A/N: Sorry it took so long again, too much going on (! Hope you like this
chapter, it's a Jareth chapter!
Disclaimer: I own none of the plot or characters from the Labyrinth, the rest is mine.
Chapter 13: The Brights
Once they had cleared the labyrinth, Jareth and Shayan made excellent time, mostly due to Shayan's insistence that they race along the way. Heavy as his mood had been during the past weeks, he couldn't help but indulge his young friend. The boy brought out the best in him in many ways and tended to ease the pain of his loneliness. He knew the young elf was insightful for his youth, but he had no idea just how insightful he was.
Shayan himself was overjoyed to be riding with King Jareth. The boy idolized Jareth with a fascinated awe of a child looking on a god, but at the same time, he felt as though they were brothers. He was distracted a bit from his reverie, however, by the nagging insistence at the back of his mind that Jareth was keeping something from him. He knew his friend and mentor had been hurt by that mortal girl..what was her name?..and that ever since he had been a different man, but he had thought perhaps the worst had of it had past. Now he was entirely unsure. He knew that this trip to the Court had something to do with that mortal girl, and that Jareth's dreams did play a part in it. This was due not to any sort of extra sensory perception or magic, not at all.
As a child he was taught firmly that the eyes were the window into the soul, and though he had long ago turned his back on his family and his people, the elven farmers of the valley plains, he had taken this one belief as truth. Jareth's case confirmed it. Any idiot that witnessed the distant emptiness in his dual-colored gaze would know he had a broken heart buried under the cold indifferent exterior. Yes, the girl had her part in this, Shayan knew it, and he knew that Jareth knew it, and on top of that he knew that Jareth knew that he knew it..he only wandered if Jareth knew just how big a part she had in his heart. Shayan sensed that he didn't, but he didn't have any idea how to remedy this, and so he spoke nothing of it and instead put all of his effort into drawing his friend's mind to other distractions.
They rode most of the day, down into the wide expanse of the river valley, and stopped to eat only once they had crossed the Great River. By this time it was late afternoon, but Jareth was reluctant to stop for the night, despite Shayan's argument. Fortunately, the disagreement was settled for them when the horses came to a sudden halt in their tracks, nearly throwing their surprised riders from their seats.
"What's this now?" Jareth inquired of no one in particular, "What's gotten into you?" This time he addressed the horse.
"Praise the Fates!" Shayan laughed, throwing his head back and his hands into the air, "The horse had more sense than you, Jareth!" He laughed heartily as Jareth gave him a level stare that, no matter his effort, glittered with mirth.
"Alright, you win," Jareth relented, gracing them with one of his amused smirks that spoke volumes towards his ambiguity, "We'll camp here tonight." Taking a look around, he realized that this really was an ideal site to set up camp. Not far off the road there was a bare patch of flat land just right for two horses, with their riders and a nice-sized campfire to fit comfortably. "Perhaps it was fate, or some such nonsense," he muttered absently as he dismounted and led his horse over to where Shayan was already unloading his own mount.
They laid stakes and tied the horses far enough apart to ensure the mare would not have to fend off the roguish stallion all night long. By the time they had fed and watered them, the sun had set and the cool blues and purples of dusk had set the world into vagueness. Jareth knew there would be little, if any fuel for a fire out here in the open grassland and near impossible to find in the near dark. Well, damn the bylaws, if anyone in this Kingdom gave a damn that he was using his magic, he would deal with them later. He conjured a crystal that burned with an inner luminescence, creating a bubble of brightness in the invading night. Settling the crystal in the center of their makeshift campsite, Jareth looked up to see Shayan squinting into the distance, looking as though he were unsure of what he was seeing there. Curious, he joined him, gazing east into the rapidly thickening blackness and it was then that he realized why Shayan looked so unsure.
"What is it?" asked the young elf. The question hung in the air unanswered, but Jareth had a feeling he knew.
In the distance could be seen a faint, gentle radiance that seemed to shift and dance as it grew and it took Jareth a moment to realize just what it was. He felt the hair on the back of his neck prick up in awe. Could it be? As the dancing luminescence approached at an alarming speed, he realized that it could and was.
