Jareth stepped quietly into the shadows of the throne room. It had changed considerably. The free, dominating space had become a claustrophobic hideaway, grown over with vines and moss. It was dark and dank, only lit by glowing orbs set into the walls.

The doors to the throne room opened slowly, achingly, as a bubble carrying the gnomes, a fox, and Toby entered the room on the cold wind, landing with a gentle pop while their feet found ground.

Jareth hung back to observe the scene and see how Sarah reacted without him in the picture. He feared that Toby would fall prey to Sarah's harshness, but he knew he could step in if needed, now that he had his powers back.

##

Sarah smiled at Toby neatly, reaching a hand out to him. "Toby, welcome."

Toby remembered the words of his sister's other half. "She's not me... Don't trust her."

He knew Didymus had to have a distraction in order to infiltrate the castle and let Leah in through the underground tunnels, so he did the best thing he could thing of.

He thrust a finger at her and shouted. "You lied to me! You left me for four years with a stranger for a sister! You never told me about the Underground, or that the Goblin King was real!"

Sarah stepped toward him delicately, trying to maintain an air of sincerity. "I'm so sorry I had to lie to you, Toby. There was no other choice."

Jareth eyed Sir Didymus, whose eyes were darting around for a door. He instantly realized that the fox had some sort of plan cooking.

Sarah put a hand out to Toby, and Jareth resisted the urge to rush to the boy's side. He didn't need to. Toby put his hand out in front of him. "Stop there."

Sarah laughed emptily. "As if I would harm my little brother. Do you really think I would hurt you, little Toby?"

"I don't know," Toby answered directly. "And I'm not so little anymore. I'm really different than when you last saw me."

Didymus didn't make a run for it right away, because Sarah's eyes were only half fixed on Toby. Instead he took the chance to turn his head around to get a better view of the room. The room receded into darkness, but a glint of something remained at the back. The elevator. And someone... Jareth. Once Jareth got a notion of where Didymus was heading, he beckoned quietly to indicate to the fox that he had the right idea.

He wondered what the fox was up to.

##

"What did you do with Jareth, where is he?" Butterflies swirled in the boy's stomach as he asked the question.

"Who?" she looked confused, but the presence of her brother seemed to bring her memory back. "Oh, him. I've dealt with him."

She realized she didn't know where Jareth was. She did a mental scan of the castle, and while she felt he was there somewhere, something was blocking her from fixing on an exact location. For that matter, she suddenly couldn't find Kaleb, but that was different... It was as if he had ceased to exist.

Under different circumstances, she might have treasured the idea of his demise, but it only made her worry that Jareth was running free and had found a way to dispense of him, and to hide from her. Damn her inability to focus. He had probably gone free in the time she had turned her attention to other things.

And then she remembered the war, and her minions. Millions and billions of voices clamoring for her attention. She began to feel dizzy.

"You better not have hurt him!" Toby shouted.

Sarah put her hand to her head distractedly, losing focus on the conversation at hand. "Oh, don't be so dramatic, despite what you may think, he could care less about you."

"Why did you do this, Sarah?" Toby asked with a shaking head. "You're being so selfish."

Sarah's eyes lit up.

He hit the right button.

"I'm being selfish?" She stepped menacingly toward the boy, pushing away all other thoughts. He took one step back, then decided against it. He would hold his ground. He wouldn't let her boss him around.

"You don't understand selfish, apparently," she continued. "Everything in my life was perfect until you came around. It was just me and mom and dad, and I had everything I wanted! But then mom left dad, and dad met Linda, and Linda got pregnant."

The words were sharp and hit Toby hard. He had never really expected this out of her. He knew suddenly why the other half of his sister had been so worried.

This Sarah's words hurt. A lot.

The gnomes had tried to keep quiet during most of the endeavor, but Scotty finally said, "Don't listen to'er Toby, she's jest tryin' to hurt you."

"You idiots can stay out of this." Sarah didn't need to blink or move, they were quickly encased in a cage with mouths taped shut.

