The next morning when Leila walked into the throne room to report on her progress with the platoon, she was caught of guard by the crystal that was tossed to her. She barely had time to catch it. Looking at it she blinked. She looked back up at Jareth.
"What's this for, My Lord?"
Jareth snorted. "Look in it." Leila noted that he sounded pissed. So with a sigh, she looked into the crystal. What met her eyes made her drop it. She stared at him as it shattered at her feet. Jareth met her gaze. "Mind telling me what that was about?" Leila swallowed. She had no idea that Jareth had been watching her. Usually she could feel his eyes upon her, if he was watching. But the presence of her father must have distracted her to much for her to feel his eyes on her.
"I..." Leila looked away. "My father saw what happened in your room. He came to warn me never to get involved with you, again." Leila held up her hands. As she did, Jareth saw the invisible shackles around her wrists. "I am already bound to someone. My betrayal could cost me my life. I was sent here to try and return this kingdom to it's normal way of life. I tried to warn them that you might take a liking to me. But they wouldn't listen."
Jareth growled. "And who are they?"
Leila looked back at him. "My father and the high council. They have been watching you since Sarah solved the Labyrinth. When she did they felt your power crack and everything started to change. My father sent me to try and revert the changes with my magic, hoping I could balance yours. But it turns out I cant. Though my magic matches yours to an extent, I cannot stop the changes here. I can only try and slow them down, until you change back to your old self."
Jareth got up. "And what concern is it of the councils that I let my land fall to ruin?" He stalked towards her. Leila backed up not wanting to test his temper again.
She swallowed. "I don't know. I was only sent to try and stop the changes."
Jareth smirked, placing his hands on either side of her head. "And what of your husband? What did he have to say about this little adventure, to save my Labyrinth and my city?"
Leila growled. "I could care less. I hate the man. But I had no control over who it was that I was to be bound to. My father made the choice for me."
Jareth leaned closer to her. "And what would your father say if I were to do the things to you that I want to?" Leila shook her head. Jareth reached up gently grabbed her by the chin, holding her head still. "What would he do?"
Leila closed her eyes. "Strip me of my power and what freedom I have left. I would have nothing."
Jareth laughed. "So he would not blame me?"
Leila shook her head slightly. "No. He thinks all women are cheating wenches. He could care less if you raped me. He would still say I cause it."
Jareth let her go. "I should make you leave my land and kingdom. But I see no point. You are to continue your job and that is all. I don't think you can change what has been here all along. No go." Leila stared at him for a few moments. "I said go." Leila did move. Jareth growled. But before he could speak again, Leila's father appeared.
Leila whispered. "Move..it's me he's after." Jareth moved to his right, giving her father a clear view.
Her father spoke. "Come here Leila." Leila walked to her father, keeping her head bowed and eyes to the floor. "Look at me." She looked up, only to have her face slapped hard. "I suggest you get home, now. Your job is finished here."
Leila looked at him wide eyed. "What do you mean?!"
Leila's father growled. "You have told him to much. There is no point in even trying to change this place. We are leaving." Leila backed up. Her father reached out, grasping her arm tightly. "I don't think so daughter. You are coming home, where you belong. You will be lucky if I don't strip you of your powers for not holding your tongue." Leila glanced back at Jareth as they disappeared from sight.
"What's this for, My Lord?"
Jareth snorted. "Look in it." Leila noted that he sounded pissed. So with a sigh, she looked into the crystal. What met her eyes made her drop it. She stared at him as it shattered at her feet. Jareth met her gaze. "Mind telling me what that was about?" Leila swallowed. She had no idea that Jareth had been watching her. Usually she could feel his eyes upon her, if he was watching. But the presence of her father must have distracted her to much for her to feel his eyes on her.
"I..." Leila looked away. "My father saw what happened in your room. He came to warn me never to get involved with you, again." Leila held up her hands. As she did, Jareth saw the invisible shackles around her wrists. "I am already bound to someone. My betrayal could cost me my life. I was sent here to try and return this kingdom to it's normal way of life. I tried to warn them that you might take a liking to me. But they wouldn't listen."
Jareth growled. "And who are they?"
Leila looked back at him. "My father and the high council. They have been watching you since Sarah solved the Labyrinth. When she did they felt your power crack and everything started to change. My father sent me to try and revert the changes with my magic, hoping I could balance yours. But it turns out I cant. Though my magic matches yours to an extent, I cannot stop the changes here. I can only try and slow them down, until you change back to your old self."
Jareth got up. "And what concern is it of the councils that I let my land fall to ruin?" He stalked towards her. Leila backed up not wanting to test his temper again.
She swallowed. "I don't know. I was only sent to try and stop the changes."
Jareth smirked, placing his hands on either side of her head. "And what of your husband? What did he have to say about this little adventure, to save my Labyrinth and my city?"
Leila growled. "I could care less. I hate the man. But I had no control over who it was that I was to be bound to. My father made the choice for me."
Jareth leaned closer to her. "And what would your father say if I were to do the things to you that I want to?" Leila shook her head. Jareth reached up gently grabbed her by the chin, holding her head still. "What would he do?"
Leila closed her eyes. "Strip me of my power and what freedom I have left. I would have nothing."
Jareth laughed. "So he would not blame me?"
Leila shook her head slightly. "No. He thinks all women are cheating wenches. He could care less if you raped me. He would still say I cause it."
Jareth let her go. "I should make you leave my land and kingdom. But I see no point. You are to continue your job and that is all. I don't think you can change what has been here all along. No go." Leila stared at him for a few moments. "I said go." Leila did move. Jareth growled. But before he could speak again, Leila's father appeared.
Leila whispered. "Move..it's me he's after." Jareth moved to his right, giving her father a clear view.
Her father spoke. "Come here Leila." Leila walked to her father, keeping her head bowed and eyes to the floor. "Look at me." She looked up, only to have her face slapped hard. "I suggest you get home, now. Your job is finished here."
Leila looked at him wide eyed. "What do you mean?!"
Leila's father growled. "You have told him to much. There is no point in even trying to change this place. We are leaving." Leila backed up. Her father reached out, grasping her arm tightly. "I don't think so daughter. You are coming home, where you belong. You will be lucky if I don't strip you of your powers for not holding your tongue." Leila glanced back at Jareth as they disappeared from sight.
