Through Deeper Darkness

by Stormbutterfly

Sarah returned from the Labyrinth more changed than she could have ever imagined. All she wants is to return to the world that has become more real to her than the mortal world ever was, but dangers untold and hardships unnumbered stand between her and the way home. Jareth/Sarah Williams eventual relationship, but very slow burn. Rating may increase. PLEASE REVIEW. :)

9. Changes Come

Chapter 9—Changes Come

***This is my little tribute to the memory of David Bowie who will always be the Goblin King. May he reign forever.***

Take note that I've fudged the timeline on when Sarah's original journey occurred for various stylistic reasons. In this story, Sarah's original trip to the Labyrinth occurred at the beginning of summer in 1996, NOT 1986.

I own my original characters and the precise order I put my words down in. The world and characters of the Labyrinth film will sadly never belong to me. I just like to play in their sandbox. I make no money off of this. Seriously. As I'm self-employed and a bit obsessive, I think I might actually be losing money because of it. That said, if anyone owns a spare Jareth, I'm happy to give him a good home. I have references.

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Wake up, son of mine/

Momma got something to tell you/

Changes come/

Life will have its way/

With your pride, son.

~ from Momma Sed by Puscifer

Bree'Onne hid in the shadows cast by the strand of large maple trees across the street from the Champion's home. He knew that his invisibility spell should prevent anyone from spotting him, but a lifetime of instinct, training, and habit could not simply be set aside. From the current reports he had studied about the mortal world, he knew that a human of the Champion's age would be at an institution of learning during the greater part of the day. As Bree'Onne had no idea where such a place would be located, he had decided that the most convenient course would be to remain near her dwelling and wait for her return.

It was late afternoon when she finally appeared. She looked different from when she Challenged the Labyrinth. She was a bit taller now, and womanly curves graced her frame. The change was startling. Humans mature at a much faster rate than Fae, he reminded himself. The Champion is a human adolescent. This is likely normal development for one of her kind. Bree'Onne shook his head. Regardless, the transition was unnerving. It would take decades for a Sidhe maiden to change that much, but less than half a year had passed in this realm since the girl faced the Labyrinth.

After the Champion entered into her dwelling, Bree'Onne crept up to her house and slipped around to the back. He'd determined which chamber was hers earlier in the day. Thankfully, a large oak tree with broad branches grew near her window. It would make his job much easier than it would be otherwise. His Majesty is wise to want to return the Champion back to the Underground, he thought. To have a tree like that right next to a young noblewoman's window? You might as well hang a sign welcoming any spies or assassins in need of a convenient point of entry.

Bree'Onne sighed and started to climb. When he became Seneschal, he'd believed that his days of spying on young noblewomen were behind him. Ah, well, he thought. It's not as though I don't have experience. His people were often employed for such tasks. They might be assassins by trade, but they were hired as simple spies more often than not. Amongst the Underground races, only the gargoyles were better suited to waiting and watching, silent and still.

Bree'Onne slipped out onto the branch closest to her window and listened. Lady Sarah was discussing which gown she should wear to dinner with her maidservant. It was a repetition of a conversation he'd heard hundreds of times. By the Labyrinth, these maidens are all so dull, he lamented. On those other occasions he'd at least been able to eavesdrop from a comfortable position, not while perched in some tree outside of a sad, human dwelling.

"It's just not fair, Essana," the Champion complained. Her voice had the same spoiled, petulant tone that he remembered well from her Challenge. "Mother had her seamstress make Toby an entire new suit of clothes this month, but she says we'll have to re-dye my blue evening frock and take up the skirts. Does she want me to be a laughingstock?"

He heard fabric rustling, people moving about in a small space, the soft murmur of feminine voices. The Champion's angry words cut through, "Marcella! What are you doing to my hair? Marigolds? Don't you know they mean jealousy, stupid girl? If it must be orange to go with the gold silk, then go ask the gardener for daylilies."

He heard a quiet, "Yes, milady," and the sound of hurrying footsteps. A door opened and shut.

Bree'Onne froze. While she was actually a noblewoman, Lady Sarah was currently living as a human commoner. He'd seen no sign of a kitchen garden, much less a formal one, and certainly no trace of a gardener. She wouldn't have a maidservant or a chambermaid. Human commoners didn't wear gowns to dinner. The voices inside the room fell to silence.

