Chapter Twelve
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"
His smooth chilly voice caused Sarah to shiver, her mouth became vividly dry and her heart begun to frantically climb, trying to find a means of escape through her throat. She had seen the Goblin King upset, seen up close the scary stoic expression he was capable of, but now, seeing it with the eyes of an intruder, of a threat, seeing his miss-matched eyes searing and his mouth twisting into a malicious sneer did Sarah finally understand: the Goblin King was downright terrifying.
"Well, get up." He suddenly snarled, practically pulling her onto her feet.
Sarah fell forward, her chin crashing into his shoulder. She quickly pulled away; the Goblin King, however, held his grip on her wrist, and so Sarah found herself struggling only an arm length's away.
Reluctantly giving up, she finally dared to look at him again. She shivered, horrifically watching his green and blue eyes narrow like that of an animal sizing up his prey.
"You know." He purred, giving her a slick smirk, "This morning, when my sister informed me of a woman wandering about my Labyrinth, I had thought "'Impossible!'". After all, nothing escapes my attention in my Labyrinth. Nothing." He hissed, tightening his hold on her painfully.
"Well." Sarah said, gritting her teeth, "I guess someone needs to get his vision checked."
His face warped into a snarl, and swiftly he twisted Sarah's wrist, causing her to yelp out in pain. He then dropped it a moment later and Sarah, letting out an angry hiss of air, went to rub it. She would never be able to, however, as a sudden pressure tighten against her jaw. A second later her face jerked upwards and Sarah found herself nearly nose to nose with him.
"Why are you here?"
"I thought you knew everything around here."
"I do." He growled, painfully tighten his hold on her face, "And you, my dear, need to learn to behave that tongue of yours. Or instead you'll learn to regret it."
"Like that boy did?"
That took the Goblin King by surprise.
He dropped his hold on her and moved back a little, tilting his head a tad. He then asked, "What do you mean?"
With clench fists, shaking from heel to forehead, Sarah found herself nearly screaming as she mindlessly shouted: "That boy! That poor boy! The one that you just casted off to the Fierys! I mean really? You know what horrible games they play, that boy never stood a chance! And all he was trying to do was take back his baby brother! Or sister! And who do you think you are anyway? Huh? What gives you the damn right to take away these kids? To ruin the lives of these people? Huh? And what do you do with-"
The words stop flowing. Her tongue was glued and her mouth had suddenly become cemented shut and Sarah couldn't move it, no matter what.
"How do you know about any of that?"
His question didn't come out as a shout, didn't come out as a furious hiss. It came out as a deathly calm tone, a tone that Sarah knew meant that he was absolutely completely maxed out pissed off.
"I said" The Goblin King snarled, snapping his fingers "How do you know any of that?"
Suddenly, Sarah found her mouth lax, but she just continued staring stubbornly at the forest floor.
"Answer!"
At his command, she looked up, meeting his icy gaze. Sarah narrowed her eyes, giving him the fieriest glare she was capable of.
Then, a moment of revelation seemed to flicker within his eyes. The Goblin King stared at her in a second of disbelief, then his arm went to reach for her face, his hand closing around her chin when, suddenly, something fell from above.
"What the-"
A branch suddenly came upon them, severing her from him. Realizing this was her only chance, Sarah turned and began to run, and within two steps, the floor beneath her vanished, and she was whisked away into darkness.
When she flew off at the end of the tunnel, she landed on a patch of hard earth. It only took a breath for her to realize where she was and with one other shaky breath, Sarah began to bawl.
"Damn it!" She swore, as with each shaky in-breath the Bog's stench burned her nose, "Can't the universe just give me a God damn break? All I'm asking for, at the very least, is just for a damn suitable place to wallow!"
A branch snapped somewhere in the distance, a higher pitched voice suddenly asked:
"My lady, are you alright?"
Whipping her head up, Sarah looked to see Sir Didymus' furry head poking out from around a tree, his deep brown eyes looking at her with alarm. His rather calm appearance in the aftermath of her ordeal gave Sarah a rather nasty feeling of injustice and, tugging her hair, she screeched:
"No, No I'm not alright! I just had the worst scare in my entire life! Really, all this stress, I'm surprised I haven't had a frick'in heart attack yet! Through the rate it's beating at the moment, it might be coming at any second, so just hang around a bit, you might be in for a treat!"
Didymus' eyes grew rounder and wider as he watched the hysterical lady, pulling the hem of her dress and tears streaming off her face. His ears flatted: gallantry, not comforting, was his strong suit. Nevertheless, he thought with a preparing sigh, a knight must aid, and so Sir Didymus tenaciously stepped out into the open, approaching the lady with great caution.
When he was up at her knee, he gently asked: "Anything I may help with, my lady?"
Sarah laughed roughly at that, wiping her nose on her sleeve, "No, nothing you would want to do."
"My lady, the last we met, I said I would be honored to help you. The message of the statement still stands true."
That brought a slight smile tugging at her lips.
Sarah's hand left the dress' hem, and gratefully patted the fox knight's head. With a great big sniff and a steadying sigh, Sarah finally wiped her tear stained face against her sleeves.
"You asked last time what was my quest, you sure you want to know?"
"Of course, My Lady."
Taking a casting glance at his earnest brown eye, Sarah took a breath and reeled off her tale.
During the entire story, Sir Didymus had not so much as breathed a single word, only sat and listened. When Sarah finished, his ears went flat and Sarah sighed. She had known he wouldn't have liked it, wouldn't have wanted to help. He might even tell the Goblin King.
