A/N: Well, here's the next chapter…don't shoot me, k?

Chapter 24

The Tangled Webs of Destiny

It was rather difficult for Sarah to concentrate on anything. The crash of stone had startled her, and when she was thrown to the ground she was utterly confused. A sharp pain in her side made her double over and she could taste blood in her mouth. The whole castle wobbled before her eyes and she wondered if it was she, or in fact the castle moving. Trying to stand, the pain in her side was so immense she fell to a heap, heaving. Was this how she was meant to die? She never thought it could be so, but the walls were collapsing around her, the rocks were crashing upon her and it seemed that perhaps she would die here. All she could do was stare at Jareth. Would she see him again? She hoped so, and under better circumstances. Her chest ached at the thought of not being near him, and she held her side tightly and prepared for the last stone to fall, literally.

Abruptly she was pulled from her position, like being tethered to a string through her stomach. She followed the lead and gave a small gasp as another tug pulled her far away. Her body was spinning towards something, she did not know where she was going, or even what was going on, and the world was just a blur of colors that swirled dizzyingly around her. It stopped suddenly and she found her self lying on a cold floor. Her knotted stomach released the contents of her brunch on the marbled tile beneath her and she back away rapidly, cringing as her side ached. A fluty laugh, echoed by a much darker one attracted her attention, and still on the floor she lifted her head to find the source.

Before her stood Temnestra, but not Temnestra alone; a doppelganger followed a step behind, a second slower in motions than the true Temnestra. And though Temnestra's eyes never looked anything but cruel, the doppelganger's eyes shone the obsidian black of the curse. Instead of Temnestra's blonde hair, the echo had black. Together they circled her and Sarah felt very afraid, more afraid than before, for now she had no protection at all, and she was injured.

Temnestra grinned and the doppelganger mimicked the cruel gesture. "Very nice to see you again," Temnestra said lightly as the curse's multi range voice echoed, "again," a split second later. Sarah tried to sit up straight, but her side prevented her from accomplishing it, and Temnestra laughed, bending down low to peer into Sarah's eyes. "Hurt my dear?" "My dear?" she asked pulling Sarah's hair away from her face. They laughed as Sarah shook her head and backed a few feet away from them.

"Where am I?" Sarah asked noting the elaborate decorations of this room. The walls were a superior white, the floors were shining marble, and there were pillars in each corner. A mahogany desk rested against a wall and there was a fireplace, bookshelves, but nothing else to give her any clue as to where she was. Temnestra pointedly ignored her question and began circling again, getting ever closer with each pass. With a shuddered breath, Sarah tried a different approach, "Why are you doing this?"

Temnestra paused, but the curse continued a few feet before reluctantly stopping. With icy cold hands, Temnestra gripped Sarah's chin, fingers digging into her skin and causing her to flinch. "What do you know of anything, child?"

Tears began to well in her eyes at the forceful touch, but Sarah blinked and kept them at bay. "The prophecy I know. Jareth showed it to me…I think it's ridiculous."

Temnestra laughed and released her hold on the girl's face, and turned as if she were walking off, but spun and backhanded Sarah on the cheek. The doppelganger, who Sarah thought merely an illusion, followed suit and Sarah was struck again, leaving her dazed on the floor. Bending down to Sarah's shuddering form, Temnestra whispered sweetly, "You know nothing of destinies. You do not know the feeling of being destroyed by your own son."

Sarah spat out without thinking, "And neither do you," she was rewarded with swift twin slaps, but she continued anyway, the pain was so strong she was becoming numb, and if she was going to die she was going to get some things off her mind. "Jareth has done nothing to you, except love you, why do you think he would destroy you." She was expecting another assault, and was terrified as Temnestra stood; the curse as well, and both glared down at her.

"I asked the magic long ago, and it showed me the path." Temnestra's eyes softened, just slightly, and Sarah swallowed.

"And now? What does the magic say now?"

"I do not ask it." Temnestra replied, eyes narrowing and fists clinching at her side.

"Then, how do you know you haven't changed destiny already?" Sarah pulled her frazzled thoughts together and bit back the pain digging into her side and stinging her face. "Maybe, maybe none of this is necessary."

