I am so encouraged by all of your input and enthusiasm! Thank you so much! Here it is… the next chapter. Please continue to let me know what you think! Have a great week!
Chapter Twenty-Four: Shattered Dreams
"Now! Of all times!" Jareth scowled, grabbing hold of another Fae's wrists and slamming his forehead hard against the other man's. Both men groaned, and Jareth turned to face Arylyn as he kicked his enemy hard in the stomach. "Someone just wished themselves away to me. Don't they know there's a war occurring?"
"Doesn't the Labyrinth itself intervene sometimes?" Arylyn huffed, flinging a man into the wall.
"It depends greatly on where the wish came from," Jareth hissed, slamming his fist into an attacker's stomach. "Pray it came from the Labyrinth, else, in a matter of seconds, you'll be fighting alone. I tell you, if it came from some teenage girl wishing her brother away, I'll…"
"Jareth!" A voice called softly, almost inaudible.
Jareth didn't hear the voice, but he heard Arylyn's a second later.
"Have mercy!" The older Fae gasped and promptly flung his assailant out the open window before he stepped away from Jareth and ran to where Sarah was kneeling on the floor, holding Angeletta.
Everything had happened so quickly that Sarah hadn't had time to comprehend everything. The note of terror in Arylyn's voice, however, and the fear on his face as he dropped down next to Angeletta struck her full force with the brutal reality of the situation. Angeletta was dying. From her physical appearance, she was already gone. Calling Jareth had been in vain, for now it was too late.
Tears began to cascade down Sarah's cheeks. If only she hadn't convinced Angeletta to rescue the goblins! It was all her fault, and now her friend was dead because of her foolish actions!
"Jareth!" Sarah wailed, burying her face in Angeletta's hair.
"What, in the whole of the Underground, is the matter?" Jareth growled, shoving two Fae out of the throne room and into the adjoining corridor.
"Your majesty," Arylyn's voice quivered as he gently lifted Angeletta out of Sarah's lap and cradled her limp body in his arms. "Your majesty, I beg of you to help!"
"Help?" Jareth asked, slamming the throne room doors shut and locking them into place. "I could use a small bit of that myself. I am thoroughly exhausted."
He turned away from the doors and looked over to where Sarah and Arylyn sat on the floor.
"Sire," Arylyn said quietly, laying a hand on Sarah's quivering shoulders. "I think she's…"
Jareth said nothing more, but walked quickly to where Angeletta lay, pulling off his gloves and flinging them to the side as he did so. He dropped down next to her and laid his head on her chest, searching for a heartbeat. Unable to hear anything, he moved his hands quickly, unbuttoning the top few buttons of Angeletta's shirt, and then pressed his ear to her skin again.
"What happened?" he asked, looking at Sarah as he moved his head a few inches away from Angeletta.
"Ravis…as a viper…he…he…" Sarah struggled through her tears and pointed at the black flesh on Angeletta's neck.
"He bit her?" Jareth scowled, running his fingers over the massive black mound of flesh.
"Can anything be done?" Arylyn whispered, his eyes searching Jareth's.
"It is a great blessing that you got her here when you did," Jareth said, looking away from Arylyn and gazing into Sarah's eyes. "She's still alive. Barely, but still alive. Give her another two minutes and she won't be."
"What can be done?" Sarah gasped, eyes blurry with tears.
"One thing and one thing alone," Jareth said, gathering Angeletta into his arms. "Fae are the only creatures that can survive bites from the serpents. It hurts them terribly, but they never die from the venom. There's only one thing that you can do, Sarah, and only you can do it, to save Angeletta."
"What is that?" Sarah asked, watching as Jareth carried Angeletta to his throne and then gently placed her down.
"Sarah," Arylyn said, taking her hands in his and nodding his head slowly. "You must wish for Angeletta to become Fae."
"What? No! Why me?" Sarah exclaimed, jumping up and walking over to Jareth. "Why can't you do it?"
"Because only a human can wish for another human to become Fae," Jareth said, his fingers stroking Angeletta's pale cheek.
