9. Secrets
A cold draft blew through the Dark Castle dungeons. Salmon shivered, closing the door behind himself, and tucked the cloak tighter around himself. The king hadn't sent anyone down here before, the magic preventing anyone from crossing the threshold. It had been poor planning from High King's part, securing most of Lucan's 'playthings' in the dungeons of the very castle he was trapped in, but Salmon guessed the High court believed Lucan won't get his hands on any of it.
Of course, no one, not even Lugh could foresee that this would happen, and now the poor earmin was waddling down here, where things, available for use and understandable only to Lucan himself were kept. But Salmon did not dared to disobey king's order, despite the fact that this place could make even grawes run in sheer panic, and they were not easily scared.
Lucan had decided to raise his old army, and for that purpose, he needed two things that had been kept in this cold and dark dungeon. After grawes failed to bring the Aboveground maiden to him, he had been almost obsessed with finding ways how to get her in his grasp, and eventually had came to conclusion that his own creations will be the best to accomplish the task. Even High King had been horrified to learn about yorgs and what they were capable of.
Salmon carefully maneuvered between strange looking items, piled in wobbly heaps, most of it covered with thick layer of dust. The cold draft made the creature shiver and shrink as small as he could, and he could not shake off the strange feeling of being watched. Yet he kept going, his gaze darting around, looking for the requested items.
Reaching the furthest corner of the dungeon, Salmon stopped. Maybe the king was mistaken? But no, that was ridiculous thought, and one he would never risk to mention upon returning to him with empty hands. To his defense, the earmin never had seen those things himself, but Lucan described them very, very clearly. Moving carefully to climb on top of rickety pile of what looked like harmless boxes - and he hoped they were as they seemed to be - Salmon reached one of torches that illuminated the dungeons, and jumped back on ground, holding it tight in paw, once more scouring around the large room, not forgetting to take a peek into empty cells along the wall, but even with the extra light, he still failed to see what he was looking for.
Salmon thought for a moment, then began the third round through the dungeons, moving along the stone wall, now much slower, peeking and examining each and every object in sight. It had to be somewhere, right? He rose on his toes, lifting the torch higher to see what's on top of crates right next to him, when the dungeon door creaked, almost forcing him to drop the torch in fright. Salmon spun around, trembling in fear, prepared to face very displeased Lucan, but... there was nothing...except the door slightly ajar, although earmin very clearly remembered he closed them firmly shut. And it was too heavy to be pushed away by air draft.
He slowly began to retreat, closer to cold and moist wall, until his back hit... empty air, and he fell backwards into the darkness that so unexpectedly had appeared behind his back. Yelping in surprise, he landed on his back, blinking as the wall just as mysteriously reappeared in front of him, blocking the dungeons from view. Salmon felt for the torch which had fallen out of his paw during the fall, and lifted it up, illuminating his surroundings to see where the hell he was.
He found himself standing in huge passageway, twisting and turning far away from the dungeon. Where did it led, he had no idea, but curiosity got the best of him, and Salmon gripped the torch tighter, starting to slowly move forward.
It looked like a giant mole had created this tunnel. Its ceiling was high enough to allow even Lucan to stand in full height with no effort, and his head would not reach even the twisted roots that stuck out of ceiling and walls here and there. The sand crunched softly under his feet as he kept moving forward to see where the tunnel ends.
He had no clue how long he had been walking, when a small source of light appeared ahead. Salmon hastened his pace, soon enough reaching what was supposed to be the end of tunnel, but now the passage led upwards to nearly invisible hatch, the daylight sneaking through the cracks in it. Sticking the torch in sand, he carefully sneaked up to the hatch, carefully pushing it and found that it was not locked or blocked in any other way.
Peeking outside, Salmon's jaw dropped open. Right in front of him, the enormous castle wall was looming over the old, giant tree, the hatch hidden between its roots, but from the castle towers it was invisible thanks to thicket that grew around. The fog, which covered most of area around the castle, drifting toward the Goblin kingdom, did not reached in this side, making it safe for him to actually breathe the air. The creature blinked at such discovery. So it was possible to enter the castle without entering and crossing its territory, not subjecting one to danger.
