"Sky's Eclipse"
Chapter 32
By Aiijuin

*Disclaimer: I don't own anything Jim Henson or Labyrinth. Gröeg was originally designed by Brian Froud and catalogued by Terry Jones in Brian Froud's "The Goblins of the Labyrinth". This fanfiction is rated M for some harsh language and adult situations. Gavin King is Jareth, the Goblin King, for those who have jumped into the middle of the story. The names: Torok, the Troll King and Eunice St. Clair are characters borrowed from the 1986 movie Troll, but are not used in context with the movie inside my fanfiction in any way.

**NOTE: Story numbering is behind by 1 chapter, because there is a prelude, which is not considered a chapter. Fanfiction . net automatically assigns numbers to the chapters by default, which I have not control over. Thank you!

Chapter 32: Twisted Sister

Jareth tried to focus his eyes downward into the darkness, but he couldn't. Torok sat next to him crying like an injured child. The Goblin King looked behind him to periodically glance at the burning Grimm's Wood. Nothing could have spared it now. The fires had completely decimated it, leaving nothing but ember-blackened wood.

It had been hours since Sarah jumped from the cliff. Jareth's powers still hadn't returned. If they had, then he would have gone to her and left Torok wallowing in grief and misery alone.

Nothing of it, thought Jareth.

He pulled out a handkerchief and nudged Torok with his hand. He grumbled, "Oh, do pull yourself together, Trollie. Seeing you like this makes it embarrassing to admit that we are neighbors. At least, think of your trolls…"

Torok looked up, his eyes were red and puffy, and his nose was running. Jareth rolled his eyes and shoved the white cloth towards the Troll King. Torok took the neatly folded handkerchief and replied with gratitude, "Merci."

After cleaning his face with it, Torok slithered over to the edge of the precipice and asked, "Why are you still here, mon Frère? Why do you stay with me, and not race to the side of your beloved Sarah far below?"

Jareth brushed the grass off of his 'human' clothing, and replied, "Believe me, Trollie, I'd much prefer the company of her over your pathetic, slobbering carcass, however I seem to have lost my powers at the moment. It's quite embarrassing really."

The Troll King smiled at this revelation, but felt too downtrodden to make a random insult at the Goblin King. He thought for a minute with his finger to his lips and said, "I hope you don't blame me… I could never manage such a feat. You know that…"

"Of course, I do."

"Anyway, I'm sure they'll return eventually. It's probably just a random 'thing' or something... Anyway, she's most likely dead," Torok interjected, "Miss Sarah, I mean."

Jareth shifted his eyes back to the ravine and answered, "It would be easier to tell if I could get down there."

"Why would it matter anyway? She hates us both," Torok clenched bitterly. "She is a cruel, demented creature. Is there any romance in her at all? You should have put Miss Sarah far from your mind and left her to her human ways long ago! Time would have killed her eventually and you'd still be the Goblin King – immortal, unchanged, and too great for the epochs to touch."

Jareth stared at the Troll King, but didn't answer. His mind was made up that he didn't care about anything else right now, except knowing the status of Sarah. He had to see if she was alive or not.

Torok tapped 'Gavin' on the shoulder, but he just glared at him stiffly. Finally, the Troll King relented and shouted, "Bah! Fine! I will take you to your beloved Miss Williams. I think you are insane, mon Ami. I honestly do!"

With a poof of smoke, and a cloud of glitter, the two great kings left the dismal setting of the Troll Kingdom and reappeared far below within the Goblin Kingdom. The sun had risen above the Labyrinth walls at this time and a warm, orange hue filled the sky. 'Gavin' looked behind him to see the great wall that separated he and Torok's lands. As he searched the perimeter, he came across the mutilated body of Snow White.

Torok said, "Oh, that's horrible."

A burly, familiar voice from behind replied, "No, I ain't! I'm Hoggle!"

Gavin turned slowly to glance at his rival for Sarah's affections. He narrowed his eyes, but Hoggle didn't recognize his king in human disguise. Torok looked over at the dwarf and asked, "Pardon, Le petit Homme."

Thinking Torok had said his name wrong, Hoggle corrected, "It's 'Hoggle'."

Torok shrugged, and then asked, "Have you seen a dead woman lying about?"

Hoggle scratched his head and asked, "Besides the one skewered on this monument?"

The Troll King raised his eyebrows and nodded, "Oui."

Hoggle studied Gavin for a moment and then asked Torok, "You're the Troll King, ain't'cha?"

Torok bowed and Hoggle pointed, "Well, Jareth ain't gonna be happy when he finds out that a bunch of your trolls came ploppin' down here a while ago. He don't exactly like you, and next I'll be suspectin' him to send out an exterminator for trolls too."

