Hi again. Thanks for all the reviews. Yes, Sarah should have realized the dragon was actually Jareth, but probably she wasn't thinking clearly at that time. The cliff-hangers are here to stay - it'll only get worse from now on... *evil smile*
I wrapped up chapter 26 at last and wanted to make an epilogue to close off the story, but while writing it I suddenly realized I was putting so much plot into it that it had turned into a sequel, not en epilogue. So now I'm cutting it down again and saving the story idea for later, in case I feel like making a sequal. I also have the outline of an original story waiting for me, so I'll have to see what I'm in the mood for when The Last King is done. :)
10 points to anyone who catches the literary reference in this next chapter (besides from Edgar Allan Poe ) ...
Sarah woke to a dark room and at first she didn't remember where she was at all. She blinked and sat up in the bed, but as the moonlight shone on the bed curtains and made them sparkle in iridescent silver tones, it all came back to her. She immediately looked at her left arm and hand, which was once again covered by the pristine white shirt sleeve, and when she carefully pushed it up, she saw only healthy unscarred skin below. It felt normal, too, and she moved it and flexed her fingers to test it. She must have fallen asleep waiting for Jareth to return, and she wondered whether he had been back to heal her or if her own magic had finished the task. Her magic had certainly been responsible for repairing her dress and shirt– it was whole and clean again in the place where it had been torn and burned.
A noise drew her attention, and she realized this was what had awakened her in the first place. A turkey-sized bird stood in the archway to the balcony and looked at her with large intelligent eyes. It had dark feathers and a large curved beak, resembling an overgrown raven, and when it saw she was awake, it hopped further into the room and towards her.
"What have we here?" it cawed in a high-pitched coarse voice and tilted its head as if to get a better look at her. "Pretty girl in King's bed? There was never a girl in King's bed, no, no. Neeee-ver."
Sarah wasn't sure what to make of the bird and backed away slowly against the wall, while keeping her eyes on it.
"I'm new to the castle," she said shortly. "Who are you and what do you want?"
"Ohh, it talks!" The big raven flapped it wings and took a few steps closer, and Sarah's feeling of uneasiness grew. There was something wrong, something menacing about the bird, and she quickly looked around to see if there was anything within reach that could be used as a weapon, but nothing really looked useful.
"King's pretty girl, I'm sure," the bird continued and squawked as if laughing at her. "Good, good, you can give him message, then. Message for King."
"Yes, I'll take your message," Sarah quickly agreed and hoped it would go away afterwards.
"Good, tell him this, then." The black bird spread its wings and looked straight at her. "His plan has failed. The spy is captive and have not long to live. We will triumph. Long live Lord Cederick!"
It cawed again and flapped its wings menacingly and then it turned abruptly and threw itself into the air and out of the balcony doors. Sarah waited a second, but then jumped out of the bed and quickly slammed the doors shut and bolted them, so she was sure the bird couldn't return. Her heart beat rapidly, and she leaned against the closed doors while trying to calm down.
What spy, she thought, and what plan? It definitely didn't sound good, and after a moment, she pulled herself together and went to the stairs to find Jareth. Whatever it meant, it sounded like it was urgent.
Her own room was empty and so was the throne room, so in the end she pulled out the tracker crystal and let it guide her to him. It led her out of the castle and through a dark part of the Goblin City, but the sky was clear and the city well lit by the moon and torches on the walls, so she had no trouble following it through windy streets and up and down sandstone stairs. At last it rolled against a door to one of the small goblin dwellings, and she could see the house was lit within and the soft murmuring of voices. She hesitated only moment, but then raised her hand and knocked on the door. It swung open by itself, and inside, three goblins and Jareth turned their heads to look at her – the goblins surprised and Jareth with a slightly annoyed expression. The tallest of the goblins was carrying a goblin baby, swaddled in familiar grey blankets.
Everyone was silent for a moment, but then Sarah looked straight at Jareth.
"Jareth, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I really need to talk to you as soon as possible."
He arched an eyebrow. The goblins behind him snickered and the one with the baby clutched it a bit tighter and glared at her, as the baby started wiggling and making mewing little sounds. Sarah suddenly realized what was going on and felt slightly ill, but at the same time also curious.
"Is that… is that the wished-away baby? Joshua? Can I see, …please?"
"Him not Josha!" the goblin said and scowled at her. "Him MY baby now and I call him Plup! Was my father's name – very nice name!"
"Easy there," Jareth said and patted the goblin on the head. "Of course it is yours, the Lady just wanted to admire little… Plup." At the last word, his mouth twitched, as if he was fighting back a laugh, but he managed to keep a straight face.
"Yes," Sarah quickly reassured the goblin, "can I see the little darling?"
