Chapter Eight: Magic That Love Has Found

Jareth stood at the foot of Sarah's bed. It was well past dawn, but she had yet to
open her eyes. He knew that the spell she had been under had been quite powerful, but
she had been asleep for nearly twelve long hours. The Goblin King was quickly growing
impatient.

He thought about the amount of magic he had used so carelessly to bring Sarah to
the Underground. Perhaps there had been better ways to do it, not to mention less
magical ways. His magic was slowly disappearing and he knew that if he used it as
frivolously as he had with Sarah, then it would soon be gone. Jareth shuddered at the
thought.

Sarah stirred slightly in her sleep, but only rolled over to her other side. Jareth let
out an exasperated sigh and stomped away from the room. There was really no point in
waiting by her bed if she was so determined to sleep. He had many other important things
to do.

"I have honestly never seen anyone sleep as she does," Jareth complained to the
empty hall.

The goblin population had nearly been cut in half, what with the strange plague
that had struck the Underground. His minions no longer toiled around the castle in
droves. They, instead, kept together in large clumps that were dispersed sporadically
throughout the city grounds. Nearly none of them came into the castle as of lately. There
were a few choice members of the goblin army left to guard the girl from escaping.

Jareth swung the large glass doors open and stepped into his crystallized room.
He had much planning yet to accomplish and the room seemed to be the only place were
he could attempt to think the whole situation through rationally. Jareth fell to the couch
with a graceful swoop and then draped both legs over the arm. He turned his attention to
the glass oval that occupied the center of the room. Perhaps it would cooperate today.

"What is attacking my world and my own body? I know the magic is dying, but
why? You have helped me so many times before, why have you deserted me in this time
of need?" Jareth asked the silent mirror.

The mirror flashed with cold blue light and immediately the smooth surface was
replaced with the forest that had turned to stone some time ago. Jareth slipped his legs off
of the arm and placed his feet firmly on the ground. He leaned forward and gazed into the
changing surface. A magical voice radiated from the mirror:

"Thirteen stars adorn the skies.
They all await a creator's touch.
Inside their bodies, magic thrives
And holds this land in beauty's clutch

However, an ancient promise binds
The land and their king's darkened soul
But if the light of true love shines
The battle of light and dark unfolds!

Through this battle Destruction reigns,
and torments the land of the Underground
For thirteen crystals weak with death
Await the magic that love has found"

Jareth's eyes grew wide as the riddle unfurled itself before him. He watched the
mirror as it moved across his entire kingdom, showing Jareth things he had never seen
before. Then, with a bright flash of light, the mirror returned to its original reflective
surface. He shook his head and then charged at the oval mirror.

"Why do you torment me with horrible riddles?!? I do not have time for these
games you insist upon playing!" Jareth yelled.

The mirror never replied. It remained soundless and clear. Its power had been
used up for the time being. It had been drained and Jareth still was left in the dark. He
drudged back to his couch and flopped down, less gracefully this time. There was no
hope if his most powerful advisor was speaking in riddles.

His gaze trailed over to the ancient books that sat upon the crystal shelves. There
were not of any use to him. None of them would open to reveal the secret they held
within. Jareth was not meant to know what was inside. He had only opened one book,
and that one had been blank. This book was now filled with poems and artwork about
Sarah. Jareth smiled slightly at the thought of his obsession.

"I am sending Sarah on a quest that I know not where it leads. I must trust that
she will be able to discover the truth behind the riddle," Jareth said as he pulled a scrap of
yellowed paper out of the single ancient book that opened to his touch.

He quickly wrote the riddle in his fine slanting script. He read through it carefully,
to be sure that he had understood each word the mirror had spoken. There was no room
for errors. He hadn't understood most of the riddle, but he had heard enough to know
that the thirteen magical crystals were dying. If they should die it would mean certain
doom for the Underground.

* * * * * * * *

Sarah blinked her eyes open and gazed up at the high, arched ceiling above her. A
moment of fear stole through her body before she remembered where she had been taken
the previous day. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and sat up slowly. She was surprised
at how refreshed she felt. She only had a slight amount of memories pertaining to the day
before and the spell that had been cast over her.

