Disclaimer: let's put this plain and simple, I DON'T OWN LABYRINTH!!!!
Last Time:
The majestic blonde fae lined closer to Jade who found her body wouldn't respond to her commands to back away. "I see where you get the assumption, but no; my hand are not scarred. It's a tradition among Goblin Kings to wear gloves." Jareth shrugged as if reading Jade's silent question of why. "Don't know why however, but we are allowed to show our hands to family, close friends, and those we court."
"C-court?" shackling spoke Jade as the words sunk in as she bit down on her delicious toast.
A mischievous grin spread across the King's face. "Yes, those we court," and he lined close to Jade who blushed at the closeness but still not able to sum up enough strength to move.
"What category do I fall under," asked Jade hesitantly, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer.
Jareth chuckled as he lined back into his chair. "We'll have to wait and see Jaden; wait and see…"
Raising to his feet the blonde vanished the chair he had once been sitting in. "You should get dressed; the court officials will be arriving soon," and he strode toward the door.
"Yes my king…" she whispered as a strange affectionate sound dwelled deep within, that didn't' go unnoticed by either of them.
This Time:
Daughter of the Labyrinth
Chapter 12-Good to Worse: Where Did the Bad Go?
Jade stood before her full length mirror. She was examining the dress she chose to present herself in. Jareth had said something that showed that she was not a servant, but a simple dress as well; there was the problem. Every dress had simplicity about it, but still was more complicated for the occasion.
The raven haired teen sighed as she rummaged around her wardrobe. She found a simple red dress with layers of sheer scarlet cloth that fit like a glove, as well as bellow around Jade's legs as she walked. Loving it the instant she saw it, but found the dress lacked a little something, so rummaging some more, Jade found what the dress needed.
Pulling out a lace covered corset with shoulder straps; Jade beamed. "Perfect!"
"Jade?" called out Kira from the other side of Jade's bedroom door. "Is everything alright?"
Jade grinned a little more with excitement. "Everything's fine Kira, but I need you to lace something up for me."
The little maid waltzed in without further instruction, and seeing Jade dressed in a blood red dress gasped. "You're gorgeous mi'lady! That dress is perfect for you and the corset frames your perfect form," gapped the cheery maid. "His Highness won't know what hit him!!"
Turning away from Kira, Jade blushed a thousand shades of red at her admiring words; Jade asked herself if she really was that magnificent. She doubted it; Jade was a human girl, not some breath taking fae maiden.
"I doubt it," whispered Jade to no one. She just found that voicing the words sounded less hopeful and less apt to shatter the hope that she might just take the Goblin King's breath away. "I doubt it," Jade said again so soft and mournful that not even Kira's keen fae ears could her them.
-O-
Standing tall, strong and true in his castle's Entrance Hall, with his head held proud and high was none other then the Goblin King himself. Standing to his right was Crow, with both feather and metal wings shinning. The harpy's unruly hair for once, looked to be at least brushed, or tried to be brushed. Sheera standing on Jareth's right was silent and stern. Dressed in more leather armor that was a lot classier then the normal armor she would wear, still the thief wore britches and boots.
Jareth stood dressed in his best as well. He wore an overcoat of indigo blue with a high collar. It was the deep shade of the sky at midnight, with silver embroidery around the cuffs, collar and the coats hem. Ebony britches with his famous heeled boots, however, puffing out of the cuffs were black sheer cuffs of the poet shirt he wore beneath the tailed overcoat. The clothing gave the Goblin King a powerful and mysterious appearance that drove all fae women to swoon over him. The silvery platinum hair was still spiky as always, but with indigo strands flowed through the pale mane, matching the hue of the coat.
Jareth was a majestic figure with intimidating figures at his side. Yet there was an individual that was not at Jareth's side, and he wanted her there, more then he knew.
"Where is Jaden?" he asked starring at the front gate where he's guests would be entering.
