Title: Shunned
Author: Zenchi
Category: Labyrinth
Rating: Pg13-R
Summary: A child, not quite a girl, but still not a woman, is hated by her father and forgotten by the world. What happens when she receives a birthday gift from her aunt, the gift of a small, leather-bound black book, with the words 'Labyrinth of Logic' printed on its cover?
Authors Note: So, I've had a particularly hard time writing this chapter. I almost have writers block on this one, any suggestions are welcome. Again, I appreciate all reviews.
~Zenchi ~
Disclaimer- I own nothing.
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Constance stood silent and still for several moments, trying to decipher the strange emotions that were coursing through her already frayed mind and tired body. Her thoughts were racing and her heart was pounding, she was quickly retracing every moment she had spent with the cruel yet kind king. An unfamiliar heat spread through her veins as she thought about how it had been to be wrapped in his protective embrace and as she remembered the innocent excitement she had experienced as his breath had gently brushed against her delicate earlobe.
She was still reeling from the encounter, it was something she hadn't been expecting and it was rare for her to be caught off guard like that. He had shown her a part of him she hadn't known existed, even though that kind part was still tainted by his cruel mask. He was definitely not what he seemed, she would enjoy learning his different faces.
She jumped as that thought drifted into her mind without her permission and mentally shook her self. She was allowing herself to develop feelings for this man, no this fey and that was a very dangerous thing to let happen.
This must be part of the role he's supposed to play, she thought quickly, trying to explain why she was allowing herself to fall for his so-called charms. Yet trying to explain it that way only made her insides twist painfully, whatever he was playing at was working.
"There's no room for love in this game." She muttered softly as she began walking once more, but even then she knew she was lying to herself.
As she walked the trees began to thin out, allowing some amount of the evenings light to filter into her ever-changing surrounds. After several minutes of following the path through the forest the trees came to an abrupt stop, it seemed as though someone had drawn a line and the forest dared not to cross it. Beyond that line laid a never ending desert, bright white sand stretched out as far as the eye could see.
She stood at the forests edge for several moments, not daring to cross in the wasteland just yet. The next challenge had to be close by, surely he didn't expect her to venture in to a desert that showed no path and gave her no clues as to which direction she was supposed to travel in. Her heart sped up at the thought of him and she almost became distracted. Almost.
She quickly closed her eyes and forced herself to focus on the task at hand, she couldn't allow him to distract her and make her lose. She slipped back into her cool and indifferent mask and shoved all of her feelings into a box deep inside of her soul. She could analyze all of these new emotions later.
Opening her eyes she turned and saw a free standing door that had definitely not been there before she closed them. It thick and led to nowhere, it was covered in strange carvings of drama masks and had no knob that could be used as a way of opening it.
"Now how do you work?" she whispered as she stepped before it and studied the masks closer.
"We ask you a question and you answer it, not the other way around! You silly, silly child." A bubbling voice sounded close to her right, it was a mask depicting comedy.
"Oh you do, and what might this question be?" she asked the happy mask with a trace of a smile forming on red lips.
"Don't ask her, she knows nothing of this horrid game." Another mask snapped sharply from her upper left.
"Why must you always spoil her fun? Rude bugger." A mask with an emotionless face said from the high right.
"Why must you always fight?!" Another sobbed.
"Oh do stop your whining you blubbering idiot!" an angry voice shouted from among the many faces.
"ENOUGH!" A commanding, matronly voice shouted from the very top of the door frame. The command had been issued from the largest mask of all; it was positioned at the top and in the center of the frame, above all the rest. This was the mask she needed to be talking to.
"What question must I answer?" Constance stated over the din created by the several masks, her question directed at the large, almost mother-like mask.
First the mask arched its wooden eyebrow and looked at her skeptically, after a tense moment in which the mask seemed to be judging her it allowed its features to relax and then it spoke out in its distinctive elderly female voice "What does man love more than life, fear more than death or mortal strife, what the poor have, the rich require, and what contented men desire, what the miser spends and the spendthrift saves, and all men carry to their graves?" Giving Constance a stern look she whispered "Be swift woman, your time is running short and he himself will be coming for you within the hour."
With a deep breath Constance tried to focus herself, she had to win this. Didn't she? She had a life, but how much of a life would she have in this new and frightening place? No one loved her there, only looked after her and allowed her to live in their homes. But here, she may not even have that much.
Oh this is pointless, she thought quickly returning her mind to the matter at hand. Heaving a great sigh she went with her first thought, half hoping it would be correct "Nothing."
