A/N: The fifth chapter produced without the 'net-there is definitely a
connection here. Well, better get going-13 days takes a lot longer than
you'd think! ;-) Once more, Labyrinth and The Moorchild are not mine-see
another chapter for more complete details. New lyrics!-"Lady '95", also
property of Styx-told you I had more. And now to business...
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"Lady, from the moment I saw you Standing all alone, you gave All the love that I needed- So shy, like a child who had grown."
Chapter Five: "All Alone"
Amber came to the door leading to the second floor-it was wooden, too, and seemed worn with age. Or perhaps use. Keswyin leaned towards Amber's ear, "This's th' second floor-the goblin quata's. If ya ain't spotted one yet, you'll see yer fill here. This's where they live, but 's also a thoroughfare fer gettin' to other parts of the Castle and Labyrinth, so's they c'n work. Ya best stick close, an' I'll get ya through it in no time."
Amber nodded, and motioned for Keswyin to open the door. She looped her arm in Keswyin's, and let her open the door and lead her into a hall-that was teaming with tiny goblins.
Of course, some were tall and some short, but none were as tall as Amber's chest, and the shortest were to midway between her knee and ankle. They varied widely in appearance, but it seemed to be common to all to have a deep green-brown complexion and an annoyed and malicious expression. Amber noticed some were carrying knives and instinctively, her hand went to the hilt of her own, shoved into a makeshift belt that was simply a bit of the fabric of her gown torn from the bottom and tied about her waist.
She clung closer to Keswyin's arm, and Keswyin marched onward through the crowds, sometimes steeping on a goblin or pushing one aside, always heading onward to who-knows-where. The goblins seemed angrier with each passing second, and several yelled out to them in rough voices: "HEY, lady, WATCH it!", "I'm not a steppin' stone, ya know!", "What the hell are ya playin at?!", "YOU IDIOT, DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHO I AM? I COULD HAVE YOU EXECUTED IN A MINUTE!"
The last threat came from one of the shortest goblins-his voice was squeaky, and Amber fought the urge to just laugh and stomp him into a bloody pulp-but she knew that would be cruel ,and cruelty was the last habit she wanted to develop.
They walked on through the crowds for what seemed like forever. Somewhere, a clock struck 4-it was already 4! It seemed only ten seconds ago she was crying outside the third floor and-he had come to comfort her. She could almost still feel Jareth's lips pressed against her cheek and vaguely wished she wasn't in this situation-pressed for time, flowing through the entire Castle with a wary eye and weary body. She wished she could have more time-more time to spend with him.
She was tugged out of this rather pleasant train of thoughts by Keswyin, who had pulled her onto the landing outside the second floor-this was a balcony. There was a set of steps leading off of it and winding down-it was clear these lead to the first floor, and Amber and Keswyin rushed down them in a state of relief. They hurried into the first floor corridor-and found it sparsely populated with goblins and various other creatures, going about their duties in the Castle, and completely undisturbed by the entrance of two strangers into their midst. Both of the weary travelers were glad for this change, and Amber gave Keswyin further instructions, finally, "Okay-I need to get to the Left Wing, then into the Right Room."
Keswyin nodded, "But which is th' righ' room?"
Amber laughed, "Oh, no-that's the name of the room, Keswyin."
Keswyin laughed as well, "Wha' a queer name fer a room."
Amber nodded in agreement, and Keswyin motioned for her to follow as she led her down the corridor. They came through a large foyer-a very lavishly decorated one, for that matter, as well as meticulously clean-and proceeded on into the Left Wing.
"And now... it's the third door on the right." Keswyin muttered.
Amber smiled, "This whole thing reminds me of something I saw in a movie once; 'Two wrongs don't make a right.' 'Yes, but two rights make a u-turn. And two u-turns make a circle, and two circles make a figure eight, and...' It was a hilarious movie, though I can't remember the name now."
"Uh...huh." Keswyin replied. Of course, she had no idea what a movie was, but she remained politely quiet about this fact, and simply led Amber into the Right Room.
Amber gazed around the room for a minute, taking in her surroundings. There were many chairs in this room, mostly big, comfy armchairs. There was a smallish circular table set before a bay window-which led onto a balcony- and this table was set for three, with three ornately carved chairs set around it. There was a huge pile of pillows in one corner, and a few folded blankets next to that. Keswyin had not shut the door-but they now heard it shut behind them.
Amber froze, the sound bringing back memories of their little "adventure" on the third floor. She was about to collapse when a familiar voice whispered in her ear, "It's alright Amber-it was only me."
