Disclaimer: own nothing, unfortunately (pouts)

Last Time:

Jade saw the beginning of unconsciousness blacken the edges of her vision, to be accompanied by limp weak limbs. Was this dying? If it was, it wasn't so bad; a few minutes of pain and it would be over. Maybe this was Heaven falling down on her, coming to catch her from her own freefall?

But Heaven didn't fall…

...Drip…Drip…

Why wouldn't that sound stop though? It was beyond irritating, and it assaulted Jade's ears like the rhythmic sound of war drums. All Jade saw was darkness, and all she heard was that wicked thrumming.

Heaving a sigh, Jade let all go; letting herself plummet into oblivion, with that one sound filling the darkness. The lone image to accompany the teen was mirage of a drop of blood falling into an even darker, almost black pool of blood.

…Drip…Drip…Drip…

This Time:

Daughter of the Labyrinth

Chapter 19-Grasping the Alternatives

Jareth sat at his desk deep in his thoughts and plans on how to save Jaden from her unfortunate fate. Crow, Sheera, Vannor, and Jareth himself had spent hours and hours on conjuring up a cleaver plan. After some days of measuring out every outcome possible, they had forged a very sneaky plan that was nearly fool proof. Thought it had its risks, this one arrangement had a far fewer possibilities of casualties. On the other hand however, the casualties that could be lost would be too high, and every individual knew that, but that didn't stop any of them.

It was this fact that caused the Great Goblin King to falter in his decision making. The constant though of "How would Jade react to this" troubled Jareth. All plans had their benefits and draw backs; none being ones Jade would agree to if she had not been the one being rescued.

Jareth could just hear her now.

"Are you insane!? Couldn't you come up with something that wouldn't involve risking or forfeiting you worthless butt!?"

The answer to that was very simple.

"No," breath Jareth in a soft whisper dropping his hand from his face to the map of Dagon's castle; Ebon Ri before him. "There is no other way Jaden; it's this or nothing at all." And Jareth watched as his mental image of his mortal spit-fire disappeared with a sad disappointed frown.

Harsh, and rushed knocks on Jareth's personal study door, startled the King from his secluded muses. Looking up the platinum haired fae found his mother standing solemnly at his door, ice blue eyes staring blankly at his desk top.

"Yes mother, did you need something?"

The High Queen of the Underground raised her hesitant eyes, but soon they fell once more. "Jareth, please tell me you'll all come back in one piece; promise me."

Jareth sighed deeply as he pushed back in his chair and slowly rouse. "I can't make such promises Mother, you know that. But I can promise you that Jade will be brought home safely."

"That's not enough," came Terra's outburst. Seldom did the High Lady loose her cheery composure, but when she did, all was not well. This time in particular unsettled Jareth, but he hid his unease behind a calm mask. "You have to come back in one piece! I want you alive Jareth!!"

And into her youngest son's arms did Terra propel herself.

The shocked Goblin King stared down at the weeping woman in his arms dumbfounded as well as deeply touched. "Mother…"droned Jareth as he drew his mother closer.

"I wouldn't be able to bare it Jareth…"

"Bare what mother?"

Terra looked up at her youngest son, the only son that resembled the father in more then looks. Her blue eyes swollen and bloodshot gazed up at the son she couldn't bare to loose. "You my son; I wouldn't be able to survive the loose of another son, or my husband."

Jareth was greatly taken back; not often would Terra or Vannor show just how deeply their emotions ran for their children. But with a sincere smile spreading across his face, Jareth knew now, without a doubt that his mother loved him very deeply; as deeply as any mother would.

"Don't worry Mother; nothing will keep me from coming home. Nothing can stop any of use from coming home," ensured the platinum haired fae king.

With both sorrow and joyous tears cascading down her cheek, the High Queen hugged her only son. "Oh, Jareth…"

Jareth returned the embrace, expressing his love in his own silent manner.

Soon disturbing their moment was the opening of the King of Goblin's study door. There was no knock of warning, or inquiry of entrance, which meant it was either Crow, Sheera or the High King himself. Waltzing into the room, and shutting the door behind him was none other then Vannor himself.

Seeing mother and son in an affectionate embrace he halted. "Am I interrupting something?"