"Amazing!" he murmured quietly, earning a quizzical look from Shayan. Jareth quirked a little smile at the boy, ever enjoying the his innocence and naivete before explaining further, "There is only one sort of creature that carries such light," he paused for effect and relishing the ardent fascination that Shayan exuded before finishing, "Unicorns."
Shayan blinked uncomprehendingly before his eyes widened with wonder and he turned back to the approach of what appeared to be (and sounded like) a whole herd of mystical beasts. He had always heard stories of the unicorns, harbingers of light and wells of wild, unattainable magic so pure and unadulterated that it rivaled the intensity of the mortal mind. No one ruled them and they ruled no one. They ran free through the Underground but were rarely seen, and then only one or two at once. But a herd? The very idea seemed impossible. Yet as the two men stood silent witness, the thunder of their hooves shook the very earth.
It wasn't until the throng was nearly upon them that they realized why the herd seemed so large. There were not more than fifteen unicorns (still a grand number, though) and weaving amongst the phosphorescent glow were dark figures, part human, part horse.
"Centaurs?" Shayan murmured this question without expecting an answer, but received one none the less.
"How often do you think this many unicorns come together in a herd?" Jareth inquired rhetorically, "The horse folk worship them as sacred," he looked pointedly at Shayan, who didn't seem to notice, and gestured towards the long, viscous looking spears each of the creatures carried. Across each shoulder was also slung a bow and arrows, no doubt iron tipped, Jareth thought with an involuntary shudder. "They are protecting them. There must be a whole tribe's worth of centaur warriors in there."
As the commingled herd approached, Shayan vaguely wondered whether or not they were to be trampled beneath the pearlescent hooves. But no, he saw the mass of living light veer left, never missing a beat in the steady rhythm of the hoof beats.
At first, Jareth was certain that the herd would by pass them without incident. Of what interest would a fae and an elf be to creatures of such magic? But to his surprise, as the herd passed, the several of the unicorns reared up onto their hind legs, tossing their manes and kicking their alabaster legs as they trumpeted loud greetings in their high, crystalline voices. They passed on then with not so much as a glance back, thundering into the pristine darkness under the moonless sky, their radiant glow dimming with distance, but losing none of its intensity.
Shayan turned his face towards Jareth, his eyes shining and his smooth young features glowing in the crystal's pale glow. "Is that that then?" he asked, voice full of wonder.
Jareth shook his head, as a chill danced up his spine, "Not hardly. Keep your eyes opened, we are being watched." Shayan frowned, but said nothing as he sat down upon his bedding near the crystal and tugged half a loaf of bread from one of his packs. Jareth followed suit and they ate in silence.
It did not take their stalkers long to present themselves. Shayan heard it first, mostly because Jareth had slipped off into the impenetrable veil of his thoughts. One of his elegantly pointed ears pricked at the grinding of pebbles under heavy hooves and he turned, just as three centaurs emerged from the darkness beyond the crystal light.
"Hail Jareth, Fae Prince and Ruler of Those Who Live Within the Shadow of the Castle Beyond the Goblin City," pronounced the first, so formally that Shayan had to bite back a snort. The clear baritone voice led him to assume it was that of a man, but when he looked up at the human half of the body, he discovered just how wrong he was. The centauress was remarkably beautiful, her dark hair flowing over her naked shoulders and framing her cold face. Her eyes, twin black orbs, gleamed fiercely in the crystal's glow and he felt himself shiver at their depth and darkness. Her two companions, who were still partly concealed by shadow, were obviously male, and Shayan found himself wondering just how deep their voices must be if a female's rivaled his own, if more feminine. He also found himself trying to keep his eyes off her anatomy, for she, like her companions, was completely naked except for a sturdy leather strap that secured a quiver to the back of it's wearer, and she was rather amply endowed. If she was embarrassed about her nudity, however, she showed no sign.