Jareth walked around in front of them, imperceptibly squeezing Amber's hand fondly as he passed her. He walked to the opposite side of the table, and addressed the pair of them, "Very well, you have made it thus far. Now, since you have a bit of time on your hands and I cannot let you go from this room until the dawn of the Second Day, we may as well rest up a bit. So sit down, first of all. Then we will eat."
Amber blinked a moment, still recovering from the shock of the closed door, and walked feebly to the seat to the left of Jareth's. Keswyin helped her to her seat, and then sat in the third chair at the table. They sat in silence for a moment and Jareth once again attempted to start a conversation, "What would the two of you like to eat?"
Keswyin stood, "I'd like ta be sent on my way, if Lokiinlt be willing...?"
Amber was a bit shocked, "But why?"
Keswyin smiled, "Yer gonna be going through th' Labyrinth, right?"
Amber nodded, and Keswyin proceeded, "I dunno me way 'round in there, so's I'd better be on my way-I have me own business to tend to, besides. I enjoyed helpin' ya."
Amber stood and hugged Keswyin. They pulled apart, and the two clasped hands. Amber spoke in an understanding but sorrowed voice, "Do you want your knife back?-and what about that hickory whistle I was gonna make you?"
Keswyin shook her head, "Rain check. Le's leave a bit a' unfinished business, so's we know we have to see each other again-if only to get it 'complished."
Amber nodded, and the two embraced once more. Then Keswyin popped back to her normal, Folk self and abruptly left the room. Amber turned and smiled at Jareth, "Well, that simplifies things a little-at least I don't have to worry about her safety any more."
Jareth smiled tentatively. He knew that beneath the calm surface was a crying toddler-but Amber had matured so much in the past day alone-he wondered what she would be like when she finished the puzzle-would she end up as cruel as he was? Would her hull become as impenetrable as his, her true self just as buried and muddled with everything else-here, he stopped himself. He realized that was what a teenager was, in essence-someone with an impenetrable hull who had lost a sense of self. He rephrased the question he had asked earlier, "Well then, what would you like to eat?"
"I'm not really hungry. Just worried." Amber replied, swiping at her eyes so as not to let a single tear fall.
"What are you worried about?" Jareth asked concernedly.
"Asher. Can you tell me how she is? What's become of her?"
"No. I'm sorry, but I know no more than you do. She is not my prisoner."
Amber nodded sadly, "Oh. I understand." She once again became quiet and introspective.
Jareth glanced at a wall clock-she noticed it didn't make a sound-and said abruptly, "Six o'clock. Dawn should be around... oh, say... 6 AM, so you have twelve hours now. Do you want to sleep now, and leave after talking tomorrow morning, or talk now and leave after sleeping?"
Amber shrugged, "I guess I'd rather sleep now-to get it out of the way."
Jareth nodded, and gestured vaguely to the pile of pillows in the corner, "Go sleep, then. I'll sit up and wait."
She raised an eyebrow, "And let you watch me? Nuh-uh-too perverted a concept for my liking. Either you leave the room, or you sleep as well."
He sighed, "Well, as leaving the room is quite out of the question, I suppose as perverted as simply watching you would be, I'll have to do the so much more decent and modest thing, and go to sleep as well."
She winked and stood up, walking toward the pillows confidently. Jareth stood slower, following. Shaking his head and smiling faintly, he muttered, "What a mind this girl has, what a mind-to say nothing of her conscience..."
Amber simply lay on the pillows, but Jareth grabbed up a blanket as he walked over, "Don't you get cold when you sleep?"
She smiled vaguely, "Sometimes. But I'm used to being uncomfortably cold-I sleep next to a sliding glass door, rain or shine, winter or summer. Coldness comes with the territory."
He nodded, "Well, tonight you're not going to have to freeze-I won't let you." Amber smiled wider, and he crawled across the pillows to lay beside her, draping half the blanket over her. Jareth turned away from Amber politely, but she snuggled closer. Part of him was telling him to scoot away, or even leave the room-he knew when her quest was over what choices she would make, and didn't want to have to make her choices any more complicated. But another part was urging him to turn over and hold her closer to him, still. He compromised and didn't budge.
:~:*^*:~:
NEXT CHAPTER: YES, WE FINALLY GET MORE INFORMATION ON EXITS-BUT WHO IS TO ACCOMPANY AMBER THROUGH THE DANGEROUS LABYRINTH NOW THAT KESWYIN IS GONE? AND WHY WILL NEITHER AMBER NOR JARETH ADMIT THE OBVIOUS TO THE OTHER? WILL THEY EVER DECIDE TO BEND THE RULES? I CAN'T TELL YOU! WANNA KNOW MORE? THEN READ THE NEXT CHAPTER, AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!!
