Disclaimer: Yadda yadda the Labyrinth and its characters aren't mine,
and I'm bored with disclaimers. Last one ok?
Chapter 4: Return to the Underground
A loud crash of thunder startled both women. Elaine looked over towards the boys, but the boys' attention was elsewhere.
"What on earth?" Elaine managed.
"What there's nothing there..." Sarah stopped short.
"Really, Sarah, you leave the Labyrinth shattered in your wake forcing me to put it all in order again then have the gall to deny my existence at all, and now I'm 'nothing there'?"
"Sarah, who is he and how does he know your name?" Elaine asked with worry.
"He must be the Goblin King," Daire said standing up from where he'd been lying on the floor. "You called him, Miss Elaine..."
"So this is Jareth," Darien said standing beside his brother.
Jareth took a step back to regard the boys. "Well, you're all considerably older than most of my charges, but a wish is a wish..."
"No!" Sarah cried pulling her sons to her side. "You'll never get my boys!"
If Jareth had thought her defiant over her brother, nothing could have prepared him for the utter defiance of Sarah the mother!
"You seem to misunderstand the rules here Sarah. Your friend didn't wish your boys away. She wished you all away..."
"What are you getting at Goblin King?"
"That means, Sarah, that you and your friend are mine now as well," Jareth emphasized his ownership with an arrogant smirk.
"Then Miss Elaine is running the Labyrinth?" Daire asked.
"That would be rather difficult since she wished herself away as well. However, I no longer allow mortals to run through my Labyrinth."
"What?" Daire asked in confusion. "Why?"
"Because the Labyrinth has become too dangerous to be run. It would be a pathetic waste of mortals."
"But it was just a dream!"
"I am heartily SICK of hearing you say that!" Jareth half growled. "But enough chitchat. I haven't got all day to argue with mortals."
Sarah, Elaine and the boys glanced around and suddenly noticed they were no longer standing in Auntie Cat's living room. They were standing in Jareth's throne room. The king's voice brought them back to reality.
"DAMIEN!" Jareth bellowed.
"Your Majesty," the elf answered having been waiting just around the corner.
"Find some place to keep these mortals!"
"Yes, Highness..." The elf turned the four humans. "This way..."
As they left the throne room, Daire tugged on Damien's sleeve. "Where are all the goblins?"
"What do you mean?" the elf asked in surprise. Humans usually did not ask because they didn't expect the goblins in the castle.
"Mom said when she was searching for my Uncle Toby the castle was littered with goblins."
Damien took a second look at the dark haired woman who held the boys' hands. "You've been here before?"
"Yes, I won my brother back thirteen years ago."
"Sarah Williams?" Damien stopped dead in his tracks.
"Yes, why do you ask?"
Damien was about to answer until something stopped him. "It's just that no one has ever returned to the Labyrinth. That's all..."
Sarah suspected that wasn't the whole truth, but she also got the impression to let it lie.
Damien was taking them deep into the castle, which was a Labyrinth within itself. Stopping, he indicated each door as he said their names, and their names appeared in gold lettering.
"Lady Sarah, Lady Elaine, and my lords Daire and Darien..."
Sarah was happy her sons would be together, but she was less than pleased at how far away their room was from her own. She had to protect them from Jareth!
Jareth sat on his throne fuming. The last time the mortal had been here, she'd torn his kingdom apart! But the wheels had turned now. She belonged to him! Only one problem remained. Since she'd been wished away, he'd be obligated to find someone to take her in. Since she was a grown woman and a human, it would be quite a task. On the other hand, her sons would be no problem. Twins were so rare in the Underground since most Faye had trouble conceiving at all. There would be no question of separating them. He had often wondered how humans could separate twins so easily. In the Underground the connection between twins was deeply respected, but it was still evident in the Aboveworld. The uneducated friend would remain as was the fate of all wishers these days. A malicious grin spread across his features. Sarah's friend was unbroken...
"Your Majesty."
Jareth snapped out of his thoughts. "What Damien!"
"The human is here for the second time..."
"What of it?"
"Sire, the Aurelis..."
