*Still do not own them, just love telling stories about them.*

**Good gods its been two years since I last updated. Please forgive this Author and don't give up on me yet!**

Chapter 20

Impending Doom

Hoggle was dead. Or rather he would soon be dead. His emanate demise was soon to occur. Maybe he should just cut his looses and leave now? Hoggle shook his head, where could he go? He was likely wanted by the queen now that he betrayed her. Worse still, nothing he did was helping him calm down. Alternating between wringing his hands together and twisting his favorite bracelet had failed. Pacing was doing nothing either. He could not focus either to come up with any ideas because of the stench of the Bog.

On top of that Didymus and Ludo had spent over an hour arguing. Still arguing. He corrected himself, it had gone on so long that the sun was near setting.

Ludo was demanding that they retrace their steps. Didymus was trying to make the beast understand that is was quite impossible. They had used a one-off spell given to them by Jareth. It was like a magic tunnel that was meant to have taken them between where they were and where they had ended up. The dreaded Bog, where they were meant to wait for Jareth to show up with more allies.

Behind him Ludo complained more, Didymus argued and the others that were slowly joining only added to the chaos. Their orders were to wait in the Bog and Jareth would send any he could muster to join them. There were Dozens of his fellow dwarfs, the group of Firey's, a swarm of Fairies and several other odd and mismatched creatures. They all mingled and chatted, most seemed unconcerned with the hanging threat of the Goblin Queen.

The few who did have concerns kept coming to him for answer but he didn't have any! He was just a gardener, Hoggle rubbed at his head, it was loud and chaotic, and while standard for this place he didn't like being in charge. He wished Jareth would show up and bring some order, tell them what to do.

Hoggle groaned and rubbed at his head as a headache threatened. At this point none of that mattered! She was with them, then she was gone. Sarah could only be in a few places at this point. Either the Labyrinth itself separated them, this was most unlikely as she was not a runner this time; or the Queen had taken her.

Neither of the options were great and both would anger Jareth. No matter what they said, in the end they had lost Sarah. Jareth was likely to kill him. Hoggle fought back tears as he thought about Sarah and what she might be doing, was she afraid? Hurt? Hoggle chewed nervously on his nails as he contemplated the real possibility that she was dead already!

Hoggle sat heavily on a fallen tree branch, stewing in his own misery. With Jareth's small hold on the magic here it was very likely that even the Goblin King would be unable to locate her, let alone save her! Time was ticking away and any second now Jareth would be back, he could swear that he could feel his impending doom looming!

Even as he thought it he groaned "Jareth is gona kill me!" he mumbled, head in his hands and eyes on the ground.

"And why would I have cause to do that?" A smooth and eerily calm voice asked.

Hoggle jumped up with an undignified squeak and was prepared to run for it when he was caught by the cuff of his shirt and held. "Jareth King!" Ludo said above the other excited shouts. Didymus was by their side in a flash, "Your majesty!" he began "I take full blame, I hath failed as a knight and must beg your pardon, I shalt hitherto forsake my knighthood for mine errors!"

Hoggle still remained in Jareth's grasp and the King looked between the two of them. "Sarah Friend!" Ludo added.

At that the Goblin King seemed to take note of their missing companion "Sarah..." he said as he scanned the crowd. It was then that Jareth dropped Hoggle. "What happened?!" He demanded.

The noise level climbed as both Ludo and Didymus started talking and so did may of the others. Some excitedly asked what they planned to do to overthrow the Queen. Another wanted to know where he had been and some were even claiming that he might be an imposter. Hoggle could do little more than shake.

The clamor of so many voices continued to rise until Jareth lifted his free hand and barked a command of "Silence!"

The pull of his magic and the command of his voice brought near silence, only the bubbling gurgle of the bog resisted him. Hoggle swallowed in fear as Jareth turned his full attention on him. "Tell me now!" he bit out.

Hoggle wrung his hands in fear, not just of Jareth but of the reminder that they had failed and his friend was in danger. "We used the portal as you said," Hoggle began, "Was a short trip ,we was here in no time, b-but when we came through Sarah wasn't with us." His eyes stung as tears formed. "She was just gone between one step and the next and we couldn't even look for her, the portal closed!"

