Underneath the Crystal Moon
a/n: I do not own Labyrinth.
Part Two: Damien
Chapter Six
The next morning Xen awoke early and dressed herself in her tunic before going out to the gardens. She breathed in the fresh, clean air before setting on down the paths. The sun had just barely risen, and the air smelled of dew and sweet pollen. She delighted in feeling the cold grass on her feet, and then she saw a large tree in the distance. She made her way to it, and scampered up to the top limbs of the old tree. It told her of the things it had seen, and how much it liked it here. It showed her pictures of Sarah and Jareth, and of the kids. The tree would live for many years yet. Xen laid her back against the trunk while balancing on a slender branch of the tree. She was relaxing when she heard a noise from the small meadow just beyond the tree. It was almost like a grunt, but not quite. She angled herself so she could see…Damien. Working sword forms on the grass. His chest was shining with sweat, even in this cool morning air. His hair was slicked back with the same sweat. His arms were like thick cables. Damien was the most qualified swordsman in the kingdom. All three of the triplets knew how to use weapons, but Damien was by far the best. His eyes were facing forward, but they focused on nothing. They almost looked like they focused inward, as if he was looking only at himself. It was a kind of meditation, and more than likely his way of praying.
What beautiful worship it is, Xen thought.
Xen allowed herself to stare at him, enraptured by the way his muscles moved and the sword sang through the air. It was a dance. She relaxed on the branch and found herself resting her cheek on the wood.
How long does he do this every morning? Does he even do it every morning? Does he ever allow himself to sleep in? Does he sleep soundly? Does he have as many problems sleeping as I do? He seems to be so brooding, so angsty at times. He seems so dangerous and so dark. I think he wants people to think he is more dangerous than he actually is. And as for dark, don't we all have a little darkness in us? I can feel my darkness. It lies in the portions of me that know that my imprisonment and my sexual abuse were a test for me, and that they made me who I am. Each scar is a testimony, every white line a reminder of who I am. If Nogrod had not used me, and others like him, then I might not know what it is like to suffer. I needed to know what it was like to suffer. And maybe, one day, I will know the pleasure sex can bring, rather than the pain and torture of it.
Xen felt her eyes bore into Damien's skin as she thought about the pleasure he could bring her. Those muscles, that skin. Those slightly pointed teeth. His hands were not as long and graceful as Eamon's. They were a little thicker, and she could imagine those hands grabbing her curly hair.
What am I thinking? He is not going to be interested in sleeping with a dryad covered in scars.
Just then, a bubble floated in front of her face and waited until she sat up on the branch to pop in her waiting hand. A message was there.
Xen, please come back to the castle. We need to have dresses made for the wedding. We could use you here! –Sarah
"Oh bother!" Xen said as she flipped backwards off the branch and landed silently on the soft ground. She turned around and bumped right into the sweating, topless Damien. He looked at her with an amusedly arched eyebrow.
"What?" Xen asked him.
"Do you make it a habit of spying on me Xen?" Damien asked her.
"Do you make it a habit of practicing sword forms while topless?" Xen asked him as she turned away from him. He grabbed her arm. She looked up at him with little apprehension. He drew her small body closer and she could smell the musk coming off his body.
"Next time, just make yourself known. I do not mind if you watch me, Xen. But I do not like being spied on"
Xen back away from him when he let her go, with a small smile on her face.
"What?" Damien said to her.
"You said my name without me asking you to. I just like the way you say it, Damien," Xen said his name like it was to be savored. Then she turned and jogged back in the direction of the castle.
Damien shook his head to clear out the fog in it. The way she said his name had harshly reminded him that she was not a small child. She may look like she was only a little girl, in terms of her size, but she was very much an adult dryad. And capable of adult feelings and adult urges, just as he had felt an urge to kiss her just then. He knew she had been watching. He was too well trained not to know when someone was watching him. But he had let her watch him work out. He had worked twice as hard while she was lying on that branch. He did not know why, but the little dryad attracted him. Was it because she needed to be taken care of? Was it because she talked too much? Was it because she just had something about her? Damien pondered as he walked.
