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Shattered	By : TarnishedArmour Category: G through L > Labyrinth Views: 7713 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: Based upon the work of Jim Henson; specifically Labyrinth, copyright 1986 by Jim Henson & associated parties. I do not own or have legal rights to Labyrinth, etc., or make any profit from them. *Individual disclaimers for other works in

Chapter List
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Chapter 22: Hail and Well Met

The path in the valley was long, but there seemed to be an end to it. A town. Sarah walked into the town, looked around and saw no one about. She had no idea why the town was deserted, for there were signs of habitation everywhere. She walked to the dusty fountain in the central square and sat down. Her feet were tired, the rolling green valleys were tedious, and she was grouchy. She wanted Jareth again, but she knew he was busy. He did have a kingdom to run, after all. Dejected and more than a bit sick of walking, and more than a bit sore from all the attention she and Jareth had given one another, she decided to study the fountain. As she did, she realized there was not a single working fountain in any town that she had seen, or in the Queen's gardens in the Outer Lands. She was baffled. Clearly they had water, so why no fountains?
Thinking about water was making her thirsty, so she took a long pull from her waterskin and pulled off her packs. The furs were gone, for which she was glad, but the layers and all of the provisions had remained with her. Once she had the packs off, she stretched her back and saw the carving on the lip of the fountain. Sarah pursed her lips and stared at the words "the b_ _ ro". Curious, she took filled her hand with water and wiped it over the words. Now it said "the bedro".
"What's a bedro?" she wondered aloud. Shrugging, she knew there was one way to find out. Using several handfuls of water, Sarah saw the entire message surface and walked from the beginning to the end. The carving ran all the way around the lip of the fountain. Had she not sat on it, she would have walked right by it, never knowing the message hidden in plain view. "Okay, so this is important," she murmured to herself. Important messages either smacked one upside the head here, in which case they were so confusing they didn't make sense until you screwed up, or they were carefully squirreled away in inconvenient places that were easily overlooked. Sarah's powers of observation were fairly normal, if not just a wee bit better than normal. She was no super-sleuth, though. Sherlock Holmes would not even consider her worthy of mentioning.
Sarah read the message slowly as she circled the lip of the fountain. "Courtesy is the bedrock upon which Honour may rest." Sarah thought for a moment. "Odd, I thought it the other way around." She thought some more. "I guess it means…I'm supposed to show courtesy for people? Be courteous?" Looking around again, she sighed. "What people?"
Sarah went to a business that looked like it usually did well. The shelves were clean, the wares were practically sparkling. No one was there. She turned and left, puzzled. Again and again, she entered businesses. Again and again, she found they were empty. At no time did she speak while she was inside the buildings, nor did she consider much beyond the surface of the carved sentence or her situation.
Completely confused, Sarah left her packs by the dusty fountain and walked into the tavern. She sat down on a bench near the door and stared out at the street before her.
"Okay, this makes no sense," she said, brow furrowed. A tankard of beer appeared by her side. "Thank you," she said absently, remembering her manners.
At once, a young woman, about her age, appeared next to her.
"An' thee are welcome, traveller," came the cheerful response.
Sarah gaped at the girl, then snapped her jaw shut. "Oh! Where…May I ask from…whence you came?" she asked the girl.
"Thee did see me," the girl shrugged. "I was here."
Sarah started to object, then remembered one of her principal's favourite sayings, "Behave in the valley as though you have nothing to fear from the mountains." It had taken her a while to figure that one out, but she finally did. Character and privacy were the keys. What you would not have known is not a problem if you behave in all ways and always as you should. In other words, no matter where you are, do what is right and proper, and no shame can follow you.
"Please forgive me," Sarah said to the girl who waited patiently for Sarah to speak again. "I have been quite rude. My name is Sarah," Sarah stood and bowed at this. Standing she added, "I run the labyrinth."
"Then welcome and well-come, Runner Sarah. We of River Crossing do hope you find your stay here, however brief, to be pleasant." With those words from Sarah and the girl, Sarah could see the rest of the patrons of the tavern, and the people of the town. They were everywhere. They had been everywhere, even while she was being obtuse.
"I thank thee," Sarah replied, remembering the manners that she had learned, even though she hadn't often used them. "I appreciate thy welcome, and hope I may be of service to thee and thine whilst I am here."
The girl gave Sarah a blinding smile and replied, "Rest or continue on this day, Runner Sarah, for thou hast completed this wall."
Sarah blinked. "I thank thee, miss, and hope I may rest here for a time, perhaps dine in this establishment?" She was drawing her language from memories of her books and Sir Didymus.
"Of course, though please do call me Gertrude. I shall bring to thee repast, Runner. Please, drink and be well." With that, Gertrude walked to the bubbling pot over the fire and dished out a trencher of stew in dark bread. It looked and smelled divine. Upon receiving her meal, Sarah thanked Gertrude. Then she turned to her need for information.
