Disclaimer: (sad sigh) once again I own nothing involving Labyrinth other then Jade…she's mine!
Last Time:
Closing her eyes once more, her face expressionless Jade blocked out the munching sounds from the other prisoners that assaulted her ears. "I would never accept anything from Jareth" she thought. "My pride would never ever recover from such a tremendous blow like that; damn my pride and stubbornness!"
Some old wounds refuse to heal.
This Time:
Daughter of the Labyrinth
Chapter 6-Some Old Wounds Refuse to Heal II
-1 week later-
Jade lay silent and resigned in a slight slumber. Her one gorgeous and perfect dress was damp, torn, stained, and wrinkled, it was beyond repair. She lay in silent ball in the center of the pillar of light with dim candle light around her. She appeared no more different then when she had been placed in the dungeons other then she was dirty and smell of damp caves; she was in a great need of a bath. Yet it was what was hidden beneath her emerald and black lace gown that worried her new friends, Crow and Sheera. No matter how good the dinner the three of them were given Jade would only eat enough to satisfy her friends, but still she refused a whole meal that Jareth demanded she eat. Jade hadn't seen him since she was placed in the hellish hole she resided in now.
"It's been a week Crow, you don't think Jareth would keep Jade down here more then that" asked Sheera softly hoping not to wake the sleeping woman child in the nearby cell.
A grunt came from the harp's caged prison. "If he does…he'll hear from me, that's for sure!"
"I can't believe he put her down here!! She did nothing wrong!"
"Other then hurt his pride that is" Crow chuckled as and the female thief's chuckle soon joined his own.
Sheera's slight laughter rang through the hollow dungeon corridor as she tried to mellow her laughter she spoke. "We have to give Jade an applause on hurting Jareth's over inflated ego. It was only a matter of time before someone did it; I'm just glad it was a woman! Especially Jade, she's one hell of a spit fire; full of spunk."
Jade smiled as she lifted her overly heavy lids so the world of her dull damp cell came into few behind her dark long lashes. Feeling sicken all of a sudden as the oubliette like cell swirled causing her stomach to ache. Quickly shutting her eyes again Jade suppressed a moan from her nausea; she concentrated on the laughter of the other about Jareth and his flaws. Wishing she could join, but she was too busy playing sleep to they didn't know she was sick. The laughter though, Jade was happy to listen to for a time; it lifted her spirits as much as they could be raised after being in such a confined space for so long and chained to the walls.
"I do hope you two aren't talking about me, because if you are…I'll leave you down her longer" sounded Jareth's voice breaking the dungeon's silence wit his cold cruel voice making Jade cringe in reaction to it as she lay there silent and motionless in her cave-like cell.
"Not at all Your Highness" Crow said trying to sound as serious as possible while still trying to overcome the snort of laughter that threatened to burst forth.
Sheera snorted out right, not caring to hide it. "Bird-boy over there is just to chicken to tell you the truth Jareth."
Said Bird-boy snarled. "I resent that!!"
"I'm sure you do Crow" answered the Goblin King who was still hidden in shadow beyond the light of the candles. "But what truth are we talking about?"
The harpy male pushed himself from the back wall of his prison cell. To appear at the front eyeing the King sternly; the mechanical wing behind Crow shinning in the candle light. "Just congratulating the girly over there for her tremendous feat of bursting your overgrown ego for us; to bad I wasn't there."
Jareth glared strongly at Crow, as the harpy only grinned in return, their starring contest going on for a time. But the contest fell short as the female thief came to the front of her cell as well. Sheera gave the back of Jareth's head a death glare hoping his silver blonde hair would burst into flames. The king turned to the thief with an eyebrow raised in question; the strength of the glare being felt bye the kings as if a hole was burning into his skull.
"I have a bone to pick with you!"
Crow pouted behind Jareth. "I thought she had a bone to pick with me, when I was hitting on sleeping beauty over there."
Sheera became livid. "Trust me! Your time is come' in, but my problem is with Spiky here!!"
"Spiky?!" snorted the harpy taking liberty to fade back into the dim cell, to explode into laughter.
