Ch21 Memories in the Rain

Cara danced around in the rain she loved rain, always had.

"Cara, don't go too far," her mother called.

"Ok" she said.

"I swear there's something wrong with that girl," he father said "Four years old and all she wants to do is run in the rain."

"I know," her mother said holding a two year old Niki "I just don't get it."

As Cara danced she thought she heard something and she walked toward the sound, as she walked the wind began blowing very hard.

"Cara where are you? Get back here!" she heard her mother yell so she began to leave when the wind blew so strongly that she had to stop.

Cara couldn't see for the hair blowing in her face when suddenly the wind stopped and after she got the hair out of her eyes she saw the clouds were gone only the moon was visible and an old woman in a cloak was in front of here.

The woman looked at Cara and smiled warmly "Hello I'm Madame Zerena," she said in a kind voice.

"Hello," Cara said she wasn't sure but she felt that she was now talking to either a witch or someone magical, "Why you here?"

Madame Zerena held up a necklace, Cara looked at it confused. It was a necklace her mother had never worn but she'd seen it in her jewelry box Cara had often gone into her parent's room to look at it.

"We met cause of this," she said "It was searching for you; it's a symbol of your power."

"My power? Searching for me?" Cara asked even more confused.

"Yes. It is a part of you, it belongs to you and you belong to it. Even though you didn't know it, it was looking for you, that's the way magic works. You see the mark on your hand?" she said pointing toward Cara's right hand.

Cara looked at her hand which had had a small mark on it since she was born "Yes?"

"That is the mark that tells us that you are one of us, one of the few people with a gift. Your sister has one on her chest doesn't she? It proves she's one of us too. With it you will see and feel things most people either can't or don't want to."

As Madame Zerena spoke she came closer to Cara and placed the necklace around her neck, "You are special young one even if you don't know or believe it. Don't let others that don't respect your gift put you down you have strong precognition and empathic abilities that will serve you well in the years to come," she turned and began walking away.

"You're mother will let you keep that necklace now so don't worry. Try not to lose it but then again even if you do you'll still have that power inside you so don't worry about that either." Madame Zerena turned back and smiled again "Be careful dear you may meet some interesting characters in your life." So saying she continued to walk till she was out of sight leaving Cara very confused.

As Cara walked home she looked at the necklace wondering what the old woman was talking about and if it was true.

"Cara!" she heard her mother yell, she guessed she'd find out soon. "Where have you been?"

"Walking," Cara said playing with the necklace.

"Oh honestly you… Where did you get that? I forgot I had that old thing well you can keep it, now come inside before you freeze to death. And never do that again honestly do you know how worried I was…"

As her mother continued to scold her Cara wondered what was going to happen since Madame Zerena seemed to know what she talking about after all.

Outside Madame Zerena smiled as she watched Cara enter the house. "Don't look so annoyed," she said "You'll see she's the right one." She turned to a figure hiding in the shadows of one of the trees.

"Are you sure?" it said, the voice sounding like that of a man "She's just a child."

"Right now," Zerena responded "But she will grow into a lovely young woman, not like the one you currently fancy, one fit to be your queen Jareth."

The figure emerged from the shadows showing that he was in fact the Goblin King himself with a rather disgruntled look on his face, "I know you can see the future but I still doubt the certainty of that vision. Are you sure you aren't just saying that to help your granddaughters Morgana?"

"Smart aleck," Zerena said but her voice had changed, she now sounded like a young woman.

Removing the cloak from her shoulders Zerena's shaped changed to fit her new voice. "That's better."

"I was wondering why someone like you would choose the shape of an old woman to speak to someone. So why did you?" Jareth questioned.

"Simple," replied Morgana "In the off chance he parents had the ability to see me they would have been less worried about an old woman speaking to their child then a young woman not that they would really care." A frown formed on her face making Jareth raise an eyebrow "I'm surprised you don't remember, either way you'll see," she said "They will change they way they treat my granddaughters. One will be obedient and one will rebel which will only bring more heartache for them both, but no matter what Cara will stay the same sweet girl. Niki will be a bit more hardened then her but will still be a good person."

"So you do plan on taking them under your wing?" Jareth asked.

"Niki yes Cara no," Morgana replied "Niki will be able to use her powers like myself but Cara I do not think she would ever use her powers in such a way her personality is too different from Niki's and mine. Which is why she will be perfect for you." She smiled seeing the look of doubt on Jareth's face, "She will be the light in your darkness when that girl you like rejects you, you'll see."

"I greatly doubt that," Jareth retorted, he knew Morgana had never been wrong about her visions and it wasn't so much that Sarah would not stay with him as much as it was the fact he'd like this little girl, she didn't seem all that special.

"You'll see," Morgana said with a laugh and disappeared her voice echoing as she spoke "Two girls from other where, one pure heart, and one flaming hair. When they appear the true queen is near, they will bring great change to labyrinth and king that will make all rejoice and sing."

Jareth sighed he was sure there was something else she wasn't telling him, since that tends to be how magic works, but either way he had great doubts that it would be these two girls that would bring about the change. Changing into his owl form he flew off to clear his head and see how Sarah was doing.

*So that's what happened after I went inside,* Cara thought/said as she watched the scene unfold.

%Yes, % Morgana responded.

*It does kind of look like you tried to set us up since I was little.*

Morgana laughed, %But there is more you are unaware of. % she waved her hand and the scene changed.

*Where are we now?* Cara asked.

%Just watch% Morgana answered, as they saw an owl flying through the sky.