Jareth shook his blonde head silently. "No father, mother was just expressing her concerns for my safety."

"In other words…you were interrupting," snapped the Queen playfully as she dislodged herself from her son's arms to face her husband.

Vannor smiled apologetically as he strode further into the room. "I know your concerns my dear, but there really is no need to worry. We'll all come back safely."

Terra nodded solemnly averting her eyes to the dark stone floor. She remained unsettling silent as father and son exchanged more serious words.

"Is it time then?" Jareth asked, his mismatched eyes never wavering from his father.

Vannor nodded. "They're waiting of us, and we must make haste; time is short."

The Goblin King nodded and turned back to his mother to embrace her one last time before departure. "Farwell mother, I will be back." At least that was what Jareth kept telling himself and friends, but deep down he had a feeling it was a lie. Leaving the room to his parents, Jareth left of the front gate of the castle to mount up Devil, and to his surprise Jare followed as well. It was quiet obvious that the pure ebony feline as well wanted to save his master and friend.

As the door clicked behind the departing son, the High King turned his dark gaze to his beloved wife, hesitation clearly seen in his gaze. He knew the chances of Zaynon letting him live were slim to none, but he hoped the plan would go off without a hitch. Course, since when did perfectly laid out plans ever play out as they should.

"Terra…" droned the silver haired High King.

That was all the fae woman need to embrace her husband, and weep into his leather armored chest. "Don't say it," she wept. "Don't say that you won't be coming back, because then you won't!"

Vannor hugged her closer, inhaling the sweet flowering scent of her dark hair. "Fine, I won't say it then; I'll say something else instead." And the High King gave Terra a strong and gentle, warming smile. "I love you. How about that? Will that do my dear?"

With tears in her eyes, and on her cheeks, Terra looked up with a smile of her own. "That'll do just fine. But do be careful, I won't loose a husband or son." Pulling away the High Queen swept aside the salty offending droplets to stand tall and proud. "Bring them all back safely my King; all of them."

"You have my word," nodded Vannor and before disappearing out of the room, he laid a strong but short kiss on Terra's quivering lips.

Out of the study, out of the castle, and out to their enemy's land did the guardians of the Underground go. Leaving behind all that was safe in the world, to go to the place that all sources of evil originated in the Underground. Crow, Sheera, Jareth and Vannor left their home to rescue the one person that hand given them hope. And as Terra stood in her son's study, starring after them through the windows, let the tears flow like rivers. She had the uneasy feeling that not all was right in world. She had the distinct feeling that everything or something was going to go terribly wrong.

"It's only paranoia," she whispered mournfully aloud to reassure herself. "There's nothing going to go wrong."

-O-

It was all wrong. This whole thing was terribly wrong to Jaden. Too many days had gone by without Jareth giving any word to his elder brother for demands for her release. A full week had passed now, and Jade had the terrible sense that her loved one would not come. There was the slim chance that Jareth was unable to come; no way to pass Zaynon's defenses perhaps. Jade found that highly unlikely being that Jareth would fight even if it was one vs. one hundred. But Jaden couldn't wait any longer. It could already be too late.

A week gave Zaynon too much time to experiment with her tremendous power. Over the five days she had been in Dagon, Jaden had been subject to the Dark Princes cruel methods. Already she was covered in bandages were the evil fae king had bitten her and drained her blood like a fairytale vampire. She already felt drained of power, as well as weak from the not to long ago biting session.

Yes, time had run out, and Jade had to take matters into her own mortal hands. And in her hands her fate would lay.

Her dinner had come as always; quietly and not a word spoken to her, but she always said a hello, thank you and a goodbye to the servant. Lucky for her, today's dinner was steak, giving her the privilege of a sharp object.

"It's time to end this."

In her strangely unshackling hands, Jade held the flat edged steak knife. Its blade was freshly sharpened and shining gleefully in the mockery of death. It was ready and waiting to carve and sink into the beautiful mouth watering meat. But Jade's mouth was neither watering, nor was she hungry. No, tonight this knife wasn't going to be carving up beef, it was going to slice a different kind of flesh; her flesh. And right now, said object was resting just above the fragile skin of her upturned wrist. She remembered that saying on how to slit one's wrist with a slim hope of sowing together.

