AUTHORS NOTE: This is my first Labyrinth Fan Fiction hell it's my first fan fiction full stop. I'm sorry this isn't a Jareth/Sarah story but this idea has been bugging me for a long time so I finally decided to put it into words.
Please read and review cristicism and suggestions are more than welcome. If you give me an idea I like and use I promise to give you lots of credit ^_^ umm… apart from that if you're a kiddy-kin you really shouldn't be reading this because there will be various words and themes that you are hopefully too innocent to know about. LOL.
Disclaimer: Usual stuff I don't own the Labyrinth or Jareth or Ludo hugs Ludo cos he's just so cute Wish I did but I don't. Any Non movie labyrinth stuff is mine or if it isn't I'll give credit to where its due.
Enjoy J
CHAPTER ONE.
"I wish your precious 'goblins' would take you and that little BITCH away right now." The sneering smile spoke the words and Jessica clutched the child to her unable to understand through the haze of terror what was just said.
A bored king heard the words and almost ignored them… and then the feeling of absolute terror hit him stirring his curiosity. Changing into his owl shape he sped between worlds answering the wish for the first time in what seemed an age.
Jessica felt rather than saw another presence in the room words were spoken she didn't know what it was all too much. The pain. The fear. The anger. But she couldn't give up. Not now, she'd come too far and fought too hard. She looked down at the child in her arms; amazingly the little girl was unharmed physically. Gloved hands came into view tugging at the child. Adrenaline coursed through her it would last long she knew but all Jess needed was a few moments to get away. Standing up she clutched the child tighter to her seeing the stranger for the first time. Where was the other one? She wondered. The stranger was talking to her she tried to focus.
"You have been wished away to me. The wisher is already in my Labyrinth already but he can only run for one of you therefore you have the choice of running my Labyrinth also." The stranger had the child in his arms.
"Give me back the child." Jess managed to get out.
"No."
"She doesn't belong to you."
"She does now unless you run my Labyrinth to get her back."
If she wasn't so tired she'd fight this but in the state she was in she just nodded and felt an extreme sense of displacement as the room spun and she found herself outside the Labyrinth. It stretched before her, confused and twisted. In the middle was a castle proud and strong it looked as if the Labyrinth had grown from the castle.
"You have 13 hours in which to get to the centre of my Labyrinth and get back the child. The wisher will be in there too trying for the same thing." Jessica still hadn't moved. Irritably the stranger gave her a magical nudge in the direction of the Labyrinth and left as she began to stumble down to the wide wooden gates.
Jessica pushed past her exhaustion as she came up to the doors. Only one thought was going through her mind. The child. Mari. She had to get the child back. It was all that mattered.
The doors looked old and heavy leaning on one she almost fell as it opened under her weight. Endless corridors stretched on either side of her. Picking a direction she stumbled along leaning against the inner wall. Eventually she began thinking of climbing it and her mind turned to a movie she saw as a young girl. Wasn't there supposed to be an opening of some sort? Jess was leaning so heavily on the wall at that point that she fell thru the opening whimpering as searing pain shot through her. For long moments she just lay there praying that the pain would go away when she heard a whisper… Jessi… Panic-stricken she scrambled up the pain in her side vanishing as terror over took her senses at the familiar voice.
"Not him please god." She gasped as she ran tearing through corridors and open courtyards blind to any of the Labyrinth creatures that stared at her torn figure. Not stopping until she was thoroughly lost…
Jareth King of the Goblins viewed the two figures running his Labyrinth. To him it seemed that one was hunting the other instead of concentrating at the goal. Strange he thought. He looked closer at the female and wondered whether her should bother trying to distract her. Through the crystal her focused on Jessica noting her torn, dirty clothes and her pale, exhausted face. Jareth decided she wouldn't be worth the trouble she would never make it to the centre no matter how determined she was. He was surprised she hadn't dropped from exhaustion already but dismissed the thought when he saw something smeared on a wall from where she had stopped to rest briefly. Making sure the girl had gone from that spot he teleported himself to where she had just been. Leaning over he inspected a stain on the wall. She's bleeding he realised. He was further surprised to see the blood disappearing. The Labyrinth is absorbing it. He thought. Frowning Jareth disappeared.