Salmon did not lingered around too long, and slipped back in the tunnel, but not before carefully gathering dry leaves and masking the hatch from the outside. He grabbed the torch and rushed back the same way he came, back to the dungeon. But at the wall he halted in confusion. How to get back inside?
Earmin carefully examined the wall, but saw not a slightest crack or gap through which he could squeeze through. He moved closer, his snout accidentally touching the wall and...it vanished again, revealing the dungeon. Salmon did not believed he could ever feel relieved to see the dreadful place, but did not pondered about it, quickly sneaking back inside, making a quiet 'phew'. Taking two deep breaths to calm himself, he glanced behind, where the wall was back in place again, and resumed his search - he had enough shock about freshly discovered tunnel to seek any more adventures.
Suddenly a loud bang echoed through the dungeon, followed by blood-curdling howl. Salmon felt his fur rising up in fright, but legs refused to obey his mind that shouted order to move and run. Earmin stood like frozen on spot, staring with wide eyes toward the sound that approached him... the source of unknown howling was getting closer... he had to run... it would appear any moment and it would be too late...
Before earmin could get his legs cooperate with his brain, from behind the pile of clutter emerged... something. It had large, round body with no head, no arms, no eyes or mouth, just two legs on which the monster staggered closer, the howling coming from somewhere... inside it. Salmon quickly darted gaze around, looking for something to use as weapon, but found nothing. Without any more hesitation, he grabbed the torch with both paws and slammed it against the monster's side.
To his surprise, it swayed on feet, but instead of launching counterattack, the monster began to express itself in rather rude manner. Encouraged, Salmon hit it again, and this time it fell over and began to roll away, until it hit yet another wobbly pile of Lucan's junk which collapsed and buried the monster completely.
Holding the torch ready, Salmon slowly approached whatever was wriggling and clawing their way out of junk avalanche. He thought about running to get the king in case if it was something, escaped from one of crates, perhaps, even though he risked to be fed to whatever this thing was, if he would not present Lucan what he had requested first. But just when Salmon was about to put all the caution aside - come what may - and do call for the king, a head emerged from the pile, and dual-voiced scream rang through the dungeons. Salmon abandoned the torch and dove beneath the rickety table nearby, but the head submerged where it came from. Earmin clasped paws over mouth to muffle his fearful gasps, when a voice came from the pile.
"Salmon? That you?" It asked.
Salmon did not answered. He was neither crazy, nor stupid to reveal himself like that. The head popped out again, but this time followed by rest of body, no longer round - at least not that round, very clothed, with pair of arms as well, but nonetheless Salmon, seeing that, scooted deeper under the table.
"Salmon, ye bloody fool, come out!" The figure grumbled. "It's me, Nathan."
Earmin froze. Nathan? He peeked carefully and eyed the figure that claimed to be one of most obnoxious creatures in the whole castle. Yes, indeed, by the shape it did looked like the goblin - the only goblin in entire castle. The rumor said he was former Lucan's advisor, being unusually intelligent for goblin, and after the sentence upon the king was announced, Lucan had demanded for his advisor to also be sent to him, claiming that otherwise the Trial would not be fair, if the new Goblin King would have advantage of knowing too much about the former one. Fates only knew why Lugh and Jareth agreed to this demand, but there he was, no longer advisor, more like reluctant hostage.
Salmon carefully emerge from the hideout, eyeing the goblin... though... what was that?
"What's with your face?" He carefully asked.
"And what should be with me face?" The goblin retorted, but did brushed the sleeve across his face, and only then realized why Salmon had panicked so much, seeing the green paint smearing all over his arm. With a scoff, he grabbed some rag from nearby pile and began to scrub his face vigorously to clean it up. "Just wait until I'm done, I owe ye a couple solid smacks in ribs."
"What... wait, it was you? That horrible howling... that was you?" Salmon paused, his paw outstretched - he finally had spotted something that very much looked like what Lucan asked him to find - and coincidentally, it was among the junk that had buried Nathan moments ago.
"'Course it was me." The goblin grumbled. "Lucan sent me to look what takes ye so long. I stumbled against some trash and this barrel," he angrily kicked the remains of wood barrel, coated in green paint, "fell right onto me. Couldn't see a damn thing and stubbed me damn toes into something. Hurt like hell. Then something whacked me, twice - guess yer doing, I fell into this trash. As soon I poked me head outside - ye swing that torch at me head! What for?"
