AN: Finally finished this chapter! I'm sorry it's taken so long but I hope you all enjoy!
24th of December, 6:35 AM.
Just as anticipated, the morning did come too quickly. Aiden awoke just as the sun began to rise over the snowy maze. Its bright orange glow was a warm and welcoming sight as it cast its first rays of light across the stone floor in his chambers.
For a while, Aiden had been content to just lay there in his bed with Adelaide beside him, soaking it all up - the warmth, the brightness, the sense of hope that filled his heart with the prospect of brighter days ahead. Literally.
It had been weeks since they'd seen any sunshine and, as unfortunate as it was, Aiden was almost certain they hadn't yet seen the end of the snowstorms so he was determined not to take this fleeting moment of sunshine for granted.
And unfortunately, as expected, not even an hour later, the warm welcoming sun disappeared behind ominous dark clouds and before Aiden had even finished his late morning soak in the bath, the snow began to pour again.
It was with a heavy sigh that Aiden acknowledged this and those once hopeful feelings he'd allowed himself to feel upon waking from sleep this morning, began to fade like the sunbeams he'd seen cast a hopeful light against the floor.
The day was finally upon them - the day he'd been dreading and dreaming of. Would they come out of today successful and unscathed? Or would this forever be a day to regret? Only time would tell.
As the day shifted from morning to afternoon, Aiden finally plucked up the courage to bid his farewells to Adelaide but with a solemn promise to be home with her again before too long - Jareth had promised him that he would be, after all, and to ease away his daughter's tears and his own heartache over leaving her, he was counting on that promise to come true.
At length, Aiden made his way to Jareth's study. His heart was heavy after witnessing Adelaide's heart-wrenching reaction to him leaving and once again he wondered if he had made a mistake in going along with all this.
When he reached the familiar old door, he hadn't even lifted a hand to knock before it swung wide open at Jareth's command.
Aiden moved into the room. It was dark. The curtains were drawn over the windows and the only lights in the room were coming from the few candles dotted about, the fire in the hearth, and the blue glowing crystal ball sat out on the table in front of Jareth.
"You're late," Jareth stated without looking up.
"Parting with Adelaide was... harder than expected," Aiden told him, trying to keep the sadness he felt from his voice. Jareth, however, detected the sadness and he peered over at Aiden with a somewhat irritated expression.
"What is it about my promise that you don't understand?"
Aiden was slightly taken aback by the anger he saw in Jareth's scowl, but upon further inspection, he realised he'd mistaken that look of anger and it was actually frustration and hurt that reflected in Jareth's face. Because of course he was hurt. He was doing this all for him.
Suddenly feeling very guilty, Aiden rubbed the back of his neck. Gods, he wasn't being fair to Jareth, was he? Here he was, worrying that he might not make it back home even though Jareth had promised him that he would. And that was without mentioning that this entire rescue mission had been formed for him because he was in love with Lilium. Jareth was just trying to give him back what he himself had lost...
"You should know by now, that I do not make promises lightly," Jareth continued before Aiden had a chance to speak. "If I've promised that you'll be home safe with Adelaide, then home safe with Adelaide you will be. I am a man of my word if nothing else."
Aiden nodded. "Of course, I'm sorry I doubted your word." He apologised as he swooped into a low bow before him. "I know a promise such as this is not something I should be taking for granted. I am...most thankful for what you are doing to help me bring back the women I love. If I could do the same for you, you should know I would-"
"- But you can't." Jareth interrupted sharply with a dangerous scowl. "Nobody can so let's end that conversation here." he snapped.
Surprised again by Jareth's sharpness, Aiden decided not to push him on that matter. It was obviously, and understandably, a sore spot.
Giving him a polite nod, he placed his hand over his heart. "As you wish, My Lord..."
Jareth motioned for him to rise, and then he turned to pick up one of the old leather-bound books that he had piled up beside him on the faded velvet couch.
"I think you'll be pleased to know that last night I found a book which used to belong to my father. It contains ancient magic and spells that I've come to understand were, for a time, banned from being used here. Did you ever hear anything about the forbidden spells when you served my Father?" Jareth asked him, inquisitively.
Aiden's brows stitched together, forming a frown. "Mm... No, I've heard nothing about that at all, which is quite surprising." He answered, honestly.
"Hmm. Just as I thought," Jareth murmured.
Aiden's eyes widened with intrigue as Jareth set the book in his lap and began searching through the pages.
"These spells are... old, ancient, even, and are therefore cast the old-fashioned way, with flowers, herbs, crystals, etcetera. I suppose they could also have been cast this way so that they weren't so easily detectable to other fae when they were banned."
He flicked through the pages as he said this, and Aiden moved to stand beside him, peering down at the marvellous old book. It was filled with some of the most unusual spells he'd ever seen, but what really caught Aiden's attention was the sheer amount of detail gone into every single page. There were illustrations of each ingredient, each flower and herb, and on some of the pages, there was even a little paper pocket that held a few samples of pressed dried flowers or ground-up crystals. It was fascinating at the very least, and Aiden regarded it with child-like intrigue. What a useful thing to find at a time like this when they needed it most.
"When I searched through it last night, I found a spell which I know will be of great use to us." continued Jareth once he'd found the page he was looking for. He slowly traced a finger over the name of the spell written extravagantly in different coloured inks that seemed to shimmer along the top of the page.
"The Forbidden Spell Of Transparency." Aiden read aloud and then blinked when those words finally registered. "You've found an invisibility spell?"
Jareth smirked as he studied the expression on Aiden's face. "Indeed. And I took it upon myself to brew the potion last night. I was lucky enough to acquire all the ingredients listed."
Aiden leaned to get a closer look at the ingredients written on the old parchment. "Dried fern leaf, poppy seeds soaked in red goblin wine for fifteen days, dill weed and slippery elm powder. Jareth, how on earth did you find these things? The Goblin Kingdom hasn't homed these sorts of plants for hundreds of years, and a lot of the items listed here can only be found in the Above..." He furrowed his brow, then. "Hmm... that in itself is a little...odd. Fae spells using Aboveground ingredients?"
Jareth was silent for a few minutes and then he shrugged. "Yes... Well, we should thank whoever wrote this book for leaving most of the items needed in a place where none could find them."
At Aiden's perplexed expression, Jareth explained.
"At the end of the book, there is a code. If you can decipher that code, you'll find out where this, -" he leaned down, narrowing his eyes to try and focus on the name smudged in black ink along the bottom of the page. "Professor Liath's (?) hidden laboratory is."
Aiden stared at Jareth with his mouth agape. "And you found it? His laboratory?" When Jareth nodded, Aiden barked out a laugh. "My gods! Okay, so where is it?"
Jareth leaned forward and carefully placed the heavy old book, still open on the page they'd been reading, upon the table in front of him. "It's...quite far from here. I'd have likely never found it were it not for my father."
"Your father?" Aiden raised a curious brow. This was becoming more confusing with each passing second. "Care to explain?"
Jareth stared down at his hands for a few seconds, then, at length, he shook his head. "No. Not right now, at least. We will have time to discuss this when we aren't about to break into another Kingdom and kidnap the princess."
Aiden had to laugh at that. The way Jareth had explained it had made this all seem rather scandalous.
"Well, perhaps we should refrain from using the word 'kidnap' we're rescuing her, after all...and we won't bring her back here against her will."
"That is true." Jareth agreed as he turned away from him and walked to the far side of the room where his desk stood. He then began searching through one of the many draws.
