Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth (as much as I want him), David Bowie (again, as much as I want him) or Skub. None of the books mentioned are mine, but are in the public domain. Kate, Rachel, Catherine, Edward, Anna, and the wished-aways are mine.
Ground Rules
Jareth appeared in his throne room and slouched in the throne, ignoring this guests for a moment. The circular depression in the tan marble floor had been covered and in the centre of the room stood two women. They were pale with long white hair and icy blue eyes. The older of the two looked to be in her thirties and carried a silver staff with a jagged, pale blue crystal set in the top. The younger one looked like she was in her twenties. When he finally looked at them he nodded. "Mab, Marat. I don't recall sending you two an invitation."
"You have not replied to my proposal Jareth. Surely you don't think you can do better," the woman with the staff, Mab, said, her eyes narrowing. "You can't deny my daughter's beauty."
"I'm not. But I prefer my women warm, and you can't deny that she lacks that particular quality. All of your court are the same, and so my answer is no."
"And I suppose Roslin is warm enough for you?" Marat asked, tone not quite as cold as her mother's but still unpleasant.
"There has been no proposal from either Oberon or Titania on her behalf," he replied, not answering the question. "Now, if you'd please leave, I have business to tend to." He waited for them to leave in a swirl of ice before going to Kate's room. He grinned when he saw her. "Now, where were we precious?"
She stood, reminding herself to be strong, and began speaking before he could continue seducing her. "Actually, I was hoping we could talk. You said you wouldn't bed me unless you were prepared to marry me. I liked that actually. I've been saving myself for someone who loves me enough to spend the rest of his life with just me. And now I've given myself to you, so I can't."
"But you haven't. You're still a virgin. We've touched, played, but you're still pure. Having said that, I'd like you to marry me."
"Jareth, we've known each other for, what, a day? It's too soon. I never even thought of marriage with William - before he came out, I mean - and that was my longest relationship. I barely know you, and you barely know me."
"Let me show you something." He conjured a crystal, then took her hand before transporting them to his study. He pulled a cord and Kate watched a pair of red brocade curtains on the wall retract. She gasped at the large portrait that was revealed, and he nodded. "Yes, Kate, that's Catherine. I know you don't know me well, but I know you. I know your favourite food is chocolate-covered strawberries. I know you have a slight obsession with my doppelgänger, you're petrified of stone statues and clowns, and you have the patience of a saint where children are concerned. And I know you and I are destined to be together."
"Destined to be together? Seriously? I'm destined to be with you?" she asked, confused and trying to make sense of everything.
"It's in your blood Kate. You were never meant to be a school teacher. You've always been meant for greatness." He sighed. "Also, I'm not a very gracious loser. I've watched you from afar for too long, and I can't let you go. So it's your choice. Queen or stone statue, choose your fate."
Kate blinked, not sure she'd heard him right. "So I have to decide between life as your queen or an existence as a Weeping Angel?" At his nod she shuddered. "No contest, throne beats stone any day."
"Good, then it's settled. You'll marry me, the missives will stop, and everyone will be happy."
"What missives?" When her only response was a shake of Jareth's head she sighed. "Fine. Keep your secrets for now. But I have a condition of my own. Until we're married, you have to keep your hands - and all your other parts - to yourself. No touching, no playing, until there's a wedding ring on my finger and my last name is different."
Jareth conjured a crystal and threw it at he left hand. When it hit it left two platinum bands on her finger. One was set with a big round diamond surrounded by smaller opals and sapphires, the other was a plain band. "There are your rings. I suppose you want the ceremony as well?"
"We're not married yet, are we? Officially, I mean, or are weddings different down here?"
"There is a difference between the unions you're used to and our rites, but no ceremony is necessary. If you want a lavish affair one can be arranged, or will a simple ceremony suffice?" he asked, smiling, already knowing her answer.
"Simple is fine, but I want it to be binding and official. I don't want anyone to be able to cast doubt." She paused, looking at him. "You're not upset are you?"
"No precious." He conjured another crystal and took her hand again. "Let's go see my father." With a toss of the crystal the room faded away.
As soon as she opened her eyes Kate looked around. They were in an ornate throne room, all stone and wood. The warm light came from candles and a roaring fire. Sitting on the elaborately carved throne was a man who looked about fifty, with shoulder length, dark brown hair and cold green eyes. He smirked when he saw them. "Jareth, nice of you to stop by. You're cutting it close aren't you? Only a few years until your deadline." He turned his gaze to Kate, giving her a once over. After a moment he spoke again. "I suppose she is pretty, for a human. And you want to marry her instead of Marat or Roslin? Even one of the Dwarven princesses would be preferable." His tone dripped with disdain.
"We're already married," he said, holding up Kate's left hand and showing the rings as proof. "Kate, this is my father Diktyon, the Erlking. Father, my wife, Kate."
Kate gave a curtsy, hoping the king wouldn't hold her humanity against her forever. "Your Majesty."
