Chapter 12

Sarah bursed into her room and slammed the door shut behind her, her heart in her throat.

She had kissed him back!

Jareth!

The goblin king!

The man with the blackest heart she knew!

She thought back to how she had suddenly backed away from him and ran without a word. She ran nonstop all the way to her room.
The shreds from the music box where gone and on the table was a trail with food.
She could impossibly eat now...
As quickly as she could, she got out of the dress and threw it into a corner. Her old clothes were back, laying on the bed. Happy to wear her old jeans again she put her clothes on and sat down on the bed.
What was she supposed to do now? She had to leave before it got worse.
Easier said than done.

Yeah right. I'll just demand to be sent home. And then what? Kick him if he says no?

She laughed a little at the thought before she threw herself back on the bed with a moan.

I have to do something.

She fell asleep while trying to figure out a plan to escape, which turned out to be pretty much impossible.

She woke up early the next morning, still clueless about what to do.
As she sat up on the bed she was surprised to see a wooden basket filled with fruit in the table by the bed. Starving she grabbed a red apple and began to eat.
But then she changed her mind.
What if it was one of Jareth's tricks again like last time with the peach?
She waited a few seconds to see if anything happened to her. When nothing did, she shrugged and kept eating.

"Sawah!"

Ludo's sudden calling from outside made her jump before she ran to the windows and looked out.
If Sarah hadn't heard that it was Ludo, she really would have believed it was a big mummy standing on the yard beneath her window.

"Ludo! Are you all right?" she called to him.
"Ludo hurt! Pixie no friend!" he called back unhappily.
"You poor thing! Wait there, I'll come down to you, okay?"
Ludo nodded in response.

Sarah hurried our of her room and down the stairs, but she came to a sudden stop when she suddenly heard Hoggle's voice. She hid behind the wall, only looking out to see Hoggle stand in the middle of the room.

"Y-You wanted to see me, your majesty?" Hoggle said in a weak voice.
"Higgle." Jareth said expectedly.
"Hoggle..."
"Yes," Jareth didn't pay attention to him. "I have a favor to ask of you."
"A f-favor, your majesty?" Hoggle asked as if he'd misheard what Jareth had said.
"Yes, a favor," Jareth said tiredly. "Or an order. Take it as you please."
"What kind of favor?" Hoggle asked, now a little suspicious.

Sarah could hear Jareth get up from the throne and walk a little. Probably towards Hoggle.

"I need you to keep Sarah from leaving the castle," he said with seriousness. "She mustn't, under any circumstances, get into the labyrinth."
"Keep her in the castle?!" Hoggle said surprised and a little shocked. "But your majesty... Why? I don't think I can..."
"Oh come now Hogbrain!" Jareth said impatiently. "Do as I say or I'll send you to the Oubliette!"

There was silence.

"No," Hoggle suddenly said. "I won't do it. I won't do anything against her will."
"You don't want her to leave now, do you?" Jareth asked calmly.

There was silence again. Sarah looked out even more to see Jareth squat down to the same level as Hoggle, who was looking down on the floor.

"Oh dear. Poor Hoghead," he said with faked sympathy, putting his leather gloved hand over his mouth. "You always have to help her get home against your will, don't you?"

Hoggle immediately looked bothered and turned away from Jareth.

"I-I ain't never said it was against my will!" he said, trying to sound sure of himself.
"You want her to leave then?" Jareth asked, seeing through Hoggle's acting.

Silence again.
Jareth stood up and walked out of Sarah's sight.

"That's what I thought." Jareth said, pleased.
"But why don't you keep her in the castle?" Hoggle asked upset.
"Now why do you ask?" Jareth asked coolly. "Could it be that you don't want to carry out my orders?"
"You know I don't..." Hoggle answered quietly. "But I'll do it anyway."
"Good." Jareth said indifferently, not caring about Hoggle's feelings. "Otherwise you would have made me do something I'd rather not."

He suddenly walked back in sight, now wearing his dark red leather jacket.
Without saying anything more he left the castle.
Hoggle looked after him.

"Damn you, Jareth," he muttered. "I'm so stupid..."

Sarah was completely lost. She didn't know what to do.
If she left she would put Hoggle in really deep trouble...
But if she stayed she would be breaking her promise to Toby.

But why won't he let me out of the castle?

Sarah saw Hoggle walk out of the castle with a grumpy expression. Regret was written all over him.

Poor Hoggle... Stupid Goblin King.

Now she was really a prisoner.
She had to sit down.

What should I do...?