I friendly reminder: I do not own Labyrinth, I do own the Three Sisters and Derrick Scott...though I don't know whether to be proud or ashamed of that...

The Highwayman

Chapter 14 (Dissolution)

Sarah was sleeping peacefully, one bare shoulder exposed from under the silken sheets. Her long hair was fanned out around her, and Jareth lovingly caressed the strands in between his fingers. He was glad she was sleeping, but slumber would not claim him. Before he left their room, he wrapped a robe around his body and then covered Sarah's shoulder.

With a sigh, he sat at the dining table, a lit candle magically appeared. As happy as Jareth was, some pressing kingdom issues were plaguing him. Though the Sisters would keep an eye on his goblins while he was away, they would not think of future matters, and Jareth was a little concerned when wheat and grain prices rose higher than expected. A parchment and feathered pen appeared before him, and Jareth began to work on a new trade agreement with neighboring kingdoms. Boring, yes, but necessary.

He never heard Heryah magically slip into the room. He only had the briefest moment to realize something was wrong when he felt a sharp prick to his shoulder. The room twisted and blurred, and soon Jareth was falling to the floor. The impact did not even register. The room was swimming around him, his breathing was uneven and shallow and he tried to clutch his chest, or tried to call out, but he seemed frozen, eyes open, unblinking. The last image he had was of emerald green eyes triumphantly peering down at him, and then the world went black.

Something was wrong. Sarah woke unnaturally fast, immediately knowing Jareth was not asleep next to her; even though the room was pitch black. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end and Sarah had a strange sense of foreboding. Quietly she eased from the bed, wrapping a night robe around her body as she tiptoed across the floor to the adjoining living space. At first, nothing seemed out of place. A candle was burning on the table, illuminating a paper, but Jareth was nowhere in the cottage. Frowning, Sarah moved closer to inspect the paper. Jareth's smooth cursive covered the page, but about halfway down the ink streaked carelessly and messily to the right, like he had been startled.

Sarah grew concerned and dropped the paper. "Jareth?" Her voice quivered as she tried to swallow her fear. "Jareth?" Again there was no answer. Anxiety gripped her heart and she raced to the door, opening it and yelling into the night. "Jareth!" There was no sound in the balmy night and Sarah gripped the door until her knuckles were white. Something had happened. She didn't know what or how, she just knew deep in her soul that something was wrong. For a moment she was frozen, consumed by worry and dread, then a flicker of hope came to her. Hoggle. She'd go find Hoggle. He'd know what to do. She tightened her robe and left the stone cabin, walking briskly into the forest.

The Crystal Forest was dimly lit. The trees and shrubs of the forest captured the sunlight and slowly released it throughout the night, creating an eerie glow that cast strange and freakish shadows. Sarah only made ten feet or so when someone smoothly appeared from behind a tree. Even in the odd light, Sarah instantly recognized the Sister in Green. Heryah may not be on of Sarah's favorite people, but at least she was familiar.

"Heryah! Have you seen Jareth out here?" Heryah remained silent, her green eyes roaming up and down Sarah's body in a way that made her feel like prey. Sarah pushed away her fear and moved closer. "Heryah, please. I need your help."

That roused a reaction. Heryah smiled, but the smile only caused Sarah more concern. There was no warmth, no caring in those red lips and green eyes. Sarah took a step back, instantly knowing it was a bad choice. Like any other predator, Heryah sensed a weakness and she moved from the tree in such swiftness that all Sarah saw was a blur. In the next moment she was thrown to the ground. All the air was rushed out of her chest and black spots floated in her vision. Her body was being held down and something very cold and very sharp was at her neck. She took a careful, albeit ragged breath and blinked away the spots. Heryah was leaning over her, grasping both of Sarah's hands above her head while holding a slender blade to her neck. Sarah said nothing as Heryah sneered down at her.

"I could kill you so easily," she said pressing the blade into Sarah's skin. Though the blade was biting, it did not draw blood. Again, Sarah remained silent, not daring to anger her captive. "But it wouldn't do me any good. I've tried once before, you see." Sarah frowned, despite herself. "No?" Heryah saw the change of expression and leaned a little closer. "It was very long ago and you bore a different name then."

Sarah bit her lip, confused. A different name? Bess? But… "I pulled that trigger," she whispered, anger seeping in her voice.

"Fool!" Spat Heryah. "Who do you think told the Red Coats where to go?"

Horror and anger warred inside Sarah as Heryah's words soaked into her brain. Heryah was responsible for that night? Heryah's action had brought about Bess and Jareth's untimely deaths? This creature was the reason Jareth had been alone for centuries? Anger won out over horror, and Sarah's green eyes burned with a hatred that rivaled Heryah's own. Only one question formed in Sarah's mind. "Why?"

Heryah laughed. "Love, why else? I had watched over Jareth, loved him from a far. Even as a mortal he had charisma and charm unlike any of the other men. He shone so brightly. And I wanted him. But it seemed Jareth had eyes only for Bess, his green eyed beauty. Well, I had eyes of green too. All I had to do was remove you."

"That worked out well," Sarah said angrily. "You killed us both, remember?" Heryah whipped the knife hilt across Sarah's face, bloodying her lip. It hurt like hell, but Sarah found strange satisfaction in angering Heryah, as dangerous as it may be.

"He wasn't to be hurt, but like a fool he rushed back to avenge you. I never understood why he did such a stupid thing."

Sarah smiled, ignoring the pain as she pulled at her cut lip. "Why? For love, why else?"

Heryah froze and narrowed her eyes. "It won't matter. Soon, you'll both forget and I will have him."

Forget? Forget? Fear came back to Sarah, deflating all her bravado and anger. "Heryah, what have you done?" She tried to sit up, but Heryah just smiled.

"Nothing you need worry about." Quick as a striking snake, Heryah jabbed Sarah in the shoulder with the skinny blade, and then she moved away, triumph shining in her eyes.

Once the pressure was off her body, Sarah tried to stand, but the world around her lurched to the side and she fell to the ground, losing her breath. Everything was spinning and dancing around her and she had a strange sense of déjà vu. The world began to dim and no matter how hard she fought the darkness, it soon enveloped her, wrapping her in a cocoon until only black existed and all her thoughts disappeared.

Dun dun dun. See ya later ;-)

~Nylle