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In A Time Of Winter	By : Jetredgirl Category: G through L > Labyrinth Views: 5645 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Labyrinth or it's characters in any way. The Original Characters ARE mine, but I don't profit from them either :)

Chapter List
- 9
- 10
- 11
I do not own Labyrinth or any of its characters. I just covet them a little ;) OC's are all mine.
The Goblin Castle
Lunch at the castle was a raucous affair. Caolin and Sherryana watched over the children with Moirah.
Sherryana worried about her friend. Sarah had so loved the dwarf. When Caolin had told her the message he had received from he king, it was very hard for her to not think of what Sarah was going through.
Jareth had made sure to remind them to tell no one. He and Sarah wanted to be the ones to talk to the young ones.
Toby sensed there was something wrong since the evening before, but no one was talking. He sat next to his dear wife and held is infant son so she could eat. She was still a little weak and recovering from Jamey's birth a few weeks past.
He didn't like how his sister had just vanished. Caolin said they were fine, but he knew his sister. She would not just abruptly leave with Jareth, a vague message asking they watch over the children for the night. All trips they ever took were always well in advance and carefully planned because of the obligations the two monarchs had.
The door opened and in Jareth, with Sarah in tow walked in. The reluctant way she entered, the bowed head. What the hell was going on? Toby wondered to himself. He met Jewel's eyes and saw the same expression there.
"Is everyone finished with their meal?" Jareth asked. All eyes turned to him.
"Just about." Toby answered for the group. "What is this about?" He asked.
Jareth cleared his throat. "Something has occurred. A crime of a very serious nature has been perpetrated against The Goblin Kingdom and this family. Please my children, gather around your mother and I." He said as he sat down Sarah sitting next to him on the window seat.
Harmony sat next to her father, and Lily her mother. The twins Robbie and Perryn stood, arms crossed and the little ones crawled into the laps of their parents.
Sarah wrapped an arm around Lily's shoulders, seeing her worried face.
"Mom? What's wrong?" she asked.
Jareth began. "Yesterday, Our dear Hoggle was found..Well, see.."
Sarah looked up. "Hoggle has died. children." she said abruptly. Then looked down again. Lily hugged her mother tight and wept on her shoulder. Harmony while sad, was not so openly emotional. The boys looked shocked and the two youngest, Jariel and Karelinda, were confused.
"What happened?" Harmony asked. Somehow she knew. He did not just die.
Jareth took a deep breath to maintain control. "Someone has killed him. He disappeared the day before while we were gone, and he was found yesterday."
"Son." Jastiel, Jareth's father who had been standing off to the side. "We should speak when we are done here." Jareth inclined his head.
Toby handed the baby to Jewel and stood. "Who the hell would murder Hoggle?! Why?!" Jareth could see he was angry. He knew the feeling.
"We have an idea, Tobias, but nothing is certain yet. I want to call a meeting later this afternoon of Myself, you, my father, Caolin, Merrick, and.."
"I want to be a part of this. "Sarah snapped.
"I know. But you need to get some rest today. Please. Spend time with the children and take care. We will not discuss anything that will be kept secret from you. Just brainstorming. No plans will be made this day. We must mourn and lay him to rest before we can move forward."
"Alright. I guess I..I will send for Didymus and Ludo." She said, resigned for the moment.
Jareth handed his son to Harmony and stood. "I need to speak with Merrik privately for a few moments. If you will excuse me."
He didn't bother walking, just transported.

_
Merrik had reexamined Hoggle's remains. He had washed and wrapped him in a funeral cloth. Now he waited from instructions from Jareth on what to do.
He jumped a little when Jareth appeared before him suddenly. So deep in thought he had been it was a bit of a surprise. Even Jareth usually knocked to announce his presence.
"Merrik. We need to speak. Something else has happened. Sarah has shifted. how is that possible?"
"She has? Well, that is interesting. I don't know. It was probably the Labyrinth that gave her the gift. May I ask..?"
"A cat. A big one. I have never seen an immortal with that particular animal spirit." Jareth answered.