"Down the street," she murmured painfully as the blade's tip dug into her soft flesh. "Not across…"

And the flood gates opened as the other wrist soon followed in its partner's company. The red liquid of life flowed from the raven haired teen's wrists in steady streams. Dotting the cold stone floor in which she stood on. To Jaden it was fascinating in an oddly painless indescribable way. She saw herself dying, but she wasn't necessarily afraid to die; this was something that had to be done. Even if she hated herself for doing it, there was no other way.

So heaving a deep sigh, Jade cast her spell.

The spell was simple; easily cast but not easily broken. The spell insured that no one but her would be able to heal her injuries. And the other affect of the spell was that Jaden would fall into a self-induced coma. And it was Jareth who could wake her, like Sleeping Beauty; the thought made Jade smile sadly. And all the while the blood she shed would be untouchable to Zaynon and everyone in league with him, which was the main goal behind Jade's suicidal act.

Already as Jade stood there, the affects of the spell where starting to kick in. Numbness enveloped her body as she gradually grew more and more weary. The world around her danced and twirled lightly about her, making her head spin further. The shaky knees she stood on would soon no longer be able to hold her as the blood flow ebbed to a slow constant drip. If she could last long enough without bleeding out, Jareth would come.

"…J-Jareth…" she droned despairingly.

In answer to her words the King of Dagon's bedroom doors opened. A small spark of hope filled her chest, but it was soon devoured by hate and outrage. It was no only Zaynon that strode through the door, but to his right was an elf king Jade knew to well.

Her worn-out emerald eyes narrowed at the two males. "Traitor," she breathed, wanting to clutch her hand into fists, but she could no longer even feel her fingers.

The new male stepped forward looking odd in his bright elfen attire against the dreariness of Dagon's castle, Ebon Ri. "I waited to long for Jareth to have someone sweep him of his feet and take him from me! And no girl or mortal girl for that matter will stop me!!"

Jade looked brokenly at the noble elf. "I thought you two were best friends…Uriel."

Uriel huffed. "We were, but things changed. I no longer wanted just to be friends, and Jared refused me; everything ended there!"

"So you told him he could have Jareth if helped you," snapped Jade with as much strength at she could muster.

"Ooooh, aren't you the smart you," grinned the Dark Fae King mockingly. "Uriel has been most useful. He was the one that informed me of Jareth's obsession with you, and the how misinformed you were of your courting."

Jade snarled taking a stepped forward only to end up stumbling instead. Handing her head sluggishly, Jade's ebony tresses coming forward to hang in her pale face; her numb, bleeding wrists swinging slightly to splatter blood across stone and skirt. Time was running out, and she had yet to flaunt this new outcome in her capture's face.

"What's wrong with you," inquired a perplexed Dark Prince at Jaden's change of attitude.

"What indeed," murmured Jade icily with an evil half smirk hidden partially behind a raven mane. "You're plans will end in failure Zaynon."

The elder brother narrowed his cold gold eyes. He took in Jaden's worn appearance; pale face, droopy, glassy tired eyes, sluggish stature, and the crimson trails marring the pure white of the flowing cotton dress. Zaynon's eyes grew in size s the realization hit him as the golden spheres stared at Jade's wrists.

He growled as he strode forward, Uriel followed silently.

"I didn't think you had the gull to commit, or attempt suicide," leered the devilish fae as he towered over his prisoner and weapon.

The teenage girl looked up at him with tired determined green orbs. "Anything to stay out of you disgusting reach."

"Is that so," Zaynon droned as he snatched a slit wrist in his grasp. A smirk of sinister intent crept across his handsome yet fearful face as his eyes went from wound to face. "If this is what you want then, I will suck every last drop of blood from you."

"You can try."

Encircling the young woman in one arm, Zaynon did not hesitate to curl his mouth around Jade's wounded wrist. The teen gave a moan of pain as the fae sank his fangs further into her flesh, but he still wouldn't get anything out of it. And the fae's rearing back in shocked outrage let Jaden know that she had done her job well; she grinned sleepily in triumph.

