Chapter 7: Cross Junction
The next morning, Jareth awoke to a hand hitting him in the face. He grumbled to himself and moved the hand. He looked to his left, finding Jessie lying on her stomach, her sheets all twisted about her. He groaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes.
"She's been tossing and turning for about an hour now" Robin said. Jareth nodded and stood up to stretch. "Thanks for the clothes by the way."
"Yours were all muddy" Jareth replied. He dug around in his bag and pulled out two heavy jerkins. He tossed one over to Robin.
"Where are we off to today?" Robin asked.
"Back to the Labyrinth" Jareth grumbled, pulling the jerkin up on his shoulders. The green coat seemed to make Jareth look more awake. Robin pulled on the dark blue jerkin and started to clean up his bedding. Jareth rested his hand on the door knob. "I'm going downstairs to check on the squires."
Robin waited until Jareth had left the room before moving next to Jessie. He whispered her name and shook her shoulder. The girl just groaned and made a small movement in her sheets.
"Jessie, you need to wake up darling" Robin said with another shake.
"Huh?" Jessie asked barely opening her eyes and lifting her head. She turned her head until she was looking up at Robin. "Robin?"
"Time to wake up, beautiful" Robin said with a smile. Jessie groaned and let her head plop back onto the makeshift pillow.
"I'm tired, hungry, and I don't want to go" Jessie grumbled. Robin rolled his eyes and moved so he was lying on his side next to her.
"What do you want to eat?" Robin asked.
"If you don't leave me alone, I'll be draining you of blood" Jessie said closing her eyes.
"Well what if I bring you a rabbit or something?" Robin asked.
"Where's Jareth?" Jessie asked ignoring him.
"He's downstairs probably looking for some tea or something" Robin replied. He stretched, reaching his bag, and removed his comb. He moved until he was able to start combing Jessie's hair for her. "So" Robin started as he stroked the comb through Jessie's surprisingly soft hair. "How'd you come about missing?"
"I quit, then ran away" Jessie said. Robin's combing never stopped its continuous flow.
"Quit?" Robin asked. "You seem to be in charge of this troop."
"I am now" Jessie replied. "I just wasn't for a few days."
There was a knock at the door followed by a young voice that said "His Majesty requests both of you downstairs for breakfast."
"We'll be right there" Jessie called out. Robin moved aside and allowed Jessie to get up and pull on some warmer clothes, which consisted of heavy tights, high black boots, the shirt she had worn in bed, and a heavy cotton tunic. "Robin, will you do something for me?"
"Of course" Robin said picking up his things. Jessie moved to roll up her bedding and Jareth's.
"Will you find me something? A rabbit? A raccoon? Something?" Jessie asked.
"I will find something for you to kill, so it will not be me" Robin said swooping in to kiss her forehead. Jessie smiled and followed him out the door with the remaining things from the room.
Breakfast went by very quickly. It consisted of tea, bread, and eggs. It was nothing spectacular, but hearty enough for the troop. Jessie, by the way, received a large hare from Robin which she quietly took care of outside.
The squires, Jareth, Robin, and Jessie were quickly packed up and moving before the sun fully rose. The storm that had started quickly the day before had moved on to a new horizon. The morning looked as sunny and as bright as most other days in the Underground.
With Jessie heading the trip back to the Labyrinth, the troop rode swiftly. By 13:00, they rode through the east gate of Cross Junction, which was adorned with several crosses that had been placed along the gate haphazardly over the last three centuries. Jessie stared up at the gate, pulling her horse to the side, watching as the others went through the gate.
A large black raven landed on one of the crude-looking crosses and squawked loudly.
"Is something wrong?" Robin asked stopping beside Jessie.
"Let's just make sure we don't stay too long" Jessie said. "The last time I was here, I made a few enemies."
"Who? YOU? No, not you" Robin chided with a smile. He nodded his head towards the others. "Come on, my knightly dear, let's go get some food."
The people of Cross Junction stared at the new arrivals as if they had never seen anyone other then themselves. The town was fairly large and had a populace-wide fear of almost everything. The one thing that Cross Junction could boast about, though, was the fine craftsmen that lived in the town. The buildings, the signs, the fountains, everything in the town had a touch of uniqueness to it.
Jessie pulled her hat down so people wouldn't be so inclined to recognize her. The group stopped at a small tavern with a large, painted, wooden sign that read 'The Flying Pig'. The troop managed to enter the tavern without a word to any of the townsfolk.
The Flying Pig was a dim-lit place with dirty windows and dirty floors. The regulars who frequented the bar only turned to watch the group from curiosity. The two bartenders were beefy and looked like they could each take on a small giant.
A busty waitress sauntered over and put her right hand on her hip. "Can I help you?"
"Drinks for everyone" Jareth said. "What do you have to eat?"
"Our special today is stew with a turkey leg and a side of bread" The waitress replied.
"Good. We'll all have that" Jareth replied.
"Will you now?" The waitress said.
"My dear lady" Jareth said with a smile. He leaned in close to her and whispered something in her ear. The waitress smiled and nodded, then trotted towards the kitchen.
