Beneath the Clear Blue Skies

By: Darkchilde

midnights_jewel_purple@yahoo.com


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Chapter Two


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The moon was high in the dark sky of the Underground. Stars twinkled in the heavens, and the moon glow made everything shimmer in a soft silvery light. All through out the Goblin Castle, misshapen creatures snoozed and snored.

The moonlight filled the throne room, and glinted off feathery golden-silver hair. A pair of mismatched eyes, one the deepest blue, the other a blue-hazel, stared at the wall with a seemingly bored expression. The Goblin King hated to be bored. But bored he was, and there seemed to be nothing around to lift the terrible boringness of his life.

Actually, he'd been bored for a number of weeks now. Ever since Sar…the girl had defeated his Labyrinth, it seemed that nothing held the appeal that it once did. A slow smirk pulled across his features when he thought about the lovely firebrand that had so deftly beat him. For once, he had finally had a decent opponent, and that had completely ruined the game for him.

Well, almost.

The Goblin King rose from his seat, his golden blonde hair shimmering in the moonlight. He slowly made his way around his sleeping minions, the smirk still firmly in place. His knee-high leather boots made soft thumps on the stone floor as he maneuvered his way through the hoards of sleeping creatures.

Jareth made his way toward a concealed door, hidden behind a large tapestry, and pushed it open. Stepping through the opening, the King called upon a crystal bubble to light his way. Moving purposely through the meandering hallway, he soon reached a stone staircase.

Nimbly he climbed the steps, and pushed the golden wood door open, revealing a great stone room with many large windows. Thick carpeting, a dark blue color, covered the floor. A massive bed was pushed against the right wall, covered with black silk sheets and a heavy fur blanket. Four great posts, made of the same white wood as the rest of the bed, supported a canopy of black silk. A giant wardrobe stood against one corner, and setting next to it was what looked like a teddy bear.

A soft smile touched Jareth's lips, and he scanned the room until his eyes landed on a small bundle curled up in the corner. He moved toward the unmoving lump, taking his light with him. The light soon illuminated a young child, perhaps a year old. A tiny child, she was very obviously of Asian descent. Her hair was long and shiny black, and her skin, at first glance was smoothly flawless. But if you looked deeper, you would see the dark purple bruises that marred the little girl's skin, the small round white scars, the same size as a cigarette butt.

Jareth knelt down beside the child, stroking a piece of her ebony colored hair back away from her face. The tiny child moved in her sleep, and cringed away from his hand. He shook his head, his heart saddened by this poor child's fate.

"Such a pity."

Once more, Jareth summoned a crystal, intent on making this lovely child one of his newest goblins. However, he hadn't counted on the babe opening her eyes and looking at him. He blinked, finding himself lost in twin pools of green and a dimpled grin.

The child reached out two chubby hands toward him, her eyes glowing softly. She wrapped on her baby fists around his leather-clad finger and held on tight, still smiling sweetly at him.

"Nice man! Nice man!" Her smile reveled that she only had thirteen teeth in her head, the rest gummy and pink. But she held tightly to his hand, her green eyes snapping brightly at him.

"You're very beautiful little girl, do you know that?" Jareth asked the child, pulling his finger out of her grasp. "To beautiful to become something as ugly and as stupid as a goblin."

In response to this, the little girl just smiled, grabbing at his hand again. Jareth allowed her to grasp it, still studying the little beauty with his odd, storm-colored eyes. He pulled it back when she tired to put it in her mouth, and she made a soft, annoyed sound in her throat.

"What is your name, little child?" Jareth asked the baby, who continued to smile at him, his hand held firmly in her two little ones.

"Jade."

Jareth nodded, still studying the little girl. There was something…odd about the child. Something almost…magical. He'd sensed the same thing in…well, never mind that now.

Jade hugged his hand tightly, her bright green eyes glimmering in the moonlight. Jareth watched the baby, trying to understand what was going through her mind, why she seemed to like him so very much.