The thief cursed under her breath narrowing her eyes. "Do you want to wake her up!?" she snapped but quickly turned to the unmoved pale king that look far more threatening when set in part shadow. "And you! What's wrong with you condemning a girl like that down here for a week!!?"
"It wouldn't have been so hard, had she eaten the food given to her; you three ate far better then the rest of the prisoner's for obvious reasons."
"She's as proud as you are! Did you expect her to just fall at your feet and beg for forgiveness!!?"
Crow coughed coming back into few from the shrouding darkness that clung to all corners of the barred cell. "Sheera quite; she's still sleeping."
Jareth stepped from the shadows of the corridor to stride into the glowing light radiating from of Jaden's cell. The cold mismatched gaze of the King of Goblins peered through the iron bars to fall on the motionless creature inside. A smirk crossed Jareth's face as Crow and Sheera let their near yelling match die down to watch their king.
"She's not asleep" he said a hind of mockery in his voice directed at the supposedly slumbering girl. "Perhaps she's playing dead so she doesn't have to face me with shame?"
Crow's sudden intake of breath told both thief and king of his surprise. "You, Jareth," he started pointing a finger through the bars at the accused man "are a cruel and heartless bastard."
"Perhaps."
Sheera snarled. "Perhaps my ass!!"
The silver blonde elaborately dressed man sighed. "If you two are done bickering I'm here to release all three of you. Course I can always leave you done here longer?"
Crow gave a nervous chuckle while Sheera remained silent but stiffened at Jareth's words as she trailed a blue eye to the still curled up Jade. Jareth seeing that all three remained silent he made a show of being disappointed as eh unlocked the harpy and thief's cells. The two strode out of their dim, damp and shadowed prisons to take their places a step behind the king's as he faced Jade's cell.
"She still hasn't moved…" Jareth thought confused but assumed it was just another one of the raven haired girl's defiant games. "Jaden get up" echoed the Goblin King's rough command.
The flutter of dark lashes told the trio the teenage girl was indeed awake but as the eyes focused on them there didn't seem to be any recollection just annoyance trapped in a haze of Jade's emerald-blue eyes. Those eyes soon fell shut again as Jade curled herself up tighter in a ball to fight off the damp and cold.
"Jade get up" snapped Jareth again, his patience wearing thin with the girl.
Sheera kneeled outside the bars starring into the young woman's closed face. "Come on Jade; Spiky here is letting us out. You want out, don't you?"
"Come on girly, I'll take you for a fly" piped up the harpy male with a grin on his face, but to all three people's disappointment there was no answer; Jade did not rouse.
Jade who lay there in her cell, tried to fight off the nausea that tightened in her stomach and pestering voices that throbbed in her head. All she wanted to do was sleep; peaceful, dark, and warm sleep. However the three persistent people outside the barred prison would not let her, but one single blonde haired male impatiently bugged the young girl. Jareth; his commands to stand wouldn't seize; they kept her from her needed rest.
Finally calling it quits Jade summoned the strength rouse to her feet while ignoring her stomach's protests of the movement. It was so slow and painful for Jade to just rise to all fours, but the King of Goblins along with Crow and Sheera were silent. The trio watched Jade rise to her knees not noticing that her eyes were shut tight. The rattle of chains filled all their ears so the raven haired girl's moans were unheard. But soon Jade found herself standing on her own two feet dirty hands lightly clasped together before her while her bowed face was eclipsed by her ebony tresses that were just as dirty and twice and tangled.
"So…" trailed Jareth amused by the girl shackled to the walls while the others were allowed the freedom wandering their cells with out the restricting ankle and wrist chains. "You ready to cooperate?" There was no answer from Jade, but an eerie silence did fall in the place of it. Jareth knew better to assume that Jade had fallen asleep standing up. "Look at me" he said softly but the order in it didn't go unnoticed.
Jade slowly looked up, her emerald eyes closed as a single hand rouse to hold her stomach. With her head up Jareth saw how pale the young girl truly was and the dark mane only made it appear worse. Jade opened her eyes to take in the three people standing outside her cage with hooded eyes, it was then that they all took notice of the sickness racking Jade's body.
The young girl gave a soft sickly smile before falling to the floor to meet the darkness half way, yet it didn't take true hold of her.
