The Most Unlikely Foe
Author's Note:
This story just kind of popped into my head while I had a particularly slow and boring day at work and I just haven't been able to shake it. So I figured I'd at least write it out and stop myself from driving myself crazy.
Warnings for some adult content and slash but it's nothing really nothing too graphic. Some unconsenting concepts but these are even tamer.
Anyway hope you enjoy it and please review so I know how it's going.
Disclaimer:
I do not own in any way, shape or form the characters and places from either Labyrinth or The Lord Of The Rings. I am not making any money by posting this and would never dream of taking credit for the work of others.
One
Say The Right Words
"If you'll just let me…"
"I do not need your help starting a fire, Elf. Go find another use for your many apparent talents."
Boromir continued trying to get a spark as he clashed a rock against his sword. He hunched his shoulders over so that the Elf standing behind him couldn't see how much difficulty he was having.
Legolas sighed heavily and left Boromir to continue his attempts at getting the fire going.
"Stubborn man." He whispered under his breath as he went.
Boromir shot the Elf's back a nasty look before he doubled his efforts with rock and sword.
Legolas sat down beside Aragorn who was trying to keep the spirits of the shivering Hobbits up.
"Any luck with the fire?" He asked the blond Elf beside him.
"It shouldn't be too long now."
He forced a smile for the sake of the Hobbits before getting up and making his way over to the Elven canoes, given to them by the Elves of Lothlorien. He busied himself making sure they were all well above the river line so that they would not be swept away in the night.
The sky was dark everyone's spirits were still low, despite their visit to the Elven sanctuary of Lothlorien. Gimli sat with Aragorn and the Hobbits and even he was beginning to feel the chill of the night.
"I'll be glad when the morning comes, it's awful cold tonight." Sam murmured.
Merry and Pippin nodded in agreement and Aragorn smiled down at them. Frodo remained silent and unmoving, his eyes seeming to stare off into some place the others couldn't see.
Legolas returned to where the others were sitting but did not sit down himself. The Elf began pacing across the small campsite and would occasionally make his way over to where Boromir was to check on his progress.
The man emitted a low growling noise to inform the Elf of his dislike of the constant surveillance he was receiving from him. Legolas chose to ignore Boromir's protests and instead continued his pacing.
"You have too much energy Legolas." Aragorn laughed up at the Elf.
Legolas flashed him a smile before once again returning to stand behind Boromir.
"Honestly Boromir if you'll just allow me to…"
"For heavens sake Legolas I do not need your help! You are fast becoming the most annoying thing I've ever encountered! Now leave me alone!"
"But if you just…"
"I do not need you Elf! Go away!" He groaned loudly before muttering under his breath. "I wish Goblins would come and take you away right now, they at least might be able to find a use for your carcase."
He jerked his head upwards as a bolt of lightning lit up the sky and was closely followed by its companion boom of thunder. Turning his head first left and then right before standing and spinning on his heals. There was no sign of the Elf he had been yelling at only seconds ago.
"Legolas?" His voice sounded unsure and was far from steady.
Another flash of lighting followed by thunder, louder this time, caused him to jump. The moon was the only source of light, when lightning wasn't racing across the sky, and it was difficult to see anything. A heavy hand upon his shoulder caused him to jump again.
"Aragorn! You scarred the life out me."
"You're still standing Boromir." Aragorn smiled at his bad joke but saw a very real fear in Boromir's eyes. "Boromir, where did this storm come from?"
"I…I don't know…have you seen Legolas?"
"No I thought he was over here with you."
Their world suddenly plunged into darkness as dark storm clouds crowded over the moon. Both men cast their blind eyes about but couldn't see anything. Aragorn still had his hand on Boromir's shoulder and now gripped it tighter in the dark.
A flash of lighting, brighter than any before it lit up the small pebbled beach they'd landed on and Boromir caught sight of a tall blond figure before they were plunged into total darkness again.
"Legolas?" Boromir called out in the direction the figure had been.
Thunder rumbled and then abruptly the swirling winds kicked up by the storm stopped. The clouds parted from the moon and the thunder and lightening quietened down. Aragorn released his hold on Boromir's shoulder and both men exchanged a concerned look. Then they turned towards the tall blond figure, who was leaning casually against a large rock.
The long elegant lines of his body, coupled with his graceful hight and flaxen hair would have caused him to be easily mistaken for the Elf, were it not for this man's overly elaborate dress. He wore black knee-high boots over tight dark breeches, a billowy white shirt was barely visible under a dark dress-coat and the outfit was completed by a shimmering cloak with a high curved collar that came up to his ears. Mismatched eyes danced in the moonlight as wisps of uneven silver-blond hair caressed his beautiful face. He easily matched the missing Elf for beauty but while Legolas possessed a sort of pure quality this man's beauty was sinister and alluring.