"Tell me, Jade, why do you like me? Do you not know that I am the bad man? I took you from your home, your parents? Do you not fear me?" He settled himself more comfortably on the carpet, eyeing the smiling child with no expression. The baby, for her part, just smiled at him, hugging his hand once again.

Jareth considered pulling his hand away, but the child seemed determined to keep it, so he let her have it for the time being. She'd been lovely during the thirteen hours she'd stayed there, waiting for her idiot brother to try and save her. That moron, Jareth thought with disgust, hadn't even made it INTO the Labyrinth. He was still stuck outside, searching in vain for the door.

"Your far to intelligent to be spawned of the same parents, little girl." Jareth told her, looking at the crystal in his hands. Jade looked at the shimmering bubble in his hands, and squealed, reaching out to touch it with her pink infant hands.

Jareth smiled at the little girl, watching her watch the magical crystal in fascination. No doubt she thought is was a soap bubble of some sort, and was confused why it wasn't popping.

"Magic!" The child giggled, pulling her fingers away from it. Jareth stared at the girl in front of him, awe struck. How had she known that? True, most OLDER mortals could recognize his crystals for what they were, but never had one of the children he'd snatched known.

"What are you?" The Goblin King asked, not afraid to let his mask down in front of this odd little creature. She smiled at him, her eyes twinkling like emeralds.

Emeralds…the skin…the slanted eyes…the hair. All of these things began to add up in his mind, and he gasped. A pixie?!

"A pixie?" He whispered out loud, staring at the child in shock. It couldn't be…could it? Jade smiled at him, once more reaching for his hand. He let her have it, stunned by what he had discovered. How had this pixie child been placed in the world of mortals? Furthermore, what was he supposed to do with her? He couldn't have a pixie running around his home, and he couldn't turn one into a goblin.

"What ever am I to do with you now, little girl?" Jareth asked the child, pulling his hand away from her once more when she tried to pull of his glove.

"Go home?" The child asked, her eyes getting round and dark. The Goblin king thought this over.

"Excellent suggestion, Jade. Tomorrow, I will take you back to your homeland. But know you must sleep." And he must prepare. The pixie King hadn't liked him very much, Jareth remembered. Hopefully, he would take the little girl pixie off his hands, or he really had no idea what he was going to do with her.

"Where?" The child asked, looking around. Where indeed? Jareth looked around, and then finally settled on his bed.

"Here." Jareth told her, lifting the pixie and lying her down on his bed.

"Big bed." She noted, blinking sleepily.

"Yes, child, it is. Now sleep. You shall return home tomorrow." Jareth assured her, lifting the covers and allowing the child to snuggle under the covers. She smiled up at him, and cuddled down into the pillow.

"Beaw?" She asked, her wide green eyes guileless. Jareth allowed a half smile to grace his features as he scooped up the bear and handed it to the child. She took it and hugged it against her chest.

"Sleep now child." Jareth commanded gently. The little pixie smiled at him, and shut her eyes obediently. He turned and moved silently toward the door, when her voice stopped him.

"Jaweth? Where you sleep?" Her voice was absurdly enough filled with concern.

"I do not require sleep right now, pixie." He comforted the little girl. She looked at him with worried eyes, but stayed snuggled in the bed. "Sleep well, little girl."

"Nighty night!" Jade called, her eyes slipping shut once more.

Jareth quietly closed the door behind him, his mind already awash with thoughts and plans for tomorrow. He knew he was going to need all his wits about him if he was going to survive a meeting with his Imperial Highness, King MelJone of the Pixies.

A slight smile pulled at his features as he remembered his last encounter with the bloated Pixie King. It was years ago, more years then he cared to count, when he'd been a young pup. His foster father, the former Goblin King had taken his heir to meet their neighbors, the Pixies. Jareth had fallen madly in lust with the young princess Natbetha. A smirk pulled at his features. The last time he had looked upon MelJone's face, he'd been running half-naked out of the Princess's royal chambers, Natbetha's screams for her father to stop ringing in his ears.