Tiring of Hoggle's misplaced concentration, Gavin snapped, "The other dead woman. Where is she, Dwarf?"

Hoggle jumped at Gavin's brashness. He looked a bit frazzled as he exclaimed, "Alright! Alright! Ya' don't have ta' get pushy! She's rights over there!"

Gavin and Torok turned their heads to see Sarah lying unconscious on the ground. She was facing upwards with her arms spread at her sides. She was clothed in the satin pink gown. 'Gavin' pushed past Torok to kneel down by Sarah's side. He clutched her hand, but it was ice cold. Torok placed his hand on Jareth's shoulder and said, "My deepest apologies, mon Frère. I didn't believe she would have actually jumped."

Jareth leaned in, hoping that a part of her had still had a glimmer of life. His lips were very close to hers, when a miracle occurred! She stirred!

Gavin smiled down at Sarah and whispered, "Darling. I'm here now, and I'll never let go again."

Sarah had a smile spread across her face and whispered, "Oh, Torok!"

Gavin frowned.

Torok! Torok?!?

Jareth couldn't believe Sarah was actually calling for the Troll King instead of him! Torok, of course, was quick to hear Sarah's cry to him. He knocked Gavin out of the way, and mocked, "See? I knew that fall would knock some sense into her. Women cannot resist my charms. Tough luck, mon Ami!"

Torok leaned in and said, "Prepare to be swept off of your feet, Sarah! I promise I will be gentle, but only at first."

Hoggle tapped Torok on the shoulder, but Torok swatted him away. Hoggle tapped again, until finally Torok turned to shout, "What is it, you irritating creature?!? Can't you see I am a little bit busy? Miss Sarah awaits my passionate kiss."

Hoggle raised his eyebrows amusingly, and said, "Well, you can kiss her if you wants, but she ain't Sarah."

Torok had already turned around and his lips were puckered near 'Sarah's' when both he and Gavin comprehended Hoggle's final words. Both the Goblin King and the Troll King froze and then asked simultaneously in disbelief, "Not 'Sarah'?"

The dwarf rocked back and forth on his feet with both hands tucked neatly behind him. He replied smugly, "Nope. Sarah's in the castle, probably sittin' on Jareth's throne again. She's been actin' a bit strange lately, but things are gettin' better 'round these parts with her in charge anyhow."

Gavin grabbed Hoggle by the sleeve and pointed down towards the woman lying on the ground. He repeated, "You mean this isn't Sarah?"

Hoggle shook his head, "Nah. 'Fraid not. Don't know who she is, but I dust her off every now and then. Sometimes, I spray the fairies that try to swipe her necklace and other jewels. She's been here for a pretty long time. When I tried to wake her up, all she says is 'Torok' over and over. I'm surprised that Jareth didn't find her yet, but he don't take notice of half-dead ladies unless they're runnin' through his Labyrinth."

Jareth had to know, he walked to the free side of the unknown woman and looked at the necklace she wore. The amulet was fashioned in silver, and shaped like an hourglass.

'Trollie' and she have matching amulets? Pondered Jareth.

Torok stared wide-eyed at Gavin and clutched his amber amulet in the palm of his hand. Minutes ago he was devastated by a woman who looked exactly like the one before him. He didn't know what to make of it. Finally Gavin became exasperated and hollered, "Oh, do come on, Trollie! Figure it out! She's calling for you, so kiss her, break the curse, and be done with it!"

Even Jareth was curious to know who this mystery woman was. Torok leaned in and tenderly kissed the Sarah-imposter. Slowly she stirred and her eyes fluttered open. As she focused first on Gavin, he noticed that it wasn't Sarah.

'Luminous hazel eyes', thought Jareth remembering the words of the withered, old troll.

Torok looked dazed, like something had broken over him. He blinked and glaced around. He felt like he had just awakened from a terrible nightmare. He looked back at the woman, and she smiled at him. Torok asked endearingly, "Sashya, Ma Reine?"

"'Reine'", Gavin repeated. "That means 'Queen', right? Are you telling me that this woman is your…"

Sashya reached her arms around Torok's waist and he lifted her gently back to her feet. She said in a voice that sounded exactly like Sarah's, "Oui, mon Chéri! Je vous ai manqué! Il y a eu longtemps. J'ai attendu à jamais!"

Hoggle became so frustrated at the language barrier, that he walked back to the outer walls of the Labyrinth while griping, "You think they'd talk so everyone could understand, but 'NO'! They just keep high-class, fancy speakin' and us here in the Goblin Kingdom, we can't understand none of it!"

