Chapter 7: It's Only Forever...
"Danielle, beware. I have been generous up until now, but I can be cruel," he said coldly, his mask slipping into place. However, nothing could mask the pain in his eyes. He prepared his heart to make his final offer as the rules demanded. Danielle played her part beautifully.
"Generous? What have you done that's generous?" she retorted, her own mask firmly in place. Her eyes showed no sign of tears, but they still expressed intense sadness at the circumstances.
"Everything!" he snapped. "Everything you have wanted I have done. You asked that the girl be taken, I took her. You cowered before me, I was frightening. I have re-ordered time. I have turned the world upside down and I have done it ALL FOR YOU." Danielle's eyes shone, expressing her gratitude for his efforts. "I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me." Danielle sighed quietly.
"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the Castle Beyond the Goblin City, to take back the one that you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom as--" Danielle said quietly.
"Stop!" he said, cutting her off. "Wait. Look at what I'm offering you:" he said, creating a crystal, "your dreams."
"And my kingdom as great," she continued.
"I ask for so little," he said, backing away as Danielle advanced. "Just let me rule you... and you can have everything that you want."
"Kingdom as great...?" Damn! I can't remember the line..." she cursed. Her resolve to finish this was waning. If she couldn't remember the line soon, she wouldn't be able to say it at all...
"Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave," he begged, knowing sadly that no matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't.
"My kingdom as great-- My kingdom as great..." she muttered. She looked up at him and he held out the crystal, seeing the tears in her eyes. Her mask was faltering. "I'm sorry..." she whispered. He nodded solemnly.
"You have no power over me..." she said. Those six words echoed around the room and with pain and sadness in his eyes, Jareth tossed the crystal up in the air and fell backwards off the platform, pulling his cloak around him as he transformed. The clock began to chime and Danielle closed her eyes, a tear slipping down her face.
When Danielle opened her eyes, she found herself standing in her bedroom, all evidence of Tana being there gone. Jareth, in his owl form, flew around the room once then out the open window. Danielle hurried out of the room to check on her sister, finding her asleep in her room. She returned to her room, sitting on the edge of her bed, looking into her mirror. She sighed and wiped away the tear trails on her face.
"Good-bye Danni," Ludo said quietly. In her mirror, he stood behind her and beside the bed. She whirled around and looked, but he wasn't there.
"And remember, fair maiden," Didymus added. Danielle turned to look back at the mirror and saw him sitting next to her on the bed. "Should you need us..." he faded and Hoggle appeared from the other side of her bed. Tears sprang up anew at their words.
"Yes, should you need us, for any reason at all..." Hoggle said.
"I need you, Hoggle," Danielle whispered, tears threatening to fall.
"Y-you do?" he replied. Danielle nodded.
"Yes. I don't know why, but every now and again in my life... for no reason at all... I need you. All of you." Hoggle grinned.
"Well, why didn't you say so?"
Everyone she had met on her journey through the Labyrinth appeared in her room and began to party. Party poppers appeared out of no where and the Firey's began dancing. Danielle hugged Hoggle, Ludo, and Didymus before someone tapped her shoulder. She whirled around and saw Tana and Aiden.
"You didn't think I'd miss this, did you, princess?" Tana said happily. Danielle grinned and hugged both Tana and Aiden.
"Never. I'm glad you guys came..." Danielle answered. Didymus figured out how to work the DVD player, Danielle never did figure out how, and everyone began watching Labyrinth. Danielle and Tana giggled as everyone became entranced with the movie.
"Ironic much?" Tana said laughing. Danielle could only nod. Eventually, Danielle left everyone to their movie and sat at the window looking up at the moon. She sat there for a long time until...
"May I have this dance, milady?" a soft, cultured voice whispered in her ear. Danielle's eyes widened as she smiled and turned around slowly.
"Jareth... you... but how?" she said, unable to form a coherent sentence. He smiled one of his mischevious grins and pulled her to her feet. He pulled her into his embrace and they just shuffled from side to side to the music playing.
"I do possess magic, my lady..." he whispered. She looked at him.
"I thought I'd lost you..." she replied. She buried her face in his shirt.
"As long as you wear that necklace, you never will... However, the biggest problem is the Underground Council." Danielle pulled back slightly and looked up at him.
"Who are they?" she asked curiously.
"They are like your mortal courts, you could say. They govern the laws of all the Underground. There are four council members who preside over very important cases."
"What does that have to do with us?" she replied, not liking where this was going.
"Well... I've broken a large number of rules regarding your journey, the biggest one being that I allowed Tana to accompany you... and taking your sister in the first place. She's too old to become a goblin. When they find out tomorrow, I'll be punished harshly."
"Then don't let them find out..." she started. Jareth shook his head.
"It's not that simple. The entity that is the Labyrinth reports the outcome of every challenge. It will report that you defeated it... and it will report all of the rules I've broken," he interrupted.
"So, what do we do?" she asked.
"We wait. I don't know what kind of punishment I'll get... and I don't know what they'll do about you. No one has ever defeated the Labyrinth... they are sure to be angry at you as well." Danielle sighed and leaned against him again.
"Is the whole universe against us or something?" she muttered rebelliously. "This isn't fair." Jareth smirked.
"What, pray tell, is your basis for comparison my dear?" he asked. Danielle laughed.
"I guess I deserved that..." she said smiling. Jareth's face turned serious again.
"Will you wait for me? I will plead for your return to the Underground... as long as it takes until you are home." Danielle nodded.
"I'll wait forever, if only to be with you again..." she whispered. He smiled and held her.
Tana and Aiden watched them from their place on Danielle's bed, smiling.
"They'll make it through this," Aiden said. "They're both strong. They'll be together someday." Tana nodded.
"You're right. They'll be alright." Didymus suddenly turned around.