The largest mask nodded her wooden head as much as possible and the masked door opened, despite its lack of hinges. Constance's vision was flooded with bright, white light and she almost thought herself to be blind.
Only allowing her eyes to adjust to the new brightness for a moment before wasting no more time and entering the brightly illuminated doorway, she set off to find the her unknown destination. She prayed she could do so quickly and without incident.
The bright light filtered into the white corridor, it was but it wasn't, it surrounded her, it coursed around and through her. It was almost empowering, but it was almost frightening as well. She didn't pause to think of this though, she only continued her walk, she could feel the magic in this place more than in any other and it was unsettling that so much power could be untapped in a world like this. She wanted out.
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Tristram sighed in relief as he watched the girl continue on the right path, he had yet to understand why he found himself so concerned with her welfare but he brushed it off as a simple lust. She was a beautiful little thing.
But why had it felt so right to hold her in his arms? She had been so small and had fit the lines and curves of his body so correctly, it was almost as though she had been molded to fit him and only him.
His train of thought was disturbed as Cadmus stalked into the room and cleared his aging throat, "His majesty, King of the Goblins, High King of the Underground, Jareth." He lazily articulated the sentence and then the older lamian man stepped aside and aloud the regal fey man to enter the room.
Tristram stood as his brother approached his throne with a look of ill- concealed anger masking his beautiful features, with a sigh Tristram spoke "I see your time at the Seelie Court was not well spent."
"They wish to have my transfer to the castle of Irendi postponed while they make further inquiries into my abilities to properly rule a kingdom." Jareth spoke in a heated rush, his words sharp and angry.
"Which means your transfer of the Goblin throne shall also be put on hold." Tristram added after a moments thought, "Have you spoken with Prince Asher of this?" Tristram asked quickly as he thought of the future Goblin King, the young Prince Asher of the Elvin Kingdom.
Asher had asked for the title of Goblin King, thinking it would ready him for his future kingship of his fathers' kingdom. He was the first born of Tristram and Jareths' elder sister Ravinders children, who had four in all.
"No, I have been unable to speak with the young Asher, but I am sure that he has already been informed of this detestable set-back." Jareths upper- lip curled into a sneer as he spoke of having to continue wearing the title of Goblin King.
The position of Goblin King had been used as a proving ground for future High Kings for centuries and while it was a deplorable station it was a step that had to be completely on the path to the ultimate seat of power.
While Jareth had overcome the challenge of ruling the Goblins with an astounding amount of grace he was eager to rid himself of the filthy kingdom and take his rightful place on the High Throne of the underground. His coronation as the High King had been completed a mere forty-eight hours before the 'incident' with the mortal girl Sarah and there had been a great amount of controversy since his defeat which was one of many factors as to why he had yet to transfer his new castle and court.
"Have they set a particular date at which they plan to finish these proceedings?" Tristram asked in tone that obviously showed he was suppressing anger.
"It shall end within two weeks." He sighed dramatically and with a wave of his hand a small, clear crystal appeared "I just hope they finish this without dragging the girl into it."
"You still harbor feelings for this mortal." It wasn't a question, it was a statement spoken out of an understanding.
"I do not know what I harbor for the girl." Jareth murmured as he gazed into the moving image in the crystal, "One moment I hate her for her triumph, the next I feel some indistinguishable emotion."he trailed off as he threw the crystal over his shoulder and into oblivion.
Turning to Tristram, Jareth inclined his head slightly and then asked "Your contestant?"
"She almost didn't escape the Nightmare Forest, I aided her when I discovered that her nightmare was a manticore." Pausing only give a delicate sigh he continued in a much stronger voice "She is in the corridor of light that leads to the heart of my capitol city, soon she shall be upon the castle."
"What is your plan of action?" His elder brother looked upon him with concern for a moment before slipping on a calm mask.
"I do not know, she expects a villain, but she also sees me for myself. She shall have to make the choice." Tristram answered briefly, his eyes taking on an iridescent shade of blue over the gray for a single moment before going back to their shining metallic gray.
"Good luck, brother." Jareth stated with more of a political tone than he had meant too, "I do hope that this goes well for your sake and for our families." With that final statement left hanging in the air Jareth bowed and then blinked out of existence in a shower of glitter.
Tristram sat in silence for many moments before whispering to no one and to everyone at once "As do I."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Thanks for all of your patience, this has been an exceedingly difficult chapter to write. I've tried to eliminate all errors and things of the like. Please Review!
