Dreams Take Wing

"We are all of us dreamers of dreams;
On visions our childhood is fed;
And the heart of the child is unhaunted, it seems,
By the ghosts of dreams that are dead."
- William Herbert Carruth

The storm raged outside, buffeting the sides of the house with amazing force. Lightning ripped through the night sky and thunder seemed to shake the very foundation below. Rain pelted the windowpane, threatening to push open the window itself by brute strength. Not many had seen a storm like this in all their lives.

One witness to the gale was particularly unnerved, though not by fear of the storm, but rather by the memories it surfaced. She watched, bleary eyed as yet another bolt of lightning lit up the room, defining the shadows with an eerie light. At any other time she would have seen the storm as something beautiful, wondrous.

She pulled her legs in towards her chest and pulled the covers around her slim form in an effort to calm her mind. With wide eyes she watched the window closely, fearful to see any sign of movement beyond the double-paned glass.

Although she was extremely fatigued she didn't dare sleep, the dreams were so much worse than any storm. In her dreams she became vulnerable, and he could easily influence her, with a slight flash of his eyes he could make her his, capture her and hold her forever.

Shaking her head she sighed. Her hair, long and dark, fell over her shoulders. Against the pastel pink comforter and her white pajamas Sarah gave the impression of a ghost.

She certainly felt like one sitting there in the dark. Without a doubt she was tired enough, her sleep (when she had slept) had been riddled with images of him, with his maddening blue eyes and his menacing stare. She could almost hear his mocking laughter now, disguised only by the howling wind.

And the king of the Goblins certainly had a say in what the wind whispered, she was sure of it.

"Oh Hoggle, where are you?" She whispered into the darkness. "Why did you all leave me?" Expectantly she turned to the mirror across the room.

Her own reflection stared back plaintively, not once did the image in the glass alter. With an angered shake of her head she turned away, to stare instead at the print just beside her bed. There, beside the shelf of various stuffed animals and books hung the Escher print. The room of impossibilities, she smiled to think what her physics professor would say if she told him she walked in a room just like that.

Another strike of lightning and a few moments later the answering clap of thunder sounded. Sarah relaxed visibly. The storm wasn't directly overhead anymore. Slowly but surely it was passing. Just like everything else in life did.

It had been five years, a long time gone by so quickly for her. Just one more year left of college, and she found herself consumed by questions about her future. The children's book she wrote the year before had brought in a fair amount of money, and she knew it wouldn't be hard to make a living writing and illustrating. Still though, something felt missing, something wasn't complete.

Her stepmother would say she needed a man. That was always her answer to any problem Sarah had. Sarah had her share of boyfriends, and she knew of the other admirers. They all said she was mysterious, that she must be hiding something. Her closer friends would joke occasionally about her "Ophelia-like constitution". She never told them about her journey. Not to the closest of her friends. Perhaps that was what gave her the aura of someone hiding something. In a way she was.

But she hadn't seen her real friends in over a year. The first time they didn't show up at her call she cried for hours. No matter how hard she tried, they never came. There was never an answer why, and eventually Sarah decided it was because she needed to grow up, and become an adult.

Her thoughts were suddenly jarred by a particularly loud clap of thunder. Following it soon after she heard a scurrying outside her door, and a small hand began to turn the knob. Tensing, she watched the door creak open in the dark room, and small figure peeking around the frame.

With split-second timing the boy launched himself from the doorway into Sarah's arms, hugging her tight. She smiled sweetly at her half brother. "Have a bad dream?" At his nod she hugged him close. "Want to talk about it?"

They fell into a comfortable silence, watching the rain fall outside. As the storm passed the six-year-old child fell asleep in her arms. Sarah's smile vanished and was replaced with a pensive frown. Even Toby seemed to be plagued by the dreams.

The dreams that only haunted Sarah when she returned home. It seemed that the strongest, most vivid images came to her in her own bed. The memories were strongest here, her room laid virtually untouched, and her fairy tales still stood watch on their shelves.