"You do have a way with women" Robin said with a grin.
"I learned from the best" Jareth replied. Robin's smile indicated that he was gloating.
"I'll take that as a compliment" Robin said. A few of the squires laughed.
"Sire, I'll be…outside" Jessie replied.
"Come back in when you're finished" Jareth said. Jessie nodded and headed out of the tavern.
Outside, Jessie was quick to head towards the woods. She could feel the stares of the people out among the street. Ducking quickly into the shadowy coverage of the forest, behind a purveyor of clocks, Jessie set out to find a small critter that no one would miss.
It didn't take long. The woods were ripe with life. Jessie caught a rabbit, spearing it on the edge of her sword. Kneeling down near a thicket, Jessie let the blood gush down her throat. The salty, metallic taste soothed her. She could hear the animals heart beat start to slow down.
A gasp made Jessie look up. In front of her an older man who was collecting fire wood was staring at her.
"Monster!" He screamed. "HELP! Monster!"
Jessie dropped the rabbit and the man started to run towards the city, still screaming 'monster'.
"Shit" Jessie said to herself. She ran to the edge of the woods. A group of young men with torches and blades looked directly at her.
"That's the monster!" The man said to the group of younger men.
"I am a Knight of The Labyrinth!" Jessie yelled.
"Monster!" The older man screamed. Two young girls on a horse rode up to the group of men. One of them was trying to get them to leave. Jessie took the opportunity to run in between the horse and the far building.
The group of men suddenly roared. The sound of feet was enough to put no doubt in Jessie's mind that they were behind her. Jessie rounded the corner and practically jumped onto her horse. The noise from the mob and the neighing of the horse was enough to draw the other knights from the tavern.
Jessie turned the horse sharply and took off towards the western gate of the city.
"Sir Cardemus!" The squires called out. Jessie didn't stop until she reached the gates, which were being closed.
"Open the gates!" Jessie yelled out. The tall, heavy wooden gates were closing too fast for Jessie to get through them. Two guards stepped between Jessie and the gate. Jessie pulled hard on the reigns making her horse rear up. Jessie turned the horse around and found the mob getting closer.
Jessie turned back around and moved her cloak out of the way, enough to reveal her belt.
"I am a Knight of The Labyrinth!" Jessie said. She flashed her belt buckle at the guards. "Allow me to pass or I will be forced to hurt you."
"A Knight of The Labyrinth?" The guards scoffed. "What a joke."
"Open the gates or I will kill you both" Jessie growled. The guards pulled out their swords and remained where they stood. The mob was close enough to start forming a circle around Jessie.
"Allow me to leave, I did no harm to anyone" Jessie said to the mob. The mob roared until one of the townsmen stepped forward.
"We told you never to come back to this place, Ama'sovai" The man said with a grimace that looked like he had swallowed something bad. The word "Ama'sovai" traveled through the mob until one man screamed something about killing her, then the mob was back to its usual fury.
The mob swelled with angry energy that felt like it was a hand gripping Jessie. She could feel it enclose around her.
"Just allow me to pass" Jessie said. The crowd stepped back, some people were gasping. "What?" Jessie turned her head to see Jareth standing next to her. "Your majesty."
"Getting yourself into trouble, are you?" Jareth asked.
"One of them caught me with a rabbit" Jessie replied.
"I see" Jareth said with a smile. He turned towards the crowd and raised his voice. "I am the Goblin King and I must ask you all to allow this knight safe passage through this city."
"She was killing!" One of the men said.
"Oh really?" Jareth said. "Was she killing a human or some animal that you yourself would gladly kill and eat?"
"I heard she killed a kid!" Someone else yelled.
"I killed a rabbit!" Jessie yelled back.
"Who found her killing?" Jareth asked. The older man who had found her stepped forward. "What was she killing? Was it a child?"
"I-I-I I think it was an-an-an animal, Your Majesty" The man sputtered.
"It was an animal" Jareth said. He waved his hands to quiet the crowd. "People of Cross Junction. I know that you are scared of the many dangerous creatures in the surrounding forests, but if any Knight of the Labyrinth passes through your city, you should feel safe. Sir Cardemus, here, is one of the best knights that the Labyrinth has."
The crowd seemed to accept what Jareth had said. Some of them just flat out left and the others seemed to need a second before leaving. Jareth patted Jessie's leg.
"Come, I'm sure the food is ready" Jareth said.
The food was waiting for them when they went back to The Flying Pig. Jessie chose to sit at the bar and drink beer, rather then sit with the others. Jessie watched the clock as the troop had decided to waste an hour being merry. After her third beer, Jessie went over to the table and stood next to Jareth.
"Yes?" Jareth asked.
"I think we should be going" Jessie replied. "If we hurry, we can be back by six o'clock."
"I suppose you're right" Jareth replied. "Everyone, we are leaving." Jareth stood up and put a bag of money on the table. He leaned in towards Jessie. "Are you okay to ride point?"
"I'm fine" Jessie said.
"If you're lying, I'll send you right to an oubliette for endangering all of us" Jareth said.
"Your confidence is most reassuring" Jessie said. She turned for the door. "I'll be outside."