Sarah looked around the room. She was mildly surprised not to find herself in
some dank and smelly dungeon. Instead she had slept in a magnificent bed with silken
sheets. Sarah ran her hand down the fine material, loving the silk against her skin. She
couldn't suppress the smile that formed on her lips, it was nearly like living a fairy tale.
However, in this case the handsome prince had been replaced by a conniving Goblin King.

"I suppose that it would be smart to think about escape," Sarah said softly.

She noticed a balcony that attached to her room. Sarah glanced at the door, there
would be goblin guards waiting out there for her. Perhaps Jareth had forgotten about the
balcony. Sarah seriously doubted that he would be that foolish, but it was worth the try.

Sarah climbed out of the bed and let out a deep breath when she realized that there
wasn't a single creak coming from the lovely mattress. Sarah slowed her breathing down
and tried to convince herself that it was pointless to get her hopes up. There was no way
that she would be able to escape with such ease.

She threw open the lacy white curtains that stood before the balcony. Sarah was
shocked to see no goblin standing before her. In fact, the whole village sounded strangly
silent. Sarah walked to the edge of the balcony and leaned over the railing to peer down
at the goblin village that had once been bustling with commotion. This time she only saw
a few choice goblins in the marketplace.

"Everything is getting more and more peculiar," she said to herself.

Sarah looked down at the ground. The balcony was surprisingly high. Jareth had
probably decided that Sarah wouldn't be dumb enough to attempt an escape from such a
dangerous, and utterly frightening, height. Of course, he had been right. She turned her
attention away from this escape route and looked towards the beautiful garden that was
directly below her.

"Quite a sight from here?" Jareth asked from behind her.

Sarah spun around suddenly and placed her hand over her heart. The shocked
expression instantly turned to one of anger. He had a way of making her temper flare with
only a few short words. Sometimes the mere sight of him angered her to a point that she
thought she would burst. This time her shock was keeping her anger under control.

"I certainly hope that this isn't another of your stupid dreams," Sarah's words
were laced with venom.

Jareth stepped up closer to her and led her back to the edge of the balcony.
Sarah's words seemed to slide right off of him. He gestured to the garden below them.
Sarah turned her face away from him and instead focused on a bug that was busily
trundling up the wall.

"Look down there, Sarah! I saw you marveling at the garden earlier. Surely you
must wonder what a thing of such beauty is doing amidst the hovel of the goblin city?"
Jareth asked. His voice was remarkably patient considering the way that Sarah was
treating him.

Sarah ignored him. She didn't want to look at the garden that he was so obviously
proud of. It didn't concern her. All she wanted to know was why he had brought her to
the Underground after six long years.

"Sarah, do not defy me! I have had enough of your stubborn ways. You truly
remind me more of a mule than a girl at times," Jareth replied. His patience was wearing
thin.

Sarah turned to Jareth and stared into his cold blue eyes. They flashed
momentarily and then faded back to the calm blue. She had to try very hard not to be
drawn into the depth of eyes that looked so much like two oceans. Sarah found that,
despite her valiant attempts, she felt herself being partially controlled. She had to snap her
head away with too much force and managed to strain her neck.

"I have told you before, Jareth, that you have no power over me. The fact hasn't
changed, even over these six long years," Sarah argued.

Jareth's eyes flashed with fury and he grabbed Sarah's head in his powerful hands.
He turned her to face him and glared at her. Sarah returned the evil look. She found that
her strength was returning.

"I do not need to control you, for I know what will convince you to listen to me,"
Jareth responded with a grin.

Sarah's heart dropped as he spoke. She remembered seeing Ludo calling for help
in the middle of the road. Jareth wouldn't drag her dear friends into the middle of
everything, would he? Sarah looked at Jareth closely and then sighed. She couldn't dare
to allow herself to put it past him. Sarah's whole body seemed to droop in depression.

"You have made your point, Jareth. I suppose that I should have guessed that you
would find some way to control me," Sarah replied. She had to clench her teeth in order
to keep the viscious words from spewing forth.

