Sorry for the wait, everyone. I've had a very stressful week, but at least its over. Weekends are wonderful! Enjoy!
"You realize this is far from over," said Jareth, his face uncharacteristically grim.
Sarah sighed, "I understand, but can't we just enjoy the moment? We're together again; we have a son and all our friends are safe, including Toby. Can't we please just be together for a while before we start fighting again?" She was lying in bed, propped with pillows; Galen was nestled on her chest, sleeping soundly and peacefully in his mother's arms—the perfect picture of familial serenity. Jareth lay next to them both, flat on his back with his eyes fixed unseeingly on the ceiling—even in the stillness, one could not help but feel the restlessness exuding from his every pore.
Sarah touched Jareth's face awkwardly, trying not to wake Galen. "I spent such a long time trying to find you and bring you back, I want to have the space and time to be happy that you're back and both of us are safely home again."
"I'm sorry, darling," Jareth replied softly. He raised himself up on one elbow to look at his wife and son. "I've never been good at resting when there's work to be done."
"You're a man of action, Jareth," Sarah smiled. "It is one of the things I love about you."
Jareth grinned mischievously and tossed his mane of wild blonde hair. "What's not to love about me, Sarah? Please, enlighten me."
"Your arrogance for one thing," said Sarah teasingly. "You're far to convinced of your own importance and good looks."
"Don't tell me you no longer find me attractive," Jareth replied in mock-alarm. "I thought you found me captivating; that's why you came back to the Labyrinth, isn't it? Admit it, you couldn't resist me," Jareth eased closer to Sarah, his hand reaching up to wind a strand of her ebony hair around his finger. He buried his lips in her neck, whispering against her skin, "I've never been able to resist you."
"Shhh, Jareth," Sarah murmured, a soft moan escaping her lips as Jareth nuzzled his nose against her neck. "You'll wake the baby."
Without a word, Jareth summoned a crystal in his free hand, creating a crib on the side of the bed in one deft movement of his hand. A second crystal floated Galen softly away from Sarah and into the bed, where he was immediately swathed in comfortable blankets and a shimmering, sound-proof bubble barely visible in the soft light of the bedroom. Jareth swiftly pulled out the pillows supporting Sarah's back and head so that she was lying flat beneath him.
"Now," said Jareth, gazing down into his wife's green eyes. "You were saying?"
Love drove all thoughts of fear and trepidation from their minds; the future lost all its power to the beautiful mystery that is the bond between husband and wife. All words faded between them as their long subdued passion took a firm hold of their bodies—silk and skin and a tangle of black and blonde hairs so intimate that it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began. In his crib, Galen slept soundly through the night, hearing nothing, which was precisely how his father had wanted it.
Sarah awoke with the taste of sunlight on her lips; she was content, satisfied, secure. Her child and her husband were well and whole, their kingdom restored and nothing could diminish her joy. She rolled over and found Jareth already awake and reading in bed from a black-leather bound tome she did not recognize. He wore a pair of reading glasses he reserved for only the most intense scholarly work and a stray lock of his blonde hair kept falling into his eyes in the most delightful way.
"Interesting reading?" She asked quietly. Jareth grunted in reply but offered no more. She was about to ask him what the book was when Galen let out a wail from his crib. He clearly did not like being sequestered away from his mother. His face was cherry red and his little fists were balled up tightly, beating the air.
"Shhh, don't worry," Sarah crooned as she picked him up gently from his bed. "Mommy's here. Daddy and I had some unfinished business to take care of last night, so you had to sleep here. Shh, I know, I know. You're hungry. Let's get you something to eat while Daddy works."
Sarah returned to the bed, propped her pillows up and nestled down to nurse Galen. She focused all her attention on her son, enjoying the morning tranquility. Beside her, she could hear Jareth muttering under his breath, but it made no sense to her, so she tuned it out.
"Cognitive awareness of magical distortion," he muttered quietly. He read on, turning pages slowly. He talked to himself out loud frequently and turned back when he didn't understand Apollo's arguments. Discerning Apollo's convoluted reflections was rough going. "One must recall the requisite mediums for magical persistence…relaying information across disassociated worlds…attempt to reverse polarity in the field of magical distortion might yield profitable results… gah!" Jareth threw the book across the room in frustration.
"What's bothering you, Jareth?" Sarah asked. She looked up at him through the curtain of her long, ebony hair.