Crow looked to the stairs behind him, with a hope of finding the human girl smiling down at him. To his surprise, Jade really was. With a grin, the harpy spoke, "She's here."
The trio turned fully to the maiden standing at the top of the entrance halls stairs. She stood smiling over the platform's stone railing, in a dazzling simple dress of layered ruby cloth, with a lacy corset trimming the already slender waist. The raven mane of silk hung limply about her shoulders, cascading down her back; unbound and free. Jaden Stone was the perfect image of a princess.
"I hope I'm not late," laughed an obviously nervous Jade, as she took the stone steps as fast as she dared. She wore high heeled knee high boots that she also had found in her wardrobe. Reaching the hall's marble floor the dark haired harpy swept the human teen off her feet.
"You look magnificent Jade," chuckled Crow as he spun the light weight woman-child in the air, as her cheerful laughter filled the large chamber.
"Stop flattering me Crow; you'll make be blush!"
The harpy smirked as he let the girl touch ground once more. "But such a cute little blush it is, my dear girly."
SMACK!!!!
"OWW! What was that for!?" whimpered the dark haired boyish young man.
Sheera stood stern and glaring at the winged male, who went pale at the look of fire in the thief's eyes. "Jade came here for Jareth, and you're hogging her, you oaf!"
Crow ignoring the females, turned to his king, that hadn't moved or said a word since Jade's sudden entrance. Jareth's face may have been expressionless, but the look in the mismatched gaze of his said differently. The Goblin King was shocked and awed, and his breath caught in his chest from the mere sight of the young woman joining them. It made the long time friend of the king grin.
"That may be the case Sheera," said Crow with a mischievous grin on his face. "But with Jareth all breathless by the simple sight of our girly here, I doubt he's got the capacity to care." The harpy's words were answered by a deadly glare from the Goblin King. "Then again, maybe he does!"
"Yea, think," snapped the auburn haired fae. Turning to Jade she smiled beautifully. "You're gorgeous Jade; don't let anyone tell you otherwise." And surprisingly enough, the rough and tumble thief gave Jade a gentle sisterly hug. "Now go get him Jade," she whispered into the girl's ear, and hearing Jade's gasp of surprise.
Drawing back Jade saw Sheera's smiling face. With the gentle hands of fae and Harpy, Jade was turned and shoved toward Jareth. Looking up at him with her bright emerald, Jade found no strength to speck; he had taken her breath away, just as she had done to him. Jareth's expressionless face however, did surprise Jaden, but with the built up courage she was able to smile up at the King of Goblins.
"Do I look alright, Jareth?" she asked in a soft whisper as a blush sparked to life in her pale face.
A gloved hand reached up and gently cupped Jade's chin with a feather light touch. Jareth starred into her eyes with a burning emotion the human girl didn't recognize. "Your beauty is beyond words to express; you are beyond breathtaking my dear."
Bright green pools of green sparkled with joy at the king's words, as a pure smile of joy spread across Jade's face to reach her eyes. "Thank you, your highness; you are breathtaking as well."
"Thank you, Lady Jaden," chuckled Jareth removing his hand. "However, you'll have to stand on Crow's right I'm afraid; formalities are more trouble then they are worth."
Jade snickered softly at the comment as she took her place on Crow's right. Standing straight with her lacy gloved hands clasped pleasantly before her, a gentle welcoming smile was on her face as well, Jade patiently waited. Not much after the raven haired girl had taken her place, the front gates swung open to a couple of chatting faes.
"Jareth, it's been far to long my friend," bellowed out a hulky bear-like fae as he strode forward and took Jareth's outstretched hand in his massive paw.
"Claymore, it has been a long time," exclaimed the blonde fae with a shinning friendly smile. "How are the young ones?"
The bulky lord boomed with prideful laughter, as he took the woman by his side by the waist. "Kenji and Bronx are well, and there's another on the way!" The elaborately dressed woman acquired a pink glow to her cheeks, but still clung to her husband with a joyful smile.
