First off, OH GOD, I'M SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry for being late! (cries) I hope this longer chapter makes up for it... We're delving into deep shit here!
second off, thank you guys for all the wonderful reviews!
To CoffeeKris: I love COOKIES!... but... no... no it isn't...Yeah.. I find myself feeling like that a lot xD
To OceanFae: HAHAHA! I Know I'm evil... (grins) but hey... at least I know you'll keep reading..
To Shadow-D'hampyr : Hey! It was an early update... you're lucky you got anything at all! (laughs)... ...
so maybe we should have you locked up for your plot ruining comments, eh? Don't worry, I love your azimo vocabulary. Much love Shadow-D! Always great to hear what you think.
To Sylistra the scholar: I know he isn't exactly like Jim (I'm just as much of a Labyrinth fan as you are, I've watched all the Henson special features/extras that have been created), but everyone has another side to them, besides the one they put in front of the camera, and so his change of character was completely purposeful. If you don't like it ... then too bad (sticks out tongue). And yeah... all stepmothers aren't horrible... (getting one I presume?) ... I just LOVE playing with Karen's absolutely evil character!
SOOO... (glares at everyone that didn't review) I know it's late, but you had better tell me what you think!
Disclaimer: Labyrinth belongs to someone else (sobs)... As does David Bowie...CURSE YOU CRUEL WORLD...CUUUUURSE YOOOOU!
Chapter 6
"Surprises are all Hype"
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Sarah's mouth was hanging open. Inside the box was a crystal ball. Exactly like the ones that Jareth would twirl around his fingers. She couldn't help herself, she had to touch it. She slowly lifted the small wonder out of the box. She felt the blood rush from her face and a slight tingle resonated up her arm. She heard a small crunching sound and looked down. Underneath the crystal had been a small piece of stiff paper. Putting the crystal ball in her left hand she grabbed the paper with her right. There was some writing on the paper. It was scrawled by an unskilled hand.
'Looks kinda like Toby's handwriting.' she thought, 'That's strange, its completely different from the writing on the tag' She glanced at the box.
She looked at the crystal and then back to the paper.
'I Wush dat I's cood tawk too Hoggle... What?'
"I Wush dat I's cood tawk too Hoggle?" She said aloud, eyeing the crystal ball.
'Is it supposed to do something?'
The crystal remained perfectly still.
'Guess not.'
Turning back to the paper she tried the message again.
"I wush... I w-... wait... is that I wish? God, I'm stupid."
Stuffing the parchment in the pocket of her coat Sarah stood up straight and held the crystal at eye level. She took a quick look around to make sure that no one was watching before stating:
"I wish that I could talk to Hoggle."
The crystal gave a shudder and started to glow. Sarah peered closer and started to make out a blurry image. Two seconds later a clear miniature version of Hoggle appeared inside the abyss of the crystal. He was sitting in the grounds just out of the Labyrinth and he was stacking small bits of mud into a larger stack of mud, while tiny bits of light (Sarah assumed they were Fairies) danced around his head.
"Hoggle?" she said uncertainly.
A small pair of glossy eyes peered up into the sky as if it was searching for her voice. Then finally settled on her face.
"Sarah?" Hoggle said slowly, "Is that you? Did yas get my gift?"
"Hoggle! IT REALLY IS YOU! Oh Hoggle! What happened? I could never find you, ANY of you! Oh god, I missed you. Hoggle where is everyo-"
"Sarah, stop. Yous ain't got much time."
"Hoggle wha-?"
"I know it's gonna hurt to stop Sarah. 'Specially since you won'ts see us agains. But yous got to see that Jareth is actin' up. You gotta stop it. Hes gettin' real angry. Jareth scares me, Sarah. I don't knows what hes gonna do. Don't want nuthin' to harm you Sarah."
"Hoggle..." She said carefully, "I don't understand."
"You just have to stop Sarah. HE KNOWS!" His small panicked eyes darted back and forth, and he raised his muddy hands in emphasis.
"Jareth knows what Hoggle?"
