Underneath the Crystal Moon

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. A note – the phrase "Aer glint an-uir navaer" is Sindarin Elvish. It literally, word for word, translates to: "Holy Crystal Forever Farewell". I kind of mean it to say, "Sacred Crystal of the Forever Farewell". So, just so you know.

Part Two: Damien

Chapter 9

The birds chirping finally woke Xen up. A male arm was thrown over her left side, and the body attached to the arm was snuggled up against her small body. She snuggled in closer, grazing Damien's midsection with her backside. His nose and mouth were flush against her small neck. It felt good, having him in her bed. She felt warm, safe, and loved.

Loved? When did love ever come into play here?

Xen rolled over and looked at Damien's closed eyes. His lashes were long, and dusted with gold at the tips. He was so exotic looking. So beautiful. They were chest to chest, leg to leg. She was infinitely shorter than he, but it still seemed like a perfect fit. He moved slightly, and his leg shifted so that it was between her legs. Xen stifled a gasp at the close contact. Then she resumed her study of his royal face. A small scar sat on his left temple. She wondered how he got it. She took her index finger and traced a line from the scar at his temple down his jaw line. She traced his lips, and then let the finger fall. She felt her face get closer, until she could feel his breath on her lips. Just one kiss. She just needed one kiss.

Yeah, right. You are kidding yourself if all you want is one kiss, Xen thought. But before she knew it, she had brushed his lips with her, in a gentle caress. She did it again, letting her lips linger against his. On the third time she felt his arms tighten around her, just a little, and his lips returned her kiss, warming and tingling her. The kiss deepened a little, with the lips staying in contact longer, and the touch becoming a little more insistent.

Damien heard a little purr come from Xen's throat as he stroked her back with his nails, and he took that as his cue to run his tongue along her soft lips. She opened her mouth, and Damien slipped his tongue into her. He sought out her shy tongue, and began to stroke it with his own, coaxing her, pulling at her.

Xen moaned as he stroked her mouth with his tongue, creating an unfamiliar feeling between her thighs. Arousal. She was feeling desire. He was setting her on fire. She wanted him. And he wanted her, judging by the hardness she felt between his legs.

Damien felt himself grow hard, and he immediately had second thoughts about what he was about to do. She would need to come to him, he would not take her when she was this vulnerable. It would need to be when she came to him. She slowed their kisses down, and removed himself from her.

"What?" Xen asked him, slightly panting.

"Meet me outside in ten minutes little one. We have sword practice this morning," Damien told her as he walked out of the room.

"Grr!" Xen growled as she flopped down on her bed.

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They had been sparring for a while when Xen finally called a halt to their practice.

"We have business to take care of. Come with me," Xen told the prince. Damien followed Xen to the back side of the humongous tree that was her palace. She pressed a knot on a medium sized tree and a small door opened on the tree. The stairway spiraled down.

"Where are we?" Damien asked even though he was fairly sure he knew.

"The dungeons," Xen told him, "I have not been in here since Jareth rescued me"

Damien grabbed Xen's arm at her bicep, "We do not have to go down here"

"Yes I do," Xen shook her arm loose and continued down the stairs, "If I am ever going to be rid of it all, I have to destroy these dungeons, destroy this place. The walls talk, the walls hold the memories. If the walls disappear, maybe the nightmares will too"

That is not true. The memories are in her head and in her heart. Only time and effort would ever make the terror go away. She needs to understand that those experiences made her who she is. Would I be here if she had not gone through what she had gone through? Would I feel the way I do for her? What a horrible thought. She would be dead had she not been left behind in the dungeons. Mom would have killed her when she killed all the other dryads that went to war. I do not envy her pain, but I am glad for once that she has an unstoppable mouth. For once I am glad she couldn't shut up, Damien thought.

The dungeons still smelled of feces and urine after all these years. Spiders, bugs, and rodents made this their home. Xen walked right towards a cell hardly big enough for a normal Fae, and knew by the way the straw was arranged and by the look in Xen's eyes that this had been her cell. A solitary tear trickled down her face as she stared at it. She placed her hands on the iron bars, and let them slightly burn her. Damien grabbed her arms and moved her away.

"They had no right. Your queen was cruel and unjust," Damien told her. They returned above. Damien's magic would not work so close to all that iron. When they got above the dungeons again, Damien used magic to collapse the whole area where the dungeons were. The ground fell in, creating a pit. Damien concentrated, and dirt fell from the sky to fill the hole. His face was sweating, and his fists were clenched. When the hole was filled he fell to his knees. It had taken a lot of effort.

"Where did all that dirt come from?" Xen asked him, the awe evident in her voice.

"A little from all over your kingdom. Now for the finishing touch," Damien rose and walked to what used to be the entrance. He concentrated and said four words, "Aer glint an-uir navaer"

A film of crystal appeared on the tree, encircling the trunk and forever blocking the door. Damien sat on the ground, panting from the effort.

"Phoenix is much more powerful than I am. I doubt this would have even winded her," Damien said.

Xen sat down next to him, "Thank you"

"No one will ever be able to break that spell, except maybe Phoenix," Damien said weakly.

Xdrea and Lavina appeared.

"Help His Highness to his room," Xen told them. Lavina used a bit of her small magic to help him walk to his room.

Xen went to go see to the preparation of the mating ritual, and tried to make herself not think of him. But by the time she slipped into the bathtub at the end of the day, she knew she had not succeeded. Her hands slipped below the water and she found the first bliss she had been privy to since she became queen. Her voice let go of a soft gasp as she shuddered with completion. After she had gotten out of the tub and slipped on a rare nightgown, she went down the hall and opened Damien's door. His eyes opened slightly as she entered his room.

"Shh. I just do not think I can sleep alone," Xen said softly as she got under the covers with the prince. She placed her head on his chest and intertwined her legs with his. Not long after, she fell asleep. And the dreams plagued her no more.