"But she wanted to go home! It was her greatest wish to return to the Aboveground! If I wish for her to be Fae, then will she still be able to return home?" Sarah panicked.
"No," Jareth said softly.
"But why? Why not?"
"Because if you are to save her life," he said, never taking his eyes away from Angeletta's face. "Then you must wish her to the Goblin King, to stay in the Labyrinth forever. Only then can he turn her into a Fae. Your words will ensure her permanency here, but it will also ensure her life."
"Arylyn, you are a lord of the Fae! Can't you save her?" Sarah asked, turning to Arylyn.
"No, my lady. I have only the ability to turn into an eagle and see a very short distance into the past," Arylyn said sadly, shaking his head. "You must wish her to Jareth, Sarah. It is the only way to save her."
"Perhaps she would rather die a human than live as a Fae!" Sarah exclaimed.
"Sarah," Jareth hissed, his eyebrows narrowed, "if you had the choice, which would you choose? Death, or remaining away from your home forever? She will die if you do not say the words, therefore, either way you choose, she will never return Aboveground again."
"Angeletta, why did you have to save me? You wanted so much to go home! I've ruined you!" Sarah cried, bursting into tears again.
"Sarah," Jareth frowned, resting his head on Angeletta's chest. "Time is short. It is only a matter of seconds before Angeletta's life is lost. You once told me to put aside my own wants and do what is right. Now is the time for you to do what is right, be it the simple way or not."
Every last trace of color was rapidly dissolving from Angeletta's face. Sarah gazed at the beautiful woman, and her eyes forced her to look at the ugly black mark that lined Angeletta's once-smooth neck. Her heart ached as she realized that Angeletta would never be able to return back to her beloved home, that saving her life would force her to become a creature that she had previously loathed to become.
"Sarah!" Jareth shouted, the sharp note in his voice shaking Sarah out of her revelries. "Hurry up! She's fading!"
"I'll do it!" Sarah screamed, her hands clenching into fists and her eyes closing tightly. "I wish that the Goblin King would take Angeletta away forever!"
Instantly, Jareth moved his cheek to Angeletta's and covered her hands with his. He laced his fingers through hers and then held her hands tightly in his. Light appeared in his fingertips, coursing through his hands into hers. His arms and facial muscles twitched uncontrollably as his power melded into her body. Sweat covered his face, chest and arms as he poured all of his strength into her, gritting his teeth ferociously and occasionally letting out a small noise from his throat that sounded like a collision of a groan and a gasp.
Sarah held tightly to Arylyn, her nails digging into his arms as the older man, with fatherly affection, kept his hands on her shoulders.
"She's coming to," Jareth wheezed four minutes later, his face drained of all energy. "Because of the immense amount of energy and strength flowing through her right now, she'll be in immense agony right before she wakes up. Her body will become conscious again and will be traumatized by the power I have put into her. Arylyn," he said, glancing to the side as he slowly pulled away from Angeletta, his fingers slipping reluctantly away from hers. "Take Sarah out of here."
"But the Fae, my king," Arylyn said quietly.
"They have gone. More than likely Ravis informed them that Angeletta was dead and knew that if I were still alive, I'd be occupied with her. They've gone to take the Fae lands, and we will stop them in a matter of minutes. For now, take Sarah into the corridor. Bring her somewhere a good distance away from here, and inform any goblins that you pass that something might startle them within the next minute or two. Go now, and hurry!" He ordered, seeing Angeletta's muscles suddenly twitch. "Sarah doesn't need to be here for this."
"Sarah, come," Arylyn said gently, leading Sarah away from Angeletta. "Jareth will take care of her."
"What is going to happen?" Sarah whispered, still in shock from everything that had happened.
"I am not certain, but Jareth has ordered us to leave quickly."
As soon as he and Sarah were out of the throne room, Arylyn began to move quickly, pulling her along with him. The Escher Room was a safe distance away from the throne room, and he intended to bring her there.
