Fic: Beyond the Thirteenth Hour
Title: Beyond the Thirteenth Hour
Chapter: 11/16 (Infiltrating the Castle)
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1,653
Summary: Two years have passed since Sarah's adventure in the Underground, and she's now coming to terms with her family's recent move. Not long afterwards, she receives a sudden plea for help from the Underground. Returning to the Labyrinth once again, she sets out with old friends, and a few new ones, to defeat Jareth again.
Note: This story has no beta, so please overlook the occasional mistake. Thanks in advance.
Previous Chapters
When midnight fell over the Labyrinth, Stacey, Sarah, and the others had reached the gates to the Goblin City, moving as quietly as possible, including Sir Didymus, who had been told not to make a commotion by Sarah, and reluctantly agreed. Upon reaching the outer gates, Ludo tried to push them open, but it was only to find that the doors had been bolted from the inside.
“Doors locked,” Ludo announced apologetically.
“Don’t worry about it, Ludo,” Sarah comforted the yeti. “We just have to find another way in.”
“And what other way is there?” Sir Didymus asked.
“Well,” Daedalus spoke up, “there is a hidden passage over by that dead tree. It leads to the castle’s banquet hall. It’s the same one that Queen Susan and Stacey used when they were heading to the hut in the Forbidden Forest.”
“And why did ye not mention this hidden passage before?” Sir Didymus challenged.
“Because I didn’t think I had to,” Daedalus clicked his beak in irritation. “I am not a fortune teller, so I wasn’t aware the door would be bolted. Besides, for all I know, the passageway hasn’t been used in years. There’s no telling what state it would be in. It might very well be unsafe to use it now.”
“All right, you two!” Sarah stepped in before Sir Didymus could continue the argument. “That’s enough fighting.” The owl and fox glared at one another before respecting Sarah’s request.
Meanwhile, Hoggle glanced over at Stacey, who had been quiet since Daedalus had explained the truth about her origins. The young girl was now staring silently up at the castle, which could be seen over the walls around the Goblin City. He slowly stepped up to her side and lightly touched her arm to get her attention. The moment he did so, however, Stacey gave a small jump of shock.
“I didn’t scare you, did I?” Hoggle asked.
“No, you didn’t,” Stacey shook her head. “My mind was just….elsewhere.”
“Somethin’ wrong?”
“It’s nothing. At least, nothing much. It’s just that…I guess I’m still a little shell-shocked from Daedalus’ story about my past. I was raised by a carpenter, and spent my entire life being tormented by Phoebe and her harpies, Hoggle. I was the last person you’d expect to be a…well, you know.”
“A princess?” Hoggle spoke cautiously.
“Yeah, that,” Stacey sighed heavily. “If we can defeat Jareth, I suppose that would mean that I’m supposed to become the new monarch. And that’s just the problem. I don’t know the first thing about it. I’m not so sure that I can even be a princess.”
“Well,” Hoggle replied, “for what it’s worth, I think you’ve proved that you’re more than capable of being a princess. After all, you were the one who was level-headed enough to find out the secret behind the Bog of Eternal Stench. And…you even put your own life on the line to save me from the Tarasque.”
“Yeah, that’s right,” Prometheus spoke up. “You even helped me, and agreed to help free my friends, even though you didn’t have to.”
“They are correct, Princess Stacey,” Sir Didymus agreed. “Being a princess isn’t just about sitting on a throne all day. They must look after their kingdom, and everyone in it. And when a crisis arises, they must possess a level mind, so they can continue to think clearly enough to come up with a solution. And ye have proved you’re able to do just that. And ye being raised by a carpenter; it means ye are able to relate to thou subjects. Ye will look down on no one, so ye will always be fair and just to those who come to thou.” Stacey reluctantly smiled at the reassurance of the two, but didn’t say another word about the subject, simply following the others as Daedalus lead them all to the secret passageway into the castle.
-----
As the group made their way along the tunnels, carefully stepping over fallen rocks and wooden beams, Sarah brought up something that she’d wanted to say for a while.
“Stacey? I’m….really sorry about your mother.”
“Why should you be sorry?” Stacey asked, not meeting her eyes. “You weren’t the one who killed her.”
“No, but…I can’t help but feeling guilty about it. I’m alive because your mother died. I guess, in a way, it’s my fault you won’t know her.”
“Now you’re talking crazy,” Stacey shook her head. “I’ve lived my whole life without her, haven’t I?”
“That’s the problem,” Sarah replied. “It makes me realize that I could have had it worse and knowing that leaves me feeing guilty.