"Lady Tana, is this how you and Lady Danielle knew so much about our world?" he asked, motioning toward the screen. Sarah had just made her way out of the oubliette with Hoggle.
Tana nodded her head. "Yes... But something or other was affecting our memory of the movie in important parts. Both the Princess and I have this movie practically burned into our heads: Every twist, turn and line said." Aiden gave her a look but said nothing as she continued. "While we were running the Labyrinth, something was slowly blocking out our memories, making it harder for us to make it through. That's why Danielle asked your names when we should have known while I was always wary around you..."
Aiden looked to be thinking on something as he said. "They made a mistake however... There is no mention of at all of me." Tana laughed and shook her head.
"There's only so much they can make up on a story that most people have no clue is real." Tana replied, Aiden just pretended to look offended.
Jareth looked over to the screen as his part in the tunnels came up. He looked at Danielle confused, hearing Tana and Didymus' conversation.
"You know, I was curious about that..." he said with a smirk. Danielle only smiled. Suddenly Danielle looked at her clock.
"Twelve thirty? Oh no! Tana, didn't my parent's say they'd be home around now?" she asked. Tana looked out the window and frowned.
"They're coming up the drive now."
"Shit! You guys need to get out of here! I'm not supposed to be having parties!" she exclaimed. Everyone except Hoggle, Tana, Aiden, and Jareth faded back to the Underground. Danielle hugged Hoggle and he disappeared.
"We'll come see you soon," promised Aiden. He disappeared.
"There's been a portal in your mirror the whole time. That's how they watched us every time I sensed them," Tana explained. "Take care of yourself princess." Danielle hugged her and she disappeared too.
"I'll return for you as soon as I am able, my love..." Jareth said, pulling her into his embrace.
"I know you will, my king," she replied. Jareth smiled, then kissed her deeply. Soon, he pulled away and held out a crystal to her.
"It's a crystal, nothing more..." he started. He began juggling it fluidly. Danielle smiled. "... but if you turn it this way, and look into it... It'll show you your dreams."
"But this isn't a gift for an ordinary girl... is it?" Danielle asked.
"Of course not. It's a gift for my future queen... do you want it?" he replied.
"No strings this time?" Jareth smiled.
"Only that you become my queen someday," he answered. Danielle nodded and took the crystal, clasping it in her hands close to her heart.
"Good-bye Jareth..." she whispered. He disappeared.
"Don't cry Danielle, for it is not good-bye... it is merely a good-night, for I shall see you again..." his voice said quietly. Danielle smiled sadly, turned off the light, and climbed into bed, using a remote to turn on her CD player. Jareth's voice floated out of the speakers and with a soft smile on her face, she fell into a deep dreamfilled sleep, crystal clutched in her hands.
The next day found Jareth kneeling before the Council, his mask firmly in place. He scowled, glad he'd sent a note through the portal to Danielle earlier.
"King Jareth of the Labyrinth, this Council hereby punishes you thus:" one woman said. All of them wore long cloaks with hoods drawn up over their heads. "We hereby revoke your owl form, and ban you from travelling to the Aboveground. Your goblins shall henceforth issue the challenge of the Labyrinth and take the children wished away. The portal established in Miss McBride's mirror will be closed, and she shall never again be admitted to the Underground."
Jareth's eyes widened and he stood to protest. The High Councilor held up his hand, stopping his retort.
"These terms shall last for one thousand years, and are non-negotiable. You are excused." Jareth bowed his head in defeat and disappeared. He reappeared in his throne room. He fell to his knees.
"No..." he whispered. "NOOOOOOOO!" he shouted. Outside, dark clouds appeared over the Labyrinth and a terrible storm raged, mirroring the king's rage.
Elsewhere, Tana and Aiden had been informed of this news. Aiden watched as the sky darkened outside and held onto his love while she wept for the loss of her friend and sister and the heartache she knew that Danielle was going to go through. Aiden grieved for his own brother, knowing that he himself could do nothing.
Danielle sat in her room, looking at the roll of parchment sadly. Tears slipped down her face and she dropped the paper, throwing herself on her bed and sobbing.
Miss Danielle McBride of the Aboveground:
Regarding your adventure into the Labyrinth and your subsequent victory, you have henceforth been forbidden to return to the Underground and the portal within your mirror closed. All powers given by His Majesty Jareth, King of the Labyrinth and the Goblin City, have been revoked and forced into dormancy.
Regarding Jareth's punishment, the king has been revoked of his owl form and all ability to travel to your world. His punishment shall last for longer than your mortal lifespan, so do give up hope of ever seeing him again. Forget this world and live your life.
Lord Fynn
High Councilor of the Underground Council
It was many long years before she ever saw anyone from the Underground again...
To Be Continued...
Author's Notes:
Lady Day: Well... that's the end. Yup, all over. looks at Tana with a smirk Did you want to write another one, or should we make them suffer with this ending?
Lady Night: --is hidden off in a corner, brushing tears from her face-- I say that we should make another one... This one was way too fun!
Lady Day: Don't worry you guys. It's in the works right now. I'm still working on the first draft, so we're not sure when it'll be posted. Soon, I hope. looks at Tana You got anything else to say?
Lady Night: Yes... I did, - in no way shape or form - not cry during the makings of this story and I do hope you all enjoyed it. But anywho both Princess and I enjoyed writing it and can't wait till we get the next one up for you all to read!
Lady Day: rolls eyes You did too. points to abovenotes Well, just so you damn lawyers out there know, we don't down Labyrinth or anything you recognize... Although Aiden belongs to Tana. . Well, anyway...
We'll catch you later!
Lady Night: Yup-yup.. Aiden is ALL Mine! XD --cough-- Erm, Hope to see you all in the next story!
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