A new chapter has come! Enjoy!

Chapter Nine: Frog Prince?

Nightmares plagued Vesper nonstop, making her thrash and cry in her sleep. She couldn't wake up, couldn't get out of her dreams of Hunter chasing her, grabbing her, forcing a kiss on her. In the midst of these dreams, she felt her body being lifted up, out of the mud, but still, she couldn't wake up, and her whole body went into spasms and thrashed as the feeling of being in the air continued. She knew, in her sub consciousness, that someone was carrying her, and she was absolutely horrified that that someone was Hunter, taking her somewhere that she couldn't escape so that he could steal her kiss when she woke up. She was screaming in her sleep, evil nightmares lurking through her as she tried desperately to wake up and save herself.

Suddenly, magically, the nightmares faded away like a fog, and feelings of great peace flowed through the girl. Words infiltrated her sleep, words that soothed her and sang to her, making her body cease its thrashing.

"Night time sharpens, heightens each sensation.

Darkness stirs and wakes imagination.

Silently the senses abandon their defenses."

A comforted sigh escaped from Vesper's lips, and she barely felt her body being lowered and placed gently on something soft and warm. She didn't feel something land on the ground next to her, but she did have the pleasant sensation, seconds later, of something warm being wrapped around her body and something silky brushing against her throat.

"You alone can make my song take flight.

Help me make the music of the night."

The words whispered in her ear, and then her body completely stilled as the singing stopped. She fell into a deep sleep, nothing but calm and stillness drifting through her mind and body. It was a sleep she desperately needed, and she cuddled up to the welcome warmth, taking a deep breath of something that smelled greatly like fall, with the spicy scents of falling leaves and fresh air. She then lost all of her senses entirely.

The first thing Vesper noticed, when she slowly came out of her sleep hours later, was that she was warm and more comfortable than she had been since she had first entered the Labyrinth. She didn't want to move, and instead cuddled up against her source of warmth. Her dreary mind first thought it was a blanket wrapped so securely around her, for there was a large, warm form pressing against her body, and silk was resting against her neck. There was also a warm source wrapped around her waist and back, making her sigh contentedly.

The spicy scent was still there, and Vesper couldn't have been more content…until her supposed blanket moved.

It was vibrating slightly, and Vesper's eyes opened and she glanced down to see golden hair resting against her chin and beneath her jaw. There was a man there, his face buried in the curve of her neck, his breath brushing against her throat, warm and soothing.

Vesper did the only thing any other woman would have done in her situation. She screamed.

His head shot up and he couldn't help but let out a soft cry as she shoved him off her and crawled out from beneath him, her eyes wide with terror, and her whole face ashen.

"Who…are…you?" she demanded. "Oh my goodness, who are you?"

Her hand went to her sword at her side, and she clambered to her feet, drawing her weapon and holding it at the man's throat as he began to get up.

Muscular arms braced a strong, powerful body as the man knelt, his knees in the soft moss, his hands pressing into the ground, and he gazed up into Vesper's face, the tip of her blade at his throat.

His eyes were a peculiar blue, different shades of the color lining his pupils, never just one shade of blue.

"Who are you?" Vesper repeated again, choking down her panic.

"Vesper?" the man asked, his voice soothing as the waves of a peaceful ocean. His eyes widened at his own voice, and he stood up, completely ignoring her for a moment. He gazed down at his shirt, at the flesh beneath it, and moved his hand to his side, turning slightly to gaze at his skin as he lifted the shirt up slightly.

Vesper looked away, trying to be polite despite the situation, as his fingers traced across a deep scar on his side that ran from his hip up several inches towards the center of his stomach.

"That's deeper than I thought," he said quietly.

His eyes flickered back to the girl before him, marveling at her size in comparison to his. She seemed so…small now.

"You don't need to be afraid," he said, letting his shirt cover his wound again. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

"You're…you're the one from my dream…aren't you?" Vesper choked, lowering her sword.

"Yes," he said simply, his voice warm and kind.

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Vesper said, her voice trembling.

He took a step towards her, and in terror, she lifted the sword again. He took a step back, giving her space, and then smiled.

There was something about his smile, something so terribly familiar…

"Lady Vesper," he said again. "I truly am sorry to frighten you. This comes as a shock to me, as well. I must thank you, however, from releasing me from the fairy curse."