"It's this cursed book," Jareth replied angrily. "I can't make head or tails of Apollo's writing; they're more complicated than a centaur's astronomical philosophizing!"
"What is it about?" she pressed. "Maybe I can help you sort it out."
"Well, its about the degradation of magic Apollo told me about in Erebus," Jareth began. "He warned me that because of the magical curse that banished my family to the Underground, the magical fabric that holds the world together has been corrupted and is in danger of dissipating altogether. If that happened, the whole world would be destroyed. When I left, he tricked me into taking this book along with me and I hoped it would give me the answers I needed to figure out how to reverse the magic Zeus used."
"And it isn't in the book?" Sarah queried gently.
"No!" Jareth retorted heatedly. "The book is positively useless. It gives me the how and the why of the curse and the subsequent breakdown of magic, but it doesn't tell me how to fix it. I'm beginning to think that Apollo didn't know how to fix the problem, only that the problem existed." He sighed in exasperation and threw up his hands. "Which means that I'm going to have to come up with a solution on my own."
"Not entirely on your own, Jareth," Sarah reassured him. "I'll help you."
Jareth gave her a disbelieving look, "I'm sorry Sarah, but you've only just come into your magic, so I'm not sure—"
"I know enough about magic to defeat the Labyrinth don't I?" she flung back. "And to save your life when Danic was going to kill you? Besides, things aren't always what they seem. The solution might be simpler than you think. So explain it to me, from the beginning."
Jareth proceeded to lay out the whole of what he had gleaned from Hermes, Apollo and the journal. Sarah listened intently, saving her questions for when he had completed his tale in full.
"So, if I understand you correctly, the disruption is a matter of relationship, right? The 'silence' or exile of one world from the others weakens the magic holding all three of them together?"
"Correct," said Jareth, filled with admiration for his wife's keen intelligence. "If one world is cut of from communication or physical interaction from the others, everything begins to erode."
"So it seems to me that the way to fix it would be to rebuild the relationship," Sarah replied nonchalantly, her attention diverted by Galen's desire to shift positions.
Jareth gaped at his wife. Could it be that simple? It's all about relationships…like people. Could magic really be…akin to humans and titans?
"I suppose you could think of it as a similar type of relationship between a man and a woman, like you and I," Sarah continued, echoing Jareth's thoughts. "When I defeated the Labyrinth, our relationship with each other was severed and it festered for seven years. Seven long years," she added with a wink. "So long as we remained apart, our relationship festered and began to rot. The only way it was restored was through re-establishing communication and interaction."
"You came to the Labyrinth," said Jareth, light quickly dawning on his face.
"Not of my own volition, mind you, but imagine how much more quickly our relationship would have been repaired if one of us had been mature enough to extend the hand of forgiveness earlier?" Sarah replied. "Now apply that to the three worlds. They are like three entities living in communion with each other through the bond of magic. But one of them has been 'cut off' from communion with the other two. In order to restore the bonds, we have to bring them back into relationship with each other, get them 'talking' again, if you pardon the colloquialism."
"We get to be Toby," Jareth grinned.
"What? Oh, right—the one to force them to talk to each other again," Sarah grinned back. She wouldn't have thought it at the time, but she was thankful for Toby's foolish and rash wish eight years ago. Without it, I wouldn't be here, and neither would you, Galen. She snuggled closer to her son and breathed in the sweet scent of his newborn skin. Thank you Toby.
"So all we need to do is just re-establish communication?" Jareth asked, once again returning his wife's attention to the conversation at hand.
"It seems that way to me. I think that would be the way to start. Teach people how to bypass the barrier and start making contact between the Underground and the Aboveground," Sarah paused. "I think eventually the communication will need to be both ways in order to fully restore the magic."
"Both ways? You mean bring humans down here?" Jareth wondered.
"Or animals or anything really, just so long as there is passage between the worlds in both directions," said Sarah.
"We could bring your parent's down for a family reunion," Jareth joked.
Sarah thought for a second, "You know, that might not be a bad idea."
"I was kidding," Jareth replied, suddenly humorless. "That's really not necessary."
"No, I think you're right!" said Sarah. "I think it would be good to bring them down, once everything is settled of course. What better way to begin healing the breach than by bringing my family down to see where and how we live. I would love for them to meet your family as well; it bothers me that I have to live two separate lives like this. If my parents could come down here, maybe they could begin to trust you more," Sarah blushed with shame as she recalled the look of distrust on her father's face when she had seen him a few days ago. "Please Jareth, I think it's the perfect way to begin healing our worlds: heal our family."
