An

And here we are, the last chapter followed by a short epilog.

I have enjoyed writing this piece and I truly hope that some off you have enjoyed reading it if so please leave a review or put it in your list of favourites to let me know that you enjoyed too.

There will be a short and very fluffy companion piece coming up in about two days, so if you crave a little happy J&S piece look in my profile in two days. And now enjoy the last two chapters.

Chapter : A true world

The day had seemed to stretch into eternity as duty after duty found their way onto Sarah's table, first she had organized the communal kitchens filling them with food gathered and hunted in the world she had sung forth. There wasn't enough of course, the camp had swelled to at least half a million souls and as they all needed food she had been forced to open a portal into her world and allow packs of hunters to hunt the huge mammoth looking beasts who roamed the endless ice planes grazing on the frozen moss in vast herds of thousands upon thousands. Then she had overseen the removal of Alderthorn's victims. There had been so many, so many souls sent through the veil that Morgaine herself had taken wings to carry them through instead of calling every mother of the night to the task. It had been a beautiful sight as each body dissolved into golden dust that swirled upwards to form a gigantic shimmering raven which had sped off beside Morgaine ripping through the thin veil of reality with a haunting cry, and it was one that Sarah never wanted to see again in this life.

Tugging at her boots laces Sarah sighed and had to blink back tears as her thoughts fell on the one body left behind. A child, no more than seven or eight years old had remained and both Sarah and Jareth understood Morgaine's motive for leaving that body behind. Now the child lay pale and still, clutching a worn firey toy, atop the pyre, surrounded by the objects chosen by the grieving to represent their dead.

"Sarah?": His voice sliced through the heavy sadness, even though it too held the rough edge of sorrow. Smiling as she turned to the pale but upright and unaided goblin Sarah smiled: "Shiver, what are you doing out of bed this early?"

Limping into the room Shiver stood to one side as he held the curtain open for the much smaller woman who followed on his heels.

"Lilly?! You're up! You shouldn't be! You moron."

Rushing to her friends side Sarah wrapped an arm around her waist as she guided Lilly to one of the heavy chairs that sat around the central brazier: "How are you even moving right now? You look like you're about to keel over at any second."

"Yeah that matches how bad I feel pretty well, but I couldn't stay in bed if this is our last night together before you and Jareth have to run a whole world."

"I tried Sarah but you know how stubborn she gets when she's in that mood."

Sharing a look of understanding with the pale goblin as he dropped into one of the other chairs with a tired groan: "And to be honest I too wished to spend the night before the coming battle with my father and you. It has long been a tradition to share a flagon of blood ale on the eve of battle and I would like to keep that tradition alive."

Nodding as she helped Lilly settle into the chair and wrapped her in thick furs Sarah said: "That's a good idea and I'm certain that Jareth will agree with you don't you think Lilly?."

"Yeah I'm sure he will... but... "

Frowning Shiver looked up from the flagon he had conjured to meet her suddenly unsure gaze: "But what? What's wrong?"

Unable to meet their eyes Lilly wrung her hands nervously: "I cant join you... I..."

Shit how do you tell the man of your dreams that you are pregnant just two days after laying with him for the first time and worse how do you tell him that one of the children are not his? Licking her lips slowly Lilly tried to answer those two questions, before she blurted out: "I'm pregnant and alcohol is bad for the babies..."

"Babies ..."

Shock left Shiver utterly speechless as he just sat there staring at her, and looking as if he had been struck between the eyes with a hammer. Babies, she was pregnant yet it was only what three days since they had had sex, and she had only just survived the horrific rape. How could she be pregnant? Let alone with more than one, it seemed impossible an yet: "How?. . . How can you be certain?"

"Gaia told me ... when Didymus. ... helped me, we were in this forest, and ...": Looking uncertain and scared Lilly stared into the fire as she remembered the words of the goddess: "She told me that I carry twins... but ..."

"But what?": Sliding out of his chair Shiver knelt in front of her, utterly heedless of the fact that there were a lit brazier mere inches away from his back: "Lilly Please just tell me, nothing you say can change the way I feel about you and our children. Please. . trust me."

