Underneath the Crystal Moon
a/n: I do not own labyrinth. I do own all original characters.
Part One: Phoenix
Chapter One
All that could be heard in the vast hallway was the vicious tapping of a black leather crop against a slender thigh. The crop's owner had on black riding pants, black leather boots, and a white poet's shirt that was open halfway down her alabaster chest. A black riding hat held in her hair, but anyone with any kind of knowledge whatsoever knew that this petite, vicious being was Her Highness, Princess Phoenix of the Goblin Kingdom. And right now everyone was staying out of her way. Her face was like a thundercloud as she stalked the castle.
The Princess had been out riding her black stallion, Daemon. She rode him every day, over the lands that surrounded the Labyrinth. She frequently was gone for hours. And today she had been cresting a lovely little hill when she saw a bubble float in front of her and land on her outstretched palm. It turned into a note that then brought her back to the Castle Beyond the Goblin City.
"Phoenix, come back right now. I need to see you in my study. – Dad"
Phoenix hated being pulled away from her daily ride. And now she wanted to know what her father wanted so badly he had to take her away from the land. She knocked on his study door respectfully. She knew there would be no sense in her storming in. He would just send her to the bog if she did that. No one had ever called Phoenix stupid.
"Come," was all her father said, and she opened the door.
Why the Goblin King felt like he needed to keep his study dark she had no idea, but there he was, in a darkly appointed study, sitting behind a large mahogany desk. His pale blond hair stood out in the dark room. Phoenix closed the door behind her and flopped into a large black club chair. Her dad looked up at arched and amused eyebrow at her.
"Princess Phoenix, ladies do not flop," Jareth admonished her gently.
"I'm not a lady, and you interrupted my ride," Phoenix pointed out.
"You are a lady, whether you like it or not. And I interrupted your ride with good reason. Your brothers have both gone with me when I have been called to take a child away. Now it is your turn," he told her.
"Now?" Phoenix asked.
"No, not now. The next time I am called. Could be hours, could be weeks. My dear, it could even be years, although I doubt that. Mortals are never thankful for the things they have. I will let you know when it is time. You can go," Jareth told his young daughter. Phoenix was, in truth, very young for a Fae. If you wanted to put it into human years you could say she was about eighteen or so.
Phoenix was startlingly beautiful. She could have been born with the dark hair of her mother like her brother Damien was, or she could have inherited her father's pale locks like her brother Eamon. But no, something happened to her while she was in her mother's womb. Her mother had used a power when she was pregnant that had changed Phoenix's hair to a bright red. There were streaks of black and pale blond laced throughout her hair, but red was the primary color. And she did not have the green eyes of her mother or the mismatched eyes of her father. Her eyes instead shone with light, and had no distinct color. She was the only person to ever be born with such traits. Her hair was cut in an edgy style, falling in layers around her face. The layers were long enough that she could put her hair up for state functions, but she almost always left it down.
The young princess had decided to go find her mother. If the Goblin King was in his study then his wife, the Goblin Queen, was more than likely in the audience room, taking care of the kingdom. And that was where she found her, humming softly while reading a book. Phoenix was willing to bet her mother did not even know she was in the room. Sarah got lost in books. Phoenix did to, when she had time to pick one up. She walked up to her mother and tipped the book down. Her mothers emerald green eyes looked up at her. Sarah marked her place and looked straight at her young daughter.
"How's it going?" Phoenix asked, taking the seat next to Sarah.
"Your father interrupted your ride?" Sarah asked.
"Yes, Daemon was quite upset. Dad wants me to go along the next time he is called," Phoenix told her mother.
"Have you had lunch?" Sarah asked her daughter.
"No. Want me to send for something?"
"Just because I am pregnant again does not mean I cannot send for lunch myself," Sarah said with a huff. Sarah was pregnant for the third time. Besides Aaron, Eamon, Damien, and herself Sarah had one other child. Phoenix's little sister's name was Tanwen. Tanwen was only about twelve.
"Have you looked to see what he or she is yet?" Phoenix asked her mom.
"Another girl!" Sarah said happily. If there was a thing Sarah was good at besides being a queen, it was being a mom. Phoenix guessed it was because of her mom's experiences taking care of her brother, Toby.
"What's her name?"
"Ophelia, the name of Hamlet's tragically insane sister," Sarah sighed. Phoenix laughed, and sent a sphere to have lunch brought to the gardens. Phoenix held out a hand to her mother. They walked out to the gazebo in the gardens, next to the pond. As always, Sarah conjured a flower to place on Hoggle's gravestone. Phoenix had never known Hoggle, but she knew how much her mother had loved and respected her best friend.
They had been sitting out there for quite awhile when a beautiful young man with red hair and blue eyes came to join them. Phoenix squealed when she saw him and gave him a huge hug. Even though Aaron was not blood they all loved him just the same. He was the only older sibling they had. He worked for their father, and had, until recently, been in the dwarf kingdom helping take care of some business.
"Hey little sister," Aaron greeted her after she finally let him go. Sarah stood up and planted a kiss on her oldest son's cheek. Aaron had been adopted by Sarah when he was small. He had been the first baby wished away when she became queen, and she had fallen in love with him as soon as she had taken him. Ever since that night she had been his mother, and Jareth his father. He could not be a prince due to the fact that he was not born Fae nobility, but Jareth had made given him every title he could get away with. They all loved Aaron.
"Do you want some lunch sweetheart?" Sarah asked him.
"No, I just came to say hi before I go give Dad my report," Aaron told her.
"What's going on in the dwarf kingdom?" Sarah asked him, her eyes narrowing with interest.
"That one batch of Nogrod sympathizers had been wiped out. King Bard was very thankful for our assistance. Oh! And Queen Carys is pregnant again," Aaron told his mother. Carys was a friend and ally to the Goblin kingdom. Sarah thought that news was wonderful. Aaron took his leave after that.
Later, as Phoenix soaked in her bubble-filled bathtub, she daydreamed about sharing her life with someone. Her mother and father were so happy. At her age she longed for kisses and she longed for love. Sarah and Jareth did not believe in arranged marriages. They had both wanted to marry for love. Granted, in the end they did marry each other for love, but the whole thing had been set up long before either of them were born. They had decided the decision on whom to love and when to love would belong to their children alone. And Phoenix did not know how long she wanted to be alone.
Phoenix wanted to say there was someone. Really she did. But her someone was not tangible. In her dreams she saw a face. Wavy, light brown hair that was kept back in a ponytail, and gray eyes framed by sooty lashes. His face was honest, and his smile was bright. She did not know who he was. But dreams were hard not to pay attention to. Dreams are important. She had remembered that face, and had sketched it so many times. She was sure, that if her dream became flesh, then she would recognize him in an instant.
Would it be love? That she did not know. But when she dreamt of him she woke up feeling flushed and relaxed. He made her feel that way. There was desire too.
"Grr," Phoenix growled as she relaxed in the water. Who was he? Why did she dream of him? All questions and no answers. It was like some great puzzle to her. And, if it is a puzzle, she would try her hardest to solve it. One did not become the daughter of two great puzzle solvers without gaining some helpful knowledge, right?