"Catherine's descendant. I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I'm not. I can't very well refuse you can I, not anymore," he said, speaking only to Jareth, ignoring Kate. "You want me to recognise the union? Fine, I declare you wed and bound. For the short time it lasts." He spoke the words as if he couldn't care less about them. "You can go now." He waved a hand dismissively, apparently done with them.
Jareth nodded, conjuring a crystal and returning them to their bedroom. He created another crystal and released her hand as the ball began to fill with light. "I'm sorry about this precious, but it's for your own protection," he said, then threw it at her.
"Jareth, what-" As the crystal hit her she gasped, skin starting to tingle. Then everything went black.
Jareth caught her as she fell and undressed her before tucking her into his - no, their bed. "I guess the honeymoon will have to wait," he sighed, settling into a chair by the bed to wait.
For the next five days Kate lay in bed, groaning her discomfort but staying asleep. On the sixth day she opened her eyes, looking around. After a few minutes she recognised the room and sat up. "What happened? I remember rings, then your father, then you hit me with a crystal and it all goes dark after that."
"Our union was officially recognised and is now completely unassailable. As for the rest, I'll let you see for yourself, if you think you can stand." He extended a hand and helped her to her feet, guiding her to the mirror on the wall.
Kate blinked, surely the woman in the mirror wasn't her? She stood about six inches taller and her hair was about a foot longer. Her skin was flawless porcelain. She ran her fingers over her face and her cheekbones felt a bit higher than before. She traced an eyebrow, surprised when it turned up at the end. Her eyes seemed brighter, bluer than usual. "What did that crystal do to me?"
"It transformed you from human to fae. You'll now age at a small fraction your former rate and be better equipped to help me rule. It also granted you magic."
"Does that mean I can do what you do?"
"Yes precious, with practice you'll be able to do almost anything you want. For now, though, I would imagine you're hungry, you've been sleeping for six days. Do you want to eat lunch here, or in the dining room?"
"Dining room, please. Do you think after lunch I could go see the children? I've missed a few visits by now."
"Certainly. You forget Kate, you're my queen. You can go anywhere you like in the kingdom. Visits to other realms will be made with me."
"Even to your father's kingdom?" she asked, trying to figure out what was and was not allowed. "He might not hate me so much now that I'm not human."
"Even my father's kingdom, fae or not. We will be visiting the Summer Court in a few weeks, as well as the Elven and Dwarven kingdoms." He had absolutely no intention of taking her to the Winter Court, and in fact had as little to do with the kingdom as he possibly could.
"You mentioned the Summer Court, but if I recall correctly there's also a Winter Court. Should I hazard a guess that we won't be visiting them?"
Jareth chuckled. "You should. If at all possible I hope to keep you far away from them. Since you're already so well versed in fae lore, perhaps this will be an easier learning process than I thought."
"Hopefully I'll be an apt pupil," she teased. "For now, perhaps you'd teach me how to conjure a crystal so I can change my clothes?"
He laughed, giving her a basic lesson in crystals. Once she had mastered that he continued the lesson. "Now, simply toss it into the air and think of what you want. Start small, clothing and hair, perhaps, and work your way up."
Kate closed her eyes, focused on an image, and tossed the crystal ball. After a moment she opened them, smiling at herself in the mirror. Her hair had gone from pin-straight to spiral curls. There was a pale, silvery sheen of glitter on her eyelids. Instead of a nightgown she wore a navy, Medieval-style gown with a boat neck and silver braiding at the hem and on the bell sleeves. On her feet were low-heeled navy slippers. As she took a breath she felt the corset. "It certainly is a thorough little crystal isn't it?"
Jareth smiled, stepping up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. He arched a brow when he felt the stays of her corset. "My my, you do think of the details don't you precious." His grin turned wolfish. "Try to save some energy for tonight."
"What's tonight?" she asked, a thrill running down her spine.
"Tonight, Kate, we celebrate," he whispered, his mouth against her ear. After a moment he pulled back. "For now, let's go eat, you must be famished." He took her hand and used a crystal to take them to the dining room. Another crystal and there was an array of fruits and vegetables, breads, and meats. "Take what you like, and if anything is missing let me know."
"This is more than enough Jareth." She took the plate he offered and filled it with food before sitting at the table. There was a bottle of peach wine on the table and she poured herself a glass. Once Jareth had filled his plate and taken his seat she tucked in. She made herself slow down a little when she saw Jareth raise an eyebrow, but still cleaned her plate and went for seconds.
Jareth finished his lunch and sat back, watching her. When she'd finished eating he stood, offering her a hand. "Are you ready, Miss Kate?"
She laughed at the name the children had given her and nodded. "I'm ready. What will you do while I'm in the nursery?"
"I will be in my study, catching up on my less exciting royal duties. Missives and reports from the villages, that sort of thing." He kissed her. "I'll see you tonight." He conjured a crystal and tossed it into the air, vanishing as it fell.
Kate watched him go then headed for the nursery. As soon as she opened the door she was surrounded by children. She knelt down, hugging each of them in turn before sitting in the nearby rocking chair. She waited until they'd all taken a seat on the floor before speaking. "Well, that was a warm welcome. I guess you all missed me as much as I missed you?"
