I have returned, triumphantly, I hope!
Did you all leave me? I didn't many reviews for the last chapter! T-T
But anyway, this will not be the final chapter. I will be continuing in at plenty more chapters. Never fear!
We descend into the oubliette from here on out. You have to remember- I don't always know what is going to happen to this story line- but things sure look delicious from my view!
Chapter 10: Generosity (or the First Day)
We stood directly across from each other, him by the throne, and me by the door- a Mexican standoff.
But the shots had already been fired. My chance: gone. I was stuck- here in the underground- forever.
"Forever's not too long at all, precious. I have waited an eternity for you." Jareth was smiling like the cat that got the cream, angering me.
I stalked forward, glaring, pointing at the smug-faced fae. No, Jareth. You've been waiting an eternity for someone like me. Not me. Congratulations; you win. I'll go acquaint myself with my new cage.
I walked out of the room, up the stone stairs between us, before Jareth could utter a word. I didn't dare look back-and as soon as I was out of sight, I ran.
Tears nearly blinded me, and I bit back a bitter laugh. Well, I'm just becoming freakin' Helen Keller, aren't I? Next I won't be able to hear someone calling my name.
Jareth paced the throne room, devoid of his glamour. He'd won, right? I should be happy, he thought, I should be celebrating my victory, as Sarah did hers.
But something was wrong. It was a victory, assuredly, but it was a 'cheap shot', as the mortals would say- a nullification of her wish by another.
Cheating, he thought.
It was not his game, however. Magik controlled so much on this side, and the outcome of a Labyrinth runner's game was one of them. Jareth could only influence the probable.
His business, you could say, was in possibilities. And the possibility was, he may have lost because he had won.
I stopped running not too long after, still tired after racing to get to the Castle before time ran out.
What would happen to everything I'd known? Everyone I'd known? Would they forget me, and then me, them? Or were they the only ones who lost the memories of my old life? What about my family? Would I have even been born to them?
No use worrying about it now, I thought, I lost my chance for a better life Aboveground.
Drying my tears with my fingers, I saw a stocky figure walk around the far corner in these maze-like halls.
H-Hoggle? Could it really be him? I whistled shakily, trying to get his attention.
"What? Who's that?" He turned to me, eyes widening as if in recognition. "Ye're Jareth's runner… Kirstie, yeah?" I shook my head slowly, and turned to find something to write with, holding up the universal 'wait one second' signal.
And what do you know? Jareth was keeping up his track record. There on a window sill sat a quill pen and yellowed paper, directly in sight.
No, no, I wrote, it's Kirstin. Are you Hoggle? Turning the note to Hoggle, he just shook his head, saying, "Don't bother with that, missy. I don't read no words."
Seeing my disappointment, he led me down the hall sighing, "I know someone that do, though."
Elated, distracted from my tears, I followed happily.
Through the winding halls and doors, we came across little to no goblin activity, which struck me as odd, considering this was the castle of the Goblin King. Surely he had servants?
Then again, I thought wryly, I suppose he could magik everything he needs. What use has a fae for servants? Well he'll have to get over it. I'm going to need help getting around for a while…
Finally, we reached a small room at the end of a hallway. The door was no more than shoulder height, but for Hoggle, it was too tall.
He knocked loudly, and a crash emanated from the room, along with a feminine curse.
After a few moments of coughing, a short woman of about chest height opened the door with bleary eyes. My mouth fell open seeing her features, though it was probably rude to look at her like that.
With delicate, pixie like features, the woman had the eyes of a cat- moonlit and bright green, and surrounded by dark eyeliner. Her hair was blacker than midnight, and thick and straight. Claws tipped her fingers, and she wore a tight dress that barely brushed the floor.
But she looked extremely familiar…
Waving a hand in front of her face she drew herself up straight, eying Hoggle, then me. "Yes? What do you want, dwarf and girl-child?" Her voice hit me like a ton of bricks.
The Sphinx! My eyes widened and I took a slight step back, which caught her eye again.
"Ah, girl-child, you recognize me now, do you? I suppose that I do look quite different than before, eh?" She grinned smoothly; displaying the sharp canines I'd know anywhere. Looking back to Hoggle, she demanded, "Well? What do you want, little man? I have potions to create, a pushy," She looked at me momentarily, "starving-me monarch to keep happy."
Hoggle looked downright embarrassed to have called upon the Sphinx, but he plowed forward. "The, ah, girl-child, she can't speak, so I's took it upon me ta bring her to'ye, who can read." He was twisting his hat behind his back, like a little boy in trouble.