The goblin sniffed in distaste and reluctantly stepped forward to show off the child. Sarah didn't know what to expect, but when she peeled back the covers to look, two enormous golden eyes stared back at her beneath a wild mop of white-grey hair. The baby's skin was a light golden-grey colour, and large pointy ears completed the goblin look – and then the baby broke into a huge toothless smile and gurgled happily – pulling at one of the ears with a chubby hand and waving at her with the other. Sarah couldn't help smiling back – it was rather cute for a goblin and it definitely looked happy and healthy – not at all like the sickly baby she had tended earlier this morning.
"He is very charming." She smiled at the goblin and it looked slightly mollified. "You are a very lucky goblin to have him."
The goblin hesitated a moment, but then bobbed a short curtsy. "Thank you, M'Lady. And now I go – Plup needs to meet the other babies."
Jareth put a hand on Sara's shoulder and started to steer her out of the house. "Come on, Sarah, time to go as well. Goodbye, Tokka, Tas, Reva. Take good care of him, you hear me?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," they all answered in unison, and then Jareth pushed her out and closed the door behind them. He continued to steer her away from the house without a word, until they were a good distance away and close to the Castle.
"Are you ok?" he asked at last and stopped to look at her, his uneven eyes meeting hers. His arm was still on her shoulder, and as if suddenly realizing this, he pulled it back sharply. "Your arm – it doesn't hurt anymore?"
"No, I'm fine," she said reassuringly, still thinking about the goblins they just left. "So this is what was going to happen to Toby? This is what you… the Labyrinth would have turned him into?"
Jareth looked at her speculatively and shook his head. "No, Sarah, he was never in any danger. Not with you to look out for him."
"What do you mean?" she asked with a frown. "You would have turned him into a creature like us, too?"
Jareth laughed. "Hardly! Whatever would I do with a baby? Even the goblins are more competent taking care of a baby than I am!"
Sarah glared at him, and he smiled wryly. "He was not in any danger, because you would have traded places with him if you had lost. I have seen so many children and so many questers, and when the love is that strong between them, the questers usually throw themselves at my feet and ask me to let the baby go and take them instead. That is what you would have done – is it not?"
She looked into his eyes and thought about it – and then nodded slowly. "Yes, I would have," she confirmed in a whisper.
"But never mind that," he said and snapped his fingers. "You had something to tell me, I believe? Isn't that why you interrupted me?"
Sarah couldn't believe she had forgot even for a moment, but quickly related all about the raven's visit, and as her story progressed, Jareth's expression turned first serious and then livid, as she repeated the bird's message.
"He grows bolder every day!" he hissed and started pacing back and forth, his hands clasped behind him. "And of course he's planning a trap – he knows I have to come to the rescue!"
"Jareth, what is going on?" Sarah asked startled. "Who are you taking about? Please tell me!"
He glanced at her and continued pacing, still with a deep frown on his face. "You've come at a difficult time in my reign, Sarah. It started three years ago, but has slowly been growing a bigger and bigger problem. 'Lord Cederick' as the raven talked about… is actually my old mentor, the previous Goblin King Cederick!"
"What?" Sarah said dumbfounded. "But that's impossible – isn't he dead long ago?"
"De-throned, yes, but certainly not dead," Jareth replied in a tone that made it clear he would have liked the truth otherwise. "He misses his power and rather than finding a life outside like all the other previous kings, he took advantage of a weakness in the Labyrinth and claimed a territory in the furthest end. He believes it is big enough for two kings and is slowly gathering followers."
"And it isn't big enough for both of you…?" Sarah asked mostly to herself, but Jareth spun around to stare disbelievingly at her.
"Sarah!" he sneered angrily and the fury in his voice made her take a step backwards. "This is not about power or glory or titles! Didn't you learn anything from the journal on past kings I showed you?"
He advanced upon her and held her gaze. "Cederick was the worst of them! Don't you realize what he would do of unspeakable things to the goblin child you just cooed over in there? And what he does already to goblins in the territories he claims as his?"
"I'm sorry, Jareth," she gasped and clasped her arms protectively in front of her. "I didn't think. Actually, I never made it to that part of the journal, so I didn't know. Of course he must be stopped."
His angry scowl softened a bit and he turned away and stared out over the Labyrinth. "Time is running short – trap or no trap – I must go. If there is any chance of saving my trusted spy and his little dog, I will take it."
Sarah felt a chill settle over her. No, surely he didn't mean…
"Jareth! Who did you send?" she whispered, and he flinched and turned back to her.
"I forgot you didn't know," he said gruffly and didn't meet her eyes. "But yes – it is your little knight friend. I'm sorry."