Part 9
A/N: Wow! Thank you all of you for your reviews. I apologize for the wait on this part. I write as I go along, putting down whatever pops into my head, which of course is a very bad habit to get into. I also apologize for not describing more battle scenes which was my original intention. Unfortunately I really have no expertise in this area so...I've jumped ahead.
Sarah sighed as Jareth gently massaged her shoulders. All the aches and pains that she had been struggling to hide from her troops, and the other leaders had made themselves known as soon as she was in private. He stopped the massage and wrapped her in a hug. She smiled and leaned back into it. She knew he was only comforting her, that he could never love her like she did him, but she allowed herself the illusion, just as she had every night for the past seven years. Her smile turned into a frown as she thought about the long war, and wondered if it would ever end. It seemed as if whenever they gained ground, the enemy quickly gained more. Numbers had depleted on both sides, but neither would give up.
"Don't think about it," Jareth softly commanded, "There will be time to dwell on what we shall do in the morning."
She turned slightly in his arms and looked up at him. His sculptured face showed no emotion, though his wonderful bi-colored eyes showed affection. Even when they argued, and when she endangered herself, his eyes, though angry, still held the affection. That was all she'd ever get from him, and it wasn't right to expect more, but...she did. She couldn't help but wish he returned her love.
Sarah didn't know when it was she had first started loving the handsome Goblin King, but she did remember when she had first realized it. After that fateful first battle, she had been speaking with Anna and Myst who were both acting strangely. Myst, who had been in equine form for the battle and was now in human form, seemed frightened, a sign Sarah did not take lightly, as unicorns had no cause to be afraid of anything. Anna, usually outgoing and exuberant, was quiet and withdrawn. While this was unusual enough, both of them seemed to have a glazed look to their eyes. Then, abruptly, Anna's gaze cleared and she stared straight into Sarah's eyes. "Believe in love Your Majesty, for you are lucky to have found it." Then, with a troubled expression, the older woman walked off.
Sarah looked at Myst. He had a sad expression on his features. "You know that she is not truly a fairy godmother, don't you?" he asked gently.
Sarah frowned, and shook her head in the negative. "No I didn't. What do you mean? She's Karen's fairy godmother, isn't she?"
The unicorn nodded. "Yes, but only because of a lie, told long ago. You are the first person I have ever told this, because I trust you, and so does she. Jeffery and the quies are the only other living creatures who know this secret. She found me, when I was a colt. Our minds are bonded."
Sarah gasped. She knew what that meant. Unicorns had one human counterpart, and the minds were the same. The human could never hope to find love unless it was true. A very rare thing, even in this realm. Just as the unicorn and human counterparts rarely found each other. Only on Earth could it be done. She now understood why Anna would be so sad. With the way things were looking now, it was quite possible the woman would not live. The chance at finding true love was considerably lessened, and from the chances before, it was near impossible now.
Before she could think about this longer, she saw Jareth and Gavin walking up. With them were Prince Mackery and King Jiggle. In her tired mind, she saw that each of the kingdoms was represented. It was appropriate, even if each kingdom was divided, brother against brother. Myst smiled politely at them and gestured for the old Dwarf King to take his place. Sarah knew that the age was merely an illusion, but it was an effective one. Perceptions were everything. Which was why in the world of magic you could never take things at face value, never take them for granted. She smiled, remembering how she had learned that particular lesson. She looked up at Jareth and caught him looking at her oddly. Her heart started to speed up and her mouth went dry. She loved the way his mismatched eyes danced in the firelight, and as the night progressed and they all spoke of strategies, because they knew this victory was nothing when there most likely would be a full scale war, she realized she loved him. She didn't try to fight it, because, once something like that happens there is nothing you can do about it, but she did hide it. She knew he didn't share her feelings.
Yes, she had hidden her love well, for seven years. Sarah turned again in Jareth's arms and saw that he was deep asleep. She smiled and kissed his lips, then gently extricated herself from the embrace. 'Oh if only you could love me back.' She quickly turned away from him and sat in one of the chairs by the table that held the maps of the areas of the Magic Realm, save the labyrinth, and curled up in it. She knew she would have to get some sleep, for tomorrow they would be entering the elven kingdom, and who knew what would happen. Her eyes closed and she fell into a dreamless sleep.