Jareth smiled and then turned Sarah around. He was glad that she was starting to
understand that she had to do as he wished, that is, if she wanted to see her friends alive.
He smiled at his genius plan.

"Of course, you could have simply told her that the Underground would die
without her help. That would probably convince her to assist you," Jareth thought to
himself.

No, the friends were a good touch. She might not believe that the Underground
was in eminent danger. She would probably only laugh at Jareth's poor lie and refuse to
help with anything. He would have to keep her friends in the dungeon until she had
properly restored the Underground's magic to its ideal working order.

"I will allow you to talk to your friends once, Sarah. After that you may not have
any interaction with them until you have entirely completed your quest. Once you return
and I have been convinced that everything has been fixed, I will free you to do as you
wish," Jareth replied simply.

Sarah shuddered with anger that was building up horribly inside of her. She would
have to go on a quest alone. Her friends were suffering because of her. Jareth had more
control over her than she thought that he had. This was disgusting!

"It isn't fair," Sarah thought to herself. She wouldn't let the words be spoken.
Jareth always laughed at her when she spoke those three horrid words.

"I want to see if my friends are okay. How can I trust that you won't do anything
to them while I am away?" Sarah asked.

Jareth turned a corner and led her to a simple room. It had no furniture in it, save
a single mirror that covered the entire far wall. Jareth led her before the mirror and then
stopped. He looked to Sarah and smiled at her. Sarah couldn't stand to see him smile, for
it was never friendly. In fact, it was more like a sneer.

"You may look at your friends now, Sarah. I am afraid that I can only offer you
my word that no harm will be inflicted on them. At least not by my hand," Jareth said as
an after thought.

Sarah would just have to accept that. There was no point in worrying about her
friends. Jareth had a lot of power and if he said that no harm would come to them, Sarah
would have to believe it. Otherwise, she would simply be a nervous wreck on her entire
voyage. She didn't even have an idea about how long the "quest" would take.

"May I talk to them alone?" Sarah demanded.

Jareth looked at her for a short while and then turned. His blonde hair flew over
his shoulders and bobbed slightly as he walked out of the room. The door closed behind
him and Sarah heard the obvious sound of a lock snapping. She sighed. Jareth certainly
wasn't going to take any chances.

"Well, what am I going to do with a mirror?" the moment the words left Sarah's
mouth the mirror changed to a strange black color.

"Milady?" a familiar voice rose up from the blackness. Sarah instantly ran towards
the mirror and placed a trembling hand on its black surface.

"Sir Didymus, is that you? Oh, how I've missed you. Are Hoggle and Ludo there
as well?" Sarah inquired happily.

There was no response for a short time. Suddenly the mirror brightened and a
faint orange glow surrounded the fox's face in the mirror. Sarah smiled at her friend and
yearned to jump through the mirror and hug his furry little body. Hoggle hobbled by
Didymus and his ugly face instantly broke into a lovely smile.

"Oh Hoggle. I missed you all so much!" Sarah cried.

She felt tears begin to form in her eyes again. Sarah swiped at her eyes with the
back of her hand and tried in vain to keep them from trickling out. Hoggle's and
Didymus' smiles fell from their faces. They looked concerned for Sarah.

"Sarah, why are you crying?" Hoggle asked.

Sarah shook her head and managed a wan smile. She had to try to control herself.
Jareth could return at any time. She certainly didn't want him to see her cry. She had to
take advantage of the short amount of time that Jareth had given her with her beloved
friends.

"There's nothing wrong. I'm so happy to see you two again. Where's Ludo? He
hasn't been hurt, has he?" Sarah's voice wavered at her question.

Hoggle and Didymus shook their head in unison. They gestured over to the left.
Sarah strained to see over there, but the light only illuminated two of her friends.
However, she didn't understand why Ludo wouldn't greet her with his voice. She could
understand that he might be tied up. The goblins would have a hard time restraining him
otherwise.

"Ludo lost his voice, milady. He would have fought valiantly by your side, but he
is chained as well," Didymus replied in sad tones.

Sarah's temper flared and her tears stopped. How dare Jareth tie Ludo up and
take his voice away. The poor sweet beast was an innocent creature. He would never
harm anyone, unless they had hurt his friends. The mirror instantly darkened slightly.
Sarah turned her attention away from her anger and back to her friends. They were once
again bathed in orange light.