"Congratulations, Lady Arial; I'm guessing you're hoping for a little girl?" chuckled Jareth as he kissed the woman's hand.
Arial giggled but nodded. "It would be nice to have a woman to relate too, then the burly man I call husband."
A small giggle came from the far end of the line, and the newly arrived nobility turned their heads to take in Jade with wide surprised eyes. Jade bowed her head and dropped the hand that she had used to block her laughter. The new arrivals looked to Jareth who bore a half smirk on his face as he gazed at Jade.
"Is that a human Jareth? A young girl at that," gapped the Lord Claymore.
The platinum blonde smirked as he held out an arm, signaling Jade to come forward. So she went without hesitation, and stood proudly at Jareth's side. With a soft welcoming smile, Jade curtsied before the Lord and his Lady.
"Hello, it's a pleasure meeting you; I'm Jaden Stone, but please call me Jade."
The newly arrived pair gawked at the raven haired woman. Not only them however, but Crow and Sheera gawked at Jade in utter shock. Jareth on the other hand, just smirked again at Jade with amusement in his unmatched eyes.
The nervous teen looked down at her hand in distress of their shocked faces. "If did something to offend you, I apologize; I'm not used to his sort of thing."
Claymore just let his mouth hand open, as his wife stepped forward to greet the nervous young woman.
"On the contrary my dear," smiled Arial taking Jade's hand in her own. "You did surprisingly well for someone unfamiliar with this kind of environment." Jade smiled up at the middle aged female fae. "It's a please for us as well to meet such a fine young woman as yourself."
With a faint blush painting her cheeks Jade smiled. "Thank you."
Arial tugged Jade toward her still dumbstruck spouse. "I would like to present my husband to you Lady Jade." The smiling wife gestured to her burly husband, "Lord Clifford Claymore; ruler of the Cerulean Mountains of the North."
Jade curtsied deeply before the lord. "A pleasure," she whispered. Jade had to suppress the image of a big red dog running around, or she feared of bursting into laughter. Course, the fact that Lord Claymore had bright red hair made it surprisingly difficult.
The hulky fae laughed while giving his beloved wife a dirty glare. "It is my pleasure Lady Jaden, but please, call me Claymore; Clifford is a name I'd rather not go by."
"Very well then," answered Jade with a smile rising from her curtsy. "But on the condition that you call my Jade."
"It would be an honor my dear girl," laughed the lord taking the frail lacy hand in his larger one, as he turned to King Jareth. "Where did you find this gorgeous girl, my friend? And where can I fine one!?"
Smack!!
"Oww!" pouted Claymore holding his head as he smirked at his angry wife.
Jareth chuckled at his friend's discomfort, as he pulled Jade to his side in her daze from the sudden déjà fu she was subjected to. "She dropped in more or less."
"Dropped in?" inquired the rulers of the Cerulean Mountains of the North.
Jade huffed, no longer in her daze. "Dropped in, puts it in more of a happier setting, which is far from the truth!"
"Then what happened?" Arial asked politely, with concern in her voice for the new accented Jade. "You don't look like a runner, or a poor wished away child?"
"She's eighteen actually; she can't be wished away," interrupted Jareth. Arial and Claymore raised a brow in question eyeing the silver haired fae ruler.
Jade turned her gaze to the majestic fae by her side. "Can I tell them?"
"What happened, but not who did it. We'll be discussing that in the council," answered the Goblin King not even bothering to make eye contacted with the shorter woman that he held to his side.
Raising a delicate brow herself, Jade gave the male fae a side long look in question. "So you'll be discussing me when you're shut up with all the other King and Lords. That makes me fell a whole lot better," scuffed Jade becoming annoyed with the silver haired king. None the less Jade turned to the lord and lady standing before her. "I was kidnapped from my room Aboveground and Jareth saved me."
