The Most Unlikely Foe

Eight
An Old Trick

"They're smarter than the ones you usually have running your Labyrinth, yes your Majesty?"

A small Goblin asked as it looked up at Jareth from its spot on the floor polishing his boots. The Goblin King sat hunched over in his throne with a nasty scowl marring his usually beautiful face.

"Yes they are, but not collectively. It's that Aragorn, he's a valuable leader and at the moment is the only thing holding them together. If I could simply get rid of him some how…without him I believe they would fall into utter chaos simply trying to decide whether to turn left or right."
Jareth leaned back in his throne and laughed cynically. His eyes danced slyly as he tapped the end of his ridding crop against his thigh in thought. The Goblin at his feet remained silent as he dutifully continued polishing his King's boots.

Some moments passed before Jareth sighed in frustration and shooed the Goblin at his feet away with a swift kick.

"Why do I bother putting the effort in any more? What's wrong with using an old trick?" He smirked as he balanced a crystal on his fingertips.

With a flick of his wrist he sent the crystal sailing into the air and by the time it had returned to his outstretched palm it had morphed into a perfect, ripe peach.

"Not sure Aragorn likes peaches but I really don't think it matters anyway."

Then with a wave of his hand Jareth was gone.

"I know we're all tired but we have to keep going."

"Surely it won't matter if we just sit down for a bit Aragorn." Pippin asked timidly.

"And leave Legolas up there in that castle with the Goblin King? What if it were you instead of him?"

Pippin hung his head in shame at Aragorn's angry words and said nothing further.

Aragorn powered on, striding out with his long legs that earned him the nickname 'Strider' round Bree. The others trudged along behind him but the Hobbits had to run in order to keep up now.

"Slow down Aragorn!" Merry called out as Aragorn disappeared round the next corner ahead of them.

"Hello Aragorn."

Aragorn had to stop suddenly in order to avoid running smack into the Goblin King, who had just appeared before him.

"Get out of my way." Aragorn growled angrily as he tried to sidestep around the tall blond male.

Jareth simply stepped into his path again and Aragorn turned blazing eyes up at him defiantly. Jareth merely smirked down at him, which only fuelled Aragorn's anger.

"I've had enough Goblin King. I'm going to rescue my friend, now move!"

Jareth however did not move. Instead he smiled and held his hand out to the man before him. Resting in his palm was the peach he had brought for him. Aragorn stared at it wearily before speaking.

"What's that for?"

"I thought you might be hungry." A predatory smile graced the Goblin King's face and Aragorn took a step back.

"You've done something to it haven't you?"

"Simply put, yes." Jareth smiled and lifted his hand towards his mouth.

He stepped towards Aragorn and with his lips close to his hand blew upon the peach nestle in his palm. As his warm breath hit the fruit it disintegrated and flew out from his hand in a cloud of shimmering peach coloured powder.

Aragorn sneezed loudly as he breathed in the powder and while the ground beneath him started to sway he could hear Jareth's laughter filling his mind. He stumbled around the stone maze until his shoulder collided with a wall and he slumped to the ground. Everything was spinning and his vision was slowly blurring. As his eyes drifted closed he could have sworn he heard music filling his ears.

Aragorn opened his eyes and had to blink several times before he was sure that he was, in fact, in an elaborately decorated ballroom. He couldn't quite remember what he was doing there or where he had been before but as he looked down at himself and realized he was certainly dressed for a ball, so he pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind.

From across the room Jareth, dressed in the glittering midnight blue frock coat, pale grey silk frilled shirt, tight black breeches and polished black boots he usually reserved for these sorts of occasions, watched the mortal spin around slowly as he tried to work out where he was.

The Goblin King smirked as Aragorn finally stopped turning and looked himself over. Jareth had to admit the man knew how to dress though and Aragorn looked quite striking in his formal garb but what ultimately confused Jareth was why the mortal had dreamt up a ball.

Mortals really were a rather uncreative bunch when it came down to it. It seemed they all dreamed of dancing with a beautiful stranger at a masquerade ball. Must have something to do with the illusions one can create of another being and ones self when hidden behind a mask. Jareth really didn't care at the point, what he was far more interested in was why he was here. He certainly hadn't noticed the man to be harbouring any hidden desire for him so why would he bring him into his dream, and dressed so elegantly.

Then out of the corner of his eye Jareth spotted Legolas and without his consent his own mouth fell open. He had thought the Prince beautiful before but dressed as he was, in pale grey tights with silver thread running through them, a beautifully fitted shimmering silver tunic with gold clasps running down the front of it, soft grey boots fitted snugly over his feet and his flaxen hair decorated with a series of elaborate braids, a silver circlet nestled upon his brow, he looked stunning.

Jareth managed to close his mouth before anyone noticed him staring and it was then that he noticed he wasn't the only one who was admiring the Elf. Across the room Aragorn was also watching Legolas with wide eyes, his mouth gapping open and shut like a goldfish.

The Goblin King smirked to himself as he slowly began to understand what it was Aragorn had dreamed up, with the help of his spell of course. It would seem that the mortal was harbouring some pent up desires for his Elven friend. But that still left the question of why he was here unanswered. If Aragorn had not wanted him in the dream he would not have been brought here and he would have been forced to simply observe the mortal's dream. Yet here he was and still he did not know why.

Then from the corner of his eye he noticed the stunning Elf begin to make his way through the throng of people towards him. The Goblin King couldn't help arching an eyebrow, as the Prince smiled slyly at him while he sauntered up to him.