"Poor Ludo. I'm afraid that Jareth did it so that he can't call the rocks. I wish
that I could hug all of you guys," Sarah moaned.

"That rat! If I was over there I'd...I'd," Hoggle started.

He turned his face to the ground and shifted his feet. Sarah noticed that there was
a faint blush raising up on his dark cheeks. Sarah stifled a laugh. She couldn't believe that
Hoggle was embarrassed. This was the dwarf that had said that he didn't care about
anyone, only himself.

"What's wrong?" Sarah inquired.

"I'm a coward. I probably couldn't even help you, Sarah," Hoggle answered
sadly.

"Hoggle, you are one of the most brave dwarfs that I have ever met," Sarah said
with a laugh.

The large wooden door suddenly flung open. Jareth walked in and stood by Sarah.
His face had turned to an eerie shade of white. Sarah was immediately frightened. She
turned away from the mirror and it darkened once again. Her friends let out a unified yell
of protest, but Jareth cut them off with a sweep of a gloved hand.

Sarah looked back to the mirror, but it had returned to its reflective nature. Sarah
sighed. If she had only had a bit more time to talk with them and find out how their lives
had been. It would have to wait until she had finished with her journey and returned back
to the castle, that was, if she was able to finish the journey.

"I need you to hurry, Sarah. Your journey must be started sooner than I expected.
I must prepare you," Jareth said.

Sarah looked at Jareth's white complexion and found herself wondering what had
happened to cause him to react so strangely. She wondered if she really wanted to find
out. If it had frightened Jareth, then it would probably terrify her.

Jareth pushed his long, flowing sleeves up slightly on his arms and waved his hand
before the mirror. It shone a weak blue color and then a faint forest formed inside. Sarah
wondered why the picture had not appeared more clearly. She peered at the forest and
noticed something strange. There were quite a few trees that had been made of stone.

"I-I don't understand," Sarah said as she turned to Jareth. Her anger was replaced
by a growing curiosity.

"Sarah, the Underground is dying. You may choose to not believe me, but it is not
a lie. The very trees before your eyes have turned to stone. My goblins are disappearing
every day, as are the other inhabitants of the Underground. Half of them turn to stone,
while the other half seem to just vanish entirely. I have a riddle and a map to aid you on
your journey, but I don't know where you need to look," Jareth stopped for a moment and
placed a hand to his head.

Sarah turned to him and watched as the Goblin King staggered backwards and
slammed against the wall. He leaned against it and gritted his teeth against the scream that
was trying to fight its way out of his mouth. Sarah edged closer to him. This was like
what had happened in her dream. What was wrong with Jareth?

"What?" Sarah asked.

Jareth opened his eyes and looked at her. His hand was still on his head and the
pain was still flaring through his body. However, his expression had changed dramatically.
He smiled at her and Sarah's mouth dropped in shock. His smile that had always been sly
and cocky, was now true and openly friendly.

Sarah felt her anger melt away as she gazed at his handsome face and his twinkling
blue eyes. Jareth struggled to stand up and managed to walk over to her. He placed a
hand against the mirror to steady his weak body. Sarah waited for him to speak.

"My dear Sarah, I don't know how much longer I can live through these
'episodes.' My world is dying and I fear that I am too. You must help me and find the
thirteen crystals. I need to save them from dying," Jareth spoke in a loving tone.

He placed his hand on her cheek. Sarah reached up and touched his frail hand with
her own, but she did not make him remove it. His touch was warm and it made her feel
safe once again. It was a strange feeling to have around a man whom she had always
considered her enemy. However, the feeling was there and it greatly troubled Sarah.

"Why are you doing this?" Sarah asked with her eyes closed. She wanted to enjoy
the feeling of his touch on her cheek without looking at his weakened face.

Jareth let out a ragged sigh. He pulled his hand away from her face. Sarah was
shocked. Her skin was still warm where his hand had been only moments earlier. She
didn't want him to leave.

"Sarah, my magic is dying...and so am I."