"Now then... I think it's time for us to get things moving. It's already –," He waved a hand in the air and an elaborate clock appeared on his left, hovering in mid-air. "-7:15, which means the Yuletide Masquerade is already in full swing." he disappeared behind his desk as he said this.
Aiden swallowed thickly as his heart skipped a nervous beat in his chest.
This was really happening...
Jareth re-emerged a second or two later holding up a little bottle containing a sparkling blue liquid. "Here is the potion. It took...a lot of effort to make, but I'll deem it worthy if it works."
As Jareth walked back across the room, he motioned for Aiden to sit on the couch, which he did when Jareth settled himself on the one opposite.
"There are still a few things we have to go over before you take this, of course." Said Jareth as he put the little bottle on the table. "The first one being this; are you still able to communicate with me via telepathy?"
Aiden's brows furrowed. Telepathy, huh? How long had it been since they'd used telepathy to communicate? At least a hundred years.
"I...imagine so? but it's been a long time since we did that."
Jareth folded one long leg over the other, cupping his knee with his hands as he leaned forward in his seat. "I was thinking last night...that we will need to communicate whenever possible. We obviously won't be able to do that vocally, so telepathy might be our best shot. And of course, I'll watch you as often as I can through the crystal." He said, gesturing to the glowing blue orb in the middle of the table.
Aiden nodded in agreement. "Hmm... yes, of course, what a good idea." He replied, and then closed his eyes, focusing for a few moments on what it'd once been like to use telepathy. Then, in his mind, he built what could only be described as a bridge which stretched from his mind to Jareth's. Then, when he was certain he'd built a connection between their minds, he opened his eyes again and looked directly back at Jareth.
"Can you hear me?"
Jareth met his gaze and a small smirk turned up the corners of his mouth. "Yes, I hear you. Good work."
"Heh, well, that wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be."
"We used this method of communication for many years when my father was still alive. So, lucky for both of us, our connection rebuilds easily."
"Well, yes, but that was a long time ago. So...do you think this way of communication will still work? Even when I'm not sitting right in front of you?"
Aiden watched as Jareth tilted his head to the side.
"Yes? But if anything happens to our connection, just work again at building that bridge, or see a cord link from your mind to my own. If all else fails, the magic should reconnect us even if it's for a short while."
Aiden considered his next words very carefully. "And... if you become too drained to use any more magic?"
Jareth's expression darkened then and he scowled over at his adviser. "I do wish you wouldn't keep assuming that I'm going to crack like a delicate teacup if I use magic for longer than a few hours," Jareth replied verbally, not bothering to hide his annoyance.
Aiden sighed heavily. "Can you blame me after what happened last time?" he said, referring back to when he'd had to carry Jareth over his shoulder back into the castle.
"You forget that I have since been working daily on building a stronger connection," Jareth said, brushing it off. "You needn't worry."
Aiden knew that now wasn't the time to properly discuss this, so he dropped it.
"Very well, then, if you insist. So... shall we persist?"
Jareth nodded. "Yes. Next, let me explain how the potion works."
Ryrella, 8:45 pm.
The spectacle of Ryrella's Yuletide Masquerade was not something easily forgotten by King Beluar's guests.
Usually, upon arrival, each one of his greatly anticipating guests would be announced by the guard and then gifted with fine jewellery, crafted beautifully and extravagantly with the diamonds and gemstones mined and traded by the Goblin Kingdom in exchange for the fine foods grown in Ryrella.
Each delicate item would be wrapped in fine silk and tied up with ribbon before being distributed out to each guest upon entering through the large gates of the palace, dressed in all their finery.
So it came as quite a shock to the King's guests when they began to pour in to partake in an evening of magnificent splendour in celebration of the Winter Solstice and were not this time gifted with fine treasures wrapped in silk.
It didn't take long for words to be whispered from guest to guest - they passed around the finely decorated room like wildfire - words of King Beluar's fortune disintegrating, as was the respect they had once had for him. For a King without fortune could hardly be respected. After all, how could he be expected to help his citizens in their hour of need? Furthermore, how could they rely on a King that had blown away his once large fortune?
It hadn't taken long for the gossip to reach Beluar's ears, but in truth, he had been expecting this. He'd known that the tradition of gift-giving at Yule would not easily be missed by his guests. He had, after all, always been an exceptionally generous King to his guests in years past, so the gossip he was hearing now wasn't highly unexpected.
It had been the only thing that had concerned Beluar about holding the Yuletide Masquerade this year, and it was only after a very long conversation with his advisers that he'd decided to hold the celebration, anyway.
With their advice, he'd come to realise that cancelling such a huge part of the winter's tradition would only rouse more suspicion amongst his citizens, friends, and acquaintances from the surrounding kingdoms. And the last thing he needed was to appear weaker and put his Kingdom at risk.
But the ugly truth of the matter was that Ryrella's finances were struggling without the heavy sum that came from the Goblin Kingdom's trading arrangement.
It was what Ryrella had been surviving on for so many years – the trade between their Kingdoms – and without it, things were, over a long period, starting to collapse.
Beluar knew he would be foolish not to admit to that. It was true that his Kingdom had been thriving when he'd been in trade with The Goblin King. Diamonds, gems, crystals, marble, and gold were rarely found here. He had a continuous group of people mining in search of them, but they had dug up nothing of true value so far.
It was yet another one of the reasons why Beluar was seeking revenge. It was why he cursed the dark-haired girl that had used his name against him. The girl that held a power within her so strong; he had felt it when he'd traced his hands over her bare skin...
The memory of her naked and helpless against him caused his cock to harden and twitch in his pants.
Beluar snarled.
The woman was a succubus.
He had underestimated her and that was something he should NOT have done. After all, had his spy not warned him of her power? Of how dangerous she could be if she ever became the Goblin Queen?
But she had taken him by surprise with her beauty, with her sultry eyes and those deliciously large breasts.
By the gods, he'd wanted to break her – how desperately he'd wanted to fuck her and mark her, leave her forever as a shadow of her former self after having bound her to him. And more importantly than wanting to, he'd needed to. She had the ability to be a powerful weapon. She was the one that could potentially change everything in the Goblin Kingdom, and that was the last thing Beluar wanted to happen, especially with his own Kingdom falling from grace.
No. He could not afford to risk the possibility of her going back to the Goblin Kingdom. It was too risky.
With his mood dampened by his thoughts, Beluar raised a hand high in the air; it was his way of signalling to his servants that he wanted them to bring him yet another drink.
Once the servants acknowledged his want, he turned on his heel and made his way up towards the silver throne that was positioned up high in the centre of the room so that he could always oversee the entirety of his guests.
Mingling with them was no longer on his mind. Revenge was. And he would get it this time. This time he would not be controlled by his cock.
The Goblin Castle, 9:25 pm.
Aiden held the little bottle of blue liquid in his unsteady hand. Just opposite, Jareth stood watching him with a serious look in his eyes. He was focused and ready for what was to come.
"Ready?" Jareth asked, all-business.
Aiden swallowed hard. "Am I ready?" he asked himself inwardly as he pulled the cork from the little bottle. "As ready as I'll ever be..." he looked to Jareth, meeting his eyes in the dim light. "Yes." He told him.
Jareth, who'd been nothing but business for the past week, slowly approached him, his expression softening as he reached out and placed a gloved hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Just...try to remember why you're doing this, Aiden. Remember her face when you feel your heart flutter with anxiety. And keep in mind that at the end of all this, she'll be here again, in your arms...yours. That's the goal in this mission, after all." His voice was soft as he said this, and his leather gloves creaked as he squeezed his shoulder fondly.