Then, finally, he cleared his throat. Sarah looked over to see him shifted his stance, and once again clearing his throat, he proclaimed, "That is a brave and sad tale, Lady Sarah. Though, I'm afraid I must confess, I'm not very sure how I may help."
He looked so pitiful after that declaration that Sarah let out a little laugh.
"Oh, don't worry! You helped quite a bit."
"Truly?" He asked, his eye widening in shock, "But I have done nothing."
"No." She answered truthfully, giving him an earnest smile, "You listened to me, and for some strange reason, I feel much better for it. But you promise not to tell the Goblin King?"
"I swear it!"
"Good."
They sat there for a moment, enjoying the company of each other and of a friendship born when suddenly something squeaked:
"Ravie?"
Looking up towards the source, Sarah let out a gasp. Whether they had just arrived or had always been there, Sarah could not tell, but up high above, watching her with wide, alarmed, and skeptical eyes were that of Mimion, Fifo and Copperpot.
"Hi guys." Sarah said quietly, "How's it hanging?"
The three of them said nothing, just watched her in the tree.
Just then, a rush of something sped through Sarah's bloodstream and poof!
Mimion let out a little scream; Copperpot actually fell down. Sarah rushed over to help but Fifo jumped down between them, blocking her way. He eyed her distrustfully and his message couldn't be clearer: she was not coming near them. Sarah felt her eyes prickle as powerlessly she watched Mimion pick Copperpot back up, the two of them giving her similar looks of fear.
Sir Didymus, momentarily forgotten, suddenly appeared strangely towering by Sarah's side, and he cried, "Now really!"
The three of them ignored him, and finally Mimion stammered: "Ra-Ra-Ravie… how… you… now…"
"Yous goblin now, buts not before." Fifo spit out for her, watching Sarah with alarmed eyes.
Sarah smiled sadly, "It's a long story…"
"It all honest?" Fifo whispered, his eyes impossibly getting larger.
Sarah glumly nodded her head.
"But Ravie…" Mimion mewed.
Sarah let out a little bitter laugh, "I guess I should also clarify: my name's not Ravie."
That drenched the rest of Mimion's courage to speak.
They were all quite until Copperpot timidly inquired: "What else can you name is?"
"Sarah."
"But it Ravie!" Mimion cried, "It only is ever -"
"No! No. That's a lie! All a lie. My name's not Ravie, it's Sarah. And I'm not a goblin, I'm a woman! A human girl. And I haven't lived my whole life here, I was born in the Aboveground, and I have-had- a mother and a father. And-and" Here Sarah faltered, completely at a lost to what to say.
It was silent for a few more moments before Copperpot asked, "Does Kingy know?"
Vividly recalling the Goblin King's look of realization, Sarah could only manage a miserable shrug.
It was silent again after that, Sarah looking imploringly at her three closest friends, all of whom were gazing upon her as if she were a heinous criminal. Something not to associate with.
Finally, Sir Didymus spoke, " Well now, my-er-lady, do not fret! We'll plan out a battle strategy!"
"All I ask is please don't tell the Goblin King."
"But we has to!" Copperpot cried hopelessly, "Me mean" he continue, shooting Sarah an uncomfortable glance, "Me mean we gots to! He's our Kingy! Us don't defy him. Can't. Wouldn't."
"Please Copperpot." Sarah said, looking imploringly into her three friends faces, "I'm begging you."
But Copperpot simply looked down, not wanting to catch her eye. Likewise Mimion looked away and Fifo stared unseeingly into the bog. Feeling forsaken, Sarah just sat there, completely numb.
Suddenly Fifo started walking towards her; Sarah stood rod stiff, terrified of what he'd say.
When he got right in front of her, he lifted up his arm. She flinched, waiting for a hit, but a second later, instead of feeling a stinging pain, a feeling of a comforting pressure rested on her shoulder. Whipping her head up, Sarah was surprised to see Fifo smiling at her wearily.
"Of course us won't, Sarah."
Sarah's face broke out into a grin and, to Fifo's embarrassed surprise, she rushed at him, pulling him into a hug.
Behind them, Copperpot shifted uncomfortably and Mimion, in a tiny voice, said: "But Fifo, Kingy…"
"Nots." He exclaimed, struggling out of Sarah's hug and rounding on the other two. "No, Ravie- Sarah- friend! No, family! Us." He said, his hand moving in a circle to encompass the four of them, "Us a family. Always be. And family go first, Kingy next. Us always first."
Copperpot, moved to tears, nodded his head viciously and ran, embracing the two of them. Sarah let out a laugh of relief, hugging him tightly.
Mimion, however, hadn't come.
Looking around Copperpot's belly, Sarah watched her shift uncomfortably, wringing her hands. Sarah broke apart from Copperpot, waiting for the rejection from her closest friend. Then their gazes locked, and upon seeing those green eyes, those same green eyes that had always been there for her, Mimion smiled and nodded her head. Sarah, letting out a happy exclamation, rushed at her and the two girls hugged, crying for a reason they didn't exactly know.
Sir Didymus, who had been uncharacteristically quiet during this time, suddenly piped up: "But Sarah, you must have a strategy…"
Sarah nodded, but a moment later bitterly said, "Can you think of one?"
"Er…"
Copperpot exclaimed, "Pretend nothing happened."
They all laughed, but when the laugher died, Sarah thought about it some more and gulped.
Shit.