Chapter 25:In Adina's Defense

In the castle of the Goblin King, confusion reigned, mainly due to the ruler's abrupt departure. For the time being, Hoggle seemed to be the only sane one. "Now, where'd he go, rushin' off like that? That ain't his style," he muttered to himself. Wandering along, Hoggle found himself in the throne room. "I wonder how long he'll be gone. Whatever the case, peace at last."

The sudden sound of flapping wings interrupted his reverie, and he leapt backward. I spoke too soon!

Within seconds, Jareth entered, followed by………… "Adina!" Hoggle cried in astonishment. Darn it! he cursed himself for his slip. "I mean, welcome back, Your Highness," Hoggle quickly stammered, with a low bow.

He seems familiar…………where do I know him from? Adina puzzled, looking at the prostrate dwarf. Short, kowtowing…………..Master Beggar! She stared at him harder, matching the similarities. But why would he appear like that, if this is his true form? Or was that his real shape? Adina walked over to the dwarf. "Stand up. What's your name?

"Ah, it's Hoggle, Your Highness," he nodded his head. Maybe she suspects, what then? Considering how she'd abruptly left, and was suddenly back, Hoggle assumed Adina's motive behind her quick return was not good.

Before they could say anything else, Jareth stepped between Hoggle and Adina. "Higdwart runs various errands for me; in fact, he's supposed to do one right now." Get out of here, Hoggle; she will eventually figure it out. Judging from her face, she might right now, and the mood she's currently in, she'd kill you as soon as look at you.

Upon hearing that, Hoggle bowed again, saying "Ah………….oh! Excuse me, Your Majesty, Your Highness." He hurried down the hall, all the while wishing and cursing himself. I wish I'd never met her. I'm only gonna hurt her.

Back in the throne room, Jareth had turned to Adina. "Now, please tell me exactly what is going on!" As she did, he felt a mixture of sympathy, horror, and anger. "That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! They have no proof, merely a flimsy excuse!" Jareth raged, sitting on the throne.

"You don't have to tell me," Adina sighed. She suddenly felt exhausted, in body and soul. "So, unless you have any objections, may I stay here, until everything at home calms down?"

Walking through the halls, Hoggle was shaking his head, thinking about the whole miserable situation he'd gotten himself into. Passing an empty room, he let out a yelp when someone dragged him into it. "What the-?"

"Hello, Higspit! We just keep running into each other, don't we?" Jareth's father grinned broadly, spinning the dwarf around to face him.

"Ya know, you're a sneaky, rotten fiend!" The moment he said it, Hoggle cowered, knowing his place.

"Hmmm, that's the nicest thing you've ever said!" the older Fae countered, giving Hoggle a pinch on his cheek. "Now listen to me, you impertinent little pile of trash, where did Jareth go?"

"I-ah-" "Don't lie, I heard you with him just now!"

"To the Faerie Realm. He brought Princess Adina back with him, I don't know why, that's all I know, I swear!" Hoggle backed up carefully.

Jareth's father appeared lost in thought, then glanced at him. "And what sort of mood were they in?"

What is blazes is he up to now? "Yer son, His Majesty, seemed awfully protective of the Princess," Hoggle said slowly, thinking and remembering. "And she was distracted."

"Do you know why?" He stared hard at Hoggle.

"I'm guessing it had to do with where she came from, and that's all I'm sayin' !" Hoggle snapped, tired of these endless questions.

"Very good, Higgledy! You may go," Jareth's father replied, throwing him a small purse.

Once he'd reached the courtyard, Hoggle opened the purse. Inside was an array of seeds- flowers, fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Now, why would he give me these? It's not like that information was important, he wondered. Whatever the case, he'd plant them, very carefully.

That evening, Adina sat in a window, staring at the night sky. What a day this turned out to be, she sighed, shifting her position. Mother? Are you thinking, too? Please forgive me. I miss you so much. Softly Adina began singing:

"Well?... I'll go far away,

As the church bell's echo goes

There, amid the white snow,

There, amid the golden clouds,

There where hope

Is regret and sorrow!

O happy home of my mother,

I will leave you far behind,

And perhaps will never again

Return to you,

You will never see her again!

Never again, never again!

Alone, I shall go far away,

Like the church bell's echo

There, amid the white snow,

Alone, I shall go far away

And amid the golden clouds…………………………"

Passing by, Jareth heard Adina's song. He'd been busy, and had completely forgotten about her. Time to see how she was doing. "No matter what the song is, I never tire of hearing you sing, Adina," Jareth began, crossing to her side. She smiled a thank-you, and he was relieved.

"I enjoy singing. It's always been a great comfort to me," Adina replied, speaking truthfully. Her face fell a little. "Especially now." Mother, I'm lonely.

Get her mind off her troubles! Jareth urged himself. "Adina" –she was looking at him, good so far- "would you please sing something for me?"

"What do you want to hear?"

"Oh, anything, but not too sad."

"Okay," Adina said, a mischievous gleam in her eyes, "but you have to sing too!" Before he could protest, she started singing:

"How can the small flowers grow

If the wild winds blow

And the cold snow is all around…….."

The lyrics and melody were familiar to Jareth, so he quickly joined in-

"Where will the frail birds fly

If their homes on high

Have been torn down to the ground……."