“After my parents separated, I was so angry with everyone. I was angry with my stepmother, because she was everything my mother wasn’t, and I immediately made her the enemy because of it. I was angry with my dad for marrying her, and always taking her side. Sometimes, I was even angry at Toby, just because he was there. But that wasn’t fair. I know, I probably said that too much in the past. I didn’t think anything was fair. I never even stopped to think that someone else’s life might have been more unfair than mine. And after hearing about what happened to your mom, Stacey, I’m reminded of that even more. What’s even worse is knowing that I must look exactly like her. When you think about it, I practically stole your mother’s face. I’m so sorry.”
“Well, that’s the weirdest apology I’ve ever heard,” Stacey commented, a half-smile appearing on her face. “But for the record, Sarah, I don’t blame you for what happened. Like I said, I never knew my mother, anyway, so I’m used to not having her in my life. But now, thanks to you, I have an idea of what she looked like. And that’s better than nothing.
“By the way, if you don’t mind me asking, what happened to your mother after the divorce?”
“My mother’s an actress, and ended up marrying her co-star, Jeremy,” Sarah explained. “While we don’t see each other much, she sometimes writes to me. I got a letter from her shortly before my family and I moved to Kent, saying that they just had my half-sister, Tiffany.”
“Tiffany, huh? That’s pretty.”
As the two girls talked, Theseus scampered by them, coming up to Ambrocious’ side. After a few moments, he leapt up and perched atop the dog’s head. Ambrocious, ever the coward, reacted instantly, and ended up throwing Sir Didymus before dashing off to hide behind a rock.
“Ambrocious, you coward!” Sir Didymus called after his ‘loyal steed’. “It was only the gremlin! Come back here, at once!” To emphasize the word ‘once,’ Sir Didymus struck the side of the passageway with his staff. Seconds later, a low rumbling sound filled the tunnels, steadily growing louder. The rumbling sound was immediately followed by a wave of dirt and stones that tumbled down from the roof. When the dust settled, the group instantly saw that the passageway had caved in, blocking their way to the castle.
“Well, that was a really good move, Didymus,” Daedalus commented sarcastically. “Now how do you suggest we get into the castle?”
“I do not approve of the tone thou are taking up, owl!” Sir Didymus replied shortly. “These tunnels weren’t stable to begin with. Besides, all this sneaking around goes against everything I was taught during my time as a page. There’s no valor in creeping along like a worm.”
“And perhaps it’s high time you learned not to rush into things blindly,” Daedalus scolded. “It’s a wonder to me that you managed to survive this long on….”
“Daedalus, Didymus! That’s enough!” Stacey scolded. “Sarah’s right. You two are worse than Högni and Hedinn Hjarrandason. Neither of you are helping right now.” Shaking his shaggy head, Ludo took that moment to step forward, letting out a series of bellows. Slowly, the rubble that blocked their way began to clear away, creating a new path for them to take.”
“How’d you do that?” Stacey turned to Ludo in stunned confusion.
“Oh, that’s right. You wouldn’t know,” Sarah realized. “The rocks are Ludo’s friends. He’s able to call them whenever he wants. I suppose the same can be said for asking them to move.”
“Cu-chu!” Theseus’ ears twitched in visible amazement.
“Wow! That’s wild, Ludo!” Prometheus complemented, patting the yeti’s arm appreciably. Stacey, on the other hand, was staring at Ludo incredulously.
“Couldn’t you have done that before?” she asked.
“Be-fore?” Ludo blinked in obvious confusion.
“Yeah, like at the gates to the Goblin City! Those walls were made of stone, weren’t they? If you can make friends with rocks, why didn’t you just ask those rocks to move aside and let us come through?” Ludo simply stared at the Goblin Princess, the expression on his face revealing that doing that had never occurred to him. Seconds later, however, Stacey smiled and patted his hairy shoulder. “Aw, never mind, Ludo. There’s no sense in worrying about it now, is there? Besides, that might have attracted too much attention. No offense to Sir Didymus, but in this situation, the covert approach might be better. Now, come on. No sense in just standing here aimlessly. ”
As they continued on, Hoggle glanced up at Stacey.
“Stacey, who’s Högni and Hedinn Hjarrandason?” Stacey quietly laughed before replying.
“They were two kings from a group of islands called the Orkney Islands. According to the legend, they became enemies after Hedinn Hjarrandason abducted Högni’s daughter and married her. Both kings began an endless war, with the dead from both sides being brought back to life every night to fight again the next day, forcing Högni and Hedinn Hjarrandason to spend all eternity in a battle neither can ever win.”
“Oh,” Hoggle looked back at Daedalus and Sir Didymus. “Yes, I think you’re right. Those two really are like those two kings.
