Entalon found hard not to stare too hard at Kalina. It was almost as if he was talking with his brother again. She was extremely intelligent and quick in wit. When she finally allowed herself to relax, her laugh was genuine and her smile bright. She lifted a hand to to show him the move she used to protect herself from Cavan and he saw a flash of a scar. Gently grabbing her wrist, he didn't miss that she tensed up again and started to pull her hand away. Slowly lifting her sleeve, the scar seemed to stretch on forever.
" Kalina," he said, concerned, " What happened?" She looked away and didn't answer. She brought her hand to touch the side of her head lightly, as if she had a headache.
" Father used to read Shakespeare to me all the time. He would always tell me that I could get any advice I want from the Bard."
Entalon, getting the hint, leaned back in his chair. " Vernier did love to read. What did quote did he give you to always remember?"
Kalina chuckled. " Something I have tried to lived by for my whole life. It's from Hamlet… 'This above all to Thine own self be true.' When I think of him, I see him smiling at me and telling me that. He told me to never let anyone tell me who I should be." She looked at him and smiled softly, making his heart stop. It was the same smile that his brother gave him before he was banished. Sad, but accepting of the way things are.
" After my brother died, I wanted to forget him, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. He was my brother after all. I didn't know he had a child until I felt someone that seemed to be him come into the Underground." He didn't like the stillness that came after he said that. Suddenly she jerked up from her chair, hand on her hilt.
" Get-" she started to say. There was a loud explosion and a bright light. He heard Kalina shout something. When everything cleared, she was engaged in a swordfight with a masked intruder. " Warn Jareth!" she shouted at him. He dodged several attacks from more men who had entered and ran out of the room, heading for the ballroom and telling the Labyrinth to be prepared for any orders from Kalina. He started to worry even more when he didn't hear an answer. Racing through the hallways, it seemed to take forever to get to his destination. When he finally burst into the ballroom, Jareth was already holding Sarah protectively against him.
" What is it? What's happening?" Jareth demanded. " Entalon?" Jareth inquired when he recognized the man. Sarah gave him a shocked look.
" Your Majesty," Entalon said, giving a short bow, " Lady Sarah. We must leave immediately. There has been an attack on the castle…on the Labyrinth…and Kalina."
Sarah broke free from Jareth's tight grip and put her hand on Entalon's cheek. " If I know anything about Kalina…I know that she will be able to take care of herself…and stall for enough time for us to attempt to escape."
Entalon nodded. Jareth reclaimed hold on his bride-to-be and together, they all raced for the entrance to the Labyrinth to attempt to escape. " Where is Evan and Venith?" asked Jareth, " They can at least help Kalina escape as well."
" I do not know," replied Entalon, " I also feel a foreboding to leaving her behind. But she is after all a Warrior. Even if they do capture her, there is little else they can do to her."
When they reached the doors to the castle, they stopped and gasped. Someone was blocking their way. " How could you betray me?" shouted Jareth angrily as a spell was cast on them to send them to the dungeon. When they got there, Cavan was waiting. Kalina, as well as Evan and Venith, were unconscious and bound in chains. Entalo tried to attack Cavan soon found himself in the same situation as Kalina, bound in chains. Reaching for Sarah, Cavan tried to pull her away but even with all his strength and the help of magic, he could not pull her away from Jareth's embrace. Entalon sneered at Cavan for the man had obviously underestimated the situation at the castle.
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Kalina was surprised at how quick and strong her opponent was. When several other masked men joined in on the attack, she tried desperately to fend them all off. Five against one and she was beginning to tire. Suddenly, she saw an opening. Dodging into some open space, she said a small incantation and bound the men together with an invisible band. Keeping herself from gasping for breath she asked, " Who are you? Tell me and I might consider letting you live." Someone came up behind her and before she could react, grabbed her by the neck and pulled her back against him.
" Ah Kalina," breathed Cavan in her ear, " always the fighter." Waving his hand, the men were released and he threw her towards them. They roughly grabbed her and took away her weapons, including the dagger in her boot. Going into self-preservation mode, she brought down her foot hard against her captures shin. Gasping in pain, he let her go. Spinning around, she threw an uppercut into someone's chin then did a round house kick into the face of another. Before she could regain her balance, she found herself being crushed by an invisible force. Her arms were forced to her sides and she fell into one of the masked men who held her up for Cavan.
" You must realize that you're outnumbered." Cavan stated arrogantly. He walked up to her and stroked her cheek. " Still the beauty," he said then hissed as she sunk her teeth into his hand. " I see you have no problem letting your savage human side take over." Looking at the men, he said, " Follow me and make sure she doesn't try anything." Kalina was about to say something when she felt something heavy hit the back of her head and everything turned into darkness.
When Kalina woke up, she had so many chains binding her that she could barely move. It seemed that she was suspended on the wall, her feet barely touching the floor. To her left she saw Entalon, Venith and Evan in a similar situation, but still unconscious. " Uncle!" she shouted, " Venith! Evan!" Then mentally Please be okay! Looking to her right she saw Jareth and Sarah, unchained but in some sort of bubble, the Labyrinth stood before it.
I am sorry Warrior the Labyrinth said He came quickly and suddenly. Cavan did something to Ahern so that he couldn't do anything to help. I can only protect Jareth and Sarah for so long before he tries to overtake me.
Speaking to Jareth and Sarah, Kalina said, " Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
Sarah replied, " We're okay…he tried to…take me away from Jareth but for some reason he couldn't pull me away."
Kalina breathed a sigh of relief. " It is because you are engaged. You and Jareth have professed your love for each other…and nothing can break that."
Jareth pulled Sarah close to him and smiled at Kalina, mouthing the words 'thank you'.
There was the sound of doors opening and Cavan walked into the dungeon, his men taking posts on either side of the door. " You're awake my love," he said to her, mockingly. Getting close so that he was nearly nose-to-nose with her he said, " I would have put a muzzle on you, my sweet, but that would mar your features now wouldn't it?" Kalina's eyes started to grow transparent but instead of Cavan feeling pain, she screamed at the pain she felt. " Now, now," he said, " don't be a naughty girl…or else these chains will bring it back to you ten fold." The pain seemed to take forever to subside and Kalina felt herself nearly faint again.
Don't give in Kalina, it's what he wants you to do.
Her eyes snapped open. Evan? She nearly cried out in joy when she got the affirmative. Bringing her attention back to Cavan, he noticed that he was starting to approach the bubble Jareth and Sarah were in. " You bastard, you stay away from them!" she shouted as she struggled against the chains. " Why can't you do anything?" she shouted at the Labyrinth. The Labyrinth only looked away sadly.
" I've taken over, so in a sense, she can only listen to me…next to you that is. The only way she will truly obey my commands is if you and I wed. Which is my next plan…however, fancy that…I will need her permission, along with the Underground and your Uncle's. And it has to be unanimous...or you have to want to marry me." He scowled at her triumphant look. " Rest assured, dear one, I will make sure that I find a way to make them all agree."
" Underground, hide Jareth and Sarah!" shouted Kalina suddenly. The bubble started to float up and grow smaller. Then it blinked out of existence. Cavan screamed in rage, stalked over to Kalina and slapped her across the face.
" You think you've won, don't you?" he sneered at her. " I will make you feel more heartache then you can imagine…and when I am finished, you will be begging for me to either end your life…or take you as my wife." With that, he stalked out, his men following him.