Lost And Found

Jareth was used to the chaos the goblins caused, but something was different about the uproar outside today. Then when a guard came in with about five or six others, all arguing over something dead, he knew something was up. They all shouted over each other and then started pointing, and running around, it was a wonder they didn't all knock into each other.

"Enough!" And just as uncoordinated as they could be, they all in sync dodged the king's boot.

"Your Majesty, there have been more. These men where the first to see it, and we have not yet seen what has done this!"

"Of what are you talking about?" Jareth placed his hands on his hips and glared. The goblin cowered slightly.

"The...well we don't know my lord....something was....killing well.....we haven't see anything, but it's the third kill we've found." The bunch of them all started to agree on this. "In all reports nothing is said about any beast that can do this living in the Labyrinth Your Majesty."

"Where?" Jareth said with questioning in his voice. Something in his Labyrinth killing goblins, other creatures, and he wasn't aware of it? He could always feel everything in the labyrinth, no matter what. The goblins being pains in the ass, the melancholy love-sick girls that came to the castle, even the pissed off lords he's dealt with. But not to feel one of his subjects being killed? Seemed to be something wrong with that, and it unsettled him as he found his way to his stables.

He was galloping at a deadly pace until he came to the kill. The goblins were right, it was a what and not a who. But it wasn't killed in the Labyrinth rather thrown over the wall into the Labyrinth? This puzzled Jareth as to why anything in the forests outside the walls of the Labyrinth was this close. No one liked the Labyrinth and he liked it that way. Inspecting it more he finally made it vanish. He was back on his horse and taking the slow way back to the castle. Taking a stroll through his labyrinth wasn't something he found himself doing as much as he wanted to, so now was the perfect opportunity. It never failed to amaze him the way it changed and how the ones that came to be there were humans. Yes there were plenty of creatures that lived within its walls, and had the protection of the King of the Goblins as well, but the Fey didn't want anything to do with it. Making sure things were in order and passing a couple creatures he'd not seen as of yet made him smile inside though he'd never show it in the open. Not even to the creatures here, they didn't bother him, and he let them stay.

After about an hour, he stopped dead in his tracks. The horse didn't see anything. As a fact he didn't either, he couldn't even feel the creatures there, not even the slimy little things that crawled on the walls, even for the Labyrinth that was odd. Not turning around yet he listened....then he heard it. The low growl made the horse jump a little but Jareth had hold of the reins tightly. He moved the horse to face the creature, the reason no other was around. What he saw made even him the Goblin King gasp. Beautiful black, large cat with eyes that burned red as fire. They could engulf you if you stared too long he thought. He could well see that, as she was walking along the wall above him.

"So you're the one putting your garbage in my Labyrinth? Not wise. I say you need to go back to your home and leave my Labyrinth. Neither one of us will like the outcome if you anger me." With that the cat jumped on the other side of the wall and was gone. "I've seen something like that before, but where?" He thought to himself.

His library was full of books, lately the newest ones of the creatures not found until recently. But what no one knew was that he's gone to the Aboveground dozens of times and brought back a library of never before seen books. He'd spent many nights just reading up on everything he could. Magics helped him make some of the animals, but only illusions, they never lasted more then an hour and never were seen by anyone save himself.

It was about an hour or so when Jareth was really into a book that a goblin came knocking at the library doors. Jareth covered the book he was reading, and opened the door with magic. The little goblin came in with a letter. Jareth took it not looking twice at the goblin, but it stayed.

"Yes, Brut........I do not wish to be taken away from my reading very long unless it's for the sake of torturing you..." With that the little goblin ran out of the room so fast Jareth had to chuckle.

"So a royal wedding to be had soon." He read to himself. "Trel...finally found a girl you can toy with I see.....What!?! A mortal?"

This wasn't unheard of in the Underground, but in royals it wasn't common. Jareth wondered what was so special about this mortal. She'd have to be something for Trel to want her, and for his family to let him marry her. He'd have to meet this girl, other then that there would be no reason to go. Trel's father and Jareth were both kings, and in the royal manners he was invited. Invited to more celebrations, social calls, and parties he cared to note. At first it was nice, then seeing how he was just invited as a social manner and that no one really wanted him there, he wasn't going to bother with anyone. Only a choice few ever liked his company, and he was lucky he could call them friends.

____

Lionie was on the outskirts of the labyrinth, not long now he thought. Jareth would be surprised to see him, but then again the news he had...was it good or bad he didn't know, but the Goblin King needed to know. He'd been walking for the morning, and saw nothing to indicate the cat had even been there, but he had a feeling about it. It was headed for the Labyrinth last he knew, and it might be safe in there. The Goblin King did take care of his Labyrinth and all its creatures. Was the cat hiding in it and creeping out at night, to do what? Wasn't there an ample amount of creatures inside that it could have? Well all the more to talk about. Lionie was walking inside the Labyrinth, looking for anything to tell him the cat had been there, but could find nothing. No red eyes staring into his soul. So with his head held up looking for the castle he decided to track forward to it.

