Sarah tugged at the hem of her sleeve as she settled in to hear the rest of Raelia's story. Already her mind raced processing the many twists and turns in her story. And hers wasn't the only story left to finish, she thought, glancing at Jareth out of the corner of her eyes. She didn't like that Jareth and Saresh had been keeping secrets from her, especially if this Mal Morcant person had threatened her. He better be true to his word. Though, truth be told, she had a hard time recalling a time when Jareth made her a promise he didn't keep.
Raelia took a deep breath and continued.
"When I left off, I told you that Mal Morcant had come for an audience with your Majesties, intending to take my mother with him to the mortal realm. The entire order was present, as your Majesties felt everyone were owed an explanation as to where he had gone."
Raelia stood, her gaze fixated on the fire, "This next part is…painful to tell…I'll have to show you, instead," she said, pulling her fisted hand from her pocket towards her mouth. Before anyone had time to react, she opened her hand and blew a fine powder into the air.
In an instant, Saresh crossed to Raelia, grabbing her by the shirt.
"What was that stuff? What did you just do?"
With a smooth, practiced motion, Raelia defensively brushed Saresh's hands from her, knocking him a couple steps back from her in the process.
"Reveicum, I released a low dose into the air, just enough to lower your mental defense. The powder should linger in the air long enough for me to share a mind-mirage with you. Everyone needs to join hands."
"It's generally considered rude to release a poisonous substance into the air on unsuspecting people, Miss Morcant," Jareth said, rising from his throne and crossing to Raelia. "It would be wise to remember that rudeness is not long tolerated in my kingdom."
"Forgive me, my Lord, but I can sense that none of you quite trust me enough for the mind-mirage to work without…help. You need to see what happened with your own eyes."
"You're damn right we don't trust you! You. Drugged. Us!" Saresh said,
"Yes. I did. Mind-mirage with me and you'll understand." She held out a hand to Saresh, who crossed his arms over his chest, stubbornly. Raelia then turned to look at Jareth. "My Lord, the drug will begin to take effect any second, best to use this to our advantage."
Sarah stood, feeling a bit dizzy, slight tingling sensation pricking at her fingertips. She walked carefully toward the group.
"It feels like…the peach." She said, taking Jareth's outstretched hand.
"Yes, you've been exposed to this particular strain once before," Jareth said.
Sarah looked at him, raising an eyebrow.
"Not my fault." He said, taking Raelia's hand with his free one.
Can't wait to hear that story. Already she dreaded the sick feeling that accompanied the drug when it wore off.
"We don't have long," Raelia said, turning to Saresh. He sighed, rolling his eyes and uncrossing his arms.
"We really need to stop with these 'what-choice-have-we-got' moments." He crossed to the group and joined hands with Sarah and the Fae woman.
Instantly, Sarah's vision went dark. Before she could pull her hands free, however, her sight returned, though it seemed…different…hazy. Like the picture on an old movie.
Sarah was standing a short distance behind the thrones. Though she could no longer see Raelia and the others, she could feel Jareth and Saresh's hands in hers.
You are seeing the memory as I saw it. Raelia's voice echoed in Sarah's mind. This is what I could see from the secret passage.
Sarah took a quick inventory of the room and its occupants. The throne room was far more opulent in this memory than in its current state. The floors gleamed, reflecting the flickering light cast by the torches along the walls. Golden banners, no longer threadbare, framed the large wooden doors, which were shut. Lining the walls, Sarah recognized the other members of the Order, though their features were all more angular, and she could see more than one pointed ear amongst the group.
Raelia was right, they were all fae…once. There seemed to be a uniform amongst the group, which consisted of a white chemise, black breeches, knee-length boots, and a red and gold brocade vest, though the shape and length of each person's vest varied somewhat to accommodate their various fighting styles and magical abilities. Some of the female order members, for instance, wore a red and gold corset or waist cincher as opposed to a vest. Saarn, the future teller, wore red and gold floor-length robes, in a similar style to his customary dress—albeit a great deal nicer than his preferred threadbare clothes. Nice to see that, despite their physical appearance, the group seems much the same.