The words spilled from her in a jumbled rush: "GaiatoldmewhileIwasintheafterlifewithDidymusandshetoldmethatonlyoneofthemwasyoursandthattheotheronewassiredby..." does this make any sense to you? (yes)

Stopping abruptly Lilly looked up and into Shivers unreadable eyes as she tried to finish the sentence, only to be interrupted by Shiver's insistent: "We are having twin? Wedding night Twins?"

Joy lit up his eyes as he cupped her chin and gazed deeply into her eyes: "We are having not one wedding night child but two!"

Happy, he was genuinely happy as he gently rested a huge hand on her still taut belly and gazed into her puzzled eyes: "I don't care how these children were conceived, they are ours now, and we will raise them to be the best that they could possibly be. We will teach them to love and laugh and be good."

"Truly? ": Tears threatened to spill from her glistening eyes as she whispered: "You are serious? You are okay doing this?"

"Okay ?": Grinning like a child with a Christmas gift, Shiver smiled: "I have wanted to raise our children ever since I meet you, Yes! I am more than okay doing this, this child did not ask to be created or born but it deserves love and a family just like any other child. Lilly goblins are not stuck on the notion that only blood makes a family. We are the children discarded for a million reasons and we will not repeat the sins of our parents."

Rising to his knees so that he could gaze straight into her shocked eyes as he spoke softly and with deep conviction: "Lilly Mercer wife mate and lover! I solemnly vow to love and treasure any and all children whom the fates decide to bless our family with. I swear to love them all deeply and equally until my dying day. This is my vow to you Lilly and the children within your womb I will never leave you!"

"Shiver! ": It was her hormones that caused tears to cascade down her cheeks as she leaned in and pressed their foreheads together, or rather that was what she was telling herself as Shivers lips gently kissed the silvery trails from her cheeks. Because it couldn't be pure joy born of the knowledge that somehow this fantastic male had become hers and hers alone.

"And what is all this?": Letting the heavy curtain fall closed behind him, Jareth entered in a gust of cold wind, looking perplexed at the scene before him.

"Well grandpa we have great news."

Wiping the joyful tears that stained his cheeks Shiver watched, Jareth frown in confusion as his gaze moved from one to the other.

"And what news might that be?"

He beamed, Shiver beamed like a child at Samhain, golden dust and soft green surrounding his eyes and fading down his cheeks as he blurted out: "Lilly is pregnant! And Gaia told her that we are having twins!"

"Twins! ": Joy flared like dark fire in Jareth's eyes as he rushed to Lilly pausing only long enough to ensure that he didn't cause her harm as he scooped her up and swung her round, laughing that almost childlike laugh that had reappeared in the safety of Sarah's world: "Twins! Oh sweet Lilly you are a miracle!"

Setting her down as if she was made from blown glass, Jareth stepped back as Shiver moved up to drape a protective arm around her.

"Sweet Lilly not only have you made my son happier than I ever dared hope he could be, you have also filled my life with joy. And now as we stand on the very brink of an era, you wonderful girl you, you gift us with the most precious gift of new lives to fight for. Now I have even less choice tomorrow for I will see these my grandchildren grow up in a world of peace..."

Tears threatened to spill as Lilly tried to process the pure undiluted happiness that surrounded her and echoed through her own heart, at a time where she had fully expected anger and sadness. Looking from one to the other she took in the radiant smiles and bright happy colours revealing that the emotions behind them truly were happy: "But..."

Her mouth gaped open like a newly caught fish as she struggled to find words that to express the conflicting emotions within her, because there was no logic to the exuberant joy that shone out at her.

Even Sarah looked at her with a happiness that were almost frightening, and Lilly just didn't understand, or rather ... Closing her mouth with an audible smack as realization struck, and caused her hand to drift unconsciously down to rest against her belly. It was not the children alone that had them all grinning like scary imbeciles it was the fact that they had been conceived at all, and had been at this so very fragile time where other children failed to thrive in the womb, these tiny miracles within her had managed to take hold despite the violence of their conception, despite the drain that had killed so many far stronger.

And that was why they sparked such joy, why they were so eternally precious, they were the seeds of hope, and sorely needed.

The smile was faint at first, but as Lilly watched it reflected back at her on the faces of her ragtag family, it grew slowly, at first but soon it matched the wide happy grins surrounding her. This was their lives and they would make the best of them even if it lasted just one night.

. .,. .

