People are reviewing!! It's so much fun to read the reviews! People like Jamie a lot more than I originally thought they would! Thank you for the reviews!! Send ten thousand more!!!! This chapter is dedicated to Nikxter because she complained that I didn't cite her in the last one. Lols. The phrase, Once excited, Twice cautious, Thrice lost is an old saying that she told me about. Thanks Nikx!
Jareth had unnamed feelings about the scene depicted in his crystal orb. He didn't understand them.
The scene of Kassydie clinging to the back of the kelpie evoked feelings he'd only felt once before. It was the same feeling he'd had when Sarah had hugged Hoggle, the same feeling that was evoked every time she looked kindly at the stone calling beast, and the same feeling he'd known whenever Sarah had talked fondly with Sir Didymus. It was a feeling that he was missing out on something, that he should be getting what the others were instead of them.
Was he really jealous of the kelpie's current situation? Why? Why would he be jealous of anything to do with Kassydie?
He didn't understand, or he didn't want too. This made him frustrated and irritable. The only ease to his emotions was that Kassydie didn't seem to be enjoying the situation any more than he himself was. This irritated him further. He shouldn't be bothered with it.
"Bring me the baby." He ordered one of the raucous goblins. He'd gone back to his throne after depositing Jamie in a room unused that she could have for herself. For some reason, as long as she wasn't crying, Jareth enjoyed Jamie's company. Perhaps he didn't have to turn her into a goblin when Kassydie failed? She'd forget about Kassydie soon enough and he would be her whole world. It would be fun to be the center of attention of something more intelligent than a goblin. He could raise her to be a wonderful queen if he desired.
Jamie was deposited onto his lap a little roughly by the goblin. Jamie glared and swiped at the goblin, eliciting a chuckle from Jareth.
"What do you think, Jamie? Do you want to be Queen of the Goblins?" Jareth laughed. "You're already doing so well."
Jamie turned her attention to Jareth and grinned with her nearly full mouth of teeth. "Jarth!"
It was the first time the little girl had ever said her version of his name. For some reason it made Jareth feel warm and he smiled brighter.
"No, not Jarth. Jareth." He corrected.
"Jarth." Jamie insisted.
"Jar…" Jareth prompted.
"Jar…" Jamie complied.
"..eth." He finished.
"..eth." Jamie said.
"Jareth." Jareth smiled.
"Jarth." Jamie insisted again.
Jareth rolled his eyes heavenward and gave up. "You're Highness." He tried.
"Yah?" Jamie answered.
Jareth began laughing and his goblins followed suit, not knowing why, but glad to see their king happy after so many years of his melancholy gloom.
*^*%*^*
"I'm sorry," Kassydie apologized for the seventy-third time.
"Shut." Sange growled, "Up."
Kassydie moaned, "I can't help it. If I hadn't lost my shoes you wouldn't have to carry me all the way to your mother's."
Shortly after beginning the journey Kassydie, Sange, and Sharrick had found themselves in a much colder part of the labyrinth, complete with a trash covered ground.
Kassydie had stopped paying attention to where she was stepping to complain that it was unfair that the weather be cold only after she'd lost all of her clothes, and be swelteringly hot only when she was wrapped in layers of clothing. She promptly stepped right onto a rather large piece of glass. Bringing us to the current arrangement.
"Stop it, it's not like you're very heavy. And it's not like you could have avoided the cut, your feet are soft as a babe's and you're clumsy as one too."
"Ahm, thank you," Kassydie decided.
"Sharrick," Sharrick added from her back. Kassydie smiled at the salamander who was busy keeping her back warm if nothing else could be.
It actually wasn't long before they came to a house in a clearing amidst the wasteland of junk. Sange swept inside and placed Kassydie gingerly on the ground.
Kassydie held her injured right foot slightly above the ground and patted Sharrick's head.
"Mother?" Sange called from the doorway at the end of the living room. "Come here."
"You talk to your mom like that?" Kassydie gaped. Sange gave her a look as if she were the oddest creature in the world.
"Now what is it, Almighty Sange?" Said a woman, who seriously didn't look a day over twenty-the exact age Sange looked. "Oh, you decided not to drown one and brought it home? How peculiar."
"She is the labyrinth's latest victim mother," Sange bent to kiss the lovely woman on the cheek.
Kassydie took in the appearance of the female kelpie. Just like Sange she had dark black hair, only it reached down to her feet rather than her mid back and wasn't tied up. Her eyes were pale lavender, Sange must have gotten his eyes from his father. She looked to be a full ten inches shorter than Sange while managing to be about four inches taller than Kassydie, placing her in the 5'5" range. The woman wore a white dress that settled as if the material were as light as feathers.