"True. Those who can shift are, which is rare in and of itself as far as I know, birds of prey. Never mammalian. Maybe her human origins?"
"I don't know." Jareth sat in the chair. His shoulders slumped. He was exhausted, but would not be able to rest until that night at the soonest. "All of these little surprises and beginning to wear upon me. Merrik."
The healer examined the king with his magic. He seemed healthy though tired and stressed.
He turned and rummaged through his cabinets finally finding what he was looking for. "My Lord, take this." He got a glass of water and using a dropper squeezed several drops into the glass then handed it to Jareth.
"This will give you a burst of energy for about 8 hours. After that, you must rest. If you need something for that or the queen does, let me know. I would like to see her as soon as she can get a chance."
Jareth drank the concoction down and grimaced. "Disgusting. Why do remedies never taste good?"
Merrik started to smile but stopped. The king sounded a bit like a child with that remark.
"If it tasted good, you would take too much."
Jareth stood, already feeling a little better. "Thank you my friend." He looked over at the table at the small covered form.
"Sarah wants to plan a service for her friend. I will let you know when." Then he was gone.

_
Sarah spent some more time talking and listening to her children after speaking with Sir Didymus and Ludo. She hated that she felt so helpless seeing their sad faces. After a while though, Moirah insisted she go to her chambers and lay down. They could see the dark circles under her eyes and weary expressions no matter how hard they tried to cover them up.
Robbie and Perryn were angry. The insisted they would be attending the meeting with the other men. It was at that moment Sarah really saw the young men were so much like their father. Before they had been teenage boys doing things teenage boys do. The serious look on their faces, looked so much like Jareth when he was angry.
She stood out on the balcony and remembered a few nights before. The last time she had seen Hoggle alive. How she had felt something was coming but she had not known what. She could never have predicted this.
Didymus and Ludo had taken the news well, though saddened. They called each other brother and would mourn him as one. Didymus swore to vanquish the perpetrators of such a heinous act. Ludo had gathered her in his big arms and let her cry into his fur, saying little, as was his way.
She spent the most time with the youngest children. They still were having a hard time with the concept of death. Moirah, seeing Sarah's pale and tired face had insisted on taking them to the children's quarters for a nap and some playtime. Sarah knew it was her place to take care of it, but she was just so weary and drained. She had given the older woman a grateful smile and hug.
Harmony like her father had been hard to read exactly how she felt. A little while after Jareth had left the dining hall she had quietly slipped away to be alone. Lily had openly wept and mourned with her mother, her sensitive heart unable to hide one tear. Eventually she did trail after her older sister, hoping to be of some comfort.
So now Sarah was alone. It was closing in on dinnertime and she knew Jareth was having his meeting. She should barge in and insist on being there.
She had not been left alone since Jareth had told her about Hoggle, except when she had been asleep at the cottage.
Now the terrible weight of her loss fell upon her like a ton of bricks and her shoulders slumped down, defeated.
"Oh Hoggle.." She whispered into the fading light. "I'm so sorry. I wish..." She leaned against the stone and wept. All the magic at her disposal, and it was useless. Hoggle was gone.

_
The men gathered around the meeting table. Jareth had decided to use the war room that he had not had to use in millennia but his study was impractical.
The group consisted of Jareth, Caolin, Toby, Jastiel, Ivan, Merrik, Robbie and Perryn, and Ivan and Jolena's son Van. Also attending Was Teagus head of the Goblin Guard, and at his insistence, Sir Didymus. When Sarah had told him of the meeting he had made a beeline for the castle. Jareth wasn't thrilled about it but Didymus lived by The Knight's Code and was determined to be part of the group that sought justice for the death of his brother. Jareth understood that so let him in. Besides he was eyes and ears among the creatures inside the Labyrinth proper and might offer some evidence.
Jastiel spoke first. "I want to know, are we in danger here? We need to be prepared." He said to the group.
"There is little chance of anyone infiltrating The Goblin Kingdom. We have the strongest shields in all of the underground." Caolin answered.