Bree'Onne pulled back and shifted his senses. The magic was translucent, nearly invisible. It spread across the wall like the finest of spider webs. If he hadn't already known that the spell was there, he would never have spotted it. By the Bog, he thought to himself, who cast this? In his line of work, and at Court, one regularly encountered privacy spells. He'd seen thousands of them. None even came close to matching this. It was a masterpiece of dazzling complexity. It was designed to hide itself, and then hide the fact that it was hiding itself. He studied the spell intently. Most privacy spells simply prevented sound from escaping the room. More elaborate versions created false sounds, scents, and even images that were set in advance by the caster to play out in accordance with time of day, or to be triggered in response to other factors. This spell pulled its illusions from the unconscious thoughts of the listener so that they would hear only the ordinary and uninteresting sounds of daily routine that they expected. He'd never seen its like.

Bree'Onne realized that the Goblin King had been right to worry about the Champion. Whoever crafted this magic possessed staggering skill. No mortal magic user could have created it. They simply didn't live long enough to master this level of power. An immortal had cast the spell, which meant that an immortal was showing a great deal of interest in Lady Sarah. To what ends? Bree'Onne wondered. He leaned forward, studying the design, careful not to touch the magic. The master who created this spell could certainly have woven any number of traps into the fabric of it.

Bree'Onne mentally reviewed the Goblin King's bolder rivals, pondering which of them could have created this. None came to mind. Whoever it was, they were unknown to him. His Majesty was not going to be pleased.

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Sarah danced up the stairs to her room. She'd been humming the entire walk home, and now, in the privacy of her empty house, she started singing. "Put on your red shoes and dance the blues…" She plopped her backpack onto her bed and changed into workout clothes. She hadn't been in this good of a mood since…well…since her parents separated, now that she thought about it.

She'd done it. She, Sarah Williams, had crafted a Darkblade. Now, if she focused, she could feel the power of both blades pulsing through her veins. It was glorious. Empowering. Nothing high school could throw at her could take that feeling away.

Sarah was putting on her running shoes when Marvok spoke. "Champion, there is a Fae spy perched in the tree outside of your window. He cannot hear us, but he has discovered the privacy spell."

She looked up at Marvok. "Can he break it?"

Marvok shook his head, "No. He does not have that kind of skill. Honestly, I am surprised he was able to detect it."

A spy outside my window, Sarah mused, how odd. The knowledge should probably have been more upsetting. Apparently, even Fae spies couldn't bring her down right now. "What kind of Fae is he?"

"Serpentine," Marvok replied. At her confused expression, he explained. "They are a race of snake goblins who work as assassins. However, I sense no malicious intent towards you. He was most likely sent here by the Goblin King to gather information. To know more, you will have to ask him."

Sarah blinked. That certainly raises some questions. After a moment, she asked, "Are you telling me that there is an entire species of goblins that work as assassins?"

Marvok shrugged. "Technically, there are two. However, my own people are only called on when someone is truly desperate. Most would far rather work with the Serpentine."

Sarah remembered that night with The Unhallowed. She'd never asked why the horrible creatures called her goblins by that term. So all shadow goblins are assassins, not just my three, she realized. Of course they are. What else would they be? God knows, they have the right skill set. She tried to think of something useful to say. Finally, she asked, "Why do people prefer to work with the snake goblins?"

Marvok flashed a wicked grin. "The Serpentine can be hired the same way that one can hire a carpenter, or a cobbler, or a stonemason. You negotiate a price and strike a deal. Unless you fail to uphold your end of the bargain, there is no real risk in contracting them. They are almost entirely Fae."

Sarah considered this. "And shadow goblins are more Nightmare than Fae. It's not so easy to hire one of you, is it?"

Still grinning, Marvok shook his head. His ruby eyes glowed brighter and menace poured off of him in waves. "No. It is not. If a person wishes to call on us, we must be summoned. Summonings are dangerous. A single mistake and…well, let us say that the risk is very real."

A chill went up Sarah's spine. Marvok was damn scary when he wanted to be. She glared at him. "Stop doing your creepy monster thing at me. You're supposed to keep the bad things away, not act like one of them."

