Chapter Fifteen, part 3: Sarah's Riddle

The whole crowd was silent as the storyteller walked back to the group. Several furrygatherers congratulated him on a very good tale. He simply smiled and then glanced over to Sarah. She was not watching. Leader looked closely at the young woman and had to try very hard not to read her thoughts, for she was very deep in them at the time.

Sarah could only think about the woman whom she had seen in Jareth's castle and the necklace that she had received. Had she spoken to Katriana? The idea chilled her very soul and sent a shiver up her spine. The woman who had loved Jareth was helping her with her quest. It sounded absurd!

It was a sad and depressing story. Katriana had tried to change the heartless Jareth into something human, but it didn't work. She was so sweet and innocent. The story only made Sarah's anger burn deeper. Jareth had been cruel his whole life, why would he ever change? Sarah had actually thought that she had seen caring in his intense eyes. She scoffed at the thought. That evil creature was not capable of love, not even kindness.

"And Toby is alone with that monster," Sarah thought to herself.

Sarah finally brought herself out of her thoughts and realized that many of the furrygatherers had wandered off. Kyper was nowhere to be seen. Obviously, it was past his bedtime. He had had a rough day, after all. Sarah noticed Leader sitting beside her. He had a velvet bag between his legs.

"Did you enjoy the story?" Leader asked.

Sarah nodded in response. The furrygatherer had told the tale very well. It was unfortunate that it had been such a tearjerker. Sarah wiped at her own wet eyes and scooted over to Leader. He looked at her with a fatherly gleam in his black eyes. The fire was dying fairly quickly, someone would have to add more wood to it soon unless they were going to talk in the darkness.

"I thought that it was sad. It seems like there are a lot of things that I didn't know about the Underground and Jareth. Of course, I'm not saying I'm an expert or anything, but..," Sarah started to ramble nervously.

"Shh," Leader said.

He unfolded the velvet bag and drew an old leather-bound book. Sarah looked at it with interest. The outer cover looked very much like her book of the Labyrinth. However, she knew that this book was much more special. It seemed to emanate a certain power. Sarah watched as Leader set the book atop the velvet and opened it carefully.

"Our past," he began," has all been written in books. Our future has been written in books and the present is being written as we speak. I know that you have had a meeting with lovely Katriana. She has given you a very special gift, Sarah. Your necklace is a big piece of this whole puzzle. You see, when you solved the Labyrinth you had just begun to look at the whole riddle, so to speak. This riddle continued to unfold itself until you returned. Now you need to solve it in time to save the crystals and the magic and the Underground and Jareth."

Leader paused to flip another page over in his book. Sarah strained to see the writing, but the light was too poor. She was startled that Leader had mentioned Jareth in his speech. It shocked her even more to realize that Leader expected Sarah to save Jareth. Who would want Jareth saved? After the horrible story she had heard, Sarah could care less about what happened to him.

"Do you, do you really not care? I feel that there might still be something inside you that cares very much," an inner voice said to her.

Sarah looked to Leader, questioning. Had he read her thoughts again? Leader gazed at her mildly, awaiting for her to respond. Sarah shook her head and ignored the troubled feeling that was slowly infesting her mind.

"Go on, please," Sarah urged.

"As I was saying, you must solve this riddle. I have heard the riddle that you carry with you, sung before. It was a song that Katriana used to grace us with. However, it was not a song meant for her or the king. This song was entirely meant for you Sarah, and entirely meant for you to solve. You are cunning and determined and I know that you shall do everything in your power to help us. However, my crystal is dead."

Leader paused a moment to let the truth sink in. Sarah's mouth dropped open in surprise. She had come here for nothing. The crystal was already dead, so there was nothing she could do. She had made another mistake and possibly put the future of the Underground in jeopardy. Leader quickly continued his speech before she could respond.

"Do not lose hope so soon, Sarah. Not all the crystals are dead. I am quite sure that the most of them are still alive, weak but alive. I know where there are two others, but to get to them will be a difficult task. I am sure you will be able to conquer the problems that you face, for you are brave. I only hope that I might be able to help you enough to make you feel like this stay has not been totally useless." Leader thought about this for a moment.

Sarah took in a deep breath. It seemed like all the odds were stacked against her. How was she to gather all the crystal orbs if they were dying so quickly? What if she reached each one to only see them die? That was a terrifying thought. She only wished that she could get back to the castle and ask Jareth to send her and her brother home.

"You have done so much for me, Leader. I especially thank Kyper. If he hadn't been so brave I would probably be dead. Everyone has been kind and giving. I want you all to know that I couldn't have asked for anything more," Sarah said with a smile.

Leader returned her grin. However, his mind was focusing on the book. Sarah peered down at it and noticed a picture of the medallion that was on her necklace. Sarah touched it through her dress and again wondered why it was so strangely warm.