"I also implore you to try and remember everything I've told you. The invisibility spell will only last half an hour or so, so you must use your magic to try and discover the whereabouts of Lilium in the dungeons. You already know I'll be doing my best to help you whenever I can from here. Oh, and bear in mind that we have to do this as quickly as we possibly can. The sooner you're out of there, the better. We don't want Beluar and the entirety of his guests to detect us – which they possibly will the longer we use magic in his Kingdom."
Aiden inhaled a deep, shaky breath. This was it. "Thank you, sire. For all the work you've put into this..."
Jareth shook his head. "Think nothing of it."
Aiden held Jareth's gaze for a few moments, then lifted the little bottle to his lips, throwing it back in one go. The taste, funnily enough, wasn't as vile as he expected it to be. It was, however, very strong and it caused him to cough a few times.
Jareth began circling Aiden, his lips moving as he began to whisper the spell from the book. "Things seen, and things unseen, let this man walk here between."
Aiden closed his eyes as he began to feel the effects of the spell. He felt slightly lightheaded, disorientated, almost like he was stepping into another realm. Clasping his hands together, he began chanting the same words as Jareth had.
"Things seen, and things unseen, let me walk here between."
Jareth stepped back and watched with genuine amazement as Aiden began to slowly fade, almost as if a cloak of transparent sparkles had covered him. Then, when it began to take full effect, the sparkles vanished too.
"Good, it worked. Now, since we have such limited time with that spell, I suggest we send you straight to Ryrella."
9:34 pm.
The sensation of being transported into Ryrella with Jareth's magic was not something Aiden would easily be able to forget.
Transportation was usually instant and caused no unpleasant feelings to stir, not within a fae, anyway. But this time it was very different.
Aiden had felt queasy, a headache had developed and his legs had felt unusually weak. Jareth had warned him that he might feel discomfort as they moved through the barrier surrounding Ryrella, but he had underestimated his warning.
Soon enough, though, those feelings disappeared and Aiden began to feel more like himself again.
Taking in his surroundings, he was amazed to find himself standing in a dingy stone corridor. It was damp, dark, and smelt highly unpleasant. Around him, the sound of dripping water echoed along with the occasional squeak from a rat, and it was then that he realised he had made it. He was in Ryrella's castle dungeons.
The chill down here was shocking and Aiden shivered, wishing he'd thought to dress more appropriately.
"Aiden? Can you hear me?"
Aiden startled a little at the sound of Jareth's voice in his head. "I- I'm here," he told him as he rubbed his arms.
"Good. Then you know what to do."
Aiden nodded despite being alone. Closing his eyes, he used his magic to try and detect where Lilium was, but he felt...nothing.
"That's strange...I'm not picking up her presence anywhere in the dungeons." Aiden told Jareth telepathically, his brows knitting into a frown as he glanced down the dark hall, wondering if his magic was deceiving him - but how could that be?
Back in the castle beyond the Goblin City, Jareth was wearing a frown of his own. "Hmm... then don't venture any further. Remember what we spoke of earlier? Trust your intuition, Aiden. Where do you feel she is?"
Aiden squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath, using his magic and his intuition to try and detect Lilium's whereabouts in the castle.
It came as a surprise to him when an image of a lavish bedroom sprung to his mind.
"I…I see a bedroom. Something is telling me she's there…? I think it's quite far from here, though...isn't that a little risky? I only have so long before the invisibility spell wears off."
"Picture yourself outside that room. Feel it and take in what it'll feel like to be standing outside the door." Jareth replied, distant, but no less encouraging as he would have been if he'd been speaking directly in front of him.
Intrigued, Aiden closed his eyes and did just that.
When he opened them again, he was amazed to find himself in a long wide hall with highly polished marble floors and large floor-length windows. On the opposite side of the hall was what could only be described as an interior balcony, that, if you got close enough to the edge of the bannister and peered over, it would give you a straight view of the huge room below, which just happened to be the overly extravagant ballroom where the Yuletide Masquerade was being held this year. Because of course, it was. He could even hear the distant sounds of laughter, tremendous chatter, and the beautiful music – an enchanting waltz that seemed to bounce off the marble columns below and gently dance up towards him before it circled the entire palace.
He looked ahead and spotted a large white double door around a slight corner. Outside that door were two fae guards. The sight of them alone caused his heart to pound in his chest, and he suddenly appreciated the invisibility spell even more than he had previously.
The guards were dressed in highly polished silver armour that bore the Ryrellen coat of arms on the breastplate - an intricate knot, woven into a shape similar to that of a star. It was a symbol of strength, resilience, power, and unity.
"Could this truly be where Lilium is?" Aiden asked Jareth, rounding the corner as quietly as he could. He wasn't entirely sure that the guards wouldn't be able to hear him, so to be safe, he made sure to tiptoe and just generally keep as quiet as he could.
"I imagine it must be, especially with those guards positioned outside the door like that," Came Jareth's reply.
"True...I'd almost forgotten you were watching." Aiden quickly crept into the corner, hiding behind a stone pillar even though he knew they couldn't see him.
Crouching down, he pulled a little linen pouch out of his pocket. "Ghairm mi thu, lasraichean soilleir." He whispered, waving a transparent hand over the top of the little pouch filled with dried leaves and other ingredients.
He smiled proudly as the little pouch in his hands began to smoke, then suddenly burst into bright flames that somehow didn't burn him.
"Good!" Jareth praised as he watched him from the crystal. "Now, put it down on the floor behind the pillar and move towards the guards. With you, the spell will follow."
Aiden's heart fluttered with anxiety as he walked out from behind the pillar and quickly made for the door leading to Lilium's chambers. As he walked out, he watched with stunned amazement as the 'spell' flew out in front of him like a cloud of shimmery smoke. It made for the guards and exploded in front of their faces before they'd even seen it coming towards them.
Relief filled him as he watched the magic spell take effect on the guards' mere seconds later. Their heads fell forwards and their bodies slowly slid down onto the marble floor, their armour making quite a lot of noise as they fell.
The spell had worked. They were both deeply asleep.
"Goodness... that was... really something." Aiden breathed. "I just hope that noise was cancelled out by the music below."
He slowly walked up to the large white doors and reaching out, he turned the silver handle, cringing as it groaned and clicked as the door unlatched.
Quickly and quietly, he stepped into the candlelit room and carefully shut the door behind him.
He had done it.
He couldn't believe he had managed to sneak into the castle and into what was hopefully Lilium's chambers, so easily and without being seen. He knew that he had Jareth to thank for that. No doubt he'd helped him even more than he had let on.
He heard the gentle rustle of fabric and the soft clicking of heeled shoes on stone from behind him, and he braced himself before he slowly turned.
His heart hammered in his chest when he saw her.
Lilium stood in front of a mirror with her back towards him. Her long blonde hair cascaded down her back in soft curls and in her hair were little crystals, pearls and jewels.
He slowly raked his eyes down her beautiful body and admired the lavish gown she wore. She looked almost ethereal... all in white and sparkling like a star.
Well, one thing was certain, it was a welcome relief to see that she hadn't had every beautiful thing she owned taken away from her. Perhaps her circumstances had improved since she'd sent that letter? After all, they'd been expecting to find her chained up in a dungeon.
For a few moments, Aiden just stood there, watching as she brushed her long locks in the mirror at her dressing table, softly humming to herself.
She seemed oddly content like that, sitting there in front of her mirror, simply enjoying brushing her long hair and singing her gentle melodies.
For a moment, Aiden could do nothing but watch as the woman he loved smiled at her reflection, her eyes sparkling in the dim candlelight.
