"Let me out!" he demanded between poundings. "I demand that you scoundrels let me out!! If you don't, I'll let Ambrosius have you for supper!!! Right, Ambrosius?!!!"

Upon hearing his name, Ambrosius ran and hid behind Ludo.   Hoggle sat back down after having fought with the goblin guard, and soon gave up all thoughts of escape, all thoughts of knowledge.  Even if Sarah was here, they would never get out in order to rescue her. They couldn't even rescue themselves.

"Oh, stop it," Hoggle bit out.  "They're not going to let us out, no matter how hard you hit the door, or how much you holler."

Ludo raised his head and said with a sorrowful moan, "Sarah..."

Hoggle sympathetically patted Ludo on the shoulder and tried to comfort the friendly beast. "I know," he said. "I'm worried about her too. I wonder where she's at right now."

Sir Didymus turned around and started wagging his paw furiously. "I wonder what that scoundrel is up to."  He looked up at the ceiling and swung his fist about. "Did you hear me?!" he began to scream to the ceiling. "I called you a scoundrel!! That's what you are, a fiendish scoundrel!! The king of indiscriminate insolence!!"

Hoggle put his hand over his face and began shaking his head. Who did that fox think he was kidding?

"Come and face me, O king of abhorrence!! Come and face me without your goblins and other grotesque creatures!! Come and face me, man to man!! I bet you are too frightened to tell us what you are up to!!? Hmm!?? We shall foil your plans, and you know it!! Do not attempt to hide it!! I am correct, am I not??!"

"Be quiet, already!" Hoggle shouted as he jumped up from the bed. "Sit down and shut up. We'll never get out of here in order to find out what he's up to, anyhow, so don't waste your breath."

Sir Didymus discontinued the thrashing of his fist and began oscillating his finger back and forth toward Hoggle and Ludo. "Have you learned nothing from the fair maiden Sarah?" he scolded.  "She needs us now, and we cannot give up on her!"

Hoggle brushed the canine's remark away with his hand. "Whatever Jareth's up to, he's determined. It's hopeless."

Sir Didymus got atop one of the beds and began to make gesticulated hand motions, his tail wagging violently behind him. "Aren't we determined?!!?" he shouted.

He looked around the room and was rewarded by long faces and hunched over figures. Neither of them were responding to his speech. Sir Didymus furrowed his brow and bit his lip.

"I guess not," he answered himself as he dropped his gloved hand.  The fox became thoughtful in expression and paced the length of the bed before swinging about suddenly and declaring, "But, what if the maiden's life is in danger?" His expression was hopeful and expectant.

"Sarah..." Ludo moaned.

Hoggle stood up decidedly. "He's right," the dwarf declared in a sudden change of mood. "We can't just sit here! We have to save Sarah!" he exclaimed. He hunched his shoulders and began to frown as he added, "So what do we do now?"

Sir Didymus looked around the room thoughtfully. "Maybe there's a secret passageway," he suggested.

They all began to scan the room for any signs of a latch or button that might control a hidden door.  Hoggle and Sir Didymus got on hands and knees in a survey of the floor and lower wall, while Ludo gave the ceiling and upper wall a thorough search. When finished, their inspection revealed nothing.

Hoggle had given up.  Now he was positive that it was hopeless.  "Nothing," he announced mournfully.

Ludo walked unnoticed to the mirror and began to look in it awkwardly.

"Well..." Sir Didymus proclaimed thoughtfully, "we have to think of something."

Ludo tilted his head back and howled Sarah's name with an intense and soul-penetrating moan. His voice echoed throughout the castle.

*   *   *

Jareth was distracted from straightening his leather dinner jacket by the echo of a far away howl.  It had been barely audible, but audible, nonetheless. 

"The beast," he mumbled to himself with a slanting of his eyes.  Jareth made a swift three hundred and sixty degree turn. "Guards!!" he screamed out furiously. When no one came immediately to his summons, he yelled again, with greater ferocity. "GUAARRRDDSS!!!" 

The goblin guards came stumbling into the room nervously. "Yes your majesty?" they rang out together with quavering voices.

"One of you go down to the dungeons and silence that beast!!! I don't care how you do it, just make him quiet!! The girl will hear it and try to escape!! GO!!" 

