Hey everyone! Thought I would post a chapter as my Christmas present to you my faithful readers! Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to you all!
-BeautyandYue
One night, a few weeks later, after the James and Sarah incident after Sarah had run away, in the Land of Dreams, a huge flare shot into the sky and exploded in a blaze of bright blue and crimson over a large clearing.
Jareth lowered his gloved hand from where it had stretched skyward to send the magic firework into the sky. He put his hand back behind his head as Elwyn said in appreciation, "Whoa, nice one Jareth. You really are getting good at that magic stuff." Destry grunted in agreement. They all lay in the sweet smelling grass looking up at the night sky sparkling with stars. All three sighed in contentment. Each lost in his or her own thoughts.
"Elwyn?" Destry voiced a few minutes later, pulling the small elf out of a light doze.
"Hmm?" she mumbled opening a sleepy eye at her horsy counterpart.
"Ever wonder what those sparkly dots are up there?" Destry asked pointing a hoof at the sky.
Jareth smiled as he heard Elwyn snort and reply to Destry in her know it all voice. "I don't wonder Destry, I know." She stated.
"Oh." Destry said thinking then asked, "What are they?"
"There pixies. They're…uh…lightening pixies that got stuck up in that big bluish black thing." Elwyn said vaguely, waving her hand in the air.
"Oh, gee. I thought that they were balls of gas burning billions of miles away." Destry said after a moment of silence. Jareth knew that even though Destry was not the sharpest pin in the box, he was actually not too far off.
Elwyn levered herself up on an elbow. "Destry with you everything's gas." She complained giving the squat unicorn an exasperated look.
Destry turned his head to look at Jareth across from him. "Jareth, what do you think?" he asked wanting to know what his other best friend thought.
Jareth's smile vanished. "I don't know…" he began.
Destry prodded. "Aww come on Jareth, give give…we told you ours."
Elwyn joined in. "Yeah, give, give…."
Jareth sighed and relented. "Well, someone once told me that the great fae kings of the past are up there, watching over us."
"Really?" Destry asked either awed or suspicious, Jareth couldn't tell.
Elwyn looked at Jareth as if he had lost it. "You mean that a bunch of royal dead guys are watching us? Right now?" there was a moment of silence and then Elwyn could not help it. First a snort, then a cough, then she busted up in a fit of giggles, Destry joining in a minute later. Jareth tried laughing at it too, but unfortunately he was slightly hurt at his friends' disbelief. "Who told you something like that? What mook! See I made that up right now!" Elwyn rolled onto her back, clutching her aching sides as she laughed even harder.
Jareth replied, "Yeah, pretty dumb huh?"
"Jareth, you're killing me!" Elwyn busted out, laughing so hard she could almost not breath.
Jareth winced inwardly at her choice of words, listening to the others laugh, for another minute; he got up, and walked away into the trees surrounding the clearing. Elwyn and Destry immediately stopped and watched him go. "Was it something I said?" Elwyn asked mystified. Destry shrugged his shoulders in confusion.
Jareth walked and walked, until he got to a small ledge overhang, covered in blooming wildflowers. He looked up at the sky and with a great sigh, flopped onto his back amongst the flowers, sending up a great cloud of dust, petals, and pollen, along with a few strands of Jareth's hair. Lost in his own thoughts, Jareth did not notice the cloud being carried along the night wind until it was out of sight.
The wind carried the petal cloud across the Desert of Despair and into the desolate land, which once was the mighty Labyrinth kingdom. As it passed by the castle, an old man, stood silently on the roof of the highest tower in the castle, holding onto the lightening rod that protruded from the roof of said tower, he looked longingly into the distance. With great quickness, far quicker than one his age, he snatched a handful of petals, hair, milkweed floss, and pollen out of the air. Opening his hand, the elderly man looked curiously at his meager sample; slightly squinting at the mixture, his bright blue eyes widened. Carefully placing his prize into a leather pouch at his side, the old man took a running start and leaped off the roof, right into the open air. Seconds later, a bright yellow finch shook off gold glitter, quickly zooming through a window in the tower, three stories down. The old man then reappeared in a flash of the same gold glitter. He quickly brushed off the glitter on his black tunic and breeches, forever mourning for the friend he had lost, grabbing a hollowed out gourd; he took the petal mishmash and tossed it into the gourd along with a drizzle of oil and swished it around before setting it down and staring at it thoughtfully. Whatever had been puzzling the man, something clicked and he grabbed the gourd, looked at it very closely, then swung his head around suddenly to look intently at a clay bust of a young boy of seven, but the face was smudged so badly that all that could be seen was the eyes staring into space. It was as if the artist had stopped right in the middle of making the bust and had run their fingers across the face in despair.
