Nolwynn and Jareth arrived to an empty Goblin Castle. Several times Jareth had tried to use his crystals to find her, but like all those times before, he could see nothing. Now he knew it had been all Drest's doing, he had never thought the uncle that had raised him could betray him in such a way.
"Where could they be?" Nolwynn asked, her voice rushed and high pitched with panic.
Jareth didn't respond, his anger was all consuming. Above the castle the sky began churning dark clouds, the rumble of thunder rattled the windows, the castle took on the colors of twilight as Jareth caused the storm to rage on. Nolwynn glanced out a window, the storm was promising to be violent, though it did not reach past the castle grounds. In the distance, she could see the sun shining over the labyrinth.
Nolwynn followed behind Jareth as they began searching, her hands were clenched in fists as she tried to control her own emotions, Jareth did not need her starting any fires.
As he marched down the galleries and halls, Jareth called for Sarah, his voice had a painful, ragged edge to it that Nolwynn had never heard before. Magically, the doors were flung open to the left and right of them, punctuating his calls with splintering crashes.
Nolwynn struggled to keep up with him, finally able to grab his arm. "Jareth! Stop! This is no way to find them, we have to think!" She pleaded, trying to ignore the chilling black stare of her friend.
Nolwynn's mind raced for some idea, finally one came to her, "I'll go to his palace, perhaps he took her there. He would have expected you to come here first."
"I'll go." Jareth answered darkly.
"No, you stay here, they could still be here." She said, waving him away as she looked for the closest exit, she could tell they were not in the Goblin Castle. If Drest had harmed Sarah she knew it would be best for Jareth if she found them. She would not deny Jareth his chance at revenge, but she would save him from the image of Sarah's lifeless body.
Jareth nodded in agreement and returned to searching the halls for any sign of his wife. Nolwynn took flight towards Drest's palace, hoping she would find it empty.
Jareth reached the library on the first floor. The metal scrape he heard as the door was flung open made him stop short. That door had been locked. Jareth raced into the room, the fire danced wildly as the wind from the storm blew through the library. The French doors leading out to the labyrinth were wide open, allowing the hard rain to slap against the stone floor. They had been here, he knew it.
Jareth ran out towards the labyrinth, the storm his anger and fear had created made it nearly impossible to see, but he knew where to go, the labyrinth. Sarah would have tried to hide from him in the labyrinth.
He entered the maze, the storm following him, but only made it a few feet before he realized it was moving. The stones blocked him from going any further, creating a neat wall. Jareth cursed and slammed his fist against the newly created barrier, ordering it to let him through, but the labyrinth would not budge.
Jareth stopped, trying to compose himself. If he could calm down the storm would let up and he could search the labyrinth as an owl. The rain kept on, soaking him to the bone as he was trapped in his own labyrinth. Just when he thought he would have to climb over the stones he heard the familiar humming that had started when Sarah arrived all those months ago. The stones began shifting once again, as the wall began to disappear Jareth let out a strangled cry of relief as he saw Sarah on the other side, her crown flashed as lightning shot through the sky.
Sarah picked up her heavy, water logged skirts and raced towards him. Jareth reached her quickly, crushing her against him in a bruising grip as she cried tears of relief that disappeared into the rain.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Jareth repeated, his apologies muffled in Sarah's hair. He held her out at arm's length, looking for any sign of injury. He caressed her face, the storm around them began to slow as Jareth's ravaged emotions eased.
Sarah, just as concerned for Jareth, pulled him back to her, "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
They remained locked together for several moments, within the labyrinth's walls, doing their best to reassure the other they were unharmed. Exchanging frantic kisses in between their reassurances. Once the panic began to ease their embrace relaxed, though they were reluctant to let go just yet.
"Where is he?" Jareth asked quietly.
"I don't know. The labyrinth took him." Sarah answered.
"What do you mean?" Jareth had never heard of such a thing.
Sarah told him about her race into the labyrinth, how she thought it had trapped her, and then how it had trapped Drest.
"I think I made the labyrinth do it." Sarah said, ending her story.
"What do you mean?" He asked, he knew the labyrinth followed his commands to a point but Sarah was only human.
"I told him I would have the ground swallow him and that's when it started. Then the labyrinth let me out, it moved for me like it does for you." She replied.
Jareth stayed silent as he stared at his wife. "Amazing." He whispered in awe as the pieces started to fit together, the humming, the stones that killed the daemon, and now the labyrinth had destroyed its former king to protect its new queen.
"What do you think it means?" Sarah asked him, her brow knit together as she tried to make sense of all that had happened.
"I think it means you are the Goblin Queen." Jareth answered with pride.
In a small room in a castle across the great labyrinth an old man in grey robes is writing. The sun had set long ago and the flickering lamp light cast dancing shadows on the walls. All day he had been hunched over his desk, documenting the events that lead to the death of two rulers and the mental destruction of another. He shook his head, what had it all been for? Greed and prejudice, he did not understand it.