One of the goblins rushed out of the door and left the other two behind. They looked at the floor awkwardly and awaited orders.

"Get out of my sight!!' Jareth screamed. "I wish to be left alone!!"

In an instant, they had disappeared, as well. 

Jareth sat in his throne and tapped his fingers nervously against the arm of the chair. He already knew she had heard the cry. It was inevitable. The beast could have just whispered her name to himself and she would have heard it. She seemed to have a psychic connection with her friends.

But why was he worried? She couldn't escape his stronghold, no matter how hard she tried. Her thought process may have become more complex, but his had as well. Not only that, his powers had grown since she last encountered him. She had no chance of escape.

*   *   *

 Many years ago, the new husband of Sarah's real mother had enchanted the young Sarah with his lively personality.  On one particularly splendid day that she had spent with the two of them, her mother's love had given her a special music box.

The music box was shaped like a golden gazebo, and, within the gazebo a princess in a white gown had spun about to the tune of Greensleeves...

Four years ago Sarah had embarked upon the journey to rescue her brother and was traveling with Ludo, Sir Didymus, and Hoggle when Hoggle had presented the starving Sarah with a peach.

An enchanted peach.

Sarah had thankfully taken it, but had immediately become dizzy after the first bite.  Hoggle had left with a curse to himself for betraying Sarah's trust, while her other friends had continued to travel, unaware of her absence.

 The world had danced about her as four bubbles of glass bounced toward her on the wind...

And, within one was the twirling princess...

But, no,... it was Sarah...

And, then, she was no longer in the forest, but in an elegant ballroom, and was pushing her way through the crowd to find Jareth...

All of these memories rushed back into her mind as she gazed upon her image in the mirror, and the beautiful, glittering dress she wore.  It was an exact duplicate of the gown she had worn while in Jareth's enchanted ballroom.

And the sight of it gave her chills.

Until she heard a familiar moan...

"Ludo!? I could've sworn..."

She had heard the cry of her friend. She was sure of it. It could be that, under the influence of the tension the situation was causing her, she might be hearing things. Yet...

She sat down in front of the mirror and thought.

"Maybe I can contact them. I've got to do it."  She took a deep breath.  "Okay, Sarah, concentrate," she said to herself.

Her train of thought was broken by the sound of a goblin scurrying down the hallway. She listened to what he said as he passed the goblin guarding her door.

"What's goin' on?" the guard asked.

"That beast won't shut up! I gotta make 'im quiet the Goblin King says. Here, gimme your club. That ought'ta shut 'im up."

With that, he continued down the hallway.

Sarah couldn't believe it! Jareth had ordered the goblin to quiet Ludo with a club! She hated him now, more than ever. She concentrated in silence on her hatred of him. The more she thought about it, the deeper her hatred became.

And that was when the image of her friends appeared in the mirror.

* * *

  Hoggle sat down and tried to think of something. He wanted to come up with an idea, but he was no good at plans.

"Sarah!" Ludo cried out with excitement.

"Oh, hush that moaning, I'm trying to the of something," Hoggle told him irritably.

Ludo tried again.

"Sarah! Sarah!!"

"Be quiet!!" Hoggle cried out with impatience.

Ludo finally grabbed Hoggle by his collar and thrust the dwarf in front of the mirror. Sarah's shocked image awaited.

"Sarah?!" Hoggle exclaimed in disbelief, struggling to be relieved of the beast's grip.  "It is Sarah!!" he concluded between grunts.  Once he had gotten free of Ludo's grasp on him he exclaimed, "Look Sir Didymus! It's Sarah!!"

Sarah's face brightened up and she bent forward.  "Guys? I'm so glad you're okay!"

Sir Didymus rushed to mirror. He shoved the others out of the way so he could get a look. "Fair maiden! We were about to come to your rescue!"

Ludo spread out his arms and called out her name with simple affection. "Sarah!"  He then tried to hug her, but bumped into the mirror instead. Sarah covered her mouth in order to suppress a giggle, but quickly stopped her gaiety. Her expression became sober.  "Look, we don't have much time. A goblin is coming down there with a club.  And goodness knows what else.  We have to get out NOW."  She looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully.  "Let's see... I think I have an idea."

*  *  *

  The goblin came rushing back, club in hand. He entered the throne room at a sprint and bowed before his king.