To be untouched by time was a strange thing, though one's body remained unchanged once it hit its peak, ones mind were still vulnerable to it's currents. And this was one of those times where Jareth truly felt that.

From a night that had seemed to have been frozen in place to a morning that had passed in almost strobe like flashes.

To this moment at the very brink of noon, where Jareth suddenly found himself standing at the tent entrance preparing for the remaining bloodthorns to escort him to the battleground at the centre of the great plaza. The same ground where they had burned the fallen, and where the pyre for the betrayed stood waiting.

Turning to Shiver, Jareth smiled reassuringly: "When we return there will be much to do and only a short time to do it."

"I know father, and you need not worry we will get it all done just as we always do.": Shiver was no fool he knew what his father was doing and though he was too old to require such placation he accepted the loving gesture for what it was. Smiling warmly Shiver reached up and fixed an imaginary fold in Jareth's midnight blue cloak: "Now let us go and make Oberon and his bitch Queen pay."

"Yes..."

. .,. .

The Plaza teemed with life as beings of every and all races jostled for a place, from where they could see the duel that would determine the fate of them all. Fey and goblins, monsters and orcs were all there, from the smallest worm guide to the tallest Femorian, the gravity of the situation plain to see in their furrowed and fearful faces as Jareth moved through them to the fire lit circle mapped out with the silently withering trunks that remained of the Alderthorn clan as they burned with the same bright blue flames that was engulfing the looming pyre yet still not touching the tiny body at its peak.

Pausing at the gap in the woven walls that served as an entrance Jareth reached out with his core feeling the currents of raw feral magic that filled the primitive circle. Once they entered there was only one way to exit, only by defeating his opponent would it be possible to leave. A cold smirk curling his lips as he locked eyes with Sarah. Sarah his queen, the other half of his heart and soul, his Goblin Queen as fierce as the flames that illuminate her. She was everything he had ever hoped for in a Queen, and he could be nothing less for her, no matter how sharp the fear that was worming it's way through his mind.

Shedding his cloak into Shiver's waiting hands Jareth shared a confident grin with his son: "Prepare the crystal, this will not take long..."

"NO ": Shiver replied: "It will not, now go and claim what is your right and know that we will ever stand at your side."

Clasping Shiver's hand Jareth smiled: "I know son."

It felt like passing through a warm waterfall as he entered the circle, a waterfall that flowed through him cocooning the four cores within him in ancient magic so that all he could do was call his blades, and nothing else. Holding his hands out wide the goblin king felt his smile widen into a confident grin as Oberon entered the ring on the opposite side carrying his ancient battle marked sword.

Nyth dwyn he called it, mist bringer, slayer of the ancient gods, it was the sword Oberon had wielded as he and the other fey rulers had stood by the humans and defeated the ancient gods, bringing forth the labyrinth and dividing the realms, it was the blade he had wielded as a god, and it was fitting that he should wielded it as he finally lost all hope of ever regaining that power.

And considering the significance of Oberon's blade and Jareth couldn't wield anything less appropriate. Holding out his hands, Jareth called out to the only blades he could wield in response. Shimming bronze blades materialized in his hands, glowing faintly as they reflected the flames of the pyre and withering torches.

Dawn and Dusk Cathan had dubbed them, and though forged from bronze they were enchanted to be as strong as the fey steel of Oberon's much larger blade, even though they were only short swords.

Standing tall Jareth waited patiently for Oberon to shed his heavy cloak and stride across the field of combat. As always Oberon towered above Jareth, as he came to a halt merely a yard or so from the patiently waiting king.

"You are ready to die?": Oberon's voice rolled through the plaza, boosted in part by the magic of the spell engulfing them but in part it was simply owed to the sheer power of the man himself. Nodding slightly Jareth felt his smile return even colder than before, as he replied: "No I am not, and nor do I intend to."

Oberon moved to answer, only to be cut off by Sarah's clear voice: "As the ancient magic demands we stand as witnesses to the trial by single combat, may the goddess guide your blades and see justice done."

Dropping into a limber battle stance Jareth wasted no time as he snarled: "Defend yourself. "

The soft glow of his bronze swords turned into a swirling blur as he launched himself at the much taller fey. Darting in Jareth used the speed and agility born from endless hours of sparring with the two greatest warriors of his realm, to lash out and open a short shallow nick on the forest lords thigh, it was tiny but the suddenness of the attack and the ease with which Jareth avoided Oberon's counter attack left the much older man reeling.

