening sound filled the air, and Hoggle glanced up at the sky. Clouds were moving rapidly towards the place where he stood, covering the sky in blackness. They were threatening clouds with great streaks of lightning shining forth from them.
"But I want to keep it," Hoggle muttered. "I can take care of the Labyrinth, and then it won't destroy itself."
It was an old myth that if the leaders of the Labyrinth and Crystalla were somehow to leave their appointed worlds, the worlds would deteriorate on themselves. The ruler of Labyrinth was now gone, and the world had seemingly decide to deteriorate rather quickly. Hoggle didn't like the look of the storm that was closing in, and he gazed at the orb again.
"I suppose Jareth would kill me if he somehow managed to get back here without me rescuing him," Hoggle sighed. "I wish I could get help from Sarah. She'd know what to do."
A blinding flash of light filled the air, and instantly, Hoggle disappeared. He screamed as he shot into the sky, going faster and faster until the Labyrinth was entirely invisible. He was shooting towards a great ball of light, and within seconds, he was submerged into the flaming ball.
Hoggle believed himself to be dead, but when he opened his eyes, which he had closed due to immense terror, he found himself in a great room, lying on a large and comfortable bed. The room was painted in light pink, and it looked vaguely familiar. There weren't as many stuffed animals in it as he remembered there being, and there were several boxes all over the room, as though whoever occupied it was moving. Hoggle's eyes came to rest on a woman, her back turned towards him. She had long, dark hair, and she was pinning it up atop her head. She wore a white dress and glistening earrings.
"Sarah!" Hoggle shouted, sitting up on the bed. "Sarah! I need your help!"
The woman gasped and then spun around, her dark eyes landing on Hoggle.
"Hoggle, is that you?" Sarah exclaimed, running to her old friend. "I thought I would never see you again!"
"Here I am!" Hoggle said uncomfortably. "You look different."
"It's been years!" Sarah said happily and then hugged Hoggle. "What brings you here?"
"The Goblin King needs your help."
Sarah frowned and pulled away from Hoggle. "Jareth?" she asked.
"Yes. He was taken away by some crystal king."
"Crystal king?"
Hoggle was about to say more when the bedroom door suddenly slammed open and a boy of twelve years leaped into the room.
"Are you ready to go, Sarah? You take forever on your hair!"
"Toby, go away," Sarah said, rolling her eyes and moving away from Toby.
"Who's that?" Toby asked, bounding over to Hoggle. He poked the little man in the stomach, and Hoggle shouted.
"Keep your fingers to yourself!"
"It talks!" Toby gasped.
"Of course he does. Toby, this is Hoggle."
"Weird name. What are you doing here, Hoggle? You look strange!"
"The Goblin King needs help. Remember what I told you about him?" Sarah asked.
"He's the creep that fell in love with you in one of your dreams, right? Let me at him!" Toby said, throwing punches in the air.
"You didn't tell him much about the king, did you?" Hoggle frowned.
"We have a wedding to attend, Hoggle. Can this wait?"
"You know that traveling to the Labyrinth and back won't take any time," Hoggle said. "At least, it didn't last time."
"Why would I want to help Jareth?" Sarah asked, frowning.
"Yeah, why would she want to help the creep?"
"He is the king of the Labyrinth," Hoggle growled. "You must watch your mouth, young one. Sarah, can you come?"
"What happened?" Sarah sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"It's a long story," Hoggle said.
"Considering it's all a dream, we have all the time in the world," Toby chipped in. "Go ahead, little man."
Hoggle rolled his eyes and then spoke. "For years, Sarah, the Goblin King was in love with the princess of Crystalla. Her name is Majeste. Not long ago, he proposed to her and she refused him. Because of that, he cast her away somewhere. Her people couldn't find her, and so they captured Jareth. Now I'm supposed to be saving him."
"Wait. Jareth has been in love, all this time, with a crystal princess?" Sarah asked.
"Yes."
"Why did he cast her away for refusing him?"
"You know the Goblin King almost better than anyone else. Why do you think?" Hoggle asked.
"Why, that stuck up goblin! Was she pretty?"
"She's beautiful. I need to save King Jareth before the Labyrinth destroys itself. Without its leader, it will. It has already started deteriorating. I have to save him so he can return to his world and save it."
"What about the princess?" Toby asked. "Does she need a knight in shining armor? Because, if she does…"
"Can it, Toby. Does the princess love Jareth?" Sarah asked, greatly interested.
"I think so. It's hard to tell. With the way he's been treating her, I would think she doesn't. She's a good-hearted woman, though. I don't know that she would give up easily on the Goblin King."
"Can you take me back now?" Sarah asked.
"And me," Toby added.
"Toby, you can't come. Last time you were there, Jareth nearly turned you into a goblin. You can't come!" Sarah exclaimed.
"Yes, I can!" Toby shouted. "If you don't, I'll tell Mom and Dad!"
"They'll never know I was gone. Going to the Labyrinth and back doesn't take any time at all," Sarah said.
"Why can't I ever go on any adventures with you?" Toby pouted.
"You have. The Goblin King captured you once. One adventure is enough for you."
"We must hurry," Hoggle said nervously. "The Labyrinth is already starting to destroy itself."