"Your majesty, the beast has stopped howling," he said breathlessly.

"I can hear that, you fool!!"

Jareth got out of his seat and calmly approached the goblin. He put his finger on the club. "What is this for?" he asked with false kindness and curiosity.

"Why, to silence the beast, your majesty," the goblin said, his voice beginning to tremble.

Jareth's face darkened suddenly.  "You stupid fool!!"  He hit the goblin with the back of his hand. With a cry, the goblin went reeling to the floor.

"You -- you said to silence him your majesty. You said-"

"I know what I said, you ignoramus! I said silence him, not kill him!! If he hadn't stopped howling before you got there--" Jareth raised his hand, threatening to hit the cowering goblin again, but decided that it wasn't worth the effort.  He bit back his anger and focused it into energy.

As he lowered his arm, he walked over to his mirror silently.  He would just see what was going on in Sarah's chambers, just in case...

And was surprised when the mirror did not respond.

"She's using the mirror," he whispered to himself, his entire body beginning to tense.

The goblin got up and asked meekly, "What was that your majesty?"

Jareth turned around swiftly, his eyes smoldering with anger, "I SAID SHE'S USING THE MIRROR!! Go and get all of the best guards and take them here!! GO NOW!!!!" 

The goblin scuttled off with amazing speed into the hallway that led to both the front doors as well as the sleeping quarters of the guards. 

Jareth had underestimated her. How had she learned to use the mirror on her own?

He had misjudged her twice in one day.  Two mere pawns may have been lost, but at the loss of protection for the king.

Jareth swiveled about, his silken robes fluttering about him as he left the room.  He would have to turn the loss into a gambit. 

The game was afoot.

*  *  *

 Sarah looked around the room she was in. The walls were made of rocks that had been plastered together with some sort of crude mortar. They were made of rocks, nonetheless.

Ludo had made friends with rocks, somehow, long ago.  One call for help, and they would come to his rescue in whatever way they could.  They had done so twice in Sarah's adventures with him, and, once again, Sarah intended to put their services to use. "Ludo, that dungeon is made of rocks, isn't it?"

Sir Didymus brightened up and his tail became a streak of red as it oscillated.  "Rocks!! You're brilliant, fair lady! My brother Ludo can call the rocks!!"

Sarah's expression remained thoughtful. "Is there anything that you can hide underneath? Just so you don't get crushed by the rocks?"

Hoggle looked around and replied, "Just these beds. But Ludo wouldn't fit."

"Oh, he just needs to hold it over his head. You can handle it, can't you Ludo?"

Ludo nodded his head, his long, shaggy hair lashing Hoggle in the face. Hoggle slapped Ludo across the head and worked with exaggerated motions to get the pieces of hair out of his mouth.

"Okay, Ludo, call the rocks to come down in my room, also. Let's see if I can get out of doing Jareth any favors."

Sir Didymus cocked his head to the side and looked confused. "Favors, milady? I do not quite understand."

Sarah shook her head as she replied, "I don't either."  She explained no further, but immediately jumped back to the most immediate problem of escape.  "Okay, we'd better do this before the guards come to take me to dinner. You guys ready? I won't be able to control the mirror anymore, so you're on your own. I'll meet you in the throne room."  She made a quick note of her surroundings and gained composure of herself.  "Well," she said as she slowly faced the mirror again, "let's go."

The image in the mirror disappeared as her friends began to hide under the beds. Sarah did the same. As she waited, she admired the stained glass window. She wondered again about the beautiful plateaus, and almost regretted the window's imminent destiny.

Ludo's howl echoed throughout the castle. Sarah saw the rocks begin to come down around her. She watched in silence as the beautiful stained glass window came crashing down with the wall, the sound of glass breaking ringing in her ears, and the rumbling of the rocks causing her heart to pound faster. The rocks crumbled and destroyed all in their path.  The dresser was covered, the floor was covered, every square inch was covered with rocks. When she heard the last rocks fall, she climbed around underneath the bed in order to find an opening through which to climb out.  She picked her way carefully over the fallen rocks and headed in the direction of the now nonexistent doorway, the dusty moonlight glowing upon her skin.  She looked behind her at the gaping hole in the wall, which was framed by shards of colored glass.

