Chapter Nine: A Question, An Answer
Sarah looked at the pale Goblin King. He wasn't the man whom she had known
six years ago. He was different in so many ways, but he was so much the same as well.
Sarah simply couldn't find a way to explain the changes that had just recently grown
apparent to her.
Jareth was being affected by something that could be obvious even to the least
observant person. However, could it really be the magic dying? Sarah couldn't bring
herself to think that the Underground was being destroyed. Magic never disappeared, as
Jareth was trying to tell her. It merely existed and so it would continue to exist forever.
"I think that maybe your confused, Jareth," Sarah explained.
She stepped over to him. The memory of his touch still lingered in her mind.
Sarah silently begged him to touch her once again. She knew that it was not to be, the
moment that he looked back at her. His eyes burned with the fire that she had grown so
accustomed to seeing. The old Jareth was back.
"I am not the one who is confused, Sarah. You are the one who has not set her
priorities straight. I have your friends in my dungeon and if you slip, they will face the
consequences," Jareth spoke ominously.
Sarah quickly stepped away from him. She didn't understand what had brought on
the drastic mood swing. The man who had begged her to save him had been sweet. Sarah
smiled as she thought about their touch again. It was immature to dwell on such a simple
thing, but it had been amazing.
Jareth stood straight and rubbed his head. His evil expression remained embedded
deep within his eyes, but confusion had appeared there as well. He was obviously
wondering what had happened a few minutes earlier.
"Follow me, Sarah!" He demanded.
Sarah clenched her jaw. Her anger was slowly seeping back into her thoughts.
Jareth was so cold and cruel, but yet he had something else inside of him that was longing
to be let free. Sarah wasn't sure exactly what it was, but she could tell that it was there
amidst the anger and cruelty.
Jareth led her down a long hallway and up a flight of stairs. His walk was brisk.
Sarah remembered that he had said that her journey would be sooner than anticipated. He
had meant a lot sooner, if his walk gave any indication of the urgency.
"Why do I have to go through this journey? Why did you have to choose me out
of all the other people? What do I have to do with anything that happens here?" Sarah
asked.
Jareth turned on her, his eyes flashing wildly. He pushed her back to the wall and
stood before her. Sarah straightened herself up and glared at him. She brushed a stray
cobweb from her thick brown hair.
"You have everything to do with this! Don't you forget, Sarah, that your friends
are my prisoners. One false move will mean harm comes to them. I cannot afford to be
generous with you," Jareth threatened.
Sarah ground her teeth. She tried with all her might to keep the horrid remarks to
herself. However, all of her struggles were in vain. He had pushed her too far and she
could no longer just sit and listen to Him threaten her. She tightened her hands into fists
and then slowly let them loose.
"I am not going to take anymore from you, Jareth! I hate you with all my soul,
with all that I am and all I will ever be! You have no right to tell me what to do and you
are holding me here against my will! I demand that you let me go!" Sarah yelled.
Jareth pulled his hand back. It paused in the air. Sarah knew that he meant to
strike her. She steadied herself for the blow.
"I will not cringe. I will not scream!" Sarah demanded of herself silently.
The blow never came. His hand remained poised by the side of his head and it
shook violently. Then, with much difficulty, Jareth brought his hand back to his side. He
looked at her for another brief moment and then stomped away. He looked back one
more time from the stairs and scowled.
"You will do as I say! You will pay for this!" Jareth replied in an icy tone. He
then turned and rushed down the stairs.
Sarah watched him leave. She waited until the sound of his heavy footsteps faded
into oblivion. Only then would she allow herself to let her guard down. Sarah leaned
against the wall and slid to the ground. She pulled her legs to her chest and clutched her
arms tightly about them.
"Why must he torment me so? I love the man who spoke so openly to me earlier.
He had such kindness in his deep blue eyes," Sarah moaned.
Her own mind was arguing with her words as she spoke. It was, once again,
attempting to think everything through rationally. This part of her mind told her that no
one could be so evil and so kind in the matter of a few minutes. It simply didn't happen.
Jareth was either evil or good.
"As if there is really a choice," Sarah muttered.
There was no doubt that Jareth was evil. What sort of kind person would take
babies away? Of course, people generally wished the children away, but it still wasn't
right. He certainly didn't have to treat her so poorly. She was going to go through with
the quest, but she couldn't stand his demands any longer. If she was going to go, then she
was going to do it her way.
Sarah nodded to herself and then carefully made it back to her feet. She brushed
dust from her back and the seat of her pants. Her hands came back coated with a fine gray
powder. It was horrible how dirty the place was. When goblins were running around,
nothing remained clean for long.
"Where are all the goblins?" Sarah asked herself.
She had only seen three or four about the castle that day. They had been guarding
her room, but not very well. There were probably a few more at each entrance and some
watching over her friends in the dungeon. But, Sarah remembered a time when the castle
had been positively bustling with hordes of goblins.
Sarah looked about herself. There was no one to stop her from inspecting the
castle. She knew that she wouldn't attempt escape. She couldn't leave her friends in
Jareth's clutches. However, exploring was a perfectly acceptable thing to do. It would
help to pass the time between then and when Jareth decided to speak to her again.
Sarah walked down the hallway, glancing at the many wooden doors that lined the
walls. She didn't find them interesting in the least. They were old and looked horribly
heavy to open. After all, they would only reveal bedrooms, or empty rooms, or maybe
even bathrooms. All in all the hallway was fairly boring.
