Well here's chapter 21. I wrote some of it on paper at home and then took it to campus where I typed what I had up. Then while I was in MCM 100 I rewrote what I had. I then went back to the campus library and typed the new stuff, which is the beginning of the chapter all the way until the end of Sarah's first part. I could only really type what I had since I needed to read for ENG 271. Then when I got to class we didn't have a quiz. Oh, well.

I spent most of the next day doing what I wanted. I really didn't work on this chapter. I needed a break. Think about it. Well my exam on the Middle Ages is still next week, but she pushed it back a day. I'm going to start working on my second Article summary this weekend. Also I'm going to start studying for the Middle Ages exam. So I'm not planning to really work on the story that much. Even though I'm almost finished.

I did finish the handwritten version late last night, went to campus, and typed it.

Thanks for the reviews.

Chapter 21

Outside the walls of her prison, the battle raged. Sarah could hear the shouting of what she presumed were soldiers. She also could hear what sounded very much like waves crashing. Around her the walls rumbled as they were hit. Vaguely she remembered what the Goblin Army had used as she was finishing her run of the Labyrinth. Of course Ludo could have come and she was hearing rocks attacking the castle. Slowly Sarah edged herself closer to the door, as she thought that it was on the strongest door. Also the sounds of the battle weren't as loud on that side of the room.

Sarah didn't know how long the battle had been going on. She had no way of knowing who was winning or where the attacks were coming from. All she wanted was to get out of where she was and find Jareth. What was taking him so long? Where was he?

Suddenly the door opened and a dark haired woman appeared in the doorway. She looked around the room until her eyes settled on Sarah. Sarah had not seen her face in years.

"Mom?"

Helen of Troy, Sparta, Linda Williams, smiled at her daughter. "I finally found you." She moved closer to Sarah. "Well come on. Do you want to stay here?"

Sarah shook her head. "No."

Helen gestured to the door. "Then come on. I don't want to be on this side of the Castle with Triton attacking."

Sarah looked at her. "Triton?"

Helen grabbed hold of Sarah's arm. "No time." She began to drag her daughter out of the room. "We need to stay out of the way and hope Melanion or Achilles don't notice us or the fact you're not in here anymore."

Slowly Helen led Sarah down flight after flight of stairs. Sarah watched her mother's back as she led her down.

"Why did you leave?"

Helen looked back over her shoulder. "I had no choice. Either I left and came back here or Achilles would have harmed you."

"What?"

Helen turned back to watching where she was going. "Not everyone knows that. He threatened to harm you if I refused to come back. The man does not like hearing the word no."

"He's the one you left with, isn't he?"

Helen sighed. "Yes. Sarah, now is not the time. I promise I'll explain everything."

Finally Sarah assumed they had reached at least the main part of the castle. Helen and she kept to the walls and slowly crept along. Soldiers rushed past, but most paid them no heed. Sarah had no idea where her mother was taking her. Helen would glance one way and then another.

Sarah glanced as well. "Where are we going?"

Helen glanced back at her. "I'm trying to figure out somewhere to hide that's safe from both the battle and from us being discovered by Achilles or Melanion."

"Where are they?"

"Probably in the throne room, which means we need to stay as far from it as we can."

Helen suddenly opened a door that she stood next to. "In here."

Sarah walked into the small room. She turned as her mother entered. "Where are we?"

Helen gently shut the door. "We're deep inside the castle. We should be safe from the battle, but if those two find us, we can only hope the Goblin King shows up in time."

XOXOX

Jareth remained on his mount as his and the other armies used their siege weapons on the High Castle. The walls were still holding, but even from this distance, he could see the soldiers were retreating. He would have smiled if he hadn't been so worried about Sarah. Absent-mindedly Jareth conjured a crystal and peered inside. Slowly Sarah appeared with an older woman. He knew it was Helen and she was still not under any Godly powers. He could not tell where they were except that Sarah was no longer in the tower. He could only hope his stepfather and/or half brother would not find her.

Morpheus rode up to his side. "What have you learned?"

"She's no longer in the tower. Also she's with Helen."

Morpheus nodded. "I take it Helen is still with us."

"Yes." Jareth glanced from the crystal to the god beside him. "I don't think we will need the armies much longer. The soldiers are retreating."

"Yes, I've noticed. So it seems the Castle is unprotected, but why have we not seen any flee?"

Jareth flicked his wrist and the crystal disappeared. "They are either using the tunnels or Achilles has blocked all the exits."

