Disclaimer: I am so beyond sorry for the delay my readers! I got very sick, obviously won't go into detail, and was unable to either review or write until this week. I am better now though and this story will now continue to go on weekly as before. Much love, Grace
Oh yeah…and I own no rights to nor do I profit from anything in this story that is copyrighted to the original Labyrinth, but all the OC's and any original locations ARE mine.
Fourteen days, that's all that was left before the last grain of sand fell in Sarah's invisible timer. Two days now, they had been fooling Erina back and forth, letting the potion 'work', only to have it falter again. How were they going to be able to keep this up long enough to have Medb remaining unknowing? Surely she would figure things out soon and try something else to tear her and Jareth apart?
Her heart lurched at the thought, it was very humbling to realize just how much he meant to her now. And it was truer than she could stand, she hated it when he had to go out and fool Erina, no matter how much he was acting. There was a part of her that resented having to share him, even though she really wasn't. Gods, there was no way to adequately describe what she was feeling…or perhaps jealousy was a nice word.
That's where Jareth was right now, stringing Erina along once again. In the gardens this time, she thought as she primped a bouquet of roses and lilies that she'd gotten from there this morning. The late morning sun drifted lightly over the soft petals, dust motes dancing merrily in its beam. That was something, she thought, that she could never think in the Aboveground.
Up there, the dust motes seemed to hang in the suns light like lifeless…well, dust. But here, here they seemed happy to be able to dance and drift in the magical light of the Underground. What would she do if she lost that? If Medb won? She felt a tear slide down her cheek and dabbed at it, dumbfounded. How could a silly dust mote end up making her cry?
"I have never felt more polluted in my life!" Jareth's voice and the bang of the doors slamming shut behind him made her jump and abandon her train of thought. Her love was wiping at his clothes as if there were invisible dirt caked all over him that refused to be swiped away. Apparently, nothing he could do was ridding him of the 'pollution' so he stripped the clothing off and tossed it into the fire.
"Well, that was probably unnecessary…" Sarah commented absently as she watched the flames catch the clothing and set them to blaze.
Jareth's voice drifted from where his brandy was stored, "Believe me, love, it was more necessary than you know." She turned and nearly sighed like a besotted schoolgirl at him. He was by no means 'built', but that didn't matter. His long, rangy body was toned and, she knew, hard as a rock, yet with that impossibly soft skin that you always imagine royalty to have. In her mind, she already had her hands on that silky skin and…Sarah shook her head, knowing if she didn't stop her thoughts, intelligible words would never escape her lips.
"I can imagine having that woman draped over you, even for the briefest amount of time would be nauseating." Sarah had to hold her contempt for the plan tightly to her breast. She knew he cared not at all for the woman, as his present attitude only verified, but the fact that she knew that woman was touching him…touching that silky skin…it made her magic simmer within her.
"It's more than nauseating, love," Jareth amended as he crossed to her. He rested his forehead on hers, calming her instantly with the gesture that had become equivalent with saying, 'I love you.' Her brow furrowed a moment…had they ever said that to each other…? Her mind dismissed it…of course they had. But she missed the unsure tone that even her mind had. "Please take a bath with me, Sarah. I need to wash this feeling away and you can reach better." She laughed as she led him into the bathroom.
"Yes, let's get those Erina cooties off of you." He turned to her, confused.
"What are cooties?" She smirked as she turned on the water and added a scented crystal to it.
"Cooties are that 'pollution' you said you felt," she answered absently, not remembering that Fae probably had no idea about schoolyard humor. "I could just give you a shot and get rid of them." His face was lingering somewhere between hopeful and apprehensive.
"There's a cure?" That's when it clicked in Sarah's head that he had no idea what she was talking about.
"Oh, Jareth…it's a joke." His face fell in dismay. "It's an Aboveground thing." Jareth shook his head disappointedly.
"Build me up just to knock me down, huh Sarah?" His voice was sarcastic enough to pull a laugh from her.
"Well, love…you are so much more appealing on your back." To distract him further, she stepped out of her clothing and lowered herself below the rising water. He slipped into the tub and rested himself back against her chest, conjuring something that resembled a loofa for her to use. "Guess I really am washing you then, Highness?" Her voice held just enough sarcasm behind the smile that he scooted himself back closer to her.