He laughed. His aura settled back to its usual state. Then, he shifted forward onto his fore claws in a feline bow, his wings flaring out behind him. "My apologies, Champion."

She rolled her eyes at him and smiled. "You're forgiven…this time. Now, about this spy, why would the Goblin King need to send someone to collect information on me? I mean, he's the Goblin King, he has magic. Besides, why would he give a damn?"

Marvok arched a brow at her. "We have already covered this. Your final words to him bound him from using magic on you without your permission. He cannot use his powers to see you. As to why he would care, he has no choice. You are the Champion of the Labyrinth. You are a noblewoman of his nation. By Fae law, you are underage and have no family to shield you. That makes your well-being the responsibility of the crown. I suspect that he has learned of the attempts on you and…"

Sarah cut him off. "Wait. Attempts? More things have come after me than The Unhallowed?"

She had never seen Marvok look sheepish before. Azu and Nessos snickered. Marvok looked away from her. "The Unhallowed have unusual abilities and they came in numbers, so we needed you to issue challenge. If you had not, a few might have escaped us and returned to report to their master. A challenge has not been necessary to rid ourselves of any of the other would-be attackers."

Sarah stared at him, "How many? How many attacks have there been that I didn't know about?"

Marvok sighed. "Five." He held up one fore claw, "Before you ask, we did not tell you because you have already been under enough strain. Your training is coming along well, but you were not ready to face actual attackers."

Sarah glared down at him. "Oh, I see. Just because I'm a 'mere' human that doesn't mean that I shouldn't at least attempt to defend myself. Humans aren't helpless, you know! We've had some great warriors! Or don't you know that Sir Gawain defeated the Green Knight of the Sidhe? Or how Janet, who was a year younger than me, by the way, rescued Tamlin from some fairy queen with no training at all? I might not be ready to stand on my own, but I'm not going to sit back while you guard me like some useless princess in her tower!"

Marvok flipped his long tail up and pressed it across her lips as though to say "Hush." "This is not because you are human, even amongst my own people, a cub is not allowed to hunt until they have crafted a Darkblade. Further, between your training and your mortal obligations, you have been exhausted. The knowledge would not have benefited you."

Sarah shook her head. He's right, she realized. Knowing wouldn't have helped. It would only have distracted me from what's really important. It still pissed her off though. She sighed. "Fine. I understand why you didn't tell me, but I'm not happy about it. I want to know when something happens from now on." She met his gaze. "Deal?"

Marvok nodded. "Very well. I agree to your terms if you give me your word that you will accept my judgment when I say whether or not you will personally face an attacker. You are still my student and I expect you to respect my decision."

Sarah nodded. As much as she wanted to argue, she really didn't want to know what sort of creatures Marvok was worried about her seeing. After all, he thought that hellscape I visited was friendly. "I agree to your terms. I know that there are things I'm not ready to face yet."

Sarah put on her second shoe and turned back to the black goblin. "Okay. I guess I'm ready. How do we go about confronting this spy?"

Marvok smiled as he leaned forward to outline his plan.

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The Champion left her home just over an hour after arriving. Bree'Onne followed her. She had changed into a set of scandalously tight, black garments. Her arms were bare, but the rest of her skin, from neck to ankles, was sheathed in an ebony second skin. He could see every curve, every muscle. Even when training with his own species, who cared less than most about such things, Bree'Onne had never seen any female garbed in such a manner. Courtesans leave more to the imagination with their scarves and veils! he thought. And those tights…she could give the younger male Sidhe of the Court fair competition.

Once Bree'Onne recovered from his shock at her wardrobe, he noticed the changes to her carriage. In the Labyrinth, she'd moved like a skittish filly, all energy and awkward limbs. Now, she moved with fluid grace, with a predatory edge to it, a spare economy of motion. If he'd seen a young maiden in the Underground stalk in such manner, he would assume her to be an apprentice to the Ladovran Sisterhood. The small, all-female guild preferred to select beautiful, delicate-looking maidens as apprentices.