"You would dare mention that in my presence!" Jareth bellowed.
"Your Majesty, if Lady Sarah is the returning wonder, you must be careful..."
"That woman could never be a wonder!" Jareth nearly roared. "The last time she was here she almost totally destroyed the Labyrinth!"
"She was given much power, Sire... That is different now..."
There was not a soul left in the Underground who would dare so much, and perhaps that is why Jareth permitted it.
"I fully intend to attempt to get rid of her, Damien!"
"Sire, you know there is but one reason a Faye would accept a human woman as a servant..." Damien hoped he could talk Jareth out of it.
"I know that very well, Damien! Fitting retribution I would say."
"Sire, her children..."
"They are to be adopted away as well. They're a bit older than most of the children I adopt out, but they should be fairly easy to give away."
"Indeed, they look almost Faye, but the mortal will resist..."
"And I should care?" Jareth asked arching an eyebrow slightly. Damien knew when a subject was being closed to him. He could only hope he still held enough sway with Jareth to talk him out of his present course. He was sure Sarah met the requirements of the Aurelis. If anyone had the power to destroy the Labyrinth and its King, it was very likely one who had come near to destroying it already. While she had only broken the magic of the Labyrinth for a time, what would she do when Jareth took her boys?
"Damien?"
Damien whirled around his mind coming quickly out of his haze of thoughts. When he saw who it was he sighed.
"Destiny, you know you risk your safety in coming out of your chambers..."
"Safety? The others wanted me to come and get an idea of the King's mood." Her eyes fixed on the floor. "Many of us pray for death... A part of me hopes he will find I've come out of my chambers."
"Destiny, you mustn't say such things!"
"And why not, Damien? I exist now to pleasure the King and endure pain. Who would want to continue such a miserable existence?"
"Keep up hope, Destiny..."
"Oh, Damien... will there ever be a chance..."
"Don't even speak it, Destiny," Damien said cutting her off quickly. "I pray there may yet be hope for Jareth. We must be patient..."
Destiny sighed. "What is his mood tonight?"
"He is hard to determine today... But his mood can turn black quickly in his present state..." Damien's demeanor softened for a moment. His strong yet slender fingers ran over her cheek and through her sun-streaked auburn hair. "He hurt you last night didn't he?"
Destiny's form trembled as she fought back the tears that threatened to fall. "How could anyone be so cruel?" she whispered.
"You must have hope, Destiny..." "In this world hope is hard." Destiny sighed softly. "I will warn the girls." Damien watched her go. Destiny had been so spirited when she had ventured into the Labyrinth. Now she was cynical for Jareth had eventually broken her fiery spirit. Still she was braver than the rest of the Terrified Ones. The rest of the girls now looked up to her.
Later that evening after serving the King his dinner, Damien passed Sarah's room.
"Damien?" "Yes, Lady Sarah?" He wondered briefly why she was out of her room then noticed that she'd been coming from the direction of her sons' room. "Damien, how are my friends: Ludo, Sir Didymus, and especially Hoggle? They stopped answering me not too long after my dr... I mean quest." "They are reportedly fine, Lady Sarah. They probably stopped answering you because their movement privileges were curtailed." "What do you mean?" Sarah asked with an edge of worry. "I mean that Ludo is now trapped permanently in the Hedge Maze, Sir Didymus will never leave the Bog Bridge without the King's permission, and Hoggle is restricted to the outer limits of the Labyrinth." "All because they helped me?" Sarah asked dejectedly. "They disobeyed their King, Lady Sarah. That could not go unpunished." "I want to see my friends," Sarah said softly. "I'm afraid that would be impossible, Lady Sarah." "Damien, why do you call me Lady? If I am merely a possession, why hold any respect for me?" "Because, Lady Sarah..." "Damien..." a voice warned in a threatening tone. "I can say no more, Lady Sarah." With that the elf was quickly on his way. Sarah was left bewildered by his actions while Jareth growled from his room. How did that woman manage to befriend his subjects so easily? She'd beaten his Labyrinth through the help of friends. His breath came out in a hiss of annoyance. He would indulge himself tonight to ignore the presence of the mortal...