"If it's not too much trouble." His airy tone was annoying, but also held a joking tone that kept her from shoving the loofa down his throat. Grinning, she lathered up the loofa-like object and let her arm drape over his body to wash his chest.
"I suppose I can handle it for a while, but you're going to reciprocate." He nodded dejectedly, but she knew he grinned, even if she couldn't see it.
"As you wish, my Lady." Jareth regaled her on the morning's terror of dealing with Erina. How he'd had to pick a flower and tell her that its beauty was nothing compared to her. That memory caused a shiver through his body that even Sarah felt. "She is so close to insanity now that she doesn't even question why it is I seem to have so much free time all of the sudden." Sarah gave a sad sigh, it wasn't exactly on the plan that the woman would go crazy, but there was nothing they could or would do to prevent it. Erina had threatened their safety by joining forces with Medb, they had no pity for her…well, none that they would show anyways.
It made her think back to days better left in that forgotten time of her life.
"Well my love, insanity comes swiftly to those whose realities are twisted in their minds," she spoke absently, not really aware she'd done so. Jareth said nothing, knowing it wasn't needed or wanted, merely maneuvered so she was leaning back on his chest and took the loofa from her hand. She sighed gratefully when he pulled her close. It was comforting to realize that he knew she was thinking of her own trip thru insanity and back. Even more comforting that he didn't offer her empty words, but only moved to make her feel better.
"Then let us both forget our insanities." She laughed gently, wanting to do just that…forget it. But she knew she never would and perhaps that was for the best, she'd already forgotten so much and look what remembering had brought her. Sarah turned in Jareth's arms, stroking wet fingers over his cheek.
"But, love, you are one of my insanities."
Jeaule stared down at her journal as the afternoon light shifted slowly over its pages, content now that she'd laid her feelings to the pages. It had been so long since she'd set ink to paper to relieve the pressures of the day and it felt good to share those pent up emotions with the shabby journal that had been with her through the good and the bad.
Erina was in the room, but it hardly mattered anymore, she was often lost in herself, quietly murmuring of her plans that would never come to fruition. Jeaule didn't even bother hiding the journal when she closed it and crossed to her sister, thinking a bit fatalistically, that at least her things weren't being broken anymore. At the moment, Erina was staring down at the gardens they had just been walking in with Jareth, a dreamy smile on her lips as she caressed the flower that he had given her.
Said flower was down to only three petals, she had stroked it so much, but she didn't seem to notice or care that she was destroying the very thing that her mind was cherishing. And wasn't that the theme of what was happening to the woman sitting across from Jeaule? Erina completely folded in upon herself at times and no matter how much Jeaule knew it wasn't the sister she'd always known…a part of her was breaking to see Erina like this.
Once vibrant blue eyes went gone dull and lackluster whenever her mind started slipping. More often than not, they were glazed over as she lost herself to her daydreams. Her skin, once a creamy, milky white had turned to the sickly pallor of one who no longer cared. It was her hair that broke Jeaule the most though, the long silky, shiny waves of onyx that Erina had treasured so…gone dry and uncared for, a nest of tangles and split ends.
Jeaule couldn't stand it, she crossed her room to her vanity and picked up her brush and a pair of scissors, intent on giving the sister she once loved at least the benefit of her hair. As she brushed out her sister's waist length hair, Jeaule barely noticed the tears that began slipping down her cheeks, didn't want to notice them. She set brush to hair in much the same way as she'd just laid ink to paper, to release everything that had taken a stranglehold within her.
"Thank you Jareth…so kind…" her sister muttered as she crushed off another petal, obviously lost in reliving the morning in the garden. Jeaule wiped the tears from her eyes without a thought to them and began trimming the dead and frazzled ends of her sister's hair off. When she was finished, it wasn't the shimmering cascade of raven hair it had once been, but Erina didn't look quite so crazed either…and that was something.
Jeaule's heart clenched in her chest as she bent over and kissed Erina's cheek, "I'm so sorry Erina…"
"What do you mean you're sorry…?" Her sister's voice was clear and lucid, Jeaule snapped back, as if burned. "Sorry for what?" Those eyes, she'd snapped out of it again, they were vibrant once more…and angry. A knock on her door saved Jeaule from having to come up with a story right away.
A worried Blix appeared from behind the cracked open door, "A moment please, Jeaule…?" Erina waved her hand as if to give her leave to talk to the unimportant goblin, reigniting Jeaule's awareness that the person before her wasn't someone who deserved her tears.