Sarah then turned her attention to the thrones. Jareth sat in his throne, with Saresh standing to the immediate right of the throne. Even then, Saresh appears to be the Order's captain, she mused, noting the red sash decorated with medals over Saresh's uniform.
To the left of Jareth's throne was another ornate throne—more delicate and made of interwoven branches, as though it had grown out of the ground into its shape. As Sarah watched, small buds of flowers formed and bloomed along the throne's branches, as though sped up by whatever magic had formed this throne to being with. Its occupant was a woman with long, dark brown hair, a silver filigree crown wrapping delicately around the back of her head, with silver and iridescent ribbons streaming down from the sides of the crown. Sarah recognized it immediately from her dream in the labyrinth. She had it worn herself when she danced with Jareth. A warmth spread over her cheeks as she pushed the image of them dancing from her mind.
This must be Queen Saeliah, Sarah thought.
The Queen wore a gown of midnight blue, though the fabric had an iridescent sheen to it that shifted colors in the light, intermittently producing shades of green, purple, and pink. The gown's puffed sleeves were slit down the top, exposing her arms, and connected to a cuff that extended halfway up her forearm. Though she couldn't see her face, Sarah thought she could see the tip of a pointed ear peeking out from the Queen's full, brown hair.
On the queen's left stood a woman in the red and gold colors of the Order of Saarah. As with Jareth and the Queen, she was angled such that Sarah could not see the woman's face, but judging by her long, silver hair, she guessed it must be Ardina.
In the center of the room, the sunken pit was filled with embers that glowed with a magical light. Low flames in colors of orange, blue, green and yellow flickered. Behind the pit stood a man Sarah recognized immediately. His appearance unchanged from when she encountered him in the labyrinth. Tan skin, ageless features, long silver hair, and eyes black as pitch. Mal Morcant. His clothes were less fine than those he'd worn in the labyrinth. She could see signs of age on his brown cloak, dark, earthy stains on his breeches, and dried mud crusting the bottoms of his worn boots. She noted that the hems of his shirt sleeve also bore stains the looked suspiciously like dried blood.
"Think what I am offering, Jareth," Morcant said, the same forced pleasant expression on his face that Sarah noted when she encountered him, "unending peace. A single fae kingdom, ruled by you and Queen Saeliah. No further need for the Order of Saarah to protect against external threats. I'm offering a world in which there would be no more threats to the realm."
"You invite ruin, not only to our Kingdom but to all the faerie realms." Jareth said, a steely edge in his voice.
"You are afraid. I do not blame you. You have been made to fear this power. But you need not fear it. It is merely a tool, it can be used for good."
"It is not your intentions we fear, Merran," the Queen said, her voice identical to Sarah's, though more confident and commanding. This is what I am to become.
"Do not call me by that name." Morcant spat, his pleasant expression slipping, betraying the hardened coldness underneath. "I have freed myself from the name that once shackled me in servitude to the Order. My name is Mal Morcant."
"The Labyrinth's magic is strong, strong enough even to overcome the power inherent in names," the Queen said.
"I have become more powerful than any of you. If you will not release Ardina and I from our bonds to the Order, I will break them myself, no matter the cost."
"You know the power doesn't work like that," the Queen said, a deep sadness in her voice, "It's not within my or my husbands power to release you from your duty. The Labyrinth chose you, as it chose me. Even now, I can feel your connection to its power. It's not too late. Abandon this plan. Be with your wife. You have no idea—"
"And remain as what? A traitor? A defector? A pawn to live or die in service to the Labyrinth and its rulers? I think not." He turned, arms outstretched, as he looked at each of the order members lining the room in turn. "What say you, my comrades? Do you enjoy being slaves to the Order? I offer you freedom!"