Toby moved to curl up against her. Sarah smiled down at him. How fast he had grown. Every time she came home to visit she noticed it. He still had a slightly chubby face, and he knew exactly how to flash his eyes to get what he wanted.

A shiver ran down her spine as she glanced at the little blonde head resting in her lap.

"You have his eyes Toby." She whispered softly, then raised her head to stare at the Escher print on the wall once more.

She looked up to see her father watching over her with a concerned look, his hand half raised as he flipped a pancake.

A woman with short blonde hair walked into the spacious kitchen. "It seems you weren't the only one bothered by the storm. I just found Toby curled up in your bed."

"I think he had a bad dream or something." Sarah watched with half a smile as her stepmother gave her father a kiss. The smell of blueberry pancakes filled the room, the slight rays of sunlight made their way through the large bay window by the breakfast table. Outside the small drops of water still left by the storm glittered as the light shone on them. She sipped her juice and stared wistfully out the window. Weather was a strange thing, one minute cruel, the next kind. Changing so quickly, just like… No.

Her father piled two pancakes on a plate and set them down in front of her with a flourish. "Your favorite, blueberries and powdered sugar."

The woman smiled but shook her head. "I don't think my hips could handle them." She smiled in Sarah's direction. "There are some advantages to being young."

"You're wrong Sarah, if I stopped worrying, you wouldn't want to see the results.

She chewed thoughtfully and gazed once again out the window. The sun was trying its hardest to break through the dark black clouds which still grazed the sky. The park was probably beautiful right now. She finished the pancakes while listening to the normal conversation between her parents. Her father laughed at something Susan said and smiled. He was happy, that was the important thing. Susan may never replace her mother, but she made her father happy.

Pushing her chair back from the table Sarah walked her plate over to the sink. "I think I'm going to take a walk down to the park."

Susan looked up. "Let me get the picnic blanket so you can sit down. A waterproof one. God knows it must be soaking out there."

Sarah thanked her and bounded up the stairs, two at a time. She opened the door to her room and quietly walked inside, to see Toby still fast asleep on her bed. Silently she made her way over to her closet and picked out a long peach colored skirt and a cream sweater. She grabbed a few more things then made her way into the bathroom to get ready for her day.

Twenty minutes later she walked back down the stairs to find her stepmother with a small picnic basket. She took it from her with an inquisitive glance.

"I packed you a small snack too, I know how long you sometimes stay in that park." She smiled lightly. "We're going out for dinner tonight, the baby sitter will be picking up Toby at seven, we should be back by ten."

Sarah nodded and opened the door. A cool breeze met her, blowing back her hair, greeting her once again. She inhaled the fresh air, taking in the smell. There was a certain smell the air carried after a storm; it was different than any other smell he knew. It was something magical, something special. She continued down the streets to the familiar park with a smile on her lips.

The owl watched silently as she made her way across the bridge. Her dark hair flowed carelessly behind her, caressed by the wind. Se carried a basket with her, her skirt tossed softly in the breeze. Her beauty seemed to grow only more as she grew older, truly a woman now, but still so innocent, so pure.

Sarah walked across one of the stone bridges and sighed. Everything stayed the same here. No matter how many years passed, the grass stayed green, the stone pillars silent and strong. There had to be some magic
at work.

She made her way over a small hill. Finally Sarah stopped, under a large oak tree. She placed the basket down and took out the blanket, spreading it carefully on the ground. Settling herself on it she took in her surroundings. No one else was in the park, if one didn't know better, they would have through they stood in a medieval world. Even the clock tower had been almost completely hidden by the trees.

The park, fondly called "Camelot" by the inhabitants of the town covered a good twenty acres of land. It was purchased long ago from a neighboring estate by the city council, and had been well kept ever since. Sarah hoped it never changed. Through the trees there lied a path, which led to a boxwood maze, one of the largest supposedly this side of the Mississippi. She had traveled through it many times as a child, but hadn't been able to set foot in it since that day.

