Disclaimer: None of this belongs to me. The Labyrinth belongs to the Almighty, Jim Henson. Or
whatever company. Talis belongs to herself, she just visits me to tell me stories.
Rating: PG-13 was a good guess. Language and a lifestyle that some may not agree with.
A/N: Feeling really good about the reviews, I summoned Talis last night to tell me what happened
next. (They characters occasionally let me play God... it amuses them. I know they mock me
behind my back.) I was glad to see that it took the turn it did, I was getting quite depressed. I
don't know how they work around it...well, I'll just let you read, and you'll know what I'm
talking about. Oh, and please R/R. If you don't understand something, I'll explain it the best I
can. I'm afraid to take any of it to Talis, I know better than to question what she says.
~*~
So Cruel
Chapter Two
~*~
Jareth sat on his throne, spinning his crystals. His mind touched briefly on Sarah– if he
were the type for revenge, the situation was perfect. But he had more important things to worry
about. He was awaiting the arrival of his future queen.
A brief movement drew his attention to the balcony. There she stood, in all her red-headed
glory. Her back was to him; he could picture her grey eyes studying the sunset.
On swift but silent feet he approached her, and wrapped a lock of hair around his
forefinger. He rubbed it with his thumb, and chuckled softly. She turned to face him.
"Ah, Talis. You are a most amusing contradiction. Hair as bright as the hottest fire," he paused,
gaze shifting to meet hers, tone changing from complimentary to mocking. He leaned in, his warm
breath brushing her ear. "Eyes as cold as the loneliest night."
When she spoke, her voice matched her appearance; seemingly warm, but laced with ice.
Her tone rivaled the King's in sarcasm. "Greetings, Goblin..." She paused long enough to make
the term insulting, then continued, "King. Your amusement is odd, coming from one of a race that
prides itself on ambiguity."
His tone was amused, but his face was not. "You seem pleased to see me."
"Fool yourself not. You force me into an unwanted marriage. My mother is not pleased."
"I did not assume she would be. Athena does not strike me as the type that would approve. But it
is in your best interests, after all. Bear my heirs, keep your lover." He drew out the last word, then
continued, his voice malicious in its nonchalance. "Your lover would not be accepted elsewhere
anyway. This way, at least, you can keep her." The woman did not respond. "How did your
mother end up with you anyway? You have a lot in common. I don't recall a man in her life,
either."
The woman finally gave some ground to the man's probing. "You know little of my
culture, then. If you had any knowledge, you would realize that stranger things have happened.
How do you suppose my mother come about?"
Jareth grinned mockingly. "Her father swallowed her mother."
"And Hephaestus?"
"That ugly bastard?" Jareth laughed. "Hera probably slept with a ridiculously ugly mortal just to
spite Zeus."
"Hera should strike you down for that."
"But I am not under her jurisdiction."
"I would be grateful of that fact."
"I thank the gods each day." Jareth's sarcastic remark was ignored.
Talis turned away from him, shadows cast on her lovely features. "And how do you fare,
King? Any... heart... troubles?"
Jareth moved to stand beside her at the balcony. "I find it difficult to have troubles with
something that doesn't exist."
The fiery-headed goddess spun towards him, and placed a delicate hand upon his chest.
"Are you so sure?" she asked softly. Had it not been entirely against her character, the King
would have thought it a seduction.
The small hand worked its way to his face, where cool fingers pressed against his temple.
The woman stared into his eyes, until he was forced to look away, to prevent further exposure.
"You still want her." The name was unspoken, but understood.
"I have no desire for her."
"Yet still you crave her." She paused, her fingers still absorbing his thoughts. He jerked away.
"You want her to 'fear you, love you, do as you say...' She seems willing enough. What is the
problem?"
A piece of the man's control broke, and he conjured up a crystal, sending it to shatter
against the wall. "It is too easy. Once it was interesting, a challenge!" He schooled his features,
removing the passion from his tone. "Now, I find myself bored."
"Yet still you are drawn. You claim to have no heart, but I have proved that false. You proclaim
yourself to be cruel, yet you still grant her wishes."
"She is no longer of interest to me."
Had she been the prone to smiling, a relieved grin would have broken the ice of Talis's
features. Perhaps this mortal was the key out of her unwanted marriage. Her voice was softer,
though, when she spoke.
"You have found your soul mate, as I have found mine. Neither of us will be satisfied with any
other, present company included."
"Our kingdom would be the greatest."
"And neither of us would be happy. Go to your mortal for your heirs." She stopped, then added,
as if an afterthought, "There have been stranger pairings."
"She could not prove herself." His words were strong, proud. But his voice willed a different
story be told.
