The hedgemaze was just as confusing as Sarah remembered, the corridors twisted and turned for what seemed forever, she scrubbed her face in frustration.

Turning a corner she came face to face with a stone statue, she was fairly certain that she had encountered the very same stone statue three times already.

Sarah forced herself to take a very long slow breath in lieu of screaming.

Behind the statue an archway was half hidden in vines, pushing them aside she discovered a small courtyard with a large stone chair carved in the form of a pile of books. Her brows knitted, the chair was empty but, wasn't this where she met the sleepy Sage last time?

She looked around, there was no sign of the old man or his unusual hat. The courtyard was bare of anything else, other than another (or was it the same?) stone sentinel.

Stepping forward she noted an opening in the paving stones, a set of stairs set into the ground leading down, she stepped down to inspect.

There was a round wooden door with a closed peek-hatch at eye level. She knocked.

A high pitched voice asks,. "Who goes there?"

"Sarah."

Hushed whispers emanated from behind the door, at least two voices were apparently arguing, she couldn't make out most of it but it seemed to be about whether to let her in. Finally there was a click and the hatch flipped open, a ruddy beak peeked out, then exclaimed. "It's the Champion!"

A muffled voice behind the door asked. "Is she alone?"

The bird stretched his neck trying to look behind her, "You alone?"

"Yes." Sarah moved to the side so that he could see clearly.

There was a sound of bolts sliding and the door creaked open.

"Watch your step dear!" The wiseman admonished as he held the door for her as she stepped inside. It was a warm, inviting space with bookshelves haphazardly lining the walls, a stone fireplace was blazing, flanked by two cozy plush armchairs.

The wiseman led her to one of the chairs. "Now you may call me Harold." He raised his eyes towards his hat "And this is Cervantes." He pointed to her chair. "I believe you met Walter on your last visit as well." Sarah blinked, wondering who he was referring to. Belatedly she noticed that on the top of the little table beside her chair was another tiny table and two chairs set up for tea. The chairs were occupied, one with a familiar blue face.

Sarah smiled. "Oh! Hello!"

"Ello! Fancy meetin' you here." Walter smiled and proudly indicated the other chair where another worm was seated. "Meet the missus." The missus in question was fuzzy pink with thin yellow stripes running the length of her body, and wore a lovely little white lace bonnet embroidered with purple flowers.

Mrs Worm looked inconceivably elegant for an invertebrate and Sarah felt self-conscious of her tattered rags as she greeted her. "Nice to meet you ma'am."

"Oh, no formalities required, you may call me Violet." She lifted up her tiny floral tea pot. "Would you care to join us for tea?"

Harold handed her a teacup her own size, and pointed to the sugar cubes and cream pot on the table, accompanied by a platter of dainty iced cookies. Sarah's stomach rumbled painfully.

Settling into the chair opposite her, Harold cleared his throat. "Now young lady, care to tell us what brings you here again?"

Out of habit Sarah added a lump of sugar and a drop of cream to her tea but halted as she was about to bring the cup to her lips, she still didn't know if it was safe. "Uh... well, last night I was kidnapped and dropped in an Oubliette, now I'm looking for Hoggle an-"

Sarah froze as her hosts all exchanged awkward glances. "What?"

Violet spoke cautiously. "You don't know?"

"Know what?" Sarah asked nervously.

Everyone looked incredibly uncomfortable, Violet finally answered. "You see, your three companions ar-"

"Toast." Cervantes piped up, the others shushed him sharply.

A lump formed in Sarah's throat and her eyes filled with tears, everyone else glared daggers at the blunt bird.

Violet sighed and patted Sarah's hand gently. "We can't be sure, but… no one has seen them in quite some time."

Sarah blinked back her tears, "They disappeared?"

Walter nodded. "Yes, one day they was there, and the next they weren't, t'was bout the same time that-"

Harold cleared his throat. "We all try our best to stay out of the way, people tend to disappear if they don't."

"But, what happened to Jareth?"