The Claymores gasped in shock, but more so from the fact that Jade said it with a cheerful smile and sparkling green eyes. They were about to go into depth of the kidnapping, but the gates swung open once more.
Arial and Clifford waved a polite goodbye, before leaving. Jade in the midst of it all scurried back to her place at Crow's side. He smiled side long at her and she smiled up at him in return. Jade turned to the pair striding toward them with a smile, but that soft smile fell and was replaced with a scowl.
On strong long legs, dressed in different hues of cream silk; his long hair was strung back to a low ponytail of black hair tainted with evergreen. The arrogant smile on his pale boyish face pissed Jade off even more then she remember. However, the scowl he threw at the woman elf at his left was shocking in its intensity.
"Right," Jade thought mentally nodding to herself. "Uriel doesn't like woman."
Coming to a stop before Jareth, Uriel smiled to the point where it reached his dark evergreen eyes. Jade half expected the elf king's face to break under the pressure.
"Jareth!" Uriel suddenly cried unable to hold himself back any longer and practically leapt into the Goblin King's arms, who was only half expecting the attack.
Jareth laughed rather nervously, but returned the embrace in more of a manly way. Pulling away the blonde grinned. "How have you been Uriel? Still arguing with your twin sister I see."
The male elf huffed sending a scowl to his left, when it was returned by the black haired female. And she could very well be Uriel's twin too. A long mane of black green hair swept down her back, deep nearly black evergreen eyes that shined like jewels, a gorgeous and flawless face, with a thin frame with the curves in all the right places as the silk robs of layered purple bellowed about her. Jade was captivated by her beauty and felt completely hideous and small in comparison.
"Yes," the flawless female said; even her voice was perfect, like silk over water. "Uriel still despises me with no competent reason. Makes negotiating rather difficult, even if he is my younger brother."
Jareth nodded. "I can see that easily Areeia, it would make things difficult. Uriel was always as stubborn as a mule, if not more s, as well as hard headed as a rock."
"Jareth!" pouted the younger elf as he made sure his lower lip was poking out. "You're supposed to be on my side here; you're my friend."
Jade grinned and lightly laughed. "Well I agree with Lady Areeia…Uriel," spat out the human girl as she pocked her head out from around Crow; who only smirked remaining silent.
The elf king turned his eyes to the speaker to find Jade evilly leering at him; he glared at her with a new kind of ire. "You're still here then?" he inquired with just as much venom as she had addressed him with.
"Course I would be," cheerfully commented the teen as she strode to Jareth's side carefree. "Do I have anything better to do or go?"
"I was hopping," growled the elf still glaring.
Areeia strode up to her twin and smacked him on the shoulder. "Show some manners Uriel, this is King Jareth's guest!" The elfen female turned to Jade with a welcoming and gorgeous smile. "I'm Lady Areeia of the Ancient Careen Forest; it's a pleasure to meet you…"
"Jade…I'm Jade."
"Jade," smiled Areeia. "Are you a runner or a wished away?"
The woman-child's smile faltered for a moment, but Jade recovered it quickly. "Neither really, just came here under strange circumstances."
The lady elf nodded and turned to the blonde fae at her side. "Charming girl Jareth, you've finally decided to settle down then?"
Uriel gasped and his mouth remained hanging open at his twin's words. The elf's face slowly but surely became to redden as the pent-up rage he felt came to the boiling point. "There's no chance in Hell that Jare would settle down with this pathetic wench!!!"
Areeia gapped at her brother in shock; not once had she witnessed such an outburst. Jade wanted to smirk but her attention was drawn to Jareth, and how he stiffened against her. And looking up at him she saw how he starred straight ahead with a clenched jaw and balled fists at his side. The raven girl turned back to Uriel, ignoring Jareth's reaction to the insult.
"Is someone jealous?" inquired Jade innocently with her eyes sparkling with glee of pissing off Uriel further.
