Chapter 4:
Maleficent learns of the Cromwell Mark
"Why don't you go check on the girl so we can get this outing started?" Jareth said impatiently, even when it came to Sarah he still hated waiting.
Vira nodded, "Alright, I'll be back." She stood and went upstairs looking around, but Sarah was nowhere in sight. "Oh no Jareth!" she called looking around for her.
Hearing Vira yell Jareth got up quickly instantly transporting himself next to her. Seeing nothing out of place he asked, "What?"
"Where is she? She was here a minute ago, I know it. I heard her shuffling around her room," she said looking around, but Sarah was nowhere in sight.
Maleficent was shocked to find herself still in her own castle and not in Sarah's body. 'Oh Well,' she thought at least the mortal is trapped. Jareth closed his eyes trying to get a feeling for where Sarah was and he was sure she was in the room. "I feel her in here," he said slowly looking around. Vira looked around as well trying to sense her. Sarah was trying to figure out what was going on.
Maleficent stood in her tower tapping her feet impatiently, "Just pick up the damn crystal Jareth!" Jareth continued to look around the small bedroom grumbling about woman being more trouble than they were worth when he found what looked like one of his crystals slightly underneath the bed. He picked it up looking at it curiously not remembered making it. He felt a pull come from the crystal and suddenly the world blurred as he disappeared and Sarah showed up in his place. "Gotcha," Maleficent said happily. Now she could take the throne as soon as everyone realized Jareth was gone.
Vira saw this, "No! Jareth!" She picked up the crystal, gently and Sarah sighed.
"Don't worry Vi, we'll figure out a way to free him," she said.
Jareth looked around finding himself back in his labyrinth, but something was wrong. There were no sounds of goblins singing or destroying anything, no body parts of fieryies flying anywhere and not even a bird flying through the air. Where was everyone? Maleficent appeared briefly to torment her brother. "Hello Jareth," she said with an evil smile.
"Where am I?" he asked.
"In your worst nightmare; you are all alone." With that she popped out leaving Jareth by himself.
They both looked at the crystal trying to see him. Vira was trying to stay calm, but it was not easy; she was losing someone she cared about again. Sarah looked at her and hugged her gently, "Vi, no, he'll be just fine. We'll get him out of there; you won't lose him."
Jareth wasn't in any real danger in the crystal; he knew that, but it was a bit distressing. Experimentally he tried to transport himself to the aboveground, but it didn't work. Next he attempted to fly around the kingdom and see if he really was the only one there. He changed into his owl form and circled several times certain that Maleficent had told the truth and he was really alone. He landed in his throne room window and sat there waiting, not sure for what, but just waiting.
Vira sighed, "I bet you someone in the underground had something to do with this, but how do we get there without Jareth?"
Sarah sighed, "I'm not sure, but we'll think of something."
Maleficent continued to smile as she got herself ready to go out. It wouldn't take too long for the goblins to realize that their king wasn't coming back and she needed to be ready to look upset. She would have so many people to visit before they officially made her queen, but she had plenty of time. Jareth was starting to get a little anxious in his own personal hell and tried fiddling with his crystals, but it wouldn't let him see anything. Letting his temper snap he threw them against the wall letting them shatter, "Damn you Maleficent, if you think you can keep me here you are wrong."
Sarah looked at Vira, "Do you think you could teleport us there?"
Vira sighed, "Maybe, but it could be tricky." Looking at the crystal she said, "Tricky or not I'll try it; I refuse to let this happen. I won't let whoever this is take Jareth like this." She took Sarah's hand while Sarah was holding tightly to the crystal. Vira took a deep breath, focusing only on the underground muttering something; there was an extremely bright flash of light and there they were in the underground.
One of Maleficent's goblins came up to her to report that two mortals had managed to teleport themselves in the labyrinth. "Now how did they do that?" she asked herself and shrugged. "It doesn't matter they are of no concern of mine, although I doubt Jareth would be happy to have people just coming in and out whenever they please, not that it matters anymore."
Sarah looked at Vira, "Jareth would be shocked at that one." Vira nodded, but then headed for the castle ready to find out who was doing this and stop them. She found her way there and slammed on the door; she was furious and ready to use every bit of her magic and every ounce of her strength to get Jareth back.