Her eyes shone for a moment. "Logical thinking- for a dwarf- but unnecessary. I'll simply create something for her." She had turned to walk into her room, but turned back after a moment. "That is, if his Majesty concurs the necessity?"
As she was looking at me, I quickly nodded, for I needed – and wanted- a chance to have speech again. The effect was drug like: The more I talked, the more I wanted to continue indefinitely.
She peered at me knowingly for a moment and then continued walking into the room calling to me, "Follow, then girl-child, for it won't be simple."
Shrugging to Hoggle, I crouched down to enter the chamber, finding the ceiling to stretch up to normal height.
She led me to a chair, placed unnervingly close to a cauldron. I laughed in my head a bit at the classic addition to the room. Obviously, the sphinx was a sorceress.
"Now, I understand," She began, watching me perch on the chair, "That you ran into Jacana the witch early into your quest?" At my nod, she continued, sighing. "My cousin surely will be the end of me. Thank the Goddess Jareth never learned of this, or I'd be bogged for the association."
I filed that bit of information away to keep private. "This room is mystikally protected from prying eyes and ears." I was peered at intensely. "Did his Highness truly give you permission?"
I swallowed, and shook my head after a moment. She smiled sweetly. "As I thought. So, as he is not my favorite monarch, I will not tell him of this. I will, however, create for you a sizable batch which allows you to speak. Does this sound appropriate to you, girl-child?"
I nodded energetically. Yes, that's perfect, as long as I can speak!
She turned away with a grin, adding different odd substances to the pot, occasionally watching me from her peripheral vision.
"This may take some time, girl-child… ah, Kirstin, correct? I suppose now that you are staying here, I shall have to call you so." She sighed overdramatically, "And the phrase was so… other worldly. Oh well, can't continue now. King'd have my head."
I wonder how she can transform into a human body… is it like how Jareth turns himself into an owl? All this pondering was starting to make my head hurt.
I was snapped out of my pondering over pondering when her voiced raised in pitch momentarily. "As I was saying, Kirstin, this may take some time. I would suggest leaving and coming back here tomorrow."
'How do I get back here? I don't even know where I am in this topsy-turvy castle.' I handed the note over to her when she started stirring some ingredients together. She chuckled softly, then handed the note back.
"As they say in your world, child, 'follow the yellow brick road'. Or, in this case, follow the signs. They're everywhere. And you can thank your Goblin King for that."
Jareth stood before his throne, watching for Kirstin to exit the witch's chambers through his crystal orb. After seeing her return to his gaze, he let the orb dance through his fingers. He contemplated the situation he'd now found himself in.
The orb was brought back up after a moment of speculation, conjuring a view of the half-sister's new 'life'- in truth, it was but a dreaming spell. The girl was in what the humans called a comatose state, stuck until the time he deemed that she had suffered her nightmare of waking without being able to do anything. Their parents had found Elizabeth that way, shocked to see their favorite girl unconscious on the floor, the house torn apart by goblins, though the pair would never guess such creatures were behind the tragedy.
Elizabeth would, of course, have a full memory of the sister she'd trapped in the Goblin Kingdom. Her parents, on the other hand, would know no such thing. They would only remember having Elizabeth. In their memories, Kirstin had been born dead, never to be thought of afterwards.
His thoughts turned to when Elizabeth's birth had taken place, when he had seen the pain of a human's entrance into the world. The pain Sarah had endured so the impudent mortal she thought as her loving husband would have a child. And, of course what he had com to realize after.
The Nurse left soon after handing the hungry child over to her mother. The dark haired mother was left with the screaming child, unable to comfort her daughter.
"Please, just stop. Oh, stop!" She murmured to the child, still attempting to quiet the girl. Despite all her attention, the babe continued to cry.
The woman didn't notice the door opening until a lyrical voice shook her from her concentration on her child. "I see you still have no finesse with children, Sarah."
The British accent was what brought her head up to see the man she thought she's left behind many years before. He hadn't changed at all, she discovered, his hauntingly mismatched eyes still cool and focused, his blonde hair remained as fly-away as before, but this time was pulled back fir the most part with a queue.
His clothes, however, threw her. He wore a brown leather duster over an expensive looking suit. His makeup was missing, but he was wearing his familiar black leather gloves.
He noticed her confusion over his appearance, and his gaze turned sad. "So it is true- what I felt yester evening." He stepped forward. "You can't even see through my glamour anymore, can you, precious?"