Zenchi
Author: Zenchi
Category: Labyrinth
Rating: Pg13-R
Summary: A child, not quite a girl, but still not a woman, is hated by her father and forgotten by the world. What happens when she receives a birthday gift from her aunt, the gift of a small, leather-bound black book, with the words 'Labyrinth of Logic' printed on its cover?
Authors Note: So, I've had a particularly hard time writing this chapter. I almost have writers block on this one, any suggestions are welcome. Again, I appreciate all reviews.
~Zenchi ~
Disclaimer- I own nothing.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Constance stood silent and still for several moments, trying to decipher the strange emotions that were coursing through her already frayed mind and tired body. Her thoughts were racing and her heart was pounding, she was quickly retracing every moment she had spent with the cruel yet kind king. An unfamiliar heat spread through her veins as she thought about how it had been to be wrapped in his protective embrace and as she remembered the innocent excitement she had experienced as his breath had gently brushed against her delicate earlobe.
She was still reeling from the encounter, it was something she hadn't been expecting and it was rare for her to be caught off guard like that. He had shown her a part of him she hadn't known existed, even though that kind part was still tainted by his cruel mask. He was definitely not what he seemed, she would enjoy learning his different faces.
She jumped as that thought drifted into her mind without her permission and mentally shook her self. She was allowing herself to develop feelings for this man, no this fey and that was a very dangerous thing to let happen.
This must be part of the role he's supposed to play, she thought quickly, trying to explain why she was allowing herself to fall for his so-called charms. Yet trying to explain it that way only made her insides twist painfully, whatever he was playing at was working.
"There's no room for love in this game." She muttered softly as she began walking once more, but even then she knew she was lying to herself.
As she walked the trees began to thin out, allowing some amount of the evenings light to filter into her ever-changing surrounds. After several minutes of following the path through the forest the trees came to an abrupt stop, it seemed as though someone had drawn a line and the forest dared not to cross it. Beyond that line laid a never ending desert, bright white sand stretched out as far as the eye could see.
She stood at the forests edge for several moments, not daring to cross in the wasteland just yet. The next challenge had to be close by, surely he didn't expect her to venture in to a desert that showed no path and gave her no clues as to which direction she was supposed to travel in. Her heart sped up at the thought of him and she almost became distracted. Almost.
She quickly closed her eyes and forced herself to focus on the task at hand, she couldn't allow him to distract her and make her lose. She slipped back into her cool and indifferent mask and shoved all of her feelings into a box deep inside of her soul. She could analyze all of these new emotions later.
Opening her eyes she turned and saw a free standing door that had definitely not been there before she closed them. It thick and led to nowhere, it was covered in strange carvings of drama masks and had no knob that could be used as a way of opening it.
"Now how do you work?" she whispered as she stepped before it and studied the masks closer.
"We ask you a question and you answer it, not the other way around! You silly, silly child." A bubbling voice sounded close to her right, it was a mask depicting comedy.
"Oh you do, and what might this question be?" she asked the happy mask with a trace of a smile forming on red lips.
"Don't ask her, she knows nothing of this horrid game." Another mask snapped sharply from her upper left.
"Why must you always spoil her fun? Rude bugger." A mask with an emotionless face said from the high right.
"Why must you always fight?!" Another sobbed.
"Oh do stop your whining you blubbering idiot!" an angry voice shouted from among the many faces.
"ENOUGH!" A commanding, matronly voice shouted from the very top of the door frame. The command had been issued from the largest mask of all; it was positioned at the top and in the center of the frame, above all the rest. This was the mask she needed to be talking to.
"What question must I answer?" Constance stated over the din created by the several masks, her question directed at the large, almost mother-like mask.
First the mask arched its wooden eyebrow and looked at her skeptically, after a tense moment in which the mask seemed to be judging her it allowed its features to relax and then it spoke out in its distinctive elderly female voice "What does man love more than life, fear more than death or mortal strife, what the poor have, the rich require, and what contented men desire, what the miser spends and the spendthrift saves, and all men carry to their graves?" Giving Constance a stern look she whispered "Be swift woman, your time is running short and he himself will be coming for you within the hour."
With a deep breath Constance tried to focus herself, she had to win this. Didn't she? She had a life, but how much of a life would she have in this new and frightening place? No one loved her there, only looked after her and allowed her to live in their homes. But here, she may not even have that much.
Oh this is pointless, she thought quickly returning her mind to the matter at hand. Heaving a great sigh she went with her first thought, half hoping it would be correct "Nothing."