What the hell is this place!? Jess thought as she walked along holding her side. It hurt to breathe and she was still bleeding sluggishly. Which can't be good. She thought giddily. Jess wished she knew whether she was headed in the right direction. It seemed to her she'd been running forever without any clear sense of direction. Rounding a corner she almost walked smack bang into a tree. Peering around it see saw a forest that she could have sworn wasn't there a second ago.
The forest looming above her was old and dank. A permanent twilight existed under the canopy and several paths twisted out from a central almost road. Walking along the central path she soon came to a stop as it petered out. Turning around to choose one of the other paths Jess saw that trees crowded behind her. Turning around again she saw a small path that looked little more than a game trail winding among the trees. Jess thought someone was playing games with her and almost decided against going along with where ever the forest wanted her to go but an odd spark of curiosity urged her to go along.
Jareth sat up abruptly from his lounging position on his throne cursing in goblin. He couldn't find the girl. She'd disappeared completely from his senses. Expanding his magic he felt for her throughout the labyrinth and came up with nothing. The labyrinth itself was hiding her from him, but why? He focused on the male and saw he had gotten as far as the forest and was trying to get into a closed ring of trees. Searching the area with his magic Jareth felt the girl had been there only moments before and the male had been just behind her. Realisation struck Jareth. The Labyrinth was hiding her from the wisher! Jareth wanted to see if the girl would become visible again if the wisher were sent on. The Goblin King sent the Firies after him.
Jessica was being carried by something that resembled a colourful Wookie. She didn't remember falling down or going to sleep but she thought she must have to have wound up in this creatures soft shaggy arm. Jessica tried to remember where she was and then panicked as she thought of Mari and her time limit. She began to struggle almost getting free before the big hands swept her up again and cradled her close not letting her go. She sighed and decided to conserve what little strength she had left. She did note that they were moving fairly quickly and decided that so long as she was getting somewhere she could put up with being carried.
"Where are you taking me?" Jess asked.
"Lady ask Ludo to fetch little Lady." A deep child-like voice rumbled from above her.
"You're Ludo?"
"Yes."
"Who is the Lady you're taking me to see?"
"Lady say Ludo must not say. Ludo is Lady's friend."
Lulled by his soft voice Jessica went to sleep.
Jareth cursed and flung crystals at any goblin too stupid to hang around. He couldn't find the girl anywhere and the wisher had attacked three Firies before they fled. The challengers both had six hours left to solve his Labyrinth and nothing was going the way it was supposed to. Glowering he sat and watched the wisher but grew bored quickly as nothing interesting happened. Eyeing the child sitting in front of him he wondered what caused such devotion to her. Upon transporting the child here he had a healer check her thoroughly and apart from one or two small bruises and scrapes she was unmarked. Where as the girl looked as if she had been pounded by a hammer and then some.
Sighing he picked up the child and settled down to wait.
Jessica woke up again as Ludo stopped and gently put her down on the soft moss green glass. Getting up she stood back as she saw the size of Ludo. He stood roughly 8 to 9ft tall in a slouch, which meant he could reach about 10ft if he stood up straight. His shaggy pelt was mostly ember red with high lights of purple and gold. Despite his size and appearance Jessica couldn't help thinking of him as a kitten and resisted an urge to scratch his ears. Ludo smiled at Jessica then lumbered away leaving her in a small clearing upon a raised hill that overlooked the City and castle. She was much closer than before she might even make it within the timeframe!
"You're awake. Wonderful." A deep female voice spoke from behind her.
Jess turned and saw a beautiful older woman standing behind her. The woman was dressed in a flowing robe that seemed to shift as the light changed. Silver eyes stared deeply into Jessica's dark brown ones. Tearing her eyes from the hypnotic gaze Jess looked the Lady over. Her skin was the colour of cocoa and her hair flowed freely down her back dark as coal.
"You're the Lady Ludo spoke of?"
She nodded. When the Lady didn't say anything more Jessica decided to make her way down to the city.
"My Lady I thank you for bringing me this far but I have to keep moving. I don't know how much time I have left." And with that Jessica began to look for a safe way down the steep hill.
A hand on her arm stopped her. "If you go down that way he'll find you. He's been hunting you since you started... but then you already know that." Jessica froze the terror she'd pushed back resurfaced.
The lady caressed Jessica's cheek. "And for now I will leave you Jareth will want to find out how you got this far." And with that she vanished.