At the sound of her voice, Jareth looked up from where he had been gazing into the shimmering crystal as though he had been expecting them and quirked a weary grin. "You forgot 'Lord and Sovereign of the Labyrinth'," he replied casually, standing to meet the three emissaries.
The centauress was expressionless for only a moment before a wild wry smile broke upon her full lips. "Are you?" she countered, her tone full of mystery. Jareth frowned, but said nothing. "I am Ilo and my friends are Aldo and Synto. We come on behalf of the Bright," she continued, and Jareth assumed she meant the unicorns, "to escort you to the High Court."
"Whatever for?" Jareth looked truly perplexed. This was highly unexpected. He had sensed a heaviness in the air that forbore an imminent danger, but what could this mean?
The three stepped slowly into the clearing, defining their features with sharper angles. The two males, who had not spoken thus far, could now be seen. Both were broad shouldered and bare chested, with eyes equally dark and frightening as the females. But still neither spoke. Shayan wondered if perhaps their voices were too low to be heard clearly by the average ear. He could think of no other reason why they would send a female along, and especially why she was the only one speaking.
"The Bright are wise, they look into the past and from there, they come to see the future. We are to protect you and your companions so that you may continue as Ruler of Those Who Live Within the Shadow of the Castle Beyond the Goblin City, and that you may one day come again to be Lord and Sovereign of the Labyrinth." Jareth cocked his head at her as he contemplated her words.
"What companions? I have only my friend Shayan with me," he pointed out, still perplexed.
The centauress shook her head, causing her dark locks to fall over her bust, which caused Shayan to realize he had been staring and his blush was clear, even in the pale glow. "The Bright look into the past and from there, they come to see the future. We will protect your companions until the Sovereign of the Labyrinth is once more within its walls."
Jareth's eyes narrowed a bit. It had not gone unnoticed that she referred to this 'Sovereign' as though it were another, and that she had not said 'Lord and Sovereign' as before. Something nibbled at the base of his mind, telling him that he should be making some kind of connection, but he ignored it, opting instead to delve further.
"Why? What are you to protect us from? I assure you, we are quite capable of defending ourselves. You mean well, I have no doubt, but we do not need your protection."
"Yes, I'm sure they're far more interesting than a fae and an elf," Shayan continued, mirroring Jareth's earlier thoughts, to his distracted amusement.
At this one of the males, Aldo, laughed and spoke something undiscernable in a voice that seemed to vibrate through the earth itself. Synto and Ilo both laughed heartily, and Jareth and Shayan exchanged wry glances, both realizing that they had been the brunt of this joke.
Ilo shook her head again, however, before continuing. "The Bright are wise. We will accompany you until the Sovereign of the Labyrinth is once more within its walls, then we will rejoin our tribe. For tonight, rest. We will go now and hunt and will return at dawn." Without another word, the three centaurs turned and retreated into the darkness. Jareth wondered in passing how they could possibly hunt in the dark, but let it drop.
Shayan turned to Jareth. "What do you suppose this is all about?" he asked, fairly certain that Jareth had no idea either.
Jareth just shook his head and suddenly looked very weary. "I haven't the slightest idea," he replied truthfully, "but whatever is going on, that Ilo girl was quite right. We'll rest for now and try to get more out of them in the morning, if they come back. Besides, if your going to have three centaurs on your heels, you can count yourself lucky if they are on your side. Whatever is going on, just be glad they aren't out to hunt us," he gave Shayan a meaningful look. As they sat on opposite sides of the crystal and prepared to get some rest, Shayan paused thoughtfully.
"I wonder what they meant by 'companions'," he murmured, now weary himself.
Jareth cocked an eyebrow at him. "Who knows?" he replied with a weary smile, "Centaurs have a knack for being ambiguous, so we'd best get used to it." But as he rolled over on his bedding, wincing at the solidity of the ground underneath, the nagging itch at the back of his mind arose once more to plague his sleepy thoughts. It plagued him still as he drifted into the soft, welcoming void of sleep.
A/N: *peers out from under blanket* So, tell me, what do you think, does it suck? Review, please, its fuel for my creative fire!