Just as Arylyn and Sarah were about to enter the mazelike room, a heart wrenching sound pierced the air. It was a scream of utter agony, and Sarah dropped to the floor, gasping and covering her ears. The scream echoed eerily inside the Escher Room, and it physically shook Arylyn and Sarah.
"She's dead!" Sarah panicked as the scream subsided. "She's dead! It's too late! Oh, what have I done? What have I done?"
"Sarah, Sarah," Arylyn crooned, helping her to her feet and then pulling her into a hug. "That was a scream of life, not death."
"It can't be! I've never heard anything so awful in my life!" Sarah shouted and then turned away from him. She ran full speed down the corridor, rushed down the stairs, and then burst into the throne room. Every thought she had was filled with panic as she shot towards the throne, her eyes wild with terror.
Her heart jumped into her throat as she slid to a stop a short distance away from Jareth and Angeletta.
Jareth was holding one of Angeletta's hands tightly in his own, and with his free hand, he was stroking sweat-soaked hair out of her face. More outstanding than that, however, was that Angeletta's hands, pale and trembling, where holding fast to the Goblin King's shirt, refusing to loosen their hold. Her eyes were still closed, but when Jareth turned to acknowledge Sarah, they fluttered slowly and then opened.
"Angeletta!" Sarah squealed, tears of gratefulness surging from her eyes and streaming down her cheeks as she saw the woman's unique and beautiful sea-green eyes looking up at her. "You're alive! You made it!"
"I don't understand," Angeletta whispered, glancing to the side to see that her hands were clinging to Jareth. She quickly released him and, with great embarrassment, brought her hands back to her body. "I feel so strange. Jareth, what have you done to me?"
"Calm yourself," Jareth said, gazing down at her. "Ravis attacked you."
"Jareth just saved you," Arylyn said gently.
"I know that," Angeletta said, her eyes flitting to Sarah's. "But why do I feel like this? I feel so weak, and yet, power seems to be surging through my blood. How did he save me? Why do I feel so strange?"
"In order to save you," Arylyn said softly, moving to Angeletta and putting a hand on her cheek, "Sarah had to wish you away to Jareth."
"But he can still send me Aboveground?" Angeletta asked, her eyes wide with fear.
"She wished you to him for forever…" Arylyn said slowly.
"But that's not long at all, according to his own words. He can send me back."
Tears sprang to Sarah's eyes as Angeletta's pleading eyes searched hers. Angeletta saw the look of regret in her friend's face, and she turned her head to face Jareth.
"You are hiding something from me," she whispered fearfully, his eyes piercing into hers. "Jareth, what have you done? Why won't anyone tell me the truth? Father, Sarah, why do you remain silent? Tell me the truth! I beg you!"
"Angel," Jareth said calmly, noticing that her lips were quivering. "You can never return to the Aboveground. You are Fae."
"No," Angeletta whispered. "That cannot be true! That's impossible!"
"Your eyes will no longer change color, and the power you feel in your veins will soon subside."
Angeletta abruptly moved her hands to her ears, and then, as though touching shattered glass, she felt the tops of her ears. To her horror, she found that they were slightly pointed. Her eyes shot to Jareth's again, unspeakable terror radiating from her sea-green orbs. He matched her gaze with his own brown and blue eyes and clearly saw her pain. Because of their locked gaze, he was fully prepared when she jumped up. He moved with her and grabbed her as she fell, too weak to support herself.
"No!" She wailed, grabbing hold of his wrists and holding them tightly to keep herself upright. "I can't be Fae! I have to return home! I will not be bound as your servant for the rest of eternity!"
"You have no choice," Jareth said, his pupils dilating as a strange energy shot through his veins. "What's said is said." His muscles twitched and his hold on Angeletta's wrists suddenly tightened.
"Angeletta! What's happening?" Sarah asked, shocked by the change in Jareth's physical appearance. The shimmer on his face was becoming more noticeable with every passing second, and the muscles in his arms were becoming slightly enlarged.
"Angeletta, let go of Jareth!" Arylyn exclaimed.