Jareth cast a wider net of power lazily searching for the girl who had disappeared four hours ago. His eyes widened as he found her. Careful not to wake the sleeping child on his lap he conjured a crystal and looked carefully at her surroundings. She'd gotten far in four hours, how he didn't know but he intended to find out. Handing the child to a goblin he teleported to Jessica's location.
Jessica spun around to see where the Lady went and almost crashed into Jareth. She rocked back on her heels and stepped back a pace. She got her first good look at the Goblin King since her rest had reinvigorated her to some degree. Through her worry about time, the child, the other Labyrinth runner and her lack of blood Jess admitted that he did look impressive. Everything about his clothes was black. Riding boots over black tights, a black doublet with intricate embroidery along the front and the sleeves. His glove covered hands which were twirling two crystal around and around with very little effort where also black. Mismatched eyes looked down at her from beneath strands of wild blond hair.
"Tell me my dear how are you enjoying my Labyrinth." Even with the endearment the words sounds cold.
"Why would I enjoy something like this?"
"The adventure, the excitement, the company." With the last word Jareth stepped up close til he was almost touching Jess.
"I just want the child back."
"Ah yes the child, Mari." He stepped back slightly. "You still need to find a way through to the city no matter how far you've come."
"I'll find a way." Jessica said trying not to think about the person waiting for her at the bottom of the hill.
"You're determination is admirable but determination alone will not get you through." Jareth smirked, as he looked her up and down. "Especially not in your condition." Jessica clenched her hands behind her, they were trembling despite her sleep she was still fatigued and sore. "Which brings me to my next point." Hard eyes pinned her where she stood. "Tell me my dear… How did you get this fair? I know you didn't do it on your own."
Something told Jessica that it would be better to keep her mouth shut.
Jareth sighed dramatically. "Jessica. Don't defy me." He then offered her a crystal. "I can offer you your dreams." Jessica looked in the crystal something tugged in her to take it but she didn't. She didn't believe that he had the power to give her what had been torn from her and shattered into a thousand pieces.
"All I want is the child. That's it and unless you have her hidden in one of those crystal balls I suggest you go away and leave me to complete this Labyrinth of yours."
"You won't make it." Jareth's tone had turned dangerous. "And then the child will be mine." And with that he vanished.
Jessica sagged against a near by tree dragging a trembling hand across her brow.
"Well I see he hasn't lost any of his manners." Jessica jumped in surprise as the Lady appeared besides her. Before Jessica could ask anything the Lady spoke. "I can't help you and great deal from this point in. I got you this far and now you must do the rest by yourself. Be warned the other one will put on the chase as soon as he finds your trail again so you must be quick and quiet." The Lady cupped her cheek. "I know you're afraid of him but you must not let him distract you from your goal. The child is all that matters to you now and is all you must think of."
"Why are you helping me?" Jessica asked softly.
"Because the child still has a family in the above world which will love and care for her. She is not an unwanted child therefore does not belong here. Do you understand?"
"Not really."
"I'd be surprised if you did. Now go! And always try to turn left when you can while thinking of the child don't let anything distract you." Jessica turned and trotted down the path the Lady pointed out. "Remember Jessica! One soul can always be exchanged for another!"
Jessica ran down the hill taking lefts at every opportunity once she re-entered the maze. Twists and turns surrounded her but she kept the Lady's advice firmly in mind and kept turning left when she could. She almost screamed when she turned into an open courtyard and saw the wisher ducking quickly back around the corner she prayed to who ever was listening that he hadn't seen her. Peering around the corner Jessica didn't see any sight of him. Cautiously she walked out into the open courtyard and was half way across when she heard a deep familiar chuckle that made her freeze.
"I finally found you hmmm?"
Jessica tried to bolt and found herself thrown against a wall. She screamed in pain as several wounds opened up at once. She shut her eyes and curled herself into a ball she didn't want to look didn't want know what he was about to do.
"Rise and shine sunshine! Its time to have some spine!" The sickening sweet voice acted in counterpoint to his actions as she was bodily picked up and thrown down again. He approached her again. In shear desperation she lashed out with her foot and caught something soft which made him howl in pain. Getting up she ran as far away as she could. She could barely breath it felt like her ribs were broken but she couldn't worry about that now she needed to keep moving, to keep running.