After that little escapade, relations between the two nations had been slightly strained, but no threat of war hung between them. Both rulers knew that a war over something that ridiculous (thankfully, pixies lacked the moral convictions mortals had on pre-martial sex) would just bankrupt both kingdoms and leave thousands dead.

Jareth rubbed his chin, hoping that the changeling's reappearance wouldn't strain the relations between the kingdoms even further. Hopefully, MelJone had forgotten all about his daughter and the Goblin King's escapades. He would soon find out, he supposed.


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Jade clung tightly to Jareth's arms as they appeared outside the sprawling castle of the ruling pixies. It looked, the Goblin king thought, something like the Above World structure called the Tajima Mah Hall. Perfectly trimmed gardens surrounded the palace, all abloom with roses and daisies and many other flowers that really shouldn't been able to grow Underground.

Ignoring his surroundings, Jareth moved forward, trusting his memory and his feet to take him toward the throne room. As he walked, Jade chatted happily, making comments on the "pretty shiny thing" or the "glowy bugs" or whatever caught her little girl fancy.

No servant or guard hindered his progress toward the Throne Room, and Jareth found himself wondering if MelJone was expecting him. He wished silently that his powers allowed him to transport directly to the Throne Room, but the wards set up around it for safety reasons did not allow it. Ah, well, it was just as well. He didn't know how the king would react if he just showed up and dumped the little pixie off on his doorstep.

He slowed his pace as he reached the doors, wondering once again how he should approach MelJone. But before his thoughts had time to process, the door was slung open, and Jareth was privy to the glowing throne room of the King of the Pixies.

He slowly stepped forward, shifting the frightened little girl closer to him. She clung to his neck, burying her face in his jacket. Unconsciously, he rubbed her back in a wide circle, trying to bring her a little bit of comfort.

"Greetings, Jareth, King of the Goblins." A regal voice rang from the golden throne. A distinctively FEMALE regal voice. Jareth's eyes widened as he found himself staring at the ruling Queen of the Pixies, Natbetha.

"Greetings, Queen Natbetha." The Goblin King was able to mouth, his shock evident in his voice. The Queen smiled condescendingly at him, her eyes twinkling.

"What is it Jareth? You act as though you've never seen me before. Perhaps you have been struck dumb by my beauty?" Natbetha asked, her tone gentle and teasing.

"Any man would be a fool not to have been struck by your beauty, your Majesty, but it's not that that surprised me." Jareth replied smoothly. "I was not aware that you had taken the throne."

"Were you not? Then I suppose that explains why you did not attend my coronation." The Pixie Queen mused, taping her fingers against her chin.

Jareth studied the Queen for a moment, not at all surprised to find that the beauty that had been present during their rather whirlwind relationship was still evident today. Her long blue-black hair was twisted out of her face, and her slightly pointed ears gleamed with diamonds. Slanted jade green eyes studied him, a soft smile pulling at the corners of her lovely mouth. Her face was delicate and fine-boned, as was the rest of her small body. A pair of translucent wings, splattered with all the colors of the rainbow, were folded behind her, and her long purple dress clung slightly to her body.

"Tell me Jareth, why have you come today?" The Queen asked, her eyes finally falling on the little girl still huddled against the Goblin King.

"This child, Natbetha." Jareth told the pixie, indicating the little girl with his hands. "I took her from the mortal world at the request of her 'older brother', as is my wont."

"You're still doing that?" The Pixie Queen asked him, rolling her eyes. "I thought you would have found better uses for your… talents." A small leer appeared on her face at her final words. Jareth chuckled, surprised to find that Natbetha hadn't changed very much at all in the past however many years it been since last he'd seen her.