"We can talk about that later," said Jareth dismissively.
"But Jareth, this is important," Sarah pleaded.
A knock at their chamber door cut short Jareth's reply.
"Who is it?" He demanded loudly.
"Yer Highnesses-es," a squeaky voice replied. "Erm…Visitors!"
"Who?" said Jareth warily, recalling the last time 'visitors' had interrupted he and Sarah in bed in the morning.
"Ummm…" the goblin trailed off. "Uh…a lady and a man? They say they're from the dry-adds, sir."
"Phainon and Opalia," Sarah interjected. "Chronus told us they were hiding out with their daughter in the dryad kingdom. They must have heard we defeated Danic."
"News travels fast in this kingdom," Jareth grumbled. "Loud-mouthed goblins."
"Don't forget we need them to confront the Court," Sarah reminded him. "I think this is a stroke of good luck. We don't even have to go find them."
"But it does mean we won't be able to rest for a while," Jareth answered gently, cupping Sarah's face and stroking her hair softly.
"I know, beloved," Sarah whispered. "We have one more battle to fight, together."
"Um, yer Highnesses?" The squeaky-voiced goblin knocked again at the door. "Should I tell them yer…uh…busy?"
"No, no," said Jareth. "Tell them we'll be out in a moment." He turned to his wife. "Ready?"
"Always," she answered, green fire flaring to life in her eyes. "Let's get that bastard."
Their conversation with Phainon and Opalia was brief and to the point. Jareth filled them in with the necessary details of his exile and Apollo's warning regarding the corrupted magic and Sarah recounted her journey to rescue him and their subsequent battle with Danic. Phainon, for his part, could barely conceal his admiration for the Goblin King and Queen—he'd always had a soft spot for Jareth and the perseverance Sarah displayed in rescuing him only increased his approbation for the couple. In the end, both he and his wife expressed delight at meeting Galen and pronounced a blessing over him and his future.
"I think the name you have chosen is significant," said Opalia as she held the sleeping infant. "Healer. This little boy will be instrumental in bringing about the required healing between worlds. Indeed, he is already a testimony to the power of healing: he is the offspring of an Aboveground mother and Underground father—no such child has ever existed in the history of our three worlds. He is a living witness that restoration can occur and indeed will occur in the future."
"May your family be blessed with many more children to bring about healing in our respective lands, but know also that we welcome you into our family, Sarah," Phainon averred. "We are indeed honored to welcome your presence among the immortals. You are an inspiration to us all regarding the need to fight for what we love and challenge those who would destroy us."
Sarah blushed, "Thank you." From his place in Opalia's arms, Galen pried his eyes open and squawked. "I think Galen wants to say 'thank you' as well," Sarah replied, taking the infant back from Opalia. The corners of her mouth twitched slightly, "Either that, or he needs to be changed."
Like the continued lapping of waves on the seashore, the journey to the Court of the Wise was perfunctory and unremarkable. They arrived just as the sun's blood red disc faded behind the ragged peaks. Motes of magic floated away from them—the last vestiges of their voyage—and faded into the dying light, unseen by all but the tiny golden eyes of a fairy lurking in the shrub. Four pairs of feet walked slowly, resolutely to the blue steps and paused, as if seeking the final resolve necessary to propel them forward and onto the cold stone. Phainon and Opalia hung back, allowing Jareth and Sarah to have a moment alone.
Gently as a whisper, Jareth took Sarah's hand in his own, murmuring, "Are you ready?" Sarah nodded, squeezing Jareth's hand. The Goblin King and Queen were joined silently by Phainon and Opalia and the four set their faces toward the looming white doors. They walked the halls swiftly—their blue arches silent as death—and when they reached the Courtroom both Phainon and Jareth both raised their hands to knock on the sealed doors.
Jareth chuckled and withdrew his hand, "After you, Arbiter. I've regained my throne, it's time for you to regain yours."
Phainon did not reply, but the corners of his mouth pulled upward slightly and his eyes twinkled with glee. As a man of action himself, Jareth could perceive Phainon was itching for a fight. This should be good, he thought, one of his eyebrows rose of its own accord. I wonder if he's as good a duelist as he is an Arbiter.
"I'm not, Jareth," Phainon growled. "I'm much more deadly with magic than I am in the Court."