The largest mask nodded her wooden head as much as possible and the masked door opened, despite its lack of hinges. Constance's vision was flooded with bright, white light and she almost thought herself to be blind.
Only allowing her eyes to adjust to the new brightness for a moment before wasting no more time and entering the brightly illuminated doorway, she set off to find the her unknown destination. She prayed she could do so quickly and without incident.
The bright light filtered into the white corridor, it was but it wasn't, it surrounded her, it coursed around and through her. It was almost empowering, but it was almost frightening as well. She didn't pause to think of this though, she only continued her walk, she could feel the magic in this place more than in any other and it was unsettling that so much power could be untapped in a world like this. She wanted out.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tristram sighed in relief as he watched the girl continue on the right path, he had yet to understand why he found himself so concerned with her welfare but he brushed it off as a simple lust. She was a beautiful little thing.
But why had it felt so right to hold her in his arms? She had been so small and had fit the lines and curves of his body so correctly, it was almost as though she had been molded to fit him and only him.
His train of thought was disturbed as Cadmus stalked into the room and cleared his aging throat, "His majesty, King of the Goblins, High King of the Underground, Jareth." He lazily articulated the sentence and then the older lamian man stepped aside and aloud the regal fey man to enter the room.
Tristram stood as his brother approached his throne with a look of ill- concealed anger masking his beautiful features, with a sigh Tristram spoke "I see your time at the Seelie Court was not well spent."
"They wish to have my transfer to the castle of Irendi postponed while they make further inquiries into my abilities to properly rule a kingdom." Jareth spoke in a heated rush, his words sharp and angry.
"Which means your transfer of the Goblin throne shall also be put on hold." Tristram added after a moments thought, "Have you spoken with Prince Asher of this?" Tristram asked quickly as he thought of the future Goblin King, the young Prince Asher of the Elvin Kingdom.
Asher had asked for the title of Goblin King, thinking it would ready him for his future kingship of his fathers' kingdom. He was the first born of Tristram and Jareths' elder sister Ravinders children, who had four in all.
"No, I have been unable to speak with the young Asher, but I am sure that he has already been informed of this detestable set-back." Jareths upper- lip curled into a sneer as he spoke of having to continue wearing the title of Goblin King.
The position of Goblin King had been used as a proving ground for future High Kings for centuries and while it was a deplorable station it was a step that had to be completely on the path to the ultimate seat of power.
While Jareth had overcome the challenge of ruling the Goblins with an astounding amount of grace he was eager to rid himself of the filthy kingdom and take his rightful place on the High Throne of the underground. His coronation as the High King had been completed a mere forty-eight hours before the 'incident' with the mortal girl Sarah and there had been a great amount of controversy since his defeat which was one of many factors as to why he had yet to transfer his new castle and court.
"Have they set a particular date at which they plan to finish these proceedings?" Tristram asked in tone that obviously showed he was suppressing anger.
"It shall end within two weeks." He sighed dramatically and with a wave of his hand a small, clear crystal appeared "I just hope they finish this without dragging the girl into it."
"You still harbor feelings for this mortal." It wasn't a question, it was a statement spoken out of an understanding.
"I do not know what I harbor for the girl." Jareth murmured as he gazed into the moving image in the crystal, "One moment I hate her for her triumph, the next I feel some indistinguishable emotion."he trailed off as he threw the crystal over his shoulder and into oblivion.
Turning to Tristram, Jareth inclined his head slightly and then asked "Your contestant?"
"She almost didn't escape the Nightmare Forest, I aided her when I discovered that her nightmare was a manticore." Pausing only give a delicate sigh he continued in a much stronger voice "She is in the corridor of light that leads to the heart of my capitol city, soon she shall be upon the castle."
"What is your plan of action?" His elder brother looked upon him with concern for a moment before slipping on a calm mask.
"I do not know, she expects a villain, but she also sees me for myself. She shall have to make the choice." Tristram answered briefly, his eyes taking on an iridescent shade of blue over the gray for a single moment before going back to their shining metallic gray.
"Good luck, brother." Jareth stated with more of a political tone than he had meant too, "I do hope that this goes well for your sake and for our families." With that final statement left hanging in the air Jareth bowed and then blinked out of existence in a shower of glitter.
Tristram sat in silence for many moments before whispering to no one and to everyone at once "As do I."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Thanks for all of your patience, this has been an exceedingly difficult chapter to write. I've tried to eliminate all errors and things of the like. Please Review!
Zenchi