"You scared me. That green face and all." Salmon squeaked a weak excuse, his paws finally clutching the casket with golden intricate ornates around the lid edge, the Yorg king's insignia carved in center. Right next to it, he also found the small figurine, the second requested item, and sighed in deep relief. Now he could safely return to the king.
"Ye found what ye had to bring?" Nathan grumpily asked, still in bad mood after Salmon's earlier attack, and the earmin lifted his paws up, showing the casket and figurine to the goblin.
"Let's get out of here, I hate this place." He began to maneuver back toward the door.
"Join the club," Nathan snorted, following the earmin close in steps. "But I warn ye - try to swing anything towards me again, it'll be last thing ye do in yer miserable existence."
Salmon spared him the answer. Together, they left the dungeon, and the earmin with huge pleasure locked the door behind them, but his thoughts kept returning to the newly found tunnel. He already had decided to not mention of it for any living soul - the least of all, to Lucan. Or Nathan. After all, one could never know when a quick escape would be needed.
The fireplace in library pleasantly warmed her face as Sarah sat on the soft carpet in front of it, legs crossed, deep in thought. She couldn't stop thinking about Jareth, and the more she thought, the more confused she became about her feelings toward this handsome, yet cold and distant man.
She knew very well that the best attitude she could get was stiff politeness, equivalent to standing next to open freezer in middle of winter, and that if she got lucky. In freezing Olympics, Snow Queen would surely fall behind the Goblin King. Perhaps that's why she felt shivers rattling her body every now and then all day long...
Sarah tucked the thick shawl tighter around her shoulders, scooting an inch closer to the fire. The nightmares that tormented her all night, had left deep impact on her, and she could not forget the way the dream Jareth looked at her. And at same time another memory plagued her mind - his eyes, during their last confrontation five years ago. Again, she asked herself - had she been wrong in her assumption that Jareth did cared for her...and maybe more than that?
What was worst, Sarah knew very well that even back then, she found herself drawn to Jareth. Of course, she was just a teenager, and her feelings were clouded with fear for her brother, but still... It was ironic, in a sense. Her first serious crush was mythical and magical King of the Goblins. What was more strange, these feelings seemed to be still there, as much as she tried to tell her otherwise.
But she was no longer teenager, and could tell the difference between simple crush and something more. Or so she thought. Yet she was torn about doing anything with her feelings. Was it worth to reveal how she feels, risking to give Jareth chance to have payback for her rejection back then? If he was genuinely making his offer, his pride suffered great blow... and Sarah was not entirely convinced he had spoken from heart.
She was so deep in thought to barely even notice Hoggle walking in the library. The dwarf sat on floor near the girl and looked at her sullen face silently, only sighing after a while before he risked to speak up.
"Sarah?" His voice was quiet, but it was enough to startle Sarah - even though she did felt him walking in, but while he sat in silence, she almost forgot he was there.
"Hoggle, what are you doing here? And how you always manage to sneak up on me?" She gasped.
"Sorry, didn't want to scare ya." Hoggle pulled head into shoulders. "I just thought... ye look like ye can use a friendly shoulder."
"Don't need shoulder, I could rather use handful of grenades." Sarah rolled her eyes. She wasn't sure exactly against whom she would use them, but she did felt the need to let out the steam - somehow.
"Ye want to go to fight Lucan alone?" Hoggle's eyes widened like saucers.
"What? No!" Sarah snorted. "No, I'd rather knock out someone who's much closer and strolls around with as much cheer as Bog muck."
Hoggle suddenly smirked. "Sarah... yer mood has anything to do with... Jareth?"
Sarah grabbed the nearest book from table and smacked Hoggle upside head - true, not with much force. "Do. Not. Dare. To. Even. Mention. HIM!"
Hoggle was old dwarf, and he guessed that Sarah's anger is nothing more but disguise - an attempt to silence her true feelings. If he was not mistaken - and all the evidence right before his eyes said that he wasn't - some plate should be broken at any moment. The only problem - there were no plates in library.