Walter shook his head. "Summoned to the Capitol 'e was, we never 'eard from 'im since."

Cervantes quipped. "Then the upstart showed up."

"The new king? Doesn't he have a name?"

"If 'e does 'e 'asn't been very forthcomin', An even if I knew 'is name I wouldn't use it, no use attractin' 'is attention."

Sarah paled noticeably, Violet exclaimed. "Why my dear, you haven't touched your tea!"

Pushing the teacup away, Sarah shook her head. "I find that this bad news has ruined my appetite."

"But you must keep your strength Miss."

Sarah jumped up from the chair. "The new king is going to be looking for me. I'm putting you all in danger by being here."

Walter shookhis head mournfully. "Ye can't run lass, ain't no way out 'cept ..."

He stopped short and Sarah prompted, "Except what?

Walter looked around before continuing in a whisper. "Iz a cousin that lives in the castle, 'e says there's a mirror the king uses to go Above."

"Then it looks like I'll be heading to the castle after all. Thank you for the tea."

Violet urged, "Please, take the cookies that are left."

Despite her reticence, Sarah complied, adding the cookies to her meagre supplies. "I really should go, I don't want to put you in danger."

The wiseman led her to the door, Sarah turned and thanked them again for their hospitality.

Violet smiled. "Our pleasure dear."

Walter chimed in. "Take care now!"

As the door closed Cervantes called after her through the peephole, "Have fun stormin' the castle!" She waved and skipped up the steps.

Once she was out of earshot, Cervantes quipped. "Do ya think it'll work?"

Harold sighed as he watched her disappear into the maze. "It will take a miracle."

...

Now that she had a destination in mind Sarah set out with renewed determination. The midday sun beat down and soon her renewed vigor waned. She thought of her supplies, but there was no water, only the flask of ale and she didn't want to risk it.

She wearily turned another corner, only to find that the king blocking her path. He sauntered up to her, "My my my, the little mouse found a way out of her cage."

Anger revived her spirits and she crossed her arms. "Yeah, well... thus far your hospitality merits a negative five stars."

"Do not let your cleverness make you a fool, you may have escaped the Oubliette but you are still my prisoner. You will never escape this kingdom."

"Speaking of which, for a King of the Goblins, you don't seem to have many hanging around."

He made a grimace of distaste, "The vermin stay outside of the castle and out of my sight, on pain of death."

"Is that what you did to my friends?"

A cold smile creeped in to his lips. "Do not blame me for the handiwork of another."

"Jareth did that?... I don't believe you."

He raised a brow quizzically. "Whether you believe me or not is inconsequential. I am capable of far worse." He continued, "Your co-conspirators disappeared the day following your last visit."

Sarah blinked back tears as the realization hit her, that's why her friends never answered after that first night, Jareth had punished them for helping her.

Her captor seemed pleased at her reaction. "Of course, he had make an example of the traitors, if only to try to deflect the blame from himself." A cruel laugh. "It still wasn't enough to save his own hide."

Sarah gulped.

"As to your little escapade, I should put you right back in that hole but with only the bones to keep you company." He steepled his fingers. "But your efforts amuse me and since you disapprove of your lodging, let's get you set up elsewhere."

He grabbed her hand and she felt the world spin.

They appeared in what seemed to be the kitchen. At the sight of the king a few goblins dodged for cover, a large wizened creature stood at a kettle, yellowed tusks peeking from cracked lips.

"Cook! I present to you your new scullery maid." He turned away and disappeared.

Author's note

I am so incredibly sorry that it took so long to get this chapter out (more that a year!). The next couple of chapters are being edited so future updates should hopefully be much more timely.

Thanks to my reviewers Guest 2021, FelineNinjaGrace, lizziejean123 and RMBiehl.

The "Have fun stormin the castle!" exchange is borrowed from The Princess Bride (Best. Movie. Ever.).

Labyrinth and it's characters belong to Jim Henson, my O.C's belong to me.