She gasped.  It was almost as if the glass had not fallen. There, to her amazement, was the real-life image of the forest, the Labyrinth, the mountains, and the plateaus.  The exaggerations were not there as they had been in the stained glass window, but, in the distance, there stood a large plateau, the white moon above it instead of a brash sun, placing bluish shadows across the mountains and forest below.

She stopped in her gawking and forced herself to make her way toward the hallway.  As she passed by the rock-covered dresser, she saw the mirror, undaunted and glistening in the dim, smoky light. She ran down the dimly lit corridor. It went on and on for about a couple of minutes, straight ahead, and then turned left and right. Sarah tried, without success, to remember as much as she could about the way the goblins had led her.  She stopped at the end and was about to try and decide which way to go, when she saw a very large guard coming from each end, both charging toward her, and each possessing a club. 

"This should be easy enough," she whispered to herself with a smirk.

They continued to charge at a steady pace. When they were within five feet of her, she stepped back into the corridor she had come from and got out of their path. They ran into each other and knocked each other out with the impact. They moaned in agony and continued to lay sprawled on top of each other, obviously in too much pain to get up. She pulled her dress up and jumped over them.

"Sweet dreams, fellas," she exclaimed as she took the right-hand corridor.

* * *

Hoggle and his group had traveled throughout the castle and hadn't spotted a Goblin Guard yet. There was the one that had been standing in front of their dungeon, but he was crushed by the rocks. Ludo had tried to help the goblin out, and Hoggle had tried to explain to the beast that the creature was an enemy and wasn't worth helping. He only had a matter of seconds in which to do it. He finally had successfully dragged Ludo from the site and throughout the winding corridors of the castle.

They finally came upon a room with a table in the center. Hoggle knew his way about the castle fairly well, and this room was the nearest access to the hallway that lead to the throne room.  A group of three Goblin Guards were eating at the table, gobbling up mouthfuls of meat greedily. Hoggle held his arm out to block the others from going into the room. He put his finger to his lips to indicate silence.

After surveying the room carefully, he saw the door he was looking for at the opposite side of the circular room. 

"I'm not sure what we should do now. We needs to get past them," Hoggle whispered to the others.

Sir Didymus straightened up and prepared to charge. "We fight, of course!" he exclaimed in a loud whisper.

"SHH!" Hoggle exclaimed.  He paused thoughtfully before finally saying, "Wait here a minute. I have an idea."

"Where are you going?!" Sir Didymus asked excitedly.

"You'll see," Hoggle replied.

Hoggle crept up behind one of the guards. He waited until the goblin with the big nose had turned his head to face the goblin with the tangled hair, then the dwarf whispered into the former goblin's ear.

"You're ugly!" he exclaimed, trying to hide the pitch of his own voice, then silently slipping back into the doorway. It had worked! The goblin thought that his neighboring mate had said it. The first goblin stood up out of his seat and cried, "I'm ugly?! You're uglier than your mother!"

The shaggy-haired one bolted out of his chair  when he heard this. "My mother isn't ugly! Compared to you she's beautiful!"

Big-nose started wagging his chicken thigh furiously at the second goblin. "Oh really?!!"  With that he stopped his threatening waggle of the chicken thigh and he hit the second goblin on the head with the piece of meat.

The third goblin, who was a putrid green color, looked up from his plate and said,"Would you two be quiet? I can't eat with all of this noise."

He focused his attention back on his food. Hoggle prodded Sir Didymus, and without further ado, Sir Didymus snuck up behind the third goblin and whacked him on the head. With the greatest speed, Sir Didymus rushed back into hiding.

The muck-colored goblin rose from his seat and lectured,"That wasn't necessary! I just said to be quiet!"

With a clumsy swoop, he grabbed his plate and hit the second guard on the head with it. His victim obviously felt that he hadn't deserved the beating and demanded,"What was that for?!"

They all began kicking and shoving, and finally ended up in a brawl on the stone floor. Hoggle and his companions saw their chance, and snuck by the oblivious guards to exit the room through the opposite door.

Hoggle could feel the tide turning.

*   *   *

 Sarah had been running through the winding corridors for what had seemed like hours. She hadn't the slightest notion where she was going. For all she knew, she could be heading back into the direction of her cell-bedroom. Jareth had been wise in blinding her during the trip to her room. It had proven very effective.