"Of course, Blix," she answered kindly as she crossed to him and closed the door behind her when she entered the hallway. "What can I do for you?" His thin, knotted fingers wrung hopelessly before him as his nervous, bulbous eyes shimmered with the worry that was clear as crystal on his face.
"I just received some news that I would really rather you deliver to his Highness." Her brow furrowed in confusion, but the lanky goblin took it as something different, continuing in a harried fervor. "I am sorry to have asked you to do this, it's just…they seem to have taken a fancy to you and I figured that they would take the news better if it came from you." Jeaule placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him.
"I don't mind, Blix…calm yourself. What's the news?" After his body visibly slumped into relaxation, his long, gangly fingers held out an envelope to her, addressed to Jareth in scrawling crimson letters. Jeaule took it from him and when she read it, her body gave the most impressive response, her stomach plummeting as her blood boiled in anger. "I will go tell them right away, tell my sister I will return."
It was apparent in his eyes and body language, shifting from foot to foot nervously, that he didn't want to go anywhere near Erina, but he nodded as she walked past him down the hall. The note she carried should have incinerated in her hands, she was so angry at its contents, but she knew that Blix was very right about one thing, they would take this new far better coming from her.
Bathing was over, but Jareth allowed himself the luxury of drying his Chosen off as thoroughly as possible, lingering in areas to make her giggle and sigh in turn. When he heard that final sigh of pleasure, he dressed her in a beautifully airy, cerulean summer dress. Himself he dressed in his usual attire without a thought.
Jareth was about to lead Sarah out onto the balcony for a late lunch when a light, almost hesitant, knock sounded on their door. When admitted, it was Jeaule who strode through the door, trailing all the wrath of Morrigan behind her in invisible waves of anger.
"What happened Jeaule?" Sarah left his side to cross to her friend who was waving a dismissive hand while making her way to the couch.
"I worked myself up is all, I need to sit." Jareth made his way behind where she was sitting to lay a hand on her shoulder, which was shaking she was so upset.
"What did Erina do this time?" His careless question got a response different from what he'd expected…laughter. "What, may I ask, is so funny?"
Hand to her heart in an attempt to quell the laughter, Jeaule answered him, "I really don't know Highness, my emotions seem to be all over the place this morning." She handed him an envelope with hasty crimson lettering. "But I think you might understand the anger once you read that." Jareth circled round the couch as he opened and read the letter within…the invitation within.
"Hell," was all he managed as he sighed and slumped down into his chair. Holding up the invitation, slightly crumpled, in his hand, he turned to Jeaule. "Well, I guess fragile little Damien has decided to come out for some sunlight, huh?" Jeaule nodded.
"That was my first thought." Sarah, who was sitting between the two of them slapped her hands down on her thighs.
"Ok, bring me up to speed again…" Jareth was sure she was exasperated by hardly ever knowing what they were talking about. "Who is Damien?" He turned his attention to her, holding up a hand to Jeaule to say, 'I'll take this one'.
"He isn't someone who is seen often and when he is, it's not usually because he is up to any good. So it makes me suspicious and I assume Jeaule as well." The blonde nodded in agreement. "You see, Damien is a new king, young and foolish, never taught how to rule a kingdom well and fairly. He looks for loyalty where he can find it and this party is probably one in a line of foolish attempts to gain good standing with someone for something stupid he is about to do." Jareth watched his love as all the realization sunk in, as she figured out exactly why they were upset. That's what he loved about her…he didn't have to explain everything.
"So Medb will most likely be there." Both he and Jeaule nodded and watched Sarah's face redden in anger. "How could he do such a thing!? Surely he must know of what that bitch tried and is trying to do to us?" Jareth laid a hand on her knee, sending his magic out to help calm her as well.
"There isn't anything we can do, love. This is the Fae way of things." It was apparent that Sarah didn't give a rat's ass what the Fae way of things was, but she would have to learn…and learn to respect it if she was to stay here. He told her as much and that had her calming down.
"I understand, I can still think it's stupid though." Her pouting, angered acceptance of it all made him smirk…she would always be the same Sarah and he loved her for it. "Why does he HAVE to invite all?"