Taking a half-step closer to Jareth, Uriel glared fire and daggers at Jade as she just smirked back; he became livid then. He took a step forward, but his sister's hand on his shoulder stopped him. He reluctantly stopped and strode back from the mischievous human teenager. His dark green eyes burrowed into Jade's bright green orbs who read the look with ease.
"You're mine!!"
Jade shrugged the look off, even if a shiver ran up and down her spin as if claws were caressing her skin.
"I think we'll go Jareth; sorry about Uriel," said a rather anxious and surprised Areeia as she and her twin brother disappeared in a cloud of mist.
Jareth turned to Jade and stared down at her, she only smiled innocently up at him. "Don't you think that went well, Jare?"
The blonde glared and the innocent smile fell as Jade swallowed nervously. "Jade…" droned out Jareth as his blue and black eyes pierced into her the emerald pools.
"Y-Yes," stuttered Jade as she clasped her hand at the small of her back.
Jareth smirked, enjoying the innocent act the human girl was putting on in the hopes of getting out of trouble. "I'll ask you once…if I let you remain standing here, will you stay silent unless spoken to?"
The bright sparkle in the emerald eyes died, as Jade averted her eyes to the ground. The teen realized she was more annoying and embarrassing then she thought she was. Looking back up with an apologetic look Jade nodded her agreement and understanding, and took her place at Crow's side in sorrowful silence.
Crow laid a hand on her slumped shoulders. "Cheer up sweetheart; it will only last till the last of them arrive, then you can go back to your annoying yet oddly enough polite self."
"Thank Crow," she whispered, but she didn't feel any better after the harpy's kind and encouraging words. Jareth was angry with er her, and she found she'd rather be beaten the shunned and the reason for his ire.
The time passed quicker the Jade had expected as creatures of the Underground came and vanished to their rooms within the castle. She had remained silent and invisible to whole time since specking with Uriel; no one asked about her presence, even if they saw her standing there with a soft smile forced upon her face. Some pair of twin princes had gawked at her with obvious lust in their pale green eyes, which she grew disgusted with. Jareth seeing their looks were directed at Jade had coughed into his hand drawing their attention back to him, as he gave them an even warning glare. Jade silently thanked her silver haired fae, but still was upset because of his ordering her to be silent. Yet as Kings, lords, as well as Queens and ladies made their appearances and acquaintances with the Goblin King, none of them stuck out quiet like the trio from Asbar that came striding down the hall like they owned the place.
The King and Queen of Asbar as Crow had told her in a whisper were pleasant enough to Jade as she watched. They were both dressed in gold and indigo making the emerald eyed girl think it was their country's colors. The pair spoke with Jareth with friendliness, but not as if they were really friends; no like Claymore or Uriel. However, with Jade's attention on the King and Queen, she never noticed the golden blonde female fae till she stood before Jareth.
Jade lined in that direction to hear better. Crow scuffed at her eavesdropping but staid nothing to her.
"King Jareth, my I present my lovely daughter Princess Krystal; the jewel of Asbar," exclaimed King Jason, ruler of Asbar.
The princess deeply curtsied as she smiled sweetly, patting her dark long lashes at Jareth in slight flirtation. She extended her hand to the elder man and he took it in his darkly gloved hand.
"A pleasure to meet such a beauty such as yourself Princess Krystal; and a jewel you are. You honor my home with you presence," Jareth said before kissing her pale fragile hand.
Jade never knew jealousy before, but the instant Jareth had said those words, Jade whipped her head to fully look at him with hell-fire in her green eyes. In that instant Jade finally knew jealousy; all she wanted to do was rip the blonde's head off like the Barbie-doll she was. The young human woman didn't know such rage till she saw the patting blue eyes.
"Some one jealous?" asked Crow trying to hold back his laughter. He could feel Jade's livid jealousness radiating off her exposed skin like a raging wildfire.