"Jade!" yelled the king waving his hand unlocking the cell door. Jareth rushed in waving his hand once more releasing the chains that restrained the woman child. Taking Jade in his arms Jareth kneeled there in the center of the damp and dim cell. "Jaden! Jaden wake up!"
"Mm" she moaned flickering open her eyes but peered right through the king's form like it wasn't there; she was in the sickness's hold and seeing with sickened eyes. She turned restlessly in the Jareth's arms; she didn't seem to be able to hear any of their cries.
"Damn it" snapped the Goblin King under his breath. Jareth felt the heat the teenager was radiating and pulling off a glove, he placed his bar hand on Jade's brow and cursed once more under his breath. "She's running a very high fever" Jareth stated to Crow and Sheera who both gasped as they kneeled by the fallen girl and felt the heat for themselves.
"You did this you bastard!!" cried out Sheera giving King Jareth a look that could kill.
Jareth did not even spare the thief a glance let alone show a angered expression. "She would be fine if she had eaten which my goblins had informed me that she had been doing such."
Crow and Sheera tried to hide their guilt that they were obviously feeling. Jareth waited for the pair's answers as he checked Jade over for injures and other symptoms of sickness that would make the healing easier.
"She ate some…" Crow started. "She ate till she told us she was full and split the rest of it between Sheera and I, but she fooled us by eating less then we expected."
With a bowed head the auburn haired thief remained silent.
"So it would appear Crow" Jareth said picking up the ill girl in his arms. "But this isn't the time to discuss this; we need to get her out into the sunlight and fresh air."
The thief and harpy nodded standing and quickly strode down the dungeon's long hallway two steps in front of their king. Meeting the giant iron door rusting with age, the combined strength of harpy and thief mad the doors swing wide. Once outside the dungeon doors Jareth transported them all to the grassy and flowering garden that was being shined down on by the burning midday sun. The once prisoners snarled in pain at the sudden overwhelming light after so long in eerie silence and damp darkness.
"Warn us next time would'ja" mumbled Crow shielding his already sensitive hawk-like eyes; Sheera just growled her annoyance with the Goblin King.
Jareth turned to Crow a serious expression on his pale flawless face. "Get the healer and send him to my chambers where she'll be waiting; make it fast."
With out another word the winged man was gone leaving the trio behind in the blooming garden. Jareth turned to Sheera, and she nodded her consent in silence with just as serious of a look as Jareth transported the three of them to his champers in a single blink of the eye.
The petite woman thief busily flung open the wooden hinged double doors to the balcony. Once done she turned to the silver haired Goblin King who stood above the unconscious moaning girl on his bed. Jade's labored wet breathing filling in the deafening silence yet it too was a silence of its own. The thief came to stand by her King's side, while she gripped his shoulder in silent encouragement.
"Jareth," she whispered breaking him from his trance. "Get the wash room door for me and some new cloths after I wash her."
"The healer would be here by then" he said not caring to look at the woman by his side, but kept his mismatched gaze on Jade.
Sheera sighed. "Does it matter? She needs to be kept warm and clean; a bath would do her good. Even the healer would agree."
Jareth looked at the female fae finally with is strange intense gaze and nodded his consent. Turning away so Sheera could pick up Jade bridle style and finding her surprisingly light, being sick did little to change that fact. The Goblin King swung the door to the hot spring sized tub open not surprised to see it full, as it was meant to be kept full at all times with steaming water.
"Thank Jare…now I think its time you left."
Jareth nodded in silence heading to the door. "I'll have someone fetch some of you cloths as well" then he was gone out the door.
Sheera sighed while a smirk spread across her face as she laid Jade on the edge of the steaming pond of water. "He's certainly taken with you" she whispered to the still moaning Jade who slipped in and out of consciousness ever so often.
Sheera stripped herself of her beyond repair clothing that was caked with both mud and sweat after her half a month say in the dungeons. Turning to Jade she reed her of her soiled gown that was obviously once gorgeous slipped them both into the soothing water. Cleaning was awkward but Sheera overcame it knowing it to be better then having a random woman servant doing it. So once the grim was swept away leaving behind fresh pink healthy skin, a knock on the door filled the silence of the bath.