"Excellent," Jareth replied. "I'm looking forward to this."
"As am I, Jareth, as am I," the Arbiter muttered. He brought his fist down on the doors—the demand for justice and order echoing like the ring of a gavel. Yet once he had knocked, he began to second-guess his decision. Before the doors opened, he turned to Jareth once more. "I am beginning to think…no, I do think it wise that we hold off on making my presence known until Ammon's hold on the court is weakened."
"You're backing out?" asked Jareth, taken aback by the Arbiter's choice.
"Win the court to your side. As long as they stand behind Ammon, even if unwillingly, then there is no chance for me to resume power. You must convince them that the only way to restore order and structure to the Underground is to depose Ammon and reinstate Opalia and myself."
"And how do you propose we do that?" Sarah asked.
"That, I leave in your husband's capable hands," Phainon replied. Jareth's face took on a devilish smile and a wicked glint appeared in his eyes. Sarah recognized the look: Jareth was gearing up for a fight.
Just at that moment, the doors opened, seemingly of their own accord. Phainon and Opalia withdrew to stand in the shadows behind the opened doors, magic at the ready. They would remain invisible to all within the courtroom until Jareth signaled that it was time for them to come forward and reclaim that which rightfully belonged to them. Behind them, the rising moon cast a faded silver light onto the courtyard; an owl hooted nearby.
Sarah and Jareth, eager to begin, strode confidently into the throne room. With Galen safely stowed away with Felicia and Makarios in the tunnels nearby, Sarah could focus all her energy on wielding and honing her newfound abilities without fear of Galen ending up collateral damage due to her ineptitude or Ammon's ferocity. Though she hated parting from him, she hated the thought of injuring him more.
And if I didn't hurt him accidentally, there is no doubt in my mind that Ammon wouldn't stoop to threatening or harming my child to suit his own ends. I saw the way Danic looked at me when he attacked me; I can't imagine his father would be any less dangerous. A child doesn't learn such viciousness and willful disdain for life on his own; no doubt he inherited it from his father, that is, if what I remember of Felicia's tale is correct.
Sarah recalled with perfect clarity the night her mother-in-law had first mentioned the cruel former king of the pegasi. It was the night I realized my love for Jareth. Felicia was adamant that I understand Jareth as a man, rather than a king or immortal deity—as some from my world would view him. Ammon wanted to marry her because of a prophecy regarding the power her child would. Unlike Jareth, he refused to forget his spurned pursuit, though I hardly think he loved her in the same way Jareth loved—loves—me. However, even the sweetest milk turns sour if exposed to heat…and jealousy is a flaming fire that no one can quench…even after millennia…
All these thoughts and more ran pell-mell through Sarah's head as she and Jareth walked through the courtroom doors. A hush fell on the room and her thoughts clattered to a halt. She could not hide her shock at the ruin and disarray confronting them. Nearly half of the seats stood empty—evidence both of timely exodus and Ammon's culling; the remaining courtiers appeared either coldly vindictive or simply frightened, evidence of Ammon's tyrannical ways. They would find no friends or allies in the courtroom; they were on their own.
"Out of that chair, Ammon," Jareth stated firmly, his voice echoing in the half-empty chamber. "It does not rightfully belong to you.
"Delightful to see you, Jareth," Ammon retorted snidely. "How was your trip?"
"Hell," quipped Jareth, his silvery voice laced with venom.
"I understand that I am to congratulate you, Sarah," Ammon continued. " You not only succeeded in your quest, you exceeded all my expectations for you. I am, however, extremely disappointed that you did not tell my son your plans. You should have mentioned you were going to rescue Jareth. I hate being outsmarted, especially by a human." Ammon spat the last word out of his mouth, his lips curled in a sneer.
"Don't you mean a woman?" Sarah flung back sharply.
"In my experience, neither are particularly capable of completing arduous tasks," he answered condescendingly. "I've never been able to figure out whether it was lack of intelligence or mere weakness—they're not up to the rigors this world, and yours, offer."
Sarah bristled, "Then you've underestimated both. I not only conquered the Labyrinth, but I also faced every danger your world, and the underworld, had to offer and have returned victorious from both. Moreover, I was both a woman and a human, at least, for most of the time."
"Most?" Ammon echoed, slightly perturbed. "Is there something you wish to explain to the rest of this Court?"