"You've done him wrong before he says." He gulped, "Said he won't let you do it again."
"Hoggle, you're not making much sense."
"Sarah please... You gots to stop...don't do it."
"Hoggle, tell me what wrong-"
"It's Jareth, Sarah, he-"
"Higgle! HERE! NOW!" A loud commanding echoed.
'Jareth' Sarah's mind confirmed. Her heart beat fast in her ears.
"Oh no! He wasn't supposeds ta-...errrm...I gots to go Sarah... please...just... please..." Hoggle's image started to fade away and his voice became weaker.
"What am I supposed to do Hoggle?" she shouted frantically at the fading image in the crystal.
Hoggle's panicked image faded altogether and the crystal sat innocently in her hands. A frown raised on her brow. Her mouth hung open.
'What the fuck was that?'
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Hoggle stumbled hastily through the expansive hallways of the Castle at the center of the labyrinth, the castle of the Goblin King. He was mumbling incoherently under his breath, and the sound of his footsteps echoed sharply against the cold stone walls. His small fingers of his right hand traced the plastic jewel bracelet on his left wrist. A weighted object in his pocket clunked gently against his small thigh with each rushed step. Every time the heavy object hit his thigh, a slow tingle spread though his entire leg.
This wasn't good.
He clasped his dwarfed sweaty palms together and tried to slow his breathing. He took a left turn into a small dusty walkway.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
Goblin laughter reached his ears as he passed the main chambers.
HE wasn't supposed to know.
The fairies had promised that he wouldn't find out.
"Damned fairies...Damn fairy magic..." he muttered to no one in particular, kicking a dusty stone on the ground with his anger. The stone bounced along the walkway and stuttered to a halt.
He approached a small wooden door. The door looked like it belonged in the house of a small run-down cottage. Its simple carvings were rotting around the edges and a green moss-colored rust had taken over the once shining bronze hinges and handle. It was small enough so that a normal fae being would have to crouch to get through, but it towered over the head of the small dwarf. To any normal eye it would have looked like it led to servants quarters, but Hoggle knew this wasn't the case.
Hoggle gulped, trying to steady his limps, and collect his thoughts.
He could hear the king on the other side of the door. He was yelling at Gressin again. He didn't like it when he yelled at Gressin, though he didn't quite know why.
His shaky fist reached for the door. Taking a deep breath, Hoggle knocked softly.
The yelling stopped abruptly.
Hoggle could almost feel the angry gaze of the king through the shabby door. He took another deep breath, willing his thoughts to stop swimming.
"Come in Hedgewort," a lofty voice proclaimed, "I've been waiting."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Sarah stared at the motionless object in her hand a few moments before finally daring to breathe. She swallowed hard and turned the crystal in her hand. She saw the bewildered look in her eyes in the upside-down reflection that gazed at her from the crystal.
"Hoggle?" she said again, uncertainly.
She held the crystal nervously. She felt as though it would shatter in her hands.
'I should try calling him again,' she thought.
She straightened herself and held the crystal before her eyes.
"I wish that-" she stopped.
But Jareth called him, he would be there...
She didn't think she could face that right now. Besides, Hoggle was trying to warn her not to do something, and she should be thinking about that instead.
"I'm sorry Hoggle." she muttered to the crystal, "I don't know what you're talking about. I wish I did, but..."
She sighed. A crumpling sound coming from her pocket distracted her from her thoughts. Holding the crystal with caution she lifted the crunched paper from her pocket with her free hand. Underneath the previous message, a new one had been written, the ink was still wet.
The same childish handwriting, which she now knew as Hoggle's, had scribbled:
"Keep the cristel Sarah. Dunt cal me. I will cals ya."
she read this aloud, quietly translating it to proper English in her head.
'Keep the crystal, Sarah. Don't call me, I 'll call you.'
Good thing she had stopped herself earlier. She took his warning to heart. Looking down, her eyes searched for the box that the crystal had come in. It was gone.
"I hate magic" she whispered, stuffing the crystal in her pocket.