Disclaimer: I own none of the plot or characters from the Labyrinth, the rest is mine.
Chapter 13: The Brights
Once they had cleared the labyrinth, Jareth and Shayan made excellent time, mostly due to Shayan's insistence that they race along the way. Heavy as his mood had been during the past weeks, he couldn't help but indulge his young friend. The boy brought out the best in him in many ways and tended to ease the pain of his loneliness. He knew the young elf was insightful for his youth, but he had no idea just how insightful he was.
Shayan himself was overjoyed to be riding with King Jareth. The boy idolized Jareth with a fascinated awe of a child looking on a god, but at the same time, he felt as though they were brothers. He was distracted a bit from his reverie, however, by the nagging insistence at the back of his mind that Jareth was keeping something from him. He knew his friend and mentor had been hurt by that mortal girl..what was her name?..and that ever since he had been a different man, but he had thought perhaps the worst had of it had past. Now he was entirely unsure. He knew that this trip to the Court had something to do with that mortal girl, and that Jareth's dreams did play a part in it. This was due not to any sort of extra sensory perception or magic, not at all.
As a child he was taught firmly that the eyes were the window into the soul, and though he had long ago turned his back on his family and his people, the elven farmers of the valley plains, he had taken this one belief as truth. Jareth's case confirmed it. Any idiot that witnessed the distant emptiness in his dual-colored gaze would know he had a broken heart buried under the cold indifferent exterior. Yes, the girl had her part in this, Shayan knew it, and he knew that Jareth knew it, and on top of that he knew that Jareth knew that he knew it..he only wandered if Jareth knew just how big a part she had in his heart. Shayan sensed that he didn't, but he didn't have any idea how to remedy this, and so he spoke nothing of it and instead put all of his effort into drawing his friend's mind to other distractions.
They rode most of the day, down into the wide expanse of the river valley, and stopped to eat only once they had crossed the Great River. By this time it was late afternoon, but Jareth was reluctant to stop for the night, despite Shayan's argument. Fortunately, the disagreement was settled for them when the horses came to a sudden halt in their tracks, nearly throwing their surprised riders from their seats.
"What's this now?" Jareth inquired of no one in particular, "What's gotten into you?" This time he addressed the horse.
"Praise the Fates!" Shayan laughed, throwing his head back and his hands into the air, "The horse had more sense than you, Jareth!" He laughed heartily as Jareth gave him a level stare that, no matter his effort, glittered with mirth.
"Alright, you win," Jareth relented, gracing them with one of his amused smirks that spoke volumes towards his ambiguity, "We'll camp here tonight." Taking a look around, he realized that this really was an ideal site to set up camp. Not far off the road there was a bare patch of flat land just right for two horses, with their riders and a nice-sized campfire to fit comfortably. "Perhaps it was fate, or some such nonsense," he muttered absently as he dismounted and led his horse over to where Shayan was already unloading his own mount.
They laid stakes and tied the horses far enough apart to ensure the mare would not have to fend off the roguish stallion all night long. By the time they had fed and watered them, the sun had set and the cool blues and purples of dusk had set the world into vagueness. Jareth knew there would be little, if any fuel for a fire out here in the open grassland and near impossible to find in the near dark. Well, damn the bylaws, if anyone in this Kingdom gave a damn that he was using his magic, he would deal with them later. He conjured a crystal that burned with an inner luminescence, creating a bubble of brightness in the invading night. Settling the crystal in the center of their makeshift campsite, Jareth looked up to see Shayan squinting into the distance, looking as though he were unsure of what he was seeing there. Curious, he joined him, gazing east into the rapidly thickening blackness and it was then that he realized why Shayan looked so unsure.
"What is it?" asked the young elf. The question hung in the air unanswered, but Jareth had a feeling he knew.
In the distance could be seen a faint, gentle radiance that seemed to shift and dance as it grew and it took Jareth a moment to realize just what it was. He felt the hair on the back of his neck prick up in awe. Could it be? As the dancing luminescence approached at an alarming speed, he realized that it could and was.