Toby stood. "Why would someone kill Hoggle? To prove that they can? I don't understand how this happened."
Jareth stood and held up his hand, quieting the din.
"To answer your questions. Father, We are as prepared as we can be. Our armies are always well trained and The Goblin Guard is lethal in all forms of combat. Certainly no cowardly trolls would take the chance of approaching our borders. Caolin is right and you can trust his word as my own.

Toby, they did it because it was an opportunity to strike a blow to our confidence. To make us think we are in danger. We are not so easily fooled but the populace of the Kingdom is different. Most are farmers and villagers who have limited education. Many our incredibly superstitious. We Immortals unlike many other kingdoms are a small minority presence here. The presence of The Labyrinth is what gives us our prestige and power. Otherwise we would be considered a minor level kingdom with little power in the underground. There are those to whom that power is incredibly attractive."
Sir Ivan scoffed. "Trolls would not be able to wield such a power. They are not competent enough to for a cohesive leadership in their own lands for the Gods sake."
Merrik stood then. "The night trolls are different though. Vicious and a few quite strong and smart. They have evolved over millennia primarily because for a long time they were hunted as aberrations of their kind. Look what they did to the mountain Ogres. We have one here in The Labyrinth but it is doubtful any more even live. "
Jastiel made foul look. "They still eat their own. Beyond disgusting. Is that what you suspect, Merrik? Night trolls did this?"
Merrik nodded. "The note was written on tanned troll skin. Who else would have such a thing? The forest trolls stopped such practices thousands of years ago. When they began trades with The Elf Kingdom there was no longer a food shortage for them."
"What did night trolls hope to gain by kidnapping a couple of dwarves and killing them?" Tody said as he paced.
"Well.." Ivan began. "Vergul was a night troll. Revenge?" He wondered.
"That doesn't make any sense really. He had abandoned his tribe long before he took on human guise. Trolls are not immortal and considering he failed why would they want revenge for a troll they would barely know of?" Jareth said to the group.
Teagus who had been standing quietly by the door took a few step forward. "May I, My Lord?" He asked his king.
"Of course, Teagus." Jareth said with a sweep of his hand.
"We have not yet found any sign of the other dwarf. Would he be working with the trolls to strike against The Goblin Kingdom? It sounds foolish I know, but the trolls in the black mountains do have access to some dark magic as we have seen. Perhaps they have found a magic wielder they believe can hurt us."
"Hoggle was not killed by Magic" Merrik replied. "Brute force and violence. Hoggle was in no way able to fight and would have not been strong enough he was quite old and only in fair health. They could have merely snapped his neck if all they wanted was to kill something but they chose to torture and murder him slowly. They were definitely sending a message to this kingdom. What that message is I cannot fathom."
"That is the one issue I have yet to understand. Killing Hoggle was no feather in anyone's cap. The only reason anyone would have targeted him specifically is his connection to Sarah. Which makes me fear that she is a target." Jareth announced. "I do not think you will find Merkle's remains because I do not believe he is dead. I do not know yet what role he played in this, but he must have told the trolls of Hoggle's friendship with her. It is well known among royal circles but in the Troll lands? No trolls ever attend court or go anywhere near Talystra. How else would they know?"
"So what do we do?" Robbie asked his father.
"The only thing we can do. We figure out a way to get into the troll lands and find that dwarf." Jareth said grimly.
The group was silent for a moment everyone looking at each other. One by one they agreed.
"Teagus and Caolin you will meet me here in the morning and we will begin a plan. Toby and Ivan, I will expect when we implement it, you will stay here. No arguing, Tobias." Jareth held his hand up when he saw the younger man was going to argue. "I need you to watch over my family while I am gone. I will let you all know a time table when it is set."
The meeting broke up and everyone went their separate ways, much weighing on all of their minds.

_
As soon as the group broke up, Jareth transported to his chambers. He had felt the familiar tugs of his wife's words, I wish. After all these years, those two words pulled him like a moth to a flame.
