| She woke in the night screaming again, but stopped quickly realising it was just a dream. And Jareth was there again, waiting this time. He took her hand. �I didn�t know whether to wake you or not,� he said. �It�s OK,� she answered. �It was only a dream.� He sat next to her on the bed, but the thought of Jaden being so close to her that afternoon unnerved her. �I think I should go and � err � wash my face.� She got up on the opposite side of the bed to where Jareth was, and quietly but swiftly started walking towards the bathroom, passing her dressing table on the way. She happened to glance at it, and noticed something. This time there were two perfectly formed roses, smelling beautiful, lying next to her hairbrush. She moved closer to pick them up. They were tied together somehow. Looking closer she saw they were tied with long human hair. The hair was light ginger, which is an awful name for such a beautiful colour, and long and straight. Pascal had had hair like that. Michelle quickly looked back at Jareth trying to figure out his expression, whether it was his idea, a joke or a threat. His face showed no malice, just curiosity. �What is it, Michelle?� he asked, standing up to see what she was holding. �Nothing,� she said quickly, dropping the rose to the floor. She put on her best fake smile, which was pretty awful as fake smiles go, and then gave up. She walked back to Jareth, and got as close to his body as she could, and let him wrap his arms around her. She started to feel safe again. Quaggy waddled along the dusty ground of the labyrinth. He didn�t really want to do this anymore, but he was scared of both the men he worked for, and at the moment, Jaden was the only one who would know if he betrayed him. He hardly even saw Jareth anyway. All he�d done so far was put roses in the lady�s room. But he had seen Jareth get up that morning, and not from his own bed, and he wasn�t sure how Jaden would react to that. He got to the large gates of the labyrinth and opened them. He looked around and couldn�t see Jaden, so he waddled through the gates and shut them. Then he wondered further on, down a little path, and into a forest. Jaden was waiting for him. �You�re late, goblin,� said the arrogant bastard. �Sorry sir, I had duties to perform.� �Well, did she have the dreams?� �Dream?� �Yes, you stupid animal, the dreams I sent her.� Quaggy thought, which is a slow process in a Goblin. Jaden waited for a moment, then groaned and paced up and down a bit. �Well?� he said. �She did wake in the night screaming.� �Yes!� he said. �How did she react? Other than screaming. Has she done anything?� �No sir.� �No?� Quaggy shuffled his feet, and Jaden stopped pacing to focus on him. �His Majesty came to her.� �What do you mean came to her?� said Jaden, very agitated. �He heard her screams and comforted her.� �He�s gone soft. She�s gone soft.� �Sir.� �What?� �He stayed the night in her bed.� �No!� he exclaimed. �She can�t be falling for the man that raped her!� �Sir?� �She�s a stupid girl,� said Jaden. Quaggy looked at his feet. �What does she think she�s playing at?� said Jaden to himself. �We had a deal, and now she�s scared so she�s running from it. Stupid girl.� Quaggy kept his head down, but Jaden�s gaze returned to him. �If you�re lying to me, goblin,� said Jaden, �I can do much worse punishments than the bog of stench you know!� �It�s the truth, sir,� he said quickly. �Well, it�s time for a change of plan then,� he said. �We�ll keep going with roses, make her think of me as friend. We�ll get her to stick the dagger in, and then we�ll come and twist it for her. We can teach her a the same time.� |