Glaring up at the harpy, Crow feared the young girl would burn holes in his skull. "Like hell I am," seethed Jaden which made it all the more obvious that she was in fact, jealous. The glowing blush on her face was proof enough of that as well. "I'm not, really…" she whispered to ensure herself she really wasn't. She couldn't convince herself, so how could she convince others.
During her mental battle to convince herself, that she wasn't jealous of Barbie, Barbie had come to stand before her. Toe tapping in impatience and lips in a thin line of aggravation, the Princess Krystal, jewel of Asbar didn't look like a beauty at all.
"Hah umm! Excuse me servant, but can you get out of your Lala Land and take my things!"
Jade's head shot up, and took in the irritated golden blonde in her baby-blue bell shaped gown. "Oh, sorry; what did you say?"
"Urgh," huffed Krystal stomping a heeled foot. "Servant take my bags to my room before I tell you King how bad you are servicing the future queen of this country! And you'll address me with my respected title, servant!!"
Jade just gawked at the temper tampering girl with a look of shock. Shacking her head to clear it, the only thing that registered in her head was the phrase, "Future Queen of this country!" At that point, Jade's leash on her fiery temper broke into a thousand pieces.
"Oh Hell no!! " Jade thought, glaring at the Princess Krystal before her still tapped her annoying shoe. "If this wench wants to marry Jareth…it'll be over my dead body!!" Her ire rising to the bream, Jaden spoke in a soft but deadly done, not many had ever heard. "Take your own things, wench, and for your future safety, I suggest you stay a good distance away from Jareth, or I'll rip that fake head off of your body."
Krystal paled at the threatening words, but threw them aside with a sweep of her bony hand. "You dare threaten me you pathetic retch! I order you to take my things, and now!" Sweeping hand in the air once more, large trunks of every kind of size appeared around Jade. "Start walking," snapped Krystal with venom.
"Got enough freaking close woman," commented Jade seeing the trunk of things making it appear as if she was moving in. However, Jade lowered her head slightly to give her a more intimidating appearance. "Heed my warnings girl, if you want to leave this place without your face marred by ugly scars, I suggest you stay away from Jareth, and take your own damn things to your room."
The blue eyed princess became livid at those words Jade had just murmured in a deathly cold voice. "You little bitch! Take my things you pathetic swine!"
Jade snarled at the insult of being called swine. "Understanding this you freaking fake faced whore, I'm not a servant and take your things and get out of my face," and with a sweep of her hand Jade turned her attention from Krystal to Crow, who gapped at her with both fear and surprise; he had never witnessed her wrath and deadly threats.
"Urggggh" seethed the frustrated and insulted princess with a fad so distorted by rage she was beyond ugly.
Jade took a step to slap the pathetic girl across the face for her being so damn annoying and to grow up, but a strong hand on her shoulder fell softly on Jade's shoulder halting her assault on Krystal. "Is there a problem here?" asked Jareth, his blue-black orbs never leaving the gasping Krystal.
"Yes," pouted the female fae. "Your servant here refuses to take my things, and not only that! She has threatened to distort my gorgeous face and decapitate me!!"
Jade snarled at the whining wench as she took another step forward to now pumal the tramp. Yet still the hand held true and kept Jaden from proceeding with her well thought out and gruesome plans of pain and torture.
"Jade is not a servant Princess Krystal," Jareth said calmly but his voice cold and slightly harsh that the point got across, because the princess paled greatly. "Lady Jade is an honored guest in my castle, so I expect her to be treated as such."
Krystal opened and closed her mouth, but no words let alone sound came out. Both Jareth and Jade raised a single brow in question, but still nothing came out. So seeing their daughter in distress and in danger of embarrassing herself further, the King and Queen took their daughter in hand and vanished. There wasn't even an apology or goodbye, just a vacant spot filled with glitter.
"That fucking bitch!" seethed Jade clenching her fists so her nails dug into her palms; she never felt to livid in her life. "I'm going to rip that pristine little prissy-priss's head off!!!"