The man cocked his head to the side as the two before him continued to stare. Black gloves covered long delicate fingers and he toyed with a riding crop he held in one hand.
"Where is Legolas?" Aragorn finally managed to ask.
The strange man tilted his head to the other side and flashed a devilish smile. Both Aragorn and Boromir were unnerved by this reaction and the man's oddity in general.
"Legolas?" He finally spoke, his voice beautifully accented and yet strangely cold.
He brought a long finger up to his face to tap lightly against his chin, seemingly trying to recall the name he had spoken.
"Ah yes, the Elf. What of him?"
Boromir and Aragorn stared blankly at him and were only snapped from their trance by the others arrival behind them.
"Aragorn what on earth is going on…" Gimli began to ask but stopped as his eye took in the stranger the two men were staring at.
"What do you mean 'what of him?'! What have you done with him?" Boromir fumed.
"What have I done with him?" He feigned a look of hurt before a sly smile tugged the corners of his mouth up. "Only what you, Boromir, asked of me."
"What do you mean?" Boromir asked in confusion.
"Wait a minute!" Aragorn interrupted. "Who are you?"
"I am the Goblin King." He stated simply, sure that they would know of him. All who called knew of him, even if they did not believe in him.
However the Dwarf, two Men, and four Hobbits stared blankly back at him.
An uneasy silence hung in the air for a few moments, during which Jareth shifted slightly, his usual composure thrown off slightly by this strange turn of events. In fact if he didn't know any better he'd say they truly had no idea who he was, but then how could one call upon him if one did not know of his existence. Never the matter, it would make it all the more interesting.
"Have you not read the book?" He finally broke the silence with a question that only seemed to puzzle them further.
"Book? What book?" Aragorn shook his head.
"My book…The Labyrinth." He smiled devilishly and the look of fear that passed over one of the Hobbits face did not escape him.
"The Labyrinth." Merry breathed quietly.
Pippin gave him a sidelong look and Aragorn turned to face him.
"You've heard of it?" He exclaimed.
"Well yeah but it's a stupid story my parents used to tell me and my siblings to scare us, it's not real." Merry shook his head slowly, trying to deny what was now becoming blatantly obvious.
Aragorn lent down and grasped the Hobbit's shoulder leaning in to speak closely with him.
"I don't know about you Merry but he looks pretty real to me."
"But is wasn't even a book! My parents just used to tell it to us." Merry exclaimed, more to Jareth than the others.
"Whether written or spoken a story is a story." Jareth responded slyly.
"Then where is Legolas?" Aragorn demanded.
"He's in my castle."
"And where is that!" Boromir yelled
"At the centre of the Labyrinth." Merry spoke up, his voice quivering slightly.
"You can't just take him to your castle!" Aragorn was furious with the Goblin King now.
"I am the Goblin King sir, I can do as I like. Besides, it was your friend here who wished the Elf into my possession."
"I did not!" Boromir protested.
"Yes you did!" Jareth hissed, frustrated now by their constant denial of the situation they had been presented with. "You spoke the words, you called my Goblins to come and take him and now he is gone."
"But I didn't…"
"Mean to? As if I haven't heard that one before." Jareth folded his arms across his chest.
"What are you going to do with him?" Pippin asked timidly.
"Turn him into a Goblin." Sharp canines flashed in the moonlight as Jareth smiled wickedly.
"No!" They all called out at once.
Jareth laughed at them and began to walk off.
"Wait! There must be something we can do to get him back!" Aragorn called out.
Jareth stopped and was thankful his back was to them as he growled quietly. He had been hoping to get away from this one without having to engage in his game.
"There is one way." He spun around to face them again. "You must solve my Labyrinth and reach the castle at its centre, then you may have your friend back."
"Deal." Aragorn answered quickly.
"Very well."
Jareth waved his hand in a circle through the air and behind him opened a window to the Underground. The small group stared in disbelief at the new world visible through the portal.
"It doesn't look that far." Gimli said optimistically.
"I've heard that before too." Jareth mused as he stepped through the portal into his world.
The others followed slowly until all but Aragorn, Frodo and Sam remained.
"But Aragorn." Frodo whispered up at the man. "What about the quest?"
"We can't just leave him there Frodo."
"You're right. You go save Legolas, I'll go onto Mordor."
"Frodo…" Aragorn started to protest.
"I'll go with him Strider. He's right, you need to go save Legolas." Sam spoke up.
Aragorn nodded and placed a comforting hand on Frodo's shoulder before he too stepped through the portal and into the Underground.