"Amazing!" he murmured quietly, earning a quizzical look from Shayan. Jareth quirked a little smile at the boy, ever enjoying the his innocence and naivete before explaining further, "There is only one sort of creature that carries such light," he paused for effect and relishing the ardent fascination that Shayan exuded before finishing, "Unicorns."
Shayan blinked uncomprehendingly before his eyes widened with wonder and he turned back to the approach of what appeared to be (and sounded like) a whole herd of mystical beasts. He had always heard stories of the unicorns, harbingers of light and wells of wild, unattainable magic so pure and unadulterated that it rivaled the intensity of the mortal mind. No one ruled them and they ruled no one. They ran free through the Underground but were rarely seen, and then only one or two at once. But a herd? The very idea seemed impossible. Yet as the two men stood silent witness, the thunder of their hooves shook the very earth.
It wasn't until the throng was nearly upon them that they realized why the herd seemed so large. There were not more than fifteen unicorns (still a grand number, though) and weaving amongst the phosphorescent glow were dark figures, part human, part horse.
"Centaurs?" Shayan murmured this question without expecting an answer, but received one none the less.
"How often do you think this many unicorns come together in a herd?" Jareth inquired rhetorically, "The horse folk worship them as sacred," he looked pointedly at Shayan, who didn't seem to notice, and gestured towards the long, viscous looking spears each of the creatures carried. Across each shoulder was also slung a bow and arrows, no doubt iron tipped, Jareth thought with an involuntary shudder. "They are protecting them. There must be a whole tribe's worth of centaur warriors in there."
As the commingled herd approached, Shayan vaguely wondered whether or not they were to be trampled beneath the pearlescent hooves. But no, he saw the mass of living light veer left, never missing a beat in the steady rhythm of the hoof beats.
At first, Jareth was certain that the herd would by pass them without incident. Of what interest would a fae and an elf be to creatures of such magic? But to his surprise, as the herd passed, the several of the unicorns reared up onto their hind legs, tossing their manes and kicking their alabaster legs as they trumpeted loud greetings in their high, crystalline voices. They passed on then with not so much as a glance back, thundering into the pristine darkness under the moonless sky, their radiant glow dimming with distance, but losing none of its intensity.
Shayan turned his face towards Jareth, his eyes shining and his smooth young features glowing in the crystal's pale glow. "Is that that then?" he asked, voice full of wonder.
Jareth shook his head, as a chill danced up his spine, "Not hardly. Keep your eyes opened, we are being watched." Shayan frowned, but said nothing as he sat down upon his bedding near the crystal and tugged half a loaf of bread from one of his packs. Jareth followed suit and they ate in silence.
It did not take their stalkers long to present themselves. Shayan heard it first, mostly because Jareth had slipped off into the impenetrable veil of his thoughts. One of his elegantly pointed ears pricked at the grinding of pebbles under heavy hooves and he turned, just as three centaurs emerged from the darkness beyond the crystal light.
"Hail Jareth, Fae Prince and Ruler of Those Who Live Within the Shadow of the Castle Beyond the Goblin City," pronounced the first, so formally that Shayan had to bite back a snort. The clear baritone voice led him to assume it was that of a man, but when he looked up at the human half of the body, he discovered just how wrong he was. The centauress was remarkably beautiful, her dark hair flowing over her naked shoulders and framing her cold face. Her eyes, twin black orbs, gleamed fiercely in the crystal's glow and he felt himself shiver at their depth and darkness. Her two companions, who were still partly concealed by shadow, were obviously male, and Shayan found himself wondering just how deep their voices must be if a female's rivaled his own, if more feminine. He also found himself trying to keep his eyes off her anatomy, for she, like her companions, was completely naked except for a sturdy leather strap that secured a quiver to the back of it's wearer, and she was rather amply endowed. If she was embarrassed about her nudity, however, she showed no sign.
