Underneath the Crystal Moon
a/n: I do not own Labyrinth
Part Two: Damien
Chapter 7
Xen went out in the morning to spy on Damien again. He was there as usual, working those forms. He stopped after a few minutes and looked directly at her.
"Get down here, Your Majesty," Damien pointed at the ground in front of him. Xen dropped out of the tree and padded across the dewy grass to where he stood.
"Why are you watching me?" Damien asked her, point blank.
"Do you really want to know the answer to that?" Xen asked him.
"I think I do," Damien told her.
"Too bad, I'm not going to tell you," Xen said with a vehement shake of her small head.
"How about this. I teach you a little sword play, you tell me what makes you so curious about this goblin prince," Damien propostioned.
Xen cocked her head sideways and contemplated his offer, "I think what you do is kind of a beautiful dance. It is graceful, yet very powerful. You look at peace while you are doing it. It is the only time you seem to be doing anything but brooding. And that is all you will get out of me"
Damien laughed a very rare genuine laugh, "Oh, you will be the death of me I swear it"
"When do I get a lesson?" Xen asked, intent on keeping him at his word.
"As soon as we get a sword made small enough for you. You are used to arrows and daggers. We will make you an actual sword," Damien told her, "Now go. Relax and rest. Tonight will be busy"
Xen walked off without a backwards glance, but she had a big smile on her face. A smile that was matched with a rare one from the stoic goblin prince.
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Xen sat before her mirror, with a goblin maid named Corda. Her hair was being swept back at the sides and being pinned in place with purple jeweled hair pins. The lavender dress was stunning on her. Sarah had came to her earlier in the day with an amethyst necklace and matching bracelet. Corda settled Xen's formal crown on her small head. It was made of gold, and was not too large. The emeralds and diamonds in it sparkled brightly. The intricately wrought leaves looked as if they would rustle in the wind, but they just sat there on her curls. She loved to look at the thing, but she did not like wearing it very much. She sighed as Corda offered her various face paints. Xen just added a bit of sheer pink gloss to her lips before standing up. She gathered her small train in her hand and slipped the loop on the end around her finger.
"You may go now Corda," Xen told the maid. Corda curtsied and then left. Xen looked at herself in the mirror. It was so hard to look as regal as Sarah did when she was no bigger than a minute. A knock on her door interrupted her thoughts, and she went to answer it. Damien stood there, looking resplendent in black. His boots, his breeches, and his jacket were all black. The shirt, open at the neck, was made of a lightweight gray material. A necklace with a black stone set into it shone against his pale skin. His hair was down for once, and she could see the white tips glisten in the candlelight of the hallway. He looked at her weirdly, as if he had never seen her before.
"What's wrong Damien?" Xen asked him as she closed the door behind her.
"You look different," he told her.
"Different bad? I rather like this color," Xen told him as she spun around on the ball of her foot.
"No, not bad. Just, you look like a queen instead of a precocious dryad," Damien said as he offered his arm. Xen took the arm and they began to walk. The wedding would be held in the throne room. They passed Aidan on the way.
"I will see you guys in the ballroom after the ceremony, right?" Aidan waved at them before walking down the hall.
"You look good Damien," Xen told her escort. He stared straight ahead and just grunted in appreciation. Xen laughed as they reached the throne room. Damien left her at a seat near the front, while he took his place to the side of his father's throne. Phoenix, Eamon and Tanwen were already seated. Princess Calista was sitting on the other side of room, much in the same position Xen was. Aaron came in and sat beside Xen. The titles granted to him by Jareth had made him eligible to be here.
"Some night, huh?" Aaron asked her. He was wearing green and brown, and looked handsome.
"Yeah. I just want to get to the dancing," Xen smiled.
"Ah, just you wait. Uncle Toby has been waiting for this for a long time. I think we are about to begin," Aaron said as the room became silent. Everyone stood as Queen Carys and King Danol strode into the room, accompanied by invisible violin music. Everyone bowed or curtsied, except for Xen, who did not have to. Everyone stayed standing as Jareth and Sarah appeared in the doorway. Sarah wore a velvet gown in a shade of burgundy, and Jareth wore black and burgundy. They strode forward and sat down on their formal thrones.
The music changed, and trumpet blasts filled the air as Toby and Cara filled the doorway. Cara wore the cream dress with green trim. Toby wore a green outfit in the same shade of green as the ribbon on Cara's dress. His shirt was the same shade of cream as Cara's dress. Cara carried a bouquet of deep red roses. She wore her formal crown on her head, just as Toby wore his. They walked slowly forward until they stood before the High Lord. They knelt, and Cara laid her roses on the floor beside her.
"We gather here on this night for a ritual of love. You, Princess Cara of the Dragonlands, and Prince Toby of the Goblin Kingdom stand here before your family, your friends, and the Lord and the Lady to join together as one. What say you?" The High Lord asked the couple. They rose and faced each other, holding hands. Toby spoke first.