Sarah sighed and took hold of the orb that Hoggle was holding out to her. "Last I remembered, these things mean a lot of trouble," she frowned.
"It depends on whose hands they are in. I wish…" Hoggle started and Sarah finished.
"…That I was in the Labyrinth."
There was another flash of light, and instantly, Sarah and Hoggle found themselves at the maze of Confucius, the place where Sarah had first arrived when she had been brought to the Labyrinth some eleven years before.
"That was amazing!" A chipper voice exclaimed, and Sarah and Hoggle turned their heads to see Toby standing in their midst, holding on to a small piece of Sarah's skirt.
"Toby, I said you couldn't come!" Sarah shouted, and Toby shrugged.
"I think I'm old enough to make my own decisions," the boy smiled.
"Argh! Hoggle, how are we going to save everyone?" Sarah shouted.
"I don't know. I hoped you would know what to do."
"Jareth is in Crystalla and Majeste is in the Labyrinth?"
"Yes."
"Hoggle, I will send you with Toby to find the princess. I'll go get Jareth," Sarah said easily.
"Why do you get to save the Goblin King? He sounds cool!" Toby said.
"Because…" Sarah started, but Toby cut her off.
"I know! You're in love with him! You think he's handsome!"
"Do not!" Sarah shouted, aghast.
"Do too!"
"Do not!"
"Do too!"
"Sarah and Toby, please!" Hoggle shouted above the noise. "Sir Didymus has offered to assist us. I think he should go with Toby to the princess. I'll go with you, Sarah."
"But I don't want to save any crummy princess!" Toby frowned. "And who's Sir Didymus?"
"She's not crummy!" Hoggle roared. "She's the most beautiful woman in both our worlds and beyond! Be careful what you say! My, my, if King Jareth were to hear you say that," Hoggle panicked, ringing his hands.
"Where is Sir Didymus?" Sarah asked.
"In the maze somewhere. Come, we must find Jareth," Hoggle said, taking hold of one of Sarah's hands.
"But I need to make certain Toby has someone with him!" Sarah declared.
"I can find the knight myself," Toby said. "It's just a maze. I'll find him."
"Sarah, you must wish us into Crystalla. There is no other way to get there," Hoggle said as Toby turned and began to walk away.
"But…" Sarah started and then closed her mouth. If Toby wanted to be a show-off and find Majeste himself, then so be it. "I wish," Sarah said, holding the orb up to her face. "That Hoggle and I were in Crystalla."
Toby watched as Sarah and Hoggle disappeared and then he continued his journey through the maze. He walked for about fifteen minutes before he scratched his head and stood still. "I'm not getting very far," he told himself. He glanced up at the walls that surrounded him and noted the vines that were woven in the bricks. "Ah ha," he smiled and grabbed hold of the vines. Slowly, Toby began to climb up the walls, and within a minute's time, he was seated atop them. "I can find Sir Didymus all by myself, without a problem."
A streak of lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, and Toby shuddered. "I'd better find him fast," Toby said and then glanced into the paths that formed Confucius. "Sir Didymus!" he shouted. "Sir Didymus!"
A voice, from directly beneath him, startled him and nearly made him fall off the wall.
"I say!" A chipper voice called. "You called?"
Toby glanced down to see some creature with the looks of a both a squirrel and a fox gazing up at him. He wore the velvety garments of a great nobleman, and he held a sword in one of his claws.
"I say, did you call?"
Toby shook his head and then nodded. "I…I…did."
"Who are you?"
"Who are you?" Toby asked smartly.
"I, young one, am Sir Didymus, escort of Sarah. You don't look like Sarah to me," Sir Didymus squeaked.
"I should hope not," Toby muttered under his breath and then climbed down from the top of the wall. "I'm Toby. I'm here to find the crystal princess."
"Toby…Toby…Sounds familiar. Were you a goblin once?"
"I was not!" Toby snapped. "I'm here to find Majeste. Do you know where she is?"
"Of course," Sir Didymus sniffed, putting his nose up in the air a bit. "Come with me, young sir."
Toby rolled his eyes and began to follow the creature down one of the paths of Confucius. Sir Didymus stopped a few steps later and whistled. A sheepdog appeared out of an underground shaft, and he galloped lopsidedly towards Sir Didymus.
"My noble steed," Sir Didymus explained, pulling himself up onto the dog's back. "I apologize for not having appropriate transportation for you."
"That's okay," Toby said incredulously. What a weird world he was in!
Hoggle and Sarah arrived in Crystalla only seconds after Toby walked off by himself. They found themselves directly next to the bridge that separated Crystalla from the Labyrinth.
"What has happened to the bridge?" Sarah gasped, noticing that the stone half of the bridge was beginning to crumble.
"The Goblin King is no longer in his world," Hoggle explained, frowning as chunks of stone began to fall into the fire beneath the bridge and burn. "The longer he stays away, the worse the bridge becomes. If he stays away for too long, the bridge will disappear entirely. The Labyrinth is already beginning to destroy itself. Look."
Sarah looked across the bridge to the Labyrinth beyond. Above the walls of Confucius she could see dark, menacing clouds with lightning flashing throughout them.
"If the stone bridge of the Labyrinth falls apart, won't the crystal bridge of Crystalla do the same?" Sarah asked worriedly.
