A/N: I own nothing. I don't own a house, I dont' own a wii, and I don't own Labyrinth, my life is an empty hole...
HAUNTED
--
--
--
--
Karen appeared on the hilltop outside the Labyrinth, the cold air of the early morning sending a shiver through her. She stared off into the distance, at the castle that she had spent her childhood in, the castle where Toby and Sarah were being held prisoner. Before Jareth had created the Labyrinth, a vast, dark forest had surrounded the Goblin Kingdom. She could see the remnants of it in the center ring of the Labyrinth, a small reminder of what had once been.
She wondered if the Fireys were still there. She had been terrified of them as a child, they had once caught her and tried to pull her apart. Her father had tried several times to expel them, but they somehow always managed to come back. If they were still there, she was fairly sure Jareth had done nothing to get rid of them. He liked them, he thought they were funny.
The sun began to rise off in the east, and as it cast it's glow over the Underground, she saw her mother, tightly wrapped in her glittery scarlett shawl, looking over the kingdom as well.
"Nuala?" she timidly greeted. The woman turned to face her daughter, and Karen was taken back by her appearance. Her face was littered with crows feet, her golden curls limp, and streaked with white. She looked drawn, years older than she had ever seen her.
"Mother, what... what happened to you?"
Nuala shrugged, and turned away from Karen. "I'm old, Karei. My powers are starting to go. I can't even undo an enchantment anymore."
"What are you talking about? What enchantment?"
"Jareth's barrier. I can't break through it."
"Mother, you don't need to break through it. Anyone who shares Jareth's blood can go through it, it's always been like that."
"Not anymore. He's altered it, no one can transport through it magically anymore."
"What?" Karen shrieked. How was she supposed to get to her children now?
"I imagine he's done it to keep you and I out, and away from Sarah and Toby."
"But how can he do it? He won't be able to transport himself, unless he takes it down."
"So? He can provide himself with anything he needs, and this isn't a Gathering year. He could keep those two locked up in that castle for years, and never have to emerge himself."
"Then we'll have to run through the Labyrinth," Karen said, taking off down the hill. Nuala shook her head.
"I can not go with you."
Karen stopped, and stared at her mother in shock. "Why on earth not?" she demanded.
"Like I told you, I'm getting old, and my powers are weak from trying to break through the barrier all night. I'm in no fit state to run through that hell maze. You'll have to go alone, love."
"I need help, mother! Not with Jareth, but with... Sarah's mother. I think she's being held prisoner in an oubliette."
"And what, pray tell, do you need my help for? Get her out, and you'll have an ally."
"Mother it's not that I need the help, it's that I'm not strong enough to face her. How do you deal with the ex-wife of your husband?"
"How do you deal with a girl, sobbing because she's been raped by your husband? How do you comfort her, and convince her that your husband isn't such a bad person, when in your own heart, you're busy cursing him for his cruelty?" Nuala snapped, her glare adding to her aged appearance.
"But what if she... if I free her, what if she decides to go after Robert? What if he leaves me for her?"
"Don't you trust Robert? To be fair, I've never met him, but from what I've observed, he's a good man. I'm sure he'll do the right thing if confronted with this problem."
"But what if..." she began.
"Karei, don't worry so much. Your first concern needs to be saving Toby and Sarah. Your own personal demons can wait."
"The same could be said for you," Karen snapped.
"That has nothing to do with anything! Do you think I'm just going to stand her while you risk your life? I'm going to see Nevine. If Jareth has already given Sarah the potion, we'll need a way to reverse it, so she can return home."
"You're really going to see him? What makes you think he'll have what you're looking for?"
"He's the only one that might. You and I have different tasks that we must perform this day. I... don't possess your bravery, Karei. I've always taken the easy way out, anything to avoid physical confrontation. I don't have it in me to do what must be done to save the children. Truthfully, I couldn't hurt Jareth if I needed to, but you could, and you would."
"So you need me to do your dirty work?" Karen said, cocking an eyebrow.
"Just go!" Nuala barked, fading away. Karen glared at her until she was gone.
"Chicken shit old bat," she growled, heading back down the hill. She ran to the ominous entrance, and it swung open. She took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing," she muttered. She wondered which oubliette Linda was in... she needed to think like Jareth...