Once again she lost herself in thoughts of the Labyrinth. Something wasn't right there, something must have happened to Hoggle and the others. Something…

Trying to put that thought from her head she picked up a small journal and began writing. She always found that this park was inspiring to her, and she completely lost track of the time.

She hardly noticed the stirring above her head. Sarah looked up to see a large white bird flying away. For a moment she stopped, trying to focus on the bird, but it flew into the sunlight, blinding her vision. She shook her head and looked back down. It was only a bird after all; there were plenty of them in a park like this one.

Within the Goblin City the sun was rising. A pale ruddy orange tinted everything the light touched, the lakes carried a blood red hue, and the plants all seemed brown in this light. From an aerial view the land was desolate, barren, and uninhabited.

This particular sunrise found the Goblin King at his bedroom window, gazing out over his kingdom. The sunrise stayed unique. Throughout the time Jareth had ruled this kingdom he always found the sunrise different every morning. The clouds could change the color from yellow gold to blood red to regal violet. The leaves would sometimes sparkle with dew. A bird might happen to welcome in the morning, or on other occasions a light breeze would blow through the trees creating its own melody.

Today though, the King had other things on his mind. This morning he lost himself in memories. Memories ranging from years ago to just yesterday.

When he once again found her, sitting so beautifully under the old oak trees. She seemed troubled, and Jareth was fairly sure he knew the reason why. Hoggle and his cohorts had not spoken to Sarah in nearly a year. A small smile tugged at his lips. It seemed they were good to keep their word. Once, in a fit of anger he forbade them to converse with her, or she would be in great danger. It seemed now that they had actually obeyed him.

Then again, if he didn't tell them, if he just happened to drop them somewhere, a place where Sarah would have to find them, have to save them.

And she would. Jareth smiled. Ah yes, the lovely Sarah would indeed come for her friends. Then she would be once again in his kingdom, under his reign.

Sarah got up from the couch and walked over to her front door. The doorbell sounded once again before she had a chance to swing the wooden door open, shaking her head laughing.

"Of course not," a young man said " especially if it means the chance to gaze into your lovely eyes once more."

"That or Edwin just loves ringing doorbells." The woman standing beside him laughed.

Thus spoken of, Edwin frowned deeply. "I'm hurt, to think you would belittle me in that way. And after I traveled so long and so far just to catch a glimpse of your beauty."

Sarah sat down and studied her friends. Edwin, the perfect performer. His blond streaked hair fell carelessly - if not planned - in front of his eyes, and every few minutes he'd find another reason to push it out of his face. He said the style made him look more sophisticated, Sarah just thought it made him look cute. But then again, she thought a lot of things about Edwin were cute.

Just as Edwin filled the role of the fool, Carmen was the wise one. And exotic. Her Native American features reminded Sarah of a bird, and her long black hair hung down her back, drawn into a loose, shiny braid. Sarah smiled as she watched the two fight over the throw pillows on the couch.

Sarah remembered the first time she met Carmen. She was lost on her way to a biology class, and she ran into the tall dark-haired woman.

Sarah nodded. "Yeah, I thought it was down this hallway, but I somehow made my way back to where I started from."

"You too? It's right down this hallway. I'll show you." The girl took off walking, allowing Sarah to follow. "By the way, my name is Carmen Foxbright."

Sarah remembered now in the present how Carmen had surprised her. "The way forward leading you back?" It sounded so much like the Wiseman.

She turned to him, fingering a small gold cross around her neck. "I'm sorry Edwin, I just got lost there for a second."

Carmen looked up with a troubled expression. "What's wrong Sarah? Something is really bothering you."

Sarah laughed and shook her head as Carmen threw a pillow at the young man. "Thanks Edwin, but I'm fine on my own."

He protested mockingly, gaining another pillow in the face from Carmen. The girl laughed and turned to Sarah. "How would you like to get something to eat?"

Jareth watched her leave with the two humans. Just a few more hours, that was all he'd have to wait. A few more hours.

