NOTE: For everyone who loves Jareth...This is for you.
Tess shoved against Jareth until she landed on her butt. She looked around her at the barren land. A warm breeze brushed past her. She stood up and looked around, taking in her change of scenery. Jareth loomed over her, smiling like the cat that got the canary. If Aaron was tall, Jareth was a little taller. He wasn't as muscular as Aaron and his skin was fairly pale, making him appear as his brother's opposite.
"You must reach my castle within thirteen hours" Jareth informed her.
"What did you do with Aaron?" Tess asked. Jareth's mouth flinched and he leaned in a little towards the woman.
"He's chained to a wall" Jareth said conspiratorially. He walked past her to stand at the edge of the ledge that they were on. "I will come and see you my dear, but for now I have to tend to my brother."
She watched him fade away before beginning her journey.
Shedding the black garb he generally wore to make his grandiose appearances aboveground, Jareth appeared before Aaron in his daily attire of tight trousers, boots, vest, and flowing shirt opened to his waist. Aaron pulled against the chains that held him against the wall.
"Jareth!" Aaron yelled. "You rat bastard!"
"You're feisty today, Aaron" Jareth said. He leaned against the wall, just out of Aaron's reach. "I think she may just like me. What do you think?"
"Leave her alone" Aaron said. Despite the fact that he couldn't reach Jareth, he still tried with some hope that the chains would give from the wall. "She's not your type."
"Tell me, brother" Jareth said with a grin. "What is my type?"
"Not. Her" Aaron replied. Jareth stood up straight and squarely faced his brother.
"Aaron, we had a particular deal that you did not keep to" Jareth stated. "Your five years was nearly up and you blew it." Jareth stepped in closer to his brother, the chains keeping Aaron's hands from reaching him. "You blew everything over a girl."
"What about that last runner you had through here?" Aaron snapped. "I hear that you let her pass through the Labyrinth without much danger." He pulled again against the chains and started to slice open the skin at his wrists. "Sounds like you blew everything over a girl."
Jareth narrowed his eyes, smiled, and delivered a solid blow to his brother's jaw.
"You're here because you couldn't follow the rules" Jareth growled at his brother. He tugged on his gloves and stepped back. "Now, what shall I do to teach you that you should follow the rules?"
Tess had figured out how to enter the Labyrinth and was currently running down a narrow corridor. She passed yet another patch of eye lichen and gave the strange thing wide berth. She felt along the walls and watched the top of the tall walls for any openings. She nearly tripped over one of the many branches that littered the corridor. She dragged her hand along the wall until she finally found an opening.
"About time" Tess said aloud. She stepped through and looked at the directions – the left and the right. She turned left and hoped for the best. The passageway turned left, then right, then left again, and another right before going straight. Tess looked around. The straight corridor had several openings, making Tess think of old Scooby Doo cartoons where they run from door to door either chasing the monster, being chased by the monster, or chasing each other.
"Hello?" Tess called out. Ahead she could see more eye lichen. She hurried over to the eye lichen and sat across from it. "Looks like you're it pal."
Tess took a minute to stretch her arms out and her neck. Her sense of direction was telling her that she was heading in the right direction, but she wasn't sure if she was. She couldn't see anything beyond the walls. The castle couldn't be seen and the Labyrinth was eerily quiet. It wasn't anything like the descriptions in the book. Where were the creatures? Weren't there supposed to be creatures?
"Any idea on the time?" Tess asked the eye lichen. She stood up and stretched her legs out. The plant followed her movements, but was silent. Tess took off down the corridor until she came to a dead end.
"You are getting quite far, aren't you?" Jareth said with a laugh behind her. Tess turned and found him leaning against the stone wall looking fairly relaxed.
"This place isn't anything like the book" Tess told him. He shrugged and stood up, pacing and walking circles around her.
"Is that what you were expecting?" Jareth asked. "Perhaps a friendly dwarf or a chatty little worm?" Tess crossed her arms as he circled her. "Perhaps you would like my assistance?"
"I would like to know if Aaron is alright and how to get out of here" Tess replied. Jareth smiled and stopped in front of her.
"I would gladly take you back to the beginning" Jareth told her. Tess stepped past him and headed for the last turn she could have made. Jareth followed her. "You seem quite determined for someone who knows relatively little about the idiot residing in my dungeon."
"You're not much help" Tess replied. She took the turn and hurried to figure out her way.
"I could tell you about him" Jareth offered. Tess looked over at him. Jareth's long legs made it easy for him to keep up with her. "He is one of my youngest brothers, but a middle sibling overall." Tess glanced at him, but kept her eyes open for a new opening to her right. "There are seven of us."
"What are you? The oldest of seven?" Tess asked.
"Second oldest" Jareth replied. Tess nearly fell through an opening, but found that Jareth had reached out to stabilize her. "My older brother, Sebastian, became a high priest."
"I suppose that is why you are king here. The title went to the next in line" Tess said. Jareth nodded 'yes'. Tess kept moving. "I understand how lines of succession work."
"Aaron was avidly against my rule of the Labyrinth since the start" Jareth stated. "He has led two revolts against me, but we, the Labyrinthians, culled the revolts and re-established the staples of the kingdom including the legendary Goblin Market and various tradeshows."
"Aaron seems like he just wants to be left alone to do his own thing" Tess said absently.
"Aaron has never had to deal with responsibility, aside for himself" Jareth said sternly. He raised a hand to indicate his surroundings. "I have a whole kingdom to consider." Jareth stopped walking and watched Tess try to climb to the top of the Labyrinth wall. She found a foothold, pulled herself up a few feet from the ground, and slid down in a stumble. She tried it again, hoping to grab onto a protruding gargoyle head that lined this particular section of wall. "That usually does not work."