Maybe she has a darkness about her also. Maybe she knows that life is not all about being light and happy. Maybe she knows that we are made up of our experiences, and that darkness is not always something to fear.
Damien tried to stop thinking of the little dryad, but found that he could not. He resigned himself to the thought of her, and made his way to his room, and then his bathtub.
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Xen came upon Sarah's goblin maid, Agee in the hallway.
"Agee? Where is her majesty?" Xen asked politely.
Agee curtsied before answering, "Queen Sarah and the other women are in the dressmaking room. I will guide you," Agee walked forward, and Xen followed. They came upon a simple door that led into a large room littered with dresses and mannequins. In a corner sat Sarah, Carys, Cara, Calista, Phoenix, and Tanwen. Xen smiled at the women before taking a seat to Phoenix's right. She curled her small legs up into the chair and twirled a lock of hair around her finger.
"Look at this," Sarah thrust a notebook at Xen. Xen took it and looked at the dress on the page. It was strapless, cream colored, and had green ribbon for the trim.
"I assume this is Cara's wedding dress?" Xen guessed. Sarah nodded.
"Do you like it?" Cara asked.
"Your Highness, it is a beautiful dress," Xen told the princess.
"That's what I thought!" Cara exclaimed as she looked at Sarah expectantly.
Sarah sighed, "I still think pink would be better, but if you insist"
The dress appeared almost immediately on a nearby mannequin. Cara squealed just a little and got up to finger the fabric.
The next couple of hours was spent designing and conjuring gowns. Xen protested when the other women insisted she needed to wear lavender, but then she gave in. The dress was not as light as she was used to. It was floor length, with an a-line skirt. It was made of silk, and was off the shoulder. The sleeves were long, and bell shaped. They were made of a sheer lavender chiffon. The top was trimmed with a floral ribbon, and the waistline sat directly on her tiny waist. It had a very small train. It was a grand gown, but not too overwhelming. And she had to admit that the lavender did wonders for her light skin and reddish gold hair. She could even go barefoot like she liked to, and no one would notice.
They sat in silence, taking their lunch in the large room.
"When are you and Aidan going to marry, Phoenix?" Xen finally asked, not liking the silence.
"Well, we do not know yet. Sometime in the next year," Phoenix told her.
"If Aidan had it his way it would be now!" Tanwen laughed out loud.
"Hey, Tanwen, Calista, why don't you go find something else to do?" Sarah asked the two girls.
"This means they are going to talk about stuff they do not want us to hear," Tanwen moaned, but did as she was told. Calista followed her out the door. Sarah took another sip of her coffee.
"So, what are you going to do?" she asked.
"About my population problem, you mean?" Xen asked Sarah and she nodded, "I am going to hold a mating ritual. A few days after I return. I will issue to summons for all subjects to come to the capital, and then we will drink the ritual drink and then we will find other subjects to mate with, and hopefully a lot of offspring will be conceived. Barbaric, I know, but I hardly have any choices. First thing is first though. I am going to have Damien help me clean out and destroy the dungeons when we get back. I do not think we will need them anymore"
"A wise course of action. Those dungeons were in a bad state before you were even put down there," Sarah told the dryad. Xen nodded.
"Is Damien going to participate in this ritual?" Cara asked a little wickedly. Xen felt herself blush as she looked down at her hands.
"That's his choice. I do not know if he will or not," Xen tried to shrug nonchalantly.
"Well, tomorrow is the wedding. I suggest we all spend the afternoon relaxing, and I will see all of you at dinner," Sarah dismissed them, and Xen stopped Phoenix on her way out.
"Is there someplace good to swim at within the castle area?" Xen asked Phoenix.
"If you take a horse and go up the trail a little ways there is a nice spring to swim in. Just past the large oak tree," Phoenix told her.
Xen sprinted off to the stables, and accepted the small tan mare that Aidan brought her. She took off down the main trail, and towards what was sure to be an invigorating swim. She would think about everything else tomorrow.