"I am no longer human; I'm immortal," said Sarah. "Chronus and Rhea granted my petition for immortality the same day I rescued Jareth from the Underworld."
Ammon grinned predatorily, but there was fear behind his eyes, "I see. Now I comprehend why you can enter my courtroom without fear."
"No," said Sarah, defiant. "I can face you without fear because I, not Jareth, killed your son and therefore know that I am fully capable of confronting you—and winning."
Ammon finally lost his tenuous grip on control. He sputtered incoherently, his face purpling, quickly turning apoplectic. His hands clenched the arms of his chair ruthlessly—white knuckles against mahogany armrests. Rigid with rage, Ammon could do no more than stare fixedly at the two intruders—eyes bulging.
Jareth seized the opportunity to address the men and women seated in the auditorium. "Former kings and queens of the Underground. You have before you an opportunity—one that does not come frequently in life no matter how long it lasts—the opportunity to correct the mistakes made in this courtroom over a year ago.
"One year ago, when this lovely lady you see here consented to be my queen, this court decided to send a human boy, her brother, back to the Aboveground, his mind altered. Though I comprehend the need for secrecy, playing with a human's mind—a child's mind, moreover—and destroying part of his life is akin to what our estranged family did so long ago. Was it not the interference with human life that we found so abhorrent in the Olympians?"
Jareth paused meaningfully, scanning the faces of his audience. A few shifted uncomfortably in their benches, his veiled accusation striking a core of decency Ammon's authoritarian tenure had stifled. Others, likely Ammon's supporters, were angry. The rest looked politely interested but neutral; they had not decided either for or against a return to the old regime.
Jareth mentally logged the varied responses and resumed his speech. "Did I do wrong to return a child's mind to him? You may ask, what is one memory? I say we ought to remember the fragility and finitude of our human neighbors. They live less than one century, making every memory precious. If one of us were to lose two weeks of time, it would be losing one drop of water from the ocean. We must not delude ourselves into thinking that because we live longer, we understand better than humans the meaning of time. In fact, it means less to us because it is so abundant. This court deprived a child of something valuable and I merely sought to return it."
A black haired man seated in the front row coughed politely—he was one of the casual observers, intrigued, but objective. "Even if we were to accept your logic, which we have not as of this moment, what are you proposing? Shall we throw the Court into chaos and turmoil for the second time in a year? We have only just returned to normalcy, shall we destroy our hard-fought peace?"
"Peace?" Sarah shouted. "What peace? Half your seats are empty. Is the price of peace to be the ruthless hunting down of any and all who disagree with Ammon's cruel policies? Would Phainon have tried to imprison or kill those who had a different opinion from his own? Would he have banished a man for doing nothing more than helping a small boy regain his lost memory?"
"Sarah, calm down," Jareth whispered. "We won't win with anger."
"Why not?" Sarah gestured expansively at the people seated around them. "They should be angry for what Ammon has done not only to the Court but to the entire Underground! Your parents and the rest of those not sitting here were forced into hiding because Ammon put a price on their head. Don't look so shocked, Jareth. Didn't you know that Kyran and Alegra were imprisoned for nothing more than being your friends? Who knows if they're even still alive at this point. And the same thing would have happened to your parents and the rest of the Court who disagreed with Ammon, if he had his way."
"What is this nonsense?" said a thin, chestnut haired woman with deeply tanned skin. "Derrik, have you heard anything about this?" She turned to her seatmate, who shook his head negatively.
"Are you certain the Centaur King and Queen have been imprisoned?" The man called Derrik asked. His white hair contrasted sharply with his cocoa-colored skin and his snow-white brows were furrowed with concern. "We have heard no such news here in court. If this has taken place, it would be grievous indeed."
"Don't believe anything the little witch tells you," Ammon spat, finally recovering his voice and control enough to speak. "She's lying."
"No, she's not," a new voice replied. As fluid as a dance, the entire room turned to face the doors as Zimri trotted in slowly. His normally energetic face was pinched with fatigue and his black hair was pulled back in a severe, dirty ponytail at the nape of his neck. He came forward and stood next to the Goblin King and Queen. "I have come from the centaur kingdom to bring word that Danic's forces have attacked and overwhelmed our borders. In the absence of our king and queen, we are defenseless against their onslaught and the only hope is for the Court to intervene."
"But we heard news only a few minutes ago that Danic has been slain," Derrik replied.