"Jareth? He-he's alive?" the old man whispered, he raced over to the bust and picking up some clay next to the statue, proceeded to fix the damage caused to the image's face. "He-he's alive!" the man yelled placing clay in various spots, the truth starting to sink in. he laughed ecstatically, if a little hysterically, as he made the face a little older. Finally, the man pulled away, and the face of adult Jareth stared back at the man, where the young Jareth face had been only minutes before. Looking over his work with pride, the man with a satisfied smile on his face, said, "It is time!"
Elwyn and Destry strolled through the forest one day. They had been hunting more by themselves lately, as Jareth tended to go off by himself more often to be by himself. This was one of these days and while they were not really hunting anything in particular, the pair was on the look out for any tasty bug or fruit that would happen to cross their path. "So now because of that night, Jareth has taken up to getting up before us, going off to who knows where, and not coming back until late at night. I tell ya Destry, something is up with our buddy and if we don't find out what it is, well, I don't want to think about the consequences." Elwyn said to Destry, who followed behind the elf and nodded emphatically. Elwyn rattled on and on about the moodiness of Jareth and everything else while Destry followed faithfully along, but suddenly a big blue sweet beetle crossed paths with Destry. His eyes lit up and swerving, Destry proceeded to follow the bug instead of Elwyn. Elwyn turned around after getting no answer to her last complaint and found to be all by herself. "Well dang!" she exclaimed putting hands on hips. "Is everybody gonna run off on me now?"
Destry followed the bug through the underbrush and into a part of the Land of Dreams that was being plagued hard with a drought that was making its way through the land of the Labyrinth. The source of the drought came from the main city where the Labyrinth castle resided. There was no breeze to move the dry, brown grass that contrasted with the gray overcast of the sky. Destry spooked a little after he climbed over a fallen log, heard a rustle behind him. "Elwyn?" he called, but after getting no response and seeing that he was alone, Destry went after the bug again. Anonymous to the unicorn was that he was not alone. In the tall grass, a beautiful snow leopard with piercing green eyes stalked the unknowing unicorn. However, as the leopard crouched into position, the unicorn somehow had a sixth sense. With a terrified yell, spotting the leopard, he turned tail, and ran back into the forest. With a snarl claws extended the leopard took off, cover blown.
"Destry! Destry!" Elwyn yelled hearing Destry's terrified screech.
Someone else, in another part of the forest, heard the yelling and broke into a run toward the commotion.
Elwyn found Destry stuck underneath a large raised tree root. "Destry, what's going on?" Elwyn asked the scared horse.
Eyes wide, Destry yelled hysterically, "SHE"S GONNA EAT ME!"
"Huh?" Elwyn asked peering over the root. She saw a snow leopard bounding through the brush, getting closer and closer. "Whoa!" Elwyn cried running around to push on Destry's behind trying frantically to get him unstuck. "Jeez! Why do I always have to save your AAAAA!" she shrieked, pressing against Destry as the leopard jumped at the two, claws extended.
A blast of magic knocked the attacking animal over. A man with teased blonde hair, dressed in black from head to toe, hurtled over the tree root, gloved hands shining with white sparkling magic. The leopard stopped short, but Jareth took advantage of the uncharacteristic stop of the animal, and tackled it to the ground. It snarled fiercely, man and beast rolling repeatedly on the ground. The leopard morphed into a young woman with long dark hair. Jareth kicked her off him and shot beams of white magic at her. She retaliated with sparkling blue beams of her own.
Elwyn sat on the root that trapped Destry beneath and patted him on the head "Don't worry, buddy. I'm here for ya. Every thing's gonna be okay." She told him reassuringly. Cheering Jareth on Elwyn called out "Get her! Go for the jugular! The jugular!" Elwyn pointed a thumb at Jareth and said to Destry, "See I told you, he'd come in handy one day!"
While this was going on, Jareth and the woman battled relentlessly. A flash of blue temporarily blinded the woman and Jareth, pressing the advantage, came at her to finish her off. Nevertheless, the woman, even though she was blinking the spots out of her eyes, heard Jareth come at her, and ducking quickly, she swept Jareth's feet out from under him. The air exploded from his lungs in a rush, his back connecting with the hard packed ground; the woman straddled Jareth quickly, effectively pinning his arms to his sides, raised hand a sparkling blue to finish Jareth off. The light from the magic illuminated the woman's face in the fading sunlight.