She turned her attention to the parchment once again, smiling at the wet letters. Sarah's name had been perfectly spelled, and the letters were perfectly drawn, unlike the rest of the message (the e's were backwards most of the time). He must have practiced writing her name a lot to get it like that. Maybe he hadn't deserted her after all. The warning certainly frightened her, but she couldn't keep her smile from spreading wider and wider with each passing second. She had actually talked to Hoggle again. Her heart lifted, this was exactly the inspiration she needed. Not for her new script, but for her life. The ink on the parchment was almost dry. She flattened the stiff paper as best she could, worried that it would be hard for him to write more if he needed. There wasn't much room on the bottom. He could fit maybe... three more words if he tried (considering how large his writing was).
The sound of snow underfoot caught her attention. She turned to see a small girl with glowing red hair approaching. She had pale white skin that contrasted against the tight red curls that flopped and cascaded down her shoulders. Her cheeks were taunt, and dusted with freckles, and her small upturned nose carried a pink tinge. Her small red lips were pressed together, and everything about her seemed to sparkle. Her eyes were a piercing green and she had a gaze that seemed to shoot right to Sarah's soul, seeing everything. She wore a short, flowing, orange, iredesent dress that sparked, twitched and shivered with every step she took.
This girl screamed of magic.
Her feet were bare and the snow that she stepped on crunched with a familiar sound before melting with a hiss. The path she had walked was clearly marked by the green wet grass. Sarah noted silently that she had come from the small gathering of trees not too far off.
Sarah's eyes again locked on the young girls face. She was breathtaking, and Sarah knew what she was.
A Fire Sprite. The very same type of Siren that tried to woo her from her quest and join them in song and dance. Sarah shivered at the memory. Not that these creatures were evil in any way. They believed that what they did was right, they just wanted to have fun, and they loved new friends. This girl looked to be about Toby's age, but she held the grace of a goddess, who knew how old she really was.
Suddenly the girl stopped. She was only a couple of feet from Sarah, staring straight into her eyes. Sarah tried to look away, but the eagle gaze of the little girl drew her in.
"Are you the friend? Are you the Lady Sarah?" Her cherry lips seemed to sing the words, forming decadent shapes, and the sound of her voice felt like honey in Sarah's ears. A row of chills spilled over Sarah's spine and the hand holding the parchment shook slightly.
"Who wants to know?" Sarah said shakily. She could hear the fear and uneasiness in her own voice. She willed her self to be calm. She folded the parchment and put it in her pocket.
"I have message for Lady Sarah, the friend. I have message from noble knight." Her eyes darted to a long piece of folded parchment that her dainty little hand held.
"But message is for the friend Lady Sarah, and no one else." She repeated.
Sarah wet her lips.
"Noble Knight?" she asked cautiously.
"Yes, noble knight speaks our language well, he is brother to our people, and protector."
"Brother?" Sarah tasted the word, "Sir Didymus?"
The little girl stayed silent.
Sarah sighed.
"Yes, I am the lady Sarah" she said, "I will receive the message..."
The Fire Sprite's perfectly silken hand, which carried the message, lifted, offering her the parchment.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Hoggle peered around the door as he opened it. The vast library smelt of dust and smoke. There were book cases that reached toward the heaven and were covered in every sort of book imaginable. Stacks of books were scattered around the room, and some books lay open on the various tables and chairs.
The tall windows were covered with heavy, dusty drapes, which allowed the library a dark setting. A small set of candles sitting on a very small desk was the only sort of light source. The light they cast made it seem as though they were in some sort of cave.
A slim figure stood, head hunched, over the same small desk. He was wearing his ordinary gray, tight, trousers, and a billowy poets shirt. His champagne hair hung in a disarray over the desk, and his chest heaved with troubled sighs. The light that came from the candles danced in his hair, making it seem his head was on fire.
Hoggle glanced over toward a withered looking female dwarf who was small even for her species. Her face was set in a scared frown and her hands were wringing themselves together. She kept taking glances from the king, back over to Hoggle, as if either of them might come after her at any minute.