In the days following Queen Sarah's coronation there had been a wide-spread search for answers. The fairy, May, had been able to recount her attack at the hands of Drest and that the third fairy had been captured as well. Luckily, Brisa had been found in Drest's palace, locked in a trunk and nearly starved to death but thankfully alive. Queen Sarah's newly appointed guard, Sir Didymus had been trampled during the panic. He had been found just outside a door at High Castle, his little body battered but demanding with a weak voice to be taken to his queen. Priest saw to their care and was certain they would make full recoveries.
The actions of Drest and the Daemon rulers sent shock waves through the kingdoms. Though many got enjoyment out of the gossip and the retelling of each and every sordid detail, everyone rallied around Jareth and his new queen, amazed at the strength and grace of the young human.
Sarah had become an intriguing mystery to them all, even Priest. Priest thought back to the day after the attacks; Jareth explained to him what had happened to Drest, and questioned how Sarah could have caused such a thing. Priest did not have an answer for him. Several tests had proved Sarah did not have any magic, she could not disappear and reappear at will, fly, or move things with her mind, no crystals appeared in her palm with a turn of the wrist. Though, she could stare out a window and shift the walls of the labyrinth without even meaning to. She could run her hands along its stones and cause roses to bloom on dead vines in her wake, it hummed whenever she was near.
No one had ever seen or heard anything like it. Priest searched through every book on the histories of the labyrinth and never once came across a human with a connection to the maze. It was remarkable.
It was also the only thing that saved the new queen from dying at the hands of the former king. In her interview, Queen Sarah had repeated everything Drest had told her. He had known about the prophecy long before she was born, before Priest had given her the book.
Priest could not think how that was possible, he had only told Jareth. He guarded The Book with his life. He looked over to the ancient tome, sitting silent on its altar. Perhaps…
He sighed and approached the table The Book rested, once again he opened it to the familiar page, Jareth and Sarah's names linked together for eternity. With a deep breath, he touched a hand on the place where the two pages met, as he suspected, visions played out before his eyes.
He saw himself knocking on the office door of the Goblin King. The scene played out before him, the moment he revealed the prophecy to the new King Jareth. He could see the heavy wood desk that had separated him from His Majesty, the intricately carved goblins seemed alive in the firelight.
Priest watched himself leave the room. Jareth, distracted by the news, began toying with a crystal as an image of a little girl appeared in its depths. Just then, Priest saw a movement, he watched with horror as one of the desk carvings seemingly came to life and slithered out of room, hopping from shadow to shadow.
It had been one of the king's own goblins.
Priest pulled his hand away, his shoulders slumped, all this time a goblin had been spying for Drest. Priest sighed as he sat in his chair, King Jareth had loved his uncle and would never have suspected he was capable of such a betrayal. It was a terrible situation, Priest regretted his own part in the story. If he had never asked Drest for help he would never had known who Sarah was.
There was only one thing he could do.
Jareth had reluctantly left Sarah's side to attend to some work in his office. Since the day of her coronation he had kept her in arm's reach as much as possible. She had laughed and assured him she was fine; the problem was he wasn't. He would wake in the middle of the night in a panic until he could reach out and feel her beside him. Even though she was there and they were married, he often felt like it was all an illusion, as if he was trapped in one of his own dreams.
A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts.
"Enter."
Priest walked in nervously, his eyes darted all around the room, he studying the desk, clearly searching for something.
"Yes, Priest. What can I do for you? Is it Sir Didymus?" Sarah would be heartbroken if the little fox had taken a turn for the worse.
"The Queen's Guard is doing well, Your Majesty. I have some rather sensitive information for you." His voice was barely above a whisper as he continued to search the room.
"Yes, what is it?" Jareth said patiently, he had been harsh with Priest after they discovered Drest's involvement, he had assumed Priest had told his uncle.
"Are we alone, Your Majesty?"
Jareth looked at the older fae, puzzled. "Yes, of course we are."
"Are you sure?" Priest whispered.
"Quite, now what is it?"
"I saw a vision, Your Majesty. I know who told Drest about the prophecy."
Jareth's pale face turned even paler as the words hit him, "Who?" He asked, the pen he was gripping snapped in two as his fist tightened. Ink covered his hand, only to disappear with a glance from him.
"A goblin, Your Majesty. He hid among the carvings of your desk, he heard everything."
"A goblin, you say." Jareth's voice was deadly quiet, his jaw clenched as he controlled his anger.
"Yes, I do not know his name but he is the spy."
"Could you identify the swine if you were to see him again?" Jareth inquired, his voice measured.
"Yes, I believe I could." Priest nodded, though he worried he would fail.
"Excellent. Follow me." Jareth left the room, his eyes narrowed in determination.
Priest followed him into the circular throne room. Without looking its way Jareth reached for the closest goblin, gripping the frightened creature by the scruff before turning his mismatched eyes to it. "Summon, every goblin servant in this castle, I want every single one of them in this room. No Exceptions. Anyone that tries to hide will find themselves in the Bog of Eternal Stench before they can blink." Jareth ordered through clenched teeth.
The shaking goblin nodded eagerly and ran off, its voice screeching the order at the top of its lungs.
"It should only be a few minutes, if you don't recognize anyone from the castle staff we will start with the city." Jareth said much more calmly to Priest before picking up a short staff and taking his seat on the throne. Priest noticed an addition to the throne room, a more delicate version of Jareth's seat was placed next to it. Priest smiled at the sight of the Goblin Queen's throne.