____

Jareth was in his private study looking through more books, most of them older in Aboveground terms. Something was missing from them, he'd read about animals that have glowing eyes to light, but none of which were red. Most did live in the settings of these other animals but it was still a dead end. Lowering his head to his hands, he thought it was enough dwelling on this today. Some rest and thinking on other matters would refresh his mind. Getting up to take a long relaxing bath he headed to the doors. Walking down the hallways, calling out orders to the goblin guards he felt something. Nothing that made him fear for his Labyrinth or himself. The goblins were safe, but there was new presence in the Labyrinth. Twisting an evil smile on his face the goblins just looked at each other, trying to figure out if they should run.

"On second thought, hold guard. Nothing is to pass through the castle, with out my ok." They held straight and Jareth was off, brisk-fully walking to the throne room. But he never intended to really go there. In a flash of glitter he was gone form the castle. Standing still, closing his eyes he was in the right place. There was horse, brown colored, with darker dappled spots of brown. He was a site to see, beautiful steed and his stables could always give home to the beast.

"And what have we here...a lost little pony." Jareth came into the horses view, and it transformed.

"Hello Goblin King, how do the days find you?"

"Oh a prince, and not just any prince." He said with a ton of disappointment he didn't have a new horse to train. "Lionie great to see you. And as an animal?"

Lionie could see the questionable look in Jareth's eyes.

"Yea well thought it would be safer, and well let's talk inside."

"Course....." With that Jareth transported them to the castle.

____

"There is to be a grand celebration. Trel finally married! Tell you the truth I never thought he'd settle down, loves the thrill too much."

"Unlike you, quietly living with out any excitement?"

"Yes well the biggest difference is that I'm going for the thrill of discoveries, and he well just for the girls. Not that doesn't have bad taste but still. There's only so much you can do before the same get old, you know what I mean?" Not really a question, just something he'd never understand, why stick to the same thing for longer then need be? Lionie and Trel were the same in many ways, more so then they'd like to think. They just played and used different things so to speak. Although Lionie wasn't as cruel with his conquests he still left them more often then they him.

"Yes and he thinks the same of his girls." Lionie was ignoring Jareth, his eyes strayed to the book on the desk. Jareth forgot to put the books away about the cats in the Aboveground.

"Where did you get that?" Lionie almost knocked Jareth down to get to the book. It was mostly covered by others, but Lionie had good eyes and could finish the animals' picture in his mind. He knew it was the cat.

"Lionie no please......."

"You've seen this? You have this running around in your Labyrinth, and you didn't tell me?"

"No Lionie, I just found her a couple days ago. The goblins found her kills, running away thinking she was hunting them."

"Wait! Did you say she? How the hell do you know it's a girl....?"

"Well if you'd let me finish." Lionie just sat on the couch with the book in hand glancing at the pages quickly reading as Jareth spoke. "The goblins came to me, it was time to go find out what was making all the ruckus. So off I went and found the kill. She was making a mess of it too. Seems to be a joy rather then an eating issue. Messy, strange it didn't seem like it all started in the Labyrinth. She must have thrown over the wall!" Jareth had to laugh at himself for the thought of anything just throwing something over the Labyrinth walls. Lionie just looked up from the book in disbelief.

"Really? Just like taking the trash out then." Jareth's face shot a look of anger. The thought of anyone thinking they could just dump anything in his Labyrinth angered him to no end. True no one liked the fact that humans could wish away unwanted kids, and he'd let them run it to get them back, but they were all scared of the Labyrinth. Truth be known they were afraid of the humans and the fact that they had no control over anything in the Labyrinth. Jareth controlled it, and when he wasn't paying attention it ran free on its own will. Nothing in the whole universe scared the Fey more. No Fey he knew came close to thing, only calling to his castle. Jareth loved that fact. Thinking of it suddenly made him laugh.

"Funny I never thought you'd like the idea of anyone thinking low of your Labyrinth?"

"I don't Lionie, that's why she was there." It hit him all of a sudden. "She's really not from around here, more from the human realm. But I still can't account for the eyes. Maybe has something to do with the magic here changing her slightly."

"Well I do know that the scouts only found her a couple days ago. How long have you known about her?"

"Same." Sitting at the desk with a far away look in his eyes. Was there a connection, he thought before Lionie spoke up.

"Well why don't we find out why she's here, and what magics have changed her. Unless you're not up for it old boy?" Lionie gave Jareth the most innocent boyish look as if daring him to say no. He really was like a child getting the promise of sweets for being good.