Chapter: 11/16 (Infiltrating the Castle)
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1,653
Summary: Two years have passed since Sarah's adventure in the Underground, and she's now coming to terms with her family's recent move. Not long afterwards, she receives a sudden plea for help from the Underground. Returning to the Labyrinth once again, she sets out with old friends, and a few new ones, to defeat Jareth again.
Note: This story has no beta, so please overlook the occasional mistake. Thanks in advance.
Previous Chapters
When midnight fell over the Labyrinth, Stacey, Sarah, and the others had reached the gates to the Goblin City, moving as quietly as possible, including Sir Didymus, who had been told not to make a commotion by Sarah, and reluctantly agreed. Upon reaching the outer gates, Ludo tried to push them open, but it was only to find that the doors had been bolted from the inside.
“Doors locked,” Ludo announced apologetically.
“Don’t worry about it, Ludo,” Sarah comforted the yeti. “We just have to find another way in.”
“And what other way is there?” Sir Didymus asked.
“Well,” Daedalus spoke up, “there is a hidden passage over by that dead tree. It leads to the castle’s banquet hall. It’s the same one that Queen Susan and Stacey used when they were heading to the hut in the Forbidden Forest.”
“And why did ye not mention this hidden passage before?” Sir Didymus challenged.
“Because I didn’t think I had to,” Daedalus clicked his beak in irritation. “I am not a fortune teller, so I wasn’t aware the door would be bolted. Besides, for all I know, the passageway hasn’t been used in years. There’s no telling what state it would be in. It might very well be unsafe to use it now.”
“All right, you two!” Sarah stepped in before Sir Didymus could continue the argument. “That’s enough fighting.” The owl and fox glared at one another before respecting Sarah’s request.
Meanwhile, Hoggle glanced over at Stacey, who had been quiet since Daedalus had explained the truth about her origins. The young girl was now staring silently up at the castle, which could be seen over the walls around the Goblin City. He slowly stepped up to her side and lightly touched her arm to get her attention. The moment he did so, however, Stacey gave a small jump of shock.
“I didn’t scare you, did I?” Hoggle asked.
“No, you didn’t,” Stacey shook her head. “My mind was just….elsewhere.”
“Somethin’ wrong?”
“It’s nothing. At least, nothing much. It’s just that…I guess I’m still a little shell-shocked from Daedalus’ story about my past. I was raised by a carpenter, and spent my entire life being tormented by Phoebe and her harpies, Hoggle. I was the last person you’d expect to be a…well, you know.”
“A princess?” Hoggle spoke cautiously.
“Yeah, that,” Stacey sighed heavily. “If we can defeat Jareth, I suppose that would mean that I’m supposed to become the new monarch. And that’s just the problem. I don’t know the first thing about it. I’m not so sure that I can even be a princess.”
“Well,” Hoggle replied, “for what it’s worth, I think you’ve proved that you’re more than capable of being a princess. After all, you were the one who was level-headed enough to find out the secret behind the Bog of Eternal Stench. And…you even put your own life on the line to save me from the Tarasque.”
“Yeah, that’s right,” Prometheus spoke up. “You even helped me, and agreed to help free my friends, even though you didn’t have to.”
“They are correct, Princess Stacey,” Sir Didymus agreed. “Being a princess isn’t just about sitting on a throne all day. They must look after their kingdom, and everyone in it. And when a crisis arises, they must possess a level mind, so they can continue to think clearly enough to come up with a solution. And ye have proved you’re able to do just that. And ye being raised by a carpenter; it means ye are able to relate to thou subjects. Ye will look down on no one, so ye will always be fair and just to those who come to thou.” Stacey reluctantly smiled at the reassurance of the two, but didn’t say another word about the subject, simply following the others as Daedalus lead them all to the secret passageway into the castle.
-----
As the group made their way along the tunnels, carefully stepping over fallen rocks and wooden beams, Sarah brought up something that she’d wanted to say for a while.
“Stacey? I’m….really sorry about your mother.”
“Why should you be sorry?” Stacey asked, not meeting her eyes. “You weren’t the one who killed her.”
“No, but…I can’t help but feeling guilty about it. I’m alive because your mother died. I guess, in a way, it’s my fault you won’t know her.”
“Now you’re talking crazy,” Stacey shook her head. “I’ve lived my whole life without her, haven’t I?”
“That’s the problem,” Sarah replied. “It makes me realize that I could have had it worse and knowing that leaves me feeing guilty.