The next day, Jeffery, Myst and the quies scouted ahead to see where the enemy was at. When they returned, the news was troubling. There had been nothing. No scouts, no soldiers, nothing, to show that anyone had ever been in that area. Even the castle, the one feature that should be visible in any kingdom, no matter how far out on the boundaries you were, was not there. Sarah shivered. It was a bad sign. It meant that the twins and their followers had so succumbed to evil, that they could hide themselves from a unicorn. She looked out over her army and noticed their grim faces. They too knew the portent of this. She raised her arm in a signal to retreat. They would meet with the others and discuss how to handle it.
They soon met them, and the five leaders walked to a secluded spot.
"It was the same for each of us? Nothing to be found?" Jiggle inquired. At the others' nods of assent he continued, "This means that they can attack us any time they want, while in the Kingdom of the Elves, and we shall never see it coming."
Sarah looked around at the grim faces, then focused on Gavin's confused one. "What is it, Gav?" she asked.
The elf fixed her with his baby blue stare. "I am not sure," he confessed, "I have this feeling that something of great import is going to happen. The closer we get to my kingdom, the stronger it gets."
Sarah noted Jareth's frown as he asked, "Good or bad?"
Gavin shook his head, a lock of golden hair falling into his face. "I know not. I am not as strong a seer as my father was, I am more of the mind reading ability than prophecy. I only know that it is something big."
The others all accepted this, though it made the situation more tense than before. An unknown something was worse than all the armies in the world, as it could be anything. They would have to caution their troops. It was decided that they would rest for another day.
That night, Sarah sat in the main tent again, alone this time. She held her crown in her hand, fingering the delicate gold, marveling at the workmanship. It wasn't like the gaudy treasures held by monarchs on Earth. Though it was small, light weight and fragile looking, it was extremely strong. Nothing could break or bend it, for this was not the flimsy malleable element of the Earth Realm. It was Faerie's Gold, a concentration of fairy magic that was left behind when fairy godmothers disappeared. The name struck a chord in her memory, but she couldn't place it. Then, as she turned it around in her hands, she noticed something she hadn't before. In the back of the part that rested on her forehead, was an indention in the shape of a crescent moon.
Excitement built in her, and she quickly scrambled through the scrolls she had brought, remembering that she had stuffed the one she was looking for in with them. She laughed in triumph when she found it and unrolled. Quickly rereading the paragraph, she called for Jareth. His pendant was in the shape of a silver crescent moon.
"Yes?" the Goblin King asked when he had come inside, "is something wrong?" He raised an eyebrow when she told him her theory. "Seldom are prophecies as clear as that."
"I know, but it wouldn't hurt to try would it?" She gazed at him with pleading eyes, hoping he would agree. She sighed in relief when he smiled.
He took the necklace off and held it up, as she held up the crown. The pendant fit perfectly into the indentation, but nothing happened. Sarah bit back the disappointment. She had had to try it, just to see. Now they knew.
Sarah turned away from him when he went to put his arms around her. "I think we need to get some sleep. It will be a long day tomorrow." She missed the look of pain in his eyes as she walked off. She lay awake for several hours thinking. What had she expected? That it would suddenly come to life and dispel all the evil? That only happened in fairy tales. Granted, everything that had happened to her when she was fifteen was fairy tale quality, but this was real life. Though this was a land of magic, it was illogical to think that everything would have a happy ending. That good would always triumph over evil. Life just was not that clear cut. It was ambiguous. There was no black or white, only shades of gray. Witness the Goblin King. While not evil, he wasn't 'good' either. He enjoyed playing mind games, was a cad (she firmly believed this), and liked to threaten his subjects. Whether or not he carried through with them was another story. Sarah finally fell into a restless slumber, these thoughts filling her mind.
Morning came all too soon. Sarah groaned and stood up, as the other leaders began filing into the tent. Their faces were grimmer than they had been, and she knew instantly that something had happened.
"What's wrong?" she inquired, "What's happened?"