"Yes, and if things really get bad, the darkness from the Labyrinth will penetrate the forces of Crystalla and will destroy Crystalla as well. That is why we must return Jareth and Majeste to their worlds. Without their leaders, Crystalla and the Labyrinth will be destroyed, as well as everything and everyone in them."
"The people of Crystalla and the Labyrinth have no way of being with each other, do they?" Sarah gasped.
"Only Majeste and Jareth are able to go on that bridge. Someday, maybe, the two bridges will truly come together and the two worlds will be connected. For now, though, if anyone tries to go on the bridge besides Jareth and Majeste, they will fall into the water and fire below."
"They'll be burned and drowned!" Sarah exclaimed.
"No, I've heard worse things," Hoggle said.
"Like what?"
"I've heard that those who attempt to even step on the bridge are turned into hideous beasts."
"Beasts?"
"Yes, but the goblins told me that, and you can never believe goblins," Hoggle sighed. "Just look at the Goblin King. He sure isn't honest."
"We still need to find him. Where was he taken?" Sarah asked, turning and gazing at the immense world of Crystalla.
"To the castle, I'm sure. That would be the big, looming palace in the far distance."
"What do we have to go through to get there?"
"I don't know," Hoggle shrugged. "I've never been here."
Sarah looked around in desperation and caught sight of a large, glittering hole in the middle of a great rock. "Maybe that leads up to the castle."
Hoggle looked at the hole and shuddered. "I don't know. I'm not fond of tunnels."
"But you live in the Labyrinth! You shouldn't have a problem with darkness and tunnels!" Sarah said.
"This isn't the Labyrinth. What's in there I wonder?"
"Let's look," Sarah said, taking one of his small hands in hers. "We have to find Jareth."
Hoggle was very reluctant, but he let Sarah lead him into the tunnel. The tunnel was one of the most beautiful places Sarah had ever seen. As she walked through it, she gazed at the walls. They were glittering with crystals of all different shapes, colors, and sizes. Hoggle was also in awe of the beauty of the tunnel, and as he and Sarah walked, both of them failed to take notice of the direction they were moving in.
Ten minutes passed before Sarah looked behind them and panicked. All she could see was crystals, all over the place, and so many different tunnels that she immediately became alarmed.
"Hoggle!" Sarah gasped, walking over to one of the walls of crystal. "We can't get out! We're lost!"
"I think it's an illusion," Hoggle said, gazing at all the crystals. "The way out is probably right in front of our faces and we can't see it."
"We've been walking for ten minutes," Sarah said worriedly. "I don't think we can see the way out from here."
Hoggle seemed to consider what she said for a moment. As soon as he was finished, he screamed as loudly as he could, and Sarah joined him.
"Help!"
"Somebody get us out of here!"
"Help! Help!"
Sarah leaned back on one of the walls, breathing heavily. She had read about people becoming lost in caves, but this was by far the worst type of cave to get lost in. All of the walls looked exactly the same. Every single one of them showed hers and Hoggle's reflections, and it dazed her.
"Hoggle, we need to get out of here."
"Maybe Jareth would be willing to help us if we shout to him," Hoggle suggested, and then he began to shout, his voice echoing eerily throughout the tunnels. "King Jareth! Help us! Help us out!"
"I think the only thing we can do is continue moving forward," Sarah sighed and then got off the wall. "Let's keep going the way we were before. Maybe we'll find our way out."
"Which way were we going?" Hoggle asked, turning in circles.
"That way, I think," Sarah said, pointing down one of the tunnels.
"That looks the same as all the other ones," Hoggle said, throwing out his arms in desperation.
"We have to keep moving, Hoggle. I'm sure we'll find some way out."
"I don't think so," Hoggle sighed and then followed Sarah down the tunnel she had indicated.
Sarah panicked as she gazed at the walls as they walked past them. The colors in every wall were beautiful, and she wondered if the crystals in the walls were the ones that Jareth had often shown to her. Perhaps they were magic and they could somehow show her the way out.
Something bright flashed past Sarah's face, and she turned her head to see hundreds of tiny, bright lights moving rapidly towards her.
"Hoggle, what are those?" she asked, grabbing hold of Hoggle's arm.
"Terrors of the caverns!" Hoggle exclaimed and then grabbed Sarah's hand. "Run! Run!"
Sarah had formerly considered Hoggle to be a bit of a coward, but on this occasion, she had to agree with him. She gripped his hand as tightly as she could, and then both of them began to run as fast as they could through the tunnels. All logical thinking disappeared, and they ran, like crazed animals in a thunderstorm. They could even hear the sound of rushing wind as they ran.
Running proved to be useless, for in a matter of seconds, the bright lights had caught up with Sarah and Hoggle and were swirling around them, causing such a great wind that Hoggle and Sarah could only hold on to each other in terror.
The wind seemed to shift a bit, and a sound, very much like wind and very much like a voice, spoke.
"Who are you?"
Sarah clung even tighter to Hoggle, watching as the swirl of colors moved faster and faster. The voice spoke again, this time louder.
"Who are you?"
"Hoggle!" Hoggle shouted. "Hoggle and Sarah! Leave us alone!"
"What are you doing here?" The voice asked again.
Sarah gathered her courage about her and spoke. "We are here to rescue Jareth, King of the Goblins."