Zimri nodded, "That is the very reason for the attack. We know Danic had amassed an army by which he sought to take over all the underground kingdoms. He had already gained Jareth's thrown by decree from his father," Zimri cast a hate-filled stare in Ammon's direction, "and they would have come for us next, if my lord Jareth and lady Sarah had not defeated the conniving Danic and sent him to Hades where he belongs. However, when the army discovered their leader's demise, his general decided to take matters into his own hands and make himself king over our lands in my lord Kyran's absence. They seek to succeed where Danic has failed. Alas, with out own king imprisoned, we have not the power to defeat General Sorin. I came to beg the Court's interference in this matter, as he is at this very moment besieging our capital with plans to attack the gnomes following his victory in our lands."
The Court hummed, agitation and disbelief rising and falling in the growing cacophony. The voices reached a fevered pitch; half the courtiers were shouting at the others and Ammon was shouting at them all. Sarah, Jareth and Zimri remained aloof, awaiting the outcome with bated breath. Suddenly, a cool breeze blew through, taking the collective breath away from everyone in the room.
"Is this the harmony you sought to protect in my absence?" Phainon boomed. He and Opalia appeared next to Jareth and Sarah in the blink of an eye.
"Is such accord worth protecting at the price of your family, friends and countrymen?" Opalia added, her gentle voice reaching even the furthest corners of the room. "Your leader breeds contention and disorder and such should not be the case with the Court of the Wise. Where is wisdom in such folly?"
"If wisdom lies in fear and discord," said Phainon sadly. "Then you have all truly become sages."
"The deposed fool has come to reclaim his throne has he?" Ammon jeered. He wore a mask of triumph as he surveyed the fear and uncertainty of the courtiers.
"I have not come to claim anything against the wish of the court," Phainon replied smoothly. "In case you have forgotten, Ammon, the role of Arbiter is elected by the Court, not taken by force."
"I remember perfectly," said Ammon. "Shall we put it to a vote?"
"Unless our eyes deceive us, the full quorum is not here, which means nothing can be decided upon," Opalia remarked. She turned to Zimri and asked, "Did you deliver my message?"
"I have, my lady," he answered gravely. "They should arrive at any moment."
Ammon had turned pale, "Who?" he growled. "Who is coming to disturb my Court?"
"Why, the rest of the Court, of course," Opalia stated lightly.
No sooner has she finished speaking, than an empty bench five rows up from the floor was suddenly occupied by a dark-skinned couple with black hair and somber faces. A few seconds later, and a woman with olive complexion and chestnut-eyes appeared with her white-blond consort to occupy a bench near the back corner. Within minutes, the entire courtroom was filled with the missing courtiers, including Felicia and Makarios, who both gave Sarah and Jareth encouraging, if furtive, smiles.
"There now," said Opalia and her full lips curved into a delighted smile. "That's much better. Asenath, will you summarize the proposal aloud to the court?"
Sarah saw the woman with the almond eyes—the same as had revealed to her the true nature of the Labyrinth—rise from her place at the foot of Ammon's seat, where she had been seated unobtrusively throughout the entire exchange.
"It has been proposed by one Jareth, King of the Goblins, that the Court repeal its decision regarding the erasure of memory from one Toby, human from the Aboveground. Should the proposal be accepted, all subsequent decisions predicated upon this decision will also be repealed, including, but not limited to, the exile of said Jareth, Goblin King, and the installment of Ammon, former king of the pegasi kingdom as High Arbiter of the Court. Upon the removal of Ammon from office, the Court will vote upon the appropriate replacement for the position of High Arbiter as well as the punishment due to Ammon for inciting rebellion in the Goblin and Centaur kingdoms as well placing kings and queens of the Underground in prison unlawfully and against the knowledge of this Court.
"Furthermore, it must be recognized that Ammon's son has acted in direct defiance of the Court by amassing a heretofore unknown army and, despite his demise, sought to rule the Underground of his own power instead of by the authority of this Court. His troops, especially one General Sorin, must be taken into custody and remanded for punishment, which must also be decided by this Court." Asenath rolled up the parchment in her hand and returned to her seat, taking out a fresh parchment to record the Court's decisions regarding the charges she had just read.
Silence deeper than the grave pervaded the room. Jareth, who had stood calmly by while Phainon and Opalia took charge, eventually lost his patience. "Well?" he demanded.
