Disclaimer: the Labyrinth does not belong to me- though i wish it did- every one else mentioned in this chapter though does belong to me.
A/N well guys here's chapter 13. i 'll update when i get the next chapter rewritten adding more to it.
Chapter 13: Colin
Three years later....
It had been three years since Elisabeth had come into their lives and Sarah's children were beginning to wonder if they would ever find their own mates.
Sarah was again pregnant; in fact, she was due any moment. Her luck had always been shaky at best, so of course she went into labor at the exact moment her husband was called Aboveground. "Just great," she muttered through clenched teeth.
"Mother, you know he can't control these things." Emma said, trying to soothe her mother.
"I know...I know" she gasped in pain.
Jareth hated to leave knowing just how close Sarah was to giving birth again, and his mood was not exactly pleasant when he met the young man who had made his wish.
"Give my sister back!" Colin said irritably.
"Why should I?" Jareth snapped.
"I didn't mean it."
"Oh you didn't" the king smirked, remembering those exact words from his wife.
"Please." Colin hated to beg but his parents would kill him if they came home to find his sister gone. He had not meant to wish her away but she had been so irritating, and he just did it. He had never really wanted to believe his mother's stories of the Underground or about the Labyrinth. He knew he was part Fae but had never wanted to live anywhere but where he was now, but he knew that his mother was right. He would return to her home one day and take his rightful place as her heir.
"Well, if you really want her back then you know what you must do." He said as he stepped away from window to reveal the Labyrinth looming majestically in the distance.
"That's where she is, right? In your castle?" Colin asked skeptically.
"Yes, if you really want to rescue her then you will have thirteen hours to do so. Or your sister will remain with us forever." Jareth said before fading from the young man's sight.
Jareth reappeared outside of his chamber, where he could hear her cries of pain coming from within. He wanted to be in there with her but knew he would only be in the way. It never got any easier for him, though oddly enough her labors only ever lasted the amount of time it had taken her to solve the Labyrinth. Looking at the clock, he groaned. It was going to be a long day.
Colin started down the hill. As he was walking he wondered if the prophesy in the book was real, and if it had been fulfilled yet. He hoped not, for he knew that the moment he had set foot in the Underground that he belonged here just as his mother had always told him he would. He knew the prophesy said that only a winner of the Labyrinth would have the right to wed one of the Queen's children. He also knew that in order to do that he would actually have to get into the Labyrinth. As it was, he couldn't even find the gate. He was about to give up when he spotted a dwarf walking towards him.
Crystal was sitting by her mother's side when she felt her heart leap within her and she knew that her mate was near.
Sarah, who was still fighting to bring her child into the world sensed her daughter's heart beat change and knew why. Smiling she said, "Crystal, go get your father please."
Crystal stood and went to get her father wondering why her mother wished to speak with him now. She murmured a silent prayer that everything was going okay with the labor. In the hall, she found him pacing. "Father. Mother would like a word with you." She told him before returning to her mother's side.
Jareth followed his daughter back into the room and went to sit by his wife's side. "What is it, love?" he asked concerned.
Sarah smiled and said, "The runner....is it a young man?"
Not really sure why his wife wanted to know this, he nodded slightly. Sarah saw his nod and said, "You gave him the full thirteen hours didn't you?" again he could only nod. Sighing she said, "You will have to lessen his time somehow."
"Why?" both Jareth and Crystal asked.
"Because he is your daughters' mate, and will have to be here in the nine hours and twenty three minutes, that's why." She told them with a grin before grimacing as another wave of pain hit her. "Send Hoggle to him." She managed to gasp out.
Jareth left after giving her a quick kiss and summoned Hoggle to the throne room. When he arrived he asked, "Ye called. What's wrong?"
"Nothing Hoggle. I have a job for you. The runner who is currently at the Labyrinth's Gate is Crystal's mate and Sarah wants him here in the next nine hours and ten minutes. I need you to help him through it understood."
"Of course, Your Majesty." He said before Jareth waved him off.
Hoggle saw the young man just before he spotted him. Walking up to him he asked, "Need some help?"
Colin could only nod in acceptance. Hoggle guided him over to the gate and using what little magic he possessed he opened it and pointed the young man down the path that he should take. Colin thanked the dwarf and started down the path.
Jareth produced a crystal and watched the young man's progress. He knew that he was going to have to steal a few hours from the young man but he wasn't quite sure as to how. As he sat watching the Colin's movements within the crystal, he wondered where he could pop in on him and make him say something rash in order to steal that time from him. Deciding that he would just surprise him, he allowed himself and the crystal to fade from sight. "At least this will give me something to do besides feeling useless here," he thought to himself.
Colin stood before a strange old man with a weird looking hat that was currently talking back to its owner. Deciding that he wasn't going to get any straight answers from either of them he turned and walked towards the hedges.
Moments later Jareth appeared right in front of him.
"What do you want?" Colin asked sarcastically. His annoyance level was shooting higher by the minute.
"Just want to know how you are enjoying my Labyrinth." the King answered haughtily.
"Sure you are. You want something, that much I know."