She came upon her first dead end. She saw herself in the mirror at the end. She needed a second to find her bearings. As she did so, she noticed the magical effect the dress created. It was if someone had taken her childhood fantasies of being Cinderella and turned them into reality for her. The sad thing was that she was too old to enjoy them now.

She had just decided to go back the way she came when she noticed something strange about the mirror. She moved her arm; about a second too late, her image duplicated the move. Sarah waved her hand about again. There was still a delayed reaction in the mirror. It was as if Sarah's image were mocking her.  Upon closer examination, she found that her observation had been true. She moved her hand for the last time. There had indeed been a pause. 

Sarah put her finger to the mirror and touched it. The glass seemed to quiver around her finger. She tried to push her finger through the glass. It began to go through with little resistance; ripples oscillated from around her finger as she pushed through the liquid glass.  Once she had reached the other side of the magical looking-glass, she discovered with relief that she had made it to her destination.  She was on the other side of the oval mirror that resided in the throne room.

As soon as she had finished pulling herself through the mirror, she saw her friends making their way from the hall to the left of the throne and into the room.

"You made it!!"  Sarah was tense with the excitement of the situation, and was suddenly awed that they had gotten as far as they had without hindrance.  "Let's get out of here!!" she exclaimed to her companions as she made hasty steps down the hall that led out of the throne room and into the main hall.  She wanted a great deal to stop and embrace her friends, but she reminded herself that now was a time for escape.

"Glad to oblige," Hoggle replied sardonically.

They all made their way to the large door at the south end of the hall. Sarah's spirits flew. She was reunited with her friends and she was about to escape Jareth's clutches. She had never felt more relieved than she did at the moment.

Putting all of their strength into it, the group of friends began to push the tremendous doors open. Her heart sank, the more the door opened. The companions stopped midway in their work when they saw what had come of their efforts. They made careful backward steps to the center of the room.  The object that had taken them all of their strength to open, swung open by itself with a colossal swish then THUD! On the other side of the entryway stood Jareth... leading a large group of Goblin Guards.

The group moved forward slowly with Jareth, driving Sarah and her comrades back into the throne room with every step. Sarah felt a sudden sweep of defeat and sadness come over her. Their noble attempt to escape had failed.

A spear tip stopped her backward travels. She turned around to see another group of Goblin Guards that had covered the group at the rear. She turned back to look at Jareth and his group; her face became pallid and drawn. She had underrated him; he understood her thoughts more than she did his.

His eyebrows curved inward and a frown tugged slightly at his lips. "I warned you Sarah," Jareth commented in a calm and frightening tone. "We're playing by my rules this time. When you break the rules, you pay the price."

Sarah knew that his calmness was only for show. The pupils of his eyes flashed blue and he moved his hand in a throwing motion. Sarah followed the movement with her eyes, and saw that he had directed it toward Sir Didymus, or the spot that Sir Didymus had formerly occupied.  Once she realized her friend was not there, she looked frantically all about her to see where he had gone to, yet he was nowhere to be seen.

"NO!!" Sarah called out wildly as she faced Jareth, a snarl making its way across her countenance.  "Where is he?" 

He came closer to her and replied, an arrogant smirk on his face, "Why, with you, of course."  He then pulled the necklace closer to her face so she could see the silver charm that now hung from it.  It was an intricate sculpture of Sir Didymus atop Ambrosius; he looked like he was preparing to attack.  Sarah could feel the blood rushing to her face. If the goblin hadn't been holding her by her wrists, she would have hit the pale-faced man that stood before her.  "What about our deal?" She demanded.  "You were the first to break the deal," he answered, "and now we're even. Don't worry," he added as he walked toward his throne. "After you do my favor, I'll consider changing him back."

She turned her face away from his direction; the sight of him sickened her. A proclamation of her hatred fell from her lips without vocalization.  A dual desire resided within her; one wished him to know how much she despised him, while another was afraid of his reaction to her feelings.

Whatever she wished, he had heard her bitter remark.

He let out a ground shaking and terrifying scream. Sarah felt her eyes widen with fear.  He has gone insane!!' she thought as she became transfixed by his blazing eyes.   What is different?' she asked herself at the sight of Jareth's new behavior.   It is the eyes...the blue fire that lives in them...like his very soul is on fire and is desperate to escape....'