:~:*^*:~:~~~~~~~~~~:~:*^*:~:~~~~~~~~~~:~:*^*:~:
"Lady, from the moment I saw you Standing all alone, you gave All the love that I needed- So shy, like a child who had grown."
Chapter Five: "All Alone"
Amber came to the door leading to the second floor-it was wooden, too, and seemed worn with age. Or perhaps use. Keswyin leaned towards Amber's ear, "This's th' second floor-the goblin quata's. If ya ain't spotted one yet, you'll see yer fill here. This's where they live, but 's also a thoroughfare fer gettin' to other parts of the Castle and Labyrinth, so's they c'n work. Ya best stick close, an' I'll get ya through it in no time."
Amber nodded, and motioned for Keswyin to open the door. She looped her arm in Keswyin's, and let her open the door and lead her into a hall-that was teaming with tiny goblins.
Of course, some were tall and some short, but none were as tall as Amber's chest, and the shortest were to midway between her knee and ankle. They varied widely in appearance, but it seemed to be common to all to have a deep green-brown complexion and an annoyed and malicious expression. Amber noticed some were carrying knives and instinctively, her hand went to the hilt of her own, shoved into a makeshift belt that was simply a bit of the fabric of her gown torn from the bottom and tied about her waist.
She clung closer to Keswyin's arm, and Keswyin marched onward through the crowds, sometimes steeping on a goblin or pushing one aside, always heading onward to who-knows-where. The goblins seemed angrier with each passing second, and several yelled out to them in rough voices: "HEY, lady, WATCH it!", "I'm not a steppin' stone, ya know!", "What the hell are ya playin at?!", "YOU IDIOT, DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHO I AM? I COULD HAVE YOU EXECUTED IN A MINUTE!"
The last threat came from one of the shortest goblins-his voice was squeaky, and Amber fought the urge to just laugh and stomp him into a bloody pulp-but she knew that would be cruel ,and cruelty was the last habit she wanted to develop.
They walked on through the crowds for what seemed like forever. Somewhere, a clock struck 4-it was already 4! It seemed only ten seconds ago she was crying outside the third floor and-he had come to comfort her. She could almost still feel Jareth's lips pressed against her cheek and vaguely wished she wasn't in this situation-pressed for time, flowing through the entire Castle with a wary eye and weary body. She wished she could have more time-more time to spend with him.
She was tugged out of this rather pleasant train of thoughts by Keswyin, who had pulled her onto the landing outside the second floor-this was a balcony. There was a set of steps leading off of it and winding down-it was clear these lead to the first floor, and Amber and Keswyin rushed down them in a state of relief. They hurried into the first floor corridor-and found it sparsely populated with goblins and various other creatures, going about their duties in the Castle, and completely undisturbed by the entrance of two strangers into their midst. Both of the weary travelers were glad for this change, and Amber gave Keswyin further instructions, finally, "Okay-I need to get to the Left Wing, then into the Right Room."
Keswyin nodded, "But which is th' righ' room?"
Amber laughed, "Oh, no-that's the name of the room, Keswyin."
Keswyin laughed as well, "Wha' a queer name fer a room."
Amber nodded in agreement, and Keswyin motioned for her to follow as she led her down the corridor. They came through a large foyer-a very lavishly decorated one, for that matter, as well as meticulously clean-and proceeded on into the Left Wing.
"And now... it's the third door on the right." Keswyin muttered.
Amber smiled, "This whole thing reminds me of something I saw in a movie once; 'Two wrongs don't make a right.' 'Yes, but two rights make a u-turn. And two u-turns make a circle, and two circles make a figure eight, and...' It was a hilarious movie, though I can't remember the name now."
"Uh...huh." Keswyin replied. Of course, she had no idea what a movie was, but she remained politely quiet about this fact, and simply led Amber into the Right Room.
Amber gazed around the room for a minute, taking in her surroundings. There were many chairs in this room, mostly big, comfy armchairs. There was a smallish circular table set before a bay window-which led onto a balcony- and this table was set for three, with three ornately carved chairs set around it. There was a huge pile of pillows in one corner, and a few folded blankets next to that. Keswyin had not shut the door-but they now heard it shut behind them.
Amber froze, the sound bringing back memories of their little "adventure" on the third floor. She was about to collapse when a familiar voice whispered in her ear, "It's alright Amber-it was only me."
