Del: sighs Okay guys, I apologize. I had hoped to get a whole happy nice Christmas story done in time for the Christmas Holidays, but it just didn't seem to happen. I've been pretty busy at work; we're just trying to get everything ready for the New Year.
Bubbles: I wanna go snowboarding again!
Del: I told you that you would!
Bubbles: pouts Yeah well I still want to go.
Del: Next week, I promise. Read and Review, hope you guys like. And sorry again for the delay in the posting.
Disclaimer: Don't own the Labyrinth, but the story and characters are mine.
In Times of Sorrow
Chapter 7
Discussions and Dragon Blood.
"So if I agree to kill the gargoyle Sintium, you will tell me how to save Sarah?" Jareth asked. "In return for agreeing to help my kingdom I will tell you what I know in order to save your Lady," the dragon agrees. Jareth holds out his hand, "Done." The dragon looks at Jareth for a moment and begins, "Her soul is lost," the Eldest said simply to Jareth, who raised an eyebrow and asked, "What exactly do you mean?"
The dragon sighed and then began, "The gift of life is precious yet fragile, and often taken for granted especially by mortals. Although death occurs every day, mortals know their lives will end but feel as though they still have plenty of time left. There is a pattern…. a specific order in which all mortals must pass, however, mortals have the option to change the pattern by taking their own lives. It creates a ripple that affects the remaining order and the pattern changes, all mortals have a sense of death, they will feel death approaching when it is time. However Sarah has violated this sense, this inborn ability of humans. So in some sense she has violated her humanity."
"The World-Above lacks the magic essence that is ever present in the Underground, for they say that once the World-Above and the Underground were one. But there was a split, no one really knows why. My father use to tell my brother and I of his father who was but a youngling when the worlds split, he remembered very little of that time so there is no true account in our histories of the incident. But the results were that the magical creatures gained the world of the Underground and the mortals were given the World-Above. However, it is said that once the mortals could command magic." Jareth looks shocked, "Is that truly possible?" "I was hoping that we could find the answer to that question," the dragon explained and then continued.
"As creatures of the Underground our powers are limited in the World-Above because our personal magic is magnified by the ancient magic that is the Underground. And although there seems to be no magic in the World-Above there are still traces of magic that remain from ages long ago when the worlds existed as one. So therefore, all humans have a small amount of magic within their souls."
Jareth runs his fingers through his hair in mild frustration he says, "So what does all this have to do with anything." The Eldest smiles, "I believe that it explains why your lady has recovered so quickly. She has visited the Underground before, correct?" Jareth nodded in response so the dragon continued, "When did you first love the girl?" Jareth looks at the dragon suspiciously, "I suppose that I have always loved her, from the moment that I saw her. Mortals always seemed so expendable to me, that is until I met her. There was just something that…… drew me to her. Something that pulled on my soul, a feeling I've never felt….."
The Eldest interrupts, "Precisely. I believe that the presence of magic may be very strong in Sarah. She has been to the Underground before and through your attraction to her you have given her certain powers. You sparked the small flame of magic within her, which now seems to be burning brighter every day. She was able to wield your own magic against you with words the last time she was here, but she had to have had a presence of magic within her soul before she ever even came to the Underground. By being here the ancient magic of the Underground has steadily been strengthening the magic she possess."
"Which would explain her fast recovery," Jareth exclaimed. "Correct," the dragon concurred, "however even though she has recovered physically she is still mortal and her soul is still confined in the restraints of a mortal life. As the magic grows inside of her it will increase her awareness of her mortality, for mortals were not meant to live in the Underground as they have in the Above-World. Which bring us back to the fact that she tried to take her own life, she may not have altered her lifespan but she has altered her destiny in a sense. The destiny that was ordained for her mortal life, and the destiny that has been created for her in the Underworld, it is as though she is one being with two souls."
Jareth looks a little confused but continues, "So since she has violated her humanity it has torn her soul between the part of her that retains humanity and the part that contains magic. But what will this do?"
The dragon looks rather sad as he begins, "To take one's own life is a serious act, and often when mortals attempt but do not succeed they suffer. They experience a sense of extreme loneliness; they become lost within the sadness and the darkness that possessed their souls to attempt this unnatural act. As long as she remains in the Underground the growing magic within her will intensify these emotions, for magic intensifies senses like touch and in this case the sense that she will someday die. And I feel that the path ahead of her is a path into darkness."
Jareth jumps from the chair, "What do you mean path into darkness! Will she stay like this? Wouldn't the magic eventually just overcome her mortal senses and…."
The dragon motions for Jareth to sit back down and says, " Yes, the magic could eventually overcome her mortal senses, but she won't be alive long enough for that. When she tried to take her life, she violated the order, she can no longer live the life of a mortal, she will only be lost within her own guilt, for it was an unnatural act. An act derived from emotions and thoughts rather than instincts and senses. She will be consumed by the thoughts and emotions that drove her to this as long as she is human. For her humanity is gone in World-Above yet exists here in the Underground."
Jareth, "So what can we do?" "Well there is always the option of making her a creature of the Underground," the dragon explained while Jareth frowned in obvious disapproval, "however, there is another way. She must become immortal."
Jareth gasps, "Immortal. But how? I didn't know that a human could become an immortal." The dragon rubs his tail over the large crystal used to observe Sarah earlier and it begins to radiate a soft golden glow, "It is possible but not heard of, for a human to become immortal particular magic must be in accordance. But it can't be just any immortal; it must be someone that has a very strong connection with the human. A connection that binds their souls."