“After my parents separated, I was so angry with everyone. I was angry with my stepmother, because she was everything my mother wasn’t, and I immediately made her the enemy because of it. I was angry with my dad for marrying her, and always taking her side. Sometimes, I was even angry at Toby, just because he was there. But that wasn’t fair. I know, I probably said that too much in the past. I didn’t think anything was fair. I never even stopped to think that someone else’s life might have been more unfair than mine. And after hearing about what happened to your mom, Stacey, I’m reminded of that even more. What’s even worse is knowing that I must look exactly like her. When you think about it, I practically stole your mother’s face. I’m so sorry.”
“Well, that’s the weirdest apology I’ve ever heard,” Stacey commented, a half-smile appearing on her face. “But for the record, Sarah, I don’t blame you for what happened. Like I said, I never knew my mother, anyway, so I’m used to not having her in my life. But now, thanks to you, I have an idea of what she looked like. And that’s better than nothing.
“By the way, if you don’t mind me asking, what happened to your mother after the divorce?”
“My mother’s an actress, and ended up marrying her co-star, Jeremy,” Sarah explained. “While we don’t see each other much, she sometimes writes to me. I got a letter from her shortly before my family and I moved to Kent, saying that they just had my half-sister, Tiffany.”
“Tiffany, huh? That’s pretty.”
As the two girls talked, Theseus scampered by them, coming up to Ambrocious’ side. After a few moments, he leapt up and perched atop the dog’s head. Ambrocious, ever the coward, reacted instantly, and ended up throwing Sir Didymus before dashing off to hide behind a rock.
“Ambrocious, you coward!” Sir Didymus called after his ‘loyal steed’. “It was only the gremlin! Come back here, at once!” To emphasize the word ‘once,’ Sir Didymus struck the side of the passageway with his staff. Seconds later, a low rumbling sound filled the tunnels, steadily growing louder. The rumbling sound was immediately followed by a wave of dirt and stones that tumbled down from the roof. When the dust settled, the group instantly saw that the passageway had caved in, blocking their way to the castle.
“Well, that was a really good move, Didymus,” Daedalus commented sarcastically. “Now how do you suggest we get into the castle?”
“I do not approve of the tone thou are taking up, owl!” Sir Didymus replied shortly. “These tunnels weren’t stable to begin with. Besides, all this sneaking around goes against everything I was taught during my time as a page. There’s no valor in creeping along like a worm.”
“And perhaps it’s high time you learned not to rush into things blindly,” Daedalus scolded. “It’s a wonder to me that you managed to survive this long on….”
“Daedalus, Didymus! That’s enough!” Stacey scolded. “Sarah’s right. You two are worse than Högni and Hedinn Hjarrandason. Neither of you are helping right now.” Shaking his shaggy head, Ludo took that moment to step forward, letting out a series of bellows. Slowly, the rubble that blocked their way began to clear away, creating a new path for them to take.”
“How’d you do that?” Stacey turned to Ludo in stunned confusion.
“Oh, that’s right. You wouldn’t know,” Sarah realized. “The rocks are Ludo’s friends. He’s able to call them whenever he wants. I suppose the same can be said for asking them to move.”
“Cu-chu!” Theseus’ ears twitched in visible amazement.
“Wow! That’s wild, Ludo!” Prometheus complemented, patting the yeti’s arm appreciably. Stacey, on the other hand, was staring at Ludo incredulously.
“Couldn’t you have done that before?” she asked.
“Be-fore?” Ludo blinked in obvious confusion.
“Yeah, like at the gates to the Goblin City! Those walls were made of stone, weren’t they? If you can make friends with rocks, why didn’t you just ask those rocks to move aside and let us come through?” Ludo simply stared at the Goblin Princess, the expression on his face revealing that doing that had never occurred to him. Seconds later, however, Stacey smiled and patted his hairy shoulder. “Aw, never mind, Ludo. There’s no sense in worrying about it now, is there? Besides, that might have attracted too much attention. No offense to Sir Didymus, but in this situation, the covert approach might be better. Now, come on. No sense in just standing here aimlessly. ”
As they continued on, Hoggle glanced up at Stacey.
“Stacey, who’s Högni and Hedinn Hjarrandason?” Stacey quietly laughed before replying.
“They were two kings from a group of islands called the Orkney Islands. According to the legend, they became enemies after Hedinn Hjarrandason abducted Högni’s daughter and married her. Both kings began an endless war, with the dead from both sides being brought back to life every night to fight again the next day, forcing Högni and Hedinn Hjarrandason to spend all eternity in a battle neither can ever win.”
“Oh,” Hoggle looked back at Daedalus and Sir Didymus. “Yes, I think you’re right. Those two really are like those two kings.