Grinning wickedly Jareth flashed sharp and very goblin teeth as he snarled: "The first of thousands..."

There was malice unlike anything Oberon had ever heard from Jareth in those words and for the first time in millennia the horned lord felt true fear creeping up his spine with frigid claws. This creature before him was not the feeble and foppish boy that he expected to face, even now after all that Jareth had done in the last few days Oberon still expected to face the spellbound half creature they had forged through pain and cruelty not this hard fierce warrior whose bicolored eyes burned with a fire that Oberon had never seen before.

But he was Oberon the horned god of the Ancient Celts the god to whom they had dedicated their war's hunts and sacrifices! He was a god not some lowly ploughman to be berated by a bastard child! And he would snuff out that light lest it ignite a conflagration that might very well consume their very world.

The roar of rage that answered Jareth's snarked jibe reverberate through the air like the roar of a rock slide. Surging forward Oberon attacked with everything he had, proving exactly why he had been worshipped as a war god for millenia, as he forced Jareth to bring both blades to block or be split in two by the sheer weight of the shimmering blade.

Grunting as the massive impact blade thrummed down his arms Jareth nevertheless felt his face split in a wide ferocious grin as he glided out from under the path of death, and still using his main blade to hold Oberon's trapped at an awkward angle above their heads he slashed down along the hard plane of the forest lords chest splitting the skin in a steaming spray with his offhand blade.

Gliding out of reach Jareth smirked: "And a second,... Cathan would have been proud."

Hatred made her voice feel like frozen honey, as surging to her feet Titania spit out: "Yes if only he had not been killed... by his only son."

Her words cut through the air, and it should have bleed black and cold blood like the blood of the dead things hidden beneath the shimmering throne. A warrior she wasn't at least not one who wielded blades, but then she had no need for blades when venom words were her weapons and her aim utterly true. And as expected they struck true in the heart of Jareth, causing him to stumble as the memory of Cathan's death played though his mind, crystal clear despite the taint of the spell that had forced his hand so cruelly. Even now as he understood that he had been forced, even now where he saw the mind numbing evil of the woman who had borne him. Even now the sight of Cathan's pained expression as Jareth had stabbed his fey steel blades through his heart for a slight so miniscule that Jareth could no longer call it to mind caused Jareth to stumble and allow Oberon a sudden opening in Jareth's guard. An opening that Oberon promptly exploited as he slashed out with a speed belied by the size of both man and sword, opening a shallow cut along the lean swell of muscles on Jareth's right arm as he narrowly missed Jareth's chest with a dissatisfied grunt.

Baring his teeth in a cold snarl Oberon growled: "You are too weak to be a king, too weak to live.."

Too weak, the words burned into Jareth's soul fanning the already voracious hatred festering there fanning the fire awakened through Sarah's love and the destruction of the spells stoking it until it blazed even through the ancient magic of the challenges web.

Gripping his blades hard enough that his knuckles turned white Jareth hissed: "No, not weak... betrayed and abused... but never... weak."

He moved, gliding through the ring with the grace of a millennia of experience as he attacked Oberon with a series of lightning fast and wickedly accurate sweeps and thrusts from both blades, only to have every blow parried and thwarted.

Frustrated Jareth retreated creating enough space between them for him to regroup as Oberon snapped haughtily: "What's the matter boy... Am I not the easy target you expected? Well boy I yet have things to teach you and what Father would I be if I neglected your education..."

Venom dripped from the forest lords word as he followed through rushing Jareth head on, kicking him in the chest as he brought his massive blade crashing down on the smaller king, forcing Jareth to use both his blades to parry or be split in two. Landing hard against the side of the ring Jareth gasped as he scrambled to regain not only his footing but his newly found self confidence before he lost everything. Holding his blades loosely as he staggered back to his feet and resumed a crouched battle stance, Jareth struggled to shake off the disorientating sensation as Oberon smirked cruelly: "Breath son, it will..."

"NO": Pulling himself up straight Jareth shook his head as he ruthlessly squashed the terrified whisper in the back of his mind before it could even begin to assert itself as the crippling presence it had once been, the spell that birthed it might have been shattered but the millennia's of cruel abuse he had suffered at the massive man hands carried a power almost as potent, and devastating, and yet feeling the strangely comforting feeling of steel against the smooth subtle leather of his left hand Jareth drew strength from it and spat: "No your time of cruelty is at an end! I will no longer fear you, no longer bow to you... I take now what is mine!"