"Where is that flimflam that calls himself Didymus?" He walked around another stone wall of the Labyrinth towards the garden of the weavers. He really hated going near there, but since Didymus always could be found with those, those…

Hoggle shivered. It wasn't that he was afraid of the Weavers, but he didn't like to be around them either. They spoke in riddles, they floated off the ground. They reminded him of ghosts.

Which was why he dreaded finding Didymus at this particular time. The moon, full in the night sky, reminded him of a large crystal.

Hoggle shivered again. Now that was one person he didn't want to deal with on any level. It had been nearly a year since he had last seen the King of the Goblins. Hoggle kicked at the dirt aggressively. It had been a whole year since they last spoke to Sarah. Then *He* decided to tell them they weren't allowed to talk to her, at all. Ludo had taken to moping about, and Didymus filled his time chasing after monsters, or his tail to be more exact.

Hoggle, Hoggle just felt lonely. Sarah had really been his first true friend, for the dwarf, a friend is a strange thing to have. But Hoggle had made more friends. A few goblins at the local tavern always had a nasty word for him. ( and nasty words are of the highest compliment for a goblin) and of course there was Didymus, Ludo, and a few others. Yes, he did have friends.

He sighed and walked around the corner. Not watching where he was going he ran smack into a large figure. Stumbling back and murmuring curses Hoggle looked up to see who was stupid enough to cross his path.

Sarah laughed and waved goodbye to her friends as they drove off. Turning with a smile on she unlocked her front door, then turned back around and stared up at the sky. The wind was picking up, a warm muggy breeze, promising rain before midnight. Sarah shook her head and turned around, opening her front door.

The minute she stepped inside she knew something was wrong. The lights in the hallway were out, even though it was only ten in the evening. Her father would surely be up doing bills. That was what he did every night.

Silence hung heavy in the foyer. Every light in the house was out. For some reason though, Sarah could see, it wasn't pitch black inside. From above stairs there came a strange pale blue light. Slowly she made her way up, trying to see where the light originated. By the moment she reached the top however, she stopped and gasped. The light, now completely illuminating the hallway, originated from her room. The door closed, the light escaping from every crack it could find.

Carmen sat back in the car and sighed. "I don't know Edwin. She was acting rather strange. Let's go back."

The man driving laughed. "Sarah always acts strange, that's part of her mystery. That's the way things are with her." He smiled, but turned with a concerned eye to Carmen. "Why are you so worried about this anyway?"

Carmen looked down at her feet for a moment, then fidgeted in her seat. Finally she looked back up at Edwin, her face raw.

Sarah moved forward, almost against her own will. As her hand reached out to touch the doorknob she was positive she could hear her own heart beating. Expecting it to burn her hand in a moment, Sarah felt relief wash over her as the knob was cool to the touch. Taking a deep breath she gripped the silver knob tight and pushed open the door, bracing herself for the worst.

However, the moment the door opened, the strange blue light she had seen just before disappeared in a flash. Confused, she stood up straight, surveying her room. Nothing seemed out of place. Sighing she walked in towards the center of her room.

Suddenly the door slammed shut, the lock clicking firmly in place. Sarah bit back a scream.

"Can't you drive any faster?" Carmen watched the sky apprehensively. The situation didn't look good, and she began to *feel* again, something strange, something not right. Sarah was in a great deal of danger.

Edwin finished her thoughts out loud. "And here we are, nearly twenty minutes away. A lot of protection we are."

Carmen turned an angry eye on the driver. "I can't control it Edwin, you know that. I think we're both lucky it works, even late."

"I'm sorry, I'm just worried about her." The man fell silent and stepped down on the accelerator, taking the car to seventy miles an hour.

She nodded silently and gazed out the window once more. The lighting ripped across the sky. Whatever it was that was threatening Sarah, it had a lot of power.

Sarah whipped around to face the door. Sure, enough, it had been locked. She banged on it, screaming for help. The sound of thunder drowned out her cries. Looking up at the door she noticed the blue light again. Slowly turning around she found it coming from her mirror. As she moved towards it she noticed the light growing brighter, filling her room with electric blue.