She turned down another hallway and didn't find anything much different. The
hall ended at a flight of stairs that led further up. Sarah shrugged and decided to see
where they would lead.
The light fell away once she had reached the middle of the staircase. She squinted,
but the darkness enveloped everything entirely. She would have to wait for her eyes to
adjust to the lack of light. Sarah sat down on the steep stairs and placed her chin in her
hands. The hallway she had been in previously offered only a scant amount of light.
"This is pointless," Sarah said with a sigh.
She got back to her feet and started to make her way down the stairs. She was
sure that the darkness was just an attic of sorts. There was no reason for something of
such little importance to be lit. It would be a waste of torches. However, she found
herself wondering why the area at the top of the stairs lacked windows. Her questions
would have to remain unanswered.
"Wait, please don't leave," a tiny voice called from behind her.
Sarah immediately stopped in her tracks. The voice did not sound like any goblin
that she had heard before. They were lucky if their sentences were complete. This voice
sounded young, but educated. Sarah's curiosity got the better of her and she ventured
further up the dark stairs.
"Wh-who are you?" Sarah asked cautiously. She wasn't sure what to think of
someone who lived in the darkness.
There was no response from the darkness. Sarah stopped in her tracks. This was
an extremely dumb idea. The thing could be anything. She could be walking right into
some horrible creature's trap at that very moment. Or, maybe it was a friendly creature
who just wanted someone to talk to.
"I'll get you a light, Sarah," the voice called down to her.
Sarah watched as a light flared up with a brilliant orange color. The staircase and
the room at the top, was bathed in the flickering flame of the lantern. Sarah sped up her
walk. If the creature was evil, it was a fairly deceptive one.
"How do you know my name?" Sarah hesitated.
There was no response from the room above, only the soft orange light. She
attempted to see into the room, but she was still too far away. Sarah decided that she
would either have to hurry up or go back down. Jareth would remember her soon and
come to collect his little "voyager."
Sarah took a deep gulp of air and rushed the rest of the way up the flight of stairs.
She stood before the room and let out the breath she had held on her way up. Sarah
noticed a small shape sitting in a finely crafted chair. She warily walked over to the shape.
The room appeared to be a bedroom. There was a splendid bed against the far
wall and a mirror on a dresser. There was a window, but wooden shades had been shut
across it. The ground was adorned with a remarkable rug. Its colors shone out brilliantly
against the orange light.
"Hello?" Sarah asked gently.
The figure stirred and turned to face its guest. Sarah watched as the shape rose
from its seat. It wore a robe that wrapped over the bottom half of its face. Even though
her mouth was covered Sarah could tell the creature was smiling. Her eyes twinkled in the
light from the lantern.
"Hello, Sarah," she replied in a sweet voice.
Sarah was entirely confused by that time. What was this strange person doing in
Jareth's castle? What was she doing in the darkness? It all seemed very peculiar.
However, the girl seemed polite and nice. Sarah just had a very inquisitive nature.
"Please tell me what your doing up here in the dark? What is your name?" Sarah
asked as she walked a bit closer to the strange girl.
The girl looked to Sarah and then motioned for her to sit in one of the chairs.
Sarah sat down, but couldn't force herself to relax. The girl sat down opposite her and
sighed.
"My name is not important at this time, Sarah, nor is the reason I live in this dark
room. Do you have something else to ask me? I'm sure that you can think of a question
that has been plaguing you recently. Try quickly, for my time is short," the girl said
gently.
Sarah was quite taken aback with the lady's short attitude. Why wouldn't they
have much time? Maybe Jareth would soon be by to get her, but how could this lady
know about that?
"You do not have the time to think, Sarah. You only have time to ask what first
comes into your mind. Please, hurry," the lady begged.
Sarah thought desperately about what she wanted to know. However, she
continued thinking about the reason why this girl should be in the castle. Her mind spun
with a thousand different questions, but none of them would materialize. It would merely
bob to the surface and then dip back before Sarah could attempt to grab at it.
"Sarah," the lady warned in a frightened voice.
"Think, think. You know that there is something important that you had wanted
to know. It was earlier. It was... it was... Jareth was there and he..he," Sarah drew her
eye brows together in an attempt to connect her jumbled thoughts.
The lady's face had grown quite white. Her eyes no longer sparkled in the light.
They were fearful. Sarah knew that she would soon run out of time. She had an important
question to ask. She knew that she had one that had pestered her for a long time. What
was it?
"Damn, damn!" Sarah exclaimed.
"I'm afraid that you don't have any time...," the lady began.
It was as if a light was snapped on in Sarah's head. Her disjointed thoughts fell
together and the question flew to her awaiting lips. She was shocked at the sudden
revelation that had occurred with no time to spare.
"No, wait. I want to know the reason why Jareth is so evil and yet so kind? I
want to understand the reason why he is suffering and why the magic is dying? Please tell
me how I can find the answer to these questions?" Sarah begged.
The lady looked at Sarah with a motherly twinkle in her eyes. She stuck her hand
beneath the robe she wore and then slowly brought it back out. The lady took Sarah's
hand and drew it closer to her own.
"Here Sarah. This is not the answer you wanted, but it is all I can offer to you.
This will aid you in discovering the truth about Jareth and the strange disease that has
struck the magic. I hope that you will find some use from it in your travels. Now, I must
leave you, " the girl replied simply.