"You may very well be right on that count, young man. Usually one would heed the words of the wise man yet you dismiss them. Why?"
"They made no sense. How can the way forward be the way back anyway?"
"That is something you must figure out for yourself. Anyway, you wanted to know why I came to see you. Well, that is simple. Your time is being lessened as of right now." With that he produced the thirteen hour clock and deducted four hours from his time.
"What are you doing!" Colin yelled at the King.
"You will find that out in five hours more, young one," he said before vanishing.
Five hours later....
Sarah stood in her chamber holding onto her infant daughter. It was times like this that she thanked her lucky star that she was self healing. She lay her newborn down and left to greet her daughter's mate.
Colin made it to the castle steps and quickly pushed open the heavy door. He made his way to the throne room. Upon entering he was greeted by an entire room full of regal looking lords and ladies-though mostly ladies.
He found the King sitting beside a beautiful young woman and knew that this was the Goblin Queen. He hadn't knows that the Goblin Royals had a court of Fae. He thought that it consisted of goblins only. "Well, as you can see I made it within your time limit even if you did steal four hours from me."
"We can see that," Jareth said rather smugly as he grinned.
"So do I get to take my sister and go or not?" he demanded.
"Let's not be so hasty young man." This came from the Queen.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
The Queen answered softly, "The child has already been sent home. You, if I am not mistaken, are half Fae and as such you are your parents' heir. You have also just completed the Labyrinth in less than 9 hours and 23 minutes, something only two others in this room have done. Do you have any idea as to what your reward for completing this feat is?"
Colin thought about it for a moment yet he could not find a plausible answer. He looked up at the Queen and said "No."
Sarah smiled and then asked him, "Tell me, are you by any chance drawn to anyone in this room?"
This took him by surprise. How had she known that he had in fact been strongly drawn to the young woman who was standing closest to the Queen? All he could do was nod.
"Being half Fae you are able to sense your mate. That is what you are feeling. We all know that you are my daughter's mate. We have known since you first stepped into the Labyrinth," the Queen explained to the confused young man.
"Daughter? You don't look old enough to have born any daughter old enough to wed yet," Colin said, as giggles broke out among the young women gathered in the room. He saw the Queen incline her head towards the giggling ladies.
"Young man, I am older than I look; I have birthed eighteen children so far and will birth fourteen more before I am finished. I have seen many who have tried to do what only three have ever done and those that tried, failed. Why you ask well, I'll tell you why, because it was foreseen before my birth that my children would only wed a winner of the Labyrinth, you have won. You have gained the title of Third Champion and you, if you are willing, will wed my daughter. But because you don't understand our ways or our laws I will allow you to stay. However, you will be living in your own estate that belonged to your mother's family." Sarah said.
Colin was in shock. How had she known that it was from his mother that he had inherited his Fae side? Sarah smiled at his wayward thought and answered him. "I can read your mind."
He had figured as much when she answered his unasked question, but then he asked, "What and where is my mother's estate?"
"Your mother was the heiress of the Count of Corin. As her heir you will inherit not only the title but also the estate itself."
He was a little wary when he asked, "What happened to my grandfather?"
Jareth answered this one with a sigh, "He died during the war."
"What war? My mother said nothing about a war?"
"That is probably because she didn't know of it, especially if she has resided Aboveground for the past thirty some odd years." Jareth said gently.
Colin knew that they were right. He knew about the time difference between the two worlds, so he knew that his mother probably would not have known about any war that had been fought while she resided Aboveground because she had not kept contact with her Underground relatives. He then looked directly at the young woman standing beside the queen and was once again taken aback by her beauty. He still couldn't believe that she was the Queen's daughter but then he really didn't care. All he knew that she would one day belong to him and that is all he really cared about. Yet he didn't even know her name.
"Alyana would you mind showing Colin to the guest room or should I have Crystal do it?" Sarah addressed her twin daughter's.
The lady standing beside the Queen answered quickly, "I'll do it Mother."
Sarah smiled at her daughter's quick response and said, "If you wish, Crystal dear."
Several months later....
Crystal was out in the garden awaiting her suitor. She knew that he was going to ask her to marry him, she just didn't know when. She hoped the proposal would come soon. She was becoming quite impatient for him to do so. She loved him and she wanted to spend eternity with him. Just then she saw him coming towards her. When he stopped before her she saw his smile broaden. "Colin, how nice of you to come visit me."
"Of course, my dear." He replied as he bent and placed a chaste kiss to her brow. "Walk with me?" he asked moments later. He was nervous. He was about to ask this wonderful woman to marry him in the way of the Fae. He wanted to bond to her fully. He had known for some time that he never wanted to be without her, but being raised Aboveground he felt a certain amount of time needed to pass before a proposal was appropriate.
She gave him a smile and took his proffered arm and they began to stroll around the garden. After a few turns around the perimeter she was brought to a halt when he suddenly knelt before her and asked her to marry him. Her grin widened and she shouted out her answer, then kissed him soundly, only realizing after pulling back, that she was converting him. Because she knew that her parents had already approved of their union she quickly transported them to his-their estate.