"You offer us chaos," Jarvi shouted, "you would have us take innocent lives—"
"All power has cost—"
"You forget what being a part of the Order means," Ludo interjected, "the honor of serving—"
"I should have known you would not listen. You are all weak—"
"And you are out of your depth," Taka chimed in, his voice trembling with anger. "You are playing with forces that are not meant to be played with. Not to mention your plan to travel to the mortal realm. You don't know what will happen to you or Ardina! You could become a changeling—a mortal with no memory of your former life—or worse, you could die!"
"That is a risk I am willing to take." Morcant said, his words icy. "Ardina, I can feel your love for me, even now. You will not abandon me, will you?"
The room was silent for a moment. The silver haired woman next to the Queen took a few steps towards Morcant. The Order members shifted slightly, several gripped hilts of swords at their waists or tightened their grip on their staffs, preparing to defend their sister. Finally, Ardina spoke.
"I will always love you, my Merran," she said. Though her back was still to Sarah, she could hear that Ardina was crying as she spoke. "But I can't let you destroy us all."
With fae speed, Ardina produced a dagger from her belt and thrust it through her chest. Morcant ran to her, clutching his own chest, a bloodcurdling scream tearing from his throat. Saresh also ran towards Ardina and Morcant, his sword drawn. The second Morcant touched her, the room erupted in white light accompanied by a horrible, wrenching sound, like the fabric of the world was ripped in two, followed by the furor of a gale-force wind. Screams penetrated the air as Jareth grabbed the Queen in a tight embrace, shielding her with his magic. Finally, the light began to subside, leaving a narrow, white rip in world that pulsed slightly.
The room was in utter disarray. Magical embers, now extinguished littered the floor, and the golden banners lay in tatters. The rest of the room was empty. Morcant, Ardina, Saresh, and the entire Order had disappeared.
"I have to go after them!" Queen Saeliah said, pushing past Jareth towards the rip in the world. Jareth caught her wrist as she passed.
"No, Saeliah! It's too dangerous. We don't know what will happen!"
"Merran or Mal or whatever he calls himself these days could be on the other side. One of us has to go, and it needs to be me. I am bound to the Order. Their protection is my responsibility. "
"You are bound to the Labyrinth too," he said, taking her hand in both of his. "We don't know the ramifications of what he has done or where this portal even leads. It could destroy our Kingdom."
"I know." The Queen placed her free hand over her heart. "I can feel that something has changed. The touchstone…its as though Morcant's magic has infected it, somehow."
"Then your place is here," He said, caressing her face with his free hand. "The Labyrinth needs you. I need you."
Queen Saeliah covered his hand on her cheek with hers, looking him deep in the eyes. "I can't fix it alone, my love. We need the order, all of our magic combined, to set this right. I have to do this."
"I can't live without you. You are my heart."
"And you are mine. You will find a way. Keep things stable until my return."
"How can you be certain that you'll come back to me?"
"The Labyrinth needs its regent. When the time comes, it will call me home." She guided his hand towards their joined ones, covering his hands in hers. "But more than that, I will always come back to you. I promise."
Lavender light emitted from the Queen's hands where they touched, wrapping around them like ribbons, the glow increasing until their hands were no longer visible. In the light, Sarah thought she could see a tear on Jareth's cheek.
A faerie promise, Raelia's voice again entered Sarah's mind. They are unbreakable as long as their makers live.
An unbreakable promise to return, Sarah thought. Was that how I called Jareth from across realms?
Sarah watched as the light of the Queen's promise faded. The Queen removed a small, glittering object from her finger, and placed it into Jareth's hands as she kissed him. Then, in a swift movement, she ran through the portal.
The instant she disappeared, Jareth's fell to his knees, as though a great weight were pressing on him. He raised his hand, the blue light of his magic engulfing the portal, which began to slowly knit itself shut. When the last bit of white light disappeared, Jareth dropped his arm, exhausted.
"You're alive," he breathed. "Somewhere out there, you're alive." As the last bit of strength left him, he passed out.
Once again, the world went dark.
Tears streamed down Sarah's cheeks when her vision returned. She quickly pulled her hands free from Jareth and Saresh to wipe her eyes. Without saying a word, she took Raelia by the hand and pulled her into an embrace.