His heart suddenly skipped a beat in his chest and he wondered if her thoughts were of him...did she think of him? Had she... missed him?
"Aiden, we don't have much time... Please do what we set out to do."
Jareth's words irritated Aiden. Didn't Jareth understand how long he'd been dreaming of this moment? He was not about to rush through his reunion with Lilium.
"Please don't take this the wrong way, Jareth...but this is a moment I need to face without you..."
Before Jareth could even respond, Aiden closed off their communication and he sighed in relief when he felt the strain of their connection disintegrate, leaving him with only a very slight headache.
Without Jareth pushing him to get a move on, Aiden found himself simply standing around watching her for at least another minute or two before he began to feel the magic keeping him invisible wear off.
He knew then that he had to act fast if he was to succeed in his mission.
He approached her, and surprisingly, the sound of his boots clicking against the stone floor didn't seem to shock her at all...
"Darling, have you come back to me at last?" She asked, never ceasing in running her brush through her hair.
Aiden felt his heart flutter again. At last, he was to be reunited with the woman he hadn't been able to get out of his mind or out of his heart since her departure. Dear god, why had he been so apprehensive about this earlier? With Lilium standing before him now, he realised he would do this a thousand times over if it meant seeing her smile.
"Yes..." He whispered, watching as Lilium stiffened in her seat, her silver hairbrush falling from her grasp and landing on the stone tiles with a loud clatter.
"A- Aiden?" She whispered as she quickly turned around in her chair to face him.
She felt her throat close up when she admired him. He looked as handsome as she remembered. His dark wavy hair was tied back into a loose ponytail, but as always, that one wavy lock hung at the side of his structured face, most adorably. He wore a dark blue tunic that was detailed with silver embroidered vines and swirls, almost like the waves of a crashing sea. Paired with that, was a pair of dark brown trousers and knee-high black boots.
"Lilium..." He beamed; his eyes filled with unleashed tears as he closed the distance between them and swooped her up and into his strong arms.
Lilium gasped in surprise but didn't push him away. Instead, she allowed him to hold her and eventually she held him back. "I-I can't believe you're here!" She said, the shock of seeing him still evident in her voice. "How on earth did you get here? The Kingdom – it's barred with magic!"
"With the help of Jareth's magic and my own combined, we managed to get through the barrier. A miracle, I know." He said with a soft laugh. "But that's enough of that, for now. Oh, Lily, how I've feared for you since the moment you left...imagine the things my heart has been through these last few months with the knowledge of what had happened to you upon your arrival back here...I've barely slept a wink. My every waking thought has been of you." He confessed honestly, his grey eyes searching hers.
He'd not meant to say all this here – in fact, Jareth had advised him not to. They were on a time limit after all, but being here now, with Lilium in his arms... he just couldn't stop himself.
"How I missed this beautiful face..." He whispered as he gently traced his fingers down her cheek.
Lilium gazed into his eyes, swallowing hard against the emotions she felt rising within her. "Aiden... I- I don't know what to say..."
"Then say nothing, just come back with me. Lilium, come back to the Goblin Kingdom with me."
Lilium's eyes widened. "Aiden, you-you can't be serious?" She said, trying to wriggle away from him slightly, even as he kept his arm locked around her waist to prevent her from fleeing his grasp.
"I assure you, dear, I am completely serious. Why else would I risk so much to come here? I've come to save you from the hell you've been living these last months."
Aiden watched as Lilium tore her gaze away from his, her body suddenly very tense in his arms. He gently hooked a finger under her chin, making her look back at him again. He was surprised to see the sadness, the regret, and the guilt (?) that shone back at him from the depths of her star-like eyes.
"Aiden, I-"
"Stop," He interrupted, gently cupping her face in his hands. "Please, Lily...I just want to take in this moment with you... and I want to kiss you as I should have a long time ago."
"Aiden, just wait...there is something I have to tell you." There was no mistaking the solemn tone in her voice as she spoke.
"Very well... " He finally agreed, regretfully releasing her from his grip. He'd been so desperate to kiss her, but it seemed she wasn't as eager as he was...
He tried to ignore how much that hurt.
He watched as Lilium walked away from him towards the window, gazing out at the courtyard below and watching as guests continued to arrive for the evening's festivities. "Aiden, since sending my letter, my circumstances have changed a great deal... My father, although he was angry with me, decided to forgive me... but only on the condition that I fix my wrongdoings by fulfilling my duty and marrying the King of Avalon."
Aiden's eyes widened and his heart constricted in his chest. He wasn't certain he wanted to hear what her next words would be.
When Lilium turned to face him again, her blue eyes were filled with unleashed tears.
"Aiden, I had to marry him. I had to...to repair the rift between myself and my father. You must know what I said about us, the feelings I felt growing inside me, you must know they were genuine, but now... I'm married and I'm quite content with my husband. He isn't the man I'd have chosen to wed, but it seems that sometimes our hearts don't truly know what's good for them."
Aiden hated to be dramatic, but he felt like his entire world was collapsing around him like a flimsy stack of cards. He had envisioned his future with this woman. He'd imagined what it would have been like to hold her, to marry her and call her his wife and stepmother to his daughter. It had been a miracle in and of itself that he'd even managed to fall in love again, but now the entire dream of her was shattered. How was he to pick up the pieces?
He felt the urge to break down, but instead, he remained silent and still.
He didn't know how to speak. Should he simply leave without another word? Lord knows, a part of him wanted to - but Aiden wasn't that kind of man. So instead, he cleared his throat and straightened his posture.
"I... congratulations, Your Majesty. I am glad indeed, to know that you have managed to fix the rift between yourself and your father and that you found a man that makes you happy and who has made you the Queen you were always meant to be...the Queen I could not have made you myself." He bowed to her respectfully and then turned to leave without thinking of where he was.
He just had to get out. He had to get away from her with his pride still somewhat intact. But Lilium rushed to him, catching his arm and turning him to face her again before he had the chance to walk out.
Tears trickled down her face as she gently brushed her fingers against his cheek, her lower lip quivering.
"I am truly sorry, Aiden... please, I want you to know that a part of me will always care for you."
Aiden swallowed the lump in the back of his throat and couldn't help as a single tear worked its way slowly down his right cheek and then over her fingers, warm and comforting against his cheek.
"I wanted you...I thought of you every night and every day since you left..." He whispered, his voice breaking as he spoke.
"I know..." She gently pressed her forehead against his. "I'm sorry..." She cupped his face in both her hands, pressing a soft lingering kiss to his lips – a final goodbye.
Feeling her lips against his again after so long was like a punch in the face. Feeling her kiss, feeling what it did to him, what it did to his heart, - it only reminded him of what would never be, and the evidence of his pain over that knowledge caused his heart to twist and his eyes to fill with tears even as Lilium's lips moved with his.
Their kiss was suddenly broken when the muffled sound of voices, footsteps, and groans came from the other side of the door.
The guards - the spell was wearing off.
Lilium instantly pulled Aiden by the hand into the corner of the room.
"There is still so much I need to tell you, but we don't have the time. You must leave, Aiden. And as quickly as possible! Should anybody find you here, you'll be in grave danger! Aiden, don't allow me the pain of seeing you suffer the consequences of being caught." She pleaded, fear and panic evident in her voice and in her eyes as she looked at him. "My father has a cruel streak... there's no knowing what he might do if he found you here."
Aiden swallowed hard and tried to think clearly for a moment, but the truth was, he felt…lost. His thoughts were scattered and all he really wanted to do was collapse onto the floor and give up.