The swirl seemed to laugh, and one of the colors, a bright blue, pulled away from the swirl and flew easily to Sarah. The crystal fairy, for indeed, that's what it was, landed gracefully on Sarah's nose. The fairy seemed to be a male with wild blue hair, a tight blue tunic, and a very large grin.
"King of the Goblins, you say?" he asked, his voice sounding very much like a gentle breeze blowing past.
"Yes," Sarah nodded. "We need to save him and the crystal princess so that the Labyrinth and Crystalla can survive."
The other colorful crystal fairies seemed suddenly to whisper amongst themselves, and the blue one, who sat on Sarah's nose, chuckled.
"Jareth is being held prisoner by the king for harming his daughter."
"He would never hurt Princess Majeste," Hoggle frowned, and another fairy immediately came and landed on his lips, clamping them shut.
"He wouldn't, tiny man? He knows all about the war that has been occurring for hundreds of years between the Labyrinth and Crystalla. Misplacing her majesty somewhere would be just like him," the fairy snorted.
"What war?" Sarah asked, and the fairy poked her on the nose with a very small staff that he held in his hand.
"You don't know about the war?" he hissed. "It's only the greatest battle of all time."
"If it was the greatest battle," Hoggle said, pulling the fairy off his mouth, "then I would have known about it."
"So it's a bit eerie of a battle, I suppose," the fairy shrugged. "Ever since King Strast was turned into a puppet, there's been battle between the two worlds. That's why no one else is allowed to cross the bridge aside from Jareth and Majeste."
"How is it they can cross it? Majeste isn't the queen of her land," Sarah frowned.
"No, but there's a greater power that she has," the fairy said. "It allows her to go on the bridge. Her father can't."
"So what started this terrible war that isn't occurring?" Sarah sighed.
"King Strast and Jareth's father, Harin. Goblins are unpleasant creatures, as you well know, and they like to cause trouble. King Strast and Harin got in an argument one day, and it ended with Harin turning King Strast into a puppet, of sorts, and ruining his dignity. Harin wasn't attacked himself, but all of his goblins were. The goblins were once tall, human like creatures, much like Jareth. They were turned into puppets. The bridge became cursed and only the power that Majeste has will allow anyone to go on it that isn't the leader of the Labyrinth or Crystalla."
"What is this power?" Sarah asked, very interested.
"I don't know," the fairy said, shrugging his glowing blue shoulders.
"Well now that your ridiculous story is over, will you take us to Jareth? We can't seem to get out of here," Hoggle said.
"Why should I help you save Jareth?" the fairy frowned. "Not only were the goblins turned into puppets, but the people of Crystalla were turned into crystals. My comrades and I don't want to help the Labyrinth at all. Let it destroy itself. We'll fight off the destruction."
"I want to help both worlds," Sarah persisted. "At least let me talk to King Strast."
The fairy frowned and then flew over to the other fairies. They began to talk amongst themselves, and Hoggle raised his hands in defeat.
"We at least tried," he said.
"They might help us," Sarah said, watching the fairies. "They know that they won't be able to fight off destruction if the Labyrinth is destroyed."
"Or they might let us rot, with all our luck."
"Try and look on the bright side of things, Hoggle."
The blue fairy flew away from the other fairies and landed on Sarah's nose again.
"I'll tell you what," he said, his arms crossed and his wings fluttering. "We'll bring you to the castle but not to Jareth."
"Thank you," Sarah smiled. "That's very helpful."
"Don't thank me until you are there," the fairy warned, leaping easily off Sarah's nose and flying in front of her. "It's not an easy journey."
"Why isn't it?"
"You have to go through a waterfall. There's also a hideous creature of some sorts in these tunnels. We never see him, but we always hear him. He sounds terrible! He must eat hundreds of fairies for breakfast everyday," the blue fairy shuddered. "We'll avoid him at all costs, unless I somehow tire of you and your troll friend." The fairy shot a warning look at Hoggle and then smiled at Sarah. "Are you ready?"
"I guess so," Sarah said, shaken by the thought of a large monster in the tunnels with them.
The fairies moved so easily and so quickly through the tunnels that it was nearly impossible for Sarah and Hoggle to keep up with them. They both scratched their hands and faces as they rushed along.
An hour passed before Sarah suddenly grabbed one of the crystal walls and gasped breathlessly. "I can't go anymore!"
The swirl of fairies stopped moving forward and the blue fairy hovered in front of her.
"You don't need to go any further," he said. "The pounding you have been hearing for the past half hour is the waterfall, not the beating of your heart."
"The waterfall? We have to go under it, right?" Sarah panted.
"Yes."
"Is it a small waterfall?"
"No," the fairy said. "As soon as you and your companion enter the water, my companions and I will leave. We can't go any farther than the waterfall with you. We can't swim, and so we would drown."
"I don't see the waterfall," Hoggle frowned.
"It's beyond the wall you are clinging to. Come," the fairy gestured, flitting away from Sarah. "Only a few minutes more."
The fairy was right. Sarah and Hoggle walked to the end of the wall, turned the corner, and there was the waterfall. It was an amazing source of power and beauty. The water was not only blue, but also all light shades of color. Pink, purple, green, and orange all mixed with the pounds of water that flowed from the enormous falls.
