Into the Labyrinth
Brunga skirted the edge of the moss-laden pool, getting away from the excited band of fairies clustered around his companions. Too many for a goblin to count, even if they were still.
True to their word, they had not bitten him on the long trek, but he still felt uncomfortable around them. He had heard too many tales of their mischief to trust them. You couldn't trust what you saw, around fairies.
As he glanced toward them the band seemed to come to a decision.
"We'll show you where some of the creatures you're looking for are hiding," said one, hovering inches from his nose. "But we can't go there."
"Is it the bog?" he asked, wrinkling his nose.
Several of the fairies darted together, whispering in voices too small for his ears.
"No, it's not the bog," one said.
"OK then, let's go," Brunga said, relieved.
Many of the fairies headed out along the wall. Several led him toward a small opening in the imposing wall. They darted in, leaving the goblin to worm his way through.
He sprang to his feet in the long corridor just in time to see the last of the fairy troupe disappear through a yet-smaller hole opposite. Brunga dove in, squeezing himself through. He emerged into a hedge maze. He looked franticly around for the fairies, finally discovering the troupe hanging over his head, giggling.
Before he could find something to throw, they were off again, darting through the hedges. Occasionally one would dart above the greenery then back to her sisters, whereupon they would change course. He found their shifting vector confusing and stumbled after them.
"Here it is," said one as the troupe stopped before a hole in the hedge.
Brunga peered in. Beyond was more maze, identical to what lay behind him.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
More giggling. "We're sure. Go. You'll find the ones she asked for in there."
"Why can't you come with me," he asked, suddenly suspicious.
"We said we wouldn't," a fairy said. "A long time ago."
"We don't come in and they don't come out," another explained.
"Who don't?" Brunga squeaked.
The fairies consulted again.
"We have to go do what the queen wanted," one said. "We'll see you again outside the wall."
"But- wait," Brunga cried as the troupe darted off.
He gritted his pointed teeth and slid into the hole.
Sarah concentrated on the fountain. Some part of her mind cried that it shouldn't be this hard, it had never been this hard. Wind blew dust across her eyes as she tried to focus.
This was far harder than calculus, she realized. She didn't know the rules and so much depended on her understanding. She thought of the creatures she had sent into danger and refocussed her attention.
The water rippled and showed the palace. The throne room was crawling with brawling goblins, but there was no sign of their king. Sarah directed her thoughts to Jareth and with another ripple the water showed the Goblin King. He was standing on a balcony, surveying the Labyrinth.
That won't do, thought Sarah.
With a burst of confidence she directed her thoughts to the goblins in the throne room. With a thought she sent a scrawny chicken fleeing into the chamber of stairs. Several goblins pursued, for the moment unchecked by the hard lessons Jareth had taught them about going where they were forbidden.
Sarah watched the vision in satisfaction as the Goblin King, unfamiliar shock settling on his face, removed himself to the site of the goblins' trespass.
"Now," she whispered. The troupe of fairies swarmed over the wall and flitted into a chamber. They approached a pile of crystal orbs. Sarah peered into the vision, reaching out toward the spheres.
"That one," she whispered to them.
The fairies freed the orb from the pile, three of them carrying it toward the window while the others rearranged the pile under Sarah's direction.
"Come home," Sarah told the three. To the others, "Meet Brunga at the wall. Remember what I told you."
She quickly shifted her view to the room of stairs. It was empty. She brought the vision to the throne room, where Jareth was kicking the offending goblins.
The theft could not go unnoticed for long, but perhaps just long enough.