When Sarah got back to the encampment with Beth, she was greeted with a solemn and weary looking David. He handed the pages of the book back to Sarah and instructed her not to let anyone else in the encampment read them until Beth had seen them.
Despite thinking his behaviour was a little odd, she didn't say anything. Instead she settled herself down at the base of a tree and began to read.
The pages were written in diary form, though there was no mention of who the author was. Due to the impartial nature of the information and the neat, orderly script, which covered the pages, Sarah was inclined to think it the writing of a clerk or other record-keeping official.
November 17th
As we expected, last night, King Jareth took the girl, Odette, as a lover. The girl was summoned before the council this morning to discuss the matter. Though she was embarrassed, and blushed frequently when questioned, she confirmed that the King took his pleasure with her twice last night before taking his leave.
Altogether, I believe the girl has behaved well.
December 9th
The King's interest in Odette has not yet begun to wane, as we expected it would. Instead he still visits her chambers at least twice a week and he has lavished three silk dresses and numerous jewels on the girl, ensuring that she outshines all other humans. This is suprising to many, for while Odette is a sweet girl, there are far prettier and more interesting ladies present at court. The Queen pretends not to have noticed the affair, which bodes well for the girl as she threw one of Odette's predecessors from the top balcony and I would hate to see Odette having the same fate.
January 27th
Today Odette requested a meeting with the council, which is highly unusual, as traditionally the King's mistress should wait to be summoned. Soon after her arrival she informed the council that she believed herself to be with child. She says that she has not bled for over two months. After further questioning she stated that the only possible candidate for the father was King Jareth.
April 11th
A rather strange event has been reported to the council this week. It was seen by a young boy, aged fourteen or so. While he was wandering in the hedge mazes, he came across a man, whom he had never seen before, not an alarming event in itself and it was assumed that he had wandered into the path of one of the wishers. The strange part of his tale, is that the man he saw, sat astride a huge, four legged beast, the likes of which we have never seen in the Labyrinth.
Markam researched the creature in one of King Jareth's nooks and it was discovered that the creature that this boy saw is a common beast of burden called a horse.
Search parties have been sent out, to find the man and his horse, but no trace of them have been found.
May 17th
Odette's pregnancy continues to progress well and the King is attentive to her every need. Last week she had a craving for roasted pumpkin, a dish that, unfortunately, is out of season until after the baby will be born. Yet King Jareth re-ordered time to fetch them for her.
Strange events still continue to occur in the Underground, no less than seventeen people have reported looking out of the window and viewing another world, from the descriptions we believe this world to be the Aboveground.
It is the belief of the council, as well as my personal belief, that there is some sort of link between Odette's pregnancy and the recent events. Therefore the council have decided to send spies into the secret passageways of the Castle Beyond the Goblin City to eavesdrop on the King and Queen.
June 30th
Odetta's pregnancy is now readily visible and she makes no effort to hide it. She and the baby are in good health and I believe she is looking to the birth with some apprehension, mostly with the same fears of all expectant mothers, after all childbirth is a dangerous time.
I also believe that she is concerned about her future role in the child's life. Odette informed the council that yesterday she received a visit from the Queen. According to Odette this is the first time that the Queen has acknowledged her as the King's mistress. She put her hand on Odette's belly and referred to the child as being "her dearest son". Naturally this has quite distressed the girl and last night she worked herself up into such as state that we had to send for King Jareth to calm her.
The King has given us his assurance that Her Majesty will not be visit Odetta again.
July 3rd
Today was the day that our spies paid off. Jacob overheard a conversation between the King and Queen.
I cannot begin to forsee the ramifications of this action and I wish to the Gods that we did not know what we now know.
It is common knowledge that Odette, the King's mistress is pregnant with his child. However, what has been kept from us, is the fact that the child Odette shall bear will not be her own. It will be the son of the Goblin Queen, the son that was taken from her so many years ago. This alone is an unparalleled catastrophe, our people still speak of the death and destruction that came during his reign.
What is worse is that the birth of this child will undo the magic separating this land from the mortal realm; the aboveground and underground will once more merge together.
This cannot be allowed to occur. Even now the council is convening to decide what is to be done.
July 5th
It has taken two days of discussion and the council has finally made its decision. We cannot sit idly by and let the son of the Goblin King and Queen be reborn. Nor can we let the Kingdoms of the aboveground and the underground rejoin.
It is with heavy hearts that the decision was announced: Odette must be put to death.
July 6th
Late last night we informed Odette of her fate. To give the girl credit she did not cry or try to plead with the council. Perhaps she knew that either course of action would be of little help. Instead she just became very pale and I believe the girl to be more than a little afraid , but she does understand the necessity of her death.
As Odette is seven months pregnant it is imperative we act with haste, lest the child be born early. Therefore we have given Odette one week in which to prepare herself and to get her affairs in order.
July 13th
The deed is done. Today we sit with heavy hearts. Odette and her child are dead and even as I write, her family have started the funeral rites. The girl went to her death calmly and with honour. The executioner was very good, dispatching Odette with one stroke and I am heartily glad that she did not overly suffer.
We are now waiting with baited breath for retribution from their Majesties, for we know that their wrath will be terrible.
This was the last entry that had been written in the man's carful, considered script. The last few lines were written in an angry scrawl, the dark red of old, dried blood and somehow Sarah knew that it had been written by the Goblin Queen.
THEN I FUCKING KILLED THEM ALL
That was it. This was how the human population of the Castle Beyond the Goblin City had died.
As Sarah closed the book, she felt sick. She understood everything.
It wasn't David's child.
Beth was pregnant with the Goblin King's child.
She was pregnant with his child and its birth would bring about the end of the known world.
She looked up and she saw David and Beth walking over. Beth was ghostly pale, as if the news David had imparted had driven the life from her.
"I'm so sorry" she said to Beth, handing the book over to her. Beth looked right through her, it wasn't malicious and Sarah understood she needed to see that book. She needed to understand what the future held for her. She desperately needed to know what was growing inside of her.
Sarah and David watched her read, a silent vigil that lasted nearly an hour. When Beth was done she was nearly in tears. "That poor girl, that poor brave girl."