Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Labyrinth. Serina, Kelgar, Matilda, Ralir and the storyline are mine.

Chapter 11

They stood there watching as she left, knowing that she was angry again. Jareth sighed, hoping that she would calm down and wouldn't retreat into herself again. They'd finally made progress and he didn't want to go through that ordeal again. He was determined that eventually she would yield and accept everything. There was no way Serina would continue to defy him the way she had been. Shaking his head, he wondered when he'd gone soft.

"She certainly has a temper." Ralir said as he approached the king.

"Lady Serina is many things Ralir. Fascinating in a most infuriating way."

The man grinned, "She doesn't like you very much does she?"

"The lady in question would be dead now if the choice had been hers." Kelgar said as he joined them. Ralir looked from Jareth to the healer in surprise. "She would rather return to her home world even though she would be killed immediately."

"Why would she want to risk it?"

"She's a stubborn and ungrateful wench." Jareth growled.

"Jareth, did you enchant her weapons?" Kelgar snapped his fingers suddenly as he thought about the sparring session.

"No." Jareth turned to look at Ralir, "I was going to ask you about that. Since when do our swords have flames?"

Ralir's eyes widened. "They don't. I thought you had enchanted them."

"Are you certain that none of the weapons in the castle are capable of doing that?" Jareth had a bad feeling about this latest development.

"You asked for a pair of swords that I thought Serina might be the most comfortable with. Those katanas were made by the same blacksmith who made the other weapons and armor." Ralir had obtained the swords himself directly from the blacksmith.

"Something isn't right. If you did not enchant the swords, and the blacksmith didn't either…" Kelgar trailed off as he continued to think.

"She was accused of possessing magic." The king murmured. "However, I've seen no sign of it since she's been here. Have you Kelgar?"

"No, but then I wasn't exactly looking for it either."

"Fire magic is rare and extremely dangerous." Jareth groaned as he transported them to throne room. "She is strong, defiant and brave; all qualities of one possessing fire magic. Is she does carry the magic then that makes her twice as deadly as well." Jareth replied as he sprawled out elegantly on the throne. "When dealing with her, be on your guard. I'll not have her slaughtering my men."

"I'd send her through the Labyrinth." Ralir muttered darkly.

"She'd destroy it Ralir." Kelgar shot back. Jareth pondered the wisdom of sending the woman through the Labyrinth. Sooner or later she would have to go through it, but he seriously wondered at what state either one would be in by the time it was all over.

With a sigh, he turned in his seat and threw a leg over one arm as he rubbed one hand over his face. Tapping his finger against his mouth for a moment he found himself seriously considering the idea. Serina was defiant and she would most likely remain so. But the Labyrinth couldn't change that anyway. It would however, test her greatly since the Labyrinth altered itself in accordance to the runner's desires and fears. He waved his hand at the mirror and Serina's room came into view. He scanned the room and growled under his breath.

"Where is she?" Ralir asked as he stepped forward, fearing for another repeat of the last time he had been forced to go to the woman's rooms.

"Show me Serina!" Jareth barked angrily. He relaxed when the surface stopped rippling and showed the woman to be wandering the garden paths. Summoning a crystal, he turned to look at his companions. "Stay here, I'm going to go try and talk to her." He tossed the crystal and reappeared a moment later in the gardens just a few feet from her.

Serina had gotten lost during the mad dash back to her rooms and found herself in the gardens. It had been a long time since she'd take the time to enjoy nature so she decided to stay for a while, knowing that sooner or later someone would come looking for her. She tensed when she felt his presence behind her then forced herself to relax with the intention of ignoring him. She wanted to be alone with her thoughts anyway.

Jareth stood a few feet behind her, waiting for her to face him. It grated on his nerves to wait for anyone to acknowledge him. Finally, after realizing that she was going to ignore him, he stepped forward and grabbed her elbow. His other hand came up quickly as she spun around and blocked the blow she was sending his way. "I have asked you not to do that kitten." he ground out angrily as he yanked her against him.

Serina seethed with rage as she glared up at him. "Release me this instant!" she hissed venomously. "And stop calling me kitten!"