The small voice from the mirror startled her, and although she couldn't quite recognize it she moved forward still. The minute she got close enough to see Sarah wished she hadn't.

It was Sir Didymus, looking a hundred years old. His fur bedraggled and his expression haggard. What was worse though was the fact that he didn't look ready to fight anymore.

"Fair maiden, forgive me for showing myself in such a state. I'm afraid though the labyrinth has been faced with a terrible problem."

Didymus sighed. "The edge of the Labyrinth is fading, crumbling down due to a spell cast by the king of the fey."

Sarah tuned away from the mirror, missing the moment that while Didymus faded from sight, he first morphed into a decidedly human figure.

Hoggle and the others beat against the mirror. Didymus stood up and screamed at the top of his lungs but the storm washed his brave voice out.

When the girl on the other side of the mirror paid no attention, the fox like creature broke into a fit of barking, banging a stick against the window, trying to break the glass or get her attention. Hoggle reached up and pulled Didymus back, ducking and swerving when the stick came near his own person.

"It's no use Didymus, isn't it obvious to you that Jareth just makes the storm louder to quiet us?"

Hoggle spun around. That was it, perhaps if they could at least get her to turn around. If only somehow they could do that then they might be able to get her attention.

"Carmen, we're only a block away, what do you expect me to do? I'm already going way too fast to be safe on streets like this." As proof to that statement Edwin took another corner, and the car nearly spun out from the slickness of the road.

"Damn." Carmen grabbed a hold of the doorframe and closed her eyes. She never had liked fast moving vehicles, but this time, this time she had to deal with it. Sarah was in danger, and they had to help her.

She glanced up once more. They were nearly to her house. The clouds had thickened so much the sky was nearly black. Lightning seemed to crash down all around them. The closer they got to the house the louder the thunder came.

Edwin calmly regarded the house and pulled the car to a stop in front of it. Carmen jumped out of the vehicle immediately, running up to the front door. Edwin opened his door just as another roll of thunder passed. They seemed to be in the eye of the storm.

Sarah closed her eyes and concentrated. "I wish…" She shook her head suddenly, something wasn't right. She couldn't do this, she couldn't face Jareth again. *But I have to… my friends need me. They've been there for me so many times, now I should do the same.*

Her fear gripped her heart tightly, but she still opened her mouth and said the final words. As the storm raged around her, she spoke the words Sarah swore she would never utter again.

She spun around and faced the window, not quite glancing in the direction of the mirror. The storm still raged, lightning seeming to strike the ground just outside her window. The room, illuminated with an ugly greenish glow.

Suddenly the thunder ceased, and the lightning disappeared. Sarah glanced apprehensively at the window, waiting for the visitors.

The wind however, began to blow with tremendous force. It seemed to her that it came from every corner of her room, blowing her hair around her face, whipping it into strong knots. The windows suddenly burst open, and the owl entered.

Edwin ran after Carmen to the front door of Sarah's house. She was already pounding on the door, trying to knob to no avail. Edwin signaled for her to step back, and he stared at the door. *I'm sorry for this Mr. Williams…* He kicked out and the door flew open.

Silence greeted them as the storm abruptly ended. Edwin called out into the darkness.

He heard a sound close beside him. Turning to his left he hoped to see his friend. Instead he came face to face with a small furry creature with big eyes. It was grinning.

"Carmen." He spoke to her cautiously, his eyes never leaving the strange creature before him.

"Look, I've got two freaks right out of Gremlins with huge grins on their faces, what's your sob story?"

Sarah couldn't look up, even when she knew he was standing right in front of her. She wasn't sure if she could handle the sight of him. After what seemed to her like an eternity, she slowly raised her head to gaze at the man in front of her.

He wasn't there. The window before her stood empty, with only the curtains blowing in the wind.

Sarah spun around, to find the Goblin King standing behind her this time. He still had that same smile she remembered, that smug aristocratic smile she couldn't stand.

She snapped out. "Not long enough." Stepping back a few steps she regarded him coolly. "What do you want?" She nearly slapped herself when she saw his smile widen.