"She could not prove herself... or perhaps you could not prove yourself, Jareth?" The woman was
gone, but her beautiful, mocking laughter echoed throughout the castle.
whatever company. Talis belongs to herself, she just visits me to tell me stories.
Rating: PG-13 was a good guess. Language and a lifestyle that some may not agree with.
A/N: Feeling really good about the reviews, I summoned Talis last night to tell me what happened
next. (They characters occasionally let me play God... it amuses them. I know they mock me
behind my back.) I was glad to see that it took the turn it did, I was getting quite depressed. I
don't know how they work around it...well, I'll just let you read, and you'll know what I'm
talking about. Oh, and please R/R. If you don't understand something, I'll explain it the best I
can. I'm afraid to take any of it to Talis, I know better than to question what she says.
~*~
So Cruel
Chapter Two
~*~
Jareth sat on his throne, spinning his crystals. His mind touched briefly on Sarah– if he
were the type for revenge, the situation was perfect. But he had more important things to worry
about. He was awaiting the arrival of his future queen.
A brief movement drew his attention to the balcony. There she stood, in all her red-headed
glory. Her back was to him; he could picture her grey eyes studying the sunset.
On swift but silent feet he approached her, and wrapped a lock of hair around his
forefinger. He rubbed it with his thumb, and chuckled softly. She turned to face him.
"Ah, Talis. You are a most amusing contradiction. Hair as bright as the hottest fire," he paused,
gaze shifting to meet hers, tone changing from complimentary to mocking. He leaned in, his warm
breath brushing her ear. "Eyes as cold as the loneliest night."
When she spoke, her voice matched her appearance; seemingly warm, but laced with ice.
Her tone rivaled the King's in sarcasm. "Greetings, Goblin..." She paused long enough to make
the term insulting, then continued, "King. Your amusement is odd, coming from one of a race that
prides itself on ambiguity."
His tone was amused, but his face was not. "You seem pleased to see me."
"Fool yourself not. You force me into an unwanted marriage. My mother is not pleased."
"I did not assume she would be. Athena does not strike me as the type that would approve. But it
is in your best interests, after all. Bear my heirs, keep your lover." He drew out the last word, then
continued, his voice malicious in its nonchalance. "Your lover would not be accepted elsewhere
anyway. This way, at least, you can keep her." The woman did not respond. "How did your
mother end up with you anyway? You have a lot in common. I don't recall a man in her life,
either."
The woman finally gave some ground to the man's probing. "You know little of my
culture, then. If you had any knowledge, you would realize that stranger things have happened.
How do you suppose my mother come about?"
Jareth grinned mockingly. "Her father swallowed her mother."
"And Hephaestus?"
"That ugly bastard?" Jareth laughed. "Hera probably slept with a ridiculously ugly mortal just to
spite Zeus."
"Hera should strike you down for that."
"But I am not under her jurisdiction."
"I would be grateful of that fact."
"I thank the gods each day." Jareth's sarcastic remark was ignored.
Talis turned away from him, shadows cast on her lovely features. "And how do you fare,
King? Any... heart... troubles?"
Jareth moved to stand beside her at the balcony. "I find it difficult to have troubles with
something that doesn't exist."
The fiery-headed goddess spun towards him, and placed a delicate hand upon his chest.
"Are you so sure?" she asked softly. Had it not been entirely against her character, the King
would have thought it a seduction.
The small hand worked its way to his face, where cool fingers pressed against his temple.
The woman stared into his eyes, until he was forced to look away, to prevent further exposure.
"You still want her." The name was unspoken, but understood.
"I have no desire for her."
"Yet still you crave her." She paused, her fingers still absorbing his thoughts. He jerked away.
"You want her to 'fear you, love you, do as you say...' She seems willing enough. What is the
problem?"
A piece of the man's control broke, and he conjured up a crystal, sending it to shatter
against the wall. "It is too easy. Once it was interesting, a challenge!" He schooled his features,
removing the passion from his tone. "Now, I find myself bored."
"Yet still you are drawn. You claim to have no heart, but I have proved that false. You proclaim
yourself to be cruel, yet you still grant her wishes."
"She is no longer of interest to me."
Had she been the prone to smiling, a relieved grin would have broken the ice of Talis's
features. Perhaps this mortal was the key out of her unwanted marriage. Her voice was softer,
though, when she spoke.
"You have found your soul mate, as I have found mine. Neither of us will be satisfied with any
other, present company included."
"Our kingdom would be the greatest."
"And neither of us would be happy. Go to your mortal for your heirs." She stopped, then added,
as if an afterthought, "There have been stranger pairings."
"She could not prove herself." His words were strong, proud. But his voice willed a different
story be told.
"She could not prove herself... or perhaps you could not prove yourself, Jareth?" The woman was
gone, but her beautiful, mocking laughter echoed throughout the castle.