The Champion had yet to develop the control of a fully trained assassin, but the evidence of her tutelage was undeniable. Someone of rare skill is teaching the girl, he realized, and teaching her well. Bree'Onne suspected that it was the same someone who'd crafted the exquisite privacy spell shielding her quarters. All of which surely meant that an immortal master of the craft had chosen her as an apprentice.

But why? he wondered. Why would a Grandmaster Assassin come all the way to this realm to choose a mortal as an apprentice? There's certainly no shortage of viable candidates in the Underground. A horrid idea occurred to him then, What if her teacher is an exile? The thought was chilling. For one of that skill level to be exiled, their crimes would've had to be great indeed.

Thoughts reeling with terrible possibilities, Bree'Onne followed the girl to a nearby park and into a large stand of trees. When he reached the shrouded clearing at its center, she was already facing his direction. He could tell that she didn't actually see him; her eyes scanned the area around him, but never lingered anywhere. However, it was obvious that she knew he was present.

For the first time since he came to this realm, he saw her face clearly. Her eyes seemed slightly larger and of a brighter hue; her cheekbones were higher; her features more chiseled; the freckles that had previously littered her nose and cheeks were fading away. By the gods, he realized, she's ascended.

He'd kept his sense of smell locked down since his arrival. The decay scent of the mortal realm was sickening. Amongst the Serpentine, their combined sense of taste and smell was, by far, the strongest sense they possessed. Now, he tasted the air with the long forks of his tongue and confirmed the truth his sight was telling him: Lady Sarah was no longer fully human, nor fully mortal. She was changing. A second taste brought with it a warning. "Don't bite! Not prey! Poison!" his instincts screamed. He could taste his death swimming in her blood. How? he wondered. What has been done to you?

Sarah's resonant voice cut off any further thought. "By right of conquest, I am Lady Sarah the Defiant, Champion of the Labyrinth, and I command you to reveal yourself!"

Her rank was higher than his own and she was apparently aware of that. He had no choice but to obey. Bree'Onne dropped his invisibility spell and bowed. "Greetings, Champion."

Her gaze passed over him, curious, but with no trace of fear, before settling on his face. "And whom," she asked, "might you be?"

"I am Bree'Onne, Royal Seneschal to the Goblin King," he replied.

She cocked her head to one side, her not-quite-human eyes studying him. "I see. And why are you spying on me?"

Bree'Onne was unaccustomed to this level of directness from anyone but his King. The Sidhe, in general, favored subtlety. Finally, he said, "His Majesty became aware of an attack on you last night. I was sent to see to your well-being." That seemed sufficiently innocuous.

Confusion flashed across her face. "Last night? There was no attack last night." She paused, "Wait. Time passes differently in the Underground… Do you know when the attack occurred in this realm?"

He stared at her. Could she be unaware of what happened? he wondered. She seems unexpectedly aware of everything else. Ah, well. Only one way to find out. "Last night, in this world, your soul was pulled from your physical form and sent to another realm."

Her eyes widened with understanding. "Oh! That!" she scoffed, "That wasn't an attack."

By this point, Bree'Onne was well and truly bewildered. "You're saying that you knew that your soul was sent to some hell-realm, yet you're telling me that you weren't in any danger?"

Sarah paused, considering. "Well, no. I'm saying that it wasn't an attack. I agreed to go. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I wasn't in any danger. I find it unlikely that a trip like that could ever be completely safe for someone not a native of that 'hell-realm', as you put it. It was…necessary. An acceptable risk."

Bree'Onne had no idea how to respond. She had undergone an ordeal that should have left her mind in tatters, yet here she stood, seemingly unfazed. She agreed to it? he thought. For what possible cause could such a trip be necessary?

Before he formulated a response, Sarah asked him, "Why now? Out of all the times that I've survived actual attempts to kill me, why are you coming to check on my well-being now?"

Icy dread gripped him at her words, "Attempts? You've been attacked? More than once?"

Sarah nodded. "Since my ascension, there have been six attempts made." She smiled sweetly and stretched out her hands. "As you can see, I'm still here." Her eyes flashed with defiance. "They're not."

Bree'Onne struggled to decide which question to ask first. Finally, he asked, "How? How were you able to defeat your attackers?"

She shrugged, "My guardians killed them, as ordered." Her voice held no emotion.

"Guardians?" he asked.