Sarah looked down at her hand and opened it slowly. In her palm was a perfect
necklace. The chain was of fine gold and was so tiny and delicate that she thought that it
would break if twisted. Dangling from the chain was a golden circle. Something was
written on the back, but she couldn't read it in the poor light. On the front a lovely scene
had been etched. The scene appeared to be an intricate replication of the lands beyond the
Labyrinth. Perhaps it was a map!
"What are you doing up here?" a voice demanded from behind her.
Sarah turned around and found herself staring at Jareth. His manner was
foreboding and Sarah knew that he wasn't about to take anything more from her and her
attitude. She looked to the chair the lady had been sitting in, but it was empty. In fact,
the whole room looked different. The bed was broken and the mirror had been smashed.
The lovely rug was torn and stained. The room was in shambles.
"I was just looking around your castle. There was nothing better to do at the
time," Sarah explained.
Jareth stepped up by her and grabbed her arm. He jerked her to her feet with a
little too much force. Sarah toppled forward and nearly fell. She grabbed the dresser with
one hand and managed to knock the broken mirror to the ground. It shattered into a
million shimmering pieces. Sarah, dumbfounded, looked at the broken mirror and knew
that it wasn't going to do anything to improve Jareth's sour mood. In fact, she was nearly
positive that she could hear him muttering something to himself. Sarah decided against
saying anything at that time.
"You are going to have to understand that there are very real consequences for
theses careless actions," Jareth threatened.
He grabbed her arm again and hauled her towards the dark stairs. Sarah followed
behind without arguing. She was terrified about what he might try to do to prove his
power over her. Sarah thought about her friends in the dungeon. She had been stupid and
stubborn. There was no doubt in Sarah's mind that Jareth would harm her friends as
proof that he was in control.
"I'm going to fall if you keep tugging at my arm!" Sarah warned.
Jareth dropped her arm and rushed the rest of the way down the staircase. Sarah
followed close behind. He stopped at the bottom and turned to look at her. His eyes
danced with penned in fury. Sarah shuddered. She could see some other emotion hidden
behind the anger. It appeared that insanity had started to creep in on Jareth.
"You don't look so well Goblin King," Sarah remarked in dead tones.
Jareth gave her a strange knowing smile. He produced a perfect crystal ball from
the air and held it before Sarah's eyes. She looked into it and her eyes instantly grew
wide. Sarah shook her head in disbelief.
Didymus stood in the center of Jareth's throne room. However, he wasn't moving
and his bright fur had turned a dull gray color. He was frozen in a fighting position, as he
had been so often since Sarah had met him. This time he wasn't going to charge at his
enemy or hit someone with his staff. He couldn't. Jareth had turned him into a statue.
Sarah backed away from the crystal ball and it immediately faded into nothing.
Jareth looked mildly worried about the ball disappearing, but he turned his attention back
to Sarah's reaction. He walked towards her as she backed away.
"How could you?" Sarah demanded.
Jareth returned her question with a sly smile. Sarah felt her anger boil and she
knew that she would have to keep it under control this time. As far as she knew, her two
other friends were still very much animated. If she decided to spout off at Jareth again, it
would mean two more statues in the castle.
"Sarah, I didn't do it. You probably find that hard to believe, but what would I
gain by lying? I told you that the magic is failing. My goblins have turned to stone. It
was only a matter of time before your friends started to as well. I must say, I wish I had
thought of making my prisoners into stone. It would have made a good punishment,"
Jareth's grin remained upon his face as he spoke.
"You mean that I could go on this quest and return to have three statues instead of
three living friends? What is the point of going through with it if I can't win?" Sarah
asked.
She backed into a wall and took in a deep gulp of air. Jareth stopped in his tracks
and folded his hands together. His dark shirt rippled in the wind that had blown through a
nearby window. His hair tossed wildly over his shoulders.
"I think that you should ask yourself if you want to try to save everyone, or live
with the guilt that you let your friends all turn to stone? Which one will it be Sarah?"
Jareth already knew what her answer would be.
Sarah lowered her head in defeat. She felt totally helpless. The Underground was
dying and she was its only hope. How could she, a mere mortal, save an entire magical
land? The idea was awfully overwhelming. However, if Jareth had wanted her to try to
save everything, he must have known that there was something that she could do. She
raised her gaze back to Jareth.
"You know that I'll do it. I have to. I'm not doing it for you, Jareth. I am doing
it for my friends and for magic. If this place should die, then I think the dream of magic in
my world, will die as well," Sarah answered.
Jareth's smile broadened. He was obviously happy with her. Sarah only wanted to
run back to her room and cry. Everything seemed utterly hopeless. That was when she
remembered the delicate necklace in her hand. She gripped it a little tighter and hoped
that Jareth didn't realize that she had something in her hand.
"Come, Sarah. I need to give you some important things. You have thirteen days
to complete this quest. After that, my magic will be too weak to send you home. Do you
understand that? You must return here before the thirteen days are over if you wish to
return to your life," Jareth warned.
Sarah simply nodded in response to his warnings. Thirteen days was really not a
long time. How was she ever going to find even one of the thirteen crystals in two weeks?
This was the whole Underground she had to search through, and it certainly wasn't small.
Jareth had managed to add more stress to her already unnerving quest.
He stopped outside a beautiful glass door that had been inlaid with crystal and
carved into wonderful designs. Sarah stepped up to marvel at the lovely door. It certainly
didn't fit into the general dirty and dismal atmosphere that surrounded the castle. It
looked like something that belonged in a fairy tale.
