As Jareth descended the stairs, he could hear the ring of swords coming from the courtyard below. He could not help the arrogant little smile crossing his lips. While he had not changed much in the past eighteen years, Declan and Brennan had grown into men he could truly be proud of.
He stood on the steps, watching as Brennan ducked to the right of Declan's lunge, dropping low to swing his sword at Declans's legs. Declan leapt nimbly over the swing, flipping over Brennan's head and landing neatly on the other side. Declan touched the tip of his sword between his brother's shoulder blades.
"And you are dead!"
Brennan spun around, laughing, brushing his dark hair from his shining forehead. "Touché, then, brother," he said, with a mocking bow, his face betraying his good humor.
Jareth felt himself growing sentimental watching them together. He straightened up and cleared his throat, stepping down into the courtyard to join them.
"Father!" Declan called, raising his sword to his sweating brow in an awkward salute.
Jareth was unable to stop the smile that spread across his face. "Declan, Brennan," he said with a curt nod. "I think it is time we begin to talk about what you want to do with your lives. I doubt you want to live here forever. Leading patrols through the Labyrinth can hardly be fulfilling for two men of your skills."
Declan's eyes widened hungrily, but Jareth noticed that Brennan bit his lip and drew back slightly. He arched an eyebrow. "Brennan?" he inquired, imperiously.
Brennan hesitated for a moment before answering. "Well," he began, making no eye contact with either his father or his brother, "I have been thinking lately… I might like to go explore the human world, for a bit."
Declan snorted, inelegantly. "Explore the human world? They do not even have magic, uncultured clods," he added haughtily.
Jareth leveled Brennan with a piercing gaze. "Your brother is correct. The human world can be a dangerous place for us…"
"I know the stories!" Brennan interrupted, locking furious eyes with his father. "You may hide it, but I know all about your human girl! I will not go and play games with them, I will not lose my head!"
Simultaneously irritated and proud of his defiance, Jareth merely thinned his lips down into a tight line. "Your mother…"
"Will agree to whatever you decide," Brennan interjected again.
Jareth thought for the space of a moment and then sighed. "Very well." He turned to the unusually still and silent Declan. "I gather you do not share his wishes?"
Declan stood straighter. "Of course not. I want nothing more than to conquer my own kingdom and follow in your footsteps."
Smiling in a predatory manner, Jareth put a hand on Declan's shoulder, pulling him back towards the steps. "Then come with me, there will be much to plan." He threw a cool look behind him at Brennan. "You may pass the news onto your mother yourself."
As they walked away from him, Brennan let his shoulders slump. He supposed he should not be surprised at his father's reluctance or his brother's anger. It was a long cherished secret he had told no one. While he always had been an excellent warrior and good with magic, he had never truly wanted a life as a ruler. He also knew Jareth would never be happy until he saw both of his sons set on their own thrones.
Brennan felt his only chance of escape was to go to a place outside of the Underground. There his father's influence would be far more remote. He hoped that while he was away Declan would help to ease some of Jareth's dynastic ambitions.
He dragged his feet a bit as he moved towards the castle to find his mother. He did not fear her anger like he did his father's, but he knew Eluned's disappointment would eat at him. She had certainly made no secret of her distain for humans. He wondered if it was because his father had loved one, once.
He sighed. "Might as well gather my courage and just get it over with," he said to no one in particular.
An inebriated goblin slumped in the doorway drunkenly raised his mug to him in a salute as he purposefully strolled through.