"It's amazing," Sarah whispered, moving away from the wall and towards the water.
"It should be," the fairy said. "These are the quarters of her majesty."
"Her majesty?" Sarah gasped, turning to look at the fairy.
"Majeste," the fairy nodded.
A sudden loud roar rose above the sound of the waterfall, and the blue fairy zoomed into the swirl of other fairies.
"It's the monster!" the fairies shouted, swirling faster than ever.
"Run!"
"Let's go!"
"You are on your own, lady!"
"Wait!" Sarah shouted. "How do I get through the waterfall?"
"You are on your own!" the fairies shouted and then disappeared down one of the tunnels in a flurry of color.
"Mangy, beastly pests!" Hoggle shouted and then gazed at the waterfall again. "What is that unearthly sound?"
The monster roared again, and Sarah stepped boldly onto one of the boulders in the colorful water.
"The sound is coming from near the waterfall," she said, pointing in the appropriate direction. "I want to see what it is."
"Be careful!" Hoggle shouted, gazing cautiously at the water.
"I will be!"
Sarah leaped from one boulder to the next towards the sound. There were several crystal walls on either side of the waterfall, and she moved towards one of the walls on the left. She could see a shadow of the monster through the crystal, and she shuddered at the height of the beast. Wanting to appear brave to Hoggle, however, she slipped behind the wall, whispering one last prayer as she did so.
The small cavern Sarah stepped into was dark and damp, and Sarah groped about, very much wanting a light. She could see the form of the creature and she could hear it moaning.
"Who are you?" Sarah asked, stopping behind the creature. "I cannot see you."
The creature cried again, and Sarah, wanting very much to see the creature, cleared her throat and spoke. "Follow me to some light so that I can see you."
The monster didn't answer but clumsily followed Sarah out of the cave and into the light that filled the area around the waterfall. Sarah turned to look at the creature and let out a gasp of surprise.
"Ludo! It's you!"
"Ludo scared," Ludo, Sarah's dear friend from her first adventure, spoke, his fingers in his mouth.
"Oh, don't be scared, Ludo! It is I, Sarah!" Sarah exclaimed happily, wrapping her arms around the furry creature. "Why were you all alone in the cave?"
"Lost," Ludo said simply, squeezing Sarah tightly.
"But how did you get in there to begin with? You could not have crossed the bridge," Sarah said, pulling away from him but still holding his large hand in hers.
"The Goblin King," Ludo said quietly. "Scary."
"Jareth!" Sarah gasped and then shouted. "Jareth did this to you! Why? Why would he do such a thing?"
Ludo didn't answer, and Sarah turned and shouted down the tunnel. "Come on, Hoggle! It's Ludo!" She turned to look at Ludo again, her eyes angry. "Ludo, how do we get through the waterfall? Do you know?"
"Song," Ludo said simply.
"Song? What song?"
Ludo shifted uncomfortably and Sarah sighed. "Why would I need a song to get through a waterfall?"
"Maybe it's like a secret password," Hoggle suggested, coming up behind her. "If Majeste's chambers are behind the waterfall, there would need to be a secret way to get through."
"Majeste's chambers are back there. What kind of song would she sing?" Sarah wondered aloud. "It's been said that she and Jareth had something happening between them. Perhaps it's one of his songs?"
"Why would it be one of his?" Hoggle asked.
"I don't know. It's not like he was a great singer," Sarah shrugged.
"Are you and your brother both trying to get us killed? He can still hear us! He's not daft!" Hoggle sighed.
Sarah, Ludo, and Hoggle walked out of the tunnel to where the waterfalls were. They gazed at the great fixtures of water. All three were frustrated, for they knew of no other way to get out of the tunnels then by way of the waterfall.
"I have no idea," Sarah said presently. She gazed up at the waterfalls and shouted. "Open Sesame!"
"Unlock ye doors!" Hoggle shouted.
"Open up!"
"Open up or I'll run you through!"
Sarah rolled her eyes at Hoggle's last statement and then sat down on one of the crystal rocks by the falls and thought. If what she thought was true and Majeste really did have some feelings for Jareth, then perhaps a phrase of one of his songs would help. It would have to be sung, of course, and Sarah wondered how beautiful the crystal princess' voice was.
After several minutes of thought, Sarah stood up again and turned to the waterfalls. She then tried to sing several lyrics of Jareth's songs that he had sung to her.
"A search of new dreams, a love that will last."
"I'll leave my love between the stars."
"I move the stars for no one."
"Your eyes can be so cruel, just as I can be so cruel."
Ludo and Hoggle gazed at Sarah as though she was crazy. Sarah nearly gave up hope, for the waterfalls didn't open up at all with the lyrics she attempted to sing.
"Ludo, are you sure the princess sang?" Sarah asked in exasperation.
Ludo nodded his head. Sarah sighed, took a deep breath, and thought again. Those past few lyrics had been the most beautiful ones she could think of. Perhaps it wasn't one of Jareth's songs that would open the wall of water, but if Majeste had been in love with him, then it had to be. Sarah thought of one more and hoped desperately that it was the right song.
"A love that will last within your heart. I'll place the moon within your heart."