Toby didn't have a chance to protest, she continued in her hurtful speech, taking another step toward him as she spoke. "Don't get me wrong. You're not too bad as far as brothers go. Even if you did ruin my life. Do you know what I gave up for you at the height of my youth? I was beautiful, not jaded, and the world was mine for the taking. My dreams... I could have had everything I wanted, if it weren't for my choice to be so foolishly unselfish." She snorted. "But that's all in the past. I take what I want now."

"Why did you lie to me?" Toby belted out, doing his best to hold back the urge to cry at her harsh words.

"Because I could. Because I didn't want to have to share the Underground with anyone. It's all mine." She smirked evilly at him, even though every word cut her as much or more than him. She didn't really mean it. Only moments ago she had relished the notion of sharing this new world with her little brother, and now all she wanted to do was make him pay for daring to call her selfish.

"And this world is mine, now. But because I'm a nice sister, I might just share it with you."

"I don't want to share with you!" He clenched his fists and turned red with anger. "I want you to go away! I don't want you to be my sister! I want my real sister back! I want you to leave everyone alone, me most of all!"

The darkness built around her, and a black whorl of energy began to build around her right hand. Jareth ran toward the boy to step in and protect him. But before he could get there and before Sarah could complete her vengeful spell, Toby ran up to her and shoved her, the force of his emotions so strong that she fell to the floor. An expression of surprise only covered her face a moment before he grabbed her face and looked intently into her eyes. "You're going back! You're going back to the rest of you, and you're going to be right again!" He concentrated with all the energy in his body, trying to affect her with his intuitive magic. "You're going to stop hurting people," he whispered, gazing into her dumbstruck, glued eyes.

She looked like an animal caught in headlights. Her breathing was fast, but controlled. "Toby."

There was a noise in the back of the room, and Sarah jerked her head to see the source. The elevator door was already mostly closed, with Sir Didymus' panting face visible through the diminishing crack.

When Sarah returned her attention to the stunned Jareth and embittered Toby, her face contorted angrily. "You brat! What are you up to?" She lifted herself up and made a bee-line for Toby. Jareth shoved the boy behind him defensively, standing between him and Sarah. She put out her hand and threw a blast of dark energy at him. He was barely quick enough in his rebuttal, shielding the force just enough to avoid any major damage, though it stung him still. He was sure that she could do worse, and he was no match for her while she possessed the power of the amethyst.

She proved him right by sweeping him out of her path with just a thought. Jareth struggled against her, but it was too late. She grabbed her little brother, whose eyes stared up at her, glossy and terrified.

She reached into his mind as she had for Marlena only days before, searching deeply for what she knew he would not tell her.

She didn't get far. A pain shot through her head and she crumpled up, raising her hands to her head as a painful shriek leapt out of her throat.

Toby was stunned for a moment, but fell back to Jareth's side. He gave Toby a questioning look, curious as to what his young apprentice had done, especially where he himself had failed.

Scotty and Fred were busily jumping on Sarah's head. "Show you what fer, ya wench, messin' with our pals like that!" Scotty shouted gleefully.

"What he said," Fred half-belched.

"C'mon!" Toby shouted at the two gnomes as he ran toward the door. "We gotta—"

Just as he turned to face the open doorway, a large figure rose into view. It was the dragon that had reprimanded Sarah several days before. "Here, humans!" he bellowed deeply as he laid his head into the doorframe. The room was too small by now for him to fit inside completely.

Jareth, Toby, and the gnomes didn't waste a moment in heeding the words of the dragon. Jareth looked back behind him, remembering the fox. "What about Didymus?"

"Don't worry about him!" Toby shouted as he pounced roughly on the head of the dragon, fearless and unquestioning of the transportation. The dragon's brow fell in quiet irritation at his clumsy scrambling. "Didymus knows what he's doing!"

Jareth climbed on behind the boy and surveyed the room a last time. "That's a first," he mumbled. He watched Sarah sadly, knowing that while they might try to take her with them, the effort would be futile. She would only return to her palace, and maybe with much more than an old man, two gnomes, and a ten year old boy. He hoped that the oncoming battle would distract her enough to keep her from pursuing.

