Chapter Seven:

Justin woke Jareth hours later. The King saw the girl curled up against his best warrior. A man

he looked upon as his son, and respected. In a hushed tone Jareth asked if the girl would be

staying with them. Justin answered yes. Jareth smiled at him and Justin knew he had his blessing,

whether he needed it or not. If Jareth wasn't pleased he was already prepared to give up his title

and live as an outcast for the rest of his years. Which would have been a very long time, if not

forever.

"She will make you a good wife. She is strong, passionate, and beautiful. I am happy for you.

Now get some sleep."

"Yes Milord." Justin answered with a smile that did not go unnoticed. And as he curled up on

the ground next to Heather he felt her unconsciously snuggle up next to him. He draped his arm

across her and was soon dreaming. Jareth sat watching the new couple for a while till his thoughts

wondered off to Sarah. What was he going to do with her?

Dawn never came. Time was lost, as the four companions awoke, befuddled as to whether it

was day or night. Together they pushed on, through the twists and turns of the darkened labyrinth.

Sarah was almost no help; her experience through the maze was in daylight. She now, had no idea

where she was, where she was going, or what was happening between Heather and Justin. She

was also surprised at how cold Jareth had been treating her. They had hardly spoken more than a

few words since this terrible journey had started. She wished she knew what was going on.

Heather too, was treating her almost cruelly. Dragging her behind her and never speaking. Sarah

wondered how she knew where she was going in the blackness. Never once did she suspect the

truth. Her childhood innocence still making her take everything at face value, and never searching

for deeper truths.

Jareth was paranoid about his kingdom, and what would happen to him if he really did loose it

forever. His mind was not on Sarah because he had a battle to plan and his realm to regain. He

was playing a dangerous game with a wicked man and couldn't afford to slip up. In Sarah's mind

she fancied he saw her as a tag-a-long, a girl who could ruin everything. The one who was

dragging them in the opposite direction and forcing them to slow down. Which, in fact she was,

but Jareth had never thought of it. She couldn't guess at Heather, but she had pegged Justin as one

of those men who never said anything unless it was absolutely necessary. Preferring silence to

spoken word any day. He seemed to only speak to Jareth or Heather when he did speak. She

wondered what that was all about. And whither Justin and Heather were developing some sort of

relationship behind her back. That wasn't at all like Heather. They had always told each other

everything. Except, Sarah contradicted herself, about the labyrinth. And now, somehow, it

seemed to be more Heather's world than it had ever seemed to be hers. She kept quite and silently

wondered why no one was talking to her.

"Look!" Heather said suddenly. I see light."

"Yes, it's dawn at last." Justin said somberly, sorry to see the cover of darkness finally leaving

them.

"What. I don't see anything?" Sarah asked befuddled. Her weaker sight had not yet picked

up on what the Sidhe could see.

"I noticed it five minuets ago. I was wondering how long till you too saw it. It appears that we

will loose the cover of darkness shortly."

"You mirror my thoughts exactly Milord."

"What!" Sarah shouted. "I don't see anything. It's still as black as midnight."

"Just wait Sarah you will see it soon." Jareth promised her.

Five minuets later she began to notice the gradual change in lighting, as the sun finally came

up in the Underground. They had come close to the castle in the darkness and now in the light of

day it loomed before them in strange solicitude. The last object to conquer.

"You can bet Renan knows we are here now Milord." Justin spoke to his master.

"Why did it get light all of a sudden?" Heather asked.

"It's my labyrinth. It will obey my wishes even though I'm not on the thrown. It responds to

me. I finally got close enough to the castle for it to sense my presence. You see I hardly ever left

the castle so it's the place most used to my presence. As soon as it knew I was here it returned to

its usual habits."

"Oh. I see now. Makes perfect since like that." Heather answered.

"Maybe to you, but I still don't know what the hell's going on. What is going on? I really wish

someone would explain it to me. Why were you able to see the sunrise before me Heather?"

Heather turned her head. She had been trying to prolong this moment until after the battle was

won. She did not expect Sarah to understand. And she had not wanted to tell her she was planning

to stay Underground. Sarah had given up the chance once, and Heather did not figure she would

want to stay now, any more than she had wanted to last time she was here. Justin stepped in

between the two girls, shielding Heather.

"You two can talk about this later. We have more pressing matter at hand." Justin motioned to

the path before them. A troop of rather large goblin looking creatures were coming their way.

"Ogres." Jareth spat. "Renan's called out his troops. We will have to fight our way into the

castle from here on out."

With that said Justin and Jareth pulled their swords, and short one-handed sword magically

appeared in Heather's hands.

"I've been taking fencing lessons for the past eight years." She explained with a smile. "I'm

good."

Justin smiled at her he wasn't expecting that. He was also glad to have another body to fight.

"Sarah you stay back." Jareth commanded. Again she felt like an outsider as she retreated out

of the way.

Justin took one last look at Heather, and black armor appeared on her body with a wink from

the man who put it there. It fit like it was custom made for her, and she smiled as the Ogres

caught up with them. Justin lead the battle taking out three before anyone had time to think. Jareth

executed two more in a flash, and Heather cut down two of her own, as she began to feel like she

was battling for her own world, and not Jareth's.

The orange blood of the Ogres spilled that day. The troop was annihilated in a matter of

minuets. Heather's heart was racing when the first wave was over. She was happy with herself.

She had killed animals before, on hunting trips with her stepfather she didn't see killing a bunch

of Ogres as anything different. Only, it felt better to kill something with an actual cause, and not

just for the love of a sport.

Suddenly the three blood splattered warriors heard a heart wrenching scream come from

behind them. They all turned as one to see Sarah in the clutches of the most wicked looking man;

a dagger poised at her throat drawing blood. Jareth started to move forward.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Renan spoke in a gruff voice filled with loathing. He smiled

a wickedly charming grin as he pushed the dagger harder into the soft skin of Sarah's neck.

He would have been a beautiful man, like most Sidhe, if it wasn't for his demeanor. He was

tall and thin with short spiky maroon hair that stood on end. He was dressed in fine velvety

maroon and black finery, the color of which exactly matched his hair. A black eye patch covered

his left eye, and only served to make him more dashing. Justin chuckled at him.

"I see you never fully recovered from out last encounter Renan. Such a shame. I shall enjoy

blinding you in your other eye this time."

Renan ignored the remark, and spoke directly to Jareth.

"I expected you to come back with an army Jareth. Instead you bring me two foolish girls.

However, this one is quite pretty. I will enjoy our time together." Sarah gasped at his meaning,

and choked a sob. "Shut up." He hissed in her ear.

"Let her go Renan. I swear you won't get away with this."

"You want the girl Jareth? Come get her. If you can." Renan turned to a group of Ogres

standing behind him, and coolly ordered them. "Kill them and bring me their heads when you're

through."

With that said Renan disappeared with Sarah still in his grasp. The Ogres rushed the remaining

three.

"No!" Jareth screamed as the ugly yellow beasts surrounded them. They were horribly

outnumbered, but fought valiantly until they felt their limbs would drop off.

When the battle seemed all but lost a mental voice filled Justin and Jareth's minds ordering

them to shut their eyes. The voice was Heather's and they headed the advice. A blinding flash

followed almost immediately. Knocking the Ogres off guard and blinding them permanently in

the same moment.

"Come on!" She shouted, and the three made a break for the castle.