He found her on the balcony. Her back against the ledge, arms curled around her legs, chin on her knees. Her eyes swollen and red and cheeks wet.
His heart broke. How he wished he could wrap his hands around the neck of whatever creature had caused his Sarah anguish.
He sat next to her and put an arm over her shoulders.
"Sarah? Why don't you come inside. It's getting cold. You will do no good catching a chill."
She looked at him with those big green eyes full of sorrow. "I knew something was wrong. The last time I saw him was from here. I felt something...I should have helped him! I should have called him back! Why didn't you let him have a room in the castle! He would have been safe here!"
She hit him hard in the chest and shoved him away. Then she stood and stomped into the bedchamber.
"He was your subject! You should have made sure he could not leave here! Or I should have! "
She yelled at Jareth as he entered behind her. "This should not have happened! He was good friend to us! He deserved better! Justinia told me what happened. Merrick told her! How could someone do that! He was just a dwarf! An old man who never hurt anyone!"
"Sarah!" Jareth tried to keep his voice calm. He knew she was upset and needed to vent. Even if the words hurt, he could deal with it. Grabbed her by her upper arms and held her still. Well as still as he could considering she was struggling to get away.
"Sarah," He said softer this time. "Love, please calm yourself. You're going to work yourself into a frenzy once more."
She stopped struggling and stared at him realization dawning. "Oh God..I'm sorry. I didn't mean..I know it wasn't your fault. He was too stubborn to live here I know. I'm just so..." She sighed and put her face in her hands. "I so tired. I need sleep."
Jareth ran his hands down her body changing her into a nightgown. "That is a good idea. Do not apologize I know you are angry. I am angry too. He may not have been a favorite of mine, but I would have wanted any harm to come to him."
Sarah turned and approached the bed looking over her shoulder at her husband. "Will you stay with me?"
He changed into his sleep pants to show he would. "I am not going anywhere, precious."
Sarah smiled a sad smile at him. "What happened to the policy of changing our clothes like normal people?"
"I think we can make an exception." Jareth said. He turned the covers down and helped her into bed, then pulled the blankets over her. Then he went to the other side and crawled in next to her.
He laid on his back and Sarah snuggled up to him, then he snaked his arms around her and held her tightly. "Sleep now, Sarah."
She did. It wasn't long before 2 days of being awake caught up with Jareth and he soon followed.

_
A few hours later he woke to soft kisses across his chest. "What..Sarah?" He mumbled one eye cracking open.
"I need you. I need to feel you inside me. I need..I don't know why, I just I want to be with you and close to you."
She moved over him and straddled his waist. She ground her body against his and kissed him deeply. Jareth was instantly wide awake.
Jareth had been surprised, but not shocked. Often in the face of loss, those left behind become very driven by their life force to counter that loss with the need for the very stuff of life. Passion, love, sex, desire.
His hands began a trail over her waist and up her body. He took her breasts in his hands and rubbed his thumbs over her nipples making her shudder.
She wrenched her mouth away from his and practically ripped her nightgown off. She had woken with an almost insatiable need to make love with her husband.
"Oh god..Jareth.." She groaned as his mouth traveled from her mouth down her neck. She sat up further and his lips wrapped around one swollen nipple and sucked. She almost came apart right then.
She could feel his hard length pressing against her thigh. She ran a hand over his leg and his pants disappeared.
Jareth slid his fingers down her stomach and cupped her center. He found her hot and ready.
He shifted to place himself at her entrance and she stopped him. "Wait. From behind." She breathed.
She moved off of him and kneeled. He grinned as he took in her beauty. "My beautiful wife." He murmured as he kissed and nibbled the skin of her shoulders and back.
She spread her legs far apart and he got behind her. With no pretense his slid his hard length into her body filling her as only he could. Grabbing her hips and setting the hard steady rhythm that he knew she preferred. Moving in just the way to hit all those spots only he knew about. The ones that made her scream for him. Then he leaned over her and used his fingers on her clit, circling it with his thumb, then tugging at it the way she liked.