"May I ask of thee some few questions regarding this town and payment for this meal?" Sarah asked, knowing she could use her good table manners if she had someone to talk to. Otherwise, she was going to really gross out these people, since she hadn't eaten since early morning and it was now afternoon.
"I would be honoured to assist the Runner, and payment is not of concern," Gertrude added.
"I thank thee, but insist upon just payment for this meal. I am not permitted assistance without payment." Sarah reminded her of the rules of the Runner.
"Forgive me, Runner," Gertrude replied, chagrined, "for I had forgotten." Gertrude bit her lip, obviously thinking about payment that Sarah might have. "For the meal-canst thou cast some small magics?" she asked.
"Some," Sarah replied, trying not to grimace. "Though the results are not always what was desired."
"Ah." Gertrude paused, then thought. "Know thou the fire-charms?"
"Yes," Sarah replied. She could cast the small ones, but working with fire was a very weak point for her.
"Couldst thou renew the fire-charm on this hearth? It has been long since renewal, and we have no magicworkers here, as we have not for three centuries." Gertrude's eyes were sweet and earnest.
"I will study it, but I will not place an ill charm upon a hearth that has provided such excellent stew and bread to me." It was as polite a way of saying she wouldn't touch it if she knew she'd only screw it up. Gertrude nodded, though, so apparently she understood.
"And of thy questions, Runner?" Gertrude asked.
"Why is this village called River Crossing?" Sarah asked. There wasn't a drop of water in sight.
"This town is located over the strongest underground river in the kingdom," Gertrude replied. "Thus when one does walk from one end of town to the other, one does always cross the river." She gave Sarah a bright smile.
Sarah chuckled in return. "Not to dismiss that which is hidden seems to be the theme of this village," she remarked. "I will not forget this lesson, Gertrude, and I thank thee and thy town for it."
"We thank thee, Runner, though it is not our doing that has brought this lesson to your heart." Gertrude reminded her gently that she was the one taking lessons from everything. No lesson or realization was simply given here.
"No," Sarah replied, "though I do not think it could have been so quickly learned without your delivery of the beer to me. Thus I must thank thee. The fountain did give me warning of what to expect, though I did not understand it at first. For this, I must thank thy town."
Gertrude smiled, and they chatted about smaller things, such as a place to rest for the night. Gertrude offered her a space by the hearth in the tavern, a standard arrangement. In exchange, Sarah would help clean the tavern when they closed for the night. It was a perfectly fair bargain, and Sarah was happy to reach it. Sarah was able to eat, speak politely and in proper turn, and consider the lesson she had just learned. Without courtesy, those little polite manners that seemed so ridiculous, there could be no honour, for none knew how to show respect, much less how to carry it with them and within themselves. If one could not respect others, one had no hope for self-respect. It was a neat little quote, and one Sarah was determined to fix in her memory.
At the end of her meal, Sarah walked over to the hearth with Gertrude. Placing one hand on the stone that pulsed faintly with magic, Sarah extended her sense.
The charm was still good, all she really needed to do was give it a boost of energy. Grateful she would not need to actually build the charm from the beginning, but only needed to pour power into the existing charm, Sarah prepared to do just that without making the fire react in an adverse and explosive manner. Concentrating and carefully measuring her power, Sarah refilled the stone with magic. The fire responded by looking stronger, not heating up more or growing larger.
"There," Sarah said, stepping back, only a little light-headed. "That should keep going for a while yet, though I must admit I don't know how long. I would suggest that the next magicworker that comes through give thee an estimate on how long the magic will last. I fear I've not enough experience to accurately judge."
"Experience or no, I thank thee, Runner Sarah. 'Twas a gift from Sir Hugh of the line of Thrace for our town many centuries ago. 'Tis our responsibility and our joy to see it cared for properly." Gertrude walked with Sarah to the door, the many little pleasantries of farewells flowing between them.
Sarah nodded to the people she met, who nodded back, just as politely. Sarah left her packs by the fire, taking the evening to explore the town. It was rather nice, not to large, but obviously a trading post between larger towns. There were several small shops where weavers and potters created and sold their wares, as well as a tannery. The weavers and potters were intereting, but the tannery reminded Sarah of the Bog of Eternal Stench. She was convinced that Eau de Tannerie was a large part of the Essence de Bog. When the stars were out, Sarah returned to the tavern and helped Gertrude clean up the tavern tables and floor for the night. Then she spread out the sleeping-roll she had been given by Ylna and Fender and slept by the banked fire.
In the morning, after eating breakfast that she helped prepare, she picked up her packs from the square and settled them on her shoulders, determined to make it to the next town before night. Gertrude had reassured her that the road Sarah had been on while walking to River Crossing also went through the town led to the next town, a village by the name of Destria.
*A/N: The quote Sarah used from her principal is a bastardization of a quote that I had written down, but cannot currently find. I want to credit Lao Tzu, but I'm probably wrong. If anyone knows the exact quote and origin, I'd be more than happy to hear it!
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Shattered