Underneath the Crystal Moon
a/n : I do not own Labyrinth. Also, I would like to say that the Phoenix part of the story only occupies 12 chapters, and I have not even started Damien's part except for the outline. So I may not update all weekend, until I get a few chapters into Damien's part. So I will post tomorrow, which is Friday, and then not again until Monday. Don't kill me!
Part One: Phoenix
Chapter 8
The following weeks went by without much incident. Queen Sarah got bigger and felt crabbier about getting bigger. She kept swearing this was the last kid she was having, but they all knew she liked babies too much for that to happen. Aidan had learned everything he needed to know about his job in the stables, and looked forward to spending time with the horses each day. He was no closer to figuring out why he had been dreaming of Phoenix before he even came here. But their friendly truce had endured. She had shown him how to do basic jumps that first morning after his hangover. He was still a little shaky on that whole concept, but he was learning.
The same day that Phoenix had started showing him jumps, Sarah and Jareth had instructed him on the nobility that would be at the ball. They told him all the proper titles and Sarah made sure he knew how to bow gracefully. They had been putting off dancing lessons for weeks now, though. But today was the day before the ball, and it needed to be done. So Sarah had summoned Phoenix and Aidan to the ballroom for a lesson.
Aidan arrived first, still looking a bit shabby from working in the stables. He gave Sarah a big smile as he walked in.
"Phoenix will be here momentarily," Sarah assured him. And even as she said that Phoenix walked into the room, wearing a pair of flowing black pants and a white poet's shirt, not unlike the ones her father wore. Her feet were clad in black dance slippers. Her hair was swept up in a chignon, and she wore no makeup on her fair face. Why did she always make his heart stop when she walked into a room?
"Hey," was all she said.
"Okay, let's get started with a simple waltz," Sarah gestured and suddenly there was a soft beat drifting over the room. Sarah placed Aidan's right hand below Phoenix's shoulder blades and then clasped their other hands together at shoulder height. Phoenix knew the drill, and placed her hand delicately on Aidan's left shoulder.
"Now, you are supposed to lead her. Aidan, you take your right foot and place it right between Phoenix's legs, and then put your left leg forward and to the side, and then you bring your right to your left and turn. Damn. I am no good at explaining this kind of thing!" Sarah stamped her satin-clad foot in frustration. Jareth appeared in the ballroom just then.
"Why don't we show him, Sarah?" Jareth asked as he took his wife in his arms, in the same position as Phoenix and Aidan now stood. They started to glide across the floor, stepping and then turning. Aidan watched and counted. Phoenix tapped her foot impatiently.
"Phoenix, a lady does not tap her foot like an impudent little chit!" Jareth called from the back of the ballroom.
"Damnit. You ready to try this?" Phoenix asked Aidan. He nodded and started to lead her. He was slow at first, counting and looking at his feet.
"One two three. One two three," he counted. After a few minutes he got over it and started to move with more ease. Eventually he even took his eyes off his feet and looked straight into the glowing orbs that were Phoenix's eyes. They waltzed around the room.
Phoenix looked straight into Aidan's gray eyes. They were the color of the sky during a rainstorm, and they were so soft as they looked at her. He looked directly at her, and she could see that he did not fear her. Most people did. They feared her power, and feared the way she looked. But he looked at her like he saw right through all of that. She wondered what he would do if confronted by her true nature, when she embraced the whole of her power.
Sarah and Jareth had stopped and were watching the two as they danced.
"Do you remember that feeling? The feeling you got when we first danced together?" Jareth whispered in his wife's ear. She looked at him lovingly.
"Do you think I could ever forget that feeling? You were so strong, and I felt so lost. It took all I had to pull away from you and to save Toby. You almost had me there," Sarah pointed out.
"Let's not disturb them. I can put all the knowledge of the rest of the dances in his head," Jareth said quietly. Sarah looked at her husband with reproach. He shrugged, "You never asked"
A crystal floated to Aidan and popped on his head. Aidan felt the knowledge of dances seep into his brain, but he did not let it show to Phoenix. He loved having her in his arms. She moved so lightly and gracefully on the dance floor. He felt the music increase the slightest bit in volume and silently thanked Sarah. Phoenix was oblivious to the change, and she just gazed at him with those beautiful eyes.
Sarah and Jareth transported themselves out of the room, leaving the pair to their own devices.
Aidan did not know how long they had been dancing when he finally thought about kissing her. Her lips were so pink, and looked so soft. They were parted slightly, and she looked up at him as if she could see nothing but him. He lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers. It sent electric shocks up his spine, and he brushed his lips against hers again, this time holding them there. She responded in kind, wrapping her arms about his neck and holding him there. She parted her lips a little more, and Aidan slipped his tongue into her warm mouth. She tasted so sweet. He brushed his tongue up against hers, and pulled her up against his body. He heard her whimper a little in his mouth, and he sucked on her silky lower lip. Then he went back to kissing her passionately.