Jareth stepped before the door and blocked Sarah. He seemed to be daring her to
try to pass him. Sarah crossed her arms over her chest and waited to hear what Jareth had
to say.
"Sarah, stay where you are. I can very easily crack that wonderful statue if you
attempt to follow me," Jareth warned.
Sarah scowled. She leaned against the wall opposite the door and watched as
Jareth walked inside the peculiar room. Sarah only waited a brief moment to look at the
lovely necklace the mysterious woman had given to her. It shone with golden vibrancy in
the dim light from the setting sun.
Sarah turned the medallion over to read the tiny inscription. However, the words
were strange. She had never seen anything like them before in her life. Yet oddly, they
were nearly familiar. Sarah tried to think about where the words might have been
revealed, but the answer evaded her. She stuffed the necklace into her pocket as the glass
door opened.
Jareth held a burlap sack in one hand and two pieces of paper in the other. He
carelessly handed her the papers and the sack. Sarah slung the bag over her shoulder and
then opened the first of the two papers. It had a poem written on its yellowed surface.
Sarah began to read through it, but Jareth pushed her forward.
"I was trying to read, if you didn't notice," she reminded him.
Jareth snorted and led her faster. He wasn't going to grace her comment with a
response. Sarah was going to be glad to be out of the castle and away from him. Even if
the quest was dangerous and terribly important, it was better than being pushed around by
the cocky Goblin King.
Sarah realized that he was leading her back to her room. They passed by the
sleeping goblin that had been posted outside of her door. Jareth reached out with one foot
and knocked the goblin to the ground. The dirty thing looked around and, realizing that
his king had seen him napping, immediately returned to his post. Jareth stopped outside of
her room.
"I suggest that you get packed Sarah. Travel lightly, for you will have a lot of
walking to accomplish," he said and then turned to leave.
Sarah drudged into her room and tossed the bag and papers to her silken bed. She
heard the door close and then it was securely locked. The sounds never phased her. Her
depression was taking over all of her senses.
"How am I ever going to be able to get through this? I simply can't find one
crystal in thirteen day. How will I ever find thirteen of those magical orbs? I have no idea
where I'm heading," she moaned.
She fell to her bed and buried her head in the large, down pillows. She wanted to
get away from everything, but the guilt would be terrible. She would have to try and just
return home knowing that she had done everything in her power to attempt to save the
Underground. She looked up from the pillow, her tear stained eyes blurring the room into
an even more unfamiliar looking environment. There really was no hope.
"Now Sarah, don't feel sorry for yourself! You are going to do this and your
going to find one of those damn crystals. It shouldn't be too hard. After all, you were the
only one to make it though the Labyrinth in time, despite all the obstacles Jareth put in
your path. You are a strong woman! You will do this and you will save your friends.
And then you Will tell that Goblin King exactly what you think about him!" Sarah
demanded to herself in hushed tones.
"What do you think of him?" a small voice rose from Sarah's subconscious.
Sarah was startled at the annoying question. She remembered when Jareth had
gently touched her cheek earlier. She hadn't wanted him to remove his hand. In fact, she
had wanted him to come closer to her. She had tried to convince him to approach her, but
he had drawn away and then had returned to his usual annoying self.
Then there was the Jareth whom she hated. He was conniving and evil and sly.
He always managed to trick her, or anger her, or both. The very sight of him brought
flames of hate into her heart. This was the Jareth who had taken her brother and put her
through Hell just to get him back! He didn't deserve any help from Sarah, but the other
side of him did.
"Oh, I'm so confused!" Sarah moaned.
She slowly rose from the bed and approached the closet. There wasn't much time
left. Sarah opened the wooden door and peered inside the vast closet. Sarah was utterly
shocked with the magnificent ballgowns that were hidden within the darkened room. She
walked in and ran her hands over the lovely silk and velvets used to create the positively
marvelous gowns. It was unfortunate that she would never be able to try one of them on.
Sarah forced herself to draw her hand away from the lovely dress and walked further into
the closet. She had to find some sensible clothes to wear, not to mention a warm jacket.
With the magic leaving, the generally warm days would probably turn cold.
Sarah pulled out a simple brown cape. It had a hood and fastened at the neck.
Sarah checked her own clothes and decided that they would probably be just fine to travel
in. After all, the bag was small and she would need room for food. Sarah draped the cape
over her shoulders and fastened it securely.
She threw the map and the poem into her bag and then placed it over her shoulder.
Sarah looked about the room, enjoying the lovely furniture and tapestries. She then
started towards the door. She noticed the purse out of the corner of her eye. Sarah
picked it up and fished out the crystal. Sarah placed it in her sack along with the charm
Jareth had given her. They could come in handy during her journey. No one ever knew
what might be of assistance until the need arose.
She then knocked on the door sharply. The goblin guard mumbled something and
then opened her door. It looked up at her with contempt as if she had caused the magic to
die. Sarah made her way past the insignificant creature and headed towards the throne
room.
"Oh goodness!" Sarah exclaimed as she passed before a window.
Sarah stopped in her tracks and gazed out. There was a perfect view of the
Labyrinth from the window. It stretched out far into the distance. Sarah looked at the
weaving and dead ends. She had no clue how she had ever managed to make her way
through the horrible thing. However, what really caught her attention was a horrible sight
that absolutely chilled her to the bone. The lovely sun that had always been so gentle and
warm, was now changed. It shone with a sickly red color and had transformed a distant
body of water into a sea of blood!