The waterfalls let out a mighty groan, and Sarah, Ludo, and Hoggle all took several respectful steps away from them. The colors in the waterfall began to swirl viciously together, and within seconds, before the astonished viewers' eyes, all of the water from the falls had formed into two great pillars of swirling water. One stood at the left side of where the falls had been, the other at the right. In the center was a small entranceway, just the right size for Sarah, Ludo, and Hoggle to squeeze through.
"Mushy nonsense," Hoggle snorted as Sarah stepped onto one of the rocks that led to the entranceway.
"Nonsense or not, we must go. Come on, Hoggle and Ludo. We have to find Jareth."
Sarah jumped from one rock to the next until she was standing in the hidden entranceway. Ludo followed clumsily after her while Hoggle went nervously from rock to rock, expecting each and every one of them to explode.
Sarah stepped into the entranceway as Ludo took his place behind her. She turned her head to see how Hoggle was coming along and immediately noticed that the walls of water were beginning to close in.
"Hoggle, come on! The walls are closing!" she shouted, but Hoggle couldn't hear her over the noise of rushing water.
Ludo reached out and grabbed Hoggle, pulling him towards him just as the walls of water closed, sealing off the entranceway. He stood still then, in awe, as he put Hoggle gently on the floor. The chamber that they had stepped into was large and beautiful. Soft colors flooded the great room that was full of plush furniture. There was one large armchair placed neatly next to the wall of water that was pouring down, forming a door. At the far end of the room was a large bed covered in light colored silks. A large wood wardrobe covered with soft curtains stood in a corner of the room, and Sarah was greatly tempted to go over to it, open it, and study its contents. She didn't however, but moved towards a small door in one of the walls.
"Come on," she said to Ludo and Hoggle, who were gawking at the beauty of the room. "I think the palace is this way."
It took several seconds for Ludo and Hoggle to shake themselves and follow her, but they did, and all three of them ended up in a large tunnel, again filled with crystals of varying shapes and colors.
All went well for ten minutes. Then, the loud sound of marching feet became audible.
"Where do we go?" Hoggle worried, trying to hide behind one of the walls and being unsuccessful.
"I don't think there's anywhere we can go!" Sarah panicked, grabbing hold of Ludo.
Large shadows appeared on the crystal walls, and seconds later, five of the guards from the palace appeared. They immediately saw Sarah and her companions.
"Halt!" One of them shouted, raising his spear towards the frightened group.
"We already are halted!" Sarah said, somewhat annoyed. "We are here to release Jareth, King of the Goblins."
All five of the guards began laughing, and Sarah turned bright red.
"Why do you laugh?" she snapped. "This is a king we are talking about, not a clown!"
"Really?" One of the guards chuckled and then shook his head. "I'm afraid you aren't permitted to see his majesty."
"What about the king of this castle, then?" Sarah asked, exasperated.
"You might be able to see him. He isn't feeling well, though," one of the guards shrugged. "Come along."
Sarah gestured for Hoggle and Ludo to follow, and then she walked after the lead guard, the other guards moving into formation around her and her comrades.
The guards and their prisoners walked through several crystal tunnels and then arrived near a great, multi-colored crystal door. One of the guards opened it, and Sarah, Hoggle, and Ludo were ushered inside. The room they stepped into was large with great crystal staircases and chandeliers. One of the guards left the group, walking through another doorway and disappearing from sight as he closed a door.
"You will stay here," one of the guards said, and Sarah nodded her head.
Sarah, Hoggle, and Ludo spent the next several minutes gazing at the intricate light fixtures that flooded the room with light. Sarah could not speak at all but could only wonder, amazed, how beautiful the princess of Crystalla must have been to live in such a place. She pondered deeply over Jareth's true relationship with the woman and felt a slight pang of jealousy in her stomach. Jareth, from what she recalled from her fifteenth year of life, had most certainly not been ugly. He had been tempting, charming, and somewhat handsome.
Sarah shook her head, arousing herself out of her thoughts, and gazed at the simple diamond ring that rested around her finger on her left hand. She had a love of her own now, and she eagerly waited the day when she could go home and be in the arms of her love again.
"Ah hem."
Sarah looked up to one of the staircases to see a crystal guard standing there, his spear held professionally at his side, his face nearly hidden by his immense, strange hat.
"The king will see you now," he said, and the guards around Sarah, Hoggle, and Ludo brought them to a set of doors underneath one of the balconies.
"Enter," the lead guard said, opening one of the doors and holding it.
Sarah gulped nervously and then stepped into the room, Hoggle and Ludo behind her. The room was immense, much larger than the previous one had been, and as the door was being closed behind her, Sarah looked to the front of the room to see a great amount of people standing about a large throne. On the throne sat one of the smallest, most pathetic looking men Sarah had ever seen. His skin must have been orange at one point in time, but now it was faded to a light yellow. His eyes were empty of life, and he gazed at Sarah with an expressionless face.
"Hello," Sarah said nervously, stepping towards the throne. "I am Sarah. My friends and I have come to save King Jareth of the Goblins."
"I am King Strast of Crystalla," King Strast snorted. "King Jareth shall remain in the prison until he rots."
"Why?" Sarah frowned.
"He has stolen my child, finalizing a great curse that his father left for him to accomplish. Now our two worlds can perish," King Strast frowned tiredly.