"Because no one has angered HIM." The simplicity of it was easy enough to understand, but he knew that his Sarah would never like it and was probably the wiser for it. "But read the invitation, it might shed a different light on things for you." He sat back in his chair as Sarah opened it. "It's probably one of only a few personalized ones, we should feel exceptional," he added with a smirk that the girls giggling.
Sarah read the invitation, reading it aloud when she got to the personalized portion of it, "We abhor what happened in the Goblin Kingdom recently, but we regret that we have to invite everyone." Jareth merely smiled at Sarah in that 'told-you-so' way, that earned him a pretty scowl, as she continued, "If any kind of disturbance takes place, the disturber will find themselves in more trouble than it would have been worth." Sarah put the parchment back in the envelope with a sigh. "Well at least it doesn't seem like he is on anyone's side." Jeaule shook her head.
"Of course he hasn't taken a side. He doesn't know which of the parties will back him up in whatever stupid thing he is planning right now." Jeaule's knuckles were white as she gripped the fabric of her dress. "So he will have you both there to feel you out for support…sneaky little bastard. He knows everyone will come." Jareth reluctantly agreed.
"No one can turn the invitation down. His appearances are so rare, it's rude to not go." He sighed again as he steepled his fingers and rested them on his lips. "I don't like it, but we have to go. It's in four days, I suggest we all prepare pretending to be on our best behaviors." He watched as Jeaule bit her lip nervously. "What is it, Jeaule?"
"It's just…you might not have thought about it, but Erina has to go." It was true…he hadn't thought about that part. "She's Sarah's personal handmaiden just as I am, she's included in the invitation." His steepled fingers parted as he rubbed aggravated hands over his face.
"We have to find a way not to take her, we have four days…let's figure it out."
Jeaule was tired the next day, having sat up a lot of the night with Sarah and Jareth trying to figure out a way to keep Erina from coming with them to the Damien Dinner. Everything they had thought of would have made no sense to everyone but the three of them and they had one major person they had to convince, Maesia.
It was ultimately up to her if Erina came with them or not since Maesia was the one who was really in charge of the sisters. The three had decided to talk to her after dinner tonight to bring her up to speed on what was going on with Erina. Jeaule had hoped to spare Maesia having to see what was happening with Erina, to spare her knowing all that Erina had done…at least for now.
But it couldn't be helped, she was the only one who could say yes or no without a great plan they none of them seemed to be able to come up with.
"We're tapped out," she heard Sarah say as she pulled another piece of her hair into place. Jeaule's eyes focused back on the work she was doing.
"What do you mean?" Sarah laid one of her hands on Jeaule's.
"I can see the wheels spinning in your mind." Jeaule let her arms drop to her sides, wondering, a bit off topic, why Sarah was having her do her hair when she could magic it into any style she wanted. "And again, I see them working…I had you help me get ready tonight to take your mind off of everything. It seems I've failed miserably," she finished with her lips caught between a smirk and a pout.
"I'm sorry, I'm just so aggravated that we couldn't think of a THING to do!" She set the clips down, muttering a curse to herself as she let her magic finish the work. "I don't know why we bother doing it ourselves at all." Sarah leaned back in her chair, admiring the work.
"I assume it's the menial labor of it, just something to do." Jeaule rested herself against the side of the giant bed, nodding.
"I assume so, but I don't plan on 'just doing it' any more tonight," she said with a grin as she waved a hand over Sarah's face, her makeup materializing right on her skin. The simple earthy tones were always perfect for Sarah's skin and those brilliant green eyes.
Sarah sighed with pleasure as she looked in the mirror, "God bless magic."
"Gods…" Jeaule qualified. The girls finished dressing for dinner. A simple dinner at home meant a simple dress, which the girls were thankful for. More detailed dresses took much more time to think up. After Sarah had chosen a simple A-cut, rich green dress, Jeaule went with a muted gold empire waist cut. She'd never had the most ample of bosoms, but at least the cut flattered them to the best possible degree.
When the two arrived, arm in arm like old friends, the dining room was already filled. Erina would have already 'drugged' Jareth, probably given him a 'double dose' even. Jeaule threaded herself and Sarah through the goblins who carried platters of food to the table and the guests who were walking up and down the table, attempting to find a spot to sit.