Jareth's eyes widened as he panted, remembering a little girl from long ago, pulling the exact same move. "Sarah?" he whispered in disbelief, yet hoping e with all his heart.
The woman looked at the disheveled man beneath her, and seeing something strange in his face, quickly bounded off him and several feet away. Jareth took a good look at the woman brushing stray strands of dark hair that had come out of her long braid behind her ear. Sarah had grown into a beautiful woman. With long dark hair the color of mahogany, braided down her back, and eyes the color of the finest emeralds in all of the Labyrinth Kingdom; dressed in a sleeveless black tunic that came down to her hips with slight slits in the sides. A light pink, leather hunting skirt with one long slit up the side, showing black leggings and gray knee high boots completed the outfit, and Jareth never wished for anything more than to sweep her into his arms. "Who are you?" she questioned, eyes wary.
Jareth got up slowly, to not frighten her; he stared back at her while he brushed dust and dirt from his clothes. "It's me, Jareth." He said coming towards her a little.
"Jareth?" Sarah repeated in disbelief. She took a good hard look at the man in front of her. He was tall and slender, with layered hair like spun gold in the setting sun, and dressed in black from head to toe complete with black leather gloves, but it was his eyes, oh how she had missed those mismatched eyes, now staring intensely at her, a strange emotion burning like fire in those same eyes.
Letting out a shriek of pure joy, Sarah lunged at Jareth. He opened his arms and Sarah flew into them. Spinning Sarah around, Jareth laughed joyfully as well. Jareth placed her feet back on the ground but Sarah refused to let go, face buried in his tunic, he could make out slight sniffles. "Sarah?" he questioned, looking worriedly down. Sarah shook her head and Jareth kissed the top of her hair lightly, knowing that Sarah needed time to gather herself.
Elwyn and Destry, forgotten in the midst of everything, stood to one side. Elwyn's mouth hung open. Shutting it quickly, she stalked over to the pair. Hands on hips, and not a little jealously Elwyn said, "Hey, what's gonin' on here?" Jareth and Sarah were oblivious to the little elf. Sarah lifted her head from Jareth's chest and Jareth asked, "What are you doing here?"
Sarah shook her head in shock, "What do you mean, 'What am I doing here?' what are you doing here?"
Elwyn scowled at Sarah, not happy that the young fae woman was still not letting go of Jareth. "HEY! WHAT'S GOIN' ON HERE!" she hollered finally getting the couple's attention.
Blushing madly, Sarah and Jareth jumped back from each other like they were hot coals. "Much better." Elwyn muttered.
Jareth waved at Sarah, "Elwyn, this is Sarah. She's my best friend!" he exclaimed, a smile spreading over his face.
Elwyn looked a little confused and hurt. "Friend?!"
Jareth nodded. "Yeah, Destry, come over here!" he called to the unicorn. When Destry trotted up to the growing group, Jareth said, "Destry, this is Sarah. Sarah, Destry."
Destry bowed slightly to her, "Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Sarah smiled at the squat unicorn "The pleasure's all mine."
Elwyn, caught up in the names exchanged turned toward Sarah "How do you do…" then catching herself, Elwyn waved her hands franticly. " Whoa! Whoa! Time out! Lemme get this straight." She rubbed her forehead tiredly. "You know her. She knows you. But she wants to eat him." Elwyn pointed at Destry. "And everybody's…okay with this…? DID I MISS SOMETHING!" Elwyn exploded, jumping up in anger.
Jareth placed a hand on Elwyn's shoulder. "Relax, Elwyn." He said.
Sarah, looking at Jareth asked, "Wait until everybody hears you've been here all this time." Then she had a thought, excitedly Sarah asked, "And your mother, what will she think?"
Jareth, misunderstanding Sarah's intended question, hearing all to clearly another voice condemn coolly, "What will your mother think?" shook his head slightly. "She doesn't need to know. Nobody needs to know. He said hoping to put off Sarah.
Sarah was surprised. "Well of course they do. Everyone thinks you're dead."
Jareth replied, "They do?" he thought that James had told everyone that he had run away. However, he thought no wanted him to come back after what he had done to his dad.
"Yeah, James told us about the stampede." Sarah said sadly, face downcast but then it brightened considerably. Jareth looked at her a little warily, knowing what was coming next. "What does it matter? You're alive…and that means you're the king!" she exclaimed throwing her arms around Jareth's neck.
Elwyn snorted in laughter. "King?" she questioned in a disbelieving voice. "Lady, have you got your Faes' crossed."