Sarah looked at him curiously. "Of course. As Champion, I was granted three guardians by the ancient laws. They defend me and have agreed to see to my training."

Bree'Onne had never reviewed the ancient laws concerning Champions of the Labyrinth. There had never been a need. Until Sarah arrived, Jareth had been the only Champion in history. "Of course," he said. "Do you happen to know which of the Goblin King's enemies orchestrated the attacks on you?"

She tilted her head, her voice was snide, "What does the King have to do with anything?" Realization dawned in her eyes and she laughed. "Oh. You're under the impression that any of this was about him."

Bree'Onne nodded. "Why else would you be attacked?"

Sarah tilted her head and studied him, a wry smile quirking her lips. She closed her eyes. He felt power wash over him like cold flames, burning and chilling him at once. Then she looked back at him with a raised brow.

The ice in his chest grew denser. "Your magic…" he whispered. "They're trying to steal it."

Sarah nodded and gave him a resigned smile. "Got it in one." Her voice turned angry, "Unfortunately for them, I'm not willing to be ripped apart for their amusement, and I'm far less helpless than they seem to believe."

In that moment, Bree'Onne's admiration for her grew. "You live under the constant threat of assassination, so you're training to be an assassin yourself."

Sarah froze, her mouth twisted with uncertainty. Finally, she sighed. "Yes. I suppose that I am."

She met his gaze, her eyes blazing with emerald fire. Her voice dropped low and menacing. "I am NOT prey. I refuse to be treated as such. They. Will. Learn."

Bree'Onne resisted the urge to take a step back. The Champion was no longer merely the willful child who'd managed to defeat the Labyrinth's Challenge. She had become more.

Sarah closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, the green flames were hidden once again. "Anything else before you return to the Underground?"

Bree'Onne nodded, hands outstretched. "Champion, I implore you; please return to the Labyrinth with me. You'll be safe there. You're high nobility; the King will see to your protection. You'll have every comfort."

Pain and longing crossed Sarah's face. "I want to," she whispered, shaking her head. "I want to go home so badly."

Bree'Onne waited, the moment was fragile. He knew that any pressure put on her now would only cause her to push back. He watched her tremble with indecision.

Sarah took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. She looked up at him, "Not now. By the laws of the Underground, I'm still a child. While the Goblin King seems to have forgotten this detail, my parents are still living. They would have to agree to it, on my behalf."

Bree'Onne had forgotten about her human family. "Is it so difficult to ask them, then? Would they not want their child to be safe and happy? Won't you at least speak to them? I am happy to offer my aid in this matter."

Her eyes narrowed. "Do you think I am unaware of the fact that mortals who learn of the Fae become subject to our laws? If I make this decision, I will be putting my own kin in danger from any who would use them against me."

Bree'Onne felt her slipping from his grasp and struggled to reclaim his hold. He countered, "With your knowledge of the Elder Law you must be aware that the parents of the noble Champion would be welcome at our Court. All of you would be safe there under His Majesty's protection. Wouldn't that be best?"

Sarah looked down, indecision creasing her features. She fisted her hands at her sides. After a moment, she looked up and shook her head, regret clear in her eyes. "No. I won't drag them into a world they'd hate just for my convenience. I know too well how it feels to be trapped in a place that you don't belong. I'll be sixteen come Halloween. That's the age of majority for humans by Fae law. That's not long at all. Ask me again after that."

Before Bree'Onne could argue, she held up a hand. "I know that I'm no longer entirely human, but I still age like one. Regardless of what I might become, I'm still more human than anything else at this point. The laws apply." She paused, meeting his gaze. "You've asked me three times and three times I've refused. Not now. Not yet."

Bree'Onne flinched. She had learned far more than any of them could have guessed. Thrice asked and thrice answered, he had no right to ask again.

Sarah gave him a half smile. "If this is all truly about my well-being, if you really want to help me keep myself safe, bring me books."

He paused, "Books, Champion?"

Sarah nodded. "The power that I received from the Labyrinth is similar to Sidhe magic. At least, it's more like Sidhe magic than anything else. My guardians can't train me fully in its use. I need primers that a young Sidhe would study while learning basic spells. Not the mental conditioning exercises, the actual techniques for manipulating energy and shaping spells." She paused. "I could also benefit from anything that gives an overview of basic information about the Underground: politics, history, etiquette. Things like that. If I'm going to return home, I should be as prepared possible." She looked him straight in the eyes. "Will you please get them for me? It would mean more to me than you know."

