Chapter 3: Ghost of You

"Dar..Darius."

Someone was calling him. Who was it? He wasn't sure what it was running through the a strange forest.

"Come and find me, Darius."

He runs through bushes , hardly noticing anything until he saw it. The cliff's edge where someone was standing looking out at the surf. The person turns and smiles warmly at him.

However, Darius couldn't see the face clearly so he moves closer and closer to the person, seeing that it was indeed a woman. Yet he still couldn't see her face.

"Who..are you?"

Suddenly, the strangely idyllic scene turns as her hands became claws grabbing him and pulling him over the edge with her.

"No!" He claws at the air trying to grab onto something- anything. "Someone help me!"

That's when he heard it, the high pitched sound of a horse's cry that only came when his nightmares used to be much worse.

"Darius!" Helios reaches out for him grabbing his hand and pulling him away from what was trying to drag the prince under. "I have you. Think of something else, my prince. You must concentrate."

"Helios..." Darius really couldn't believe it. Two years, he hadn't seen the priest but it felt so much longer then that. However he closes his eyes tightly imagining the soft green grass in the fields of Elysion until...

"You can open them now." Helios said to him breathing out, "You did well."

Darius looks around and found himself on 'solid' ground. "Helios..why...how...This is my dream, isn't it?"

The priest nods, "It is, my prince." He smiles a bit looking at him, "It's been a long time hasn't it?"

"Yeah." He wasn't sure how to feel to be honest but only sighs, "Why are you here now? You've never been here before."

"Of course I have." Helios blinks at him, "I've always been watching you, but from a distance."

Darius looks at him, "Why? Why don't you visit any more, Helios? Why won't you tell us the true reason as to that?" He opens his mouth then closes it. "I've missed you."

His features softened as he reaches over and took his hand, "And I you, but there are things I must do- I have to do- in order to ensure your safety first. That is why I can't see you or anyone else from this plane. We can only meet here."

"Only in my dreams.." He didn't know whether to feel a bit happy or not. After all, Helios would be able to talk to him like this. That after silence for two years was more then a treat for him. "You'll tell me one day, won't you? Why you won't visit any more?"

He still hadn't let go of the prince's hand but only smiles at him, "Soon, I promise. You'll know everything soon."

For now, that would have to be enough. "I'll hold you to that." Darius said offering a small smile but frowns, "Why are you here though?"

"You were in trouble."

"But..it's just a dream, I shouldn't get hurt like that." Darius's brows rose a bit trying to understand this. "Pegasus only comes when the dreams are too bad."

"Well, that is because this is no ordinary nightmare, Darius." Helios reluctantly lets go of his hand, "That was a spirit that meant to take you."

"Take me? Why?"

Shaking his head, the priest only walks a few feet from him before turning to him, "I do not know. It is very worrisome, however it only means that our time apart will come to a close very soon if this keeps up. I must stay vigilant."

"Helios, wait- what's going on?" Darius moves to follow him. "Please tell me something. Anything of your thoughts on this."

His lips pursed as he tried to decide something, but thought better of it and moves closer to Darius, leaning up and kisses him softly. "Until next time."

He jerks up right in his bed breathing a bit but relaxes as he touches his lips then hits the mattress with his fist. "Damn it, Helios!"

"What's the matter, princess?" Jareth smirks looking on his new favored target. "Didn't you get enough sleep these last few weeks?"

Darius glares at him, "Are you -ever- nice?" For the last few weeks, Darius had learned what he could about the customs-even though some were still confusing, most were similar to that on Earth. His dreams were hardly plagued by that woman now, but no one would talk about her. Not even the jackass that was currently bothering him now.

"Of course I am." He smirks a bit leaning closer, "See? Right now, I'm being nice. Very nice."

Darius frowns, looking less then impressed, "You. Are. An. Ass. "

" Oh? Do you like my ass?" Jareth grins a bit.

Darius shuts his book, "That's it, I'm going for a walk. Where are your sisters anyway?"

"Oh, studying of course." Jareth smiles lazily watching him get up and moving to leave. He slips off the table and follows him, "Not like I can compete."

"Well, it is called 'Princess Exams'." Darius grumbles. "Obviousness must not be your strong suit."

"Actually there's another reason for it." He said to him humming, "It's because they do not believe any male can be beneficial to anything here."

That caused the earth prince to pause and look at him, "What are you talking about?"

"I'm saying, that even if I was capable or even was able to obtain the Starseed for Kinmoku, they wouldn't respect me for it because then I would have more power." Jareth shrugs, "So, I don't bother. Besides, my mother worries over me enough as it is. I would rather not want to be smothered by her breasts in her attempt to protect me from all evils."

The irony was not lost on Darius at this moment. It was rather strange to him that similar to himself- Jareth was the first male born in his family- much like Darius was on his mother's side. Though the opposite came with how their parents treated them. Jareth held close to the family and basically spoiled but Darius...

He wasn't sure if he should continue this line of thinking. Still he shook his head, "Then why do you insist on being a jerk?" Safer topic, thank gods, "When I first came here you looked like you couldn't even stand me and now you're almost always around."

"What? Does it bother you?"

"If you weren't always trying to annoy me." He turns his head putting a book back on the shelf, "And you still haven't answered me- none of you have. Who was that woman?"

Jareth rolls his eyes, "It's nothing. She's just some ghost from a long time ago that hasn't given up is all."

"Hmph." Darius only gave him a measured look before walking off.

Jareth watched him frowning a little. "Well, doesn't this have trouble all over it?"

Darius found himself in a very empty hallway far from the well used hallways that he knew. No, this was something different. Something he hadn't really encountered before.

"Wonder if it's abandoned?" He mutters looking around. "No..it couldn't be. It's well swept here."