Sarah finally came to and watched them from the throne room door, still too stunned to do anything but watch them fly away.

##

"How'd you find us?" Toby asked the dragon.

"Well, let's just say a friend or two gave me a tip," the dragon snorted. "But I didn't really need it. You two made plenty of ruckus."

As they flew through the increasingly darkened sky, Jareth looked at Toby oddly. "What did you do to her?"

"I just didn't want her in my mind. I guess it hurt her." Toby seemed saddened by the prospect of causing her pain.

"Where are we headed, Toby?" Jareth looked over the boy's shoulder as they flew into the city, instead of away from it.

"Things are getting started. They need you."

##

"Claw! Pook! Lenore! Come to me. Now!" Sarah's voice echoed throughout the castle. She had finally regained her composure enough to take action.

Claw stepped from the hidden nook in the wall where he had been eavesdropping, making the appearance that he had just arrived.

"Where were you, I told you to come to me while Toby was here."

"I'm sorry, my queen, the troops needed my attention on the way over."

"Where is Kaleb?" she simmered.

"I don't know, Milady. I have not seen him in some hours. Can you not scry for him?"

She was looking increasingly disheveled, something that would not have occurred earlier in her reign. "If I could do that, don't you think I would have? He has completely disappeared."

"I will have the castle scoured for him, then."

"Nevermind that. If he is going to show, I am sure he will do it when he is ready, and when it is most inconvenient for me."

Pook materialized while Lenore stepped from the elevator, her high heels echoing in the otherwise quiet hall.

"Here at your request, Majesty," Pook answered, crossing his hands over his buttoned suit.

Claw looked around the room. "Where is Toby? Have you imprisoned him?"

Her face flushed, and her voice became dangerously quiet. "No. Toby and Jareth have escaped, and Didymus found the elevator and is no doubt on his way to the Amethyst, or so he thinks."

"Jareth has escaped?"

She began to pace the floor, turning away from them to talk to herself in hushed, frustrated tones. "How did he get his powers back?"

"Jareth got his powers back?" Lenore asked, surprised.

"And why would she send Didymus for such a large task? He's useless." She laughed uncomfortably. "She's such a fool. So what does that make me?" She stood and tried to focus on Toby and Jareth, but both had now disappeared from her inner sight. Whatever had been protecting Toby before was still in force and Jareth's recently reacquired powers gave him all he needed to stay invisible to her.

Lenore and Claw exchanged knowing looks.

"Majesty, did you say the fox is running loose in the castle?" Lenore asked.

"I can send a group to find him and imprison him," Claw added.

They remained collected as Sarah screamed. "I've taken care of him. Do something useful!"

Claw nodded. "But what about—"

Pook stopped him. "No need, I will speak with the queen about battle strategy."

Lenore turned to Claw. "There is a battalion of the enemy army in Pennsylvania that is greeting our troops as we speak—" She looked at her PDA. "Wait, no, they are gone, now. And a new contingent arrived to join the others a half hour ago."

"They are taking over defensible positions in the park. They are neglecting the rest of the city, which concerns me." Claw tapped a toe against the stone floor thoughtfully.

Pook nodded. "They are up to something."

Sarah glowered at the three of them coldly. "Lenore, prepare a studio for me so that I may make an announcement. And I want my troops back in the city. Now."

Lenore nodded dutifully. "We will be ready shortly to transport the troops back, Majesty."

Claw and Lenore stepped out of the room quietly, leaving only Pook behind.

The fae circled Sarah, stroking her hair affectionately. She pushed him away. "Poor girl. But all is not lost, you know. A good end will come of all of this, yet. As we speak, I have hands reaching through the city to discover their plans, and we will have a satisfactory resolution."

Sarah felt a fire in her chest, as if the vilest, most sulfurous demon had taken up residence in her heart. The feeling of distraction passed, and only razor focus remained.