It was Mackery who answered. "They have been spotted. Their armies consist of Giants, ogres.....and griffons."
The last sent a chill up Sarah's spine. Griffons were uncontrollable by any who did not have the blackest of hearts. She revised her conclusions from the night before, which had come at the end of a crushing disappointment, as well as exhaustion. There really was true evil, so there had to be true good as well. "All right. I'm taking my troops to meet them," she said, forestalling the protests with a hand, "Just as we planned, except that we'll go in twos instead. Jareth will be with me, Jiggle and Gavin, then Mackery will come from behind." That said she walked out the door.
Two hours later, she regretted her decision. They had been expecting ambush. All around was death and destruction. None had a chance at beating the power of a griffon. Then something happened that made her blood chill. One of the leonine creatures was standing behind Anna. Then, it breathed it's deadly poison on the plump old woman.
Sarah watched in horror as her friend's eyes widened. Then Anna fell to the ground, her illusion appearance faded, and she became a young, thin woman, looking no older than twenty. Myst, fighting some elves with his deadly ivory horn, suddenly stiffened and let out a horrifying scream. Then he too began to fade.
Suddenly, Sarah became angry. She knew she would die, but she had to avenge her friends. Anna should have had the chance to find her true love. With a wild yell, reminiscent of the Rebel yell used by Confederates in the Civil War, she lifted her sword and ran toward the monster at full speed, ignoring Jareth's cries for her to stop. Before she could stab the griffon, she felt a gentle cloud settle over her, and watched the griffon as it flew off. She felt sleepy, and knew that she had been poisoned. She sank to her knees, then lay down on the inviting grass. She closed her eyes, then opened them again at a touch on her cheek. She gazed into Jareth's eyes, noticing the anguish there.
"Jareth," she whispered, "I love you." She closed her eyes again, not bothering to fight the lethargy.
"Oh Sarah," she heard him choke out, "Why did you wait until it was too late? Why did I?" She something wet land on her face. A tear? She was sinking further and further into unconsciousness.
"My Sarah," Jareth whispered raggedly, "I love you with all my heart."
As soon as the last syllable was uttered, Sarah felt the fog lift from her mind. She opened her eyes and gaped at Jareth, but he was staring at something else. She looked in the direction he was and realized why. The crown had come off her head, as the pendant had come off his neck. Both floated in the sky above their heads, then came together. Abruptly, a white light filled the area, blinding Jareth and Sarah.
Epilogue:
Jareth grinned at his new wife. They were dancing again, in the large ball room, this time celebrating several things. Their wedding, the end of the Long War, and the coronations of Gavin and Mackery. Mackery's parents had died in one of the battles, and the twins had been destroyed by the light of love. That light had done many amazing things. It had healed everyone who had been poisoned by the griffons, and destroyed all the evil monsters in the area.
He looked over in the direction of Anna, where the ex-fairy godmother was arguing with Myst and Jeffery. Seeing her in her true appearance had been very surprising, considering he had known her since he was a boy, and she had always been a kindly old grandmother type. Now she was young and hardly the grandmother type, though she still rambled. Sarah had ordered her to stay in her true appearance, and though Anna had protested, she, like everyone else eventually, fell to the determined girl's will.
He chuckled again, and looked down at Sarah. She was wearing the dress that she had worn in the fantasy ballroom. It had been her wedding dress. He smiled, wondering what she would think of opening the Labyrinth as a general training ground for young magicians. They were going to divide their time and attention between both kingdoms, and just as she would ask his advice on running hers, he would ask hers on running his. He started to say something, but was interrupted by King Jiggle, on the stage, clearing his throat.
"As you all know, at one point in a rulers time they must go on a quest. There are four rulers here who have not done this yet. I know, it can be any time, but...I have had news on my son's whereabouts," he held up a hand to forestall the immediate reaction this got, "But, I am too old to travel that far, and I do not know the exact location. You four recently worked together well. I am hoping for my sake you will do so again."
The End.