Maleficent heard a door slam and groaned realizing that meant the mortals must have been in the castle and therefore it was her problem. She slowly walked down the stairs her sparkly purple robe dragging on the floor behind her. She saw the two girls and shook her head, "Don't you know it's rude to drop into someone's home unannounced?"
"This is not your home it's Jareth's. Now I suggest you release him right this second or trust me there will be trouble," she demanded. Sarah couldn't help but look at Vira; she had never seen her this furious or protective over anyone before.
Maleficent laughed her evil laugh, "Not my home? Not that I should answer to a pathetic mortal, but the east tower is mine and is attached to this castle therefore making it my home. And as far as Jareth goes I have no clue what you are talking about, last I heard he was playing with his disgusting humans."
Now Vira was extremely mad and glared at her. "You know perfectly well what I am talking about," she said showing her the crystal.
"It's a crystal; there are lots of crystals in the labyrinth. How do you know that is mine; I don't even know you."
"You trapped him in here, now I demand you release him," she said glaring. She was really getting angrier and angrier by the minute. She knew that this one was not innocent.
"Prove it," Maleficent said with a smirk.
Vira smirked and put one hand to her forehead muttering something. Instantly she could see everything, including the smile on her face when she forced Sarah and Jareth to switch. "Don't underestimate Vira, she's no ordinary girl," Sarah said.
"I see that," Maleficent said with a shrug, "Oh well, you still can't stop me without hurting Jareth so goodbye mortals." She started walking away calling for her goblins to take the humans to the dungeon.
Vira and Sarah stood back to back, they didn't want to hurt the goblins, but they had to. Vira muttered something else to make sure she could see Jareth and that he could see them; glad he was alright for the time being she gently placed him somewhere safe, but he could still see as the two worked as a perfect team, getting the goblins off them..
Maleficent sensed her magic and turned back towards them, "Uh-uh little witch, you just made it worse for him." While she concentrated a storm gathered around the castle and she laughed maniacally, "You might have made it so he can see and hear you, but now time passes much more quickly for him and if I know Jareth and believe me I know him much better than you two, I know being alone in there will drive him insane." She called for more goblins as she jumped out of the window changing into a raven and heading out of the kingdom.
Vira sighed, "She thinks she got away, well she won't get away with this so easily."
Sarah nodded, "We've got to follow her, but how do we get away from all these goblins; we're surrounded."
Vira thought for a moment "I've got it; Sarah, grab my hand, we're going to Cromwell kick our way right through and make a path." Sarah nodded and they joined hands swinging and kicking as hard as they could, it wasn't long till they had a path. They followed Maleficent, Sarah riding piggy-back on Vira to make it easier with her lightning quick speed.
Jareth listened to what was going on outside glad that Vira had done something to at least make this whole experience somewhat bearable. He stopped aging in the crystal, but Maleficent's trick had work and sometimes days or weeks seemed to go by before he heard anything from them. It didn't really make sense that he could understand them since they seemed to be speaking so slowly, but somehow he did. He wasn't sure how long it had been on his end when he found that they were making their way out of the goblins, but watching them on a crystal was getting really annoying as they seemed to be moving slower than snails. He tried to think of a way to help them help him, but first he had to focus on keeping his sanity.
"I've got an idea; maybe just maybe if we can surprise her I may be able to reverse this and trap her within the crystal and free Jareth. The only thing is it won't be easy and it may be extremely risky since it took quite a bit of my strength just to teleport us to the underground." Vira said.
Sarah nodded, "Well, I'm in for whatever your plan is Vi. I've got your back and his too."
Trapping her won't be easy, Jareth thought as he listened to their plan. He found himself sitting in a corner of the Escher Room for who knows how long. Even his favorite room wasn't doing much to help clear his thoughts right then. He suddenly became worried for Vira; he didn't want her risking her life for him. Wondering if they could hear him he tried calling out, "Dancing Queen! You stop right now and find someone else to take care of my sister. Go to the high council or for fae's sake go find Dementia, but do not handle this yourself!"