Sarah gasped and grabbed onto the headboard to steady herself. "Yes! There!" She screamed as he rode her hard.
She came hard moaning his name, giving in to the release she needed so badly.
Once her orgasm passed she collapsed against the pillows, panting.
He was still inside her. Still hard and holding onto her hips.
"I am not done with you yet. Precious." He said wickedly. He turned her over and buried himself inside her again. She wrapped her legs around him and held on on. Now giving him what he needed.
Her hot channel clamped onto him and wrapped around him tightly, massaging his shaft and urging his release. He pumped his body into hers, Letting go and spilling into as she took all of him in. His body quaking as he emptied himself inside her.
He did not move for several minutes, not willing to be apart from her just yet.
He looked down at her face and she was crying.
"Sarah.." He said. "please don't cry. I promise. We will find them."
She hung onto him like if she didn't he would disappear. "I know. Promise me that..promise you won't ever leave me. That we will all be safe and happy. That our children will be safe."
"I swear on my life, beloved. I will do everything within my power to keep you and the children safe." He said he moved off of her and gathered her against himself once more.
"And you?" She asked. her voice sounding very small in the dim light. "Who will protect you?"
"I guess that will be up to you, my Warrior Queen." He said lightly, trying to get off such a terrible subject.
"I will Jareth. I swear to you as you have to me. I will do everything to protect you and the children too. And this Kingdom. I refuse to lose even one more family member or friend or subject like this."
He hugged her tight. "I know."
She closed her eyes and listened to his heartbeat. Then he started to hum.
He hummed their song. The one he sang to her so long ago. His heart song to her.
Comforted, she fell back to sleep.

_
Sarah woke a little before dawn. She was wide awake all of the sudden. Not wanting to wake Jareth she gingerly slid away from him then stood and stretched.
She had something she had to do.
She bathed and dressed quickly, trying to be as quiet as possible.
"Sarah.." Came a sleepy voice from the bed.
"Shhh..go back to sleep Jareth. I'm okay. You were up for practically two days straight. Just rest." She whispered.
"Where are you going?" He asked, still groggy.
She sighed. She had hoped to slip out of the castle with no fanfare. "Hoggle's cottage."
"Do you want.." Jareth started to say.
"No.. I need to do this alone. Please. Just rest." She answered.
She went back to the bed and kissed her husband. "I love you."
He took her hand and kissed it. "And I you. Be careful and if you need me call."
She agreed and left their chambers. Padding quietly through the castle that was barely beginning to wake.
"Your Majesty?" The guard at the main doors said. "Do you need your guard today?"
She shook her head. "I'm not going that far, just to the other side of the gardens. The King knows where I'll be. Thanks though."
She gave him a smile and then headed out.
The sun was peeking over the horizon as she made her way through the gardens to the little house that now stood empty of life.
She stood in front of it for a time. Sad that there was no one inside waiting with a cup of warm tea and a plate of cookies or pastries.
There never would be again.
She heard a noise behind her. "Good morning, My Lady." Said a subdued Sir Didymus. "My brother and I have been watching over our dear Hoggle's abode until such a time thee decided what to do."
He gestured and she saw Ludo sitting against a tree. He waved.
"Thank you both. I guess we can't delay it much longer." She said sadly.
The doored creaked open as she pushed it. Though it was small, Hoggle had modified it to a height that would accommodate hers with a few inches to spare.
It consisted of 3 rooms. The main room which served as kitchen, dining room and living room, 1 small bedroom and an even smaller bathroom.
Hoggle was not the neatest creature by any stretch. Sarah's eyes took in his overloaded shelves filled with his treasures. Dirty pots in the sik. Clothing scattered about. Books on the table.
She went to the counter and picked up his old teapot and hugged it to her chest. How many cups of tea had they shared here? There was no way to count.
She had brought a small bag to put a few things she wanted to keep. The rest would eventually be reclaimed by the other denizens of the Labyrinth once they realized no one was here anymore. Nothing went to waste among them. Everything got reused and recycled. She stuck the teapot in the bag and kept looking for...something. She didn't know what.