Morpheus nodded. "True." He looked at Jareth. "But the true High King can allow us entry." He kicked his horse on ward.

Jareth followed him to where the other gods except for Triton waited near the Grand Entrance. They remained on their mounts as he and Morpheus neared.

Heracles nodded towards the closed gates. "So are we going to enter or are we going to remain here?"

Jareth looked at the gods around him. "Are you sure I can open the gates?"

Morpheus looked at him. "There is no time to completely explain it, but your father is not dead, which means that Melanion can never take the throne. So only, you are the true High King. Only you can take the throne and force these doors to open."

Jareth looked from Morpheus to the others. "That can't be true."

Hades glanced at the gates. "It is. Now open the gates. Achilles must pay for destroying all we have worked for."

"I don't know how."

Hades sighed. "Just tell them to open."

Jareth rode closer to the Grand Entrance. He glanced over his shoulder quickly. Then he stared at the gates. "I command you to open."

The gates creaked and groaned, as they slowly swung open as Jareth the gods got off of their steeds. Once the gates were completely opened, they walked inside ready for battle.

XOXOX

Helen opened the door a crack. Sarah tried to look out, but her mother closed the door quickly.

Helen glanced over at her. "Something has happened." She pressed her ear against the door.

Sarah moved closer. "What?"

"Shh. I'm trying to listen."

Sarah waited as her mother listened to what was going on outside the door.

Slowly Helen turned towards her. "It seems the Goblin King has arrived and has opened the gates." She glanced around the room. "We should stay here for awhile longer."

"K." Sarah moved away from the door as her mother did. She didn't want to stay she wanted to find Jareth, but she couldn't risk being seen or captured.

The two women moved as far from the door as they could. Sarah glanced at her mother. Helen glanced at her.

"You might as well know why this is going on." Helen sighed. "As the Gods of Olympus went out of favor, they began to lose their powers. Some more than others. Some grew weak quickly and died. Like Zeus and Hera. Only a few remained immortal. Eros because of Valentine's Day. Hades because he became seen as someone else. Heracles because his story has never gone out of fashion. Demeter because she was seen as someone else, like Hades. Triton because well I don't know. The same with Aphrodite and Ares." Helen glanced at the door. "When all seemed lost, a strange man named Gareth appeared. He spoke with the gods of a plan. Together they could create a world where the remaining immortals and demigods could live. So he and the major gods began to work. After many many years, the Underground was created. As they began to move into their new home, goblins, fairies, and other creatures came asking to be allowed refuge. The gods and Gareth agreed, but if only they would allow themselves to be governed by an immortal or demigod. The creatures agreed and for the most part were separated under each immortal. Some choose not to be rulers." Helen looked at Sarah. "Gareth took control of the goblins. It was his idea to create the Labyrinth. He used it to test those who would be allowed to enter the Underground. Maybe a millennium or two later he married Volupta." She placed a ginger on her cheek next to her mouth. "I don't remember exactly how long it was until the current Goblin King was born." She glanced at the door again. "He was really young when his father disappeared. I think he was a century."

"Wait a minute. A century?"

"Sarah, we age very slowly here. I think for you that it would be maybe two or three. Anyway, about fifty years after Gareth disappeared; Achilles used the arrow on Volupta. He used the love he forced on her to make her leave her son. Thank goodness her parents raised him."

"I know that much, but where does the High King come into this?"

"I don't remember exactly when it was created. Everyone looked to Gareth for guidance so he became known as the High King. This castle was only built after Volupta married Achilles. Gareth ruled from the Castle Beyond The Goblin City."

"That castle was once the center of the Underground?"

"Yes, the current Goblin King only uses the small throne room. He has never seen a reason to use the wonderful rooms inside the castle, since no one comes to see him."

Sarah nodded. Helen smiled. "Maybe you can change that."

Suddenly the door opened and the women came face to face with someone Helen really didn't want to see. _

Well there is chapter 21. Now something happened in this chapter that well as you know is sorta personal to me. It's the mother thing again. I never saw her after she left. So unlike Sarah I never got to ask why. I never got closure. I know for me to move on I have to forgive, but I'm not ready yet. I know it will come in time. I may just write about all this and help someone.

Well I need to get off of that. So I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll update when I can.

Oh, I'm still having. They come and go, but there aren't super bad. They still go away as I walk.

Anyway, review my dears. Chapter 22 can't be too far away. Actually I've already started on it, but I don't plan to really work on it over the weekend. I have school things I need to do.