"No!" Jareth snapped. "Don't let go, Angeletta."
He twisted his wrist slightly and a crystal appeared in his hand. He lifted it up to his face and studied the crystal, noting that it began to glow mysteriously. None of his crystals had ever glowed before.
"I believe you have a special gift, Angeletta," he said in awe as Angeletta weakened and fell back onto the throne.
As soon as she released her hold on him, the crystal returned to its plain transparency and Jareth's muscles stopped hardening. Energy still pulsed through his body, but it gradually began to subside.
"What do you mean?" Sarah asked.
"She has an astonishing gift, one I've never seen before," Jareth marveled. "She has the power to strengthen whatever she touches. Angeletta, take the orb," he ordered, putting the crystal into her hands.
"Naturally my only power would be used to benefit you," Angeletta said groggily, eyes half-closed as weariness overtook her.
The orb began to glow brightly with blue light. It vibrated violently, and Jareth put his hand on it, eyes glowing with eagerness.
"She is even able to strengthen non-living organisms. Sarah, Lord Arylyn, put your hands on the crystal," he ordered. "We must rescue the Fae lands."
"Angeletta's nearly unconscious," Sarah said worriedly, watching as Angeletta's head fell back against the throne.
"We only need her awake long enough to stop Ravis," Jareth answered.
"Isn't that power hurting her?" Arylyn frowned, putting his hand on the crystal.
"No. She has no control over it yet, but over time I will teach her how to control her power. For now, we need her strength to defeat Ravis. Her power will only be effective if she is touching someone or something. Her touch caused all of my power to return. As soon as she pulled away, I was returned back to my previous state. She must stay awake. If she can generate her strength into me, I will put that strength into the crystal, and we can destroy Ravis and his scoundrels. Angeletta must stay awake at all costs. She will have more than enough time to sleep after everything is done and over with," Jareth explained. He turned his attention back to the crystal and spoke, his voice loud and clear, "Take us to the Fae lands."
They arrived, seconds later, in the middle of a great room in which were over fifty Fae men. Jareth stood up quickly, pulling Angeletta up with him as the crystal disappeared, and shook his head.
"Angeletta, wake up! We are here, and you must convince the Fae that they need to fight!" he hissed.
"Jareth, is this really necessary?" Arylyn frowned, watching Jareth shake his daughter firmly.
"Yes. Angeletta!" Jareth snapped.
"What do you want now?" She shouted back, throwing her arms around him as her legs threatened to buckle.
"We are in the Fae castle. You must convince the men that they have to fight. It was part of the bargain."
"Part of the bargain?" Angeletta yelled, fire sparking in her eyes as she looked at Jareth. "What about your part of the bargain, Jareth? The part about you sending me back home?"
"Now is not the time for this!" Jareth growled.
"Angeletta," Sarah said gently, taking one of Angeletta's hands in hers. "It was my fault that you are trapped here. Please, for the sake of all the Fae and goblins and all the other lands involved, talk to the men."
"I am so tired!" Angeletta whispered and then began to sob.
"My lady? What ails you?" One of the Fae asked, stepping over to Angeletta.
She took a deep breath and then looked up at him, her eyes bloodshot.
"Why are all of the men in this room?" She asked, forcing the quiver out of her voice and trying, with all her might, to compose herself.
"Lord Ravis intended to speak with us," the man said. "He is going to take the throne. We were waiting for you to arrive and give us different orders. Men!" he shouted, looking over his shoulder at the other Fae in the room. "The Queen of the Goblins is here!"
"I am not the Queen of the Goblins," Angeletta said, closing her eyes wearily and leaning her head against Jareth's arm. "I am…was…human. Ravis forced me into the Underground, and Jareth, because of his duties as Lord of the Labyrinth, made me run the Labyrinth. I lost and ran away to Arylyn. Ravis is the one that brought me here. He is the one that permitted Sarah to come into this world. He also killed all of the Fae leaders, with the exception of my father."
"What?" One of the men shouted, amazed.
"You are human?"