Sarah looked at the pale Goblin King. He wasn't the man whom she had known
six years ago. He was different in so many ways, but he was so much the same as well.
Sarah simply couldn't find a way to explain the changes that had just recently grown
apparent to her.
Jareth was being affected by something that could be obvious even to the least
observant person. However, could it really be the magic dying? Sarah couldn't bring
herself to think that the Underground was being destroyed. Magic never disappeared, as
Jareth was trying to tell her. It merely existed and so it would continue to exist forever.
"I think that maybe your confused, Jareth," Sarah explained.
She stepped over to him. The memory of his touch still lingered in her mind.
Sarah silently begged him to touch her once again. She knew that it was not to be, the
moment that he looked back at her. His eyes burned with the fire that she had grown so
accustomed to seeing. The old Jareth was back.
"I am not the one who is confused, Sarah. You are the one who has not set her
priorities straight. I have your friends in my dungeon and if you slip, they will face the
consequences," Jareth spoke ominously.
Sarah quickly stepped away from him. She didn't understand what had brought on
the drastic mood swing. The man who had begged her to save him had been sweet. Sarah
smiled as she thought about their touch again. It was immature to dwell on such a simple
thing, but it had been amazing.
Jareth stood straight and rubbed his head. His evil expression remained embedded
deep within his eyes, but confusion had appeared there as well. He was obviously
wondering what had happened a few minutes earlier.
"Follow me, Sarah!" He demanded.
Sarah clenched her jaw. Her anger was slowly seeping back into her thoughts.
Jareth was so cold and cruel, but yet he had something else inside of him that was longing
to be let free. Sarah wasn't sure exactly what it was, but she could tell that it was there
amidst the anger and cruelty.
Jareth led her down a long hallway and up a flight of stairs. His walk was brisk.
Sarah remembered that he had said that her journey would be sooner than anticipated. He
had meant a lot sooner, if his walk gave any indication of the urgency.
"Why do I have to go through this journey? Why did you have to choose me out
of all the other people? What do I have to do with anything that happens here?" Sarah
asked.
Jareth turned on her, his eyes flashing wildly. He pushed her back to the wall and
stood before her. Sarah straightened herself up and glared at him. She brushed a stray
cobweb from her thick brown hair.
"You have everything to do with this! Don't you forget, Sarah, that your friends
are my prisoners. One false move will mean harm comes to them. I cannot afford to be
generous with you," Jareth threatened.
Sarah ground her teeth. She tried with all her might to keep the horrid remarks to
herself. However, all of her struggles were in vain. He had pushed her too far and she
could no longer just sit and listen to Him threaten her. She tightened her hands into fists
and then slowly let them loose.
"I am not going to take anymore from you, Jareth! I hate you with all my soul,
with all that I am and all I will ever be! You have no right to tell me what to do and you
are holding me here against my will! I demand that you let me go!" Sarah yelled.
Jareth pulled his hand back. It paused in the air. Sarah knew that he meant to
strike her. She steadied herself for the blow.
"I will not cringe. I will not scream!" Sarah demanded of herself silently.
The blow never came. His hand remained poised by the side of his head and it
shook violently. Then, with much difficulty, Jareth brought his hand back to his side. He
looked at her for another brief moment and then stomped away. He looked back one
more time from the stairs and scowled.
"You will do as I say! You will pay for this!" Jareth replied in an icy tone. He
then turned and rushed down the stairs.
Sarah watched him leave. She waited until the sound of his heavy footsteps faded
into oblivion. Only then would she allow herself to let her guard down. Sarah leaned
against the wall and slid to the ground. She pulled her legs to her chest and clutched her
arms tightly about them.
"Why must he torment me so? I love the man who spoke so openly to me earlier.
He had such kindness in his deep blue eyes," Sarah moaned.
Her own mind was arguing with her words as she spoke. It was, once again,
attempting to think everything through rationally. This part of her mind told her that no
one could be so evil and so kind in the matter of a few minutes. It simply didn't happen.
Jareth was either evil or good.
"As if there is really a choice," Sarah muttered.
There was no doubt that Jareth was evil. What sort of kind person would take
babies away? Of course, people generally wished the children away, but it still wasn't
right. He certainly didn't have to treat her so poorly. She was going to go through with
the quest, but she couldn't stand his demands any longer. If she was going to go, then she
was going to do it her way.
Sarah nodded to herself and then carefully made it back to her feet. She brushed
dust from her back and the seat of her pants. Her hands came back coated with a fine gray
powder. It was horrible how dirty the place was. When goblins were running around,
nothing remained clean for long.
"Where are all the goblins?" Sarah asked herself.
She had only seen three or four about the castle that day. They had been guarding
her room, but not very well. There were probably a few more at each entrance and some
watching over her friends in the dungeon. But, Sarah remembered a time when the castle
had been positively bustling with hordes of goblins.
Sarah looked about herself. There was no one to stop her from inspecting the
castle. She knew that she wouldn't attempt escape. She couldn't leave her friends in
Jareth's clutches. However, exploring was a perfectly acceptable thing to do. It would
help to pass the time between then and when Jareth decided to speak to her again.
Sarah walked down the hallway, glancing at the many wooden doors that lined the
walls. She didn't find them interesting in the least. They were old and looked horribly
heavy to open. After all, they would only reveal bedrooms, or empty rooms, or maybe
even bathrooms. All in all the hallway was fairly boring.