The movement was swift and as Jareth flung himself at Oberon he felt more like the bird of prey that was his other form than the bipedal human form he inhabited. Slashing furiously he threw his all into the attack, screaming as blood stained the ground beneath them falling like rain from the numerous wounds that the cold edges of their swords carved into their fevered flesh. Attacking head on Jareth sacrificed his own safety as he laid into Oberon with an almost animalistic ferocity. His swords long forgotten as he ripped into the suddenly reeling fey with the claws he been so harshly ridiculed for. Screams of pain and garbled pleas for mercy and help echoed around the silent plaza accompanied only by the furious snarls and roars of a man venting uncountable cruelties on his tormentor. And to those watching the onslaught it felt like an eternity before Oberon finale managed to choke out: "Mercy please I yield..."

The words echoed through the air even clearer than the screams as the magic of the challenge magnified them for all to hear the forest lords defeat.

Shaking with the fire of battle still flooding his veins Jareth stepped back watching the always haughty king gingerly cradle his ruined hand, as he stared at the man he had abused from infancy with open fear. Blood stained torn golden skin as if showing how the claws of the goblin king had ripped him open proving that even fey bleed and felt terror. The marks were everywhere on Oberon from his face to the wide chest and even his back showed with all possible clarity how Jareth had torn into him, though most of all it was the ruined hand that showed it most clearly.

Jareth's blade, or possibly a claw though the wound seemed too clean for that had struck Oberon's hand between his ring and middle finger splitting the skin and muscle rendering the hand useless as blood poured relentlessly from the gruesome wound, to wet the starving ground with it's life.

"0beron..."

He had intended to declare the duel over and the realms safe. But as the blood touched the soil it released the coiled up power of the challenge in a blinding flash of light filled with colour. Light that spiralled up from the blood stained ground at Oberon's feet wrapping around his powerful frame ripping tortured howls from the forest lord as the ancient magic pulsed through not only him, but Titania as well drawing out their twin cores despite both their desperate attempts to hold them back.

"NO... No... I.": Clutching his chest Oberon gasped looking almost pitiful as he gave Jareth pleading eyes: "Please... Jareth... son... don't..."

Pain widened the fey's golden eyes, and for a fleeting second fire flared at their centres as two blazing orbs ripped from his broad chest in a shower of golden sparks. Then darkness flowed in as life drained out and the once proud man crumbled into a panting heap of shivering flesh mirrored by his whimpering wife as she slid bonelessly from her seat, blood trickling from deep gashes on her chest where her razor nails had scored her own skin as she had struggled in vain to hold onto her cores.

Over, it was finally and utterly over every being in the plaza felt it as the magic of the two rulers dissolved into the crisp winter sky with a sigh and a faint pulse of the newly born stars as they absorbed it and moved on their journeys.

Letting his blades dissolve into pale golden dust where they lay forgotten on the churned up ground, Jareth turned sad eyes on his kneeling father: "It is done... The great magic of this our realm has done it's work. You are convicted through combat and now you must pay the price of your betrayal. Shiver!"

"My king, how may I serve? I .": Bowing proudly Shiver entered the field of honour to stand strong and proud at Jareth 's side ready to serve his king, all traces of his wounds hidden beneath his gleaming armour.

"Bring ... this man and his wife to the summoning stone where they will face their judgement for the crimes they have committed against these our five realms."

Bowing once more, Shiver saluted Jareth before turning to the warriors lining the low willow fence: "The goddess has spoken through the acts of combat. Do your duty warriors and bring these traitors to the summoning stone."

Warriors rushed forward grabbing hold of the deposed rulers, not the goblin knights that would have been expected to obey the orders of their lord commander. No it was the warriors wearing the gold and pale green of the seelie court who leapt to action dragging their former sovereigns away accompanied by Titania's shrill screams for mercy.

Over it was finally over, millennia of pain and fear over. It seemed almost impossible that everything they had struggled to achieve since the veil had been so thoroughly ripped from his eyes and mind had so suddenly come to be. And yet if had.

