FOLLOWING THE DOG STAR

By Delia Lavender

(I do not own "Labyrinth" nor do I own "Star Wars". I

write only for fun, not for profit.)

This story follows "Marblecake" and "Bride of Didymus"

Wendell Wiggly, wise old worm that he was, watched attentively as the refugees passed in procession beneath his tree.

"Who are they...and what are they pulling, Grandpa?" squeeked Sidney Slimey. The little worm craned his neck, peering over the side of the branch. His dotted neck scarf was a bright spot of crimson among the green leaves.

"You would know them, Sidney, were you more than a day old. That is Sir Luke de Viszla and Sir Wishbone of Shih Tzu-Lab pulling the sacred red wagon of Labyrinth-Rider."

"What's in it, Grandpa, what's in it?"

"It appears to be Lady Abby of Cairn and Lady Marblecake of Chihuahua in there beside the twenty pound bag of kibble".

"And the large dog walking alongside?"

"That, my boy, is Princess Aspen of Boxer-Pit, the consort of Sir Luke de Viszla. I would remove my cap, if I had any hands. Look carefully, Sidney, and remember this day always."

Sidney obeyed. Although he was very young, he had still heard and absorbed much gossip and talk from his mother and aunts. He knew that the elderly, grizzled red dog must be Sir Luke de Viszla, the great soldier and hero. He knew that the black male with the long fluffy fur had to be the promising newcomer, Sir Wishbone. Sir Wishbone, he knew, had been knighted only the day before, when he, Sidney, had been hatched.

He had also heard of the beautiful Lady Marblecake of Chihuahua, who was rumored to be the reason behind this exodus. Surely she was the sleek female with the dark chocolate and cream markings, who was sitting at the front of the wagon, as near as she could manage to Sir Wishbone. Lady Abby of Cairn was sitting at the rear...Sidney recognized her by her fuzzy, salt-and-pepper fur. She had soft, lovely eyes and a gentle expression. Occasionally she spoke to Princess Aspen of Boxer-Pit, who trotted beside the wagon near her. Sidney was a little surprised that Princess Aspen wore no crown, but only a jeweled collar. She was a large, impressive figure, her fur a mixture of brindle and purest white. Her doggy grin radiated benevolence and good-cheer.

"They're running away, aren't they, Grandpa? Why exactly would they do that? I can't quite understand."

Old Wendell cleared his throat before speaking "Well...ahem...garump!...Sidney...since you're a day-old today, it's probably time you learned about birds and the bees and the dogs and the cats. Sir Wishbone and Lady Marblecake are in love...but Lady Marblecake is betrothed to Sir Didymus. Sir Luke de Viszla and his princess are helping them escape together..."

"But why, Grandpa?"

"Because Sir Luke and Princess Aspen once married without their family's blessing. It nearly caused a war between the kingdoms of Viszla and Boxer-Pit. King Jareth himself wants Lady Marblecake to wed Sir Didymus...he had arranged a State Triple Wedding. First would have been himself and Lady Sarah, then Sir Didymus and Lady Marblecake - and last, the arranged marriage of Sir Wishbone to Sir Didymus' daughter, the Lady Fuzzface".

"Jeepers...politics!"

"Indeed, Sidney. You're a smart little worm."

"What about Lady Abby of Cairn?"

"Oh, she's a great friend of Princess Aspen. She goes wherever the Princess goes. And she's also a gifted astronomer."

"Why is that important, Grandpa?"

"Well, it's very important: if you're following the Dog Star..."

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Back in the Goblin Castle, King Jareth was insane and Lady Sarah was frantic with worry. The castle passageways were cluttered with the broken glass and crockery thrown by the furious king.

Councilor Grimwad shuddered, signaling his goblin workers to shovel faster and his sweepers to hurry their work. No one wanted to be there, should King Jareth suddenly decide to open the double doors.

"Revolt...insurrection…!" screamed the king.

"Jareth...for heaven's sake..."

"TREASON!"

"They're dogs, Jareth...how can dogs commit treason?"

"They're your dogs, Madam! But they are now my subjects..."

"Not yet, Jareth! We aren't married yet...and at this rate..."

"Do you dare to defy me, Sarah?"

"Yes."

"It's too late for that...you promised to wed me. As for Marblecake and Wishbone...they both knew my wishes. Marblecake has broken the heart of Didymus..."

As if to punctuate his statement, the sound of distant, doleful howls drifted through the throne room and along the corridors. The sweepers looked up from their work.

"Keep sweeping!" whispered Grimwad, urgently.

King Jareth's loud voice penetrated the closed double doors and reverberated against their eardrums.

"...His heart is broken – broken, I say! And the heart, also, of Lady Fuzzface. And worse, my will has been defied! The whole, mangy lot of them should be..."

"...What, Jareth?" Lady Sarah's voice was cold as ice "What can you do to them? Wish and Leia love each other, Jareth – they always have. You can't drag them back like..."