Surely he wouldn't want anyone to find her, so he'd put her somewhere off the beaten path. And in case someone did venture near, he'd want something to guard it...
The one to the far east, the one near the Minotaur's lair. It had to be. Now she had to remember how to get to it...
--
--
--
--
Linda was sitting in her dark cell, staring blankly up at the small shaft of light. It was the only sign that the world outside her dark, damp prison was still moving on. She wondered about Sarah, had Jareth really been serious? Surely Sarah wouldn't be taken in by him. Perhaps she would even recognize him...
But what if he didn't take no for an answer? She had learned when she had been with him that he could be very forceful when he wasn't getting exactly what he wanted. Would he really rape a young girl? She tried in vain to shake off the horrible thought of him forcing himself on the little ten year old she remembered. She wondered what Sarah looked like now. How much had she grown in the past five years? If she ever saw her daughter again, would she be able to recognize her?
--
--
--
--
Karen stopped in her tracks, and tried to get her bearings. She could see the castle off in the west, so she assumed she was going the right way, but how far off track was she? It had been hundreds of years since she had been in the labyrinth; before she had learned to teleport, Jareth used to take her out into the middle of the labyrinth and leave her there.
An idea came to her. Her crystal work wasn't as strong as Jareth's, and no telling how it would effect her already waning powers, but it was worth a shot. She drew one from thin air, and peered into it.
It misted up, the slowly a map of the labyrinth began to appear. It showed her position, and then shifted to show her destination. So she was going the right way. She continued on keeping a loose eye on the map. She hoped she wouldn't have to cross the minotaur. Hopefully it would be off hunting or something.
She reached the trapdoor, leading to the oubliette. Her crystal ball vanished, and a rope appeared in it's place. She tied it to a nearby pillar, and stepped on the stone slab. The ground opened up, and she plummeted into the dark abyss.
Something grabbed her, and stopped her fall. She looked about, and saw the dark, slimy looking hands sticking out from all around her. The Helping Hands. She felt almost giddy. Jareth hadn't gotten rid of these useful things.
"Which way?" they asked.
"Down, please," she said, gripping her rope tighter.
"She chose down!" they cried, "She chose down?"
--
--
--
--
Linda heard a rucus above her. Someone was shouting, "Careful... careful... Hey, hey, HEY! This is not a date!"
"What in the world?" she said. The shaft opened up above her, and someone fell through. They got to their feet, and brushed themselves off, muttering under their breath.
"Hello?" she asked timidly. The figure waved it's hand, and the torches lit up. Linda could make the stranger out. A woman, a few years younger than herself, with short blond hair.
"Linda?" she asked. Linda nodded, eyeing her warily. She couldn't be too trusting, "My name is Karen. I've come to help you."
"Oh, really. Did Jareth put you up to this?"
"No, but I do believe that you and I have a common interest. Jareth is holding both of our children prisoner."
"Jareth has Sarah?" she gasped. Karen nodded, and waved her hand towards her. Her chains vanished, and she got to her feet.
"Sarah, and my son Toby."
"Toby? Then... are you..?"
"Robert's wife? Yes."
An uncomfortable silence hung in the air. The two women stared at each other, looking the other up and down. Linda spoke first.
"How did you find me?"
"Well you see, I'm... I'm also Jareth's sister."
"Jareth's sister? So was he the one who introduced you to Robert? Is that why you married him, because he told you to?"
"No, it was a mere coincidence. Fate can be funny sometimes, can't it?" Karen said, holding the rope out to her. "Are you coming, Linda?"
"I'm not much good at rope climbing," Linda said, taking hold of it.
"You don't have far to go."
"What do you mean?"
"Just tell them you want to go up," Karen said as Linda started to climb.
"Tell who?"
"Oh, you'll see," Karen said, putting out the torches, and climbing after Linda.
--
--
--
--
A/N: I have a serious case of writers block regarding my story Lurking in the Shadows. Sigh.
The end is near. Just a few more chapters left in this story. I'm increasing the rating, for later chapters. They're kinda... actually no, I'm not going to spoil anything.
Thank you all, for reading this far! I love you all!