The Troll King and his Queen kissed long and passionately at their overdue reunion. Gavin looked to the ground and tried to pretend that he wasn't there. He thought of Sarah Williams.

When the embrace between husband and wife had ended, Sashya walked over to Gavin and said, "Hello, Jareth. I suppose that I should thank you for bringing Torok back to me. That's a new look for you, by the way."

"Oh, ignore his appearance, mon Amor," Torok began, "Jareth's pretending to be a human and seems to have gotten trapped that way. No?"

Jareth gave Torok a dirty look, but nodded to Sashya. He could not bring himself to look into her eyes. She looked exactly like Sarah, except for the eye color. He felt jealous that Torok should find such happiness after his great defeat, especially since he had had no 'happy ending' following his. Of course…

Sabotage!

Jareth smirked and mumbled to Torok, "You might not want to tell her about all of those wanton offspring of yours that are floating about. It would just ruin the marriage and such. No?"

Torok's face fell. Sashya smiled and said, "We have all been asses after the Great War, Jareth. Although it doesn't excuse our outlandish behavior, it does bring some clarity to it."

Dear me! She even uses the same words of wisdom that Sarah might use, Jareth thought, but outloud he said to her, "Well, my Dear, I DO hope you enjoy children."

Sashya laughed for a moment, but sidestepped commenting on Jareth's remark either way. She was obviously preoccupied with something else. After a pause, she finally asked the Goblin King, "So, how is my sister doing?"

Torok and Jareth exchanged confused glances. Torok held up his index finger and breathed, "Ahh~?"

Gavin furrowed his brow and just stared blankly at Sashya. The Troll Queen smirked and said, "Jareth, stop fooling around! What have the two of you been up to lately?"

The Goblin King had no idea who Sashya's sister was, but he obviously was supposed to know. He recalled the words from the old withered troll, as it had mistaken Sarah Williams for the sister of the woman who threw herself from the precipice.

Sashya must have been that fallen woman the old troll spoke of, Jareth thought, but outwardly he was unconsciously shaking his head.

His reaction worried Sashya. Instantly, her smile faded as she grasped Gavin by the shoulders. Frantically, she asked, "Jar, where is Sarah?"

Torok flung his head back aristocratically at the name and grumbled, "'Sarah'! It will be too soon if I ever hear that name again…"

Upon hearing the name 'Sarah', Jareth became disoriented and answered, "Ah, Yes! Sarah! Of course!"

The Troll Queen prodded, "Jareth?"

"She's – well – she's – um…"

"Jareth," Sashya's voice became more solemn as her eyes narrowed.

Jareth finally answered in a tone that sounded more like a question, rather than an answer, "She's sitting on the throne…"

Thinking that he meant Sarah was stuck in the loo, Sashya laughed. Patting Gavin on the shoulder, she asked jokingly, "Are things really that bad in the Goblin Kingdom? Aww, poor Sarah. I'll have to visit her and give her a cheer."

"Stop!" Jareth held out his hand and then continued, "You can't –um – visit her right now."

"Why not?" She questioned, still smiling like a Cheshire cat.

Jareth closed his eyes and answered nervously, "Well, the castle is a frightful mess. You know, chickens on the floor and feathers everywhere. Horrific, really…"

Sashya placed her hands on her hips, while Torok mouthed silently to Jareth from behind her, "Liar!"

The Troll Queen shook her head with a look of disgust and chided, "You know… I'll never understand Sarah's ridiculous obsession with those ugly birds. Not to mention you make it worse, Jar, by giving her more than what she asks for."

Torok chimed in mischievously, "He does? No, not Jareth!"

Sashya continued, "Sarah wanted a raven, but you presented her with forty. She wants a chicken, and you give her a poultry farm. My sister wanted a vulture, so you find her the biggest, most hideous one in all the land. Ungh! Why can't she wish for tiny, yellow canaries that sing or a bright red parrot that talks? I really don't understand how we could be twins sometimes."

Torok jumped in before Jareth could ask, "Wait! You have a twin sister?"

"Torok," Sashya rolled her eyes, "Never mind. Let's go home."

Sashya pecked 'Gavin' on the cheek and said, "Tell Sarah I hope she feels better soon. I want her to visit me, when she gets a chance. Adieu, Jar."

Jareth waved goodbye and mumbled mockingly, "Have fun rebuilding your castle."

As soon as they disappeared, Jareth whispered to himself, "Oh, Torok. I hope you like spending the next six thousand years groveling to your wife, especially after she finds out what you've been up to for the first six thousand."