Here we are again.

I must confess, sorry, that I have pushed back the final act of Ruben torturing one chapter further- but getting there is half the fun.

Thank you to my lovely reviewers

and now, on with the show...


Almost There

Ruben had been almost totally covered in things that he'd completely forgotten the existence of when something had reminded him of what it was he was in this accursed place to do.

"I have to save Jae!" he cried out and set off scrabbling over the piles of rubbish to get to the castle.


"The Goblins don't fight well, do they daddy?" Jae looked at her father, from her seat on the arm of the throne.

"No little one" Jareth chuckled as she returned her gaze to the crystal he'd helped her to form. "Those ones do not"

The two Fae fell into peaceful silence, as they scryed the goings on in the Goblin City.

"You aren't teaching our daughter bad habits are you Jareth?"

The two blondes looked over at the doorway where Sarah had been standing watching her family.

"Wow Mummy!" Jae exclaimed. "You look really pretty!"

Sarah smiled at her daughter then looked to Jareth for his opinion on the dress she'd donned.

In the King's humble opinion his daughter's observation was entirely wrong. "Now, I wouldn't say that"

One of her dark eyebrows quirked. "Oh?" she asked; her sultry tone probably unintentional. "And what would you say?"

His eyes drank her in greedily- in the sleeveless black silk she was wearing she looked every inch the Goblin Queen. The neckline was tantalising, and the bodice moulded to her torso and flowed seamlessly into the pooling skirt. The silk gloves she wore ended halfway up her upper arms. Her luxurious dark chocolate hair had been pulled away from her face and secured by some ornament before falling in loose curls down to her shoulder blades. He realized she expected an answer.

"I would say, my rose" he purred kissing her cheek. "That you are so much more than beautiful"

Jae took the opportunity to remind her parents of her presence by greeting the goblin who had come scuttling over to them.

"Hi" she smiled

"H-hell-lo" he stammered, pushing his oversized copper 'hat' away from his eyes, before turning to face his king. "S-si-re, the m-man!"

"What of him?" Jareth asked, unconcerned

"He ne-nearly…"

Sarah stopped him. "Ok, answer yes or no. Is the man nearly here?"

"Y-y-yes"

"Daddy" Jae clutched at her father, she knew what would happen if Mr Ruben got to the castle before the time ran out.

"Don't worry Jae-fae" both Jareth and Sarah soothed her.

"I have a plan" Sarah announced. "But we need to be in the Escher Room"


Ruben slipped into the castle, it was filthy- dust and chicken… leavings everywhere. He shuddered, even though, in an ideal world the kid wouldn't be around he couldn't leave her to live in a place like this, even if she wouldn't be human anymore.

'Her mother will kill me if I don't save her' was the only thing that was keeping him from letting the Goblin King keep Jae. The only thing that was keeping him moving towards a confrontation.

He entered an empty throne room and his gaze was drawn to the thirteen hour clock mounted on the wall- less than two minutes to thirteen. He had to be quick.

The next room he came to was just plain odd. It reminded him of a painting that he'd seen in a museum- stairs all over the place in all sorts of directions.

"Well, here goes" he muttered and descended the flight of stairs nearest to him.


There we go.

Unfortunately the wiseman's hat cannot be...

WMH: Not so fast. Please leave a contribution in the little box!

Myra:*muttering angrily about pushy headgear* I know why the wiseman makes such a fuss about you now

:)