Bye, bye Beryl!!! Yea!!!
DISCLAIMER:
Labyrinth and all that is connected to it belongs to someone other than me!!!
Though the characters not appearing or named in the movie or any other work of fiction are of my creation.
Then … Now … and For Eternity
Chapter Seven:
Conal Learns a Valuable Lesson
Sarah smiled as she stretched, much as she had the morning before. The difference being that this morning she had a baby girl growing in her belly, and that very same little girl was sleeping in the room connected to her and Jareth's room.
After tucking their daughter's future self, the couple had sat in front of the fireplace cuddling quietly. Jareth had insisted on wrapping his wife and unborn child in an afghan. Afterwards he softly sang to their baby girl in a language Sarah didn't understand, but the sound of his voice was so soothing that she remembered barely dozing off in his arms.
Gently he picked her up and tucked her into bed, very much like they had their future daughter not long before. He changed for bed and slipped into their bed. After a moment Sarah climbed into his arms and rested her head on his chest. Jareth smiled as he held his wife closer. That was how they slept through the night.
Sarah's stretching had woken Jareth from his dreams of that crystal ball and the dance he had shared with his only love, but it didn't matter. So long as she was there with their child in her belly. "Sleep well my love?"
"Yes. I still can't believe our little girl is in the next room and in my womb all at the same time." Sarah smiled up at her husband.
A small whimpered groan alerted the couple that a small girl had finally woke herself. The door slowly creaked open after a couple of moments. Their baby girl walked into the opening, rubbing her eyes and clutching the stuffed bear her mother had prized high enough to wish her brother away tight to her chest. She was still half asleep, and lonely.
"Mommy … daddy? Can I get in your bed?"
"Sure sweetheart. Come on." Sarah smiled.
Little Myrna ran over and climbed into her parents' massive bed without missing a beat. She lay between her parents and snuggled down to try and dose back off. With a grin, Sarah used her magick to create a blanket for her daughter. Feeling the material tuck around her body, Myrna snuggled all the deeper.
Jareth grinned on the two ladies of his life.
Serena smiled as she recalled the night before. Darien had held her close as she slowly drifted off, and she remembered feeling him press a kiss on the top of her head.
Gently Darien squeezed his only love. It had been heaven the whole of the night. She was in his arms, and there had been no attacks to drag them out of bed.
When she lazily moved her head so that she could look into his gorgeous dark blue eyes, he smiled. "Morning my meatball head. How did ya sleep last night?"
"Better than ever in my life, muffin. I love you." Serena sighed as he kissed her forehead, then her nose, and finally a deep kiss on her lips.
A movement under the covers startled Darien, but Serena remembered it well. "Hang on Darien."
Reaching under the covers, Serena pulled something out from just below where her feet had been. It was Rini! The little girl was slightly startled out of her sleep, and clutched hold of the Star Locket in her hand tighter in response. "Umm, mommy I want to sleep some more."
"Go back to sleep my precious darling." Serena smiled.
Darien pulled Rini up on his chest, Serena covered them all with the covers again, and then he pulled her back into his embrace. Rini dully realized that she wasn't on the bed. "Daddy?"
"Hush, back to sleep pumpkin. Sleep well my girls." Darien had a contented smile on his face as Serena kissed his cheek.
Mina rolled over to find she wasn't alone in her bed. "Hey baby girl."
"I had a bad dream mommy." Keren whimpered. She was so afraid her mommy would want her in that bed.
"Come here little one. Mommy will keep the bad dreams away. Feel like sleeping in today?" Mina smiled as her daughter snuggled close to her chest.
Keren yawned deep before answering. "Yeah mommy. I'm sleepy."
The same happened with Raye, Amy, and Lita.
Molly woke to the sensation of a strong, warm hand softly rubbing her belly. She smiled, remembering the tiny girl growing just under that hand.
"How are you feeling, my beloved?" Nephrite smiled. He could hardly believe that he not only had his Molly as his wife, but she too was carrying their unborn daughter.
The joy in her eyes as she smiled up at him made all of their years apart seem like a memory. "Just a little sleepy. But, I guess that isn't too unusual in my condition."
"No, it's not. I love you my Molly."
They were interrupted by a tiny whimper in the next room. Nephrite left for a few minutes, and returned with a sleeping girl that was the two of them made all over. For the rest of the morning they laid there with that child sleeping peacefully between them.
Before she dosed off, Molly smiled up at the one man who had made her whole. "I love you more my husband."
His armies were decimated, Beryl – the slimy witch – had gotten herself and all of them destroyed. The Fomorians too. All that Conal could think about now was revenge.
He had to be careful. If he thought about any evil towards any one of those brats he was shocked. And if he walked where he could be seen, anyone looking for a meal hunted him. Those brats would pay for this.
It had taken hours to do it, but he was standing outside of the gate to the Goblin City. He had to laugh. Here it was high noon, and the guard at the gate was snoring away! "Piece of cake."
Sarah and Myrna giggled as they both watched their enemy slip past the front gates in the crystal Jareth held in his hand. Sarah remembered the three times she suffered for saying that phrase. "Oh, how he shall learn the hard way to leave us alone!"