Temnestra stepped away from the curse, and the curse stayed behind, and Sarah's eyes widened as Temnestra bent down to whisper in her ear, "Perhaps not, young Sarah, but what is said is said. This is the path I have chosen, and I will see it to the end." Once said, Temnestra stepped back and the curse resumed its mimicry. "Do you have any last words, Sarah, before we end this?" "End this?"

Sarah nodded vehemently as Temnestra's hands wrapped around her neck. The doppelganger seemed to wait to hear these last words, for its face was piqued with curiosity. Knowing this very well may be her last moments; Sarah took a deep breath and screamed his name. She saw the distaste on Temnestra's face, and the utter excitement on the doppelganger's before her world went black in a twist of darkness.

Temnestra watched as the mortal's body crumpled to the floor. A twinge of regret was all she felt. Perhaps the girl was right, perhaps she had taken this too far, but the dark whispers in her mind soothed her fears. The prophecy needed Jareth destroyed to be fulfilled, and not just Jareth, the voice told her, everything he lived for, anything that gave him joy, otherwise it would be a hallow victory. For a moment, Temnestra thought back to her son, her bright eyed boy with his golden hair; she had loved him once, perhaps she loved him still, but the voice in her mind was persuasive: Jareth was the enemy. She would have no power if he was allowed to live, no power at all. And that was unacceptable. Her hand sneaked out to question the magic, but the curse held it still. There was no reason to ask the magic for the truth, for the truth was before her. Jareth must die. Temnestra nodded her head and dropped her hands to her side. Jareth must die. There were preparations to be made, for he would come soon, and they must be ready, for Jareth will die.

He saw her last moments as she screamed his name. He saw the satisfied gleam in his mother's eyes and he felt Sarah falling, leaving him. He must have screamed, but he heard nothing save a cruel laugh. Seeing Sarah's body, lying still at the feet of his mother broke him and he lost the will to live. Any reasons for living vanished as he saw the life dim and fade from Sarah's emerald eyes. He was the last thing she called for, the last thing she said, and he had not been able to save her. He had not been able to protect anything. All of this destruction for his life; his life. Was it really that important to him now? If he just quit being perhaps everything would right itself, perhaps she would be alright. Already he was dying, maybe if he just stopped… If it wasn't for the commanding voice in his head he doubted he would have taken another breath, but he fought for air and when he opened his eyes he was laying in snow, face towards the sky.

He did not want to move, did not want to do anything. It was very unfair, and he realized he had mocked Sarah once long ago for saying the same, but maybe there was merit in the sentiment this time. He felt like he was fading again, it was easier to just fade then to deal with his life at this moment. There was nothing left to it anyway. No mother, no kingdom, no…love? Did he love Sarah? He thought back to her dazzling green eyes, her ebony hair, her laugh, her humor, her logic. Of course he loved her. Hell, even that ancient little red book had stated as much, and he idly wondered if that was just another part of his destiny. It figured he would find a love and have it ripped away from him by his mother. There was nothing…save a pair of blue eyes that searched his own, a man yelling at him, trying to get his attention. The world was on mute; however, for he could not hear, or maybe, he did not want to hear. The man was persistent and Jareth began to react to the voice.

He narrowed his eyes and the man's face come into focus, as did his voice as it was frantically yelling his name. This man, this man stayed by him. Was it enough? "Addoyn?" He was startled when the usually composed councilman clutched him tightly in a shattering embrace. In shock, he allowed the contact to continue for a few moments more before brushing the man's hands off, "Alright, alright, that's enough." He said accepting Addoyn's hand as he stood from the ground, feeling a new determination.

"Don't do that again, Jareth," Addoyn said standing a few feet away from his son. He had honestly never been scared before, never had he felt such terror as when he witnessed his only son blink in and out of existence before his own eyes.

Jareth noticed the quiver in the older man's voice and nodded solemnly. "She killed Sarah," he said quietly and comprehension crossed Addoyn's face and then was quickly replaced with anger. Jareth continued, "I saw where they were, and you will not believe the gall of that woman."

Addoyn couldn't help the small smirk that crossed his lips. He, better than anyone, knew what Temnestra was capable. "Try me." He said dryly.

"She's at Mayair." Jareth waited for a reaction and was amused when Addoyn shook his head slightly, "That sounds like her. Where is she?" It was Jareth's turn to look amused, "She's in your chambers." Sighing and bringing his hand up to his temple, Addoyn gave a scowl. "Yes, that sounds like her indeed."