"Dance with me my King?" Legolas asked with submissive eyes.

Jareth almost fell over before mentally slapping himself for falling for his own spell. The Legolas before him was not the one locked in his dungeon, he was a dream and in fact a figment of Aragorn's imagination. Clearly the mortal man wished for the Elf to be as submissive as he himself did. More interestingly though he thought he had finally worked out his role in Aragorn's dream, to evoke jealousy from the mortal man by capturing the attention of the beautiful Elf Aragorn so obviously desired.

"Of course fair Prince." Jareth said as he extended a hand to Legolas.

The Elf placed his hand in the Goblin King's and smiled seductively at him as he felt Jareth's slender fingers curl around his delicate hand. Jareth led him to the dance floor where he pulled him close, wrapping an arm around the Elf's slim waist and holding the other's hand up in his own. He smiled, barring sharp canines as Legolas placed his hand firmly on his shoulder and allowed Jareth to lead him around the dance floor.

Spell or no spell Jareth would not deny that the dance was a memorable one. Legolas seemed more than happy to forfeit leading every dance to Jareth, ultimately taking on the submissive role that the Goblin King was trying to evoke from the Legolas locked in his dungeon.

Jareth made a point of flicking his gaze every now and then from the lovely Elf in his arms to the man standing on the far side of the room. Jareth smirked to himself as he could see the jealous rage slowly boiling over in the mortal. His fists clenched at his sides so tightly his knuckles had turned white, oblivious to the many other dancers swirling about him.

Jareth laughed quietly to himself but it would appear Legolas had a fair idea what he was laughing at as he glanced back over his shoulder and flashed a smile at the mortal man, before turning back to the man he was dancing with and joining his soft laughter.

Aragorn could not hear them laughing but he could feel his blood boiling just watching Jareth handle the Elven Prince like he owned him. He was not however about to loose his composure over such a tiny incident. Legolas was perfectly capable of handling himself and if he truly didn't wish to dance with the Goblin King he could remove himself from his arms. He also had no doubt that the Elf was teasing him and the smile he'd flashed him before was proof of this. Aragorn however was not prepared for what happened next and apparently nor was Jareth.

Aragorn watched on in shock as Legolas reached a hand up to cup Jareth's face before he softly pressed his lips to those of the Goblin King. Jareth halted their dance in surprise as the soft lips brushed across his own. But his initial shock at the Elf's boldness was short lived as he brought the hand that had been holding Legolas' up to cup the back of the Prince's head and press his lips more firmly to his.

Suddenly he felt Legolas' lips pulled from his own and he opened his eyes to find a steaming Aragorn firmly grasping Legolas' wrist and the Elf staring at the man with beautiful doe eyes.

Jareth smirked, as he knew everything was playing out exactly as Aragorn's subconscious wanted it to. So Aragorn had indeed cast him in the role of the possible other lover but from what he had seen of Legolas and Aragorn he did not think they were lovers. Perhaps the man whished they were, either way it was not his business and he really didn't care.

Legolas tugged his hand free from Aragorn's firm grip before gripping the front of the man's tunic in both hands and pulling his face close to his.

"What are you doing Aragorn?" He hissed at his friend.

Jareth had not moved from the spot where Legolas had been pulled from him and was now smirking at this slightly strange but certainly interesting turn of events.

"What do you mean what am I doing? I'm stopping you from doing something you obviously have no control over. Why did you kiss him?"

Legolas didn't appear to have heard him at all as he pulled his face closer and his eyes blazed in a way Aragorn had never seen.

"What I mean Aragorn is why are you in this bubble dreaming of rescuing me from the arms of the Goblin King and taking me up in your own when you are supposed to be running his Labyrinth and rescuing me in reality."

Aragorn blinked in surprise and tried to pull back from the Elf but Legolas' firm grip held him in place. Aragorn was not the only one disconcerted by Legolas' reaction. Jareth stopped his smirking suddenly and looked slightly confused. It was as if Legolas' demeanour had suddenly changed.

"What are you talking about Legolas?"

"Listen to me very carefully Aragorn I don't know what kind of spell he's cast on you but that's all this is, it is a dream induced by some sort of enchantment that he's placed upon you to distract you."

Jareth suddenly pulled Legolas away from Aragorn and brought the Elf's nose to his before his hissed at him.

"How are you doing this!"

Legolas merely smirked back at Jareth as he watched Aragorn slowly back away out the corner of his eye. The fact that the Elf refused to answer him only further infuriated Jareth further and so he lifted Legolas slightly from the floor by the front of his tunic and glared up at him.

"Tell me Legolas! How are you doing this! You are not the same Legolas who was here at the commencement of this ball. I know you, now tell me how you are doing this!"

"Flee Aragorn while you can! Remember you and the others are supposed to be rescuing me from the castle at the centre of the Labyrinth!"

Aragorn nodded vigorously and ran towards the edge of the ballroom. Jareth suddenly realized the Elf had been playing him too and threw him to the ground in anger and strode after Aragorn.

Aragorn pressed his hands against the unyielding sides of the bubble ballroom before he began to frantically search for something to smash it with. Jareth was fast gaining on him when his hand closed about the handle of a heavy candlestick. He picked it up and threw it with all his might at the bubble barrier and it broke, sending the entire ballroom into utter chaos.

Aragorn brought his arms up over his face as a fierce wind swirled about him and all he could hear was the angry cry of the Goblin King echoing throughout the destroyed illusion.