"Actually, I think the name rather suits you my dear." He smiled down at her, chuckling as she twisted in his arms.

"I am not your dear and I am not your kitten." She pulled back as far as his arms would let her and glared up into his face. "What do you want?" Jareth released her, smirking as she fell to the ground hard. He watched with amusement as she yelped and rolled over into a crouch, eyeing him warily. Slowly he walked around her, staring down at her imposingly. "How many times do I have to tell you, Your Majesty, that you cannot intimidate me?" she snarled, rising to her feet.

"Come come now dear kitten. I am not trying to intimidate you." he laughed. For some perverse reason he found it amusing to provoke her at times.

"Could have fooled me dear king" she lashed out at him. "Better men than you have tried to stand me down and failed." By now she was standing almost nose to nose with him, her finger jabbing into his chest.

"I'm not most men." Jareth stepped back and caught her hand. Raising it to his lips, his kissed her knuckles and smirked when she gasped in shock. "Walk with me kitten." He turned and walked away without waiting for her response. He chuckled to himself when he heard her curse under her breath as she fell into step beside him.

They walked in silence for a few minutes and he knew that both Kelgar and Ralir were watching, most likely laughing themselves silly. That brought him back to their earlier questions. "Tell me about yourself Serina." He said after a while.

She faltered, casting him a dirty look. "There is nothing to tell. I am a warrior and a wife."

"You are no longer a wife kitten." He said softly.

She froze looked at him sharply, "Nalem may be dead, but I am still his wife."

"You would deny yourself the pleasures of life simply because you refuse to release a dead man's spirit?" He regretted his words immediately when he saw her eyes widen, filling with pain and rage. She hissed furiously as she launched herself at him.

Her movement was so sudden he had no time to avoid her. She slammed into him hard, tumbling them to the ground. When his back hit the stone walkway, the air left his body with a rush. Opening his mismatched eyes, he found Serina bent over him, her face twisted with rage, her fingers digging into his shoulders painfully. "Who are you to dictate to me about my life? You have no right!"

Jareth twisted and rolled them over, pinning her hands above her head with one hand. He leaned closer, trailing a finger along her face gently. His voice hard as steel, "I am your king now Serina. You were wished directly to me. The oath you swore binds you to me even more." The woman closed her eyes and turned her face away, desperate to escape his touch. He smiled sadistically as he gently nipped at her ear with sharp teeth, making her whimper. "I'd say that gives me every right since you are mine now." Her eyes flew open and she snapped her head around to look at him, her eyes glinting dangerously. Jareth could feel the fury radiating off her. "Beware your majesty, I am no one's possession and I am certainly not a plaything for anyone."

"I never said you were a plaything kitten." he breathed against her lips, smiling at the way she shivered beneath him. He knew he was playing with fire, but it was fun to antagonize her.

"Are you in the habit of forcing yourself on women?" She snapped, twisting her head away again.

Jareth smirked down at her, "I don't have to. Most women come to me willingly." Serina glared up at him.

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not most women."

"I've noticed many things kitten." He chuckled at her outraged gasp.

"You fiend!" She hissed and twisted violently beneath him. "You have no honor you bastard!"

"Tsk tsk kitten," he admonished gently as he sat up, pulling her up as well so that she was straddled across his lap. "I had to have some way to reach the woman beneath this hard exterior. "

"Let go of me."

Jareth smiled at her again. "No kitten, I don't think so."
"Why not?" She growled.

"This seems to be the only way I can talk to you without having to worry about you taking my head off." He laughed as she snarled, snapping her teeth at him. Jareth grinned at her, catching her jaw with his hand as he lowered his mouth to hers and brushed his lips against hers. The woman froze, her eyes wide in shock. "Hmm, so this is how to tame the kitten?" he murmured against her lips as he drew her lower lip between his teeth, nipping gently as she whimpered.

She felt his hand on her jaw slide around to the back of her head, pulling her closer as the other trailed down her arm to rest at her ribcage before sliding around her waist. Her breath left her as her eyes closed slowly. Jareth continued to kiss her, holding her against him tightly as he deepened the kiss slowly. He felt her shudder as she began to respond to him, nearly dropping her when she brought her arms around to encircle his shoulders.