She soon found herself up against only what could be called dunes of garbage. She scrambled up and down them finding paths among them where she could. She felt her hunters presence behind her constantly the terror of what he would do to her this time fuelled her exhausted body to move faster. He almost caught her she ran. He tried to trap her she ran. Fear and exhaustion made her attempt athletic and acrobatic feats that ordinarily would have been beyond her. Before she knew it she had reached the gates of the Goblin city running past the astonished guards she shut and bolted the gates behind her.
"I don't believe it." Jareth stared at the crystal in disbelief. He had watched her run through the maze missing her encounter with the lady as he had checked up on the wisher and then returned to the castle. He had almost intervened when she was thrown up against the wall but remembered the rules of the game and stayed where he was. He could not interfere this time. He thought her body would have long given up by now and collapsed. She was inside the gates, as was the other one. He sent goblins to distract the Wisher and concentrated on the girl she ran as fast as she could dodging armed goblins even climbing up on the rooves so she'd have a clear run.
Jessica ran and dodged the goblin creatures and their weapons. She could feel the clock winding down she knew she was running out of time. She there was a mass of goblins in front of her and massing in the side streets around her seeing the houses around her were all joined together. She ran into the nearest doorway and up the stairs using a second floor window to climb into the roof. Once on the roof she managed to bypass the majority of the goblins and kept going as they tried to follow her onto the rooves. She only came down when her tired body misjudged the distance from one roof to the other as she fell. Nausea filled her as she tried to get up. Jessica got to her hands and knees when she vomited. Her body had taken too much punishment and wouldn't let her go any further despite her efforts.
Jareth saw her throw up and thought Damn the rules she only has twenty minutes anyway. He teleported to Jessica and helped her up ignoring her feeble protests.
Jessica felt strong hands helping her up and tried to protest feebly pushing them away. The hands ignored her and forced her to drink something that made her choke. She looked up into a pair of mismatched eyes and realised who was holding her. Jessica managed to push herself away and stagger to the next wall. Jareth watch this with amusement and frustration.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"To your fucking castle. Where else would I be going?"
Jareth caught her before she fell. Looking down at her he said. "Are you sure you have enough strength?"
"I don't have much a choice."
"You always have a choice my dear." Jessica snorted at that. "I could give you your dreams."
"No you couldn't." Jessica murmured. Jareth frowned.
"Or I could leave you here for the wisher to find you." Jessica stiffened. Jareth continued conversationally. "He's almost here you know."
"How much time do I have."
"Not enough."
She stood herself up slowly pushing herself away from Jareth. She thought about the last thing the Lady said and eventually spoke. "Will you accept a bargain?"
"I don't think you're in any position to offer me anything. He should be around the corner any minute now."
"Humour me."
"Alright what did you have in mind?"
"Swap the child for me."
Jareth raised an eyebrow. "You'll give up your life for a child's?"
"She has a family…" Jessica's head was swimming she was finding it hard to stay conscious. "One that loves her and can take care of her."
Jareth studied her for a moment, he could see that her knees were going to give way again any second now. He thought about the child in question. He didn't have any family to put her with and he certainly didn't need another goblin right now.
"You have a deal girl. You for the child." He pulled the girl towards him transporting them to his throne room to wait out the few remaining minutes of the 13 hours.
Jessica just stood there not looking at anything as Jareth seated himself on his throne. They were waiting… What for? She wondered. Where is Mari? She felt a tugging on her pant leg, looking down she saw the child. Her trembling hand touched the child's cheek. Small arms wrapped themselves around her waist and Jessica's trembling hands rested on the child's shoulders. Minutes past. The wisher made his way up to the front of the castle, up to the throne room and approached those on the dais. Jessica pushed Mari behind her ready to defend her in anyway possible.
The clock struck the 13th hour.
The wisher paid it no mind.
The wisher advanced on Jessica and Mari, ignoring Jareth all together.
"Stop." Jareth commanded.
The wisher stopped against his will. And let lose a string of expletives as he struggled against the invisible bonds that surrounded him.
Jareth tossed a crystal at the wisher and said. "Be gone." Jareth turned to Jessica and Mari another crystal in hand. Jessica turned to Mari once more cupping her cheek and then the child was gone. "It is done. You are mine." Jareth stated simply.
"Oh good…" Jessica responded weakly still staring where Mari had been only moments before.
Jareth caught her before she collapsed.