Destry's eyes grew large and shining. "King? Your majesty! I gravel at your feet!" he began to bow awkwardly.
Jareth moved away and forcibly removing Sarah's arms from around his neck "Stop it." he cautioned, slightly irritated.
Elwyn stopped Destry from making himself more of a fool. "It's 'grovel' not 'gravel' and stop it, he's not the king." She hesitated, thinking about it a minute. Turning Elwyn asked, "Are ya?"
Jareth shook his head more forcefully this time and moved away, crossing his arms. "No." he stated, voice hard.
Sarah looked from the elf and unicorn to the Fae that had been her best friend up until she had been told he had died; now she finds him alive and well. Now he wanted no part of his kingship. "Jareth?" She asked softly.
Jareth sighed and turned to look back at the group. "No, I'm not the king." He sighed again, placing a hand on his hip, and the other to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Maybe I was gonna be…" he trailed off looking into the distance, his hand dropping from his face. " But…that was a long time ago." Elwyn was incredulous. "Let me get this straight, you're THE king? King of all the Labyrinth, and you never told us?" she had the right to sound hurt.
Jareth spread his arms at Elwyn and Destry. "Look I'm still the same guy."
"But with power!" Elwyn exclaimed, thinking of all the things Jareth could do with that power.
Jareth groaned and placed a hand over his face, the other arm wrapping around his waist. Sarah could see Jareth was at his wits end with his friends. "Could…you guys excuse us for a few minutes?" she asked hesitantly.
Elwyn placed a hand on her hip and gave the Fae woman a look. "Hey, whatever you have to say, you can say in front of us. Right Jareth?"
Jareth lifted his head and gave Sarah a grateful look then looked at his two other friends, "Mmmmm, I think you guys better leave." He finally decided after a long moment.
Elwyn looked from Jareth to Sarah aghast, then resigned, seeing what was going on and she was unhappily powerless to try to stop it. "It starts. You think you know a guy…" Elwyn grumbled, giving Jareth a slightly dirty look, she turned around and stalked off.
Destry looked between the two and his retreating friend. "She'll get over it." he sighed mournfully then trotted off to join his ego-bruised friend.
Jareth waited until the pair was out of sight. Shaking his head ruefully, he turned to Sarah, a slight smile on his face. "Elwyn and Destry. You learn to love 'em" He said. His smile left his face, concern taking over, as Sarah stood there, head bowed, hands over her face. "What? What is it?" He asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Sarah turned away a little pulling out of Jareth's touch. Dropping her hands, head tilted to one side, away from Jareth's searching eyes, she said quietly, "It's like you're back from the dead. You don't know what this will mean to everyone." Sarah turned back toward Jareth, face full of pained memories of growing up with out her friend at her side, arms around her waist hugging herself tightly.
"…What it means to me." She finished softly, tears welling up in her eyes.
Jareth, very sorry, he had put her through all that pain, placed his hand back on her shoulder. "Hey, it's okay." He replied just as softly.
Sarah spun quickly, wrapping her arms around Jareth's waist, placing her head against his chest, Sarah said softly, "I've really MISSED you."
Jareth's arms had swung out at the unexpectedness of Sarah's bold move, but he smiled gently and lifting Sarah's head so he could look her in the eye said, "I've missed you too." He hugged her tightly, Sarah squeaking lightly at the unexpected movement, burying her head into Jareth's chest.
Jareth pulled a little ways away from Sarah. "Come on, there's so much I want to show you." He tugged on her hand and Sarah followed.
Elwyn and Destry watched from behind some bushes. Elwyn threw away the fruit she had been munching on in frustration as she watched Jareth tug on Sarah's hand and lead her off somewhere. "This stinks!" she exclaimed, slightly stung that Jareth would pick this new comer over her and even though Elwyn knew that nothing would ever come of her crush, she had done a lot of wishful thinking.
Destry ducked his head at the flying fruit, knowing that Elwyn was a little jealous but she would get over soon, he hoped. "Oh, sorry." He mumbled.
Elwyn rolled her eyes. "Not you!" she exclaimed, Elwyn pointed at the departing pair. "Them! Him. Her. Alooooone."
Destry looked puzzled. "What's wrong with that?" he asked.
Elwyn slung an arm over Destry and led him out of the brush. "I can see what's happening."
"What?" Destry asked.
"And they don't have a clue" Elwyn waved her arms up.
"Who?" Elwyn had really lost him this time.
"They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line…Our trio's down to two." Elwyn held up two fingers.