Sarah did not let it stop her, quickly finding alternative in old box, placed near the door with hastily scribbled note attached to it - To the dump.
Instead of breaking nonexistent plates, across the room, pages rustling, an old book flew over Hoggle's head straight into the flames. The dwarf silently crossed fingers in hope that Jareth was nowhere near, because right now it would be very unhealthy for him to open the library door.
"Sarah," he said, evading the next book that joined the first one. "Sarah, calm down! Do you wish to talk about it? About...that and other things... ?"
Jareth just had parted ways with Sir Didymus after discussing the routes the army should take, and now was on his way back to the throne room, when passing by the library, his attention was caught by voices and strange noises that came from it. He had no desire to eavesdrop others conversations, mostly likely some goblin nonsense anyway, but then he recognized one of voices that belonged to Sarah.
If she was planning something against him again, there was no room for some politeness. Jareth made quick decision to find out her plans to thwart them before she can set them in motion. Quickly and logically weighing out all pros and cons, the king stopped behind the library door, but few seconds later moved even closer, hearing his own name mentioned.
Hm, she got herself an ally in there, he thought in quick realization.
In un-kingly, almost boyish curiosity, Jareth bent down to peek through the keyhole to see who Sarah was talking to. He could use crystal, of course, but magic always left traces, and he didn't wanted anyone to even get a whiff that he's been here.
He could not see Sarah, she was somewhere out of range of keyhole view, but at the fireplace... of course, Hoggle - ever so loyal and faithful friend.
Damned this friend thing, he cursed and listened in.
"Sarah! Stop tearing this place apart! Keep on going, and there ain't be enough books left in library for neither reading, nor burning!"
For Jareth, this sentence was like fire set in his tight pants, and only the desire to hear the continuation kept him from barging inside.
"Sarah, put it down!" Suddenly Hoggle screamed in panic. "Put this thing down! Put it down, I say..."
Something so heavily slammed against the door, Jareth was forced to leap back. What the hell this woman is doing there? What has gone into her? And what did she threw in there? Jareth quickly made mental inventory of entire library, but could not imagine what could have caused such heavy bang, considering Sarah's own weight category, of course. She was no fairy, but for mere human strength... it was unlikely she was capable to lift the heavy bronze statues in there, not to mention toss them around.
"Sarah, let's talk about it! Although, don't say a thing, I know what's in yer mind anyway! Ye like 'im, distant and all, but yer pissed because he pays no attention to ye!"
"I'm pissed not because of lack of his attention," Sarah didn't even realized that Hoggle had succeeded to provoke her to open talk. "I'm pissed because I like him!" Taking few deep breaths so loudly that even Jareth on the other side of the door clearly heard it, Sarah continued. "I mean... I should not even feel this way, although I always knew I did felt something for him, but... it shouldn't be this way! I can't, simply can't fall for that... that idiot... that walking piece of ice... that... !" She run out of appropriate epithets to direct to the subject of her feelings, and emphasized them in action instead, grabbing particularly heavy volume from the box and hurled it into the fireplace, the sparks flying, and Hoggle hastily patted the edge of carpet that began to smolder.
Behind the door, Jareth couldn't help but wonder whom she was talking about. In his castle, no one really matched her given description. He didn't know why he even cared about it. She wasn't talking about him anyway. A bitterness washed through his heart, realizing that what he feared so much, apparently came true. She had fallen for someone else... perhaps someone in Aboveground... Does her mysterious human lover who is clearly asking for his backside to be kicked with heavy boot, and unreciprocated feelings really is the best excuse to destroy MY library, he thought, clenching fists.
"Sarah," Hoggle tried to reason with Sarah in meantime. "He simply ignores ya. If ya ask me, I say, he tries to avoid ya as much he can."
"See? That's where the problem is. And I've no idea why that makes me upset, although I know I should rather feel relieved for it." Sarah went silent for a moment, sighing heavily. "See, Hoggle, I wish he would... see past who I was. I wish I could sit with him like with you and just... have a talk, I don't know. Something."
Listening her words and tone in which a strange hint of loneliness creeped through, Jareth realized it matched his own feelings. Even if it was not him Sarah was talking about, he still couldn't help but wonder who was the potential permanent citizen of Bog who made Sarah feel so lost and lonely. If I'd only knew his name, I'd gladly twist his nose to one side - with no magic, in pure human fashion, he thought.