Zaynon turned swiftly to Jaden, his ice flaked eyes piercing her soul with hell fire. "You cast a spell on yourself to keep me or anyone in my kingdom from taking your blood. What else did you do?"

"No one can heal me but myself. And in a short while…" breathed Jaden as he knees finally gave out from under her, to fall into Zaynon's arms limply. "I will sleep, and Jareth is the only one that can wake me, or I'll die from blood loss."

"Is that so," cooed the dark majestic male as he stroked the dozing girl's raven mane. "You'll fall into a self-induced comatose, leaving your body to my loving care."

Jaden was shaken to the core by that. Never had it accrued to her who would watch over her body. She wouldn't need nourishment, she would just sleep, but Zaynon had a horrifying point. In her slumber she would be at Zaynon's mercy, and his mercy was nearly nonexistent.

So with fear filled exhausted spheres Jade stared up at her enemy with as much vigor she could muster, she spoke. "So be it…" and into her deep dreamless coma did Jade plunge, and became limp in the Dark King's arms.

The King of Dagon gazed down at the unconscious woman in his embrace. A smirk reluctantly spread across his pale beautiful face. He had always found Jade to be fascinating and intriguing, if not resourceful; an enigma she certainly was.

"Zaynon?" interrupted Uriel as he stood next to the strange pair.

The dark fae effortlessly lifted the woman-child in his arms. "What is it Uriel?"

"This won't affect our plans will it?"

Softly laying the teen on the bed the eldest son of the High King turned to his companion. "It shouldn't in the long run, but you said they left the Goblin City yesterday. What are their plans?"

The elf king shrugged. "They didn't even tell the High Queen, so obviously they weren't going to tell me even when I asked."

"That is very disappointing Uriel," sternly spoke Zaynon. "I had hoped far better from you."

The young elf boy grew anxious and uneasy as he gazed after the motionless man that had spoken to him in an icy monotone. The King of Dagon was a fae an individual didn't want angry at them.

"I apologies your Majesty, but couldn't be helped," nervously spoke Uriel as he bent at the waist and folded his body into a respectable bow.

Zaynon abandoned his place on the bed to position himself before his roaring hearth, to gaze deeply into the crimson flames. "Yes, it couldn't be helped, that's what makes it so disappointing."

The elf king watched as the elder son of Vannor slowly turned to him face blank. His golden eyes, diamond hard and frigid, face stoic against all emotions he was most likely feeling; Zaynon was frightening. Uriel tried to keep himself from shivering, but it was impossible in Dagon and in the very presence of its demonic ruler.

"How long before they arrive at my front gates," inquired Zaynon after a moment of silence, his eyes pinning the young Uriel to his place.

The dark haired elf gulped anxiously. "Two days or so I think. They're making hast to get here," and Uriel turned his eyes to the unconscious girl bleeding out on the bed. "And they well should if they want to see that wench alive one more time."

Dark laughter filled the chamber. The laughter originated from Zaynon's own throat, as he left the fireplace. "How cold of you Uriel," chuckled the ebony haired fae. "I didn't know you had it in you."

Uriel huffed annoyingly, but remained silent as he averted his eyes from his employer. Zaynon's dark, hollow chuckles sending tingling sensations down the younger male's spine. To Uriel, the Dark Prince was a walking riddle, and he did so enjoy figuring out puzzles and the like.

"Come Uriel," purred Zaynon in the elf's pointed ear. "We have plans to prepare."

Even if he had the strength to resist, Uriel wouldn't. There was no denying or resisting that voice that swirled around you like the coils of a snake. The purring voice was so compelling the young elf king couldn't keep himself from following Zaynon like a love sick puppy.

"That's it Uriel, my dear little Uriel," droned the dark king as he led the way out of his chambers, leaving the unconscious and defenseless Jade alone on the bed to die.

-O-

From first light to past sunset did the rescue party ride. Jareth, with his father and close friends road hard toward the Kingdome of Dagon; they rested only for the horse and to regain the strength they lost after magically jumping themselves forward a few hundred miles. Into the night they road, but soon they all had to rest and into their own tents did they resign themselves.