"Fairy curse?" Vesper stammered.

"Yes. For years I was a decrepit little puppet. You changed me. Somehow, you ended the spell."

"A…a…decrepit…little…goblin?"

He smiled gently and put his hand to the tip of her sword before letting his eyes gaze steadfastly into hers.

"You carried me, on countless occasions. I saved you from Hunter, twice. Yet, in the end, you had the greater power, the greater concern. You transformed me, giving me that most precious of gifts."

He reached forward and traced her lips delicately with his fingers, marveling at the softness of her mouth.

"Peekalo?" Vesper gasped, frozen in place by awe. "But…but…you were dead!"

"You ended the spell for me, turning me back into this form. The gash on Peekalo was in his chest, yes, but in this goblin form, the gash became part of my stomach rather than my chest. It saved me."

"How did I do it?" Vesper asked, confused.

"Now is not the time or the place to explain everything. You will learn in time. For now, let's go see if we can find the others," the man said, grabbing a black coat from next to him and slinging it over his shoulder.

"You expect me just to trust you?" Vesper frowned. "After everything that just happened, I'm supposed to willingly follow you?"

He had turned his back to her, but he looked over his shoulder, his eyes boring into hers.

"You trusted me as Peekalo. Can you not trust me now? You let me cuddle up with you every night, let me hold your hand, and it was I, when you needed help, that you called for."

"I never called for you!"

"In the ballroom, though you didn't say my name verbally, your heart cried out for me. That's how I ended up in your hallucination. That's the only reason I was there when Hunter attacked you. You called for me."

"You aren't Peekalo," Vesper said, shaking her head violently and backing away from him.

The goblin sighed and turned around completely. Her eyes flitted over him, and she blushed, her thoughts wandering on her. He was gorgeous, stunning, far more appealing to her than any other man ever had been. She could see the muscles in his arms, for his pirate shirtsleeves were rolled up, and she knew he was well toned and powerful. His hair was pulled back into a small braid, barely long enough to even make a braid, and pieces of gold were all about his face and were brushed to the side, against his forehead and one eye, from the breeze. His hands were muscular and strong, and he looked powerful enough to pick her up without a single difficulty. He had a purity to him, too, that amazed Vesper. While Hunter had been somewhat dark and seemed to have no problem with women, this man looked somewhat shy, tactful, and considerate.

"No, I'm not Peekalo. That was the name Jareth gave me when I was the little puppet. It was to protect me. My name is Chalcedony."

"Who are you really?" Vesper asked, an eyebrow arched as she stayed a safe distance away from him.

The stranger sighed and shook his head slightly.

"Just call me Chalce. We aren't going anywhere today. Let's spend our time here. There's a lake, not far from where we are, and we can get cleaned up and get everything figured out before we beginning traveling again."

"Where are we even? I don't remember being here," Vesper said, gazing about her at the beauty of the place they were in.

Surrounding her were great green hills covered in lush green grass and light brown moss. There were large trees all about, shading from the sun, and not far away was a great lake of clear water, surrounded by gray rocks and more trees.

"It's like in the story you value so highly, with Sarah and the Goblin King," Chalce explained, looking towards the lake. "You were in the ballroom, you broke free, and now you're somewhere different, your friends nowhere to be found, except for me, whom, most likely, you don't yet consider a friend. Hunter took everything of yours, it seems, your sack and your friends. Thankfully, he let you return to your more modest garb. And…I pray he let you keep the necklace he returned to you."

"My necklace?" Vesper asked, and grabbed at her throat.

She let out a long sigh of relief when she felt her mother's ring at the end of the thin chain, and then her eyes widened as she gazed at Chalce.

"How did you know about it? I was told to hide it!"

"I was in the ballroom the whole time," Chalce said easily. "I was just Peekalo, until you needed my help."

"Why is the necklace so important? Why was it stolen from me in the first place?"

"Because it's proof of who you really are."

"And who is that?"

"You ask such difficult questions," Chalce said, sucking in a deep breath and then walking towards the lake.

"Wait!" Vesper cried, trotting after him to keep up. "Please, answer me! There is so much I need to know!"