"Tell me where to find Crouch. I have a feeling he will be of use to me."

"I can't do that... But I can find him for you."

"This is an answer I am becoming very tired of hearing."

"Don't worry, my queen, I can do it with both haste and ease. Consider it done."

"Tell me, Pook... Do you know where Kaleb is?"

Pook touched the coiled earpiece that sat within his pointy ear, as if listening to a voice on the other end. Sarah had not noticed that particular human affectation before. "Dead. Or might as well be," he answered.

"Jareth is the cause?"

"Yes."

"I can no longer underestimate him, Pook."

Before Pook disappeared, he answered, "You shouldn't underestimate anyone. Least of all the Goblin King."

"I'm getting very tired of hearing him called that. He's no longer king."

Sarah shifted her mind, and her body shifted with her. It was time to go somewhere with a better view, and to get a handle on this war. No one was going to prove her wrong. She was beginning to think it was coming time to kill all who tried.

##

The doors of the elevator closed behind Didymus and it began to move, which caused the fox to lose his balance a bit.

The fox was beginning to become accustomed to the metal boxes the humans used for transport through their palaces. Gail had one such device in her own manor. He knew their function involved the pressing of one of the magic buttons with the runes upon them.

He pulled out the piece of lined paper with the strange markings that Toby had given to him, upon which the following rune was penned:

13

The button panels on the machines were often out of Didymus' reach, but he did not worry himself over this detail. Notwithstanding the fact that he could not read the strange human runes, he had an even bigger problem at paw.

The panel that normally held the magic buttons was nowhere to be found. He looked all about for any trace of human runes, but all he saw was one purple button. As he had no other options available...

"Well, this is most curious. What shall I do? I suppose all that remains is to press this button. It is purple, and the amethyst which I am to keep guard over is also purple, so perhaps it will take me to my destination?

"And it is also within my reach. Perhaps the gods are with me in my quest!"

He pressed his small paw to the purple button in excitement.

The elevator increased momentum for a second, then stopped abruptly.

The doors opened to reveal a dark cavern, barely lit by torches. "Well, then, to find the amethyst!"

He trotted through the passageway into the large cavern. There were a few other passageways branching out from the mostly empty room. The most notable adornment was a decorative seal carved into the stone floor. On the far side was what appeared to be a rusty-colored rug and scattering of ornate pillows. Didymus approached to examine more closely. "This looks rather cozy..."

He slowed as he got a better look. The lounging area was not covered by a rug, but a blanket stitched from the furs of a number of small animals. The varying shades of reds and browns, as well as their general size, could only come from one member of the canine family.

Didymus' jaw worked about a bit as he tried to calm his suddenly racing pulse. "Well, I, uh, suppose I ought to move on to my quest..."

He backed up from the bed and eyed the other passageways, but stopped in his tracks when a sound emitted from the one hall to his far right.

A low, menacing growl echoed throughout the cavern.

"So, uh, sorry to disturb your abode! I was seeing my way out!" he shouted toward the source of the growl as he moved with increasing speed toward his point of entrance, so distracted by looking about that he ran into the stone wall that had taken the place of where the elevator used to be.

As he shook off the pain and surprise, he tried to regain his composure. He was a brave knight, was he not? He could face this threat.

"Very well then, if it is a fight you want, it is a fight you shall get!"

Finally the source of the growl revealed itself, as a six foot tall wolf in half armor strode from the adjoining hallway on his hind legs, into the cavern. His gray fur was silky and well-groomed, except for his muzzle, which was dripping with saliva and the blood of a recent meal. He slowly approached, unsheathing a large sword as he came closer to Didymus, who seemed smaller by the moment.

The wolf finally stopped a few feet in front of Didymus, who was shivering so profusely that the feather on his cap vibrated.

"So, fox, it is a fight you want?" the wolf said with a sharp smirk.

"Dear wolf, I think I have been let off on the wrong floor. If you would be so... kind... as to show me the way to the exit, I would be most happy to get out of your fur."