She felt Sarah's arm stiffen in hers and squeezed her friends hand when she saw the why of it…or should she say the who of it? Erina was lingering over serving Jareth his first course, giggling at his side as he played his part perfectly. Jeaule stopped and turned to Sarah, thinking her friend might need to hear what she wanted very badly to say.
"I'm sorry you're going through this Sarah." Her friend seemed stumped by the words.
"It's for a reason…" Sarah started, but faltered.
"But it still hurts." Raven hair shifted in the candlelight as Sarah nodded weakly. "I'm sorry I suggested this." Sarah's hand gripped at her arm.
"This was the best plan anyone came up with Jeaule. Don't feel bad about that for one minute." Jeaule was about to talk back to Sarah once more when a smile split her friends face. "But it would be nice to bitch to you once in a while about it." Jeaule let her lips quirk in response. She should have known Sarah would say something like that, she thought as she marveled again at how surprisingly strong the woman before her was.
"I think I can handle that." Jareth spotted them as they got closer and his eyes lit with relief that Erina couldn't see. Once his eyes were on Sarah, he stood and went to her, offering his arm to lead her to the seat beside his. Jeaule could see how firmly he gripped her hand, his thumb caressing her knuckles in a silent 'I love you'. It calmed Jeaule to see it.
Jeaule could see her sister's dark blue eyes gleam with a dangerous light as she made her way back to her customary chair. Jareth sat with Sarah at his right, the couple in middle of the head table. Maesia was to Jareth's left, Jeaule to Sarah's right, a higher seat of honor than Erina who sat on the other side of Measia. The gesture was not lost to anyone nor did anyone, save for Erina, care.
Dinner pushed on, Jareth's attention lost in his Chosen. Jeaule stole sporadic glances down the table at her sister. It wasn't looking good, her eyes were glossed and wild looking and her food sat untouched. Then, when dessert was being served and Jareth leaned over and kissed Sarah's cheek, what Jeaule had been dreading happened.
The high pitched, crazed shriek sounded from her sister as she slammed her plate to the table and rushed from the table. All merriment and chatter silenced in the dining hall as every glance in the room turned to her sister's figure, storming out of the great doors, slamming them hard behind her.
"In the name of the Gods, what is wrong with that girl!?" Maesia's voice rang clear through the silenced room. Jeaule felt bad at that moment that they hadn't told the woman all that had been going on, but it was also when the light clicked in her head. Hesitant and hushed discussions started up again as Jeaule got Sarah and Jareth's attention.
"We have to take her with us to the dinner," she exclaimed in hushed tones. Sarah's eyes went wide with disbelief.
"You want us to take her so we can purposefully let her freak out at that dinner?" Jeaule nodded fervently.
"Think of it…Medb will be there as well." Jeaule could see the light flicker on in their gazes as smiles spread slow and dangerous. Jareth nodded in approval of her plan.
"She will see the potion isn't working and will punish Erina for her final failure." He stated it slowly, knowing exactly how that punishment would be laid out. Jeaule could tell that he felt bad for her and truly a part of her stung badly, knowing her sister was finally going to reap all that she had sowed.
"Then we would have only ten days to figure out what we need to do to win against this woman." Jeaule silently thanked Sarah for the diversion of her thoughts.
"I will see if I can get Medb to tell me anything." She could see the apprehension in both of their eyes. "You both know I am the best and only bet at finding something out right now." Admission was in their eyes, if not their lips.
"All I care about is that Jareth won't have to pretend to be enamored of her anymore." Jeaule smirked as Jareth's lips spread in a roguish grin.
"Didn't like sharing me…even in play, love?" Sarah's eyes lit as she gave a wicked grin of her own.
"If it had gone on much longer, I'd have killed her myself." The three chuckled as they ate their dessert, the hall gone back to its merry normality, no one aware of the death sentence that had just been written.
(A/N: After so long a wait, there was a chapter guys, it fought to get written this week because my sickness left me with a wicked case of writers block, but hopefully, it came out well. I needed to get this chapter out for you guys, my loverly readers, because I do love and adore you all.
Those who earned uber love and adoration for reviewing last chapter were: angelbabe2000, BookwormBrea, Dark Angel Millenia, darklady26, Kerichi, notwritten, phantome101 and saz89! Much love to all of you! You guys are the reason I was PISSED while I was sick! LOL
Oh…there is also a new chapter added to "The Diary of Jeaule Olincamp" if you wish to go on over and read that as well.)