"Why don't you think about it a little bit, hmm? If you have any questions for me by tonight, I'll see if I can answer them. You're brilliant, Vesper. You can come up with conclusions on your own, and there really are some issues I wouldn't feel comfortable about sharing with you, unless you really need me to. Look at that water!" Chalce said wistfully, gazing at the lake.

"All right," Vesper sighed. "I see I'm not going to get too many answers from you."

"For right now, I'm going to go wash off a bit. You need to do the same. It's probably been awhile since you've bathed. I'm going in just like this," Chalce said, throwing his heavy jacket to the side and pulling off his boots and socks. "Oh, that's going to feel so good! Excuse me, my lady."

He walked away from her and then dove into the crystal clear lake, barely making a splash. She watched him swimming easily beneath the surface, moving with such grace and skill. When he finally surfaced for air, he threw his head back, making his golden strands fling water into the air, and then he turned and smiled at Vesper.

"It feels so good in here."

"You act like you haven't bathed in years," Vesper said with a shy smile.

"I haven't. Well, not in this form. As Peekalo, baths were miserable," Chalce explained. "They would make my skin peel and made my face wrinkly. It hurt to take a bath. But now, it feels good. The sensation of having water slip against regular skin is so soothing. You could come in. You're all dirty and bloodied."

Vesper nodded and pulled off her trench coat. With any other person, she would have felt uncomfortable getting in the water and swimming around, but there was something comforting about Chalcedony, perhaps the fact that he had been Peekalo. She pulled off her boots and socks and then stepped gracefully into the water.

She was amazed to find that it wasn't cold, but seemed to change temperature to suit her needs. She dropped down into the water and then swam beneath the surface, savoring the cleansing liquid against her skin. She was given time to think, as she brushed against the soft sand on the bottom of the lake. How was it that Peekalo had arrived in her dream in his human form? How had he been able to show her what Hunter really was? He must have had some sort of power, but didn't only Jareth have powers? And then there had been the matter of her kiss. Had that changed Peekalo back into Chalcedony? What had done it?

Vesper came up for air and turned her head to see Chalce treading water a short distance away, his face tilted towards the sun, his eyes closed in pleasure.

"Chalce?" she called softly.

"Mm hmm?"

"What sort of powers do you have?"

Chalce opened his eyes, those magnificent blue orbs, and turned his head to smile at Vesper.

"I had thought about letting you figure it out, but that wouldn't be fair. The mineral chalcedony is a clear blue color, with touches of white, making it look almost like ice. It shows transparency and purity. I have the ability to show things as they really are, and I also have the power to see through people, to see their thoughts, their emotions, and everything else about them. So I give you fair warning," he chuckled. "I can see what you are thinking whenever I please."

"Oh," Vesper said quietly.

"I think for right now," Chalce said, swimming towards her, "you should probably try and figure out your own story, not mine."

"Chalce, I'm so lost," Vesper sighed. "Please help me. How did you turn into this form? How would one kiss transform you?"

Chalce remained quiet, treading water in front of her, his eyes studying hers carefully.

"It's true, isn't it?" Vesper whispered, glancing down at her necklace. "I'm his daughter. If I'm his daughter, then my kiss had a special power, to make whomever I gave it to the king of the Labyrinth. I therefore bound myself to that someone, giving some of myself to him, making him…" She glanced up into Chalce's eyes, her own eyes moist with tears. "Making him return to his previous form. Oh God," she whispered, "Oh God, I just gave myself away."

"Vesper…"

"I belong to you!" she gulped, turning and clambering back out of the lake.

"I'm sure, when we return to Jareth, he'll be able to change things," Chalce said gently, following her out of the water and then putting his hands on her shoulders. "Vesper, I swear to you that I won't do anything to hurt you or make you uncomfortable. Yes, you gave yourself to me with that kiss. But that doesn't mean I'm going to take advantage of that."

"How could I have given that away so easily?"

"You thought I was dying," Chalce said, shaking his head and letting the water sparkle off each golden strand. "I had performed what you considered a heroic act, and you thought it should be rewarded. Don't feel so guilty."

"I kissed a little goblin," Vesper whispered, plopping down onto a lush plot of grass.

"Look at the positive things," Chalce encouraged, sitting next to her in the sunlight. "Since you are Jareth's daughter, you probably have some magical powers of some sort."

"But what? You can see everything. What powers do I have?"