"Yeah mommy. Can I call the guards daddy?"
This startled Jareth. Didn't his daughter know the different options before them for guarding the city? "Why not use a spell or Humongous?"
Myrna grinned as her father did when he had the upper hand in a situation. "Well, I was thinking that the Goblins love to torture chickens – especially roosters. Wouldn't they love to torment this rooster?"
"It's perfect!" Sarah chuckled out. Jareth nodded his agreement, and Myrna jumped down off of her father's lap.
"Guards!" Once several troops clanked into the room (though they seem uncoordinated and clumsy at best – Goblins are some of the most ferocious fighters in the Underground) she continued. "Conal is in the city and planning to attack my family and guests. Daddy could help me punish him good, but I talked daddy into letting you and the other Goblins teach Conal to never try invading the Goblin City again."
The troop looked to their King for confirmation. Once they got that they all rooted and hollered as they flooded out of the room and into the city. Myrna giggled with delight. "Ooo, Conal's gonna get it!"
"What do you mean, Myrna?" Rini asked as she and the rest entered the throne room.
Sarah smiled and created a mirror much like the one Jareth had the first night he had returned to her side, only this one showed Conal's progress. "Watch and see."
Conal chuckled, though with the stupid beak it sounded more like clucking. So far no alarms, and no resistance. Poor Jareth must have been worn out the previous night. Lazy good for nothing brat was probably still asleep, along with the rest.
Just then a rock clipped Conal's tail feathers. He turned around to see a large number of Goblin children holding rocks in their grimy little hands. The way the brats were giggling, Conal had a bad feeling that he had been caught. Damn, he should have known taking the boy and the brats down wouldn't be so easy!
Another rock hit, but this time on his head! Conal turned to see a larger group of adult Goblins … also holding rocks in their filthy hands. What was it that Jareth had said about his subject and poultry? Oh … no … the boy had to have been joking … he had to be!
As Conal clucked once in fright, the group all broke down into tears of laugher. They watched as the rooster/Fae found an opening in the Goblin hoard that had surrounded him and fled – deeper into the heart of the city.
Myrna rubbed tears from her eyes. "Daddy, I think he thinks that he's heading for the gates!"
"So it seems my dear. Should we direct him along quickly … or make him suffer?" Jareth answered once he brought his own laughter under control.
Myrna looked to her young friends, who all nodded in agreement. "This is too much fun to end too soon, daddy. Goblins! Take your time and have lots of fun with the big chicken!"
Conal clucked as he thanked the makers that he had been granted a moment to catch his breath. Then he saw that all of the Goblins seemed to be listening to something that he didn't hear. Someone was ordering them! No, then Jareth was probably watching all of this … the others as well if his luck held true to form!
When the goblins began chuckling greedily and their eyes glazed over with eagerness, Conal knew this was not a good thing for him. A roar erupted and the mob pounced onto his trail again – throwing stones, dung, rotten food, and whatever it seemed that they could get their hands on!
He'd turn one way, only to find himself staring down a section of the mob! Then he'd run until twisted in another direction. What? Was every goblin in that damn city after him?
Many a time he tripped. Twice he chipped and flaked off pieces of his beak, and once he cracked it almost to breaking completely off!
Finally he flew a short distance up to the top of the nearest wall and out to freedom!
"It's not fair!" He roared in his frustration (sorry more like clucked very loudly).
Sarah looked up at her husband with a secretive grin on her face. Jareth wore a knowing smile on his face as he nodded and they both vanished from the room.
"What are they going to do?" Rini asked Myrna.
The Goblin Princess simply shrugged her shoulders. "Don't know, but I have a feeling that we're going to find out soon enough."
She pointed at the mirror, which showed her parents comfortably sitting on a knoll overlooking the path Conal was storming down.
Both the Goblin King and his Queen applauded as Conal came into view. He growled at them with eye glowing with hate … or was that more of a gobbling sound in his throat as he was once again shocked by Mini-Jupiter's hand in his current condition?
Sarah couldn't let it slide by. "Conal, in case you hadn't noticed, the girls turned you into some sort of rooster – not a turkey. Or maybe we will just have to create an entirely new name for your species. Um … oh, I know. We will call you a Rooskey!"
Jareth had to bite his lip to keep from bursting with laughter at his wife's wit. While the three of them clearly heard the group in the throne room burst into tears of laughter. This inspired Sarah to bow as if she was having a curtain call, which made the laughter worse.
Conal jumped as a triple bolt ripped through his body. Jareth couldn't hold back his laughter at the sight of it. "Nice to see that you are slowly getting the spark of understanding, Conal. Stay away from my family and friends."
Sarah sighed as she curled into her husband's arms. "Honey, as we do have guests, I think we should say farewell to our former intruder. And Conal, never use my line again."
Jareth grinned as he and Sarah returned to their friends, family, and daughter.