I hope you guys liked reading this half as much as I liked writing it. It always makes me sad when I come to the end of a story. I have plans for a sequel. Anyone interested in reading one? ~Mary Christmas
A/N: Wow! Thank you all of you for your reviews. I apologize for the wait on this part. I write as I go along, putting down whatever pops into my head, which of course is a very bad habit to get into. I also apologize for not describing more battle scenes which was my original intention. Unfortunately I really have no expertise in this area so...I've jumped ahead.
Sarah sighed as Jareth gently massaged her shoulders. All the aches and pains that she had been struggling to hide from her troops, and the other leaders had made themselves known as soon as she was in private. He stopped the massage and wrapped her in a hug. She smiled and leaned back into it. She knew he was only comforting her, that he could never love her like she did him, but she allowed herself the illusion, just as she had every night for the past seven years. Her smile turned into a frown as she thought about the long war, and wondered if it would ever end. It seemed as if whenever they gained ground, the enemy quickly gained more. Numbers had depleted on both sides, but neither would give up.
"Don't think about it," Jareth softly commanded, "There will be time to dwell on what we shall do in the morning."
She turned slightly in his arms and looked up at him. His sculptured face showed no emotion, though his wonderful bi-colored eyes showed affection. Even when they argued, and when she endangered herself, his eyes, though angry, still held the affection. That was all she'd ever get from him, and it wasn't right to expect more, but...she did. She couldn't help but wish he returned her love.
Sarah didn't know when it was she had first started loving the handsome Goblin King, but she did remember when she had first realized it. After that fateful first battle, she had been speaking with Anna and Myst who were both acting strangely. Myst, who had been in equine form for the battle and was now in human form, seemed frightened, a sign Sarah did not take lightly, as unicorns had no cause to be afraid of anything. Anna, usually outgoing and exuberant, was quiet and withdrawn. While this was unusual enough, both of them seemed to have a glazed look to their eyes. Then, abruptly, Anna's gaze cleared and she stared straight into Sarah's eyes. "Believe in love Your Majesty, for you are lucky to have found it." Then, with a troubled expression, the older woman walked off.
Sarah looked at Myst. He had a sad expression on his features. "You know that she is not truly a fairy godmother, don't you?" he asked gently.
Sarah frowned, and shook her head in the negative. "No I didn't. What do you mean? She's Karen's fairy godmother, isn't she?"
The unicorn nodded. "Yes, but only because of a lie, told long ago. You are the first person I have ever told this, because I trust you, and so does she. Jeffery and the quies are the only other living creatures who know this secret. She found me, when I was a colt. Our minds are bonded."
Sarah gasped. She knew what that meant. Unicorns had one human counterpart, and the minds were the same. The human could never hope to find love unless it was true. A very rare thing, even in this realm. Just as the unicorn and human counterparts rarely found each other. Only on Earth could it be done. She now understood why Anna would be so sad. With the way things were looking now, it was quite possible the woman would not live. The chance at finding true love was considerably lessened, and from the chances before, it was near impossible now.
Before she could think about this longer, she saw Jareth and Gavin walking up. With them were Prince Mackery and King Jiggle. In her tired mind, she saw that each of the kingdoms was represented. It was appropriate, even if each kingdom was divided, brother against brother. Myst smiled politely at them and gestured for the old Dwarf King to take his place. Sarah knew that the age was merely an illusion, but it was an effective one. Perceptions were everything. Which was why in the world of magic you could never take things at face value, never take them for granted. She smiled, remembering how she had learned that particular lesson. She looked up at Jareth and caught him looking at her oddly. Her heart started to speed up and her mouth went dry. She loved the way his mismatched eyes danced in the firelight, and as the night progressed and they all spoke of strategies, because they knew this victory was nothing when there most likely would be a full scale war, she realized she loved him. She didn't try to fight it, because, once something like that happens there is nothing you can do about it, but she did hide it. She knew he didn't share her feelings.
Yes, she had hidden her love well, for seven years. Sarah turned again in Jareth's arms and saw that he was deep asleep. She smiled and kissed his lips, then gently extricated herself from the embrace. 'Oh if only you could love me back.' She quickly turned away from him and sat in one of the chairs by the table that held the maps of the areas of the Magic Realm, save the labyrinth, and curled up in it. She knew she would have to get some sleep, for tomorrow they would be entering the elven kingdom, and who knew what would happen. Her eyes closed and she fell into a dreamless sleep.
