The Taming of the Goblin King

Chapter 4

Sarah followed Atta to a small room somewhere deep in the goblin castle. As she opened the door, Sarah was overjoyed to see Hoggle sitting up in a small bed. Her old friend looked much better than he had the last time she had seen him. Hoggle was now healed as far as Sarah could tell. He smiled when he saw her.

"Sarah!" Hoggle cried. "You're here. I wuz worrin' over you."

"It's good to see you, Hoggle." Sarah replied. "You sure look much better than last time I saw you."

Sarah went over and gave Hoggle a huge hug, then sat down next to his bed.

Hoggle gazed at Sarah as he spoke." Sarah, is it true? Are you back in the goblin kingdom to stay?"

"Yes, Hoggle; I think I am. I even met a nice goblin. Her name is Atta. She's the one who brought me here. How are Sir Didymus and Ludo?" Sarah replied.

"They're fine, last as I heard. I sent 'um a message that you're here. They should get it soon. Sarah, I haf'ta ask you something. What happened? One day, you stopped calling for us." her old friend had to ask.

Sarah sighed. She knew this conversation had been coming so she began at the beginning. Sarah told Hoggle all about finding her mother and seeing her through her illness until the end. Surprisingly, Hoggle had been quite sympathetic and didn't seem to hold any lingering resentment toward his friend. Still, he couldn't help being concerned for her now.

"Be careful, Sarah. I still don't trust King Jareth. I feels responsible since you're in this mess 'cause of me. Who knows what evil tricks he'll try this time!"

Sarah rubbed her head wearily."I think you're wrong about the Goblin King, Hoggle. In fact, I'm surer of it now than ever. He's actually been rather nice to me since I got here. I think we may have both misjudged him. Anyway, I'm here now; that's all that matters."

Hoggle seemed shocked by her words." How can you say that, Sarah?!! He took your baby brother!"

Sarah folded her arms and looked at her friend critically." Aren't you forgetting something, Hoggle? I'm the one who wished Toby away. I was a silly, selfish teenager who was too spoiled for her own good! It was my fault and my doing that got him into that mess in the first place. That's why it was my responsibility to get him back. All the Goblin King did was what I asked. I'm not sure if I understand everything that happened that night, but I now know I can't blame King Jareth for all of it. The more I think back on what happened, the more I realize that the King may have been telling the truth about me being the cause of it all."

Hoggle appeared confused." What are you on about, Sarah? "

Reluctantly, Sarah told Hoggle about her last encounter with the Goblin King. Up until that time, Sarah had told no one except her mother, Elizabeth. Truthfully, she still felt a bit confused and guilty considering how tempted she had been to accept King Jareth's offer. Sarah was a bit taken aback by Hoggle's reaction to her story.

"Oh no, Sarah!" he cried," What have you done!?? Why did you have to turn him down like that?!!"

"Hoggle, how can you say that?!! You know what was at stake! If I had agreed, Toby would have been turned into a goblin, for heaven sake! I couldn't accept, no matter how much I might have wanted to! I could never live with myself knowing that getting my dreams cost Toby his whole future! He was only a baby!"

Hoggle had the grace to look ashamed." I knows it, Sarah. I'm sorry. It's just that you don't know what trouble you've gotten yourself into. The Goblin King is Fey! They're a fickle bunch, they are. Fickle and Dangerous! They don't take kindly to it when someone rejects them and they don't forget. Why I've heard tales of them going to incredible lengths to get someone who turned 'em down back in their power; and woe to that poor soul once they do. That's when the Fey does all that they can to make that person suffer horribly all in the name of revenge. I'm worried for you, Sarah."