"...Dogs? Like dogs, Sarah? Of course they're dogs! And they should obey like dogs!"

"Jareth..."

"It's your fault! If you had trained them better..."

The workers heard a muffled curse, then the sound of an ornate inner door suddenly slamming shut.

Lady Sarah had fled the throne room. King Jareth stumbled up against the cupboard, looking for more wine to drink and glasses to break.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

After the sun went down, the tired dogs huddled together, cold and hungry. The journey had not gone well for them. Princess Aspen had injured her leg and, because of her size, they'd had to abandon the kibble. Sir Luke and Sir Wishbone had continued pulling the wagon, while Lady Marblecake and Lady Abby, footsore, had struggled along behind them.

They would have had no food at all, were it not for two friendly worms, who had told them where game could be found.

But two hares were hardly enough to feed five dogs.

But still they had labored on, following the Dog Star, knowing that at the end of their journey they'd find a portal that would transport them Aboveground.

Now, as their ladies slept, Sir Wishbone and Sir Luke conversed, using a combination of telepathy and soft grunts.

"I'm worried," said Sir Wishbone "We've evaded King Jareth's patrols twice today. What if we run out of luck? An oubliette would be the least punishment we could expect...our ladies would die there." He bent his shaggy black head to kiss Marblecake. Marblecake...why did they call her that? he wondered. She would always be his princess – Princess Leia – and no wicked king's proclamation could change that.

Oh, how he missed the old days! How he missed Mommy Sarah! How uncomplicated life had been then...before their evil mistress, Gwen the Horrid, had wished Leia away…

Leia, lately known as Marblecake, whimpered in her sleep. Perhaps she was dreaming of Mistress Gwen.

"Maybe," said Sir Luke "We won't be caught. Love is worth the risk. It's the reason we're helping you, Princess Aspen and I. We, also, were kept apart...nobody approved of our union, either. My father, Lord Vincent of Viszla, referred to Princess Aspen as a "half-bred mongrel". He didn't think a noble Viszla should marry a Boxer-Pit. So the two of us eloped. And we've been happily married for many years. Now we wish to give you and Lady Marblecake a chance for happiness. And also we're tired...tired of the tyranny of King Jareth. Perhaps in the Aboveground we will find freedom."

Wishbone understood. Except for Mommy Sarah, no one had ever approved of his lineage...he was merely the result of an "Oops" litter. His mother, Sheila, had been a beautiful Shih Tzu, his father, Laddie, had been a proud English Labrador. But Sheila and Laddie had been forcibly separated and their puppies torn from them. The pet owner who sold them had referred to Wish and his siblings as "Shitty Labs". Their mother, Wish heard later, had swiftly died of a broken heart.

The two dogs were silent for a moment. The only sounds were those of crickets and the steady, rhythmic licking of Lady Abby, as she tended to Princess Aspen's sore leg.

Sir Luke lifted his grey snout and looked fondly at his Princess and her attendant.

"That Lady Abby...she has a 'licker problem', if ever I've seen one. She's wonderfully soothing to the injured, but she'll lick a hot spot if she isn't carefully watched."

"Doesn't she know when to stop?" asked Wishbone.

"No...she frequently loses control of her licking. It's probably because she lost her mother so young."

Wish and Sir Luke watched her for a moment. Fuzzy Lady Abby was actually licking Princess Aspen in her sleep. Finally, Abby's head drooped down upon her paws. Her tongue stilled and, like Leia-Marblecake, she gently snored.

But Princess Aspen's snores were not low-volumed. Her snores, deep-chested and robust, were a source of worry to her mate and her friends. Still, they made no attempt to silence her. The Princess was too tired and in too much pain to disturb.

"It's hurtful," said Sir Wishbone "And my conscience troubles me. King Jareth was trying to be good to us – and Sir Didymus was good to Leia...er, Marblecake. We've left the Labyrinth in shambles. We ruined the wedding..."

"No you didn't," replied Sir Luke "How could you ruin the wedding, when you loved Leia, not Fuzzface? When Leia loved you, not Sir Didymus? It's a shame Didymus got his feelings hurt, but he'll get over it."

"No he won't...I've made an enemy of him...and a worse one of the king."

"It's easy to make an enemy of King Jareth."

Both dogs went abruptly quiet. Their ears twitched. Far away, but approaching rapidly, they could hear the pounding of a horse's hooves.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

"Sir Luke...take the ladies behind the rocks!" said Sir Wishbone, indicating a nearby granite outcropping.

"But you, Sir Wishbone..."

"I'll stay hidden and watch."

"No...Wishbone!" Leia had awakened and stood up, her velvety forepaws circling his neck "Come and hide with us... it might be more soldiers!".

But Sir Wishbone was adamant. "Go with Sir Luke, my beloved."