"Who is it?" snapped the ginger haired woman in warning. If it was a male, he definitely wouldn't enter after hearing the sharpness in Sheera's voice.
A nervous answer came. "It's me Kiya; I brought you and the young lady new clothing" and the servant girl pushed the heavy cherry wood door open striding into and laying down the clean and fresh articles of clothing. "I'll get you both towels." And so she did bring back pure white linen towels that could be gown being they were so big.
Sheera once donning her towel took a look at her pile of clothing and deemed it satisfactory and quickly pulled them on. She wore deep brown tight britches with half shined worn thigh high boots with a surprisingly big heel. Her light cream button up blouse was low enough to show off her nicely formed tanned breasts, while her tight fitting leather vest that matched her boots showed off her some figure. Adorning leather studded bracers on her lower arms gave the woman thief her true warrior appearance. The strawberry blonde hair was tied back giving Sheera a playful misleading exterior.
"Miss. Sheera would you help me take care of Jade, it will be easier with two people" asked Kiya.
Nodding quickly they clothed Jade's feverish body in a cotton sleeveless nightgown. Then pulling out a magical robe from the wardrobe in the wash room placed Jade in it. The crimson dyed cloth had a goblin head embroidered on the right side oft the chest in gold. The robe was the King's; a spell cast upon it kept the wearer warm. Jareth of course never used it so it was Jade who wore it for the first time.
Sheera picked up the shivering Jade while sweat dampened her magically dried hair. "Is the healer here?"
Kiya opened the door nodding, "Just got here after I did."
Sheera silently walked through the door to see a trio of males standing or sitting about Jareth's bedroom. Upon hearing the thief's entrance they either dropped what they were doing or broke from a silent depressed trance. The warrior woman placed the ill woman child on the bed while the people gather round.
The healer a older mane appearing to be a bit over middle age stood over Jade taking note of every abnormal thing. A slightly crinkled hand lay across the tanned dampened brow finding Jade's temperature seriously high.
"I need a bowl of cool water with some towels" said the healer.
Kiya quickly went off to fetch what the doc needed.
The healer turned sternly to Jareth who stood like a stone guardian angel in the nearest shadowed corner with an expressionless look painted on his face, as icy and black eyes never left the unconscious and sick Jade. Looking back to Jade, the healer summoned a clear sphere crystal in hand and held it tenderly in his old hand over the teenage girl's chest. Slowly lowering the orb it dissolved into Jade's chest like it was sinking into water. The sudden large intake of breath told them all that her breathing head started becoming back to his normal sound and evenness.
"Here's the water and towels" said Kiya setting it on the night stand by the four poster bed of the king's.
"Thank you Kiya" answered the healer instantly wetting the rag to ring it out and placed it on the ebony haired young female's fevered brow. He smiled as the she seemed to fall into a slumber; her breath still becoming slower and fewer.
Crow took a step closer to the bed. "Is she going to be alright?"
The healer smiled chuckling lightly. "I healed the most worrying part; the rage is to help bring down her high fever. Any more days and the fever would or could have killed her."
Sheera instantly spun on her spiked heel to seethe at Jareth who still stood unmoving in the corner. "Youuu!!" sounded out Sheera's ruthless growl; it only gained a flicker of recollection from the object of the anger, which only pissed the female fae thief off even more. "You bastard; you did this to her! Putting her in that disgusting cell when she was obviously not used to it!!! SHE'S AN INNOCENT GIRL!!!" With her final words said, Sheera leapt at the stoic Jareth.
"Sheera stop!" Crow yelled taking hold of the raging female thief around the waist holding her back. "Using Jareth as a punching bag won't make the girly any better, no matter how much we might enjoy it."
Struggling against the harpy's hold she still growled. "No, but it'll make me feel better!"
The group chuckled at hat but it was cut off by a soft moan. All turned to the bed to find Jade's emerald eyes open and glazed over with fever and exhaustion. She slowly turned her head to the strange assembly at the side of her sick bed. Even the might Jareth detached himself from his shadowed corner to take his place at Jade's head.
"How are you feeling my dear" asked the man with a gentle trusting smile dressed in a simple jerkin.