Chapter 4: Return to the Underground
A loud crash of thunder startled both women. Elaine looked over towards the boys, but the boys' attention was elsewhere.
"What on earth?" Elaine managed.
"What there's nothing there..." Sarah stopped short.
"Really, Sarah, you leave the Labyrinth shattered in your wake forcing me to put it all in order again then have the gall to deny my existence at all, and now I'm 'nothing there'?"
"Sarah, who is he and how does he know your name?" Elaine asked with worry.
"He must be the Goblin King," Daire said standing up from where he'd been lying on the floor. "You called him, Miss Elaine..."
"So this is Jareth," Darien said standing beside his brother.
Jareth took a step back to regard the boys. "Well, you're all considerably older than most of my charges, but a wish is a wish..."
"No!" Sarah cried pulling her sons to her side. "You'll never get my boys!"
If Jareth had thought her defiant over her brother, nothing could have prepared him for the utter defiance of Sarah the mother!
"You seem to misunderstand the rules here Sarah. Your friend didn't wish your boys away. She wished you all away..."
"What are you getting at Goblin King?"
"That means, Sarah, that you and your friend are mine now as well," Jareth emphasized his ownership with an arrogant smirk.
"Then Miss Elaine is running the Labyrinth?" Daire asked.
"That would be rather difficult since she wished herself away as well. However, I no longer allow mortals to run through my Labyrinth."
"What?" Daire asked in confusion. "Why?"
"Because the Labyrinth has become too dangerous to be run. It would be a pathetic waste of mortals."
"But it was just a dream!"
"I am heartily SICK of hearing you say that!" Jareth half growled. "But enough chitchat. I haven't got all day to argue with mortals."
Sarah, Elaine and the boys glanced around and suddenly noticed they were no longer standing in Auntie Cat's living room. They were standing in Jareth's throne room. The king's voice brought them back to reality.
"DAMIEN!" Jareth bellowed.
"Your Majesty," the elf answered having been waiting just around the corner.
"Find some place to keep these mortals!"
"Yes, Highness..." The elf turned the four humans. "This way..."
As they left the throne room, Daire tugged on Damien's sleeve. "Where are all the goblins?"
"What do you mean?" the elf asked in surprise. Humans usually did not ask because they didn't expect the goblins in the castle.
"Mom said when she was searching for my Uncle Toby the castle was littered with goblins."
Damien took a second look at the dark haired woman who held the boys' hands. "You've been here before?"
"Yes, I won my brother back thirteen years ago."
"Sarah Williams?" Damien stopped dead in his tracks.
"Yes, why do you ask?"
Damien was about to answer until something stopped him. "It's just that no one has ever returned to the Labyrinth. That's all..."
Sarah suspected that wasn't the whole truth, but she also got the impression to let it lie.
Damien was taking them deep into the castle, which was a Labyrinth within itself. Stopping, he indicated each door as he said their names, and their names appeared in gold lettering.
"Lady Sarah, Lady Elaine, and my lords Daire and Darien..."
Sarah was happy her sons would be together, but she was less than pleased at how far away their room was from her own. She had to protect them from Jareth!
Jareth sat on his throne fuming. The last time the mortal had been here, she'd torn his kingdom apart! But the wheels had turned now. She belonged to him! Only one problem remained. Since she'd been wished away, he'd be obligated to find someone to take her in. Since she was a grown woman and a human, it would be quite a task. On the other hand, her sons would be no problem. Twins were so rare in the Underground since most Faye had trouble conceiving at all. There would be no question of separating them. He had often wondered how humans could separate twins so easily. In the Underground the connection between twins was deeply respected, but it was still evident in the Aboveworld. The uneducated friend would remain as was the fate of all wishers these days. A malicious grin spread across his features. Sarah's friend was unbroken...
"Your Majesty."
Jareth snapped out of his thoughts. "What Damien!"
"The human is here for the second time..."
"What of it?"
"Sire, the Aurelis..."
"You would dare mention that in my presence!" Jareth bellowed.