"Ah and why have you brought her?"
"I was hoping you could make her some clothes real quick, she'll need shoes and a bandage for her foot."
"You expect me to do all that on one of your whims?"
Sange laughed and left the room, "Put her in blue."
"To match my eyes?" Kassydie inquired.
"No," Sange peeked back at her from the kitchen doorway, "To match your underclothes." He ducked back out before Kassydie could throw Sharrick at him. Actually, Sharrick had followed Sange towards the kitchen, possibly in hopes of food.
"You pervert!" She shouted instead.
Sange's mother had grabbed her hand and was leading her up a short flight of stairs. "Won't be too hard to get you something. You and I are about the same size besides height."
"Um, I'm Kassydie," Kassydie introduced.
"Lorriella." Sange's mother answered and shoved the limping girl into a well lit sewing room. "Let's see," The woman mumbled to herself and reached into a bag and pulled out very old fashioned looking medical supplies. "Sit."
Kassydie obeyed the command and sat down in the chair before the ancient spindle.
Lorriella knelt in front of Kassydie and gently cleaned and dressed the large gash in her foot. "Is there a story to this?"
"Um, I almost drowned. It looked like a squid." Kassydie said, "And I lost my shoes, then stepped on some glass while we were walking here because I had to take off most of my clothes to get away." Kassydie blushed, she was still not happy with the fact that Sange had seen her nearly bare of any clothes, and had carried her with so little clothing on.
"That was my husband," Lorriella chirped happily, "He often transforms into a kraken when he's in the marsh. He says it's more dramatic."
"Oh, um," Kassydie had no idea how to react, "That's, uh, nice. So, how old are you?"
"Me? I'm five hundred and sixty two." She giggled, "Still young enough to be proud of my age!"
Kassydie fought the urge to gape, "So, uh, how old is Sange?"
"Ah, he's the baby of the family. Only two hundred and ten. Such a fine young man he is though."
"Ah…huh." Kassydie watched as Lorriella secured the bandages and moved to the spindle.
Lorriella worked the basic machine quickly and frantically. Everything moved to quickly for Kassydie's human eyes to be able to comprehend. She was only aware of the feathery ocean blue cloth streaming from Lorriella's hands and her tools. It seemed like no time at all and she held up a long dress of fluffy layers of cloth with sleeves that went all the way to the knuckles of Kassydie's hands and a neckline that swooped and swirled modestly but sexily. Shyly Kassydie did as she was ordered and removed her cloak to don the feathery air light dress. She felt embarrassingly unclothed but the cloth was smooth and fun to twirl in, sending her skirts floating all around her like a Pacific blue aura. Lorriella slipped silky blue ballet flats onto Kassydie's feet once she'd stilled.
"Is it really okay for me to have this?" Kassydie asked, tying only the top ribbon of her cloak now that she had clothes underneath.
"Oh, of course." Lorriella smiled, "Come, you can help me in the kitchen now."
Kassydie looked at a clock and shrugged, she was running out of time but Lorriella couldn't possibly absorb too much of her time.
Kassydie hopped down the stairs.
"It's the exact color of your underclothes." Sange noted.
Kassydie glared, "Shut up and get your filthy mind off of my underclothes!"
Sharrick made a new little purring gurgling noise and nuzzled Kassydie. Kassydie pet her and continued into the fragrant kitchen. It smelled of whatever deliciously scented entrée was stewing in the large pot.
"Stir this; I've got to finish the barbed berry pie." Lorriella instructed.
"Um, I'm not sure it's a good idea." Kassydie mumbled shyly.
"Why ever not?" Lorriella demanded.
"I'm terrible at that sort of thing. I'll make a mess."
"No, no, that's fine. Just stir it before it burns to the bottom."
And so the newly employed kitchen worker shrugged and headed over to the rather tall pot. She took the large wooden spoon and scraped the contents away from the bottom, managing to splash liquids out of the pot no matter how careful she was. This thoroughly upset her as she didn't want to inconvenience Sange's lovely mother.
*^*%*^*
Jareth watched Kassydie's kitchen mishap in his orb. Jamie was busying herself among the goblins, getting rides and pulling ears and pinching noses for her own amusement. The goblins were enjoying it too. They laughed and swung the baby around.
Watching Kassydie in the kitchen brought back memories of her earlier childhood. He had watched her whenever she'd gone to Sarah's house. He had locked away one memory in particular, but he revisited it now.