"Natbetha, could we stay on topic here?" Jareth asked, forcing away the smile that threatened at his lips. Rolling her great green eyes again, the Queen nodded, the hint of a smile still on her lips. "I took this girl from the mortal world, but I don't believe she belonged there."

"What?" Natbetha cried, looking again at the little girl curled in Jareth's arms. "By the stars…"

The Queen leapt from her throne, and scampered down the steps like a little girl, before skidding to a stop beside the Goblin King. She peered at the child, her eyebrows rising all they way into her hairline. "By the STARS! She's…"

"A pixie?" Jareth finished for the woman. "Yes, I was aware of that."

"But how did she get to the mortal world?" Natbetha wanted to know. Jareth looked at her, before allowing a slight smirk to pull at his features.

"That's what I came to you for. I wanted you to tell me."

"I don't know! We don't have changelings anymore…or least, we're not supposed to." The young Queen shook her head, very confused. "How odd."

"Well, you shall have plenty of time to figure it out." Jareth said, moving to hand the little girl to Natbetha. "I must be on my way…"

"NO!!" Jade screamed, louder then anything he had ever heard from the child before.

Natbetha, at the same time, was shaking her head back and forth. "I can't take the child, Jareth. She's been in the mortal world…she's been corrupted by mortals, seen things no pixie-child should. We can not allow her to remain in this realm."

"WHAT!?" Jareth cried, his eyes wide and shocked.

"I'm sorry, but since you took her, she is your responsibility." Natbetha decreed, a slight smile pulling on her mouth.

"I can not keep this child! She's a pixie, therefore immune to becoming a goblin! And I can't send her home, her idiot brother couldn't solve the labyrinth. What am I suppose to do with her?"

"Raise her as your heir?" Natbetha suggested lightly, a grin pulling on the corners of her mouth. Jareth glared at her, then turned back to the little girl. Jade was now resting her head on his shoulder trustingly, her eyes gleaming brightly.

"Natbetha…" Jareth tried again, shifting the little girl around. The Queen sighed, then made a face.

"I'll tell you what Jareth, you take care of that little girl, while I try to find a place for her." Jareth sighed, relieved. "But it might take awhile." Natbetha warned.

"My thanks, Your Majesty." Jareth told the Queen.

"Whatever." Her majesty replied, wiggling her fingers. "Goodbye now!"

And in a flash, Jareth was back in his own kingdom, in his own castle. Blinking, he turned all the way around, wondering at the young Queen's powers. Jade was still snuggled in his arms, humming some little tune merrily.

"What am I going to do with you now?" The king asked the little pixie, putting her down. The child continued to cling to him, this time wrapping her arms around his knees. "Jade, let go."

"Nice man!" The little girl squealed, still refusing to relinquish her hold.

"Thank you child, but you are quite mistaken." Jareth told the little pixie, trying to pry her away from him. The baby looked up at him with great green eyes, her lips forming a sweet baby smile. Jareth found himself smiling back at her for just an instant, before pulling away from the child.

"Sire, sire!" One of the smarter and younger goblins cried, running into the room. Jareth looked up, his kingly mask slamming into place.

"Yes?" He asked, eyeing the goblin with disdain.

"A girl wished herself away! She said 'I wish I was anywhere but here!'" The goblin reported, obviously proud of itself. Jareth sighed.

"Why would I care? I only take babies." He explained, annoyed at the pesky goblin.

"Had a baby with her!"

"Oh, really? Who is she?" The Goblin King asked, calling on a crystal to see the girl that had wished herself away.

His heartbeat slammed into his chest as he stared into the forming image of the young woman. Were his eyes deceiving him? Could it be?

"Sarah?" Jareth whispered into the

"I wish I was anywhere but here." The girl wished, her eyes leaking tears. Jareth's eyes landed on the little girl still clutching his leg tightly.

"Sarah, your wish is my command." Jareth promised, a slow smirk pulling on his features.