Taking a steadying breath, he closed his eyes. Right now all he needed to focus on was getting back home. Home. Back to Adelaide, his only light in the darkness.
Yes… one step at a time… back home to Adelaide. He could do that…
Focusing on Adelaide alone helped his head clear somewhat, and he came back to reality. Now he could hear the voices outside the door growing louder in volume, and then, unexpectedly, a loud noise boomed and echoed around them, causing the ground to shake beneath their feet.
"That was the intruder alarm!" Lilium gasped, clutching his arm. "They know you're here and they're coming for you!"
"I'll leave right away..." he whispered, gazing down at her with longing in his eyes even as the door handle moved and the voices behind it demanded entry.
"Goodbye, Lily..."
10:15 pm.
"Your Majesty, might I say again, just how dashing you look this evening..." Those words were a seductive murmur in his ear from the beautiful redhead who sat to the right of him as she brushed her fingers over the soft white fur that adorned the edges of his very fine coat.
Normally her complement and the underlying invitation in that complement would have excited Beluar, but it was something else that had caused feelings of excitement and pleasant surprise to rise within him.
The corners of his mouth twitched, turned, and twisted up into a devilish smile as he felt, tasted, and sensed the foreign magic in his Kingdom. But it got better,- the magic was not just simply in his Kingdom, but within the very walls of the castle they inhabited at this very moment.
Although the magic he sensed was unfamiliar to him, there were traces within it that he did recognise.
His smile broadened and he clasped his hands together, even as the redheaded woman traced those icy hands down the front of his shirt, beckoning him with her touch to accept her silent invitation to fuck.
Two of his private guards and one of his most trusted advisers approached him, managing to mask their concerns from the many celebrating guests as they came to stand before him, sweeping into low bows before speaking.
"Sire, something of the utmost importance has occurred that we must discuss with you in private immediately." Said his adviser, Cedric.
King Beluar eyed all three men with a knowing look, then merely waved a hand and raised a brow - a silent signal that sent the two guards pulling the red-haired woman out of the King's lap. She protested, making quite a scene with her screeching and kicking.
"I am a woman of noble stock and I deserve to be treated with respect! The King wants me!" She screamed at them, fighting against the soldier's iron grip as they dragged her across the room and out through the door.
Her outburst had caused the unwanted attention of his guests, and many peered over at him in puzzlement and with a thousand questions shining in their eyes. Even the musicians, who'd been playing wonderfully enchanting songs only seconds ago, had come to a sudden halt.
King Beluar's mood was once again darkened by these unfortunate events and he cleared his throat, rising from his throne. "My loyal friends and subjects, please forgive the commotion of which you all just witnessed. I can assure you that all is well, and that Lady Gillam will return to celebrate with us soon."
The crowd seemed to relax somewhat after his announcement, and most went back to talking amongst themselves.
Beluar looked over to the string quartet and motioned for them to carry on playing their instruments with a simple hand wave.
Almost immediately they began to play and soon the room was filled with laughter and dance again - almost as if nothing unusual had ever occurred.
With his guests distracted again, Beluar turned to his adviser with a dangerously dark scowl on his face. "You can tell Claude and Orthorien that they'll lose their titles or perhaps even their heads if they ever even think of causing a scene like that again." He snarled, voice lowered so that none but Cedric could hear.
Cedric gulped, then nodded before he motioned for Beluar to follow him to the loneliest corner of the room.
"Sire, I suppose you have already detected that we've got an intruder in the castle?" Cedric said once they'd moved to the darkest, loneliest corner of the ballroom.
Beluar rolled his eyes. "Yes, of course, I have."
"Am I mistaken, or is the magic…unusual? It feels strange, somehow... like it's been meddled with by another's?" Asked Cedric with a brow raised.
Beluar's lips turned up into a knowing smirk. "It's the Goblin King's magic woven in and masked with someone else's. A clever strategy, really. Just a pity for him that I know his magic too well to ever miss it."
Cedric was somewhat surprised by the excitement he saw in his King's face. He knew that Beluar wanted revenge and had been planning to get it for some time, but surely the Goblin King breaking into the castle was not a good sign? Certainly not something to be celebrating?
Beluar seemed to notice his advisers' confusion, and he clapped him on the shoulder, chuckling lightly. "Do not be alarmed, Cedric. The Goblin King's magic is weak. Don't forget that his own Kingdom turned on him, taking his magic almost completely away from him."
"And don't you forget that he's more powerful than we realised. After all, he's broken through the barrier protecting the Kingdom and only the gods know what else he's doing..." warned Cedric.
Beluar rolled his eyes. "I do not fear him. In fact, I am glad he's finally made a move on us. It was getting rather tiresome waiting for him to strike. And trying to plan my revenge around him is not my style. But now, he's come to me. Right into my realm and into my castle. Did he think the magic of so many others here in the castle tonight would mask his own from me? He was a fool to think that I might not detect him."
"Well, actually, sire, he's not here…" A voice came from behind them.
Beluar turned to find Lenton, another of his advisers, behind them. "But I have evidence to support that there is an intruder in the castle, right now, as we speak." He moved in closer and lifted his left hand, revealing to King Beluar and Cedric the small hessian pouch he'd found behind the stone pillar just a few meters from the chambers Lilium and King Orin were residing in while visiting.
Beluar took the little pouch from Lenton's palm and studied it with caution. He smirked at the traces of glittering magic he sighted on the material. Ah, yes - the Goblin King had been very busy, indeed.
"I believe this was used on the guards outside the Princess's room. They've been enchanted with what I believe to be a sleeping spell. Though, I should add, how unusual it is to see magic used in such an...outdated way." Continued Lenton, snickering at the surprise he saw flash in Cedric's eyes.
"You-you fool! Why did you not mention that the guards outside Her Majesty's chambers had been drugged or enchanted before? Her Majesty could be in danger!"
Lenton only smirked, which caused Cedric's face to heat with anger.
King Beluar raised a hand, silencing the two men before a fight broke out between them. "Never mind that, now. I'm sure Lenton had his reasons," said Beluar, looking at Lenton, who continued to smirk even as he nodded.
Cedric wanted to wipe that look right off Lenton's face, but he couldn't. Because he was, of course, Beluar's favourite adviser. Though he hardly deserved such regard from the King. Lenton barely did anything but grovel and lick the arses of those of a higher status than him. He did not fight for what was right, nor did he work hard to advise what was best for the Kingdom, and for that reason, Cedric disliked him immensely.
"So whoever this intruder is, you believe that he's gone into Princess Lilium's chambers?" Beluar asked Lenton, far too calmly for a man whose daughter could be in grave danger.
Lenton nodded his head. "Yes, Your Highness, I believe so."
Beluar's expression was emotionless for a few seconds, and then he suddenly burst into deep laughter that seemed to bounce off the walls and echo around them.
"It seems the Goblin King grows lonesome without his champion whore around to stick his cock into." He laughed, then shook his head. "And so he sends in someone to kidnap my daughter instead of doing the dirty work himself."
Cedric and Lenton exchanged glances, then looked back at their King as he continued.
"Good… I'm rather pleased he's risked so much just to satisfy his lusts...because he's just walked right into my trap."
Beyond delighted with this turn of events, Beluar rubbed his hands together. "Lenton, as your magic is far superior to Cedric's, I am counting on you to block all foreign magic from the castle tonight, including the guests' magic. We can't take any chances and we don't know whom we can trust."