A seven year old Kassydie, still having both parents and still a carefree child, sloshed hot water onto the stove and herself and began to cry in her distress. Sarah turned to her crying granddaughter in hopes of alleviating the pain from the hot jello water.
"Where are you hurt?" crackled her now withered voice, though it still carried the same strength and kindness as it had when she was in the labyrinth.
"I'm not." Kassydie sniffled.
"Then why are you crying?"
Kassydie looked at the blue water as it dripped to the floor. "I can't do it! Everything always falls out!"
Kassydie had been afflicted with the same kitchen habits as Sarah. Nothing stayed where it was supposed to.
Jareth had felt a strange warmness at the thought of the little girl being so particularly clumsy in the kitchen. A warmth he immediately passed off as an emotional influence caused by his love for Sarah, and Sarah's love for the little girl.
"But that's fine, we just clean it up, like this. See?"
Kassydie immediately brightened and she assisted Sarah in the reversal of the mishap.
Jareth shook himself out of his reverie. He had never understood his attachment to Kassydie. It must have been because Sarah showed so much love for the girl that it seemed impossible not to be fond of her. Of course, Kassydie had spent so much time with Sarah that he had watched her grow with his former beloved. It was hard not to become attached to someone you've known for their entire life. Of course, he ended this train of thought abruptly. He didn't want to go into the reasons why he had watched her even when she was away from Sarah.
*^*%*^*
"You weren't kidding." Lorriella mused, looking at the mess Kassydie had made of her stew.
Kassydie looked down, chagrinned, "I'm sorry, I tried."
"Tried to what?" Sange hassled, "Recreate the Dwarfish Goblinian War?"
"I'll clean it up," Kassydie defended.
"No, Sharrick's got it." Lorriella said, watching as the Salamander happily licked up all the spills. "Come, we must eat."
"Oh, no, I really should be going." Kassydie said, "I've got to solve the labyrinth and I've got only nine hours and twenty-three minutes left."
"Are you sure you won't enjoy a meal with us? You're far too skinny for a mortal girl." Lorriella shook her head disapprovingly.
"I'm sure. Thank you for everything." Kassydie turned to Sharrick, "Do you want to come the rest of the way with me?"
Sharrick was reluctant to leave the kind Lorriella and her food. "Sharrick?" The little creature asked.
"Of course you can stay," Kassydie said, seemingly understanding, "I'm sure we'll meet up again soon enough."
"Sharrick." Sharrick told her confidently.
Kassydie nodded, "Yes, I'll call if I need you."
"You act as if you understand her," Sange noted.
Kassydie shrugged and headed for the door, "I do."
*^*%*^*
Kassydie shrugged her way through the low hanging vegetation. It seemed to be the Underground equivalent of Weeping Willows. She looked around her cautiously; she really didn't want to run into any more dangers. Why couldn't she have puzzles and such like Grandma Sarah had?
"This is hardly fair."
"Sarah talked similarly."
Kassydie couldn't bear to look around so instead of facing the Goblin King she gritted her teeth and kept going. She felt Jareth walking alongside her silently. She could bear no longer.
"You gave Jamie her medicine right?"
"An hour and forty-two minutes ago." The handsome king assured her.
"Then you have to give her more in eighteen minutes. Every two hours."
"Please, don't insult me." Jareth rolled his beautifully unmatched eyes, "I've been around for far longer than you, and I think I can remember simple directions regarding the health of a baby."
"You can't blame me for being worried about the responsibility skills of a man who takes away sick babies just because a girl is trying to tell a bedtime story." Kassydie growled, shoving through underbrush and concentrating on the leaves, trying desperately to keep her eyes from taking in his tall boots, riding pants, and the regal black cape over the billowing white shirt and all that the clothing contained. Thinking about not looking had gotten her to look and with a flush of her cheeks she commanded her unruly eyes to quit checking him out already!
Jareth chuckled as if he knew exactly what was going on with her.
"How do you expect to defeat my labyrinth when you're so drawn to me?" He asked in his deep, slightly husky voice.
"I'm not drawn to you." Kassydie snapped, total lie…
"Oh, yes you are, Kassydie." Jareth blocked her from ignoring him any longer and cornered her against the wall and a tree.
"Would you back off?" Instead of the command she had hoped to make it her voice betrayed her and made it sound as if she were begging instead.
Jareth laughed cruelly, his voice tinged with dark bitterness as he said, "Sarah never looked at me twice. She never cared to see me as anything but the villain of her story. But you, oh, Kassydie, you just can't stop looking. You can't stop making excuses for my behavior."