Jareth walked around in front of them, imperceptibly squeezing Amber's hand fondly as he passed her. He walked to the opposite side of the table, and addressed the pair of them, "Very well, you have made it thus far. Now, since you have a bit of time on your hands and I cannot let you go from this room until the dawn of the Second Day, we may as well rest up a bit. So sit down, first of all. Then we will eat."
Amber blinked a moment, still recovering from the shock of the closed door, and walked feebly to the seat to the left of Jareth's. Keswyin helped her to her seat, and then sat in the third chair at the table. They sat in silence for a moment and Jareth once again attempted to start a conversation, "What would the two of you like to eat?"
Keswyin stood, "I'd like ta be sent on my way, if Lokiinlt be willing...?"
Amber was a bit shocked, "But why?"
Keswyin smiled, "Yer gonna be going through th' Labyrinth, right?"
Amber nodded, and Keswyin proceeded, "I dunno me way 'round in there, so's I'd better be on my way-I have me own business to tend to, besides. I enjoyed helpin' ya."
Amber stood and hugged Keswyin. They pulled apart, and the two clasped hands. Amber spoke in an understanding but sorrowed voice, "Do you want your knife back?-and what about that hickory whistle I was gonna make you?"
Keswyin shook her head, "Rain check. Le's leave a bit a' unfinished business, so's we know we have to see each other again-if only to get it 'complished."
Amber nodded, and the two embraced once more. Then Keswyin popped back to her normal, Folk self and abruptly left the room. Amber turned and smiled at Jareth, "Well, that simplifies things a little-at least I don't have to worry about her safety any more."
Jareth smiled tentatively. He knew that beneath the calm surface was a crying toddler-but Amber had matured so much in the past day alone-he wondered what she would be like when she finished the puzzle-would she end up as cruel as he was? Would her hull become as impenetrable as his, her true self just as buried and muddled with everything else-here, he stopped himself. He realized that was what a teenager was, in essence-someone with an impenetrable hull who had lost a sense of self. He rephrased the question he had asked earlier, "Well then, what would you like to eat?"
"I'm not really hungry. Just worried." Amber replied, swiping at her eyes so as not to let a single tear fall.
"What are you worried about?" Jareth asked concernedly.
"Asher. Can you tell me how she is? What's become of her?"
"No. I'm sorry, but I know no more than you do. She is not my prisoner."
Amber nodded sadly, "Oh. I understand." She once again became quiet and introspective.
Jareth glanced at a wall clock-she noticed it didn't make a sound-and said abruptly, "Six o'clock. Dawn should be around... oh, say... 6 AM, so you have twelve hours now. Do you want to sleep now, and leave after talking tomorrow morning, or talk now and leave after sleeping?"
Amber shrugged, "I guess I'd rather sleep now-to get it out of the way."
Jareth nodded, and gestured vaguely to the pile of pillows in the corner, "Go sleep, then. I'll sit up and wait."
She raised an eyebrow, "And let you watch me? Nuh-uh-too perverted a concept for my liking. Either you leave the room, or you sleep as well."
He sighed, "Well, as leaving the room is quite out of the question, I suppose as perverted as simply watching you would be, I'll have to do the so much more decent and modest thing, and go to sleep as well."
She winked and stood up, walking toward the pillows confidently. Jareth stood slower, following. Shaking his head and smiling faintly, he muttered, "What a mind this girl has, what a mind-to say nothing of her conscience..."
Amber simply lay on the pillows, but Jareth grabbed up a blanket as he walked over, "Don't you get cold when you sleep?"
She smiled vaguely, "Sometimes. But I'm used to being uncomfortably cold-I sleep next to a sliding glass door, rain or shine, winter or summer. Coldness comes with the territory."
He nodded, "Well, tonight you're not going to have to freeze-I won't let you." Amber smiled wider, and he crawled across the pillows to lay beside her, draping half the blanket over her. Jareth turned away from Amber politely, but she snuggled closer. Part of him was telling him to scoot away, or even leave the room-he knew when her quest was over what choices she would make, and didn't want to have to make her choices any more complicated. But another part was urging him to turn over and hold her closer to him, still. He compromised and didn't budge.
:~:*^*:~:
NEXT CHAPTER: YES, WE FINALLY GET MORE INFORMATION ON EXITS-BUT WHO IS TO ACCOMPANY AMBER THROUGH THE DANGEROUS LABYRINTH NOW THAT KESWYIN IS GONE? AND WHY WILL NEITHER AMBER NOR JARETH ADMIT THE OBVIOUS TO THE OTHER? WILL THEY EVER DECIDE TO BEND THE RULES? I CAN'T TELL YOU! WANNA KNOW MORE? THEN READ THE NEXT CHAPTER, AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!!