It was in his tent that Jareth still remained awake. Though tired, his mind would not calm itself enough for a few hours of well needed sleep. With his mismatched eyes, the King of Goblins remained staring, till an unnatural wind blew wide his tent's magically shut flaps shocking him from his muses.

"Who's there," Jareth barked out as he grabbed and brandished his sword to the unseen intruder. "Show yourself!"

A soft innocent giggle was his only answer.

With a vicious snarl Jareth glared and barked out his demand once more. "Tell me fiend, did Zaynon send you to kill me? Is the ruler of the dark kingdom too much of a coward to face me himself!?"

"Hardly," sarcastically spoke a feminine voice. "I'm not a fiend Jareth, and your brother is not cowardly, just a conniving snake plotting in the background."

The platinum haired Goblin King halted in his stance. The feminine voice though echo like and sounding distant, he still recognized it; he would know that voice anywhere.

"Jaden…?" he whispered hesitantly.

With another brush of wind, a soft silver-blue glow began to appear before him. The light was soft and placid, illuminating the large tent's dark depths. Following the light, a woman's outline appeared; slowly and gradually solidifying but still remaining translucent. She was painted in colors from flawless ivory to deep indigo. Her long mane of hair floated about her as if she was submerged in water. The silver-white gown she wore bellowed about her with a life of its own; swimming in the invisible water. But Jareth saw that nothing could match the brightness of the smile he loved and longed to see.

"Jaden," he breathed.

She smiled calmly up at him, her indigo eyes shinning. "Hello Jareth, it's nice seeing your face after so long."

The Goblin King could only nod, too dumbfounded to do otherwise.

The mortal girl's face fell as her eyes darkened mournfully. "I'm afraid I don't have much time Jareth. I'm able to send out my spirit only for so long. I've come to you for multiple reasons."

"What reasons," finally asked the silver haired fae king.

Jade swallowed nervously before speaking. "I have devised my own plot to keep Zaynon's hold on me as minimal as possible. And for now it is working, but I only have so long Jareth. You must hurry!"

The desperation in the teen's voice caused Jareth to become greatly concerned. Jade was known to take matters into her own hands, and the out come was normally not pretty.

Jareth scowled at his intended. "What have you done this time Jade?"

The spirit of Jaden sighed deeply and sorrowfully. "I'm slowly dying Jareth, that's all that you need to know. I will last at the most 3 days in my condition, so you must make haste!"

It was then that the King of Goblin's noticed the new black liquid flowing from Jade's wrists to drip upon the ground; it even dotted the ivory dress she wore. At the realization of it all, Jareth grew both absolutely furious and horrified. "Jaden you idiot! You knew I was coming! You couldn't have waited a few more days!?"

"NO!" snapped back the ice colored Jade. "Any more days and Zaynon would have more power then he already does! I couldn't stand by any longer and let that happen, so I made my choice!!"

Jareth remained silent. He saw Jade's point, didn't mean he had to like and agree with it. "I will make haste Jaden. Don't worry about anything; just make sure that you hold out till I come for you."

Once more the gorgeous smile Jareth adored graced Jaden's face, but it didn't reach her eyes like normal. "There's one more thing."

"Go on," encouraged the fae king as he stepped forward but refrained from touching the image of his beloved. He couldn't touch a spirit image, so why try and only become more saddened by it.

Jade stumbled for words, but there was no easy way around the subject she was trying to bring up. No one alive could put such a situation in pleasant words. So heaving a sigh, Jaden choose to come right out with it.

"Uriel is plotting against you," Jade spoke softly as she watched as shock and devastation was over Jareth's face. "He resides in Ebon Ri as we speak. I'm terribly sorry Jareth."

His whole body seemed to slump to the floor, but Jareth still found himself standing. Uriel, one of his closest friends was plotting against him with his elder evil brother. It seemed to far fetched, Uriel didn't have betrayal in his character, but Jareth knew it to be true. Jade wouldn't lie about such things; she would never lie to him, never. But he once said that about Uriel, now look where he was, betrayed by one of his closest friends and he was blind to it.

"Uriel…" droned out Jareth brokenly as he collapsed to his bed once more. "Uriel, how could you?"