­____

After the first rays of morning came the men were gone. They started early wanting to know more. The goblins were put on high alert and reports were streaming in that some had seen red eyes leering in one area of the Labyrinth. She might not be in the same part of the Labyrinth, but they would start there and work their way out. Lionie after all had his brother's wedding in a few days and wanted to meet the mortal he so fell in love with. Jareth just wanted to know more about this cat, not that meeting some mortals he didn't bring to the Underground didn't sound like fun. He'd meet them at the wedding. No rush, not like they had a time frame. Besides the only humans any Fey really worried about were the ones that did run the Labyrinth.

Hours after getting what seemed like no where, they spotted something in the trees.

"Birds, new ones we haven't had a chance to really look at them yet but the scouts have kept a magic eye on them for me." Jareth just looked and nodded. The Goblin King had a flock of them living in the Enchanted Forest on the west side of his Labyrinth. Even though Lionie did have the upper hand on things, still he was young and missed enough. They continued to move out, and gave the horses a break after an hour of searching. Lionie was watering the horses when he saw something by the lake. He took a closer look and found the carcass of what used to be a Fiery. He vaguely remembered reading about them in Jareth's library.

"Ohhh Jareth you are not going to like this..." He was about to ask but judging by Lionie's voice he just walked over. What he saw made him start to sweat, and the Goblin King does not sweat over anything! The Fireys' stay in the labyrinth, they never venture out. So why was he kneeling by a dead one, miles away from the labyrinth.

"No I don't like it Lionie, we have to find her and fast I want to know what she thinks she's doing....coming into my Labyrinth and taking it's creatures just to leave them all over the Underground......." Jareth was pissed! That's all Lionie saw, but Jareth was also worried. Worried that if he didn't feel what this cat was doing in his Labyrinth he'd have to lie to Lionie soon.

"How about we give them 45 minutes, an hour at most." Jareth just nodded. He wasn't going to say a word, but just made the little dead body disappear. Lionie just looked at the maps and began to fumble around with some books he brought. Jareth let out a sigh and sat down on the rocks by the waters edge, just thinking. He formed a crystal ball in his hand to check on the goblins. All is well at home at least. Seeing the goblins fighting and creating chaos brought a small smile to his face. Then his face turned cold, he closed his eyes and tried to relax. He needed to get to the Firey's in the Labyrinth, see if they were ok still. Slowly he could see them taking shape in his mind. They were lying about, just resting! He seemed to be shocked at their demeanor, one of their family dead, and they aren't even shaken by it? No! They were all there....all in the family there. The image soon disappeared from his mind and he opened his eyes.

Then he heard it. A low growl, behind him in the high grasses. Without motion he formed a crystal in his hand, and then slowly turned around. All he could do was lock eyes with the black cat. Red eyes burning fire into his soul. Lionie had no idea what was going on talking away to himself about the maps, until he saw Jareth jump up and move back toward him. Lionie saw what made Jareth move so, it was her! The eyes, the grace that she moved closer to them. Lionie couldn't move, dared not say a word. The horses were going frantic from not knowing what she was going to do. Slowly marching down on them, she cleverly backed them against one of the larger trees in the forest. Both men just stared at her, she hadn't bothered to rip either one to shreds, Jareth thought why? She could smell them both, one feared her, and the other, mad at her. She growled low at them and stood in their way from escape. Against the tree they were helpless save the magic they had. Why they weren't using it to just stun her? One simple act proving she had brains enough stopped them. She bowed her head to them. They looked at each other out of the corners of their eyes. Did they see just right, she bowed to them? Yes she did. Lionie rubbed his eyes not believing what he was seeing. Jareth just stared at her waiting for her next move. Merely bringing her head up was all she did, and Jareth nodded at her. Lionie just stared most likely didn't see what Jareth had done. He was thinking.....and it wouldn't lead him to nothing but trouble. Lionie was the first to speak, just excited, tickled even. Just blabbering on about what team would need to come back and study her. Not liking the word study he turned his nose at the thought. Jareth didn't say a word until...

"Sorry Lionie I must go back to my Labyrinth.......sorry." Lionie stopped talking only to say good bye. But before he could even finish Lionie was standing at the gates of his father's kingdom. His horse was beside him, all packed with the books and maps Lionie had.

"Sly dog, would have been fine on my own." Giving a step to the gates they opened and he was home. Home with the events of what just happened running in his head. He had to get her to his kingdom, had to have her studied..........had to have her.

____

Jareth was back home in his secret library, looking for anything that could tell him the answers to the million questions buzzing in his head. Granted meeting any human brought to the Underground that's fit to be a Queen was important, he had to find out just how smart this cat was. She bowed her head to them, to him or Lionie? It didn't take being well versed in animals or magics to tell that Lionie was scared out of his mind back there. She could pick up on it he knew it. She was smart, and the smarter the creature the more dangerous the magic. He walked around with a fury, papers flying everywhere, and then he finally lay back on the sofa. Arms over his head, legs stretched out......he thought...she bowed to me. The wedding may have to forfeit for this, but that's the unfair Underground.