Blinking slowly Jareth watched Sarah glide gracefully over the blood stained soil, with a slight smile curling his lips. Who would have thought that this would be how the full goblin realm would be born.

Offering her a blood stained and wounded hand Jareth bowed slightly as he ignored the trembling he could not control and said: "Come my queen let us follow the others to the stone. There is work still to be done."

The cool wind of winter seemed almost alive as it passed over Jareth's sweat soaked skin sending chills through him, as the battle fueled adrenalin began to wane, reminding him that the battle though won was only one in a series.

"Yeah it's cold, you should call up some clothes, before you catch a cold."

Smiling softly at her concern Jareth nodded and resisted the urge to point out that with the magic coursing through their bodies there was little to no chance of them catching any non magical illness, instead he said: "No I want them to see the blood and scars and know that they will receive every one of them sevenfold. And I want our people to see the physical proof of the crimes which we are talking of."

It was obvious from the slight narrowing of her eyes that she thoroughly disagreed, but she held her tongue and he loved her even deeper for that, as she simply gave a slight nod and slipped her arm through his, casually smearing his blood on the cream of her flowing silk sleeves.

The wind whipped against him playing with the wild strands of his hair as the muted suns caused it to shimmer and glisten. Drawing in a deep breath, Jareth face clearly reflected the utter relief he felt as the magic of the realm made that lungful of air alive once more. Perhaps even more so than it had ever been before, letting his vision shift from the realm of the mundane and into the realm of magic Jareth gasped as the swirling bands of luminous magic blinded him. Magic more potent than any he had ever see let alone felt swirled and undulated not just through the foundations of the realm but through the air, carried by unfelt eddies to revive the still dull cores of his subjects, making the realm pulsate with life and power in time to the soft beat of Sarah's heart. Life had returned and though what he was to do was strangely painful to him it would serve to ensure that the life that now surrounded and even grew within the warm safety of Lilly's womb would thrive in a world finally made whole.

Blinking slowly he allowed his vision to shift back as they neared the looming shadow of the summoning stone and the powerful beings who awaited them there.

Scaling the worn and familiar steps Jareth greeted the three rulers already standing there resplendent in their state robes and cocooned in the magic of their realms.

Bowing from the waist Jareth was first to speak: "I have summoned you here to stand as witnesses to the punishment of these your former peers for the crimes they have committed against not only my person but every realm beneath my rule and protection.

Stepping forward Rzush bowed deeply causing the sunlight to set the tiny polished bones adorning his coat in ornate patterns to glint and glisten like fire opals as his deep gravelly voice rolled out to every creature in the crowd below.

"Here stand we, ready to obey and see thy will made truth. We hath seen the will of the goddess through the trial by combat. ": Looking huge and imposing Rzush turned his blood hued gaze on the pair who knelt at the edge of the stone held in place by thin filaments of bright blue light, bright against the crimson of their spilled blood, venting his rage in a booming voice.

"Seven years! Seven years you starved us, starved our children unto death, because of your malice our babes fell dead from the wombs that failed to nourish them, our babes withered in their swaddling cloth screaming with hunger and pain! The goddess has spoken and now you must pay for your avarice. We your peers have stood in witness of your judgement and as your peers we condemn you as is the goddess law of sevenfold..."

Sevenfold, the mere mentioning of the goddess's law had Titania's head whipped up, her eyes wide and glistening with tears of fear and anguish: "Please great lord I beg of you have mercy, you know the hardship of rulership, you know how it weighs upon a mind the constant desire to do good for those you rule... My lord I beg of you mercy."

"Mercy? You dare to plead for mercy after all the anguish you caused, you dare to ask for mercy ": Outrage and fury blazed from her entire withered frame as Morgaine stepped forward pointing a clawed finger straight at the kneeling Queen: "You who burned children in their Mother's arms so that you might march towards the destruction of our world all the quicker! You who hurt your son! Ripping him asunder both body and soul in the most heinous way. You butain budr(filthy Whore)"

If fury had a face it would be that of Morgaine as she locked eyes with Titania and hissed viciously: "You will see no mercy but what you showed the least amongst us no mercy but what you yourself have shown."

A wicked smile curled Morgaine's pale lips as her words caused Titania to lose all colour at the mentioning of the tender mercies she had thrust upon whole tribes and villages. The law of seven was a beautiful thing when it curved like a boomerang and returned to those who challenged it.