"I'm not sure," he said, shaking his head. "But I know there's magic in your veins. And," he smiled, a twinkle in his eyes, "you have that wishful thought that you had saved your kiss for someone a little more glamorous. I suppose kissing a puppet wasn't the most pleasurable experience in the world."

Vesper couldn't help but throw back her head and laugh.

"Did you…did you know what I was doing?" she asked nervously, smiling brightly as she looked over at him.

He had fallen back onto his elbows and had his face tilted towards the sun, his eyes closed in bliss.

"I knew you were kissing me, but I didn't quite know how to respond. I didn't have all my sanity, if you will, when I was Peekalo. Only sometimes."

"So you didn't really…feel anything or care?"

"Vesper," Chalce chuckled, a strand of gold falling over one blue eye. "Do you want honest answers to your questions?"

"Yes," she whispered uncertainly.

"I did feel your kiss, and yes, I did care. There was a moment of sanity there, a moment of Peekalo being Chalce. When I closed my eyes, I could still feel your touch, and I wanted to respond. I've watched you grow up. I knew when you were born. I've been your guardian, so to speak, for your whole life. Jareth never wanted me to tell him about what happened to Sarah when he left, for fear that anything he learned would somehow become open to the fairies. That's why he never knew about you. It was for your own good that he left you and Queen Sarah. But I've watched you go throughout your life, watched you keep yourself pure, seen and felt the longing within you, and I've been so proud because of the wise decisions you made in a world that would mock you for it."

Vesper blushed and bowed her head, letting parts of her hair hide her face.

"I don't know what to say," she said quietly.

"I don't expect you to say anything," Chalce said soothingly. "I'm here to protect you. I will tell you forthright that I love you, Vesper. I know you almost inside and out. You don't have to be afraid of me, or of what I know about you. I do care for you. Peekalo did as well. Now, I need you to stand up so we can practice our swordplay. You need more help, and Hunter wasn't at all trying to help you."

"No, I guess not," she blushed again as he stood up and offered her his hand.

She took it, feeling strangely unafraid and unashamed. His strong hand clasped around hers and he lifted her up easily, great strength radiating from his arm.

"You're the warrior who can destroy Ryenth, aren't you?" she asked, pulling her sword out of its sheath once she was on her feet.

"There's a long story behind that one. Let's focus on our swordplay, and tonight, I promise, I'll tell you what I can about myself. Deal?"

"Okay," Vesper nodded, taking a step back and drawing her sword.

She watched as he reached for his discarded coat and pulled a sword out of a sheath at the coat's side.

"Where did you get that from?" She asked, gazing at the magnificent double-edged sword

"I've had it for hundreds of years. I guess, now that I'm back in my regular form, I got all my old clothes and my sword back," Chalce said fondly, playing with the sword and letting the sunlight glisten off the blade. "Now then, let's discuss some things first. Your height and speed is an asset for you, but don't rely on that at all. If you're going to win in a battle, you have to have more than that. You need some technique and a plan. You can't just swash buckle like all your beloved pirate movies do. Sometimes you'll have to move impulsively, but there's an art to sword fighting as well as the need to defend yourself. If you act clumsy like the pirates do, you'll have your head off in no time."

"If I'm really going to fight Ryenth, won't I need to know how to protect myself from magic?" Vesper asked, watching Chalce practice with his sword for a moment.

"All in good time. Watch yourself."

Vesper jumped back when Chalce swung at her, his sword gently brushing the fabric on her stomach.

"Don't let talking distract you," he warned, stepping towards her and making her jump back.

Vesper squealed and then scurried out of the way as he advanced, swinging his sword slowly, wanting her to block it. He shook his head as she scampered out of the way and then spoke, standing still for a moment.

"You can't run, Vesper."

"Why not?"

"Because the enemy will think you a coward and it will only draw away more of your strength. Stand and face what you have to fight. Think of yourself as Jareth's daughter, the child of the Goblin King, because that's what you are."

"The Goblin King was just a wimpy character in tights!" Vesper said firmly, coming to a stand in front of Chalce.

"Perhaps the one from your play. Perhaps even the one Sarah first met. But not the real one. Not the true king. Let your height and speed help you out," Chalce instructed, twirling gracefully and then slamming his sword against Vesper's. "Oh, and there is one major trouble that you will have."

