Chapter Five "Something's wrong..." Her words seemed to echo for a moment. Suddenly, her world became bright and perplexing as the babble of a hundred voices flooded her surroundings. She glanced about confused, being tossed around in a sea of dancers in lively garb and fantastical masks. A ball...She struggled to recall something, anything, but all memory eluded her. There was only the ball and the two loud laughs and jeers of the people around her. She fought her way through the crowed, who pushed and tousled her, to a mirror lined wall. The reflection she saw was of a young woman in a green and burgundy ball gown, with emeralds sparkling in her hair, ears, and at her throat. They matched her eyes perfectly. "Who am I?" She whispered to herself. ---- She'd eaten one of his peaches. That meant that she'd be in the ball-room, and he had a chance of rescuing. It was well worth the try. ---- A murmur passed through the crowd. She looked up, wide eyed, and tried to figure out what was happening. Through the masses she caught a glimpse of a tall man, with pale blond hair streaming down about his face. Their eyes met, and for a moment a shiver passed through her at the sight of the mis-matched eyes. Then she was swept away. ---- He caught her eye for a second, before she was swallowed up again. He pushed and shoved, but couldn't reach her. The dancers would not obey his will and step aside. He was the one searching now, so the room worked against him. Finally he found her in a corner looking around dispassionately. He bowed courteously before her. "Do I know you?" She asked mildly. "I believe you do, M'Lady. Care to dance?" He led her into the dance, and the two moved gracefully around the ball-room, observed by all. Jareth studied the woman in his arms. The dress was magnificent on her, more beautiful than the one from the night before. Unfortunately, dark lipstick and eye make-up marred her features. Her eyes were empty as she gazed upon him. He brought her closer in his embrace, sighing. How long had he wished to hold her like this? Longed to kiss the beautiful pout of a mouth? He lifted her face to his, and brought his lips to hers, loving the texture of her silky lips against his own, but he pulled away dissatisfied. There was no passion in her, no spirite. This was *not* the same woman. He could not rescue her from the ball, he realized, only release her from it. The down side was that he would not know where she was, once again. He would chance it, if only to regain her true self. "Amalthya." He whispered. The remembrance of her name shattered the ball, and sent it tumbling down in shards, along with it's inhabitants. Amidst it all, the white owl flew away, unscathed. ---- She awoke on a dusty stone path with a half-rotted peach in her hand. She threw it away with a cry of disgust. Where was she? What was she doing here? She sat for a long time, musing at her loss of memory. After a while, there was a noise at one end of the path, and a large mouse came scampering towards her, carrying a rather large bag on it's back. It skidded to a halt in front of her. "I shoulda warned you 'bout those. Sorry." He said, removing the bag from his back. "I'm glad I managed to find ya, though. 'Ere's yer stuff. Why ya lookin' at me so funny?" "Do I know you?" she asked. "'Course you do. Forgot them peaches erased yer memory. Let's see if we can't get ya to remember. M' name's Conner, an' yer Amalthya. We're tryin' to get out of the Labyrinth, an' away from King Jareth too, I s'pose. "Yes...I think I remember now...Thank you, Conner. Well, it won't do us much good sitting here and wasting even more time. Let's get going, shall we?" She picked up the mouse and put him in her bag, then put the bag on her shoulder. "This way, you don't have to wear yourself out trying to keep up." She said with a smile. End Chapter Five