She turned down another hallway and didn't find anything much different. The
hall ended at a flight of stairs that led further up. Sarah shrugged and decided to see
where they would lead.
The light fell away once she had reached the middle of the staircase. She squinted,
but the darkness enveloped everything entirely. She would have to wait for her eyes to
adjust to the lack of light. Sarah sat down on the steep stairs and placed her chin in her
hands. The hallway she had been in previously offered only a scant amount of light.
"This is pointless," Sarah said with a sigh.
She got back to her feet and started to make her way down the stairs. She was
sure that the darkness was just an attic of sorts. There was no reason for something of
such little importance to be lit. It would be a waste of torches. However, she found
herself wondering why the area at the top of the stairs lacked windows. Her questions
would have to remain unanswered.
"Wait, please don't leave," a tiny voice called from behind her.
Sarah immediately stopped in her tracks. The voice did not sound like any goblin
that she had heard before. They were lucky if their sentences were complete. This voice
sounded young, but educated. Sarah's curiosity got the better of her and she ventured
further up the dark stairs.
"Wh-who are you?" Sarah asked cautiously. She wasn't sure what to think of
someone who lived in the darkness.
There was no response from the darkness. Sarah stopped in her tracks. This was
an extremely dumb idea. The thing could be anything. She could be walking right into
some horrible creature's trap at that very moment. Or, maybe it was a friendly creature
who just wanted someone to talk to.
"I'll get you a light, Sarah," the voice called down to her.
Sarah watched as a light flared up with a brilliant orange color. The staircase and
the room at the top, was bathed in the flickering flame of the lantern. Sarah sped up her
walk. If the creature was evil, it was a fairly deceptive one.
"How do you know my name?" Sarah hesitated.
There was no response from the room above, only the soft orange light. She
attempted to see into the room, but she was still too far away. Sarah decided that she
would either have to hurry up or go back down. Jareth would remember her soon and
come to collect his little "voyager."
Sarah took a deep gulp of air and rushed the rest of the way up the flight of stairs.
She stood before the room and let out the breath she had held on her way up. Sarah
noticed a small shape sitting in a finely crafted chair. She warily walked over to the shape.
The room appeared to be a bedroom. There was a splendid bed against the far
wall and a mirror on a dresser. There was a window, but wooden shades had been shut
across it. The ground was adorned with a remarkable rug. Its colors shone out brilliantly
against the orange light.
"Hello?" Sarah asked gently.
The figure stirred and turned to face its guest. Sarah watched as the shape rose
from its seat. It wore a robe that wrapped over the bottom half of its face. Even though
her mouth was covered Sarah could tell the creature was smiling. Her eyes twinkled in the
light from the lantern.
"Hello, Sarah," she replied in a sweet voice.
Sarah was entirely confused by that time. What was this strange person doing in
Jareth's castle? What was she doing in the darkness? It all seemed very peculiar.
However, the girl seemed polite and nice. Sarah just had a very inquisitive nature.
"Please tell me what your doing up here in the dark? What is your name?" Sarah
asked as she walked a bit closer to the strange girl.
The girl looked to Sarah and then motioned for her to sit in one of the chairs.
Sarah sat down, but couldn't force herself to relax. The girl sat down opposite her and
sighed.
"My name is not important at this time, Sarah, nor is the reason I live in this dark
room. Do you have something else to ask me? I'm sure that you can think of a question
that has been plaguing you recently. Try quickly, for my time is short," the girl said
gently.
Sarah was quite taken aback with the lady's short attitude. Why wouldn't they
have much time? Maybe Jareth would soon be by to get her, but how could this lady
know about that?
"You do not have the time to think, Sarah. You only have time to ask what first
comes into your mind. Please, hurry," the lady begged.
Sarah thought desperately about what she wanted to know. However, she
continued thinking about the reason why this girl should be in the castle. Her mind spun
with a thousand different questions, but none of them would materialize. It would merely
bob to the surface and then dip back before Sarah could attempt to grab at it.
"Sarah," the lady warned in a frightened voice.
"Think, think. You know that there is something important that you had wanted
to know. It was earlier. It was... it was... Jareth was there and he..he," Sarah drew her
eye brows together in an attempt to connect her jumbled thoughts.
The lady's face had grown quite white. Her eyes no longer sparkled in the light.
They were fearful. Sarah knew that she would soon run out of time. She had an important
question to ask. She knew that she had one that had pestered her for a long time. What
was it?
"Damn, damn!" Sarah exclaimed.
"I'm afraid that you don't have any time...," the lady began.
It was as if a light was snapped on in Sarah's head. Her disjointed thoughts fell
together and the question flew to her awaiting lips. She was shocked at the sudden
revelation that had occurred with no time to spare.
"No, wait. I want to know the reason why Jareth is so evil and yet so kind? I
want to understand the reason why he is suffering and why the magic is dying? Please tell
me how I can find the answer to these questions?" Sarah begged.
The lady looked at Sarah with a motherly twinkle in her eyes. She stuck her hand
beneath the robe she wore and then slowly brought it back out. The lady took Sarah's
hand and drew it closer to her own.
"Here Sarah. This is not the answer you wanted, but it is all I can offer to you.
This will aid you in discovering the truth about Jareth and the strange disease that has
struck the magic. I hope that you will find some use from it in your travels. Now, I must
leave you, " the girl replied simply.
