Disclaimer: The usual… I wish I owned the Labyrinth… or any of the other
characters I've taken out of context.
A/N: Oh, and I wrote this during a thunderstorm, so I'm sorry if it's a bit dark.
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Chapter 8:
Thunder crashed outside and Jareth frowned. Out on the veranda, getting drenched, was Narcissa. She was in a leather outfit which, surprisingly, allowed maximum movement while she fought her contender. He and a few others watched from the safe and dry library.
He turned to Puck, "Does she have to practice every day? It's pouring!"
Puck gave Jareth a slight glance and responded, "It's her style. She'll never stop practicing. Not until she's perfect in every form of combat there is. Everyday at dawn she trains. Sometimes alone but often she has Ares to help her. He's the only one who can beat her, after all." He gave a devilish grin and continued, "Certainly lucky isn't he? One of the suitors and he gets to see her every single day."
Jareth nearly growled but chose to contain his annoyance. "Shouldn't it bother you too? I mean, you are a contender also," he retorted.
Puck hesitated and then shrugged it off, "I figure she knows me well enough. If she wants me, she'll chose me." He smiled, happy to have covered up his mistake.
Eyeing him suspiciously, the Goblin King turned back to the fight. Narcissa was on the ground, trying to reach her sword. Ares was advancing, with his sword poised to strike. Jareth looked at Puck again, this time with an extremely worried expression. Helplessly observing women in danger was not his favorite thing.
"Don't worry," the trickster said, "Just watch."
Narcissa had flipped over and retrieved her sword and brought it up to meet Ares' downward swing. The queen, with her hair plastered to her head and fingers turning blue from the cold, bared her teeth against the pressure. She looked positively feral. Finally, she gathered her strength and pushed up, causing Ares to stumble backwards. Narcissa jumped to her feet and attacked viciously. He stopped her sword only inches from his neck. He forced her away and in another attack, knocked the sword out of her hands. Narcissa glared momentarily but made no movement to get her weapon. Instead, she pulled a knife. Amazingly fast, she divested him of his sword as well, but not without losing her knife in the process. The two warriors now circled one another. At last, Ares lunged and pinned Narcissa to the slick stones of the veranda, using his weight to his advantage. After counting to ten, it was over. Ares had won.
They came into the library after collecting their weapons. Ignoring the stunned audience (except Puck, who looked positively proud), Ares complimented, "You were excellent this morning 'Cissa. You had it until the end."
The queen gave him a mocking smile, "Just don't get too smart about it. I can still beat you at archery any day."
Ares bowed, "Yes, I give you that. You can. Tomorrow at the same time?"
A curtsey, "Same place."
Jareth frowned again as the soaking woman moved out of the room. Ares looked at his competitors, smiled and then followed the queen.
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Narcissa sighed as the silk dress enveloped her. It was dry and warm but it was still a queen's clothing. Probably why she enjoyed her morning fights so much; she got to wear what she wanted, without having to be the perfect lady. She could let loose and be herself.
She touched the gleaming sword on the bed next to her. All she wanted was to get out of here. When Thor was around, she was content and happy. Why shouldn't she have been? Her best friend constantly by her side, wonderful children, power, and riches; in short, she had everything. Now she just wanted to be free. Or, if she had to marry the queen desperately hoped it would be someone she could love.
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Lemures growled. Narcissa was obviously not favoring him. He had already lost one sister two hundred years ago. He didn't want to lose another. He wanted that power! Smiling wickedly, Lemures thought of having supremacy over everyone in the fae world. It would be pure joy.
He heard footsteps behind him. Lemures scowled, "Hello."
"Good morning. I know what you're doing."
"Straight to the point," Lemures noticed, flinching. He recovered quickly, "So? Are you going to go tell on me?" He couldn't help the sarcasm.
A short laugh, "No, I want a piece of the action."
And the evil one smiled.
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A/N: R/R!
A/N: Oh, and I wrote this during a thunderstorm, so I'm sorry if it's a bit dark.
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Chapter 8:
Thunder crashed outside and Jareth frowned. Out on the veranda, getting drenched, was Narcissa. She was in a leather outfit which, surprisingly, allowed maximum movement while she fought her contender. He and a few others watched from the safe and dry library.
He turned to Puck, "Does she have to practice every day? It's pouring!"
Puck gave Jareth a slight glance and responded, "It's her style. She'll never stop practicing. Not until she's perfect in every form of combat there is. Everyday at dawn she trains. Sometimes alone but often she has Ares to help her. He's the only one who can beat her, after all." He gave a devilish grin and continued, "Certainly lucky isn't he? One of the suitors and he gets to see her every single day."
Jareth nearly growled but chose to contain his annoyance. "Shouldn't it bother you too? I mean, you are a contender also," he retorted.
Puck hesitated and then shrugged it off, "I figure she knows me well enough. If she wants me, she'll chose me." He smiled, happy to have covered up his mistake.
Eyeing him suspiciously, the Goblin King turned back to the fight. Narcissa was on the ground, trying to reach her sword. Ares was advancing, with his sword poised to strike. Jareth looked at Puck again, this time with an extremely worried expression. Helplessly observing women in danger was not his favorite thing.
"Don't worry," the trickster said, "Just watch."
Narcissa had flipped over and retrieved her sword and brought it up to meet Ares' downward swing. The queen, with her hair plastered to her head and fingers turning blue from the cold, bared her teeth against the pressure. She looked positively feral. Finally, she gathered her strength and pushed up, causing Ares to stumble backwards. Narcissa jumped to her feet and attacked viciously. He stopped her sword only inches from his neck. He forced her away and in another attack, knocked the sword out of her hands. Narcissa glared momentarily but made no movement to get her weapon. Instead, she pulled a knife. Amazingly fast, she divested him of his sword as well, but not without losing her knife in the process. The two warriors now circled one another. At last, Ares lunged and pinned Narcissa to the slick stones of the veranda, using his weight to his advantage. After counting to ten, it was over. Ares had won.
They came into the library after collecting their weapons. Ignoring the stunned audience (except Puck, who looked positively proud), Ares complimented, "You were excellent this morning 'Cissa. You had it until the end."
The queen gave him a mocking smile, "Just don't get too smart about it. I can still beat you at archery any day."
Ares bowed, "Yes, I give you that. You can. Tomorrow at the same time?"
A curtsey, "Same place."
Jareth frowned again as the soaking woman moved out of the room. Ares looked at his competitors, smiled and then followed the queen.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Narcissa sighed as the silk dress enveloped her. It was dry and warm but it was still a queen's clothing. Probably why she enjoyed her morning fights so much; she got to wear what she wanted, without having to be the perfect lady. She could let loose and be herself.
She touched the gleaming sword on the bed next to her. All she wanted was to get out of here. When Thor was around, she was content and happy. Why shouldn't she have been? Her best friend constantly by her side, wonderful children, power, and riches; in short, she had everything. Now she just wanted to be free. Or, if she had to marry the queen desperately hoped it would be someone she could love.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Lemures growled. Narcissa was obviously not favoring him. He had already lost one sister two hundred years ago. He didn't want to lose another. He wanted that power! Smiling wickedly, Lemures thought of having supremacy over everyone in the fae world. It would be pure joy.
He heard footsteps behind him. Lemures scowled, "Hello."
"Good morning. I know what you're doing."
"Straight to the point," Lemures noticed, flinching. He recovered quickly, "So? Are you going to go tell on me?" He couldn't help the sarcasm.
A short laugh, "No, I want a piece of the action."
And the evil one smiled.
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A/N: R/R!