Jareth smiles slightly, "Love." The dragon grins, " Yes love, but not just any love, it must be true love. In order to make a human immortal you both must travel to the Land of the Dead. Once there it is said you must cross the river that is the last voyage of all beings and she must drink from the goblet of the Lord of the Dead, and then she will die. And you must give her the gift of life, the essence of true love. And that is all that the legend says, there is no more."
Jareth scratches his forehead, "So what is meant by the essence of love?" The dragon pulls his tail back from the crystal revealing an image of Sarah sitting with Darien and says, "It is you who must find the essence of love for the two of you. For when she dies her soul will be tested and if your love isn't true then her soul will forever wander in the Land of the Dead."
Darien smiles sweetly at Sarah as they share a bench in the garden, dressed in a gown of black and red with a heavy black fur cloak, (provided of course by Darien) she takes in a deep breath of the cold air. "It seems really cold today," Sarah says looking toward the horizon. Darien scoots a little closer to her and asks, "Are you cold?" Sarah looks at him gratefully but says, "No, I'm fine. I've just never known that it was cold here in the Underground. It feels like winter."
Darien smiles and looks to the sky, "Well, it looks like snow." Sarah sighs happily, "Oh I just love snow, I remember playing with Toby in the snow, and we use to have so much fun together." Darien gives her a questioning look, "Do you miss him?" Sarah sighs, "No not really, it's very strange. Ever since the other day I've felt so odd. It feels as though my life is all mixed up, my family and friends seem so far away. And I can't even seem to really recall what any of them look like, I can't even think of what day it might be."
Darien frowns, "Are you taking ill? Perhaps we should get you in out of the cold. You don't want to have a relapse." Standing up Darien begins to lift Sarah into his arms but she protest, "No, I'd like to sit out here for a while." Darien looks rather taken back and bows respectively, "As you wish my lady." Sarah shrugs, "You don't have to act like that Darien, I'm just a mortal, rather insignificant in comparison to you don't you think?"
Darien takes a seat by her, "Of course not, you are very special. I can sense it; there is something different about you. Perhaps it is because you are a mortal, but all of the creatures here are drawn to you. Didn't you mention that you had several good friends here?"
Sarah smiles, "Yes, Ludo, Hoggle, Sir Didymus," and Sarah gasps, "MY FRIENDS! I hadn't even thought to go visit them yet!" Darien chuckles, "No need to worry, I've taken care of the whole thing." Sarah looks rather skeptical, "What do you mean?" Darien shrugs, "Well it was suppose to be a surprise, but we are having a large feast in celebration of your speedy recovery, and I just so happened to let a certain goblin know to attend and to bring his companions along with him."
Sarah lets out a squeal of delight and throws her arms around Darien's neck, giving him a quick squeeze; Sarah suddenly jumps from the bench and says, "Well let's go!" And with that Sarah skips off toward the palace, with a rather smug Darien following behind.
Jareth watches the whole ordeal with from the Dragon's Treasure Room and he practically breaks the goblet he is holding in his hand as he watches his younger brother follow Sarah into the castle. The Eldest looks rather worried, "This turn of events is not good, now is not the time for other to be vying for her affections. You should be establishing a strong bond with her, for the on the path ahead of you there can be no doubts." Jareth looks at the dragon, "So what must I do? I've already agreed to your terms in exchange for the knowledge of how to save Sarah. I can not revoke on that promise."
The Eldest smiles, "The turmoil in my kingdom is growing, so the attack on Mountain Kintar must come soon, yet you will need aid in order to enter the castle. I propose that you request your brother to accompany you. That would allow time for you to return to your kingdom to begin precautions for your absence as well as to secure your relationship with your dear Sarah."
Jareth rubs his temples, "There is only one problem," Jareth looks at the dragon, "She has denied me once. I offered her myself, and then she defeated me. To her I am her enemy, the monster that stole her baby brother. But I loved her, and offered her everything and still she refused me. How is it that I should tell her that the only way to save her is to admit the love between us?"
"I do not know Goblin King, but if you are honest with your emotions, and if you can show her that, then all will be well," the eldest reassured. Now turning slightly the dragon motions toward a large goblet set on a pedestal, "that goblet contains dragon's blood, please accept this gift from me Goblin King. Drink from the goblet and it will give you strength when there is no hope, it will give you light when you are surrounded in darkness, and it will claim you as brethren to the Dragon. So that you may always be welcome to our kingdom."
Jareth stood before the Eldest and smiled, "That is a very generous offer." The Eldest smirked, "You know that is the same thing that your brother said when I offered him the dragon's blood." Jareth gently lifted the goblet from the pedestal and bringing the goblet to his lips downs the liquid inside and returns the goblet. The Eldest watches intently as Jareth returns to his seat, "Now you are brethren to the Dragon, and you will forever have allies here in the Dragon Kingdom."
Jareth calls forth a crystal and twirls it on his fingers, and then blowing on the crystal it changes to the color of gold. He then gently places the crystal in the dragon's outstretched claw, "If ever you need to speak directly with me you may use this crystal. Now if you will excuse me I must return to my kingdom, very soon I will begin my quest. And I give you my oath that I will rid your kingdom of the gargoyle Sintium."
The Eldest bows his head and Jareth bows in return, "Until we met again then Goblin King," and with that Jareth turns on his heal and vanishes in a cloud of glitter. "May fate be on your side my brother," the Eldest whispers as he slowly closes his eyes.