The fox stroked his sword affectionately. "I'm afraid, fox knight, that I am not known for my kindness." He took a fighting stance, and added, "And I'm afraid I will also dash your hopes for a fight, as history has shown me that foxes, while quick on their paws, are rarely a match for me. While some of my kind prefer prey that is more... challenging, I have to say I enjoy the easy slaughter."

Didymus gulped. There had to be a way out. It was true that he was no match for the wolf, but he could not bear to think he would end his quest as dessert for the well-dressed canine.

In his nervousness, he had almost forgotten the broach Sarah had sent to him. If there ever was danger, now was the time.

He rubbed the enamel, but nothing happened.

"Good luck charm, fox?" the wolf laughed. "Perhaps you should have stuck with a rabbit's foot instead of such gaudy baubles."

"No, rapscallion, it is a gift from my queen."

"Your queen must have wished to be rid of you, to send you here with only a trinket at your aid." He furrowed his brow. "Perhaps you are too easy prey, even for me." He shook off the notion. "Nah."

Just as he began to close in, a swarm of birds flew in rapid fire from the broach, one by one, blinding the wolf in a storm of feathers as they shot toward him. Once free from the confines of the talisman, they perched in a circle on a stone ledge near the ceilings of the cavern. Their bright colors stood in stark contrast to the dark gray of the place as they flooded the room, causing the wolf to retreat several steps in the maelstrom.

Didymus surveyed the scene with awe as the broach ceased its spell. "The Magicmockers!"

The wolf regained his balance, spitting out feathers in frustration with a nasty growl. He barked at the ring of birds, spinning about angrily to give them all a taste of his anger. "Do you think your aviary will help you here? I will dine on bird kebobs for weeks!"

A little red bird landed on Didymus' shoulder. "Rattlebeak!" the fox shouted. "My brother, you have come to help me in my fight?"

"We've come to sing ya a song," the bird answered coyly.

"But, Brother, how will a song help?"

The bird didn't bother with a reply, but instead started the first notes of a sweet, yet sad tune, minor notes gracefully dotted throughout. Within moments the throng of Magicmockers were joining him in his song, weaving the first notes of the spell.

The wolf fell onto all fours and laughed fitfully, rolling onto his back in his mirth. He regained himself and stood back on his haunches. "I'm protected from your tiny bird spells in this place, this seal protects me from all magic anyone might bring against me. Good try, though, Dinner."

Rattlebeak stopped singing, a smile creeping at the corners of his beak. "It's not for you, wolf."

The music wrapped around Didymus softly, blowing through his fur, stirring his red-feathered cap. As the notes danced about him, he felt stronger, as if his truest self was bubbling up from deep inside, a reservoir of strength and courage he had always known was there, but sometimes found hard to tap into. He felt... taller.

And he was. Not only taller, but broader. His red, gold-trimmed jerkin grew with him, as did his hat, staff and sword. He inched higher and higher, the wolf looking on in stunned silence as the fox soon towered over him by two feet.

Didymus even looked more fierce and noble, his eyes slanted from a dangerous smile.

"Well, this turns the tables now, doesn't it?" he said, his voice coming out surprisingly deep and clear.

The wolf took a step back, considering his mode of retreat.

"In the name of her Majesty, Queen Sarah of the Underground, you will surrender." He unsheathed his own sword, which had transformed from an elegant rapier to a hefty, curved cutlass. "Put down your weapon and I shall see that you are well treated."

The wolf's sword clattered as it fell to the stone floor. He ran, whimpering, down the leftmost hallway.

Didymus smiled broadly. "Now that was easy."

The birds twittered excitedly at their success. Rattlebeak pointed a wing toward the hall down which the wolf had run. "Didymus, maybe we should follow him? He might lead us to the amethyst."

"Tis a good notion, Brother. Let us go complete our quest."

Eight feet tall and hundreds of pounds heavier, Didymus trundled down the hall with Rattlebeak on his shoulder and a flock of colorful birds in tow.

"If only my brother Ludo were here to see this..."