"If ya wish to sit with him like with me, I don't envy him at all." Hoggle sniggered. "Ya give me hard time for good while now to avoid all ya throw around 'ere."
The silence in library was longer this time, and in meantime Jareth realized that he was feeling incredibly irritated of what he heard. The more Sarah spoke, the more he understood that he hated the fact it was not him she spoke about. What irritated him even more was the fact that apparently Hoggle had been aware of it, because he clearly spoke like it was no surprise discovery to him.
"Hoggle, you're my best friend. Best one I've ever had." Sarah's voice was getting more quiet. "Can I tell you a secret?"
"Of course!" The dwarf answered at once, but on the other side of door, Jareth almost glued his ear against the keyhole.
"I think... Hoggle... I didn't wanted to admit it for long time after... after...well, you know... I might be falling for him. I didn't wanted to in first place, but... I just can't help it..."
Jareth suppressed heavy curse. It was exactly what he did not wanted to hear. He wanted to leave to not hear her revealing some pathetic mortal's name who managed to conquer her heart, but his more nasty personality side longed to hear it, if only to know whose backside he should kick.
Nasty Jareth won in this duel, and the Goblin King remained where he was.
"Ha!" Hoggle triumphantly exclaimed, slamming fist on carpet beside him. "I knew it! I knew it! Yer falling for Jareth!"
From library a noise emitted, a noise coming from situation when someone is being silenced with help of huge pillow, accompanied by muffled screams for help, mixed with laughter.
Jareth, however, stood frozen like statue in surprise, his limbs growing numb, but nose twitching to one side without any outside assistance. And here he wanted to relocate it to someone else just moment ago. A part of him wanted to dance in joy, but there was other, darker and more sceptic side that silenced his happiness with one single memory of Sarah's firm, cruel eyes looking at him while saying the words that crushed all his hopes and dreams.
Only a fool would give into such feelings as love. Nothing but fiction, created by poets. Once he thought he might have a chance at it, and what he got instead? Cold and cruel rejection. And Jareth was not going to make the same mistake twice. He reminded himself that in truth, Sarah did not said she have feelings for him, it was Hoggle's statement, and it could as well be false. No, he would not subject himself to weakness and vulnerability again.
Allowing his sceptic part of mind kick the other, more joyful one into silence, Jareth turned and finally walked away, making a note to self to later check the library and assess the damage to demand compensation in full.
Unlike the king, Hoggle did not thought Sarah was talking nonsense. In these past few days, observing the girl, the dwarf was willing to bet his own and few fireys' heads as well that Sarah, whether she wanted it or not, had gotten some soft spot toward the king. Books and plates usually suffer the wrath in precisely such situations. And he knew very well that if Sarah did not felt anything toward the king, she would not feel upset or affected in any way about his attitude. Maybe he should consider playing matchmaker in all this mess? Oh, women...
As for the king, Hoggle decided with utmost certainty that Jareth was either blind, or his brain consisted of crystal balls only. Another option, although more unlikely, would be that His highness simply is unexperienced in matter of opposite gender and now feels like lost in human relationship labyrinth, but Hoggle dismissed this idea. If anyone had loads of experience in courting women, Jareth surely would be it.
Now that the dwarf was thinking of it, he had to admit that Sarah had lot of courage to go after Jareth's head in very first day, and she got away without even being threatened with Bog, which made Hoggle wonder if Jareth still harbored some feelings toward her. It was no secret, after all, that the book hadn't been lying - the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl.
Hoggle was no expert in love and any kind of romantic relationships, but - he realized he did fancied idea of Sarah becoming the Goblin Queen, and that these two could finally get some clarity about their mutual...well, whatever it was. They will either fall in love with each other... or they will kill each other, he thought.
"Have no worries, yer secret is safe with me. Like in crystal ball." Hoggle gave a comforting pat on Sarah's arm, but she narrowed her eyes, uncertain just how safe is the comparison with Jareth's favorite toys.
Seeing her suspicious look, Hoggle laughed and threw at her the same pillow that moments ago had been flattening his face.