She took the book he had been writing in, tracing his family line. his hat. She didn't see the bracelet, but he always wore that. Hopefully she could retrieve it before Hoggle's body was put on the pyre.
Picking up the old blanket he had woven she sat on his rickety rocking chair and clutched to her chest, looking around with tears in her eyes. "Oh Hoggle. I'm so sorry. We will find whoever did this. I miss you so much. Who am I going to talk to now?" She cradled her face in her palms and cried for a few minutes, then forced herself to stop rubbing her eyes and sniffing like a child.
"I'm so sick of crying. Hoggle..I have something to tell you. Something happened to me. I..changed. Jareth said into a big black cat. Who knew? He has Justinia researching it, but he says as far as he knows no one has ever shifted into a cat before here. I wonder what it means."
No answer came.
She sat there for an hour or more just thinking and in the deepest recesses of her heart hoping Hoggle would come through the door, complaining about how the fish weren't biting or that the fairies were. Anything. But it stayed silent. She could hear Didymus and Ludo outside talking low.
She finally stood and picked up the books off the table. Seeing they were from the royal library she figured she would return them.
she went outside and faced her two friends. "What would you like us to do my dear lady?"Didymus asked.
"Take whatever you want and let everyone else know they can do. Hoggle doesn't live here anymore." She said. "I will always miss him but...there isn't anything we can do about that. Except make sure whoever did it pays. We will have a memorial tomorrow afternoon in the gardens. Then the Pyre ceremony at sundown. I hope you will come and pass the word."
"It will be done, My Lady. We will of course attend." Didymus answered and bowed low, removing his hat in a sweeping gesture.
Ludo nodded in agreement. "Be there Sawah."
She hugged them both and transported back to the castle.

_
Merrik was cleaning his examining in rooms with the help of his daughter Nala when Sarah appeared in the infirmary wing.
"Good Day Lady Sarah." He said bowing slightly.
"Hi auntie!" Nala was much less formal about it. She hugged her aunt around the waist.
"Nala.." Merrik reminded her.
"It's okay, Sir Merrik. I prefer if the children weren't so formal. She is fine." Sarah said, hugging the young teenager back. "May we speak in private?"
"I'll just go help mother if that's okay?" Nala asked.
Merrik nodded and excused his daughter.
"How can I help you My Lady?" Merrik asked his queen.
"I need to..see. You know. Hoggle. I'm planning on a service tomorrow afternoon followed by a pyre ceremony. But I need to see him." She answered.
"My Queen, I wouldn't recommend it. The King would rather you didn't."
"I'm aware of that. He doesn't usurp me Merrik. We are equals and I need to do this. I need to say goodbye for myself."
"As you wish, LAby Sarah. I forewarn you though. I washed and cleaned him, but there is still much evidence of his ordeal. It is not pleasant to say the least."
Sarah inclined her head. "I don't expect it to be. Is he is stasis?"
"Yes. It is customary to keep him in a frozen state to prevent further damage and decay. Until the ceremony."
He gestured for her to follow him to the closed and locked room he had been keeping Hoggle's remains in.
She followed him into the dark room. As they entered the lanterns flared and she say the small body carefully wrapped laying on the table.
Her heart sank, but she didn't cry. Now was not the time.
"Leave me, Merrik." She commanded. Then softer. "Please."
He bowed and back out of the room, closing in the door.
She stood next to the table and gingerly reached out and touched the cloth lovingly. "I'm so sorry Hoggle." She whispered.
She uncovered his face and covered her mouth with her hand, tearing springing to her eyelids. While there was not much damage to his face itself, it was bruised and there were marks. His skin was grey and eyes closed.
She leaned over and kissed his forehead, letting the tears fall. "I will never forget you. You will always be my best, most loyal, most brave friend. I just hope you can hear me. I promise this will not go unanswered."
Sarah stayed there for a few minutes more talking and saying her goodbyes. Then she gently covered his face back.
How small he seemed, she thought. She never saw him as small when he was alive. His presence such a big part of her life. Now he seemed so tiny. Insubstantial without his life force.