The next day, Jeffery, Myst and the quies scouted ahead to see where the enemy was at. When they returned, the news was troubling. There had been nothing. No scouts, no soldiers, nothing, to show that anyone had ever been in that area. Even the castle, the one feature that should be visible in any kingdom, no matter how far out on the boundaries you were, was not there. Sarah shivered. It was a bad sign. It meant that the twins and their followers had so succumbed to evil, that they could hide themselves from a unicorn. She looked out over her army and noticed their grim faces. They too knew the portent of this. She raised her arm in a signal to retreat. They would meet with the others and discuss how to handle it.
They soon met them, and the five leaders walked to a secluded spot.
"It was the same for each of us? Nothing to be found?" Jiggle inquired. At the others' nods of assent he continued, "This means that they can attack us any time they want, while in the Kingdom of the Elves, and we shall never see it coming."
Sarah looked around at the grim faces, then focused on Gavin's confused one. "What is it, Gav?" she asked.
The elf fixed her with his baby blue stare. "I am not sure," he confessed, "I have this feeling that something of great import is going to happen. The closer we get to my kingdom, the stronger it gets."
Sarah noted Jareth's frown as he asked, "Good or bad?"
Gavin shook his head, a lock of golden hair falling into his face. "I know not. I am not as strong a seer as my father was, I am more of the mind reading ability than prophecy. I only know that it is something big."
The others all accepted this, though it made the situation more tense than before. An unknown something was worse than all the armies in the world, as it could be anything. They would have to caution their troops. It was decided that they would rest for another day.
That night, Sarah sat in the main tent again, alone this time. She held her crown in her hand, fingering the delicate gold, marveling at the workmanship. It wasn't like the gaudy treasures held by monarchs on Earth. Though it was small, light weight and fragile looking, it was extremely strong. Nothing could break or bend it, for this was not the flimsy malleable element of the Earth Realm. It was Faerie's Gold, a concentration of fairy magic that was left behind when fairy godmothers disappeared. The name struck a chord in her memory, but she couldn't place it. Then, as she turned it around in her hands, she noticed something she hadn't before. In the back of the part that rested on her forehead, was an indention in the shape of a crescent moon.
Excitement built in her, and she quickly scrambled through the scrolls she had brought, remembering that she had stuffed the one she was looking for in with them. She laughed in triumph when she found it and unrolled. Quickly rereading the paragraph, she called for Jareth. His pendant was in the shape of a silver crescent moon.
"Yes?" the Goblin King asked when he had come inside, "is something wrong?" He raised an eyebrow when she told him her theory. "Seldom are prophecies as clear as that."
"I know, but it wouldn't hurt to try would it?" She gazed at him with pleading eyes, hoping he would agree. She sighed in relief when he smiled.
He took the necklace off and held it up, as she held up the crown. The pendant fit perfectly into the indentation, but nothing happened. Sarah bit back the disappointment. She had had to try it, just to see. Now they knew.
Sarah turned away from him when he went to put his arms around her. "I think we need to get some sleep. It will be a long day tomorrow." She missed the look of pain in his eyes as she walked off. She lay awake for several hours thinking. What had she expected? That it would suddenly come to life and dispel all the evil? That only happened in fairy tales. Granted, everything that had happened to her when she was fifteen was fairy tale quality, but this was real life. Though this was a land of magic, it was illogical to think that everything would have a happy ending. That good would always triumph over evil. Life just was not that clear cut. It was ambiguous. There was no black or white, only shades of gray. Witness the Goblin King. While not evil, he wasn't 'good' either. He enjoyed playing mind games, was a cad (she firmly believed this), and liked to threaten his subjects. Whether or not he carried through with them was another story. Sarah finally fell into a restless slumber, these thoughts filling her mind.
Morning came all too soon. Sarah groaned and stood up, as the other leaders began filing into the tent. Their faces were grimmer than they had been, and she knew instantly that something had happened.
"What's wrong?" she inquired, "What's happened?"