He moved his face closer to hers so his eyes could bear deeper into her.

"You are a woman. Any male fairy will take advantage of that, as Hunter tried to. They have no respect for you. Not one ounce of honor or respect flows through their blood. They will take you and hurt you. So don't let anything stop you from protecting yourself. Don't listen to their words, for they speak smoothly, as Hunter did. Don't let them nearly as close to you as how close I'm standing."

A flicker of amusement passed through Chalce's eyes, and Vesper smiled slightly.

"What?"

"You don't mind the closeness, do you?"

She turned a fiery red and then shoved forward, making him fall back from the full force of her body against his sword. He laughed lightly, rebounding and ducking low as she brought the blade close to him again. Light danced in her eyes as she watched him move, graceful and fast, ready for every attack she had to offer. There was no doubt in her mind that this man, this goblin, waltzing before her, was a true warrior, completely comfortable with a sword, in a fight. Even if he hadn't been able to see through her intentions, seeing every planned move, he would have been able to easily overcome her.

But he was a gentleman. He wouldn't take advantage of her, as Peekalo never had. He loved her. He had said that easily and deeply, meaning every word. He had watched her grow up, knew what she longed and desired most. That was a creepy thought, but somehow, it was comforting as well.

Half an hour later, Vesper's stomach growled, loudly enough for Chalce to hear it, and he laughed and put his sword in a sheath at his side.

"You need to eat," he said, turning from her and walking towards the lake.

"What is there to eat? Hunter took the crystals," Vesper said, watching him wade into the water.

"There are fish in here. You just can't see them."

"Really?" Vesper asked, coming up next to him.

"I told you I can see things as they really are. The fish are transparent. But here," Chalce said, putting a hand gently on her shoulder.

She gazed at the water, and instantly, she could see glittering flashes of light whipping throughout the clear water.

"That's amazing!" she breathed.

"I don't always see things that way. Only when I want to," Chalce said, moving away from her and drawing his sword. "Hmm… Let's see if I can find a big one."

He waded in the water a bit and then stopped and gazed down into the liquid clearness. With a swift thrust of his arm, the sword shot into the water, neatly stabbing through the center of a fish, though Vesper couldn't see it.

"There we go," Chalce said, drawing his sword out of the water.

Vesper could clearly see the fish now, flapping about on the edge of the sword. He was a huge creature, each gill glittering magnificently in the sunlight, sparkling terrifically.

"He's beautiful," she said, watching Chalce lay the fish down on the ground.

"He'll be tasty too. I hope you're hungry," Chalce smiled, grabbing some branches off one of the trees and then tearing up some grass not too far away from the water. "I could eat just about the whole thing if you aren't hungry."

"Oh, I'm hungry," Vesper said eagerly.

"Good! I thought so!"

Chalce proceeded to create a fire, taking awhile to do it, but finally succeeding. He then used more branches to hold the fish over the flames, and he twirled the fish professionally, though Vesper found some amusement in the strain on his face. She didn't have to see through people to know he was concerned about the meat becoming so tender it would fall into the fire.

Chalce waited until the whole sky seemingly smelled of heavenly cooked fish before he put the fish on a stone and then pulled a small knife out from the inside of his boot. He washed the blade in the lake and then proceeded to cut up the fish, skillfully removing the bones as he did so.

"Now," he said, sitting back with satisfaction when the dirty work was over. "There shouldn't be a single bone in there. You pick which half you want, and be warned, this fish is really filling. It may not look like much, but their meat can fill you up really quickly."

Vesper nodded and then chose her half, tactfully picking the smaller one. The meat nearly fell apart in her hands, and to her absolute delight, she had never tasted better fish.

"This is absolutely delicious," Vesper said, taking another bite.

"I had hoped you would think so," Chalce said, laying back on his elbows and nibbling at his fish. "Would you like to proceed with the sword fighting when we are finished?"

"No," Vesper said quietly, shaking her head and then licking her fingers. "My whole body feels battered and tired. That bath was wonderful. It cleaned me up and made my skin shimmer, but I feel so weak still. I think I just need to rest."

"You really are bruised up, aren't you?" Chalce asked with concern.

"Yes. My legs feel like they've been beaten into jelly. It hurts every time I move them. And there are so many scratches on my hands, it's incredible. I don't mean to complain, and I do want to save the que… my mom, but I'm too weak right now."