"Hush, Jareth," Opalia urged kindly. "In the Court of the Wise, lengthy thought precedes action; we do not rush decisions on impulse."
Crash! While Opalia was still speaking Jareth had wheeled instantaneously, sending a crystal spinning into the air to land at Ammon's feet, chains snaking up from the ground to bind Ammon's limbs together tightly. With the Court engaged in silent deliberations, Ammon had sought to slip out from the room, no doubt to find a secure hiding place. Only Jareth's keen eye and quick thinking had kept him from escaping, for Jareth alone had spied the subtle twitch of Ammon's wrist that signaled the impending use of magic.
Ammon roared with rage as Jareth's magic imprisonments slithered round his arms and legs; he fought them ferociously, but the manacles moved of their own will in response to his efforts at escaping. The stronger he fought, the more tightly they bound him. Two clamps in the shape of hinged jaws appeared, swallowing his hands in their iron teeth where they would be unable to perform any magic. Despite this, Ammon refused to remain still; he screamed and hissed menacingly at the serpentine shackles, forcing them to bite into his legs so strongly he began to bleed.
"Jareth!!" He roared ferociously, ruthless as a tiger despite his impotence. "I'll kill you for this, kill you!"
"You tried that once, Ammon, and you didn't succeed," Jareth taunted. "It seems I have been gifted with the ability to rise from the grave. Not even hell can hold me."
Ammon continued to hiss and roar his rage and Jareth eagerly sent another crystal his way to bind his mouth with a gag. The former's feral eyes bored mercilessly into Jareth's back and Sarah shivered slightly as she felt them shift to her, filled with unbridled hatred.
A low murmur around them signaled the climax of the Court's deliberations. Derrik stood ceremoniously to his feet, the unofficial spokesman for the gathered men and women, "It is the decision of this Court, that Jareth's proposal should be accepted. We look with regret upon our actions regarding the boy, as they come perilously close to the wretched treatments the humans received at the hands of the Lost Ones—the Olympians. We also heretofore repeal Ammon's election to the role of High Arbiter and Jareth's subsequent banishment. Regarding the choice of a new High Arbiter, it is the hope and prayer of this court that the good lord Phainon will accept our apologies and accept the election to the post along with his wife and consort, Opalia."
"We accept your apologies," Phainon and Opalia replied. "And we accept the vote gladly, but on one condition."
Derrik glanced at his comrades and, receiving their approval, answered, "Name it."
"I accept the role of High Arbiter on condition that the mode of punishment for Ammon and his supporters be given to the Goblin King Jareth and his wife, as they are the most injured by this dreadful travesty."
The courtiers struck up a low hum as each turned to his or her neighbor inquiringly. Derrik raised his hands for silence and the room quieted, "We accept your condition."
"Good," Phainon replied, walking in a stately manner across the floor to resume his former seat, his wife beside him every step of the way. "Now, Jareth, what shall we do with him?"
Jareth was taken aback for a brief second, but his lips curled swiftly into his well-worn smirk and his hair quivered with barely suppressed pleasure. "Treat Ammon and his supporters with the same respect he showed me—exile him to Erebus. However, before they go, there is a place in my Labyrinth I would like them to become better acquainted with."
"Let it be done," Phainon decreed.
Questions darted frantically through the room like hummingbirds, but Jareth ignored them all. He was as pleased as a cat that had gotten into the cream in the larder and Sarah could barely contain her curiosity. "Dare I ask where are you feel so compelled to send them before they face the terrors of hell?" She whispered.
"The Bog of Eternal Stench, of course," Jareth grinned mischievously and pulled Sarah into his arms, heedless of the buzz of conversation hovering over them like a swarm of bees. "It is, after all, my favorite punishment for those who displease me."
Sarah groaned at the memory of the fetid stench filling her nostrils but before she could utter another word, Jareth tilted her head with one hand and kissed her forcibly. The rest of the world faded from existence as Jareth became the center of her world, eclipsing even the darkest terrors with the force of his attraction.
"I never want to lose you again," Jareth whispered hoarsely.
"Don't worry," said Sarah tenderly. "Not even death can part us—now that I'm immortal. So you're stuck with me, until the world falls down."
"It's only forever," Jareth murmured into her hair. "Not long at all."
Well, you are all in luck today because I wrote this chapter and the epilogue all at once. You only have to wait a few minutes (maybe an hour) for the next and final chapter to come up! Thank you all for reading and we'll be done soon.