Beyond Leia, Wishbone could see the other two ladies stirring. Lady Abby looked around, fear in her eyes. Princess Aspen sat up, then lumbered to her feet.

"Go, my Aspen...go, my lady Abby. Sir Wishbone is right." ordered Sir Luke.

With a whimper Leia released her hold on Wishbone and followed Sir Luke and the other ladies behind the boulders.

Sir Wishbone lay down in the high grass near the road. He cocked his floppy, hairy ears attentively. Only one rider, judging from the hoof-beats...perhaps a lone farmer or merchant, returning home late? Or could it possibly be one of the King's scouts? He made himself small, hunkering down in the grass as the hoof-beats grew closer.

But then the wind shifted and the startled Wishbone smelled something...familiar. But what? It was too soon to tell, exactly, but it reminded him of home. The impression grew as the horse galloped closer...it was almost abreast of him…

Suddenly, Wishbone leaped forward, out of the concealing grass, barking furiously. From the boulders behind him, Leia gave a surprised yelp.

"Mommy! Mommy Sarah!" barked Wishbone.

"Wish...Wish is that you?!" cried Sarah, reining in her horse.

Lady Sarah had barely climbed off the saddle when she was assaulted by a shaggy, affectionate black cyclone.

Her horse whinnied in alarm.

"Wish...Wishbone...my little ewok!" Sarah shouted. Her arms were filled with his soft weight and her face was being licked. Beside her, Leia pranced and jumped. Sarah freed one arm and deftly caught her up, holding her lost pet close.

"Leia...oh, Leia...how I've missed you! You're both here...my sweethearts...my puppies! I've looked everywhere for you!"

Sarah fervently kissed her recovered pets, then, looking up, noticed the approach of three other dogs.

"Sir Luke de Viszla? It's you, isn't it? I recognize you from Jareth's description. And Princess Aspen...oh, how lovely you are! Oh, my...we must do something about your leg, dear...and Lady Abby – how small and precious you are. Well...all of you will just have to come home with me...I don't think the soldiers are too far behind."

"May I inquire, my Lady Sarah," Sir Luke asked, stepping forward "How did you find us?"

"Hoggle visited in secret," replied Sarah "And I told him I wanted to leave King Jareth. How could I stay...when the king wanted to harm all of you? So we stole a horse and I slipped away. Hoggle told me about the Dog Star Portal: he said that worm informants had seen you on this road. Hurry! I can take the Princess across my saddle, and I'll put Leia and Lady Abby in my saddle bags. We must move quickly..."

"Kibble…?" inquired Sir Luke, hopefully "Please, do you have any kibble? We are so hungry..."

"I have kibble and treats – enough for all of you - and they'll be yours, just as soon as we get home."

And so Lady Sarah rode toward the Dog Star Portal, carrying Aspen, Leia and Abby across her saddle, Wishbone and Luke trotting joyously beside the horse.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Horrid Gwen frowned into her princess-pink mirror. Behind her, on the sofa, her baby-sitter slept soundly, exhausted by Gwen's antics and Gwen's late night demands.

"So what?" thought Gwen "Let her sleep...I'll just report her to mother, when she gets back."

Gwen stared critically at her orange curls "Why did my father have to be a carrot-top? I'll tell mother I want the hairdresser to straighten it...again. I don't care how much it costs - she owes it to me. She doesn't want me teased at school, does she? The other girls are richer than we are...but just wait...wait 'til I'm a princess! Mother said I'll be a princess, soon. I don't know how she plans to do it, but I'll make her keep her promise. I'll be Princess Gwen – with straight hair! I wonder what mother's doing now...she's a little late coming back. Oh...I know...she must be buying that white poodle I want. I'm glad I wished-away that nasty Leia...now mother has to buy me the poodle! All the other girls have poodles..."

The pendulum clock made a whirring sound and Gwen counted the chimes as they rang out "Thirteen? Thirteen chimes? It's midnight, and there's only supposed to be twelve! I'm going to tell mother to get rid of that thing...I don't care if it used to belong to grandma...it's broken."

Gwen heard steps outside, on the porch. She put down her mirror and turned toward the door, frowning.

A key turned in the lock. The doorknob rattled. Mother had returned. She walked into the room - bringing unexpected company with her. Gwen looked at her mother in surprise...something was wrong, very wrong, she sensed. Mother's face wore an expression of strange, unaccustomed determination and...was that Leia in her arms? Stupid Leia? Where was the poodle? And who were those other dogs? Of course there was Wish, the Shitty Lab, but who were the other three? And why were they looking at her so strangely? The big red dog was staring at her...like...like...her dour, disapproving old arithmetic teacher! And the big white-and-brindle dog...why was she sniffing at her disdainfully...even dismissively? How dare she sniff at her...at Princess Gwen? And the scruffy-furred little dog...why was she staring at her... staring and growling?

"Guess what, Gwen," said Mommy Sarah, her voice very firm "There's going to be a few changes around here..."

THE END