One last time she ran her hand over the covered body, then turned and left the room trying to compose herself.
"Are you alright, My Lady?" Merrik asked. He had been waiting close to the room but not so close he would be eavesdropping or disturbing her. He just wanted to make sure she was okay and send for the king if necessary.
She stopped in front of him. "Thank you for taking care of him. I know you don't usually handle this kind of thing for creatures such as him. I want you to know I appreciate it. Where are his things?"
"Here Your Majesty." He replied as he handed her the small bag with the remains of his clothes and the other things found on his body."He was an honored friend of the crown, My Lady. A loyal and kind soul. He deserves it." Merrik replied.
She handed him the satchel she had been carrying. "I retrieved some clean clothing from his cottage for the service tomorrow."
He took the liberty of placing a hand on her shoulder as he took the satchel. "My Lady, are you well?"
She grabbed his hand and squeezed it in gratitude. "I'm fine. I have to go make arrangements for tomorrow. Don't worry about Jareth I'll deal with any problem he has with me coming here."
He removed his hand. "His Majesty told me of your change. Please if you would, come to me after this is done and let me run some magical tests. See how your system is adjusting. It can be traumatic." He asked.
"Of course. Thank you again." She said. Then she disappeared from his sight.
Merrik went back to work, subdued.

_
The next afternoon approximately 2 hours before sundown, friends and family gathered at the edge of the Queen's great gardens. A large pyre had been erected there. placed gently upon the it was the small form wrapped in a funerary shroud.
Those that wished to, each into turn spoke of the small dwarf. Didymus spoke of his brothers bravery, his kindness, his loyalty to their beloved Lady Sarah.
Harmony spoke of how he had always watched over herself and her siblings, had thought of them as his own nieces and nephews. He had always given them little gifts he would while looking for treasures. All worth little but for the love they were given with.
Sarah stepped forward and placed flowers upon the clothed covered remains of her friend. One of each of the kinds of flowers that grew in her garden. Her eulogy was the longest. She talked about her original visit to the Labyrinth when she had met the little man. How he had helped her in direct defiance of his king. How surprised he had been when she had called him her friend.
She said she knew he had reservations when she had returned as Jareth's bride, but in the end understood she was meant to be there. He had thought of her children as family and loved them unconditionally as he had loved her. She decided to refrain form speaking of justice and revenge. This day was not meant for that. There were many days to come when that will be dealt with.
"In conclusion," Sarah announced. "I have decided that my garden, the one he so lovingly attended for me, while no longer be called "The Queen's Garden. Now it is Hoggle's Garden. This is where he will remain."
She laid her hand on her friend one more time and said a silent goodbye.
She did not expect Jareth to say anything, so when he stepped forward it was a surprise.
"Hoggle was a loyal and trusted friend of my family. He will be honored properly. As my Queen has stated he will rest here. I have taken the liberty of commissioning a memorial fountain to placed in the center, and in the center will be a marble urn that his ashes will be placed in. Forever more he will be know as Sir Hoggle, and an honorary member of The Royal Family of The Goblin Kingdom." He stepped back to his place next to his children.
Teagus stood solemnly next to the pyre, torch in hand. He was to be the one whole lit the fire, but in that last moment Sarah went to him and held out her hand. The Goblin raised his eyebrows but said nothing.
Sarah took the torch and put it to the pyre. Once it was well lit she handed the torch back to Teagus and went back to her place next to Jareth.
Jareth slid his hand around her waist and pulled her close so she could lean on him, which she did. Then Lily stepped over to her mother and hugged her close on the other side.
As the flames grew and consumed the mortal remains of their friend, the firelight was reflected in the tears on the cheeks of all that gathered there to say goodbye.

_
The Elf Kingdom
Drell was frantically worried about Elsian.
They had returned and following the last funerary rites of The Elf Queen, were ordered to Elsian's small dwelling in the forest.
The immortal had barely said a word. His face pinched and sad, emotionless. Elsian merely nodded when commanded to do something andwhen they returned to the cabin he collapsed on his cot and slept ever since.