Cedric blinked, alarmed by what King Beluar was suggesting. "Sire, I must advise against blocking all the guests' magic! Do you see what an incredibly risky situation that would put us in? There would be an uproar-"
King Beluar raised a hand, silencing Cedric. "We'll only block it for a short time. But by blocking it, we stop this intruder from leaving and we stop the Goblin King from cheating behind the scenes, rather than facing me himself. No, I am certain this is the way to do things and you will not question my orders again tonight, is that clear?"
Cedric felt a brief surge of fear when he caught sight of the deadly scowl his King was giving him while wagging a finger in his face. It didn't help that Lenton was looking right at him, grinning cruelly from behind Beluar.
"Yes, very clear, sire," Cedric said with a sigh, then bowed low in front of him.
"Good. Now, your task is to keep our guests calm once they realise their magic's been blocked. You'll inform them of this unexpected occurrence and assure them all that their magic will be free to use again once we've captured our intruder." Beluar instructed him, then turned on his heel and made for the door, motioning for several of the guards to follow him.
Flashback to The Goblin Kingdom, at 9:50 pm.
"Goddammit, Aiden!" Jareth cursed when he felt Aiden break the telepathic connection between them.
Why in all of the Underground couldn't he have just stuck to the plan? It was so simple! Get in, get Lilium, and get out. Was that really too hard to stick to?
Jareth threw himself back in his chair, tilting his head back until he faced the ceiling. He let out a groan of frustration and scrubbed his hands over his face.
It wasn't like he didn't understand why Aiden had done it - he did understand, probably more than anyone else would have; but he had warned Aiden not to become distracted when he saw Lilium again. It was too much of a risk to hang around and express feelings. If they were to succeed, then they needed to be quick. Otherwise, their magic would be detected, and they could not afford for that to happen.
About three minutes or so later, Jareth had calmed down enough to look back into the crystal. A heavy sigh left him as he watched Aiden take Lilium into his arms and spin her around, joyfully.
Despite his irritation, he couldn't help but smile at the sight of them. Aiden, for the first time in a while, looked genuinely happy. It was heart-warming to behold and he took in their moment, truly pleased for his friend.
He saw them exchange words, and watched as Aiden tenderly stroked her cheek, but there was something odd about their exchange.
Aiden looked happy - no, he looked downright blissful to be with her again. But Lilium seemed…on edge, somewhat.
Leaning forward again, he rested his elbows on his knees and narrowed his eyes, focusing on the couple through the crystal ball.
"What's going on with you, Lily?" He whispered aloud to himself, brows knitting together as he studied how stiff and uncomfortable Lilium seemed in his arms, and then she started to pull away from him, and it was Aiden's expression of confusion and hurt that had Jareth looking away from the scene.
He wasn't sure why Lilium was behaving this way, but perhaps there was a simple explanation.
Sighing, he got up from his seat on the couch and began pacing the room.
He couldn't shake the feeling that something about this entire scenario felt wrong, and it frustrated him beyond words that Aiden had acted so rashly in a moment of passion and cut off their communication so recklessly.
He wondered then if he should just take matters into his own hands and build it between them again? But he decided against that, for now. Aiden obviously needed this moment 'alone', so he wouldn't force himself back into the situation. Besides, he highly doubted Aiden would explain the predicament to him while he was still with Lilium. He would want every moment with her and her alone, and he couldn't blame him for that.
No.
No, it seemed that he would just have to do exactly what he hadn't wanted to risk doing...
...use more magic to hear their conversation without them knowing.
He seated himself once again and closed his eyes, taking long deep breaths to help himself focus on the task at hand. When Jareth opened his eyes again, he was pleased to see little sparks of blue shooting out through his fingertips, and he watched in silent gratification as they fell onto the crystal ball like little droplets of rain, leaving the surface of the orb rippling like water.
Then, he heard them. Aiden and Lilium, talking.
It was amazing how quickly the spell had worked, and he silently thanked the Labyrinth for reconnecting with him, even if it was only for a short while. God only knew how he'd have managed any of this without its help.
As he watched and listened, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty for listening in on their conversation, but what choice did he have? He had promised Aiden that he would be safe, and to ensure his safety, he had to know what was going on.
Keeping him safe was a promise he was not going to break, no matter what the cost.
Current time, Ryrella, 10:24.
Aiden stared at his trembling hands, blinking in uncertainty. How could this be? He knew he had the power to transport himself home - Jareth had assured him of it, so why wasn't he able to leave?
"I...I don't understand…Jareth...he told me - he gave me the power - he…-"
"Your Highness?! Are you alright?!"
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
Lilium ignored the guards as they called to her and beat their fists against the double doors, and she quickly took Aiden's trembling hand in her own in a sudden moment of realisation.
"My father must have realised that you're here, it's the only explanation for why your magic has left you." She said, cursing under her breath and turning away from him for a moment so that she could gather her thoughts.
She watched as the tall white doors fought hard to stay shut, almost breaking against the weight of the soldiers as they pounded the door, calling out to her.
"I will send you back, myself-"
"- Lilium, you can't!" Aiden interrupted her in a panic, turning her to face him again. "You cannot risk it, your father - he would know what you did!"
"Aiden, please, let me do this for you. Let me do it... to make amends for what I've done." Her voice broke as she said those last words, and Aiden's brows furrowed in puzzlement.
"Lily, you do not need to make amends. I understand that you did what you had to do-"
"Yes, Aiden. Yes, I do…" Her voice was remorseful, and those beautiful eyes were filled with shame.
Aiden, despite his own hurt and pain over the situation, wanted to assure her that she had nothing to be sorry for. After all, it was not her fault that she'd been forced to marry. But Aiden was distracted from these thoughts when all the candles in the room suddenly went out, leaving them in complete darkness save for the crackling fire.
Lilium's eyes darted all around and she shook her head in denial. "Oh, no… gods, no…"
"What is it, Lilium?" Aiden didn't know why he was asking her - he'd felt it too - the magic draining from his body, leaving him unsteady and lightheaded.
"My magic...it's gone." She whispered, clutching him for fear of falling. "They're coming, Aiden...and there's nothing you can do to escape."
King Beluar, Lenton, the guards and Prince Orin strode down the hall towards Lilium's chambers.
Once they reached the doors, Beluar snarled at the guards in irritation. They were still trying to get the doors open with the weight of their bodies. Beluar waved a hand that sent magic hauling them away from the doors with quite a strong force, causing them to cry out in surprise.
"Complete imbeciles." He said with a snarl, then waved a hand at the double doors and watched with a neutral expression as they opened, revealing Lilium, who stood awkwardly by the fire with Aiden, who hadn't even bothered to try hiding. What would be the point? He knew he could not escape Beluar, especially not without magic. So he saved himself the humiliation of hiding in the closet.
King Beluar stalked slowly into the room, never taking his eyes from Aiden.
"So you're our famous intruder…" he said, his voice deceptively calm as he circled him. "Pry, what is your name?"
Aiden gulped but kept his head high and expression neutral. He would not show signs of fear. "My name is Aiden Sallow, Your Majesty."
King Beluar's features lightened and he exploded into deep laughter. "Of course! I thought I recognised you. You worked for King Gerald, did you not? Or was he training you? Ah, yes, only a young lad at the time, weren't you? Only in your hundredth year, I believe. It's a pity to see that you never amounted to anything spectacular. I tried to warn Gerald at the time, but he insisted he saw potential in you." He tsked, shaking his head disapprovingly. "Poor judgement on his part. I'm never wrong in my judgement of people."
Aiden said nothing. He knew that Beluar was trying to anger him and the last thing he wanted to do was give him what he wanted.