"This necklace was Jareth's, wasn't it? Katriana gave it to him when she wanted to profess her love. Why did she offer it to me as an answer to my question? I don't understand how it can help me," Sarah was quite confused.

"What question did you ask, my dear?" Leader inquired.

Sarah thought back to the time she had traveled up the stairs to the darkened room. The question had nearly been forgotten, but had burst forth suddenly, with great speed.

"I asked how Jareth could be so kind and then so cruel. It didn't seem right," Sarah said.

Leader nodded his head knowingly. A shimmer seemed to have formed in his wise old eyes. Sarah finally understood that Leader knew more than he was disclosing to her. This angered her slightly, but she realized that he couldn't tell her the answer to her riddle. All he could do was help her to find the truth.

"The answer is before your very eyes," Leader stated simply.

Sarah shook her head slowly. Why was it that every answer was presented to her as another riddle? If they really wanted her to save the crystals, they were certainly hiding it well. Leader acted as if he had all the time in the world to wait for Sarah to solve her little riddle.

"I understand that you can't give me the answer, but please Leader, can't you give me a better hint?" Sarah begged.

The old furrygatherer's eyes twinkled with a kind of hidden knowledge. He snapped the book shut and then handed it to Sarah, his gaze never leaving her own. Sarah broke their connection and glanced at the book that looked so much like her's.

"You have found most of the pieces, Sarah. All that is left is to put those parts together to find the answer. Look within yourself for the truth," an elderly voice stated.

Sarah looked at Leader and realized that he had not opened his mouth to speak to her. He was communicating with her through thoughts. Sarah was shocked. She had entirely thought that the furrygatherer was speaking to her, but now she wasn't so sure. This only made Sarah more confused.

"I-I don't understand," Sarah said.

Leader touched her hand gently with his worn hoof. He was not going to answer her question, she realized that the next moment. That was all he was going to tell her about the riddles. She looked at the book that was clutched tightly in her hands and set it on the ground. When would she have time to read?

"I think that it is about time that I tell you where you might find some other orbs. I have already informed you, Sarah, that it will be difficult to reach them. I feel that your pure heart and determined nature will overpower the odds and you will succeed in the end.

The first of the two I personally know about, is kept deep within Lake Crystal Moon. It is kept by the Mirameds, Mermaids as humans have so ignorantly called them. They will gladly help you once you have found their homes, which will be the difficult part.

The other crystal has been lost within the wastelands past the rise of the mountains. I have known many that searched for it, but never found anything. I warn you Sarah, that land has been cursed and destroyed. Do not trust anything there. There is not truth and there is no happiness. Depression lurks around every corner, waiting for you to doubt yourself. Many have died from becoming lost deep inside the dismal area. I pray that you will heed my warnings and take care when you travel there.

There has been rumor of one of the crystals laying atop the mighty mountains. I do not know where or if the rumor is true. Perhaps, if you have the time, you would hike through the paths and inspect the many caves and tunnels in the mountains' bodies."

Sarah gazed at the dancing fire as it slowly died away. The light flickered across her face causing strange shadows to run over the ground. She finally turned to Leader and managed a wan smile. Leader was only trying to help her, he didn't understand how impossible it all was. She had lost any hope they had given to her from the dinner and celebration.

"Thank you, Leader. I am sure that that information will help me a lot," Sarah responded in flat tones.

"I don't think you have any hope left. Has my speech depressed you that much? Dear child, there is no reason to fret. You still have twelve days ahead of you to find those magical orbs. There is no reason why you shouldn't succeed," he attempted to improve her mood.

"May I ask you one last thing, Leader?" Sarah questioned as she helped the furrygatherer to his feet.

"Of course."

Sarah thought about her question for a while. She had to be careful of the wording, unless Leader got the wrong impression. She only had one chance. Her fingers reached up and toyed with the mysterious medallion. It shimmered slightly in the moonlight. The golden reflections shone in Leader's glassy black eyes.

"I have tried to sort out my feelings for a long time, but they remain out of control. I suppose that you already know that Jareth and I have been enemies for six years. However, when I arrived here he seemed to have changed. Right before I left he was concerned for me. He actually asked me to return to him before he died. I don't understand why he changes so? His mood swings nearly tear me apart as well, for I can only guess at how he will act from moment to moment. It would put my mind at ease to know the answer," Sarah begged.

Leader looked at her for a long time. His gaze seemed to burrow into her very mind. He was probing for the answer. He blinked his eyes a few times and then shook his furry little head.

"I can't answer your riddles. However, I may tell you something that can help you arrive at the truth. It seems that you try to say that he is either evil or kind. I believe that our king is very much both, Sarah. The rest is within your pieces," Leader said.

He turned away from her with his final words. Sarah watched the old animal walk slowly towards the box that would bring him back up to the top of the trees. His statement had helped her a little, but not enough. She would just have to take some time, time that she didn't have mind you, to solve the dastardly riddle.

With that thought Sarah hurried after Leader.