In the Eyes of the Queen [ Labyrinth ] ✔

Chapter Eight

He looks at me, not knowing what to do, but I hear the familiar hum and look up. There stands the gate directly before my gaze. It is closed.

"Well, that much worked, but how do we open it?"

I take careful steps toward it, noticing that the music in the air is softer than I recall and that rather than strengthening as I expected it to, it seems to quiet. Taking nothing for granted means I should see if it is unlocked, but I recall that it swings outward and so I am apprehensive to near it. I tentatively reach out, though I am not yet near it.

The grotesque gate opens as I raise my hand and I jump a little, startled.

"We might as well get going. No need to waste time in wonder."

I pull Alice along behind me as I approach the familiar dank darkness beyond the gate, grateful that the humming fades entirely rather than growing more ominous as it did last time. Sir Didymus follows, but I gesture for him to stay.

"My lady?"

"I fear the wrath that I invoke by helping Alice myself, I need not make distaste stronger by including another. Please stay at your post, Sir Didymus, as I have not this time taken it from you."

My attempt at lightheartedness results in what I assume is a smile from Sir Didymus (his inhuman face does make it rather difficult to tell, even though I have known him for years now) and he backs away and straightens into a still, upright position. Though they never spoke of it, I assume they were punished for helping me. If Hoggle has been sent to the Bog of Eternal Stench, it is most definitely a punishment, whether or not Sir Didymus speaks of the position of "prince" as if it were a generosity. Even if Hoggle had not been thrown into it, smelling it is punishment enough. It is not unlikely that Sir Didymus's appointment as gatekeeper is a punishment in itself, if there is nothing to do, as he implied. With how indifferently Jareth threatening Hoggle with the Bog, certainly Sir Didymus occasionally had the company of those sent there by punishment, and yet here he has no hopes of seeing anyone. The wishers are apparently few and far between and even the groundskeeper is nowhere to be seen.

"I will manage, Sir Didymus. I was infrequently without the company of my then soon-to-be friends, but I learned from you all, so I should be able to lead Alice through myself if there is any hope of it at all."

He looks at me almost doubtfully, but nods. I never told him, or my other friends, the story of my journey through the Labyrinth, so even if they have told each other of their doings with me, they do not know my journey from the gates to the oubliette, or my dance with the fire gang, or the how I went from their company in the forest via the ballroom dream and Agnes to find them in the junk yard, or how my interactions with Jareth beyond the throne room.

Turning away from my friend with the pain of parting, I pull Alice into the damp gloom of the never-ending passage. I sigh and look to either side, considering. If I go right, I have the chance to use the knowledge obtained by my mistakes and successes. I am unsure whether or not I can find the same passage I used to exit the passageway, but I have a better chance, at least, if I go right.

With one of my too frequent sighs, I lead Alice to the right. I wonder if the eternity of the passage is just a deception. I cannot guarantee that I will find the worm again by which to judge where to cross out of the passage, and he said it was full of openings. Even if the length of the passage is illusionary, there are still too many choices. I hope the length is deceiving and so it will not be so far until I reach the hole of that little creature.

As we walk, I silently beg my luck to grant me sight of the fuzzy blue worm in his bright red scarf. I look carefully at the wall and am surprised to see him quite immediately. He watches me but says nothing. Silently hoping that he is in the same location as before, I turn away and face the wall opposite him. Pulling the still bewildered Alice along, I step tentatively through the illusion hiding the exit and into the passage beyond. I turn right automatically, but pause.