Ralir and Kelgar stood in the throne room watching them with expressions of complete shock and surprise. Neither noticed a robin fly into the room through a window and land on the throne behind them. "Spying on my dear brother are we?" a satin voice asked from behind them. Both men spun around with a gasp and found a tall raven haired woman dressed in a purple and silver gown that dusted against the floor. Her pale blue eyes were fixed on the mirror.

"Oh… um…" Their jaws worked but little sound came forth. Lisae rose from the throne and stepped closer to the mirror.

Her hand flew up to her throat. "Oh my…" she whispered, "What ever is he doing to that poor woman?" At this, both Ralir and Kelgar burst out laughing hysterically. Lisae turned and gave them an arched look. "Well?"
"Poor woman…" They continued to snicker uncontrollably. "Indeed!" With an undignified snort, Lisae turned and started to transform into her robin form only to have Ralir step forward with his hand raised. "Our apologies your Highness, but there is nothing poor about that woman. She's a warrior he rescued a couple of months ago," he fought to keep his face straight even though Kelgar was still clutching his sides and laughing. "It appears…" he snickered, "It appears that his Majesty has found the only way he can keep her calm long enough to talk to her." Ralir doubled over laughing again.

Lisae stood glaring at them, her hands on her hips. She turned to watch her brother through the mirror again. "Talking indeed. Who is she and what is she doing here?"

Together. Ralir and Kelgar managed to calm themselves down long enough to relate the story of how Serina had came to be I the Underground, though they couldn't help but crack up with laughter on occasion.

"She's married and Jareth is consorting with her in that manner?"

"No Your Highness. She is a widow and the lady hasn't taken kindly to being forced to remain here."

"Looks to me that she's doing alright." she arched a brow and watched as her brother and the woman. She shook her head in disgust.

"Actually My Lady, this is the first time that she hasn't tried to kill the King." Kelgar snickered as he looked into the mirror again. Lisae gasped in shock. "Though at the rate they're going, they'll both suffocate I do believe." This set Ralir off laughing again.

Lisae gave them a nasty look and waved her hand to banish the image. "She's tried to kill him and he's out there alone with her? Are you all mad?" Shaking her head, she raised her arms and changed into bird form and flew off down into the gardens.

The robin landed a short ways from the pair still entwined on the ground. She tilted her head and would have sighed if she could have. Jareth was on his knees with the girl's legs draped on either side of his waist. Lisae chirped as she launched herself off the branch she was on and pecking at Jareth's head.

He snarled viciously, tearing his mouth from Serina's. His arms held her up as she clung to his shoulders, she gasping for breath, her eyes glazed. The bird flitted around them and settled on Serina's shoulder. Serina turned her head and tried to focus on the creature as Jareth leaned forward and sneered. "Lisae! You have the worst timing ever woman!" Serina shook her head, not even realizing that the bird flew off to land a few feet away behind her. Jareth's mismatched eyes followed the bird and waited as his sister resumed her normal shape.

"Well dear brother? Someone had to come to this poor woman's rescue." Lisae stepped forward reaching down to help Serina to her feet. She clucked her tongue in sympathy at the girl's dazed expression. "Come dear. Let's get you inside and settled so that I can tear a strip off my brother."

"What?" Serina looked around in confusion, and then froze when she spotted Jareth getting to his feet. Without a thought she growled and lunged towards him, her hands itching to get a hold of him. She vaguely heard the other woman's shocked cry as Jareth jumped back.

"I do believe you'll have to stand in line sister dear. It appears that this young lady would have a piece of me first." He caught Serina's wrists and spun her around, pressing her back tightly against his chest. Serina twisted wildly, screaming obscenities and kicking. She attempted to slam her head back into his face but he dodged her. "As you can see, this kitten is very wild. Please excuse us." He winked at his sister and then vanished, taking the struggling woman with him.

Serina stumbled forward then spun around to confront Jareth again as soon as he released her. Her scream of rage echoed throughout the castle when she found him gone.