They sang the chorus together, voices swooping and diving:

"Lift the Wings

That carry me away from here and

Fill the sail

That breaks the line to home

But when I'm miles and miles apart from you

I'm beside you when I think of you

A Stoirin a Gra"

Enjoying himself immensely, Jareth began the second verse:

"How can a tree stand tall

If a rain won't fall

To wash its branches down….."

Staring straight at him, Adina took up the rest:

"And how can the heart survive

Can it stay alive

If its love's denied for long….."

Out into the night, they finished:

"Lift the Wings

That carry me away from here and

Fill the Sail

That breaks the line to home

But when I'm miles and miles apart from you

I'm beside you when I think of you-a Stoirin

And I'm with you as I dream of you-a Stoirin

And a song will bring me near to you-a Stoirin a Gra"

"Bravi!" a voice cried, entering.

"Father," Jareth acknowleged.

"Your Highness," the elder bowed, taking Adina's hand and kissing it. "It is a pleasure to hear your wonderful voice again."

What is he doing here? He was here for the ball, yes, but I didn't think he lived here, Adina's mind twirled through all the possibilities. "Thank you so much, Lord- " Tell me your name. You can't go around being called Jareth's father, can you?

"Gurnemanz, Your Highness," he replied with a disarming smile. "I apologize for not telling you so at the ball, but your song distracted me."

That's no excuse, Adina admonished. Jareth, you're fine, but your father is rude. Ignoring the look on Jareth's face, she countered sweetly, "Yes, Mother used to say it had that effect on everyone."

"The Queen, how is she faring?" Lord Gurnemanz asked, eyeing Adina scrupulously. "I heard she was thinking of remarrying."

Shocked silence filled the room, and Jareth glared at his father. What is he thinking? Surely he hasn't forgotten the Faerie custom of abstinence from relationships until a year has passed! Father, have you lost your senses? He glanced at Adina. She had gone pale, and her face wavered. Hang on, Adina. I'm sorry his mind isn't with him. In an icy tone, Jareth jumped in. "I don't believe you meant that, Father-"

"Don't worry, Jareth, it's okay," Adina interrupted, matching his tone perfectly. "My Lord Gurnemanz, such is not true. And if it were, you would be the last to know! Good night!"

She stormed out of the room, barely concealing her anger. Mother on high, how did Jareth become as nice as he is with such an awful father?

"I saw nothing wrong with what I said, before you get started," Gurnemanz stated calmly. "Faerie women have been known to break the rules."

"Oh really? When the period of mourning is involved? When did that happen last?" Jareth retorted. His father could be so stupid at times.

"Not any I can think of recently, but it has happened. And since when did you have such a great affection for Faerie girls anyhow?"

"I don't," Jareth said, trying hard to stay calm.

Gurnemanz snorted. "You could fool me! Ever since you met her, all I've heard is 'Adina this' and 'Adina that'. I'm surprised at you, losing your head over a girl!"

"I haven't lost my head; you have! Ever since she came, you've been acting strange. If you're plotting something against her, she's smart enough to have figure it out by now!" Jareth was all but shouting at his father, any respect for him gone.

"You're right about her being smart- smart enough to have you at her beck and call! I know where you went this afternoon, to go save her!" Gurnemanz shouted, his face a brilliant red. "Kings don't go off on whims like that. The Faerie Realm's Advisors are looking for her, you must send her back!"

"Not unless she wants to go back." He's weakening. Not a surprise; I always win our arguments. Jareth smiled triumphantly at this realization. "Adina will stay here with me, and you're going to have to accept that."

Gurnemanz's eyes narrowed, knowing he was beaten. "Damn you boy," he hissed, "it's your own head you're chopping off." In a puff of smoke, he disappeared.

"I don't want to cause trouble, Jareth," a familiar voice rang out. "I can go hide in the labyrinth, if need be."

Isn't that just like her to be concerned. "First of all, if you were trouble, I wouldn't've come for you; second, you would have to run it again to get back out." Jareth walked over to the doorway, where Adina was standing. "And the way you are, it would be dull because you'd have some spontaneous spell or method of defeating any challenges I'd give you."

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy?" Adina teased, eyes glittering.

"Not a bit," he responded, smiling. They both started laughing, enjoying each other's sense of humor.

In his castle's private chambers, Gurnemanz fumed. "That ingrate! After all I've done, all this planning all these years, he wants to protect her! It would be right- all these years I've wanted him to get married, and he falls for the Faerie girl I want dead!" He began pacing and thinking. "Well, Jareth, whether you're my son or not, she must go back to the Faerie Realm-and die!"

Author's Note: Go Jareth! Why does his father want her dead? We shall see………

Hope you enjoyed this really long chapter! This week is busy for me- dress rehearsal and such for my ballet school's recital on Saturday. I might post some more, I don't know yet. I will keep writing more though.

Labyrinth and any recognizable characters are not mine; the rest are. Jareth's father's name comes from a character in Wagner's opera Parsifal.(I liked the name. Has a distinctive sound to it, don't you think?) "Lift the Wings" is from Riverdance, and Adina's song is "Ebben? ne andro lontana" from the opera La Wally. (gee, do you think I like opera? Could be)

Thanks to my wonderful reviewers! You guys are great!