"I, Prince Toby of the Goblin Kingdom, do take you, Princess Cara, as my partner and mate. Never will I seek to do you harm; always will I strive for your happiness and welfare. My love will be your treasure in the times when other riches fail to serve. My love will be your medicine in sickness as my hand tends your needs. My love will be your mirth when your heart is touched by sadness. My love will be your shining star through the darkest of nights. My love will be your banquet when life's table seems empty. All this do I promise you with all the love that is in my heart. This I swear by the Lord and the Lady"
Cara spoke next, her voice thick with tears, "My love, now do I make my promises to you. I promise to share laughter in times of joy and wonder; to share tears when sorrow touches our lives; to share my dreams and hopes, that our love and minds may grow; to share compassion and understanding during times of frustration and anger; to share all that I have, and all that I am. This I swear by the Lord and the Lady"
"A ring is a symbol of everlasting love. All things come in circles. The sun is round, and the moon is round. Life is a circle, it never ends. As you place these rings on each other's hands, speak the words that come to your heart," the High Lord intoned.
The pair spoke together as they slipped the rings onto each other's fingers, "As a circle has no end, let my love be as infinite"
Sarah was openly crying, as was Phoenix. Xen herself dabbed at her eyes with a hankerchief Aaron provided her.
"Let these two be joined as one. I now present to you, Princess Cara of the Dragonlands, and Prince Consort Toby of the Dragonlands, Prince of the Goblin Kingdom. May their kingdoms prosper from their union, and may love bloom eternally," the High Lord intoned, "You may kiss your bride"
Toby took that advice to heart and kissed Cara very seriously before letting her grab her flowers off the floor. Everyone made their way out after them to the ballroom. Aaron offered his arm to Xen and they made their way to the ballroom.
Xen was not a bad dancer. She was a good follower, and generally let the male really lead her around the floor. She walked up to Toby and Cara. They bowed and curtsied to her.
"I want to offer my congratulations. I have a present for you two. Hold out your hands," Xen told them. They did, and she placed a special nut in each of their hands, "This is the traditional gift of the Queen of the Trees. These nuts must be planted underneath your windowsill before you retire for the night. They will insure conception for you. Two of these were planted the night the triplets were conceived, and two of them were planted the night the king was conceived. It is a long-standing tradition. Please, do not forget"
"Thank you Your Majesty," Cara told her. Xen walked away, and ran into Damien almost immediately.
"Excuse me Damien," Xen attempted to walk around him, but he stopped her.
"You don't want to dance with me?" he asked her, pretending to be hurt.
Xen liked this little bit of lightness to him, "You never asked"
"Forget asking. Come on," Damien took her hand and led her out to the dance floor. They began to waltz around the room. Xen found her face looking straight at Damien's chest. She blushed as she thought about resting her hands on the skin there, of tasting him. She shook her head and looked up at him. Big mistake. His eyes were focused on her. Those enchanted eyes. She blushed and let him lead her. She closed her eyes and just enjoyed the feeling of being danced. And then she was let go, and he bowed over her hand and kissed the knuckles, "Thank you"
Xen watched him walk off from her. She was suddenly grabbed by Eamon and she let him lead her around the floor. Would Damien always surprise her?
"What's wrong?" Eamon asked her.
"Nothing, nothing at all. I think I might retire early is all. Maybe after this dance," Xen told him.
"And deprive all these males of your company?" Eamon laughed at her.
In spite of herself she laughed, "Just the same. I am tired, and I need to prepare for the trip back to my kingdom"
When Eamon was done dancing with her she took her leave, and walked towards the castle doors. A figure stepped out of the shadows. It was Damien.
How apt, this man coming out from the shadows, Xen thought.
"Where are you going?" Damien asked her as she made her way to the doors.
"Back to my room. We need to leave tomorrow and I wish to rest and pack," Xen told him. It was nonsense. She would get plenty of rest and a maid could pack for her. Damien took her arm and slowed her down.
"There is no need to be hasty and rip that pretty dress," Damien told her. He moved his hand to the small of her back, where it warmed her skin beneath the gown and made her tingle. She let him lead her to her room. They stopped outside the door. Xen turned to say good night to Damien. His eyes looked a little wild, and his stance became a little predatory. Like a panther. He looked ready to strike. She felt herself cower.
Damien saw it. She had never cowered before him before. Why now? He noticed how he was poised over her, leaning into her. He was so tall, and she was so tiny. He relaxed his pose, but he took two fingers and tilted her chin up so her eyes met his.
"I wouldn't hurt you Xen," Damien said as he brushed his lips over hers. She gasped a little at the gentle touch. His lips were so soft, and his touch was gentle. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him back, pressing her lips against his.
Her lips were soft as rose petals, and Damien wanted more of them. But then she backed away.
"I know you wouldn't. You just have to understand. Well, you will understand, when we get back to my kingdom," Xen told him as she opened the door, "Good night Damien"
Damien looked at the closed door and wondered what he was in for now.
Why did I kiss her? Why did I have to go and do a stupid thing like that? I have to go back with this woman!
Damien shook his head and then slapped his forehead before walking down the hall.
Look before you leap, Damien.
a/n: I am not even going to apologize for waiting this long to send out this chapter. This entire past weekend was devoted to the new harry potter book and to my son's 5th birthday. So you will get no apologies from me. If you are an HP fan, let me know what you thought of the book. I am curious.