At the sound of her voice, Jareth looked up from where he had been gazing into the shimmering crystal as though he had been expecting them and quirked a weary grin. "You forgot 'Lord and Sovereign of the Labyrinth'," he replied casually, standing to meet the three emissaries.
The centauress was expressionless for only a moment before a wild wry smile broke upon her full lips. "Are you?" she countered, her tone full of mystery. Jareth frowned, but said nothing. "I am Ilo and my friends are Aldo and Synto. We come on behalf of the Bright," she continued, and Jareth assumed she meant the unicorns, "to escort you to the High Court."
"Whatever for?" Jareth looked truly perplexed. This was highly unexpected. He had sensed a heaviness in the air that forbore an imminent danger, but what could this mean?
The three stepped slowly into the clearing, defining their features with sharper angles. The two males, who had not spoken thus far, could now be seen. Both were broad shouldered and bare chested, with eyes equally dark and frightening as the females. But still neither spoke. Shayan wondered if perhaps their voices were too low to be heard clearly by the average ear. He could think of no other reason why they would send a female along, and especially why she was the only one speaking.
"The Bright are wise, they look into the past and from there, they come to see the future. We are to protect you and your companions so that you may continue as Ruler of Those Who Live Within the Shadow of the Castle Beyond the Goblin City, and that you may one day come again to be Lord and Sovereign of the Labyrinth." Jareth cocked his head at her as he contemplated her words.
"What companions? I have only my friend Shayan with me," he pointed out, still perplexed.
The centauress shook her head, causing her dark locks to fall over her bust, which caused Shayan to realize he had been staring and his blush was clear, even in the pale glow. "The Bright look into the past and from there, they come to see the future. We will protect your companions until the Sovereign of the Labyrinth is once more within its walls."
Jareth's eyes narrowed a bit. It had not gone unnoticed that she referred to this 'Sovereign' as though it were another, and that she had not said 'Lord and Sovereign' as before. Something nibbled at the base of his mind, telling him that he should be making some kind of connection, but he ignored it, opting instead to delve further.
"Why? What are you to protect us from? I assure you, we are quite capable of defending ourselves. You mean well, I have no doubt, but we do not need your protection."
"Yes, I'm sure they're far more interesting than a fae and an elf," Shayan continued, mirroring Jareth's earlier thoughts, to his distracted amusement.
At this one of the males, Aldo, laughed and spoke something undiscernable in a voice that seemed to vibrate through the earth itself. Synto and Ilo both laughed heartily, and Jareth and Shayan exchanged wry glances, both realizing that they had been the brunt of this joke.
Ilo shook her head again, however, before continuing. "The Bright are wise. We will accompany you until the Sovereign of the Labyrinth is once more within its walls, then we will rejoin our tribe. For tonight, rest. We will go now and hunt and will return at dawn." Without another word, the three centaurs turned and retreated into the darkness. Jareth wondered in passing how they could possibly hunt in the dark, but let it drop.
Shayan turned to Jareth. "What do you suppose this is all about?" he asked, fairly certain that Jareth had no idea either.
Jareth just shook his head and suddenly looked very weary. "I haven't the slightest idea," he replied truthfully, "but whatever is going on, that Ilo girl was quite right. We'll rest for now and try to get more out of them in the morning, if they come back. Besides, if your going to have three centaurs on your heels, you can count yourself lucky if they are on your side. Whatever is going on, just be glad they aren't out to hunt us," he gave Shayan a meaningful look. As they sat on opposite sides of the crystal and prepared to get some rest, Shayan paused thoughtfully.
"I wonder what they meant by 'companions'," he murmured, now weary himself.
Jareth cocked an eyebrow at him. "Who knows?" he replied with a weary smile, "Centaurs have a knack for being ambiguous, so we'd best get used to it." But as he rolled over on his bedding, wincing at the solidity of the ground underneath, the nagging itch at the back of his mind arose once more to plague his sleepy thoughts. It plagued him still as he drifted into the soft, welcoming void of sleep.
A/N: *peers out from under blanket* So, tell me, what do you think, does it suck? Review, please, its fuel for my creative fire!