SOMETHING'S ARE MADE TO LAST…
CHAPTER 9.
ONCE AGAIN, I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING FROM LABYRINTH OR JIM HENSON.
Shortish chapter here while I try and work out my "right words" for the rest of this. It's going to get intense though, believe me. By the way, if anyone has any questions they ask in reviews, please don't hesitate to message me on here. To quote Ross from friends "I like mail" ?
P.S I apologize now if I offend or upset anyone in this chapter. It was not my intention.
Jareth paced impatiently up and down the length of the throne room. His feathered cloak swishing noisily at every turn he made. Westley sat the table, repeatedly wiping his glasses on his robes, even though they were spotless.
Sarah and Lily had been missing for five hours now. Jareth had gone Aboveground after he had finished up in court, just like he and Sarah had agreed he would do earlier that day, but when he had reached Sarah and Kirsten's old apartment, he had discovered that no one had been in there for months.
He had felt a bit panicky but, not to lose his head completely just yet, he had called out to Sarah through his thoughts. When she had failed to answer him at all, he had returned to the Underground in the hopes that she had somehow returned, and they had simply missed each other.
As he swooped through the fiery forest in his owl form, he spotted three fierys dancing in a clearing. He dived towards them and had changed into himself before his feet had hit the ground. Advancing on them, he tried, and failed, to stay calm as he asked them "Have you seen the Queen and Princess?"
They cowered away from him slightly then one of the piped up and said "Yeah we seen them today"
Jareth sagged with relief, but it was short-lived as another added "They promised to dance with us when they come back"
Jareth's panic resurfaced, and he transformed back into an owl to fly back to the castle without another word. Once he arrived back, he searched everywhere and asked every goblin he came across, dumping half of the castles staff in the bog for dawdling with their answers.
When it was evident that Sarah and Lily had not returned from Aboveground, nor to the castle, Jareth had called for the castles Guard, as well as Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus.
Jareth ordered the twenty fae men of the guard to search beyond the goblin city, including a thorough sweep of the forest and by the point where fae can transport. Westley asked Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus to search the Labyrinth, the bog and the oubliette. Jareth said he would remain in the throne room and Westley stay behind with him.
They had searched now for two hours without a word from anyone and Jareth was beginning to grow hysterical. Westley was no better, he knew exactly how Jareth was feeling and couldn't help but feel he was partially responsible.
Just then, the double doors of the throne room were thrown open and the captain of the guard, Théodren, marched in, flanked by two of his men.
Jareth stopped dead and watched them march towards him with eyes huge and staring. Westley slowly rose from his seat, replacing his glasses with his eyes fixed on them.
"Your Majesty…" they began as the reached Jareth and bowed, their expressions sombre.
"What news?" Jareth snapped, waving his hand at their formalities.
"Sire…" Théodren started.
"Do not dawdle. Just spit it out. She's left me, hasn't she?" Jareth's voice broke at the last word and he turned his back on them to hide his face.
He knew. Deep down he knew he never deserved her or her love. She had always deserved better and it seemed that she had finally realized that.
Westley moved closer to the men and asked Théodren what news he had.
"This is all we found" Théodren said gravely.
Jareth whipped around so fast that he became a blur to the others.
He saw that Théodren was holding his arm out, his palm open. He was holding something out to show them. He and Westley leaned forward to see what it was.
Jareth's mouth opened in silent horror and he stepped back again. His heart felt like it was being clenched by an iron fist.
Westley looked on, horrified as he said "Is that…?"
"The Queen's engagement and wedding rings" Théodren confirmed sadly.
Westley was having difficulty talking, he was stuttering so much.
"And…Is…t-that…?"
"Yes" Théodren confirmed again "The rings are covered in blood"
The throne room filled with an extremely anguished cry that rivetted around them. None of them had ever heard anything like it before, in all the years they had been sounded like something was dying the most painful death imaginable.
It was coming from their King. Their King cried out as he sank to his knees onto the floor, totally and completely broken.
End of Chapter 9.
