The Labyrinth: Strangers Till Now

Chapter 11

Sarah felt over joyed to be back in the one place she always wanted to be. Jareth took Sarahs hand and lead her to the stone gates and inside the labyrinth. They went through an opening the opposite direction she last took, they were in a dark forest one she had never seen before. walking through the forest Sarah let her mind wonder for only a minute and before she knew it she had lost Jareth, Sarah called out his name but he didn't hear her. As she continued to walk her foot landed in a deep puddle of water the logs flouting in the water looked up at her, turning into crocodiles, Sarah screamed at the top of her lungs, backing out of the water Sarah then turned to run but the tree branches grabbed on to her shirt, Sarah looked up and saw not only the trees had hands but faces's as well. Terrifying faces. Sarah screamed until someone flung her around and shook her until she stopped screaming, slightly embarrassed Sarah looked at the trees again and saw nothing but wood "But I thought..." Jareth interrupted "The labyrinth can play all kinds of tricks on people I'm surprised you don't remember that."

Continuing on with Jareth he looked back and said "Best to keep close," Sarah hurried up beside him but still slightly behind, they didn't get to far before there was a scratching noise almost like an animal digging, right in front of them a burst of fire sprung from the ground Sarah gasped grabbing on to Jareth's arm unknowingly. "This way." only a couple of seconds later they heard the noise again Jareth turned and lifted Sarah up under the arms and put her on the other side of him just as a burst of fire exploded right where she was standing. The king did it so casually it almost seemed like routine or as if he knew exactly where the fire was going to move next. Of course he did the labyrinth was his creation.

"Just so you understand when we get to the castle you'll have to pretend to be my prisoner,"

"What!?"Jareth turned around "What do you mean pretend to be your prisoner?"

"Sarah I'm still The Goblin King I have a reputation,"

"So that's all you care about your reputation, well fine how about I get there on my own and you can just send your Goblins out to catch me?" Sarah said sarcastically, "Don't be foolish there are many parts of the Labyrinth that you don't understand" Sarah rolled her eyes in annoyance " All right if you think you can do better be my guest." Jareth stepped off to the side to let Sarah through his patients were wearing thin. Sarah held her chin high and walked only four steps past him before falling into the snow sands. Jareth's eyes widened out of panic. He fell to his knees and reached his hand deep into the sand to save her. Meanwhile, Sarah was falling deeper and deeper through the sand away from any sign of life but she mustn't panic Sarah remembered her situation with the helping hands all those years ago, so she Spread her fingers and arms this will slower your speed, when she finally came to a stop sand was packed tight in her ears and nose, if Sarah was to open her eyes millions of grains of sand would blind her. A hand grabbed Sarah's arm and pulled her to the surface Jareth laid Sarah's body on the ground "Oh my poor Darling, Sarah are you alright?" but she couldn't hear him, Jareth tried realising some of the sand but it was no use she was exhausted from holding her breath.

Jareth had Carried Sarah all the way to the gates of the castle, his guards came running up "Is that the prisoner?" one of them asked "Yes you must take her inside she needs medical attention" Jareth waited by Sarah's bed side until they were absolutely positive she was going to live. "When the girl wakes tell her to come to the throne room to see me." Jareth had forgotten how much he enjoyed being king, he sate in his throne for hours just because he could.

Sarah rose from the bed after being treated she had no idea where she was or how she had gotten there. The first thought that came to Sarah was that she must find her friends, boldly she walked out into the goblin market Looking at what all the small goblins where selling, "Miss, oh miss!" Sarah looked down at her feet "Did you say something?"

"Yes I did, I don't know what you think you're doing out here goblins hate humans one of them might kill you if it was to see you walking all alone."

"Oh I didn't even think about that" The Lady goblin passed a scarf to Sarah "Here put this on,"

"Oh thank you but I haven't any money to buy it from you,"

"Don't worry about that love you just tie it around your head so the goblins don't see you." Sarah smiled to show how grateful she was. "By the way if you don't mind me asking, what is a human doing here anyhow?"

"Oh well I'm looking for my friends but I don't know where to start looking this place is so big," Sarah told the female goblin of Hoggle, Ludo and Sr Didymus "Oh you mean those three," Laughed the goblin "Yeah I see them here and there you might want to try over by the swamp, I know that fox one is there." Sarah thanked her and left.

While Jareth sate on his thrown with one leg resting on top of one of the arms, "Your highness!" A Goblin soldier came running in and bowed quickly "The Girl! the Girl you Brought in here,"

"What of her?" Jareth said in annoyance

"She's gone" the goblin king rose to his feet "WHAT?!"

"She was spotted leaving the gates"

"Find her! and bring the girl back to me!"

As the Goblins went out to Search for the girl Jareth was furious! why would she go out after the danger she put herself in? Jareth was pacing angry and frustrated, That attitude in the forest it was as if she was still that 14 year old girl, if Sarah was to be queen of the goblins is this how she would behave? Jareth wondered being home again if what he felt for Sarah really was love or maybe it was just fondness between them, but then he remembered his fathers deal if Jareth didn't do something he may have to marry Edna the sound of her name made him feel sick, something had to be done.

While Jareth remained in his castle waiting, Sarah heard fighting as she traveled through the bushes of the maze, around the corner she saw Didymus and his Nobel stead charging at Goblins as they ran away scared, this made Sarah giggle "Who's laughter did I hear? Why my lady! is that really you?"

"Yes its me Didymus it's me" Sarah and her fox friend ran up to each other, Sarah picked him up and hugged him tightly. "My dear Sarah what are you doing here?"

"It's a long story but why aren't you standing guard at the bog of stench?"

"Oh I couldn't stand it any longer it spelt so bad I had to leave," Sarah remembered how her friend always said it smelt sweet maybe his nose was unplugged. "Well, where is Ludo and Hoggle?"

"My brother stands guard faithfully protecting the rocks, and Hoggle I'm not sure the last thing I heard was he is now The Goblin Kings assistant."

"funny I didn't see him at the castle" Sr Didymus was now more concerned "My lady what ever were you doing at that horrible place?" there was no time to answer questions Sarah was starting to feel guilty for just getting up and leaving like she did, they had to find Ludo and keep moving. Back at the Castle the goblins were their usual selfs, while he was away the goblins had gone and kidnapped more baby brothers and he had to sort all of it out. A goblin came in "Your highness!" the goblin bowed "Is there any sign of her?" Jareth went over and picked his subject up by the scruff of the neck while it was still in a bow position "she's in the swamp Sr."