HE shook himself out of his trance, turning his thoughts to his captive. This girl would never be allowed to forget her powers, to lose them. There was no doubt in his mind that she had the potential to be his equal, to be his companion in every way.
He smiled at the thought. All he had to do now was convince her…
Thank him? yeah right! I thought, and heard scuttling along the wall in a bedroom in a tall tower, which made me peek inside, finding goblins rushing about; being ordered by Hoggle, carrying my most precious belongings about, placing them in a reflection of what my old room looked like.
Except, there was one glaring difference. The room was huge, with expensive draperies on the window and the entrance of the broad balcony. Gigantic boudoirs stood at the walls, one being filled with beautifully elaborate gowns in both pastel and jewel colors.
In the middle of the huge room was a gorgeous pool like tub, sunk into the floor, at least waist deep, drawing the eye to how intimate the setting truly was.
But the big, obvious difference was that this room was being prepared for two occupants, or, rather, that one occupant was being added in.
I felt his presence just before he spoke; felt him leaning his tall frame over my shorter one, likely smirking. "Is it adequate for a queen, Kirstin?" I saw from the corner of my eye his arm holding his weight anchored to the wall as he leaned closer, whispering in my ear, "I find it most satisfactory." I felt his fingers trail down my spine lightly, making me shiver.
I couldn't help it. The kiss we'd shared inside the cottage came into my mind. I caught my breath as his chin rested on my shoulder, his breath fanning my cheek. His arms came up around me and I stiffened at the chuckle he let out.
Jareth, what is this? I don't recall being told you had a fiancée. I also don't recall that men -promised or not- could just flirt with anyone. I practically growled in my mind.
He chuckled again, inciting my rage further. How is this funny? You're going to get married and yet are still trying to charm me? You insufferable-!
"Kirstin, Kirstin, there's nothing to be so vicious over. I'm not engaged at the moment- merely preparing for the inevitable future." I paused, feeling the anger drain out of me, only to be recharged into action.
I turned to him, eyes snapping my unvoiced anger. How dare you presume that I would want to be anywhere near you, much less living in the same room as you! I won't stay here! I refuse!
Jareth smirked again, obviously presuming even more than I'd thought, if the darkness of his eyes was any indication. Hs eyes were heavy lidded, closing in on me as I realized there was no more bustle coming from behind me in the room.
I looked back, and, as expected, the goblins and Hoggle were all gone. Likely glitter-poofed away to some far flung area of the Castle, or, for the unlucky ones, the Bog of Stench.
My chin was pulled around to face Jareth again, smugness radiating from him as he grabbed me, pulling me close to him.
"Now that I have your attention, darling, may I offer you a reprieve?" His eyes locked to mine, his mouth pulled into a smugly-curve smile.
I nodded, knowing he wouldn't let me go until I'd decided to listen.
"Wonderful. You have Magick, darling, as you have figured out by this time from your little flying lesson in the garbage heaps." His fingers that were holding me close, a precarious situation as it is, began making small designs under my breasts, distracting me further from what he was telling me.
"I can teach you what you need to know to reach your potential. If you would follow my tutelage, I would expand your horizons to beyond what you ever realized was possible. We would be equals, you and I, sharing powers unachievable to others. Just say yes. That's all it takes."
My mind was trying to focus on his wandering fingers as much as his voice and he leaned closer until I could feel the soft breath on my lips. What was he talking about? Powers? Oh, he certainly had powers- over me. Wait, was he talking about Magick?
What are you talking about? I don't have Magick. It was some weird phenomenon when I flew. I didn't do anything!
His hands began to distract me again as he talked on for a moment, but I found myself less and less able to concentrate on what he was saying until he said again, "Say yes, Kirstin. Say yes and all you want will be yours, nothing held back."
His eyes captured mine, lips so close I could almost feel them on my own, perhaps a hair's breath away. "Say yes, darling, and I will give you everything you want." His eyes compelled me, burning like embers, nearly molten in their strength.
Ye… What? I blinked, and was re-captivated as he brushed his mouth against mine for a moment.
He pulled back enough for me to see the smile gently curling his lips. "All you are wanting, all I could give you darling. Say yes."
Sorry it took so long to come up with. I once again had to rewrite about the first third of the chap because I was going off into wonderland and had no real goal to it. So I hope everyone likes the changes.
I'd like your review on the little short, "The Babe" that I put in, where Jareth was having his little moment of POV in this chappie. I'd really appreciate the input because I'm thinking of making it a whole chapter long-ish short story.
Anyway, thanks for reading this chapter, I hope to be writing the next chapter soon.