Stepping back Morgaine smirked as she bowed lightly to Jareth, a slight glimmer of concern in her eyes as she spoke: "We of the unseelie court accept the goddesses verdict and we too condemn theses traitorous curs to suffer for their crimes. By the goddesses law of seven I so swear... But...We are but the rulers of two realms to condemn a fellow sovereign ought we not have unanimity from all five realms?"

"Yes, we do ": Holding out his hand Jareth gestured for Bolton to step forward: "Bolton if you please.."

The pudgy goblin ambled forward to stand awkwardly beside his lean master: "My lord as you please... It is the will of our exalted king, that the realm of man be given in trust to Sarah lady of the labyrinth and High Queen of the five realms, and that the Realm of the Seelie be given a new sovereign lord..."

Pausing to cast a glance at his bloodied king Bolton licked his comically full lips and continued as Jareth nodded firmly: "It is the will of our High King that Shiver the lord commander of the labyrinth , captain of the bloodthorn guard and the true and rightful son and heir to the goblin throne shall rule and command the court of light and summer as King with his mate Lilly as Queen and mistress of the white hunt...This is Our high lord's will, what say..."

"NO! How dare you! You mongrel! How dare you put a shifting upon MY THRONE!": Her fury burned as bright as the fires of the massive pyre still roaring forgotten at the end of the plaza. Straining against her bonds like a wild beast Titania screamed and screeched: "You will not put a Goblin mongrel on the seelie throne. No fey will accept it, no fey will accept you!"

The spell holding them were flexed and strained under her mad twisting but without her magic she could never break them. It did of course not stop her as she continued her tirade: "You cast us aside as easily as you did your wife did she matter so little to you, you faithless cur! And you dare to call yourself king!"

"Yes woman I dare! I dare far more than that ! ": Jareth seemed to grow taller as he turned his terrifying attention fully onto the former Queen: "I dare to ensure that neither you nor that monster you wed will ever harm another being. And as for the woman you sold me to, she was never and nor will she ever be my wife. I have but one wife! Sarah! My goblin queen, and no other will ever hold that Role."

Titania cowered as he turned his cold anger on her, in truth you couldn't keep from cowering as he flashed razor teeth and flaming eyes at you with that much undisguised hatred. Holding her gaze in thrall through pure fear, Jareth call out: "What say ye Sarah queen of both the goblin and human realm, and you Shiver King of the summer court? "

Her voice was soft as she spoke but there was no hiding the cold hatred in Sarah's words: "As is the goddesses will, so let it be. Let them suffer sevenfold what they visited upon every soul they harmed with their wicked avarice. Let them pay in blood for the lives they ruined."

"Yes ": Standing quietly at the back, Shiver now stepped forward to bow mockingly to the seelie rulers: "They must pay as is set forth in the laws of the goddess. Sevenfold they will repay the crimes and once absolved through their true regret they shall be stripped of their power and given back to time that they may live and die to return to the great mother that she may decide their final fate."

Nodding his agreement Jareth said: "Very well, You have heard the verdict of your peers and now as you have agreed Oberon, you and your queen will submit to my will. And it is my will that you and your wife be taken from this realm to suffer sevenfold the deeds you have done onto not only I but every other being with whom you have dealt not only directly, but indirectly as well. You will pay and only once you have suffered those deeds and truly come to regret those actions will you be released to live out mortal lives on earth in the grip of time for however long that may be. Never again will you see the wonders of the realms beyond the veil..."

Kneeling in a pool of his own blood Oberon nodded slowly and addressed his son for what he assumed to be the last time in this life :"As was agreed so shall it be".

An orb appeared at Jareth's fingertips pristine and bright, yet even the tall elemental troll's who stood at the back could feel the chill it radiated over the winter cold. Cold hatred and retribution had given birth to it and its purpose was as clear as the orb itself. The orb lifted from his fingers and floated gracefully through the winter air to hover between Oberon and Titania, pulsing slowly as if echoing the ancient pulse of the realm itself. Letting his hand fall Jareth said flatly: "It is time."