"Hmm…" Beluar stepped closer, narrowing his eyes on Aiden's deadly still form. "Only silence? How interesting…" he muttered, then turned, walking swiftly away, but then he spun on his heel, looking back at him with arrogance in his golden eyes.
"Bow." He said. It was a command, not a suggestion, but Aiden would not bow.
"I only bow to my King and you are not him." Said Aiden, pleased with the strength he heard in his own voice.
Beluar smirked, his eyes shining. Ah, yes - a strong spirit - Oh, how he adored breaking a strong spirit.
"If you will not bow by your own free will, then you will bow by the force of powerful magic," he said, and no sooner than a second later, Aiden felt a dead weight on his shoulders, on his back, on his neck, forcing him down onto his knees with strength unimaginable.
The fall caused more pain than Aiden expected, and he let out a restrained cry as his knees cracked against the flagstone. Sharp pains shot through his legs and he clenched his jaw, breathing through the pain.
Beluar laughed cruelly and moved slowly back towards Aiden again, his golden eyes glistening in the dim light. "Not so brave now, are you, stallion?"
Lilium knew that look in her father's eyes and it frightened her, but not for herself - no. It frightened her for Aiden.
Not knowing what else to do, she sank to the ground in front of Aiden, shielding him from her father, who was preparing to knee Aiden in the ribs.
"Father, please, have mercy! He did not mean to anger you, father! He never meant to-"
Beluar's eyes snapped to his daughters, and she went silent. She could not speak when he looked at her like that - it was almost as if something had jumped down her throat and tied her tongue into a knot to prevent her from saying another word.
"Daughter, I'm ashamed of you for behaving this way. This man came to kidnap you,"
"No, father, please, you've got it wrong! You don't understand!" she pleaded desperately once she'd found her voice again.
Beluar stared down at her, his eyes and expression twisted into something dark and foreboding.
When he spoke again, his voice was cold; colder than she'd ever heard it before.
"It is no longer appropriate for you to place your loyalty with another man, Lilium. You must stand by your husband, now. So do so. Stand and go to him." He said sternly as he motioned to Prince Orin of Avalon, who was looking a little anxiously down at Aiden and his wife from just outside the door.
Beluar looked at him, waiting for him to demand his wife stand beside him. Orin cleared his throat. "Come to me, my dear," He said, softly and tenderly, holding out his hand to her and offering her a reassuring smile.
Lilium's eyes clouded with inevitable tears as she glanced from Aiden to her husband, then from her father to the guards, who looked down at her with disapproval.
It was only when Orin flexed his fingers again, prompting her to come to him before something bad happened, that she reluctantly rose to her feet and walked towards him. Once she was beside him, he gently placed an arm around her waist, trying to soothe and calm her with his touch.
Despite the current events, Aiden watched the two of them in their moment and his heart began pounding painfully in his chest. Despite her obvious distress, Lilium looked almost content in his arms. It was almost as if all her troubles minimised her when he held her in his arms. She was content and it was more than obvious to him that she had loving feelings towards the man that held her. Her husband.
"The Goblin King sent you here to kidnap my daughter to satisfy his desires, correct?"
Beluar's assumption couldn't have been further from the truth, but Aiden didn't bother explaining that to him. He would not answer his questions. Anything and everything he said could be used in one form or another, against him.
But Aiden's silence only caused Lenton, who'd been silent the entire time, to growl in anger and frustration. Storming into the room, he came to stand in front of Aiden. "Sire, since this man makes no effort to answer you, why not allow me the pleasure of making him talk?"
King Beluar was silent for a few moments as he considered this, but eventually, he gave Lenton a nod, permitting him to do what he did best.
Lenton grinned triumphantly and turned on his heel. Leaning down he gripped Aiden and pulled him up from the floor by his neck.
Aiden struggled, grasping Lenton's fingers and trying with all his might to peel them from his throat, gasping for breath as he did so. Without his magic, he stood little chance of withstanding this, especially as Lenton seemed to be using magic to aid himself in hurting him as well as using his own strength.
"Stop! Stop it, you'll kill him!" Lilium screeched hysterically as tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks."You've taken his magic which makes him more vulnerable! He won't be able to survive!"
Beluar ignored his daughter's pleas and instead watched with satisfaction as Aiden's lips blued and his eyes grew wider. Just when he was certain Aiden was on the brink of losing consciousness, he raised a hand. "That's enough, Lenton," he said, calmly.
Gritting his teeth, Lenton gave Aiden's neck one final squeeze before he released him, letting him fall to the floor again without a care.
Aiden coughed and gasped aggressively for air. His lungs felt like they were on fire within his chest and without his magic to aid and protect him, he knew it would take much longer for him to heal from this. If he survived long enough to heal…
Aiden watched through blurred vision as Beluar moved towards him again, cocking his head to the side and smirking at the pathetic sight of Aiden sprawled out across the stone floor, gasping for his next breath of air.
"It's a pity you've forced us to use violence," Beluar sighed, faking his regret over this entire situation. "But I hope it's taught you a valuable lesson. Perhaps this time, you'll know better and answer your King."
Aiden snarled, his eyes turning dark as he mustered up the energy to look directly back at Beluar. "You are no King of mine." he spat. "And I will never answer your questions! So do as you will with me - I do not fear death."
King Beluar laughed hard, slapping his muscular knee. "Death? Oh, my boy," He crouched down in front of Aiden, leaning in close to whisper in his ear. "Death is the easy part."
Standing again, he clicked his fingers and both the guards marched into the room, lifting Aiden by his arms, dragging him from the room. Aiden was too exhausted and too injured to fight them. All he could do was allow them to manhandle him.
Prince Orin watched with shocked narrowed eyes as he gently cradled Lilium in his arms, trying to calm her sobs.
"I believe I can answer some of those questions." Came a strong voice, soft as velvet, cold as ice, and practically dripping with loathing.
King Beluar grinned at the voice he heard behind him. Ah, yes, the Goblin King was here, exactly as planned - and right on schedule.
Turning, King Beluar faced the man that stood in the darkened room, his clothing was dark and his hair appeared stark white in contrast. His facial expression was almost emotionless, save for the anger he noticed sparkling in his mismatched eyes.
"Ah, Goblin King...you've finally decided to show your face," Beluar said, walking slowly back into the room.
"Yes, yes I have," Jareth confirmed coldly before stealing a glance at Aiden, who was on the brink of fainting. His eyes were heavy even as the soldiers hauled him up into a standing position, again. Aiden grimaced, the pain in his knees was so intense, he could barely stand.
While Jareth's expression remained emotionless, his heart twisted within his breast. Aiden, my dear friend, I was a fool to send you here…
"You say you will answer my questions?" Beluar asked with a brow raised in suspicion. "You'll tell me why you broke through the barrier protecting my Kingdom? You'll explain why you choose to ruin the season's festivities for me and my subjects? You'll explain why you sent this pathetic excuse of a fae into my castle and into my daughter's chambers?"
Jareth cocked his head in an owlish manner and began fiddling with the cuffs of his sleeves, seemingly unphased by his interrogation, which irritated Beluar immensely.
At length, Jareth replied. "Better. I can promise to not only answer your questions but to offer myself in Aiden's place. I will pay forfeit. But only on the condition that you release him and send him back to the Goblin Kingdom. He had no say on any of what's taken place here this evening. Everything he did - coming here, breaking in, casting a spell on your guards - it was all under my instruction and with my magic. I, as his King, made him do it. And as my subject, he had no choice but to do as I bid, or suffer the consequences."