"If I remember correctly Sarah, you *asked* to be taken away. So I've come to take you. I believe it is *myself* who should be asking you what *you* want." His smile disappeared briefly and he took a step towards her. "What is it that you want Sarah? And why would you call me to get it?"

Her words were lost for a moment, but as soon as she tore her gaze from the King she regained them. "Didymus told me that the Labyrinth was in trouble."

"Yes, and I'm sure nothing you would handle unless you absolutely had to. My friends are in trouble, and I'm going to help them."

Jareth shrugged elegantly. "As you wish. Just remember, the kingdom of the Labyrinth is an ever changing one, perhaps they are only experiencing changes."

"As will you if you venture forth once more. Sarah, " he took another step towards her. "No one ever enters the Labyrinth twice."

Carmen sent another hysterical goblin flying across the room. Two more advanced on her, and she threw pillows from the couch at them, sending the fur balls into a backwards tumble.

Edwin smiled at her as he knocked a goblin on the head with another pillow. "This why they're called throw pillows?"

"Go find Sarah." Was her only answer. He threw the pillow at the goblin and made his way up the stairs. Throwing open the door to her room he gasped.

Sarah had disappeared. Her window lied in shards of glass, and a man in midnight blue stood in the center of her room. As Edwin entered he turned around.

"I? I did nothing to her. I only came when she asked." The man walked towards him. "And I would do anything for Sarah. Would you?"

Edwin stared at the man warily. The question hung in the air between them, heavy and palpable. He looked up at him and nodded.

Sarah looked around her. The setting seemed familiar enough. Sunrise over the labyrinth. A strange feeling swept through her, something akin to longing. Sarah shook her head and made her way down the small hill to the entrance of the Labyrinth. Walking up to the large wooden doors she sighed. Hoggle wouldn't be here now to greet her with a sarcastic remark, with his can of fairy spray. With a puzzled glance Sarah also noticed there were no fairies here either.

With a deep breath Sarah pushed open the large doors and stepped inside the labyrinth. Her first thought was one of shock. There were no stone walls to greet her.

Her second thought was one of even more shock, for this wasn't even a Labyrinth.

The labyrinth no longer began with dark walls heading both ways down a seemingly endless corridor, but rather through a seemingly endless field of wildflowers.

*How am I supposed to make my way through a Labyrinth if I can't find the labyrinth itself?*

Sarah spun around to face what seemed to her to be an oversized koala. It watched her with small beady eyes and crossed its arms across its chest. Sarah noticed it was frowning.

The creature mumbled something unintelligible and moved away. After a moment it fixed its gaze on Sarah once again. "Lot's of people get confused here, it seems to be an epidemic. Heaven only knows how *I* put up with all these idiots. The king certainly has a wicked sense of humor."

"I'm really sorry sir, I'm just trying to find my way through the labyrinth, but it seems that there *is* no labyrinth."

Exasperated she scowled at the koala. "Yes, it *is* a problem." The creature smiled. Sarah shook her head thoughtfully. "I thought Jareth ruled the labyrinth."

Realizing she was getting nowhere fast, Sarah sat down on a flat rock and regarded the creature. "So why did Jareth put you here?"

Sarah tilted her head. "Oh, and I suppose the king of the koalas sent you here, right?"

"Don't be so saucy. For Jareth to have any power over me I'd have to be in his kingdom to begin with, don't you think?"

Edwin stared at the Goblin King with a mixture of fear and anger. "Where is she?"

Jareth smiled. "She's searching for her friends, who seem to be in a great deal of danger." The mockery in his voice warned Edwin not all was as it seemed.

"What?" The word hung in the air between the two men, an obvious threat. Jareth moved closer, his gaze dark with deadly intent. "What will you do Edwin, if I hurt your Princess?" He smiled.

"Well I don't know what *he's* going to do to you, but I plan on seriously kicking your ass."

Jareth looked up to hear the new voice, but saw no one standing in the doorway. Suddenly, and without warning, someone hit him from the side, knocking him to the floor. Struggling with his unseen assailant, Jareth called up a magic wind to push them away.