Bree'Onne found himself wanting to please her. He wanted her to think of him as a friend. What is she doing to me? Is this how she bewitched the Labyrinth Guardians who aided her? He found himself nodding. "I will try. I can do nothing without His Majesty's approval, but I will do my best to get them to you."

Sarah smiled at him. It was like the sun appearing from behind storm clouds. "I appreciate your kindness, Bree'Onne. Please send my regards to His Majesty, and my appreciation for his concern. I know that I was a…difficult guest when last we met."

Bree'Onne bowed. "As you wish, my Lady. By your leave?"

She nodded. "Granted. Safe journey, Bree'Onne. Until next we meet."

He turned and departed the clearing, his head buzzing with a swarm of thoughts. He knew that he would do what he could to get her the books she requested. Now, he just had to determine the best way to explain everything he had discovered to the King. She didn't say she wouldn't return, he reminded himself. She said, "Not now. Not yet." She clearly desires to return. I should focus on that when I speak to him.

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As soon as Marvok assured her that Bree'Onne was truly gone, Sarah walked numbly to the edge of the clearing, crumpled against the nearest tree trunk, and slid to the ground. After a moment she asked, "Next time it's necessary for me to be tortured for the sake of my education, could we just go back to the Nightmare Realm instead? That was awful. I was completely out of my depth." She understood that she was whining; she could hear the petulant tone creeping into her voice. She knew that she was risking a stinging zap of the energy her goblins used to correct any mistake she made more than once. The zap she had coming for this lapse would break her longest streak to date of "hours without getting zapped" since her training first began. However, she just couldn't bring herself to care.

Marvok chuckled as he crouched in front of her. He was in his humanoid form, so even in a crouch he loomed over her. "I have no idea why you are so distressed, Champion. You performed splendidly. The King's agent will report the exact information we want him to. You bought yourself time before they will expect a decision regarding your relocation to the Underground. Further, I suspect you will get the books that you require without us stealing them from the Royal Library. It was a victory, by any definition."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Yeah. And if I'd had to figure out what to say on my own, it would have been an unmitigated disaster. It only went well because I had you in my head, telling me what to say."

Marvok shrugged and flashed her a wry grin. "Perhaps. Telepathy does have its advantages. However, you forget that all actresses are expected to speak the lines they are given. It does not lessen the value of the performance. Further, not all of the words were mine. Your own additions were important. Your own words were what won the respect of the Seneschal."

Sarah pouted at him. Whatever Marvok thinks, that was nothing like being on stage, she thought. She had been in such a good mood earlier, now she was just empty. "I guess," she said.

Marvok tilted his head and arched one brow. "Not to worry. I am certain that running will help your attitude."

Her eyes went wide. "We're still training today? After all of that?"

He met her gaze with a glower, his voice dripped with irritation. "Indeed. You already received a day's respite yesterday. I would not want you to forget your lessons. Be grateful that it is a light training day."

With a sigh, Sarah forced herself to rise gracefully to her feet. Her goblins punished clumsiness. As much as she still wanted to indulge in a sulk, she wanted to avoid the painful indignity of being goaded along the running trail by repeated stings of Marvok's magic even more.

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annibale, cchimp123, kellyn1604, SarahlouiseDodge, Bloodmoon Goddess, Honoria Granger, FireyStars, Thouerisz, WhiteInfinity21, Nimwell, ellerose77, ebony-dove, foolalex, HachimansKitsune, and Shadowvulpes: Thank you all SO much for your kind words and encouragement! Your reviews keep me motivated it write! May the goblins bring you the crystals of your dreams.

cchimp123: I like your plan. We will certainly find him on the way. :)

Bloodmoon Goddess: Those are excellent questions! I promise that all will be revealed.

Honoria Granger: Thank you again for letting me know that my word processor hates me and will change things when I'm not looking. How can it know "Oberon" but not "Titania"? Insert angry feminist rant regarding gender inequality here. I won't torture you with the actual rant.

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