Jade blinked to focus her eyes. "I'm better, but my head still feels like a drum set being played by a toddler. I'm still a nauseous too, but mostly I'm…" Jade shivered hugging the robe around her tighter. "C-cold" she whispered.
"It will pass my dear."
Jade's smile lit up the bed chamber. "Thanks doc."
Jareth silently pulled the covers over Jade, pulling them up to her chin in a gentle gesture. "Get some sleep, you need it."
"She wouldn't be in condition if you didn't treat her like a common criminal" seethed Sheera.
Hazy emerald eyes turned to the thief. "Sheera…you look different not covered in dirt and filthy cloths."
Sheera smiled chunkily slightly. "You didn't exactly catch me at my best yea know."
Jade gave a weak chuckle, as her eyes found their way to the winged male. "And you Mr. Perverted Harpy are in need of a bath."
"Only if you join me girly" smirked Crow lining down to Jade who wasn't surprised at the harpy's boldness but her fevered cheeks grew an even brighter red none the less.
"I'll have to insist on passing on that" she whispered, giving a smirk of her own.
Crow pouted but the healer coughed into his hand in a stern manner. "And I must insist that we all leave and give Lady Jade her well deserved rest."
The group nodded and gave encouragement to get well soon and Sheera even lad a soft friendly kiss on Jade's fevered brow wishing her a goodnight. Crow in his perverted nature tired doing the same but was shoved away by Jade. He pouted again of course saying how no girl could resist his charm and good looks. Jade laughed but ended up coughing, yet still retaining the ability to smirk up at the male. She answered him by stating that she couldn't, but didn't want to get dirty again. Sheera and the healer burst out laughing while Crow pouted turning his back on them all in a very childish manner; Jareth even cracked a smirk which in turn brought a shinning smile to Jade's face.
"Your Highness, are you coming? I need to speck with you" said the doctor.
Jareth looked up at him nodding. "Be with you in a minute in my study." The healer inclined his head respectfully then disappeared down the iron spiral stairwell in the corner. Saying nothing to Jade, Jareth grabbed the cushioned chair from his desk and placed it next to Jade who laid there unmoving watching the Goblin King with her emerald and blue eyes.
He sat himself by her side head slight hung while his hands rested on his knees. It was obvious to all that he was distraught, even to the unknowing girl who once more was tucked between the blankets of his very bed. If Jade had known the fae king better she would have seen his hunched over stature as an act of humble apologies and the seeking of forgiveness.
"Something wrong Jareth?" Jade whispered her throat parched of all moisture and none the less sore.
The mighty Jare bowed his head further, but rouse it conjuring up a goblet of pure water for Jade, and she took it greedily, while Jareth helped lift her head on lift the silver cup to her lips. Sitting back on his chair Jareth mentally stumbled for the right words to say; he wasn't acquainted with being humble, to anyone or anything. The King of Goblins sighed deeply holding his head in his gloved hand while his knees braced his elbows.
Jade saw the fae's struggle, saw the distress written in his icy-black eyes and it made her smile as she lay there on her back letting her lids fall shut. "It's alright Jareth, there's no need to apologize."
His head shot up like a bullet. "What!?"
Turning her face to him she smiled fully. "Don't apologize; it was as much my fault as it was yours."
"How can you say that!? I had no true motive to put you down there other then my own misplaced rage. Any longer down there and you could have died; I couldn't forgive myself for such an act. You are feverish; you can't be in your right mind to forgive me."
"I'm might be sick, jerk, but I am in my right mind thank you very much. And as to why I can forgive you is that I was the one who hardly ate or drank anything you gave me. I took enough to suffice, but apparently that wasn't enough in the end, because I got cold and damp I started falling ill slowly till you found me the way I was."
Jareth huffed. "I still had no right to place you down there with the real criminals."
Jade looked away her lids falling as she breathed deeply; her frustration with the male obvious. "My pride made me decline your meals. It was my own fault…" she turned her head fully away to the open doors to the balcony. "I was soft of angry, I never cared for being compared to my mother; we're nothing alike."
Jareth sighed as he stood to look down at the feverish raven haired girl that was fighting off slumber. Taking gentle hold of her chi, he turned Jade's face to look at his. "Your mother was never an easy subject for me. But I will say this once Jade, you are not your mother. I'm sad to say, you are what she once was; it was that Sarah that I fell in love with."