Phoenix did not even remember where she was. All she could feel, hear, or smell was Aidan. She had never been kissed. Who had been there to kiss her before? But when he had lowered his mouth to hers she knew what was coming, and she had let it happen. She wanted it to happen. He was so sweet. And he had danced like an angel once he had gotten the hang of it. Why couldn't she allow herself this moment? She had been wondering about it every since she had first dreamt of him, and had even dreamt of this very moment, when he would kiss her. She felt herself throwing herself even more passionately into the kiss, pouring all her feelings into it. It was better than her dreams; better than she could have ever imagined.
Eventually they would have to stop, Aidan knew. Even if she was pouring everything she was into the kiss, they both had things they had to do, and the delegation from the Dragonlands would be here soon. He would have to see to their mounts. Reluctantly, he removed his lips from hers, and rained soft kisses all over her face, then hugged her tightly.
"We do not have to talk about it now, Phoenix. We both have things we have to do. Just, for once, don't say anything and let me remember this moment just perfectly," Aidan sighed and let her go. He walked out of the ballroom and back to the stables. Phoenix was left standing alone in the ballroom, with swollen lips and more questions. As always, she lost her temper and went to go find Eamon.
Eamon was sitting near Jareth as he was listening to a messenger from the Ice Queen. Phoenix beckoned him with her fingers, and he followed her into the library.
"What do the rest of you know about that insufferable Aidan that you are keeping from me?" Phoenix demanded to know.
"Sorry, can't tell you, " Eamon apologized as he sat down.
"What do you mean?" Phoenix accused.
"Mom and Dad told us not to say anything to you about him," Eamon shrugged. He wished he could tell her, but it would be better if she realized that she was in love with Aidan on her own. He smiled a wicked smile as he looked at her slightly mussed appearance.
"What?" Phoenix asked him.
"He finally got up the guts to kiss you I see. I thought it was going to take him forever," Eamon said with a straight face. Phoenix blushed a pretty pink and then left the room. Eamon walked back out to the audience room and made eye contact with his mother.
'Did they?' Sarah mouthed.
'Oh yeah,' Eamon mouthed back. Sarah smiled and went back to work. She would have so much to tell Carys and Cara when they arrived.
Aidan felt two things while he continued to work after the events in the ballroom: confusion, and fear. Why did she make him feel this way, and how did she make him feel this way? And if he ever admitted how he felt to her, would she push him away? She was a damned princess. A stubborn, snarly, sometimes nasty princess. And he was in love with her.
Aidan knew he always had been in love with her, even when she was just a dream. She was the reason he turned down all the offers from other women. They all paled in comparison to her. He didn't care about her money, or her power. She was just all there is in the world to him. And how that had happened he did not know. Why did he love her? And how did she feel about him? She ran cold and hot all the time. They had argues at least once every couple of days since he had arrived. One day she got mad because of him not brushing Daemon correctly, for pete's sake! But he loved that part of her too, that she was so fiery. She was like a firecracker. If you lit her fuse she would explode. She was passionate. She had no lack of passion. She had more to her than that, though. She loved her family, and her smile softened when she was talking to them or about them. She was gentle with her horse, and treated him like a trusted friend instead of just a horse. He had seen her paint one afternoon, and she was very talented. She sang like an angel when prodded, and also played a passable piano. There was so much to know and learn about her. He wanted to absorb her, just be around her.
Princess Tanwen strolled up to him and smiled. The little princess was in lessons most of them time, but she did come out to see her mare every day, for at least a little bit.
"Hi Aidan!" she greeted him. She produced a lump of sugar for Apple, which made the horse very happy.
"Hello princess. What brings you out here?" Aidan asked politely.
She screwed up her nose.
"Eamon and Mom were talking about someone kissing Phoenix, and I got out of there. Too much information," Tanwen said, and went back to feeding Apple, while Aidan felt his ears flame up.
Dinner was a grand affair that night. King Danol, Queen Carys, Princess Cara, and Princess Calista had all arrived that evening. Queen Carys was almost as big with child as Sarah. Sarah was due within the next couple of weeks. Princess Calista was the same age as Tanwen, and they were the best of friends. They took their dinner in Tanwen's room so they could gossip. Cara and Toby looked at each other from across the large table, hardly able to take their eyes off one another. You could tell that they were deeply in love, and they did not care who knew.
Aidan was a little bit envious, because the object of his affection would not even look at him. He wondered what he had done wrong, or if she regretted kissing him.
Sarah watched from her place with concern. She was sure she had it all tied up in a bow. They had kissed. They had danced. Her daughter was more stubborn than her father. Phoenix could be a trial. Her daughter had a large amount of fire inside of her, and it showed itself in various ways. Right now, Phoenix was trying to avoid Aidan's gaze. The boy looked lovesick. Sarah felt a little sorry for him. But tomorrow she was sure would seal the deal. Tomorrow was the masquerade. Sarah knew from experience that a masquerade could make the blood boil and make love awaken. That was pure experience.