"I am so sorry," she said, fighting back further tears, already feeling the inadequacy of her words to express all that she felt. She wept for the pain for Raelia's loss, knowing all too intimately what it was like to grow up without a mother. So many lives destroyed in an instant.
She wept for the heartache at seeing the tearful farewell between her former self and Jareth. Sarah could no longer deny the similarities between her and Queen Saeliah. There is something of the Queen in me. What was it Taka mentioned? A Changeling? Could that be why her father never spoke of her mother? She had never before questioned why she looked nothing like her father. She made a mental note to ask Taka about changelings later on.
After a time, she released her embrace. Raelia's eyes were red and swollen as well. Saresh had retreated a few steps from the group, his face unreadable in the gathering dark. Finally, Sarah mustered the courage to glance at Jareth, which she instantly regretted. He looked only at Sarah, the pain and heartache on his usually comported features too much for her to bear. She quickly looked away, though she could still feel his eyes on her. I don't have her memories, Sarah thought of Queen Saeliah, but I can still feel her love for him. She walked away from the group, back to her spot by the fire, hoping against hope that Jareth couldn't see the new round of tears forming in her eyes.
It felt like an eternity before Raelia spoke again, looking intently at Jareth.
"You raised me like your own daughter, my Lord. You taught me how to fight, how to use my magic. When I turned seventeen, we began to hear reports of mysterious disappearances and brutal murders in neighboring realms. You entrusted me with investigating the cause. We did not know if my father was still in this realm or if he'd gone through the portal with the others. As a sign of your trust in me, you gave me the Queen's wedding ring, to return when my mission was complete.
Raelia took a deep breath, staring intently at the fire.
"I searched for a long time, but I finally found him, in a small fae kingdom far to the north. He had decimated their leaders. Seized control of their lands. I thought to fight him alone and avenge my mother. I was foolish."
She turned away from the group and pulled the back of her shirt over her shoulders. Sarah gasped. Deep scars of varying sizes criss-crossed her back, some straight and clean, others jagged and raised, as though someone had experimented with various torture implements on her skin.
"He caught me. Tortured me. He did not believe me when I told him I was his daughter." She pulled her shirt back down, turning back to face the group. "During my torture, my father revealed some of his plans to me. I knew I needed to make it back here, to warn you. I barely escaped with my life. When I reached the outer walls, I ran the Labyrinth, not knowing that I would set in motion the Labyrinth's attempt to regather the Saarah. I did not succeed. After thirteen hours, I was still in the junk yard. I changed. I forgot my mission. I failed you both." Raelia knelt, her head bowed.
Jareth crossed to the copper haired fae, taking her hands in his. He drew her to her feet gently.
"You have done far more than should ever have been asked of you. You have the gratitude of my entire kingdom. He has not yet marched on my kingdom. There is still time."
"Are you forgetting that he threatened to carve Sarah's face?!" Saresh said, shaking with rage. "That madman was right here, within the walls. He's taken every Kingdom around the Labyrinth. And now we know he has blood magic—"
"Exactly," said Jareth, releasing Raeliah's hands. "We now know the source of his magic. Which means we can find a way to defeat him. Without which, facing him in open combat would have been suicide."
"Stop it!" Sarah shouted at the two men. "You are talking about murdering Raelia's father, and a member of the Order."
"Sarah this man wants you dead." said Saresh.
"Saresh is right," said Jareth. "You weren't there when he threatened you. He wants you to suffer personally—"
"Queen Saeliah said it wasn't too late." Sarah said, standing, emulating the same confidence that the Queen exuded, even if she didn't quite feel it herself. "There has to be another way. If there is even a chance we can bring him back, we have to try. Too many people have suffered."
"Thank you for your kindness, my Queen," said Raelia, "but we are beyond that point. My father blames you, the Order, and Jareth for Ardina's death. He will stop at nothing to see you suffer. Mal Morcant is a monster. He must be stopped at any cost."