"You're a creepy stalker." Kassydie mumbled, not looking him in the eye, trying to think of some way to get out of this. What he'd said was true, she found it nearly impossible not to be attracted to him. But he was a Sidhe, humans are supposed to be attracted to Sidhe.
A gloved hand turned her face up to look into unbalanced green eyes. Jareth stared into Kassydie's flashing deep blue eyes. Her emotions were so obviously displayed in their starry depths. Irritation, confusion, incensed.
"Kassydie, you try too hard. The labyrinth has been a terrible burden on you. You don't have to do it anymore, I hate seeing you suffer so. The labyrinth has never been so cruel as this."
Kassydie stared into his eyes, he was so close. Jareth was leaning into her. Time seemed to slow. Centimeters closed between Jareth's lips and Kassydie's. Was this a trick? A test? She felt the brush of Jareth's lips on hers, only nanoseconds and the pressure unsurely increased. Gloved hands had tightened around her and she had to do something. Could she give in? Could she kiss the Goblin King?
Kassydie slammed her head back at the same time as she pushed Jareth away as hard as she could. She whacked a sore spot on her head and sent the King stumbling backwards a couple of surprised steps.
"Ow, no, ow, ow, ow." Kassydie cringed and rubbed her head, "No." She said again.
When she looked up at Jareth again his eyes were flashing with anger and, possibly hurt.
"I have been kind, up until now, but I can be cruel." Jareth growled the familiar warning through tense muscles.
"I know," Kassydie whimpered a little, still rubbing her head, "But I have to get Jamie back. I've wasted so much time here already. I'm leaving. I'm sorry, King Jareth. Just leave me alone! Go away!"
Kassydie didn't look back at him, she just ran before she could stop herself. She ran, and tried to defeat the next obstacle, though she was sure the hardest one had passed.
*^*%*^*
Had Kassydie looked back, she'd have seen hurt and dismay cross Jareth's features before confusion took their place. He didn't understand why she ran, he didn't understand why she hadn't let him kiss her, he didn't understand why he'd wanted to kiss her, and he didn't even fully understand why he'd gone to her in the first place.
Why couldn't he leave her alone?
He had been feeling restless in his castle. He had wanted to see Kassydie, not in some useless orb, but with his own eyes. He'd wanted to see her deep, expressive eyes, to feel her feathery hair, to draw in the scent of well used books and herbal shampoo that clung to her even now. And he had wanted to taste her. The more he saw her, the more he wanted. And he just didn't understand why. It had been different with Sarah. More fun, much more fun. Sarah had been fun to manipulate throughout the labyrinth. It had been fun to watch her cower before him and it had been fun to see her entranced by him. It had not been fun to watch her defeat him, to utterly destroy him. No, that part was not fun.
And so Jareth berated himself his attachment. What if Kassydie did the same thing? No, he would not stand that. He would not take it. For she resisted his seduction, just as Sarah had. She met him with ferocity and intrigue, just as Sarah had. It surely, she would tear him apart…just like Sarah had.
In a moment of weakness, the Goblin King sighed and leaned against the towering walls of his labyrinth, as if he could lay all of his problems unto it as well. He stared up at the fiery sky and wondered at the reason he was putting himself through this again.
He felt more tortured here than he had when the labyrinth was for Sarah. Was it because Kassydie was in such real danger? Was he such a weak king that he could not bear the thought of killing a mere human? It was preposterous!
However, he had almost panicked after Kassydie had nearly drowned. He had needed to see her for himself after that, to be absolutely sure she had survived.
"Oh, Your Highness, bit of trouble?"
Jareth looked at his advisor who had seemed to show up out of the blue. Blue, blue eyes, Kassydie's eyes, Kassydie's- He shook himself out of that train of thought.
"This is none of your concern."
"But it is. You've forced me into this game of yours. I have to play it just as much as that human does."
"Then why aren't you playing? She's headed for the brownies now. Get out there and make sure she does not reach my castle."
"Bah, you misuse your advisor, my King. I am here only to guide your process of thinking, your decisions. I'm not one of your goblin dogs to be shoved into errands."
"Go. Now. You insolent fool!" Jareth's voice hadn't raised a single pitch but there was ice in those words. The words of a king who refused to be disobeyed.
"As you wish, You're Highness." The advisor bowed low and stepped back into the willow trees to rustle the brownies and make sure they killed the girl.
Shorter chapter this time but I'm dying to get this one up! I want more Jareth in here, really. This one is shorter than the last chapter; I'll try to remedy that in the future. In short, thank God for spell check and Freddie Mercury!!! Until next chapter, darlings!