The Hawkmother

Chapter Eleven: Those Blooming Roses

"You'll really help me get him back?" Nibbles asked, sniffling.

"We can certainly try," Shadowcoin responded. "You can help him escape while we put on a show."

Nibbles agreed, and as she packed the blanket back into the haversack, she wondered what exactly led these helpful creatures to her. "Not that I'm not grateful, but how did you find me?"

"The raven told us. Said he followed the tracks back here. Stopped us early this morning and made sure we knew exactly where to find you so that we could help."

Nibbles had never met any raven, but perhaps Jareth had. Perhaps the raven was even trying to help.

As they followed the tracks, Nibbles was introduced to everyone. Bartholomew the bear generally pulled the cart. Tomblin the otter served as a strong-man during their performances. One of the wolverines, Tormund, could juggle, while Ozdiperian, his brother, spat fire using what seemed like magic. There were three squirrels, all siblings—Holly, Juniper, and Chrysanthemum. Together they were called the Blooming Roses, and together they put on shows in major cities to make some money or earn a hot meal.

The plan was that they would put on a show for the lizards, some sort of tragedy, and while they were doing so, Nibbles would break Jareth's bindings and free him. It seemed a solid enough plan, and tracking the lizards was easy work in the soft ground.

On the trip there, Nibbles was taught to pick locks. "He might be held in a cell of some sort," Juniper had explained, and proceeded to show the young mouse the easiest way to break into anything that was locked. Nibbles suspected her mother would not approve of this new talent, but that was okay, so long as she used it to help people like her brother. Maybe it would even come in handy rescuing their mother!

The swamp was different when she was with the Roses. She felt safe with them, and Bartholomew seemed to know exactly where to step so as not to get himself (or the cart, or anybody else) stuck in the sucking mud. In fact, he seemed to have found a sort of trail, if it could be called that.

Nibbles saw Jareth right away when they entered the lizards' camp. The cage he was kept in was close to a fire, and for a moment, Nibbles was back in Larkhaven, outside the burrow watching rabbits prepare a fire to cook and eat them. But Jareth didn't look frightened. If anything he looked a little bit annoyed, but he was calm. Which meant that Nibbles should be calm too.

He looked up from his cage at the approach of the cart, eyebrows raised, and Bartholomew winked at him. Jareth didn't know what was going on, but he had a sneaking suspicion that the raven had gone to find him some help after all. All he could do now was wait and hope that these strangers knew what they were doing.

They set up their gear without a word, the lizards also in silence. Did the lizards know these creatures already? He had little time to think about why the silence was so strong, because he glimpsed a peek of a mouse's tail from under the cart, and upon squinting and staring for quite some time, he became certain that it was indeed Nibbles.

"For you my good friends today," the white wolf spoke, "a tail of true love, star-crossed and tragic from beginning to end."

There was a murmur from the lizards, and the motley folk began performing. Jareth couldn't see the performance from his cage, and this saddened him. It sounded enjoyable as could be, and he would have liked to have watched it. But before he could call out to the lizards and ask if he could watch, Nibbles was at the cage.

"We don't have much time," she whispered, "It's not a very long play. We can't hide in the cart, in case they realize you're gone, but we're close to Sprig Valley, and we'll be able to make it out of the swamp by then if we keep following the trail Bartholomew found."

"Who's cart? Who's Bartholomew? How do you plan on getting me out when the cage is locked?" Jareth had many questions, but fell quiet again when Nibbles sternly shushed him and began working on the cage lock. "Where'd you learn to do that?" He asked quietly as the cage door sprung open.

"From a squirrel," she answered, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"From a squirrel." Jareth repeated.

"Come on, we have to go now," and with that, Nibbles and Jareth were on the move again, running until both of them were out of breath, sides heaving. "We should be far enough now to stop."

Jareth didn't need to be told twice, but they were at the fringes of the swamp now, and they could see dry land beyond the trees. This would be Sprig Valley, this would be where their mother was being held.

"Nibbles, I have so much to tell you," Jareth panted.

"Well, tell me then."

"I saw Locklear."

"You did what?"

"That's why the lizards took me, they thought I was a fox."

"But Eleanor said they already have a fox. Why would they want more?"

"Might be that this uncle doesn't know the magic the way Eleanor says he does. Might just think that more foxes means more magic. And I spoke to a raven."

"A raven was the one who sent the Roses to me!"

"His name is Hunnin, and if I ever see him again, I must thank him. He told me there are plans for a revolt among the slaves."

"What's that got to do with us, Jareth?" Nibbles asked as they made their way out of the swamp. Their back paws and tails were coated with dry mud, and both were desperate for a bath.

"Well, see, if we wait until they start, we might be able to help take the fortress. We could take care of Locklear and her henchmen while the enslaved creatures take care of the rest."

"It'll be utter chaos," Nibbles warned.

"But we can use it to our advantage and get mother out!" Jareth protested. "If we help the slaves, we help all of the Isle. I think that's what we're supposed to do."

"And what if we're not supposed to do that?" The mouse inquired, genuinely curious.

"Then...well, then we weren't meant to and we'll find out the hard way. But I think it's worth a shot. It might be our only shot. I say we take it."

"Fair enough. Finally! Fresh air!" They had cleared the swamp and now stood in a vast field, wildflowers blooming all across it in shades of blues and purples and yellows. The air was fresher here, and did not carry the same smell as the swamp did, a smell neither could place, though they were certain they had scented it before.

In the distance they could see the fortress, set behind a reasonably sized village. "Do you suppose only her soldiers live there now?" Jareth asked. "I can't imagine she'd just keep everyone there without them supporting her."

"Maybe they do all support her. I can't imagine why but she's obviously on to something if she has an army to begin with."

"I guess we'll find out, won't we?"

"Jareth?"

"Yes?"

"I'm terribly frightened."

Jareth cast a long sideways look at his sister, who stood with her shoulders squared and her paw on the hilt of her sword. She didn't look scared, but Nibbles was always good at pretending to be brave. Asteria's words echoed in his mind.

"Sometimes bravery means being scared and doing it anyway," he reassured her.

If he were to have told her the truth of the matter, he'd have told her that he was frightened, too.