Magic was strange, some magic created vast explosive displays, others were quieter as only a soft glitter betrayed their existence and then there were the ones that simply did their work without any evidence of their existence, this spell despite its realm shattering was simple, a soft light emitted from the crystal enveloping the deposed couple muting their cries of fearful protest as it seemed to dissolve them into a pale misty form and draw them into its swirling cold centre. It was over in mere seconds leaving the assembled rulers alone on the stone facing the silent masses below.

Silence reigned, as if the entire realm was holding its breath on the heels of what it had just witnessed. Letting it settle for a few seconds Sarah allowed herself to take it all in, it was over. They had won the Labyrinth and every other realm that relied on it was safe, finally and irrevocable safe.

Only one thing remained.

To make it all whole as it was meant to be.

Stepping up to Jareth Sarah smiled as she saw the same slightly dazed yet joy filled expression that she herself wore reflected back at her from his face.

Rising up enough to lay a soft kiss on his split lips Sarah whispered: "We won now let us finish this and make this world the glorious realm it was meant to be."

His arms were warm and gentle as he wrapped them around her and held her tightly: "Yes it is time to heal the land."

"Not Just the land..."

Her second kiss was as soft as the first, but this time it was charged with the life giving power of the great goddess herself and it washed through him like cool summer rain through a scorched forest, washing the soot and grime away and leaving only clean wood behind. Blinking slowly as the cool sensation wrapped around him easing the pain of his wounds leaving behind unmarked skin, Jareth smiled down at the amazing woman in his arms, marvelling at the effortless way she used magic to do what took others decades to learn.

Stepping back as the black Carapace of his goblin armour coalesced around him, Jareth stated softly: "You never seize to amaze me my Queen. Truly is there anything you cannot do?"

Shrugging nonchalantly Sarah smoothed down an imaginary fold on his chest plate as she said: "Sure I can't rule this world without you my king. ... My love."

Chuckling quietly at her reply Jareth turned her gently by her shoulders so that she faced the vast sea of faces once more as he whispered: "That My love is a lie. But one I will never allow you to Prove"

Then straightening Jareth lord of the Labyrinth ruler of the five realms addressed his people.

"An era has ended. This realm and all of you are forever changed. Those lost can never be replaced. But not all change is evil in these last days we have defended ourselves and overcome an insidious enemy releasing an entire realm from their bondage... And.. We have gained a queen more powerful than we have ever dreamed of. A queen who has ushered in the birth of a new age, a queen..."

His arms tightened possessively around her slender frame as power built abruptly choking off whatever it was that he had been meaning to say.

The magic was ancient hearty and warm like heart blood spilled from a battle wound as it spilled out from the pair at the pinnacle of the stone. Screams of fear turned to cries of wonder as the waves of magic washed past the beings in the plaza and crashed into the ruined walls, not shattering them but rebuilding them as stones regrew from the dust they had been ground into by the seelie army. On the magic washed rebuilding what had been crushed, raising walls and castles breathing life into the realm as plants stomped into pulp rose proudly to bloom despite the bitterly cold winter air. On and on the power flowed reviving and strengthening until it reached the very edge of the realm, that flimsy barrier of rolling mist that was all that kept the forgotten gods at bay. Here the magic paused if only for a second and then it rose up a swirling undulating wall of gold, emerald, sapphire and pearly white visible from the plaza as it reached almost high enough into the darkening winter sky to enclose the entire realm. The walls soared and as it seemed as if they would close above them, the walls stopped and with an eerie lack of sound they fell but out not in. Falling outwards the colours swirled and grew becoming the crests of stormy oceans and ridges of distant mountains as they pushed further out beyond the horizon that the goblin realm had never had before. The sound of waves cresting filled the plaza as ocean waves lapped up against the eastern edges of the labyrinth and mountains rose up to cradle the western.

The cry of eagles and a thousand other birds rose and mingled with the roars of beasts unknown until now as the magic that had held them all in it's grip dissipated and sank into the soil beneath their feet.

"Go forth now and explore this world, this is the realm that was meant to be, the world you were meant to live in. This is my gift to you all as your queen. ": Sarah's voice floated out to every denizen sounding as if she was standing next to each being speaking directly to them and them alone.

Then turning her head so that she spoke against the smooth skin of Jareth's throat Sarah whispered quietly: "Can we go home now? I miss our nest and the warmth of our hearth..."

Chuckling gently Jareth nodded almost imperceptibly: "Yes we can go home we have earned it..."