"Alright, what's your full plan?" Sarah asked.
Vira sighed, "Jareth will probably kill me for putting you in this predicament, but I'm going to need you to buy me some time. Keep her occupied while I make the preparations to get her surrounded long enough to say the spell that will force them to switch places."
Sarah nodded, "Alright just be careful Vi; Jareth or not you're like a sister to me." She hugged her for good luck and then disappeared.
Another week or so had gone by when Jareth heard their plan. He started shaking his head, "No! No! No! Sarah I command you to return to the aboveground!" He accidentally blew up part of the stairs in his rage and sat back down in his corner now more annoyed than anything. Maleficent had made her way into the forest on the edge of the labyrinth setting down to admire what would soon be all of hers.
Vira went to the throne room quickly drawing a large circle with a few points going out around it on the floor. "I hate doing this to his throne room, but it's the only way to buy enough time to say the spell," she said. "There's yet to be any demon or fae that could escape the mark of the Cromwell clan." She finished drawing it and went about making a few other preparations making sure to put a shield over her leg and the crystal with Jareth inside. There was no way she would let him be harmed. Meanwhile, Sarah came out and looked right at Maleficent, "Hey ugly, you're a witch you know that and not a great one like Vi is, but an old ugly one."
Maleficent turned and laughed, "You've met my mother, you are going to have to try harder than to get under my skin little mortal."
"Pfft..Your mother was nothing just like you crippled, old, ugly and weak," Sarah said mocking her. Vira could hear every word. "Sarah, you're doing brilliantly," she muttered to herself as the final preparations were being made...
Jareth had to agree that even though he and Maleficent were used to taking abuse that there were certain things that would always get to them and Sarah had hit one of those for his sister. "Vira! Get Sarah out of there now!" Maleficent's eyes turned red with rage, she spent most of her childhood unable to walk until finally a healer powerful enough to cure her could be found. She raised both of her arms sending lightning at Sarah screaming in anger, "I am not crippled!"
Sarah, now! Get here over here, Vira thought to her. Sarah smirked. "Then prove it. No magic, just try to catch me," she said darting off toward where Vira was. Vira took a deep breath, the risky and most difficult part was about to come: leading her into the circle and forcing them to switch places.
Maleficent watched her take off for a second wondering why she should have to prove herself to a pathetic mortal, but immediately she transformed her clothing to a pair of sparkly purple running shorts and a black tank top and took off after the girl. She smiled easily starting to catch up; years of running through a labyrinth makes one very fit, she thought as she slowed down just enough to keep the game entertaining.
Sarah was beginning to lose her speed, but Vira took a deep breath using her magic to give Sarah the same lightning speed she had. Sara smirked; thanks Vi, she thought to her before taking off like a bolt of lightning. Meanwhile, Vira was set preparing to trap her within the circle.
"Little mortal, you're cheating," Maleficent said with a grin and used her own magic to speed herself up. It was the most fun she had had in quite some time. In the crystal Jareth was rocking alone in his corner, it must have been years from his point of view he thought. Years alone in his labyrinth, it would be enough to make anyone made even if that wasn't something they were afraid of, not that he would ever let anyone know that. He wasn't even sure how Maleficent did except that they had lived together for 2,000 years. His eyes glanced over at the crystal ball seeing markings all over his throne room floor. Normally he would have been pissed, but right then he didn't really care about anything.
Sarah led her right there and went around the circle stopping mere inches from it and giving her a 'come and get me' sign with her hands. Vira was hiding amongst the shadows waiting for her to step into the circle.
Maleficent saw Sarah stop and did the same, "No more games little mortal?" She made one last run for Sarah and she went right in the middle of the circle. Looking around and suddenly feeling the magic she glared at the mortal, "What is this?"
Vira smirked, "It's the mark of the Cromwell Clan. No magical being can escape it unless he, she or it has befriended or become close with a Cromwell."
Sarah, though breathing heavy, said, "I warned you not to underestimate Vira."
"What nonsense is this?" Maleficent asked trying to break through the invisible barrier. "That is impossible!" She tried sending magical bolts through, but not even that could pass.