The group nodded eagerly, several of them talking over each other, asking 'Where were you? What happened to you? Were you sick? The King said you were. Are you gonna give it to us?'
She waited for everyone to settle down before she answered them, opting for the simplest explanation. "I was sick, but I'm feeling much better now. And no, I'm not going to get you all sick." She laughed. "Now, do you want a story or would you rather play a game?"
"Story! Story!" came the resounding reply.
Kate grinned and gestured for her audience to settle down, a story already weaving itself in her head. "Once there was a simple peasant girl named Ruth. Her family was kind and loving but they didn't have much money. One year there was a harsh winter and their harvest was poor. When the time came to pay their taxes they didn't have enough. The royal guards were going to arrest her father, Andrew, so Ruth begged an audience with the king, Jareth. When he agreed to see her she begged him for mercy. He agreed to spare Andrew if Ruth took his place, and she agreed. Jareth thought about putting her in the dungeon but chose instead to give her a bedroom. He told her she could go anywhere she wanted in the castle, except for his private quarters. Ruth went to the library every day and became friendly with the servants, and she and Jareth got to know each other, but she still missed her family." She paused, looking over her wide eyed audience and letting the suspense build.
After a minute or two a little blonde girl broke the silence. "What happened next Miss Kate?"
She grinned. "One day while she was exploring she opened a door and found she was in a sitting room. She saw a mirror on the wall and when she looked into it she saw her house. She hurried back to her room, and when she went to dinner she asked Jareth if she could see her family. He said she could, but that she had to return in two weeks time. Ruth thanked him and the next morning she set off. She told her family about the king, her life in the castle, and her promise to return. Her twin sister Rachel grew more and more jealous with each story and on the day Ruth was to return to the palace she tied her up and took her place. When Jareth saw Rachel he knew something was different, but since she looked just like Ruth she fooled him for a little while. After a week or so she began asking for expensive jewels and fancy gowns, and stopped going to the library. She was rude to the servants and when asked how she'd enjoyed her visit home she said she much preferred life in a palace to life in her family's small house. Jareth realised she wasn't who she claimed to be and demanded to know where Ruth was." She let the suspense build again, nearing the end of her story.
The children waited with baited breath until a curly-haired little boy called out, "Did he have her tortured so she'd tell?"
Kate wondered what sort of things he'd seen before being wished away but set the thought aside to continue her tale. "As soon as Rachel admitted to the swap he ordered her thrown into the dungeon and rode off to retrieve Ruth. He found her at her father's house and asked her to return with him. Ruth said that she would love to, but her parents needed her help to keep their small farm going. Jareth told her that now that he had her he had no intention of giving her up. He refused to leave without her. He offered her parents a large manor house to live out their lives, but they were simple people. They thanked him for his kind offer but said they didn't need anything so grand. Then Jareth had an idea. He offered them a small house on his grounds and positions as gardener. To Ruth he offered anything and everything she should ever want. Ruth shook her head and told him that all the money and jewels and crowns in the world didn't mean a thing unless they were given with love. Jareth dropped to one knee and asked for her heart, in exchange for his own. Ruth smiled and accepted and they rode back to the palace together. Rachel was released from the dungeon and went on to marry a low ranking nobleman. Ruth and Jareth married and lived happily ever after."
"What happened to the parents?" asked a little girl with glasses.
"They moved to a cozy little house on the palace grounds and took care of the gardens. They lived to a very old age. The end." She looked over the crowd of enthralled children. "Now, since I don't know all of you yet, do you want to tell me your names?" When everyone began talking at the same time Kate held up her hands. "Why don't we try it one at a time? Hand up, and you can tell me who you are and how old?" Immediately hands shot up, some of them waving back and forth. The hand moving more urgently than any other belonged to the boy who'd asked her about torture. She pointed. "Let's start with you."
"My name is Simon Paul Asperg. I'm seven years, four months, two weeks and six days old," he said, his voice proud, presumably at being chosen first. Kate nodded, pointing to each child in turn. The little blonde girl was Aurora Sainte, age five. The little girl wearing glasses was Francesca Michaels, six-and-a-half. After everyone had had a turn Kate sent them to play and headed toward the back where the older wished-aways had congregated.
Braydon look up from the teenage boy he was talking to and spotted her. "Well, hello Kate. Didn't think I'd see you again." He grinned as his friend snickered.
"You never said she was this hot Bray." He turned to her and extended a hand. "I'm Emmett."
"Kate, it's a pleasure to meet you." When this earned another snicker she narrowed her eyes. "And what, may I ask, is so amusing?"
Emmett tucked a strand of his light brown hair behind his ear. "Your choice of words. Bray told me all about how much pleasure you got from meeting him."
She narrowed her eyes, an idea forming in her mind. "The story was greatly exaggerated, I can assure you. Braydon, I suggest you set your friend straight on what happened before my husband is forced to defend my honour."
"Husband? I didn't see any ring." He looked at her hand. "So who'd you marry?" Instead of answering verbally she conjured a crystal. She smiled as Braydon paled, apparently recognising the magic.