"I'm hoping we'll be able to find Onyx soon enough, and he can give us a ride," Chalce said. "Although I truly have no idea how far away from us he is."

"And poor Teegan must be in a complete frenzy," Vesper chuckled slightly. "What a mess I've caused."

"Don't say that," Chalce said gently. "You're here to restore things."

"And get married without really wanting to," Vesper added.

"You could have found a worse person," Chalce grinned, gazing up at the sky. "Come on. Admit it. I'm not all that bad."

"No," Vesper blushed, looking away. "Just think of how this all has happened so fast for me. Unintentionally and rather suddenly, I find myself married to a goblin."

"Such a strong word," Chalce said, leaning up on one elbow. "I told you, Jareth might be able to do something about it."

"Yes, but until then, that's what I am."

Her voice dropped to a soft whisper, barely loud enough for Chalce to hear, not meant for him to hear.

"And I gave my first kiss away to a tiny goblin."

A soft smile formed on Chalce's face, and he reached out a put a hand on the woman's shoulder.

"Vesper," he said gently, moving closer to her. "I promise you, you won't regret that one day."

"I don't really regret it," Vesper said tiredly. "I just…I was saving it…and I gave it away so easily."

"I promise you, dear Vesper, I'll make that up to you one day, when you're ready. For now, let me see your hands," Chalce said softly, reaching out one of his hands.

Vesper turned and put her hands in his, marveling at the muscles in his hand and yet the gentleness he used to hold hers. He studied her cuts carefully and the released her hands, moving to the water and tearing off the edge of his shirt as he did so. He dipped the fabric into the water and then returned to her with the damp cloth.

"This will sting a little," he warned, taking her hands again and lowering the cloth to her hands.

She hissed when the water stung her scratches, and she watched, biting her lower lip as, with each stroke of the cloth, dirt flowed out of the wounds and washed over her hands.

"Now listen," Chalce spoke soothingly as he washed her cuts. "I need you to lay down and rest. You've been going nearly nonstop for days, and your whole body is tired. Lay down and get some sleep."

"Chalce," Vesper obeyed, lying down on the soft grass as he continued to clean the cuts. "Did you sing to me when I was having nightmares?"

He put the cloth down and gently massaged her hands, thinking for a moment before he looked into her face.

"I did. I picked you up and carried you out of the mud. I have the ability to affect the emotions of people sometimes. It has to do with me knowing their thoughts and how they're feeling. I can soothe or terrify different people when I wish to."

"You knew my favorite song."

"I told you, I've watched you for years," Chalce smiled softly. "Now close your eyes and go to sleep."

"Would you sing to me again, please?"

"There was a song his majesty taught me, long ago."

"Oh, that one," Vesper chuckled slightly.

"You know it?"

"As the World Falls Down is extremely popular in our play."

"But have you ever heard it sung by the king?" Chalce asked. "Or by one of his goblins?"

"No."

"Then no more talking. Just listen."

Vesper snuggled up in the grass, letting him rub her hands as he began to sing. He didn't have the rasp in his voice that Jareth did, and his voice was smooth and transparent, like his character. Vesper didn't get to listen to much of the song, for as soon as that beautiful voice started, she drifted into sleep.

Chalce continued singing, his eyes looking over the exquisite woman before him.

She was beautiful, so much more beautiful to him than before, now that he could see her heart as well as her physical beauty. He had watched her grow, had loved her from birth. She had always been the sweetest, almost quietest, thing, and she had such a grace and poise to her, and yet such a delightful, amusing character. Her heart was pure, and he knew that was why she struggled over how she had kissed him. It wasn't that she regretted Peekalo turning into Chalcedony, it was that she had saved that kiss for her entire life and had seemingly given it away carelessly, to one who couldn't even give her a true, mind-sweeping response.

Chalce smiled gently, his fingers tracing his lips where she had touched him. Her character only enhanced her beauty. It took a great deal of restraint for him not to reach out and stroke her soft, brunette strands. He wanted to press his lips to her fair skin, to her gentle forehead, soft eyelids, refined nose, and ruby lips. He wanted to touch her, to caress her arms and pull her against him. That had been Hunter's undoing, however, and he refused to frighten her, refused to give her any reason to think that his intentions were anything but noble.