"Oh." Destry got it. Suddenly sad he looked at Elwyn woefully.
"The sweet caress of twilight" Elwyn ran her hand down Destry's soft mane. "There's magic everywhere." She sang sarcastically. " And with all this romantic atmosphere. Disaster's in the air."Elwyn crossed her arms and sat on the ground, sending up a puff of dust. Destry followed suit, only more slowly, ears drooped.
Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings
The world for once in perfect harmony
With all its living things
Jareth led Sarah by the hand, through the land of Dreams to all his favorite places. They walked leisurely across a log over a small crystalline lake, going under the waterfall that tinkled musically into the water underneath them. Sarah ran her hand under the cool water. They stopped next at a small pond so Sarah could get a drink from the clear water. Jareth studied her intently as Sarah pulled her braid over her shoulder and began to unravel it.
So many things to tell her
But how to make her see
The truth about my past,
Impossible!
She'd turn away from me
Sarah watched Jareth through her veil of hair, wavy from the braid, combing through it she contemplated the young self-exiled prince, as he seemed to frown at himself and turn away from her.
He's holding back, he's hiding
But what, I can't decide
Why won't he be the king I know he is?
The king I see inside?
Jareth seemed to decide on something, and turning back around; he gave Sarah a smug smirk and strode past her into the brush. Sarah watched, wondering what he was going to do. She got her answer soon enough. About a minute later, Jareth came swinging past on a vine, she ducked and Jareth swung over her and over the middle of the pond. The vine gave way at Jareth's weight and he dropped into the water with a surprised yell, making the water ripple quickly. Sarah watched the surface of the water, frowning slightly as the bubbles of air moved from where Jareth had dropped, to the ledge she was now leaning over to look at the water. Sarah, realizing Jareth's intent, drew back hastily, but not quickly enough. Jareth burst from the water and wrapping a wet arm around her slim waist dragged the startled young woman into the water. Sarah broke the surface with a gasp and hauling herself back onto the ledge, chest heaving, water dripping from her clothes, and her wet hair glistening russet in the last rays of the sun as it slipped beneath the glittering sands of the Desert of Despair. Jareth, wet hair in his eyes, grinning stupidly, placed his hands on the ledge and began to haul himself back up. Sarah looked at the wet Fae, grinned smugly herself, and with one hand shoved Jareth back into the water with a splash.
Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings
The world, for once, in perfect harmony
With all its living things
With a laugh, Sarah was up and running, Jareth hot on her heels. She and Jareth darted behind trees and waterfalls, the game 'catch me if you can'. Sarah rounded a tree to find Jareth on the other side. Shrieking in laughter, she spun around and took off, knowing that she would not be able to run from Jareth for long, as he knew the land better than she. Seeing a meadow and a grassy knoll beyond it, Sarah ran across it and began to scamper up the hill, giggling madly. Sarah was halfway up the hill by the time Jareth caught up to her. He grabbed a booted ankle and tugged slightly, making Sarah lose her grip and she slid into Jareth. Losing his balance at the sudden change in weight, Jareth slipped and he and Sarah tumbled to the bottom of the hill. Hitting the ledge that over looked the meadow filled with wild flowers, Jareth and Sarah tilted over and onto the meadow floor. Their landing stirred up flower petals and the lightening bugs that had come out as dusk began to gather. Jareth chuckled softly and propping himself up on his forearms, saw to his great surprise that he had actually pinned Sarah for the first time in his life.
Can you feel the love tonight?
You needn't look too far
Stealing through the night's uncertainties
Love is where they are
Sarah's hair was fanned out around her face like a halo and her eyes shown like emeralds filled with glittering stars. Sarah leaned up on her elbows and very tentatively, brushed Jareth's lips with hers, then pulled away, biting at her lips uncertainly.
And if he feels the love tonight
In the way I do
Jareth blinked in surprise and stared at Sarah, that strange emotion when he first saw her again, burned in his chest once again. Sarah smiled seductively and Jareth's face changed from surprise to comprehension. Sarah had let him pin her on purpose. He smiled slyly himself and bent down to claim Sarah's soft lips once more.
It's enough for this restless wanderer
Just to be with you...
Elwyn wiped a tear from her eye as Destry sniffled next to her. " And if he falls in love tonight. It can be assumed"
Elwyn hugged Destry tightly. "His carefree days with us are history" Destry sang brokenly, trying to hold it in.
Elwyn and Destry looked at each other and sang, "In short, our pal is doomed."
They burst into tears, clinging to each other.
To Be Continued…