The goblins followed their order amazingly quickly since they were not known as the most organized group. One by one they lined up, many seemed terrified, but most were puzzled by this unusual turn of events, Priest's presence only increased that confusion. Curious murmurs gave way to a cacophony of voices.
The room was packed, Jareth scanned the room, counting each goblin. Satisfied with the number he raised a hand and the room fell silent. Without explanation, he stepped down from the dais and turned to Priest and gave a nod of his head, signaling it was time to start the search.
One by one, Priest looked over the goblins, occasionally he would close his eyes, allowing the memory of the vision to play out once more. He would shake his head no when he was sure the goblin was innocent and Jareth would dismiss them.
They went through two dozen nervous goblins quickly, at number twenty-seven Priest paused. The goblin looked back up at him defiantly. Priest closed his eyes and once again saw the creature hopping among the shadows. Priest felt Jareth's eyes boring into him, waiting for the signal. He opened his eyes once more, meeting the creature's stare. Without looking to Jareth, he nodded his head, they had found the culprit.
With lightning speed Jareth pinned the goblin against the stone wall with the end of the cane, bringing the fiend to eye level. The long body of the creature thrashed against the trap as clawed fingers wrapped around the stick. The rest of the goblins screamed and gasped before fleeing the room. Jareth ignored the panic, his eyes fixed on his target.
"Thank you for your help, Priest. I am in your debt." Jareth's voice was low and menacing, he kept his eyes trained on the spy.
"Not at all, Your Majesty." Priest answered nervously, backing out of the room. He did not have the stomach for violence.
"Well, well. Fowler, you sniveling little slime, you've been caught." Jareth said with a satisfied smirk.
Fowler let out a gasping cry, unable to speak with the staff digging into him.
"How many others did you sell your little secrets to?" He asked as he replaced the staff with his hand.
Fowler looked around for a momently, clearly trying to decide if it was worth it to pretend ignorance. The hesitation cost him, Jareth shook him until he was seeing double.
"Majesty! Mercy, please!"
"Mercy!? You spied on your own king and you expect mercy!?" Jareth yelled, his voice echoing throughout the castle.
"Mercy!"
"Shut up!" The Goblin King ordered with disgust.
"I didn't know! I didn't know!" Fowler cried.
"Didn't know? What didn't you know?" Jareth hissed.
"What King Drest would do! Didn't know!" The panicked answer echoed through the chamber.
"Even if that is true why didn't you tell me? You could have told me at any point."
Fowler's eyes widened and darted from side to side as if the explanation could be found in the room .
"Thought you'd just wait, didn't you? If Drest had succeeded you would be rewarded, isn't that right? If he failed you would hold your tongue and no one would know, your treason would go unpunished."
Fowler whimpered pathetically.
"Shame for you, you're too stupid to think of the third scenario, where I find your spying, sniveling ass and give you what you deserve."
"Please! No bog!" Fowler howled.
"Bog?" Jareth laughed, before throwing the goblin against the wall. Fowler curled up in a heap on the floor, his eyes shut tight, waiting for the death blow.
"The bog is far too good for you. I have other plans." Jareth announced. "You conspired to kill your own Queen. I should allow her to tear you apart limb from limb, but the Goblin Queen is far too gentle and kind to do such a thing, so I will leave you in very capable hands."
Fowler didn't know what happened next but when he opened his eyes he let out a blood curdling scream. Surrounding him were the most terrifying creatures he had ever seen. They grabbed and clawed at him, baring teeth in horrifying smiles. Somewhere in his panicked mind Fowler realized where he was; The Nightmares had come for him.
Jareth left the Throne Room and searched Sarah out in their private quarters, she was quietly sketching what looked like the roses from the labyrinth. Wordlessly, he wrapped his arms around her waist and placed his head in her lap.
With a soft chuckle, Sarah set her sketch pad aside and lazily ran her fingers through her husband's wild hair, "Bad day, dear?"
"It was a goblin." He answered cryptically.
"A goblin?"
"That told Drest about the prophecy." Jareth's voice was flat and tired.
"How? And why?" Sarah asked, shocked.
"He hid in the room the day I became king, the day I found out about you."
Sarah was shocked into silence as Jareth continued, "Priest had a vision, that's how he found out which one it was."
"Oh, Jareth. I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry for, I'm sorry I pulled you into this mess."
"I want to be in this mess." Sarah nearly snapped at his apology.
Jareth sat up and kissed her firmly. Sarah smiled, "Now there's nothing more to worry about. No one else knew, did they?"
Sarah's smile faded at the look in Jareth's eyes. "What is it?"
"Someone else did know." He answered, his lips tightened in a firm line, it couldn't be.
"Who?"
"My Grandmother."
Dun dun dun! ;-)
So, this is the second to last chapter. After that there will be an epilogue, I'm choosing between the two I have written. I wrote them very early in the story and, as I once told kellyn1604, I am torn between the two. Well, almost a year later and I'm still torn between the two.
What to do, what to do? Epilogue A or B?