"For you I believe," whispered Jaden as she floated forward to stare down at her beloved. "He loved, or loves you still, though I think it's gone more toward obsession now. Zaynon promises him he could have you once everything was done and over with."

Jareth groaned in what Jade thought was either disgust or self-pity. "I don't favor men over woman, Uriel knows this. Why would he do this when it's clear I won't go for it?"

Jade sighed again as she kneed before her love and king. "He loves you in his own way, and will stop at nothing to get you," she said giving Jareth a calm and quite a good logical answer. "I would do the same, but instead I do anything to keep you safe. Jareth, I love you so don't forget it."
And the moon like light vanished slowly as Jade's sad smiling face faded from view. When all light was gone, Jareth's beloved's spirit left behind only sapphire sparks that fell to the tent's floor. Only to parish on impacted. Jareth watched them mournfully till the last one fell as he fought off both despair and fury. This was turning out far worse then Jareth had expected. But what truly bothered him at the moment, was the fact he didn't get the chance to say goodbye, or I love you to Jaden.

"Course," he said smirking to himself as he laid back down closing his mismatched eyes. "I don't need to tell Jade that; she already know that I do," and Jareth let restful slumber come up to claim him at last.

As the morning star's light hit he earth, painting it gold, already had the rescue party been awake and already riding to their destination in newly provoke haste. Jareth had told his friends and father of Jade's message to him, and they too mutter profanities at the teenage girl's idiocy. Yet they road harder and longer, all horses but the demonic stallion beneath Jareth grew tired. It was obvious that both cat and stallion knew that their owner and companion was in danger as they pushed forward in their own way. Perhaps it was because Jareth was anxious and boiling with silent rage, but that seemed unlikely, thought the fae and harpy noticed. Jare and Devil knew Jaden as well as, it not better then the Goblin King.

So the day came and went. Sleep of all didn't come easy if it came at all. Golden sun rouse once more and the party sprang into the final leg of their journey at full speed. The scenery went from lush green forests for miles, to be followed by peaceful swaying of tall grasses residing in a wide plain. As mid-day grew into the afternoon a new kind of forest blurred passed the small party.

The dark forestry that bordered Dagon was a dark place indeed. It was the place the worst evil creatures of Zaynon's kingdom reside; their glowing eyes and sinister presence could be felt, but none attacked. The shadow shrouded wood soon thinned as the sun just began to touch the dark earth of the land. The forest once more gave way to a plain, but where earlier plain was beautiful and serene. This one was nothing but Murder Me Not flower planted in ash covered ground. Those flowers had been born on the day Zaynon was supposed to be condemned to death. If father and son had ended it that day, this situation would never had happened. Zaynon would never have had a chance to pollute the world they lived in and be a constant threat at their back. But even those beautiful yet cursed flowers weren't enough to makes the wide nearly empty plain more then what it was, a waste land.

Jareth however didn't reminisce on such immaterial. The Goblin King had his mismatched orbs had eyes only for the ebony castle rising from the center of the plain of ash and flowers. And waiting for him and his rescue party was Zaynon dressed in his dark majestic glory.

Pulling Devil to a halt before the King of Dagon Jareth glared the ultimate death glare. "Where is she?" It was said in such a deadly calm all but the Dark Prince shivered.

Zaynon simple misleading smile spread across his even more misleading face as he swept into a deep bow, keeping his eyes still on Jareth. With his raven mane unbound and floating about his slim, muscular leather clad form he almost looked the part of an angel. Course Zaynon was not the angel of life, and all that was bright. He was the angel of sin and all that was far from bright and holy.

"Welcome all to my magnificent home. We're all just dying for you to din with us this evening."

­­­A/N: sry its taken me so long to update. School as been a hassle like I've said multiple times, luckily this is my last week of class so yea, more updates for u ppl, I hope. and on another note, there's possibly 2 to three more chapters left, give or take more including an epilogue. GO ME! another story almost done! and hopefully no to much over twenty. Unlike my other story that seem to likes to make themselves into an effing novel (groans) but yea till next time…

CHEERS!

BLAZE

PLS PUSH THE PURPLE BUTTON THAT SAYS GO!for you to din with us this evening."t was far from bright and holy.

t was brighting face as he swept into a deep bow, keeping