Jareth growled as he ran his blade through a knight's neck. Chase had never seen this man before. Normally Jareth only wounded enough to incapacitate fellow fae, but now he was going for death. Thankfully Chance was coming around, his own magic knitting with his twins to help heal himself. Strong winds caused the ice in the castle of blind the fae soldiers as he stalked them down, making his way to the large double doors of the hall.
~.~
Kaye finished bundling the flowers for her customer, smiling gently as she handed them over. She was grateful to the elderly couple for giving her a part-time job when she explained everything that had happened. They kept apologizing that they couldn't pay her more or employ her full time. But Kaye had assured them that it was alright. That this was more than enough. She had already been back for a month, no closer to finding her parents than she had been many years ago when she had tried before. What hurt the most was she hadn't seen or heard an owl since the hospital. She called the wildlife center every day to see if they had found a barn owl that was injured, but all she had to manage to do was make them think she was crazy from calling so much. She barely slept any more as most of her time was spent in the library or at home on the computer trying to find any information she could use to get back. But she found her energy running thin as it all started to take a toll on her body.
"Are you feeling okay honey?" The elderly woman that owned the shop asked, taking in the large bags under the girl's eyes.
"Oh, I'm okay. It's just hard to sleep in that house. I'll be fine." She quickly lied, knowing this answer pulled sympathy from people and made them leave her alone.
"Ah, Miss. Sawyer. Glad to hear you can talk again."
The two women turned to see two men standing in front of their both.
"Can I help you?" The older woman asked, moving in front of Kaye as she did so.
"Don't worry Mary. They're police." Kaye said, annoyed that they had followed her.
"Yes, police that still need your side of the story," John said with a smile. Suddenly everyone looked up at the sky as a loud rumble of thunder filled the air, pulling their attention to the storm clouds rolling in.
"I think this may have to wait. I need to help put everything away before the storm." Kaye said, her mind elsewhere as she looked at the clouds.
"It got cold suddenly," Mary said, rubbing her arms before she started to pack things away, everyone at the other booths rushing to do the same.
~.~
Jareth used his magic to slam the large door opens. His eyes looking beyond all the soldiers to land on the man that sat on his high throne, the ice having taken over his hall.
"So glad you could finally make it Jareth. Perhaps you could tell me what this she-elf likes to eat. She will be famished when she comes to." The Fae King spoke lightly, waving his hand to the woman at his side. Jareth's eyes flickered over to her, his stance faltering as he realized it was Kaye. Her blue eyes staring blankly ahead as she sat quietly, ice coating her eyelashes and hair.
"You fool! She is not a full elf! This cold will kill her!" Jareth yelled, lightning striking down a few of the fae soldiers.
"Then surrender."
The room grew colder at these words as the fae watching their exchange began to fidget. These were very strong men. To be caught in the middle was sure death.
"Give up this elf. We will get you many new ones Aboveground. You are too valuable a soldier for me to kill." The Fae King said as he stood from this throne.
"You have brought this upon yourself. I will free her from you no matter the ending." Jareth threatened, ignoring the pain in his shoulder as he gripped the sword with both hands. The Fae King grinned as a sword of ice formed in his hand.
"Well, it has been a while since I've stretched my legs."
The soldiers scattered to the sides of the hall to watch the battle between kings.
~.~
Kaye sat outside in her backyard, looking up at the sky as freezing rain pour down on her. She felt as though she was so close to Jareth's magic. That she only needed to reach out and she could grasp it in her fingers. She let out a deep sigh before she buried her fingers into the mud in the backyard.
"If anything had ever really happened. Please show it to me now. Let me see it now." Kaye pleaded with the earth, sending out her energies into it, hoping beyond all hope that she would be able to reach out to Jareth in some way. Lightning crashed across the sky as she searched in her mind for a flicker of power that wasn't her own or that of the earth. Some small spark that would give her hope.
~.~
The two waged on, both darting towards the other and swinging their swords. To those who didn't know they would think the two fae were dancing. That they were putting on a performance for those who watched them, of a dance that was older than time its self. And in a way they were. One that spoke of violence and death. Lightening and ice clashed in the air, beautiful sparks of power flashing in the large room as snow fell around them as thunder rumbled so loud it made everyone cover their ears.
"It's too late Jareth! I have her so deep in her mind she will never break free. She will watch me kill you and not even be aware that she is doing so!" The Fae King laughed as he sliced at Jareth's arm, snagging his shirt as the blade danced through the air. Jareth growled as he sidestepped back, looking for an opening to attack. What was taking his men so long to get to Kaye and get her out of there? That was the plan. He was never to fight the Fae King today.
"And once you are dead, I will make her my wife. She will warm my bed like many elves before her. But something tells me that she will be feistier than the others."
Lightning struck around the two men, creating a ring of blue light that destroyed the marble that it touched as Jareth rushed forward, slicing at the king's leg as he pulled his fist back and swung it at the man's face. A sickening crack filled the air as he made contact with his jaw, sending him back from the blow. Jareth's breaths were coming in quickly from having put forth so much effort that day, his magics running low.
"You will never touch her," Jareth growled, deciding to give up on the earlier plan of killing him later. He wanted this man's blood to feed his sword.
"Who says I haven't?"