With a flourish Jareth pulled a crystal from the air as a clamor of excitement rose from the edge of the growing crowd. "We didn't mean to loose her Jareth!" Hoggle implored. "We would have gone after her if we could!"

Didymus nodded, "Tis true, just say the word and we will do thy will to rescue My Lady!"

Jareth remained focused on the crystal, several moment ticked by before Hoggle couldn't stand it any more. "Can you see 'er?" Hoggle asked, hoping against hope that Jareth would see something.

"She is either blocked from me or no longer in my realm." Jareth stated, he seemed almost calm. That was very unlike him and was almost as scary as when he smiled. Hoggle wrung his hands, unsure what do.

"Tell me in exact detail what happened," Jareth insisted.

Hoggle opened his mouth to begin when a commotion rose from the far side of the crowd. Moments later a Firey head flew over and stopped in front of Jareth. "Gona needa move it boss man!" it said.

"Report!" Jareth said, as he flicked the crystal out of existence.

"Swarm's reportin that the Queen ladies white birds be a comin!" it laughed.

Jareth turned to the south where the fairies swarmed near the main entrance. A wild display of lights and glitter conveying their message and what they saw. "We are not ready." Jareth cursed under his breath. "How many do we have?" He asked.

"We could hide?" Hoggle suggested, terror in his heart at what the queen might do as he had personally double crossed her.

"We shall fight!" Sir Didymus insisted.

"Where would you suggest?" Jareth Demanded and Hoggle could only swallow in fear. Despite it being his Idea Hoggle had no suggestions aside from jumping into the bog waters. Now they would be at the queens mercy, could Jareth save them?

Sir Didymus drew his sword. "To the death then!" He said with the usual gusto. "Ambrosia!" he called, running to find his steed, Jareth just managed to grab him before he got too far.

The Firey (now reattached to its body) said. "Hey Boss King, we's got's to get the move moving!" he insisted.

Hoggle began to shake in fear, "We are gona die!" he complained.

"There will be no deaths if I can help it!" Jareth informed Didymus and then glared down at Hoggle "This is not over!" he snarled as he lifted his fingers to his lips and whistled sharply. "Gather close!"

"But where can we go?" someone yelled.

The Firey took off his head again and began tossing it. "We got's ya King Boss! The firey's know a place!" It said excitedly as the rest of its group showed up. "Yep Yep!" many said. "its a groovy place to hide out!" one said.

"What about Sarah?!" Hoggle demanded. Torn between relief that their was a plan and panic over Sarah being left.

"We cannot sacrifice everyone here," he began, hands clenched as he scanned the gathered group, "even for Sarah." he whispered. If Hoggle had not been so close he would have missed the words and the pained look in his kings eye.

The Firey replaced its head and leaned in to whisper something in his ear. Jareth ran his hand over his face and then through his hair he looked down at Hoggle. "We must get everyone to safety first!" he bit out, clearly annoyed.

Chaos began as Jareth opened a portal to whatever location the Fireys had in mind and shouts rang out from the edge of the bog as the Queens spies drew nearer. Hoggle stood with Didymus, ushering all through the open portal into what looked like a large cave. There was shouting now as the white birds could be seen. Hoggle shifted from foot to foot, scared out of his mind but trying to be brave as everyone made it in.

"Where is mine brother in arms?" Didymus demanded, standing high in the stirrups of his saddle.

"Did he go through already?" Jareth asked as the knight scanned the dwindling crowd and Hoggle checked through the portal.

"It's pretty dark I can't tell!" Hoggle admitted.

The last of the group was through and no sign of Ludo. "We cannot abandon Ludo!" Sir Didymus insisted.

"Ya don't know fer sure we is." Hoggle insisted though he too felt unsure, Ludo would be hard to miss.

Didymus raised his sword, and looked set to ride to find their friend.

Jareth grabbed the knight and pulled him from his steed and unceremoniously tossed him through the portal, Ambrosia took no coercing, he simply followed his master. "We are out of time!" Jareth snarled as he kicked at Hoggle to get inside.

Used to such treatment Hoggle dodged the booted foot and dove through. Moments later Darkness enveloped them as Jareth closed the portal.

**End**

***Up next, Sarah gets a few steps closer to saving herself and the goblins***