Jade looked up at the Goblin King with quivering eyes. "He truly loved her, he had no ulterior motive. How could anyone reject someone like Jareth?" she thought as eh lay there starring still at Jareth as his grip fall and he walked away.
Stopping just before the stair's landing. He didn't turn his face to Jade when she sat up to watch as his majestic form left. "Get some sleep Jade, you really do need it" then he started to descend the ebony iron staircase. A furry jet black cat raced up the stairs past the King who received an angry hiss as the feline scrambled up the large bed and to the waiting, smiling girl.
"Jareth!? I missed you" giggled the ill woman child as she hugged the slim cat who purred loudly. The fae Jareth raised an eyebrow at the girl and cat companion. Jade looked up at the Goblin King and his raised brow and grinned. "I'll call him Jare, from now on, k?"
The blonde haired man nodded as he started down the stairs again to his study. Jade's cheerful yet obviously ill laughter ran in his ears; he knew sleep would claim the young woman soon enough. Her body cried out for good sleep, like it screamed for a full stomach. Stepping into the lower level of his chamber Jareth decided he'd check latter to see if she was hungry.
The healer waited patiently looking out the window at the maze the Labyrinth was. "Thank you Drexel. She's a fighter; she'll heal completely in a day and a half I'm sure."
Drexel turned to Jareth seriousness written clearly across his face; the silver haired fae let the playfulness die. "I know she'll be fine, but I do not appreciate finding a young beautiful girl like that in that condition…because she was put in a cell!!"
If Drexel had been someone Jareth didn't respect or call a close friend he would have thrown him in the cell Jade had just vacated or a more suitable punishment for raising his voice to the King of Goblins. But this was Drexel, a friend for years now and the fact that he was disappointed in Jareth just made his stomach fall further to the floor with guilt.
The fae king sighed. "I acted in my anger, I'm more disappointed in myself then you are with me Drexel."
"Jareth" sighed the older man walking to his friend's side to lay a comforting hand on Jareth's shoulder. "If this young lady can bring out your temper so easily, I commend you to try and keep it in check; try and get along with her." Drexel smiled as he left the still depressed Jareth. "Who knows, maybe things'll turn out differently this time around" then he was out the door and gone.
Jareth watched his friend leave confused at first, but then it came to him in a flash of a mental image of a young Sarah. While showing up beside the mother was a smiling face of none other then the daughter Jade. Jareth sighed as he stepped onto the balcony to fold his arms before his chest as his blue and black eyes stared off into the distance over the Labyrinth.
Out the corner of his eye though, not far above him Jareth saw movement. Looking up the male fae found Jade who should have been sleeping, was instead looking over his lands with intense interest and curiosity, but still holding the ill sheen in her eyes. Jareth felt the tug on the edge of his lips as he watched the young one above him on his bedroom balcony.
Her dark hiar flowed backwards as the wind whipped it about and around her. The ivory of her nightgown clung to her slim frame yet still flowed around and across her silken skin as the breeze picked up. The feline on her shoulder coiled its tail around her neck. Jareth assumed the black cat that was named after him was indeed purring loudly in Jade's ear.
The Goblin King watched as she soon turned back to the bedroom to close the doors behind her as she headed to the comfortable bed. The king sighed deeply and long turning back to the scene before him, but all he saw were the faces of mother and daughter. He closed his eyes; even in darkness their faces shined light. Jade's smile though, was shinning far more then the lost young Sarah's was.
"Some wounds never heal" he whispered to himself retreating to his lower study.
A/N: Wow done! sry its taken me so long to update. With school and all everything is really hectic and with work and tech crew for the school play coming up I'm damn sure I'm not going to be updating a lot or even at all so if it takes some time for me to get up another chappie all I ask is for you my readers to be patient. And if u are, I'd be happy to thank you personally…and the reviews I'm getting are great so keep it up! I LIVE OFF OF REVIEWS THEY'RE MY ENCOURAGMENT!!!!! Or I can just be myself and be the lazy chick I am XD well till next time THIS BLAZE IS OUT!!!