Sarah looked down at her hand and opened it slowly. In her palm was a perfect
necklace. The chain was of fine gold and was so tiny and delicate that she thought that it
would break if twisted. Dangling from the chain was a golden circle. Something was
written on the back, but she couldn't read it in the poor light. On the front a lovely scene
had been etched. The scene appeared to be an intricate replication of the lands beyond the
Labyrinth. Perhaps it was a map!
"What are you doing up here?" a voice demanded from behind her.
Sarah turned around and found herself staring at Jareth. His manner was
foreboding and Sarah knew that he wasn't about to take anything more from her and her
attitude. She looked to the chair the lady had been sitting in, but it was empty. In fact,
the whole room looked different. The bed was broken and the mirror had been smashed.
The lovely rug was torn and stained. The room was in shambles.
"I was just looking around your castle. There was nothing better to do at the
time," Sarah explained.
Jareth stepped up by her and grabbed her arm. He jerked her to her feet with a
little too much force. Sarah toppled forward and nearly fell. She grabbed the dresser with
one hand and managed to knock the broken mirror to the ground. It shattered into a
million shimmering pieces. Sarah, dumbfounded, looked at the broken mirror and knew
that it wasn't going to do anything to improve Jareth's sour mood. In fact, she was nearly
positive that she could hear him muttering something to himself. Sarah decided against
saying anything at that time.
"You are going to have to understand that there are very real consequences for
theses careless actions," Jareth threatened.
He grabbed her arm again and hauled her towards the dark stairs. Sarah followed
behind without arguing. She was terrified about what he might try to do to prove his
power over her. Sarah thought about her friends in the dungeon. She had been stupid and
stubborn. There was no doubt in Sarah's mind that Jareth would harm her friends as
proof that he was in control.
"I'm going to fall if you keep tugging at my arm!" Sarah warned.
Jareth dropped her arm and rushed the rest of the way down the staircase. Sarah
followed close behind. He stopped at the bottom and turned to look at her. His eyes
danced with penned in fury. Sarah shuddered. She could see some other emotion hidden
behind the anger. It appeared that insanity had started to creep in on Jareth.
"You don't look so well Goblin King," Sarah remarked in dead tones.
Jareth gave her a strange knowing smile. He produced a perfect crystal ball from
the air and held it before Sarah's eyes. She looked into it and her eyes instantly grew
wide. Sarah shook her head in disbelief.
Didymus stood in the center of Jareth's throne room. However, he wasn't moving
and his bright fur had turned a dull gray color. He was frozen in a fighting position, as he
had been so often since Sarah had met him. This time he wasn't going to charge at his
enemy or hit someone with his staff. He couldn't. Jareth had turned him into a statue.
Sarah backed away from the crystal ball and it immediately faded into nothing.
Jareth looked mildly worried about the ball disappearing, but he turned his attention back
to Sarah's reaction. He walked towards her as she backed away.
"How could you?" Sarah demanded.
Jareth returned her question with a sly smile. Sarah felt her anger boil and she
knew that she would have to keep it under control this time. As far as she knew, her two
other friends were still very much animated. If she decided to spout off at Jareth again, it
would mean two more statues in the castle.
"Sarah, I didn't do it. You probably find that hard to believe, but what would I
gain by lying? I told you that the magic is failing. My goblins have turned to stone. It
was only a matter of time before your friends started to as well. I must say, I wish I had
thought of making my prisoners into stone. It would have made a good punishment,"
Jareth's grin remained upon his face as he spoke.
"You mean that I could go on this quest and return to have three statues instead of
three living friends? What is the point of going through with it if I can't win?" Sarah
asked.
She backed into a wall and took in a deep gulp of air. Jareth stopped in his tracks
and folded his hands together. His dark shirt rippled in the wind that had blown through a
nearby window. His hair tossed wildly over his shoulders.
"I think that you should ask yourself if you want to try to save everyone, or live
with the guilt that you let your friends all turn to stone? Which one will it be Sarah?"
Jareth already knew what her answer would be.
Sarah lowered her head in defeat. She felt totally helpless. The Underground was
dying and she was its only hope. How could she, a mere mortal, save an entire magical
land? The idea was awfully overwhelming. However, if Jareth had wanted her to try to
save everything, he must have known that there was something that she could do. She
raised her gaze back to Jareth.
"You know that I'll do it. I have to. I'm not doing it for you, Jareth. I am doing
it for my friends and for magic. If this place should die, then I think the dream of magic in
my world, will die as well," Sarah answered.
Jareth's smile broadened. He was obviously happy with her. Sarah only wanted to
run back to her room and cry. Everything seemed utterly hopeless. That was when she
remembered the delicate necklace in her hand. She gripped it a little tighter and hoped
that Jareth didn't realize that she had something in her hand.
"Come, Sarah. I need to give you some important things. You have thirteen days
to complete this quest. After that, my magic will be too weak to send you home. Do you
understand that? You must return here before the thirteen days are over if you wish to
return to your life," Jareth warned.
Sarah simply nodded in response to his warnings. Thirteen days was really not a
long time. How was she ever going to find even one of the thirteen crystals in two weeks?
This was the whole Underground she had to search through, and it certainly wasn't small.
Jareth had managed to add more stress to her already unnerving quest.
He stopped outside a beautiful glass door that had been inlaid with crystal and
carved into wonderful designs. Sarah stepped up to marvel at the lovely door. It certainly
didn't fit into the general dirty and dismal atmosphere that surrounded the castle. It
looked like something that belonged in a fairy tale.