"You'll do no such thing Jaden," barked Jareth letting his had fall back to his side. "She is a guest and an important one at that; you won't lay a finger on her, is that clear!?"
Eyes burning with emerald fires starred up at Jareth with no yielding within their deeps. "Order me all you want Jareth, but that bitch is mine! She thinks she can be the next Goblin Queen! She'll have to fight heaven and hell, and then me to get you!!!" Looking away from the tall fae Jade glared at the pile of glitter on the floor, wishing it was blood and that Krystal was laying there instead.
Jareth was taken back at Jade's words. Her ire was not for being called servant, when she was clearly not, but because the Princess of Asbar and claimed she was to be the next queen of Goblin Country, and Jareth's wife. The silver fae's chest was swelling with pride for the human girl's loyalty to him, but was it really loyalty that drove her ambitions, or was it something else.
The Goblin King reached to lay a hand on Jade's shoulder, but the sound of the front gate opening once more so more guests could enter, Jareth drew back. Raising his eyes to the pair waltzing in Jareth forgot Jade and smiled with joy.
"Jareth, my baby!!"
Jade was dumbstruck by the elder woman's outburst, as Crow and Sheera snickered, while trying to hold them back; they were not succeeding. The girl gazed up at the Goblin King, and her eyes widened in shock to see him smiling fully without restraint. He rushed forward leaving his friends behind to the woman appearing to be between the ages of forty to fifty. Even in her elaborate dress, the woman succeeded in something that resembled a run. When the pair met, Jareth swept the elder woman off her feet to spin her around, just like Crow and had done to Jade earlier that day. The male fae with silver blonde unruly hair remained stern and uninterested.
Jareth placed the woman on her feet as she beamed up at him. The Goblin King turned to the elder male fae and deeply bowed, to receive a nod in return, to be soon followed by a wide smile much like Jareth's.
"Jareth, my boy, how are you doing? It seems like it's been forever since the last time we saw you," and the larger man took the tall Goblin King in a manly embrace.
Jade cocked her head to the side beyond confused.
"Father, Mother, I'm happy to see you! And I've been just fine, how have you been?"
Jade's eyes bugged out at that, as she sputtered for words, till finally she was able to form words into a sentence. "Father, Mother! Jareth, these are you parents!!?"
All eyes turned to Jade in surprise of her sudden outburst. A pink glow covered the human girl's face as she clapped her hands over her mouth in shock. Small laughter filled the Entrance Hall as all eyes were drawn to an ever blushing Jaden.
"So Jareth, who's this young woman," asked Jareth's mother with her dark ebony hair drawn back in a pile of curls atop her head with her friendly blue eyes. Her face may have been aged, but one could see her face was gorgeous, even with the laugh lines and crow's feet at her eyes. There was even a little grey at the woman's temples.
Jareth let his parents closer as he held out a hand to Jaden, who took it shyly and hesitantly; she was meeting Jareth's parents, she felt as nervous as if she was a girlfriend meeting her guy's parents. "Mother, Father…this is Jaden."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, your majesties," whispered Jade trying to contain her embarrassment as well as her nervousness as she curtsied as she still clung to the platinum blonde's gloved hand.
The couple cheerfully laughed as they took Jade's appearance in. "The pleasure is ours my dear," said Jareth's father with a silky voice and an accent just like Jareth's. His hair was silver and just as unruly as his son's. The elder fae's eyes were a piercing black, but there was a warmth coming from them that Jade had found in the Goblin King's own eyes. He was tall, muscular yet still slim. Jareth was the spitting image of his father, while Zaynon took after their mother.
"Thank you, your majesty," whispered Jade again, as she curtsied once more.
The lady fae laughed cheerfully. "Jareth, she's charming," she exclaimed patting her younger son's arm. "But Jaden, please call me Teara and call my husband Vannor."
"Thank you," breathed Jade in relief. "But you must call me Jade in return."
The married couple laughed cheerfully nodding their agreement.