That was when he came to a door that stretched from the ceiling to the floor. It was ornate with strange feet-less birds with great wings that stretched out across the surface colored gold but was dulled with time.

It didn't look as if it had moved at any point or time ever. He reaches out and tries the knob to the door pulling on it. Yet it didn't give.

Frowning, he shook his head a bit. "Guess there's nothing else to do."

He turns to leave, but hears a soft click as the door creaks open. His heart began to pound hard in his chest as he looks back. How did that door open? He was certain it was locked.

"Who's there?" He called out tentatively, "I know someone is here."

Yet nothing but silence followed as he moves towards it reaching out again for the door knob to open it more.

"Darius!"

"Ah!" He turns and breathes out. Thank gods it was only Aigle and Chryses. "Gods, you scared me."

"We ought to." Aigle frowns, "Why are you here? No one is suppose to be here."

"Why is that?" He couldn't help but ask. "I was given license to roam as I will within the palace walls."

Chryses shook her head but gasps "The.. the door is open!" She looks at Darius with something between horror and amazement, "How did you open it? It was locked! No one, not even out mothers could open it!"

"I didn't." Darius shook his head "It opened by it self."

"That's impossible." Aigle growls slightly. "Doors don't move on their own."

"Well I couldn't move it." Darius counters, "Look, it's obvious that it's opened, so why not just tell me what in the world is going on? There's ghosts appearing and disappearing in my room and plaguing my sleep! I'm about sick of your family evading my questions."

"There is a reason for it." Chryses wrung her hands a bit, "Oh please, Darius, don't delve into this no further. It won't end right."

"What are you talking about?" He really was getting tired of the run around, "Just tell me what's happening so I can at least avoid it!"

"We can't." Aigle turns huffing, "We can't tell you anything anyway. You will just-"

"Tell him."

Wine colored eyes widen as Chryses turns to see the pink haired princess. "Deirdre. I thought you were still studying with Mother."

"Lessons ended a while ago and I came to find you. Jareth said you might be here." Deidre told them walking towards them.

"Jareth?" Did he set him up? To Darius, it didn't seem like much of a stretch but that was neither here nor there at the moment. "Then where is he?"

"With his Mom." Deirdre told him but sighs softly, "Look, Darius, I'm sorry we've been keeping this a secret from you but you must understand that we have no control over this at all either."

Darius ran a hand through his hair, "Well could someone at least explian who this woman is?"

Deirdre worries her lower lip before moving towards the door and opening it. Light flickered on as the group moves forward. "You see, for us to tell you this.. you mustn't tell another. No one has been here for ages."

Aigle hesitated before taking Chryses's hands and follows after Darius and Deirdre.

"Alright, but now will you explain it?" He didn't look around much, but it looked like any other hallway only with a bit more dust and cobwebs. He only stopped when she did in front of some painting.

"...Darius, is that the woman that's been plaguing you?" She gestures to the painting.

He turns and looks up at a beautiful woman with dark red hair and dark blue eyes smiling gently down at them in a beautiful dark indigo gown with golden trim and gems the various shades of the gown's color. On her head was the crown of Kinmoku and her hair was styled similar to Deirdre's but in pigtails.

"Yes...that's her." He breathes out slowly. "Who is she, Deirdre? Why does she haunt me?"

Deirdre looks to him with a sad expression on her face. "That is Princess Verbena and she was heir to the Kinmoku throne...until, well, she died."

"Died?" His eyes widen a bit, "How did she die?"

"We..well..no one knows." Chryses sniffs lightly, "Verbena had always kept to herself and so no one knew anything."

Darius frowns a bit, "You talk of her like you knew her personally, but you've said it's been ages...?"

Aigle stares at him for a long time, "You really don't remember do you, Darius?"

"Remember what?" He was starting to become more frightened of the prospect of what this meant then angry. Why are they staring at him so? "What am I suppose to remember?"

"You were the one that discovered her body when we were little." Jareth walks into the room, "Didn't you think it was a little strange that no one from your world came back here?"

Darius could only shake his head again, "I don't understand. What do you mean I -I found her?"

"Idiot." Jareth folded his arms looking a bit defiant, "They found her below your room and you right next to her. They say you found her."

"That's..that's just impossible!" He backs away more, "I.. I would've remembered that! That is something you don't forget."

Jareth and his sisters only watched him silently. They didn't say it, but their eyes told of a different story. The sisters' eyes were pitying but Jareth's held only undeniable conviction.

It couldn't be. Darius thought his body shook a bit, "No.. you're wrong. I-that..It can't be..."

But something wiggled from his mind, a memory that he could've sworn that didn't exist yet there it was. An older woman with a smiling face calling to him.

"No.." He breathes.

"And now, " Jareth glances at his sisters then at the painting, "She's back.. and we think she's been waiting for you because it was only when you came back did she truly appear again."

Fear. It was nothing but pure fear that made the blonde teenager run towards the doors trying to get out. Running from this impossibility that occurred.

As soon as he had gotten close enough to the door, it shut closed, making the girls gasp and Darius nearly collided into it. Beating on the door. It was no use, of course. The door was sealed shut. Turning he looks back at the siblings and froze.

Just beyond them, with a broken neck making the head loll to the side, walking brokenly towards them was the ghost Verbena.

The girls scream and ran in his direction, with Jareth behind them, but Darius couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was straightening up, her head was pushed back into place as her arms and legs made a sickening sound as they went back to where they should've been. But the bruises and wounds still remained on her.

She came closer and closer reaching out to him.

"Come with me, Darius..."

The edges of his sight began to blur and darkness took over as he fell forward hearing only Jareth's shouts and the girls' screams following him in to unconsciousness.