Aiden's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak, but Jareth shot him a warning look from across the room. Then, suddenly and out of nowhere, his telepathic connection with Jareth was back, and he was speaking to him, softly.
"Aiden, I need you to trust me."
"No, Jareth, you can't! You can't do this-"
"Yes, I can. Aiden, I made a promise to you and I intend to keep it. If you want to survive, if you want to get home to Adelaide, if you care about our friendship...you'll do as I say and agree to what I've said."
Aiden swallowed hard. He hated this. He hated having to do this, but Jareth was giving him a chance to get home to Adelaide, just as he'd promised he would. And he could not take that for granted.
Gods, if only he'd known at the time of Jareth's promise, that he intended to sacrifice himself instead of breaking his promise to him…when on earth did his King become so noble?
Still unable to use his voice, Aiden only managed a weak nod.
Jareth let out a silent sigh of relief. Well done, Aiden, he thought.
Beluar frowned as he studied Aiden closely. He realised that Aiden could be agreeing just to save his own skin, but it mattered very little, anyway. He had no real interest in Aiden, after all. It was the Goblin King he wanted, and he had just willingly offered himself in the place of this wimp, and that was not an opportunity he was going to miss.
"It's like everything is falling into place." Beluar thought, amazed by his luck. A Christmas miracle, indeed.
"I cannot say I'm not curious as to why you would so willingly offer to take the place of this highly insignificant creature, but this is an opportunity I simply cannot refuse," he said, never taking his eyes from Jareth's even as he called out. "Guards, cautiously release Aiden Sallow."
Jareth watched as the guards released Aiden from their tight grasp, and he watched as Aiden swayed where he stood and almost fell, but he quickly grabbed onto the closest item of furniture to keep himself from falling. He would not fall again - he would not give them the privilege of laughing at him - at his weakness. He had been humiliated enough this evening.
"I want you, Lenton, to escort him back to the Goblin Kingdom. And have no fear," he added, as he watched Lenton's brows shoot up in surprise. "-you'll be protected from any harm that may be waiting for you there-"
"I hardly think that'll be necessary," Jareth interjected, causing them all to gape at him, surprised by his dismissing the King.
Jareth didn't take his eyes from Beluar's as he approached Aiden with caution. He'd not missed the guards gripping the hilts of their swords, ready to attack should he make any sudden movement or attempt to strike them.
"Lord Sallow can return home using the Labyrinthian seal. When he wears this, it'll take him right back. He won't even need magic. And, I should add, that when this seal is taken from me, I can no longer transport myself away from here, which means I will, well and truly, be your prisoner, since you've barred all magic but your own from this Kingdom." Said Jareth, carefully lifting the heavy pendant from around his neck.
Normally, something like this would rouse high suspicion in Beluar, but he already knew this information was correct.
Symbol's held a lot of power - It was why he'd had his own Kingdom's seal tattooed onto his skin - that way, it could never be taken from him. But wasn't this almost too good to be true? Surely the Goblin King knew how foolish it was to part from his Kingdom's crest? And he realised he would be stranded here without it? Completely at his mercy? Why would he willingly put himself in such a position? Unless, of course, he had a dirty trick up his sleeve…
Hmm...it seemed like he would have to keep a very close eye on the Goblin King.
"Very well." Beluar finally granted his permission.
Jareth held out the necklace to Aiden. "While I am here, I want you to take care of my Kingdom. I can think of no better person to be regent." Jareth told him telepathically, offering his worried friend a slight smile, despite the misfortune of the day.
Aiden's eyes flickered to the heavy pendant. It was almost glowing as Jareth offered it to him, almost as if it wanted him to take it...
"That's only because you don't know anyone else," Aiden teased, pleased to hear Jareth's laughter echoing in his brain.
But hearing his laughter suddenly made this all the more real, and it was harder now to part from Jareth, his friend and his king than he'd ever thought it would be.
"I am just a man, sire. You are the King and your Kingdom needs you, not me." He said, trying one last time to make Jareth reconsider his choice - he could still leave if he did it quickly.
"Ah, but you're not just a man, Aiden. You're a father. And quite frankly, the best friend I ever had. I am King, yes, but I am also just a man, fraught with imperfections. Look what I did with my life...look how I spent it - bitter and alone, breaking the hearts of every woman I crossed paths with, even the one I fell in love with." a glint of sadness flashed in his eyes as he said this, but his smile did not falter. "So please...let me do this...and go home."
In spite of what seemed like a relatively lengthy discussion in Aiden and Jareth's mind, it had in fact only been a few fleeting seconds.
Never taking his eyes from Jareth's, Aiden gulped as he reached out and took the pendant from him. It felt warm to the touch, and caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end as a rush of magic flowed through him again, helping to strengthen him a little.
The power within the pendant was stronger than Aiden had expected it to be, and he trembled as he felt the strong pull to put it on - to let it send him home.
"I won't forget this, Jareth…"
"I want you to forget, Aiden. Forget it all and be happy."
Lifting the pendant, he carefully fastened it around his neck and watched with wide eyes as it glowed a bright orange colour, heating up as it came to rest flat against his chest. And then, it started. The pull to go home.
Home…
"Goodbye, Aiden."
In the blink of an eye, Aiden appeared in the throne room at the castle beyond The Goblin City. Unlike his journey into Ryrella, he felt no dizziness or nausea this time; which he was beyond grateful for.
But despite the magic flowing through his body again, the pain in his knees was just too bad to dismiss. Groaning in pain, he carefully lowered his exhausted body to the floor before he lost all his strength and collapsed again. The last thing he needed was another fall.
As he sat there, taking in the sight of the familiar throne room, empty save for a few chickens, it started to dawn on him. The pain, both physical and internal, was crippling. Covering his face in his hands, he finally allowed himself to let it all out.
His shoulders hitched and his sobs echoed in the almost empty room, but he felt no shame in crying like this - he had every reason to cry. His heart had been broken, his body had been beaten and his friend, his king, was probably locked up in one of the Ryrellen dungeons.
There was no knowing what Jareth's fate would be now that he was Ryrella's prisoner, but he knew it wouldn't be pretty. Jareth would likely be beaten, or worse, tortured for information on why they'd attempted to kidnap Lilium. He wouldn't go unpunished for that.
He felt so guilty...so guilty and so foolish. He should have known. He should have known that a princess like Lilium could not have been with someone like him. They should never have risked so much…
"Dadda!"
Aiden's hands dropped from his face and his eyes filled with fresh tears as he watched his child rushing to him, big tears running down her cheeks even as she threw herself into his arms and clutched onto him for dear life.
"My baby…" he whispered, his voice still hoarse from his injury and his emotions. "I will never leave you, never, ever, again…" he promised, then pulled back and looked into his daughter's face, wiping away the tears from her chubby cheeks as she smiled at him, then wrapped her arms around his neck again.
"Dada promise?" she asked after emotional hiccuping.
Aiden squeezed his eyes shut and gripped her tighter. "Yes, my darling, I promise." He said, running his fingers through her soft curls.
Only minutes ago he'd been in Ryrella and it had felt like he would never leave again - like he'd forever be a prisoner there, forever undergoing punishments for what he'd attempted to do. But worst of all, it had felt like he would never get to hold Adelaide again.
And now, here he was...holding her, his baby, because of what Jareth had done for him.
The ultimate unselfish sacrifice.
"No, Jareth, I will never forget."
AN: Thanks for reading! Sorry we've not seen Sarah in this chapter but I promise to get back to her soon. Don't forget to review!