"Jade," whispered Jareth in her ear, his hot honey breath caressing her neck making her shiver. "You just met the High King and Queen of the whole Underground."
Jade's eye bugged out once more as she gapped at Jareth. "You didn't tell me you were the youngest son of the High King and Queen! You jerk, you should have told me!!"
All broke out in laughter at Jade's surprise and the fact that she had just insult Jareth in front of his parents, who did nothing but nod in agreement. Even Crow and Sheera exchanged glances as their greetings to the High King and his Queen. However, the cheery moment and laughter slowly died away to leave an awkward feeling in the open hall. Jade looked at them all, as they grew grim, and almost appearing angry; the looks were vacant, as smiles fell to frowns. Even the large Entrance Hall seemed to become dimmer and gloomier, but as Jade looked around, she knew it wasn't her imaging it. The giant room of stone was in fact growing darker as a anxious chill of dread went up the young woman's spin like icy claws of a predator..
"Jareth…what's going on" she asked looking into the man's face, but saw nothing in his stone like face. "J-Jareth?"
Without further warning the fae King that held her hand shoved Jade back into the waiting strong arms of the harpy. "Crow, keep Jade by your side," the order came out harsh and demanding.
"Yes my king," answered Crow as he kept the confused Jade by his side.
A whimper came from Teara and Vannor put an arm around his wife's shoulders for comfort. "My dear, maybe you should wait of the meeting to confront him; it's been a while."
"No," came the shaky whimpered answer from the raven haired middle aged woman. "I want to see him now…"
Vannor seemed hesitated in agreeing to his spouse's answer, but nodded his agreement. Leading his wife to the further side of the group, to huddle near the far wall; eyeing his youngest son he nodded. Head held high as any king would he held his shacking wife in the safety of his arms.
"Sheera?" Jareth asked not looking at the fae thief, but kept his eyes on the gate doors across form him.
"Yes?"
"Watch Jaden as well should things get ugly," stated the Goblin King in his silky voice but this time it was hard and emotionless; it scared Jade a little more then she liked to admit.
Still the human girl began to panic as she looked between the other residences of the Grant Entrance Hall. All grim and emotionless, and almost as sad as they were angry, the mortal girl didn't know what was going on or what was going to happen. She felt something bad was about to happen, as if something far worse then she had ever seen was about to push open the far double doors.
Something dark and foreboding, the essence of darkness itself engulfed the hall.
"J-Jareth," she whimpered as she held her hand to her chest; her heart feeling as if it was going to burst from her chest from how loud and fast it was bounding. Eyes strained on the silver haired Goblin King, Jade waited for an answer.
He didn't look at her as he spoke, and her heart collapsed in grief; she wanted comfort and he was granting it. "Jade, I don't want you to say a word when he get in here," growled out Jareth in warning, his eyes never leaving the unmoving doors.
Jade still looked at the male fae she admired. "He? Who's he-" Jade cut herself off as pure darkness came crashing down on her, so her breath came out in a harsh whoosh of air, and the answer came instantly. Her eyes grew wide as nervous panic was replaced with fearful dread. "Zaynon," she gasped in a whisper her knees buckling under her at the realization and Crow caught her before she could reach the ground.
"Zaynon," she whispered again as Crow forced her to his side and on her feet. "Zaynon is here…" and as the words left her pale lips, the gate doors crashed open as the sound of them hitting the wall echoed through the hall.
There standing proud and strong, a companioned by two others as clouds of dark vapor flowed about them. This was none other then Zaynon, the Dark King himself making his appearance.
A/N: sorry it took me so long to type this chapter; my motivation to type was lacking. Not that I won't continue this story I just found my will to write not coming to me. but now here it is, the next update! Hope u enjoy it and hope you're anxious for the next chapter!!
IT'S A WHOLE FAMILY REUNION!!!!
Not a very happy one no doubt, but wait for what happens next!!!
Cheers,
BLAZE