He had forced his friend to take a few swallows of water, but he would not eat. He tried everything but Elsian would open he eyes and turn the other way, closing them again. He once mumbled something about not giving a damn about anything anymore, but that was it.
"My friend, please. You must start functioning again. Let's go fishing, or hunting..anything!" The elf implored.
Elsian opened one eye finally. "Drell..." he said, his voice raspy from misuse. "You should go back the the castle. My fath..The King said you would be welcome there. Just go. Let me be."
Drell gave him a stern look. "So you are not royal anymore. That means I don't have to follow your orders. Then I will tell you this. Elsian. I'm not leaving. Despite what you may think, I did not stay with you out of obligation. I stayed with you because you are my friend. You are good man. Despite your past you deserve a good life and someday you will find a way to make it so. Stop trying to waste away to nothing. Don't give any of them the satisfaction. Not your father, Not The Goblin King. If nothing else do it for your mother. She wanted you to live!"
Elsain pushed himself up on his elbows and watched the elf shuffle around.
"Now. I expect you to eat today." Drell insisted.
The blond man swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, almost falling over. He limped over to the table and sat.
"Drell, you are worse than my old nanny. Fine I will eat for you. But I'm going back to bed. I am tired of this. Of life. Of fighting every step of the way. Of everyone I come near recoiling for fear I might harm them. What i s the point? To drift around in these woods like a ghost?"
Drell slammed down the plate of bread, and just a hair more gently sat a bowl of thick stew beside it. They had no fresh meat but he had cobbled together a fairly hearty vegetable dish for them both.
"So you lay here and die? What purpose is that? That someday someone might find your bones and say .."oh I guess he is dead now. Who cares? Make a statement. Fight for yourself! Do what is right!" Drell demanded.
Elsian took a small bite of food. "What would that be? What is right? The only thing anyone wants of me is my head. Maybe I should just give it to them. Then at least I can rest in peace somewhat. Also, I do not know if I like this new assertiveness you have gained, Drell. It is most irritating."
"Too bad." The elf said.
After that they ate in silnce. True to his word, once he was done eating Elsian laid back down in his bed and turned to the wall, ignoring the elf completely. After a few hours of staring at the wall, he fell back to sleep, his grumbling stomach sated.
Do what is right!...Maybe I should just give it to them...Drit around these woulds like a ghost..Then at least I can be at peace somewhat..I am no longer your father, you are nothing...
"Gah!" Elsian sat up, jarred out of his nightmares. His breathing heavy, his heart pounding.
He got up and poured a cup of water, drinking it down then pouring another.
"Gods." He mumbled.
He sat back down on the cot and held his head in his hands. "I cannot do this anymore."
He quietly changed into clean clothes, trying not to wake the elf sleeping near the hearth. Drell had a small dwelling of his own but had refused to leave. He did admire, and was grateful for the Elf's friendship. In the end, however, there was no sense in the elf suffering with him.
He wrote a note and left it on the table. He grabbed his pack and silently slipped out the door.
Drell
Thank you for always being a good friend to me. You are correct. I need to do what is right. I cannot live like this anymore. I know of a way to solve both problems in one action. One way to end this farce. You will not see me again. Be well. Do not shed one tear for me, for I deserve to pay for what I have done and now I will no longer fight the inevitable. My father will welcome you back to work in the castle so I beg you to go there. There will be a new prince and he will need you, so please be to him what you have always been to me.
In Fondest Regards,
Elsian, Former Elf Prince.

_
Thanks to everyone reading this and other stories of mine. It is warmly appreciated.
I got caught up in writing my new story "His Champion's Journey" and even though I had this sitting here done, I hadn't edited yet. Hopefully I got everything but if not I will fix it all as time permits. Not posting HCJ until I'm 5 chapters in. Shouldn't be long though the way I'm going with it.
Next chapter is half done just have to quit letting new plot bunnies rule my writing time hehe.
Love you all! Muah!
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In A Time Of Winter