Jareth turned and began to transport himself, but Addoyn grabbed his arm. Nearly losing his son had made him realize, there should be no more secrets, not from Jareth. "Jareth, that prophecy…"

Jareth frowned, "I don't want to talk about it right now, Addoyn."

Smiling, Addoyn sat on the rock and looked casually up at the grey, cloud covered sky. "Temnestra is wrong about the meaning."

"I think you're both wrong for believing in it." Jareth retorted, but leaned against the tree, his curiosity aroused.

Taking a deep breath Addoyn began, "Jareth, when that prophecy was given to us, you had just been born. Temnestra was beyond thrilled; she took you everywhere with her and showed you off, and I was never far behind, for despite what you think, I was proud of you as well. Most of the council knew I had fathered you, but remained silent for their own good.

"See," he said taking another deep breath, "the Underground was shattered then. There were so many factions it was hard to keep track and each desired my head on a platter. But I would not allow it, and after that prophecy appeared everything changed. Temnestra deciphered it in her own selfish way. That was when she distanced us, but I allowed it because it offered you a sort of protection from my enemies." He saw Jareth's brows rise at this and smiled, "Never thought I'd actually have a reason for stepping aside, did you?" He chuckled lightly as Jareth glared. "Soon, though, your own mother became a more deadly enemy than anything my enemies could offer. She tried endlessly to arrange "accidents" and she was never too clever about it and I was always able to prevent you from falling down a flight of stairs, being run over by a cart, or even being left in the middle of a forest to fend for yourself.

"You don't remember these, do you?" Jareth shook his head and Addoyn continued, "I didn't expect you to. Her most clever plot, however, made you a king. I don't think she planned it that way. I always suspected she had something to do with the killing of that mortal child, but you were so damned stubborn, you never asked for my help…"

Jareth interrupted briskly, "You never offered, either."

Addoyn shot Jareth an impatient look and continued, "She wanted you dead. She petitioned every council member and actually persuaded them to sentence you thus, and I think that was the only time I ever overruled her." He looked as Jareth watched the story, greedily absorbing the knowledge. "I decided to banish you here. I foolishly thought that if I took you away from Mayair Temnestra would be satisfied; she would drop her obsession with destroying you." He paused, "Well, we both know how that turned out."

Clicking his tongue, Jareth strolled over to the rock and sat beside Addoyn. "And what of the prophecy?" he asked slowly.

"All Temnestra focused on was the last part of the Prophicae:

Yet should the dark fall

By the sun's own hand

The kingdom transferred

By love to the mother

"She was obsessed with power, this seemed a way to become more powerful than I, but she neglected the first part of the prophecy. A parent must fall, Jareth, a parent with a vast empire, who does this refer to?"

Jareth clinched his fists tightly and squeezed his eyes shut. "Addoyn, please don't tell me that you knew of this and never informed her."

"No, I told her, I tried to continue telling her that she had nothing to fear, she would not listen."

"At this moment," Jareth said standing and facing Addoyn with blazing anger in his mismatched eyes, "I can imagine a few ways how that "parent" would fall." He spat.

Addoyn grinned, "I'm sure you could."

"You could have prevented this," Jareth said accusingly and began pacing, his boots creating a dip in the snow.

"Perhaps," Addoyn conceded, "But Temnestra was playing with her destiny; she was purposefully choosing paths belonging to others. Your future was not to look like this," he said gesturing the winter wasteland before them.

"What was my future?" Jareth asked stopping suddenly and facing Addoyn, who merely sighed and replied, "Nothing that will be now." He stood and ignored the sunken look on Jareth's face. "Let us end this. Are you ready, Jareth?"

Jareth's eyes hardened and he stood to his full height, slightly annoyed that he was still a few inches shorter than Addoyn. "I am."

Addoyn nodded, "Good." They vanished from the spot, but not before Addoyn took a last glance at the Labyrinth. It was a ruin now, ancient and decrepit, he felt he could relate. This was not to be the future at all; none of their paths were suppose to end here, and with a sigh he turned his gaze and followed his son to a final confrontation.

A/N: Well, no one said this was going to be a happy story, right? Only a few more chapters I think, but don't worry, you guys are going to like the ending, I PROMISE! ...gulp... well, let's hear what you have to say…