"You are giving up on Crystalla?" Sarah asked, watching as the people standing about the king moved away from him a bit.
"What else can I do? Jareth has hidden my daughter in the deep abscesses of his world. I know not where she is."
"You are the king of Crystalla. As long as you and Jareth are still alive, you can prevent your worlds from falling apart. You have to release Jareth! If you don't, wherever your daughter is, she will perish," Sarah said, folding her arms across her chest. "My brother has been sent to find her and bring her back to you. Perhaps Jareth can be convinced somehow to find Majeste and return her to you."
"You think you can convince him?" King Strast chuckled and then coughed. "The bridge is almost gone, and you cannot cross it anyhow."
"I don't know much about your bridge," Sarah said, "but I am sure the Goblin King can cross it. Please, let me try and convince him. I think I can figure out how to get him back to the Labyrinth and release your daughter."
"It is too late," King Strast sighed. "Nothing can be done now."
"Sire, she can try," one of the crystal people said from his side. "Perhaps she knows Jareth."
"Perhaps he loves her, for he surely does not love my daughter," King Strast growled and then waved to the guards. "Bring Sarah and her two companions to Jareth's cell."
A guard stepped over to Sarah and took her arm. He led her away from the throne and to another doorway. Sarah glanced over her shoulder as she was brought through the doorway, and she called to the king. "Thank you, King Strast!"
"Don't thank me. I don't believe you'll get very far," King Strast sighed. "The worlds are rapidly dying."
Sarah followed her guard rapidly as he led her in and out of different tunnels and finally to a tunnel that was filled with light blue crystals, making it appear almost as though it was formed out of water. Her heart began to race faster and faster as the guard began to slow his pace, finally stopping at a heavy crystal door.
"Why am I so excited to see him?" Sarah wondered to herself as the guard took a key off of a chain around his neck and gestured for another guard, who had been standing at the door, to move aside.
"You can go in," the guard said once the door was opened, a look of utmost pity on his face.
Sarah saw his expression and frowned. "Ludo, Hoggle, come on. Jareth is in there."
Sarah, Hoggle, and Ludo stepped into the cell and the door was closed behind them. Sarah immediately caught sight of Jareth standing at one of the cell windows, gazing out, a faraway look on his face. He didn't seem to notice that she was there, and his lips were moving, but no sounds were coming out. Then, quite suddenly, Jareth started to sing, folding his arms across his chest as he did so, an eerie smile forming on his mouth.
"Fall ye worlds and drown, for light no longer shines,
The moon is still, the sun is dark, see ye all the signs.
My thoughts have all gone dim, my mind over the rim,
I can't recognize him, that Goblin King of Labyrinth."
"Jareth?" Sarah asked, an eyebrow arched. "Jareth, we are here to rescue you."
"What's that you say?" Jareth said, turning to gaze at one of the walls. "Your mind has melted too? Ah, a companion!"
The insane goblin king stretched out his arms and attempted, with all his might, to hug the wall. In return for his embrace, he received a scratched cheek and a ripped shirt.
"I say!" Hoggle gasped, gazing in amazement at Jareth. "He's gone daft!"
"It must have been a spell King Strast put on him," Sarah said, staring incredulously at Jareth. "He must have done it so Jareth couldn't escape."
"Well, undo it!" Hoggle shouted. "He's mad! He can't possibly save the Labyrinth now!"
"How can I undo it?" Sarah asked.
"You have the orb in your hand. Use it!" Hoggle said, throwing up his hands in frustration.
Sarah suddenly remembered that she did indeed have the orb in her hand, and she held it up in front of her, watching several colors swirling about in it. "I wish for Jareth, King of the Goblins, to be sane again."
Instantly, Jareth tossed his head back and a light began to shine in his magnificent eyes. He turned his head and caught sight of Sarah standing before him, lowering her hand. A smile of amusement formed on Jareth's face, and he held his arms out in an arrogant manner.
"Sarah, darling, I knew you would come back to me. You couldn't resist me."
He took a step towards Sarah, unmindful of his missing boot and the sock that was on his foot. He slipped and landed, very unceremoniously, on his rear end. He muttered something and then scowled, gazing at his outstretched legs and feeling entirely humiliated.
"Nobody move," he said quite calmly as he looked up at Sarah, blinking, "I've dropped me brain."
"You have to help us bring Majeste back to Crystalla, otherwise Crystalla and the Labyrinth will be destroyed," Sarah said, gazing down at Jareth and stepping closer to him. "I won't help you out of here unless you promise to save the worlds with us."
"Oh, but Sarah," Jareth said, a sparkle of mischief in his eyes as he caught sight of the orb and then looked up at Sarah, "you must save me."
"Why?" Sarah snapped. "Why should I save you for any reason other than to find Majeste and save the worlds?"
"Because," Jareth said simply, gazing up at her with quite the puppy dog look in his intense eyes, "you love me."
"Why on earth would I love you? You are selfish and a complete pig!"
Sarah expected some smart, logical explanation from Jareth, but she didn't know the thoughts that were formulating in the Goblin King's mind, and thus she didn't understand his answer when he finally came up with one. Jareth had come up with a wonderfully wicked idea as he was gazing at Sarah from his position on the floor. She had the last crystal orb, and he had every intent of using it to his advantage. True, he had lost contact with Majeste over the past few days, or however long it had been, but he would still be able to torment her, to make her want him.