Jareth rolled across the floor, narrowly missing a fist in his eye. With a deep breath he threw himself far to the side, jumping up before his opponent. Then he called up an even greater spell, one he knew would stand up to anyone's magic. A cry arose from before him, and he faced his attacker for the first time.

She stared at him, silent. Held in place by his magic she had no chance to disguise her eyes. *Earth Mother, he _knows_*

"I think not. First, which land are you from, why are you here, and what do you have to do with Sarah and *this*" he waved at Edwin, who was also caught up in a spell-net.

"Sarah and Edwin are my friends, which I'm certainly allowed to have. But then you wouldn't know about *friends*, would you Jareth?" She smiled as he winced. "Where I am from means no difference since you know what I am, and why am I here?" She let silence fill the room and stared intently at the Goblin King. "Well, right now I'm here to kill you."

The deadly intensity of her voice startled him a bit, but Jareth laughed anyway. "Of course my lady, of course. Well, we can't very well stay here all night, can we?" Jareth flipped his hands and produced a crystal.

His smile sent shivers down Edwin's spine. Turning to look at his friend was difficult through the magic net, and when he saw her he wished he hadn't.

Carmen's eyes glowed a bright violet, their rage clearly visible from even this far across the room. Of the years he had known her he always *thought* she was different, but not *that* different. She always could sense things, but it seemed like that wasn't all she could do. Edwin couldn't help but smile. Sarah always said Carmen looked exotic.

Carmen turned in his direction and caught him staring. For a moment Edwin felt fear, but that soon passed as she smiled.

Suddenly the air around him lurched, throwing him off balance and making him feel rather sick. He closed his eyes to the sight of the room melting around him.

When Edwin opened his eyes again he found himself standing in a desert-like place, with a great wall before him. Carmen was nowhere to be found, but Jareth was.

"I'm in the kingdom of the Fey?" She rounded on the koala. "What are you saying? That I'm in a kingdom of a bunch of fairies that want nothing more to do than bite people?"

The creature laughed. "Oh don't worry milady, not *those* kind of fairies, you only find them in the Goblin Kingdom. No, the Fey here are quite different, and for the most part, *much* more hospitable."

The koala shrugged, and began to walk away with a gate very similar to Hoggle's. "Just that he rarely sends anyone here, he'd rather have the fun with his captives, rather than give them to his brother. They're really competitive that way."

The koala laughed at her, "Of course he has a brother! Don't tell me you never heard the stories of the Great Journey!"

The creature smiled. "Well I'll have to tell you sometime." It shook it's head and smiled. "But look at my manners! I haven't even properly introduced myself." The koala held out a large clawed hand. "M'names Coram, I'm basically the overseer of these fields."

She shook hands with the koala, smiling and she noticed how careful he was not to scratch her. "I'm Sarah."

The koala raised his eyes and whistled. "You certainly start at the top don't you?"

Coram grumbled slightly. "Not like I'm going to leave ye to fend for your own. Come on, we had better get started."

As they walked on Sarah wondered if the thirteen hours still held true in the kingdom of Jareth's brother.

She sighed and began to walk across the field with her new companion, who had begun to tell her stories about the flowers they passed on their way across the field. She hoped Edwin and Carmen didn't miss her too much.

Carmen sat sullenly in the corner of the room. She glanced out the window, sighing as she caught a glimpse of the sea. She would give anything to be there now. She *would* be there now, if it weren't for that damned Goblin King.

The magic nearly sung there was so much energy in it. Carmen stood up and leaned out the window. A small shock met her, throwing her back into the room. With a curse she spun around and threw herself down on a large armchair.

"When I get my hands on that. That… that *rat* who calls himself a king I'll…"

Carmen looked up to see Jareth standing before her, arms across his chest, am infuriating smile on his lips. As she watched, frowning, he made his way across the room and sat down in a chair beside her.

"Good. I'm glad you approve." He laughed at the expression on her face and stood up.