The loving couple went back to solitude to finish off their honeymoon. Because of them becoming Fae, Sarah and Molly's pregnancies advanced faster than humans. By the time Jareth and Sarah returned to their Royal duties, both ladies were six months pregnant.
Sarah and Jareth relaxed back in their thrones as their daughter ran into the room. "Mommy! Daddy! I missed you!"
"We would say that we'd missed you, but you're right here." Sarah chuckled as she rubbed her swollen belly.
Myrna giggled as she climbed into her father's lap. Jareth enjoyed finding the children he took good families in the Underground – becoming an Uncle to the children, but being a father was much better. "Have you been a good girl?"
"Yes daddy. Auntie Morgan came to visit while you and mommy were resting and I hosted her just like mommy taught me. She said that she'd return when the two of you came back to your duties." Myrna snuggled into the arms of her father.
Sarah was so happy and proud of her little baby girl. Obviously she would be a better mother than her own had been to her.
A beat later Morgan breezed in. 'Right on cue.' Sarah thought to herself. Morgan winked and smiled. "Expect anything less of me, your majesty?"
"Not at all my friend. I'm glad to see you." Sarah chuckled. "And what do you think of Myrna's abilities of a host?"
"She is as good as her mother shall become. Of course given that she was being trained from youth on." Morgan chuckled.
Jareth watched as his wife and daughter took up the roles he knew they belong to from the moment he saw his Sarah and was informed of his Myrna. "And how are things from the religious heart of Avalon?"
"The preparations are nearly complete for the Midsummer celebrations. I came by to see if you and yours will be there to join all on Avalon?" Morgan gave her knowing smile once again.
"And so that the place that holds the highest power in the Underground in those days is where my expecting wife and future daughter will be. See Sarah, our magic is strengthened by the power of the moon. Midsummer is the longest day of the year, and the one-day of the year that we are at our weakest. Our subjects retreat into the catacombs that Hoggle took you through the first time you were here my dearest for their own festival, but we must stay out to seal them in with protection spells." Jareth explained.
Sarah quickly saw the truth. "Which leaves us vulnerable without our guards."
"Exactly, I always put the armies in charge of guarding our subjects. Avalon's power comes from the sun and Midsummer is their power is at its strongest during the festival." Jareth continued.
Morgan smiled. "Which is why I am being so persistent. The new Queen of the Goblins is highly held by many, but is hated by nearly as many."
Sarah smiled. She was grateful to have such wonderful friends. "Then I believe that you can expect us once we make certain our subjects will be safe. Am I right my King and husband?"
"Of course my beloved Queen and wife. Next midweek I believe."
Myrna giggled. "I can't wait!"
"Well I'm afraid that you will not be at this one, Myrna." Came from a familiar voice.
Standing in the doorway was another Queen Sarah! Jareth was stunned, but not as much as the younger Sarah. "You're me."
"I do remember how unnerving I felt in your seat … and how uncomfortable too. Do yourself a favor and ask Morgan to check you, because your instinct is correct – there is a problem that Beryl caused at the last moment." The elder Sarah explained.
Without a beat Jareth and Morgan both scanned the obviously expecting Sarah's belly. Her uterus was having severe contractions and the placenta was just starting to rip from the wall of Sarah's womb. A few magic words later, mother and child were safe.
Jareth looked over at the woman his wife would become. "Sarah …"
"I know. Myrna may come early, but she will be strong enough to be born. After all look who is her father." The elder Sarah smiled lovingly at her husband's past self.
Jareth nodded approvingly at his beloved that would be in the years to come. "And her mother I see gives Myrna much of her strength."
The younger Sarah was blushing uncomfortably. She disliked being spoken of in the third person when she still sat there with them. "I am not that strong."
"You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. After all you defeated the Labyrinth, survived your mother's death, survived yourself, and have survived so many threats on your life. I remember them better than you, whether you want to believe me or not Sarah. I see things from a different point of view." The elder Sarah gently reprimanded her younger self.
Jareth kissed his wife's cheek. "It was your strength that first drew me to you my beloved."
Tired, Sarah rested her head on his shoulder. "I don't feel very strong right now."
"Because of a energetic and rambunctious little girl any mother couldn't help but adore. Speaking of, I think that it is time we went home to our time Myrna. Your daddy does get nervous when we are away for too long." The elder Sarah smiled as her daughter kissed both her and her husband's younger selves farewell.
"I'll still be here, but I'm in mommy's belly right now. I love you mommy and daddy." Myrna smiled as she quickly climbed into her true time mother's arms and they vanished in a shower of glitter.
Sarah couldn't help but chuckled at how much her husband would someday rub off on her. After all, that display would only come from him.
The other children too said farewell to their parents … for only the time being that is. Sarah and Molly had to say goodbye to their friends as well. After all, they had lives to lead before the disaster. Then it hit Sarah hard.
"Um, Morgan. Will the disaster and freeze effect the Underground?"
The dark Queen shook her head faintly. "No, which was another good reason that you decided to come home to us. After all, I doubt that Jareth could survive a thousand years with you."
The caused Sarah to blush.
I know that it has been some time, but I will add on soon as I can. How do you all like it so far?