"I wish," Jareth whispered, watching the orb becoming brighter in Sarah's hand as he spoke.
"You wish what?" Sarah snapped. "Answer my question!"
"That Majeste can see all the most delicious moments that shall be occurring in the near future with darling Sarah."
"What?" Sarah asked, entirely confused.
"Nothing," Jareth said, smiling up at her innocently. "What did you ask me?"
"How on earth could I possibly love you, but you don't have to answer that," Sarah frowned.
"Oh, but I do," Jareth said cleverly. "You love me because I like to sing and dance."
"You still are insane!" Sarah gasped, watching as Jareth stood up slowly, still slightly taller than her.
"No, I like to sing and dance," Jareth grinned, and then began to sing again, astounding Sarah beyond imagination.
"I want to sing and dance, I want to sing and dance,
I want to be a pirate in the Pirates of Penzance.
Wear me silver buckle slippers and my tight shiny pants,
I want to sing and dance." (1)
"Now I'm scared," Sarah said, beginning to move back towards Hoggle and Ludo who were already cowering in the corner of the cell.
"Sarah, Sarah," Jareth said, his face serious again and his tone rich and alluring. "How long it's been since I saw you. You've grown to be quite the woman."
Sarah gazed up at his face, still entirely confused. "What does that have to do with saving worlds?" she asked.
"Maybe it is like one of your many fantasy stories," Jareth said, sounding exactly the way Sarah remembered him sounding, serious and dangerous. He stepped closer to her and began to sneak his arms around her in much the same way a snake would wrap itself around its prey before squeezing the life out of it. "You know, as in Snow White or Sleeping Beauty?"
"What are you getting at?" Sarah asked, finding that, once again, as in the eerie masquerade ball of long ago, Jareth was weaving his entrancing magic about her in a way that she was nearly helpless to resist. It would take all of her will power to resist him, for now she was older and had tasted romance. He also didn't seem so terribly old to her, for in truth, concerning physical appearance, he was only about ten years older than she was.
"How were all the curses ended?" Jareth asked, and Sarah let out a gasp as his hands contacted her back, pulling her closer to him.
"You tell me," Sarah frowned, again becoming aware of the ring on her finger. "From what I recall, they all had something to do with a prince finding his princess, or perhaps, a king finding his princess. You have no power over me, Jareth. Move away."
"Oh, that pitiful line again," Jareth said, moving his face so that it was only inches away from hers. "You'll have to prove it this time. All of those fantasy tales ended with a kiss, my dear, a kiss that broke the curse and made all the kingdoms happy and alive again."
"I'm not fifteen anymore, Jareth. You can't move about me as if I'm powerless," Sarah frowned. "Besides," she said, smiling wickedly at him, "I don't think my fiancé would appreciate your attitude at all." She reached behind her and unwrapped his arms from her. Her ring brushed against his glove, and Jareth pulled his hand back.
"Such a pity," Jareth snarled, shaking his hand and then placing it at his side again. "You'll be married and you'll be more trapped than I can ever make you."
"So you think," Sarah said, pleased that she had avoided downfall and had irritated the Goblin King. "Are you going to help us save Crystalla and the Labyrinth or not?"
"I think not," Jareth said easily, moving over to the window again. "From here, it appears that the bridge is still in one piece, and I rather like the idea of Majeste being forced to love me."
"You do know where she is!" Sarah gasped and then grabbed hold of Jareth's arm. "Tell us where she is!"
Jareth shook his arm, making Sarah let go of him. "I think not," he said simply. "Go find her on your own."
"We aren't leaving without you. We came to get help," Sarah frowned.
"Really? Hedge, I thought you brought her to save me," Jareth said, turning to Hoggle.
"It's Hoggle, and I did bring her to save you."
"But she won't. That doesn't sound very good for you, Hoggle," Jareth said, his eyes darkening.
"I've heard it said, your majesty, that you can walk through walls. You must save your kingdom, and I know you want to save the princess," Hoggle said boldly, but he shrunk back a second later when Jareth raised a hand in his direction.
"I will not rescue her until I believe that the time is appropriate! She has many lessons to learn! I can easily leave all of you here and go back to my castle."
"No, you can't," Sarah said. "You can't get back to the Labyrinth without either wishing your way there or walking across the bridge. The bridge is about to collapse. As for the wishing…" She turned and placed the crystal orb in one of Hoggle's pockets. "Hoggle, guard this carefully," she said. "We don't want anyone's prying fingers to get it. Jareth, we aren't leaving until you do."
"So be it," Jareth nodded and then sat back down on the floor. "Make yourselves comfortable. You are welcome to come sit by me, Sarah. It gets a bit cold when night comes."
"I'll stay with Ludo and Hoggle, thank you. I am sure Ludo can keep me quite warm," Sarah said curtly and then sat down in the opposite corner of the room.
Mangy, selfish Goblin King, she thought to herself as she contemplated the fate of Crystalla and the Labyrinth. Doesn't care about anyone but himself. I do hope Toby and Sir Didymus are close to finding Majeste. Maybe she'll have enough sense to somehow repair the bridge and stop the destruction.
(1) - The Gay Pirate Song (c) Ray Stevens