'Gressin,' Hoggle confirmed in his mind, 'Don't like it when 'e yells at Gressin.'
Hoggle gave Gressin a small wave and a smile for reassurance. She returned the smile hastily, and coughed into her hand.
The king's head whipped up to stare at them both. The candles' light danced on his finely sculpted face. He had worry lines between his brows, and there were small circles under his eyes. He closed a book on the table that Hoggle hadn't noticed before, and sighed.
Running his fingers through his hair, he let out another breath and stared at his subjects.
His face looked angry, as if he might send them both straight to the bog for just being alive.
"Gressin" He said. Hoggle cringed and then straightened. He was expecting the booming voice of an angry king, but now he had the voice of a very tired man, who had seen too much trouble.
"Gressin, I think that you should get to work on the assignments I have set out for you. Higbet and I have something we need to discuss."
Hoggle started to correct the kings mistake, but stopped himself as Gressin interrupted him.
"Y-yes, M'lord" Gressin stuttered, obviously relieved that there wasn't going to be anymore shouting. She made a quick clumsy curtsy, and gave Hoggle another worried smile before she rushed out the door.
"So Houglebrains, I've seen you've been busy with some friends of yours." the king drawled, after the sound of the door echoed throughout the room. He was obviously distracted by something besides Hoggle's antics.
"Urhm, it's Hoggle," He said quietly, and quickly added, "Yer Majesty." before the king noticed his nervousness.
"Whatever," The goblin king waved a dismissive hand, "You've found yourself some trouble nonetheless."
"Look, Yer Majesty, It ain't what it seemed. I wuz jus-"
The king slammed his fist down on the small desk, issuing a loud smack.
"I don't want to hear excuses." the king said angrily, "I just want to know what drove you to do such a disgusting thing like that."
"Erm,... Digusting, Yer majesty?"
"Yes Disgusting!" The king snapped, "What else would you call those repulsive mounds you've built around the walls."
The mud piles, he was worried about his hobby. Hoggle heaved a sigh of relief. He didn't know about Sarah or the Fairies. Or even the little object he was keeping in his pocket. If the king found out about that, all hell would break loose. Hoggle patted the weight in his pocket again, to assure himself that it was there.
"Well, don't chu worry Yer Highnus, I'll gets right to cleaning those up."
"No Hyggit," The king said maliciously, "I have something better planned... on second thought, You can clean up those nasty mounds after we're done with this. As added punishment." He waggled his finger.
"U-r-g..." Hoggle stuttered nervously, "and what sort'o punishment, am I ta get Yer Majusty?"
"Oh, Hogwart," The king laughed. He flicked his fingers and a small clear crystal appeared in Hoggle's hands, "I need to talk to someone, and you're going to help me." He came close to Hoggle and prodded a finger at his chest.
"Sarah? No, I wonts do it!" Hoggle threw the crystal on the floor and it clunked away uselessly.
"Sarah? No no no, of course not, you bumbling idiot!" He ran his fingers threw his hair, and looked even more tired, "What would give you a silly idea like that Hogbiggle?"
"Well, you've been-"
"I've been what Hoggle!?" The king asked imploringly.
"Er, nothing Yer majesty" He said finally, surprised that the king actually got his name right. He left it at that, deciding not to get himself into more trouble.
The king sighed again, he stooped to pick up the crystal, allowing himself more time. His voice returned to the dry tired state it once was.
"And If you must know, his name is Kinir, and we've got some unfinished business" the king idlily twirled the crystal ball around his fingers and added, "besides, It's been a while since our last visit and we didn't exactly leave on friendly terms."
With a final look at Hoggle, Jareth tossed the crystal high into the air, and it exploded with a small pop.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0
Don't kill me! I like cliffhangers too much!
I know that there isn't S/J fluff anywhere yet and a few of you are getting kind of ticked, but hang in there!
Its going to be a long ride yet!
As always read and review, I love hearing your thoughts!
Love
-S'S