Jareth stepped before the door and blocked Sarah. He seemed to be daring her to
try to pass him. Sarah crossed her arms over her chest and waited to hear what Jareth had
to say.
"Sarah, stay where you are. I can very easily crack that wonderful statue if you
attempt to follow me," Jareth warned.
Sarah scowled. She leaned against the wall opposite the door and watched as
Jareth walked inside the peculiar room. Sarah only waited a brief moment to look at the
lovely necklace the mysterious woman had given to her. It shone with golden vibrancy in
the dim light from the setting sun.
Sarah turned the medallion over to read the tiny inscription. However, the words
were strange. She had never seen anything like them before in her life. Yet oddly, they
were nearly familiar. Sarah tried to think about where the words might have been
revealed, but the answer evaded her. She stuffed the necklace into her pocket as the glass
door opened.
Jareth held a burlap sack in one hand and two pieces of paper in the other. He
carelessly handed her the papers and the sack. Sarah slung the bag over her shoulder and
then opened the first of the two papers. It had a poem written on its yellowed surface.
Sarah began to read through it, but Jareth pushed her forward.
"I was trying to read, if you didn't notice," she reminded him.
Jareth snorted and led her faster. He wasn't going to grace her comment with a
response. Sarah was going to be glad to be out of the castle and away from him. Even if
the quest was dangerous and terribly important, it was better than being pushed around by
the cocky Goblin King.
Sarah realized that he was leading her back to her room. They passed by the
sleeping goblin that had been posted outside of her door. Jareth reached out with one foot
and knocked the goblin to the ground. The dirty thing looked around and, realizing that
his king had seen him napping, immediately returned to his post. Jareth stopped outside of
her room.
"I suggest that you get packed Sarah. Travel lightly, for you will have a lot of
walking to accomplish," he said and then turned to leave.
Sarah drudged into her room and tossed the bag and papers to her silken bed. She
heard the door close and then it was securely locked. The sounds never phased her. Her
depression was taking over all of her senses.
"How am I ever going to be able to get through this? I simply can't find one
crystal in thirteen day. How will I ever find thirteen of those magical orbs? I have no idea
where I'm heading," she moaned.
She fell to her bed and buried her head in the large, down pillows. She wanted to
get away from everything, but the guilt would be terrible. She would have to try and just
return home knowing that she had done everything in her power to attempt to save the
Underground. She looked up from the pillow, her tear stained eyes blurring the room into
an even more unfamiliar looking environment. There really was no hope.
"Now Sarah, don't feel sorry for yourself! You are going to do this and your
going to find one of those damn crystals. It shouldn't be too hard. After all, you were the
only one to make it though the Labyrinth in time, despite all the obstacles Jareth put in
your path. You are a strong woman! You will do this and you will save your friends.
And then you Will tell that Goblin King exactly what you think about him!" Sarah
demanded to herself in hushed tones.
"What do you think of him?" a small voice rose from Sarah's subconscious.
Sarah was startled at the annoying question. She remembered when Jareth had
gently touched her cheek earlier. She hadn't wanted him to remove his hand. In fact, she
had wanted him to come closer to her. She had tried to convince him to approach her, but
he had drawn away and then had returned to his usual annoying self.
Then there was the Jareth whom she hated. He was conniving and evil and sly.
He always managed to trick her, or anger her, or both. The very sight of him brought
flames of hate into her heart. This was the Jareth who had taken her brother and put her
through Hell just to get him back! He didn't deserve any help from Sarah, but the other
side of him did.
"Oh, I'm so confused!" Sarah moaned.
She slowly rose from the bed and approached the closet. There wasn't much time
left. Sarah opened the wooden door and peered inside the vast closet. Sarah was utterly
shocked with the magnificent ballgowns that were hidden within the darkened room. She
walked in and ran her hands over the lovely silk and velvets used to create the positively
marvelous gowns. It was unfortunate that she would never be able to try one of them on.
Sarah forced herself to draw her hand away from the lovely dress and walked further into
the closet. She had to find some sensible clothes to wear, not to mention a warm jacket.
With the magic leaving, the generally warm days would probably turn cold.
Sarah pulled out a simple brown cape. It had a hood and fastened at the neck.
Sarah checked her own clothes and decided that they would probably be just fine to travel
in. After all, the bag was small and she would need room for food. Sarah draped the cape
over her shoulders and fastened it securely.
She threw the map and the poem into her bag and then placed it over her shoulder.
Sarah looked about the room, enjoying the lovely furniture and tapestries. She then
started towards the door. She noticed the purse out of the corner of her eye. Sarah
picked it up and fished out the crystal. Sarah placed it in her sack along with the charm
Jareth had given her. They could come in handy during her journey. No one ever knew
what might be of assistance until the need arose.
She then knocked on the door sharply. The goblin guard mumbled something and
then opened her door. It looked up at her with contempt as if she had caused the magic to
die. Sarah made her way past the insignificant creature and headed towards the throne
room.
"Oh goodness!" Sarah exclaimed as she passed before a window.
Sarah stopped in her tracks and gazed out. There was a perfect view of the
Labyrinth from the window. It stretched out far into the distance. Sarah looked at the
weaving and dead ends. She had no clue how she had ever managed to make her way
through the horrible thing. However, what really caught her attention was a horrible sight
that absolutely chilled her to the bone. The lovely sun that had always been so gentle and
warm, was now changed. It shone with a sickly red color and had transformed a distant
body of water into a sea of blood!