"Not so, not with a Cromwell. We are a long line, similar to fae, but each generation has had a different magical power or many or even been a different creature entirely," Vira said.
The fae glared through, "No creature comes close to a fae; we are your better and you will let me out."
"Yes, I will let you out right into the crystal where you trapped Jareth forcing you to switch places with him and he will in no way be even remotely effected by the circle because he is a very close, dear friend to me," she said.
Sarah smiled proudly; she had always known Vira to be unique due to her family history, but she was special in her own ways as well. "Go for it Vi, it's time we freed the goblin king and gave him back what's rightfully his."
Maleficent laughed, "Dear friend, oh that is too good. My dear, in the 2,000 years I have known my brother he has never cared for anything but himself, exactly how it should be." She glared are Sarah, "Until that thing came along and destroyed him. He is weak and no longer fit to be king, if not me then someone else will eventually take his place."
"He is fit to be king and will be the best Goblin King for as long as he wants to be, which means it is time for you to return what is rightfully his to him. As you said when you had captured him, gotcha; oh and good luck not going mad due to your own doing," she said as she began muttering the spell.
"No! You little bitch!" Maleficent screamed as she was dragged into her crystal. Jareth looked up at her not completely there anymore, he had heard everything that went on, but to him it happened over a month ago and he was waiting to be brought back out. His smirk finally appeared as he waved to his sister feeling the pull take him back to reality. He stood in the middle of the circle and slowly looked around at the two girls and the goblins that were gathering up the courage to come and see him.
Vira was breathing heavy; it had taken a lot out of her, even more than it did when they faced Damion that day. Sarah looked at her. "Are you alright?" she asked. Vira nodded and slowly stood, a bit shaky.
Jareth looked at the girl who had saved him wondering if he should feel grateful or let himself be angry that he couldn't do it himself. As he watched her stand slowly he decided to keep his feelings neutral which wasn't really difficult since he was feeling kind of numb anyway.
Sarah immediately went to help her, but Vira stopped her. "I'm fine Sarah; the real question is: are you alright?" she asked looking right at the goblin king worry in her eyes.
Jareth didn't answer for a few minutes as he tried to remember how to even speak. How long has it been since I yelled for her to get Sarah away, he asked himself before focusing back to Vira's question. "Fine," he answered. "You two should go back aboveground where it's safe," he waved his hands transporting them back and walked into his Escher Room, the real Escher Room this time.
Vira sighed as they appeared back in Sarah's home. Sarah looked at her, "Relax Vi, he'll be just fine." She could tell Vi was still worried about him and knew she had fallen for him big time. "He's Jareth; he'll be his old self in no time always trying to get to us, constantly trying with me, all that stuff we both like about him."
Back in his corner Jareth couldn't understand why he suddenly wanted to be alone, he had spent the last who knows how many years alone and hated it. He spun his crystals making himself feel better knowing that this time his magic was real and there were goblins right outside the door should he need them and if they could manage to find him. A smirk crossed his face as he debated calling one of them in to purposely get them lost. He shook his head turning his crystals into two silver necklaces, one with a sapphire and one with an emerald sending them to the aboveground in small blue boxes with a note saying that he would see them Wednesday night. By then he was sure he would get back to his old self.
"And don't forget the smart comments he loves to make," Vira said smiling.
"Exactly!" Sarah replied; they both saw the necklaces and smiled reading the messages.
"I look forward to it," Vira said to herself putting on the emerald necklace while Sarah put on the sapphire one. They both smiled deciding now would be the best time to get some rest which they did falling asleep the moment their heads hit the pillows.
Jareth gazed into his crystals watching the girls sleep, it was comforting. He lay on his own bed wondering about what his sister had said about him being weak because his involvement with Sarah. After awhile he turned over deciding that she was the one stuck in the crystal so her opinion no longer mattered
Vira smiled in her sleep; her dream of the King and I with her and Jareth repeating. Sarah woke in the middle of the night and decided to get a class of milk to help her get back to sleep. She saw the smile and knew what Vira was dreaming. "You go girl," she whispered putting the blanket back over her and going back upstairs to sleep.