"Now let's see if we can straighten out a few things. Where do I start? Ah yes, of course." He turned to her and smiled brightly.

Carmen shook her head and regarded Jareth with open hostility. "Why I chose to travel to a mortal kingdom is of no concern to you. I had my reasons."

"You had your reasons, or did someone have reasons for you?" He smiled slightly as her eyes narrowed. "I thought as much." Jareth moved closer to Carmen and looked into her eyes.

Edwin looked around himself, then noticed something fluttering in the distance. Moving closer he saw it to be a beautiful creature.

"It's a fairy." He held out his hand in wonder as it landed on his wrist. "You're beautiful." He lifted a finger to touch it when all of a sudden he felt a sharp pain on his shoulder.

"Ow!" He tuned around quickly to see another fairy flying near his face. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you just bit me."

"Ow! Get away from me, you, you *things*!" He ran away from the swarm, and pounded on the large door in the wall.

The door swung open under his pounding fists and Edwin fell, losing his balance. Hitting the ground he rolled over to face the opening to the door. It closed slowly, but no fairies followed him inside.

Standing up and brushing himself off, Edwin glanced around. He seemed to be in a long stone corridor.

Confused, he looked left, then right, and then shrugged. He turned and walked down the left path, hoping it led *somewhere*.

After a few minutes of running down one side, he collapsed against a wall. "Why am I here?" He sighed and slid down to the ground, his head resting in his hands.

Jareth smiled. "Yes, *me. * Now what are you doing wandering around without waiting for instructions?"

Edwin smiled back darkly. "Oh, I don't know, I guess I just didn't like your welcoming party."

"Well Sarah never told me about you either." Edwin's eyes lit with amusement at the expression on the man's face. "So why do you have *me* here?"

Jareth ignored that comment; instead he fixed one of his gloves and turned around. "Well, if you solve the Labyrinth, within thirteen hours, you will get to see Sarah, and you can take that *other* friend of yours home too."

"Well, Edwin. If you don't solve the labyrinth within thirteen hours, your friend Carmen will be disposed of. Sarah, well, Sarah will still be on her hopeless quest, and you" The man smiled. "You Edwin, will be turned into a goblin."

Edwin opened his mouth to say something but the man disappeared quickly, his voice ringing in the air.

Sarah walked in thoughtful silence across the wildflower field. Didymus had said that the Labyrinth was crumbling due to a spell cast by the king of the Fey.

"Stephan." Sarah said the word softly, trying it out. It sounded like a powerful name, much like Jareth's.

Sarah certainly hoped not. She had had enough of one overbearing king for one day. Perhaps this Stephan would be easier to defeat than Jareth, perhaps…

"Aye, what is't that you'd be mumbling about there lass?" He turned, his beady eyes aglow with mischief.

The koala turned on her with a surprised look. "Why, he's truly the best king the land of the fey has ever seen! He's quite the eye for mischief."

"Mischief?" Sarah frowned. "I don't see how destroying a kingdom is mere mischief."

"Destroyed you say? I'd not be privy to any destroying goin' round here, but I'm sure his Majesty will be able to tell you. Come now, back over this hill here, and we'll be nearly within the castle grounds."

Falling back into thought Sarah followed him around the countryside. If the labyrinth was being destroyed, was it possible for this creature not to know about it? She thought that highly unlikely. So perhaps he did know, but would not tell? And if he didn't know…

Jareth paced about the chamber, plotting his next move. That damned boy had already made it as far as the hedge maze without a single pitfall along the way. At this rate, he'd be at the castle in no time, and he'd have to let them all go.

He walked over to a window ledge and gazed out. Perhaps he would just have to make things a little more difficult for the boy, just to let him know who was king.

And if it got too difficult for him? Well then, that was something beyond his control then, wasn't it?

Edwin turned another corner and frowned. "No, that's not right." Shaking his head he turned back to go the way he had come.

He spun around once more, wondering what the hell was going on. The path wasn't supposed to change, was it?

Carmen looked around herself and frowned. There had to be a way out of this damned place, if only she could find it.