"Ravis sent you here?"
"He killed the Fae lords?"
Everyone began shouting and arguing at once, and Jareth scowled.
"I did as you wanted, once again, Goblin King," Angeletta mumbled, her body becoming limp as she merged in and out of consciousness.
"Angeletta," Arylyn said with concern. "Touch me, child. Jareth, give me one of your crystals. Perhaps, if she is truly powerful enough, she will strengthen my ability to be able to see into the past, and through the crystal, we can show these pitiful creatures what really happened."
Jareth tossed a crystal to Arylyn and then took one of Angeletta's hands in his. He placed her hand gently on Arylyn's arm, and then turned to the Fae.
"Everyone, silence!" he roared above the noise, and immediately, the arguing and exclamations stopped.
"I have here evidence of what Ravis has done," Arylyn called out. "You know me to be truthful, and seeing as I am the last of the Fae Council, you must listen to me! Gather around, and watch the crystal!"
The men surrounded Arylyn, eagerly gazing into the crystal. Images appeared, blurry, but feasible, of many different points in time. The Fae watched as the six Council members were killed, every single one of them appearing in a land of ice, freezing to death, and then being brought back to their homes. They watched, in stunned silence, as Ravis confessed his evil exploits to Sarah and Angeletta.
The images stopped right after Ravis bit Angeletta, and the men stirred themselves, as if in a dream, and then looked to Jareth.
"Sire," one of them spoke, falling onto his knees. "We humbly beg your forgiveness for our past prejudices and wrongdoings. You are indeed the king of the Underground. What can we do to right all of our faults?"
"What can you do?" Jareth frowned, watching as the men continued to gaze at him. "Fight! Don't let Ravis escape alive! Why must someone always tell you what to do? You have common sense. Use it! Destroy Ravis and his Fae and don't stop until every serpent and every wicked Fae has been destroyed! What are you waiting for? Go right now! Stop them!"
The room became a flurry of activity, and Arylyn and Sarah huddled close to Jareth to keep from being run over.
"What would you have us do, Jareth?" Sarah shouted above the noise.
"Arylyn, take Sarah somewhere safe. I don't want her involved with the fighting. You must stay there also. You are far too valuable for us to lose," Jareth instructed.
"I can fight! Jareth, don't make me cower in fear!" Sarah exclaimed, her face red with indignation.
"Sarah, this is one battle that you cannot win, no matter how stubborn and independent you may be," Jareth said with a chuckle. "This war has been long in coming, and Ravis won't give up without a fight. This is a real war, not one from your stories. Blood will be shed, and I cannot fathom how your family would react if you never returned home. This war is full of magic and danger, and I will not let you get hurt."
"But I thought you gave me certain powers?" Sarah asked, folding her arms across her chest.
"I did. I gave you the power of strong words, words that could bring you wherever you wanted and could call upon your friends or me at any time and we would appear. I did not give you the power to fight, and in our world, the women and children remain hidden while the men go to battle," Jareth explained.
"What about Angeletta?" Arylyn asked.
"Yes, what about her? She's in no situation to fight. She just escaped death and isn't in good shape at all. She's still in a critical condition," Sarah said.
"Angeletta will accompany me," Jareth said, scooping Angeletta's unconscious body into his arms and lifting her off the ground. "I need her power."
"Shouldn't we go with you?" Arylyn asked uncomfortably, watching as Jareth began to walk towards the large room's intricate staircase.
"No," Jareth said, beginning to climb the stairs.
"Why not?" Sarah asked worriedly.
"Because Angeletta and I have to face him alone."
"Why?"
Jareth reached the top of the stairs and then turned, a twinkle in his eyes.
"Because," he said, something like a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth, "that's just the way it is done."
"Why," Sarah sighed as he moved away from the stairs and disappeared from sight, "Must he always mock me?"
"That's just his way," Arylyn said and took her arm in his. "To hiding we go, Lady Sarah."
I really like Angeletta's power. Imagine having a power that can only be used to strengthen others! More about that coming up in the next chapter…