"Your Majesty, if Lady Sarah is the returning wonder, you must be careful..."
"That woman could never be a wonder!" Jareth nearly roared. "The last time she was here she almost totally destroyed the Labyrinth!"
"She was given much power, Sire... That is different now..."
There was not a soul left in the Underground who would dare so much, and perhaps that is why Jareth permitted it.
"I fully intend to attempt to get rid of her, Damien!"
"Sire, you know there is but one reason a Faye would accept a human woman as a servant..." Damien hoped he could talk Jareth out of it.
"I know that very well, Damien! Fitting retribution I would say."
"Sire, her children..."
"They are to be adopted away as well. They're a bit older than most of the children I adopt out, but they should be fairly easy to give away."
"Indeed, they look almost Faye, but the mortal will resist..."
"And I should care?" Jareth asked arching an eyebrow slightly. Damien knew when a subject was being closed to him. He could only hope he still held enough sway with Jareth to talk him out of his present course. He was sure Sarah met the requirements of the Aurelis. If anyone had the power to destroy the Labyrinth and its King, it was very likely one who had come near to destroying it already. While she had only broken the magic of the Labyrinth for a time, what would she do when Jareth took her boys?
"Damien?"
Damien whirled around his mind coming quickly out of his haze of thoughts. When he saw who it was he sighed.
"Destiny, you know you risk your safety in coming out of your chambers..."
"Safety? The others wanted me to come and get an idea of the King's mood." Her eyes fixed on the floor. "Many of us pray for death... A part of me hopes he will find I've come out of my chambers."
"Destiny, you mustn't say such things!"
"And why not, Damien? I exist now to pleasure the King and endure pain. Who would want to continue such a miserable existence?"
"Keep up hope, Destiny..."
"Oh, Damien... will there ever be a chance..."
"Don't even speak it, Destiny," Damien said cutting her off quickly. "I pray there may yet be hope for Jareth. We must be patient..."
Destiny sighed. "What is his mood tonight?"
"He is hard to determine today... But his mood can turn black quickly in his present state..." Damien's demeanor softened for a moment. His strong yet slender fingers ran over her cheek and through her sun-streaked auburn hair. "He hurt you last night didn't he?"
Destiny's form trembled as she fought back the tears that threatened to fall. "How could anyone be so cruel?" she whispered.
"You must have hope, Destiny..." "In this world hope is hard." Destiny sighed softly. "I will warn the girls." Damien watched her go. Destiny had been so spirited when she had ventured into the Labyrinth. Now she was cynical for Jareth had eventually broken her fiery spirit. Still she was braver than the rest of the Terrified Ones. The rest of the girls now looked up to her.
Later that evening after serving the King his dinner, Damien passed Sarah's room.
"Damien?" "Yes, Lady Sarah?" He wondered briefly why she was out of her room then noticed that she'd been coming from the direction of her sons' room. "Damien, how are my friends: Ludo, Sir Didymus, and especially Hoggle? They stopped answering me not too long after my dr... I mean quest." "They are reportedly fine, Lady Sarah. They probably stopped answering you because their movement privileges were curtailed." "What do you mean?" Sarah asked with an edge of worry. "I mean that Ludo is now trapped permanently in the Hedge Maze, Sir Didymus will never leave the Bog Bridge without the King's permission, and Hoggle is restricted to the outer limits of the Labyrinth." "All because they helped me?" Sarah asked dejectedly. "They disobeyed their King, Lady Sarah. That could not go unpunished." "I want to see my friends," Sarah said softly. "I'm afraid that would be impossible, Lady Sarah." "Damien, why do you call me Lady? If I am merely a possession, why hold any respect for me?" "Because, Lady Sarah..." "Damien..." a voice warned in a threatening tone. "I can say no more, Lady Sarah." With that the elf was quickly on his way. Sarah was left bewildered by his actions while Jareth growled from his room. How did that woman manage to befriend his subjects so easily? She'd beaten his Labyrinth through the help of friends. His breath came out in a hiss of annoyance. He would indulge himself tonight to ignore the presence of the mortal...