A/N: Thank you to all of my reviewers; Lady of the Labyrinth, BOWIEgirl, Juliya, angelwingz202, lounging-pixie, and theshadowcat. Thank you for your advice, praise, comments, reviews, etc., I am motivated once again. Sorry this took so long!
Far away from Sarah, a man with wild, spiky blonde hair and mismatched eyes stared into a crystal, his jaw slack with surprise. His eyes began to twinkle mischievously, and he slowly closed his mouth, only to open it again as he chuckled. His chuckles turned into laughter, and it took him a few moments to collect himself.
With one last look into the crystal, he shook it, letting silver glitter erase the image within. He tossed the translucent sphere into the air, where it disappeared with a small pop.
She missed him. He couldn't believe it. It had been so long…. Only six months Aboveground, but it had been nearly twelve years in the Labyrinth. A small span of time for one his age, but it had felt like an eternity. So much had happened since she had gone. The war, the re-establishment of the Great Council, his mother's death. The Labyrinth itself had changed. Jareth had been forced to defend it when two of the countries bordering the Goblin Kingdom had attacked. He had not been without aid, of course, but he had used much of his power keeping his subjects safe before his allies had arrived. The conflict had escalated into a war involving all of the Fae kingdoms of the Underground, with many casualties, including Jareth's mother, Queen Serena of the Merpeople.
The Great Fae leaders of the allied kingdoms had come together after four years of fighting, and had agreed to re-establish the Great Council of Fae that had presided over the Underground for eons. The Council had disbanded three thousand years before, at the assassination of Jareth's father, King Kristoph. The Council was made up of the rulers and diplomats from every kingdom and species represented in the Underground, from the dragons, unicorns, fairies, centaurs and merpeople to the immortals, fae and the Great Fae. The Great Fae were the most ancient and powerful beings in the Underground, so powerful that even the mortals Aboveground knew of them, although they were mistakenly referred to as gods.
Lord Soren of the Great Desert had long desired to claim the Labyrinth as his own. As it was the most ancient and powerful area of the Underground, many desired to tame it, but most rulers lacked either the audacity to challenge Jareth or possessed the intelligence to realize they could not defeat him. Soren, however, planned his assault wisely, and struck within days of Sarah's victory, when the Labyrinth was still rebuilding itself. Were it not for Jareth's swift actions, and his allies' rapid responses, Soren may well have gained control. There were, as it has been mentioned, innumerable casualties and many changes rent Underground as a result.
Jareth was interrupted in his reverie by a knock on the door of the library.
"Enter." He called moodily, still lost in his thoughts. A young woman with milk-white skin and hair like fire entered. She was dressed in a silken gown that exactly matched her eyes, which were bluer than cornflowers. She curtsied elegantly, and then went straight to one of the bookshelves and selecting a book. She barely glanced at Jareth before making herself comfortable on a cushioned window seat.
"Lovely to see you too, Rhoslyn. Did you finish all of your lessons?" Jareth commented, startling her out of her novel.
"Sorry, Jar." Rhoslyn said, never tearing her eyes from the page. Jareth quirked an eyebrow.
"And the lessons?"
"It's just this book is so much more interesting than lessons, or talking to you." She said guiltily, glancing at Jareth out of the corner of her eye.
"You know, I could drop you in the Bog for such disrespectful backtalk." Jareth declared with a mock frown.
"Yes, but you won't." Rhoslyn answered impishly. "I'm going to read this someplace where I won't be disturbed by over-protective older brothers."
"Not unless you finish your lessons first." Jareth said, suddenly stern.
"Jareth! I've got all afternoon to finish those!" Rhoslyn exclaimed.
"No, you don't, because the moment you start reading you can't think of anything else."
"Can't I just finish the lessons tomorrow? I'm at the good part!" Rhoslyn whined.
"Rhoslyn, you know as well as I do the importance of those lessons. If you don't learn to control your magik you could hurt someone. Again." Jareth said sternly.
"Why do you have to bring that up? That's not fair!" Rhoslyn looked hurt, but at the words 'That's not fair!' Jareth once again became lost in his memories.
"It's not fair!" A dark-haired girl cried.
"You say that so often, I wonder what your basis for comparison is."
"Jareth. Jareth. JARETH." Rhoslyn was standing over him. "Hello? You completely zoned out on me!"
"Rhoslyn, would you refrain from using Aboveground slang? It is unbecoming of royalty." Jareth intoned, annoyed at being interrupted again.
"You sound like Mother! What makes you think you have to parent me all of the time? I can take care of myself!" Rhoslyn cried out, frustrated.
"I promised Mother I would take care of you. That entitles me to 'parent you all of the time', as you so elegantly put it." Jareth was really annoyed. Rhoslyn had a knack for getting on his nerves. They'd never gotten along well to begin with, and since Queen Serena had died Rhoslyn had been nearly impossible to live with.
Rhoslyn just glared at him as she flounced out of the room, her book forgotten.
Jareth sighed heavily, and let his thoughts wander back to Sarah.
A/N: Ok, so it wasn't very good. I know. But it's been so long, and I needed to add in some background information on the Underground. I know my Jareth is kind of a sissy, I'm working on it. He's much more complicated than expected. Please review!