All of a sudden, Sarah no longer felt Ludo's shaggy-haired body brushing up against her. She looked to find him gone. She looked everywhere, but he was nowhere in sight. She took a glance at her necklace and found a new metal charm dangling from the chain. It was Ludo.

"I TIRE OF YOUR INSOLENCE!!" Jareth yelled as he turned around to face her.  He walked closer to her until his face and its burning eyes were only a few inches away from touching her own warming skin. She turned her head away. Strength enough to look him in the eyes did not reside within her.  She could not face the demon that lurked within; it shook her cold.

"After all I have done for you, you should be kissing the ground I walk on," he whispered to her in a deathly tone.

*  *  *

"Look at me!!" he commanded.

She would not look and it drove him crazy. He grabbed her by the chin and made her face him. He would not let her think that she would thwart his complaints so easily. The depth less pools of his irises bore into her eyes as she mustered the strength to look into their waters. 

Both of them flinched, but only Sarah turned away.  Her hatred for him was overwhelming; it pulsated in the blood that reddened her normally fair face.  He could feel her skin prickle beneath his fingers as she began to shiver.  She was afraid. Good, he thought.  You should fear me.  You will fear me thoroughly when it is over with...  He released her chin roughly and she tensed like an animal preparing to pounce.  A cold stare formed on the Goblin King's face as he waited for her to make a move, but she remained stationary; her body only shivered more violently, her down turned face mirroring anger and fear. Yes, he began to think doubtfully, I expected her to be frightened and angry... But not to such a degree.  Why is she shaking so? 

Jareth felt a warmth sweep through him, and it was only by the power of this warmth that he was able to realize how chilled he had been before.  He stepped back to re-examine the situation and suddenly felt pity for Sarah; it did not take a conscious effort for him to wish that she could pity him, as well.  She seemed to gain the strength to look up at him, her eyes widening somewhat in surprise.  After this initial glance, she stood up to her full height and returned his intent stare, hers hardening just as his had begun to soften.  It appeared that she was analyzing him, confused, just as everyone else was, about the purpose of his silence.

Let's just see what she has to say, for once,' thought Jareth a bit sarcastically.

She began to move her lips to speak, but hesitated.  Her mouth quivered a few times before she finally demanded, "Why don't you say something?"  When he only responded with the same penetrating stare she said, "So, you say you have turned the world upside-down for me?  What have you done for me?  You changed the hours of the clock once so that I could have more time to get back the little brother you kidnaped.  You plucked away my memories one-by-one...to weaken me?  I don't know your purpose.  You gave me a necklace so that you could flaunt the capture of my friends, so that you could have a collar as a symbol of your control.  You gave me a dress that reminds me of the time in which I was most vulnerable to you.  And I ask you again, 'What have you done for me?'  You have done so much for me that the mere thought of you--"  She stopped in mid-sentence.

His remorse dissolved away with the return of the cold; his curiosity had been satiated. He was done with listening, and she was now done with talking.  He would not tolerate her attitude anymore, and he would make it clear that his toleration had now come to an end.

Jareth finally turned around and calmly returned, "You are wise to keep your remaining feelings to yourself.  I do not care how you feel about me, but you should care about how it appears you feel about me...You have one friend left. You do not want to tempt me to turn him into metal, also."

*  *     *

 She knew he wasn't just threatening her. He was stating fact.  If there was anything she could count on Jareth for, it was for him to carry through with his threats.  She feared for her friends more than anything, but she also feared for herself.  If she angered him enough, he would not only imprison all of her friends in the pewter forms, but he would do the same to her; she would be a silent reminder of his power.  An unpleasant image flew swiftly through her mind of dangling from his neck, seeing everything around Jareth, but not being able to give a counterattack when he rose her charm to his face to taunt it.  He had brought her here against her will, and she had thought it unlikely before. She no longer took him or his present for granted.  He was capable of anything.

His face lit up as if nothing had happened.  "Now, are you ready for dinner?" he asked with a smile.

Sarah continued to glower. She did not have to smile if she did not wish; he couldn't do anything to her for that. "I guess I have no choice," she replied.

"You can be sensible when properly persuaded," he declared as he approached her.

With that, he looped his arm around hers and escorted her to the dining room.