It was Mackery who answered. "They have been spotted. Their armies consist of Giants, ogres.....and griffons."
The last sent a chill up Sarah's spine. Griffons were uncontrollable by any who did not have the blackest of hearts. She revised her conclusions from the night before, which had come at the end of a crushing disappointment, as well as exhaustion. There really was true evil, so there had to be true good as well. "All right. I'm taking my troops to meet them," she said, forestalling the protests with a hand, "Just as we planned, except that we'll go in twos instead. Jareth will be with me, Jiggle and Gavin, then Mackery will come from behind." That said she walked out the door.
Two hours later, she regretted her decision. They had been expecting ambush. All around was death and destruction. None had a chance at beating the power of a griffon. Then something happened that made her blood chill. One of the leonine creatures was standing behind Anna. Then, it breathed it's deadly poison on the plump old woman.
Sarah watched in horror as her friend's eyes widened. Then Anna fell to the ground, her illusion appearance faded, and she became a young, thin woman, looking no older than twenty. Myst, fighting some elves with his deadly ivory horn, suddenly stiffened and let out a horrifying scream. Then he too began to fade.
Suddenly, Sarah became angry. She knew she would die, but she had to avenge her friends. Anna should have had the chance to find her true love. With a wild yell, reminiscent of the Rebel yell used by Confederates in the Civil War, she lifted her sword and ran toward the monster at full speed, ignoring Jareth's cries for her to stop. Before she could stab the griffon, she felt a gentle cloud settle over her, and watched the griffon as it flew off. She felt sleepy, and knew that she had been poisoned. She sank to her knees, then lay down on the inviting grass. She closed her eyes, then opened them again at a touch on her cheek. She gazed into Jareth's eyes, noticing the anguish there.
"Jareth," she whispered, "I love you." She closed her eyes again, not bothering to fight the lethargy.
"Oh Sarah," she heard him choke out, "Why did you wait until it was too late? Why did I?" She something wet land on her face. A tear? She was sinking further and further into unconsciousness.
"My Sarah," Jareth whispered raggedly, "I love you with all my heart."
As soon as the last syllable was uttered, Sarah felt the fog lift from her mind. She opened her eyes and gaped at Jareth, but he was staring at something else. She looked in the direction he was and realized why. The crown had come off her head, as the pendant had come off his neck. Both floated in the sky above their heads, then came together. Abruptly, a white light filled the area, blinding Jareth and Sarah.
Epilogue:
Jareth grinned at his new wife. They were dancing again, in the large ball room, this time celebrating several things. Their wedding, the end of the Long War, and the coronations of Gavin and Mackery. Mackery's parents had died in one of the battles, and the twins had been destroyed by the light of love. That light had done many amazing things. It had healed everyone who had been poisoned by the griffons, and destroyed all the evil monsters in the area.
He looked over in the direction of Anna, where the ex-fairy godmother was arguing with Myst and Jeffery. Seeing her in her true appearance had been very surprising, considering he had known her since he was a boy, and she had always been a kindly old grandmother type. Now she was young and hardly the grandmother type, though she still rambled. Sarah had ordered her to stay in her true appearance, and though Anna had protested, she, like everyone else eventually, fell to the determined girl's will.
He chuckled again, and looked down at Sarah. She was wearing the dress that she had worn in the fantasy ballroom. It had been her wedding dress. He smiled, wondering what she would think of opening the Labyrinth as a general training ground for young magicians. They were going to divide their time and attention between both kingdoms, and just as she would ask his advice on running hers, he would ask hers on running his. He started to say something, but was interrupted by King Jiggle, on the stage, clearing his throat.
"As you all know, at one point in a rulers time they must go on a quest. There are four rulers here who have not done this yet. I know, it can be any time, but...I have had news on my son's whereabouts," he held up a hand to forestall the immediate reaction this got, "But, I am too old to travel that far, and I do not know the exact location. You four recently worked together well. I am hoping for my sake you will do so again."
The End.
I hope you guys liked reading this half as much as I liked writing it. It always makes me sad when I come to the end of a story. I have plans for a sequel. Anyone interested in reading one? ~Mary Christmas