Tess tried again, this time hurrying to snap a hand up to the protruding head. As soon as she grabbed the head, she pulled herself up enough until she was able to find a higher foothold.
"Be careful up there" Jareth called to her. She didn't look down. If she had, she would have seen that she had managed to climb nearly twelve feet. With some luck, she pushed herself upward and grabbed hold of the top of the wall. In the distance she saw the castle against a lovely aqua sky.
"I see it" Tess said with a smile. Her foot slipped and she dropped a few inches. She scrambled to regain her foothold. She felt something under the ball of her foot and decided to climb back down. Jareth was leaning against the corridor, smirk on his face. "I'm getting there."
Jareth waved his hand and a clock appeared, hovering in the air. "You look as though you have plenty of time, only eleven hours left." He moved towards Tess. He always seemed to move, even when he was still. "You are quite the clever thing."
Jareth was handsome, but in a completely different way than his brother. Jareth's features were sharper, more angular. He was pale and slim and every inch what she would expect an other-worldly being to look like. Beyond the obvious beauty of his features, Tess was surprised to find a predatory quality that exuded danger. If didn't know that he could change into an owl, she was sure she would have guessed that he could change into a large cat with sharp claws and fangs. Tess took a few steps down the corridor and found herself blocked by Jareth.
"Excuse me" Tess said. She moved around him, but Jareth circled around and stayed ahead of her. "Jareth!"
"What does he see in you?" Jareth asked. He reached out and gently moved her chin one way, then the other. "Ah, yes. Alexandria's genesis. Very uncommon for humans."
"What?" Tess asked. She pushed his hand away from her face.
"Violet eyes" Jareth clarified. "Though, yours are a dull grey-violet. Still lovely."
"Thank you" Tess replied automatically. She inwardly cringed at her politeness. What she really wanted to do was return to solving the Labyrinth.
"What do you do?" Jareth asked softly. He was close enough he didn't have to talk loudly. "Are you a hunter? Park ranger?"
"I work from home" Tess told Jareth. "I'm a writer."
Jareth looked at her quizzically. His brother had flouted artists of any kind, except for the occasional wood carver. She was petite, plain, and her only exceptional visual quality was her eyes. He examined her with no shame, but was not able to see what his brother apparently saw. He watched her pull her mouth into a tight line and he nearly laughed when she pushed past him. Perhaps it was her spunk.
Jareth turned to watch her hurry down the corridor. His smile broadened. Perhaps it was her fairly well-developed rear end.
Over the next hour or so Jareth followed Tess. They walked in a circle, they walked towards the castle and away from it, and now they were on a path that was leading towards a waterfowl sanctuary. Tess stopped and listened when they were close enough to hear the birds. She didn't ask any questions, simply kept on her own path until stone gave way to a field of bright green grass, a large pond, and hundreds of birds.
"Oh my gosh" Tess said looking around. The birds were noisy. Some were nesting in small groups while others were swimming or socializing. She stopped near a tree and watched the birds. "There's so many of them."
"This is waterfowl sanctuary" Jareth told Tess. He stood near her, rolling things around in his mind. "The birds were under constant attack until I built this safe haven for them."
"They seem happy" Tess commented. She flashed Jareth a smile. Her fingers twitched and Jareth watched her ball her hands into fists for a moment. When they opened she moved on, walking along the edge of the sanctuary. Tess watched as two swans landed together in the water. The birds honked and paddled along.
"You seem like a fairly generous man, Jareth" Tess finally said as they reached the opposite end of the sanctuary. There was an opening between some hedges that Tess was heading towards.
"I do try" Jareth replied. "Not everyone can be pleased by generosity though."
"I don't believe you should ever aim to please everyone" Tess said as they passed between the hedges. "You'll be disappointed every time."
"Be happy with those you do please? Is that what you're getting at?" Jareth asked.
"Yes" Tess said. She stopped when they reached a small courtyard with an empty bench. "How can I convince you to let Aaron go?"
"Back to that, are we?" Jareth asked disdainfully. The courtyard was surrounded by a mix of stone and hedge to form walls while various flowers and vines were scattered about providing aesthetic variety. Jareth reached out and brushed his gloved fingers over a few orange flowers. "What are you willing to do for his release?"
"I'm not really sure what would be appropriate" Tess replied.
"Would you take his place in the dungeons?" Jareth asked. "Maybe servitude for a year for his release? Or, a public flogging instead."
Tess crossed her arms. None of the options sounded fun. "What are you having done to him right now? For all I know he's at your castle have tea and crumpets while I'm being made the fool. Wouldn't it be silly to agree to something before I have the details?"
Jareth stuck to his position by the flowers, touching and smelling them. With a gesture so well practiced it was effortless; he produced a crystal, rolled it impossibly over his hand, and held it out for her. Tess took the crystal and look into it. She could see Aaron chained to a stone wall. His green shirt was wet with sweat and spots of blood. Three little goblins stood in front of him with long thin sticks. They would laugh and hit him. Tess watched as a new circle of blood formed on his shirt from his chest. The stick, acting like a whip, would draw just the tiniest amount of blood. Tess cringed and made a disgusted sound. She gave a hard toss to the crystal and Jareth caught it before it could hit him.
"Barbaric!" Tess hissed at him.
"He'll be bruised, but it's not that bad in the scheme of things" Jareth replied. He spared a glance at the crystal. "He does look a bit pathetic doesn't he?" Jareth tossed the crystal over his shoulder. He sniffed the air, as if he had just caught the aroma of something delicious. He laid a predatory gaze on Tess and stalked towards her. "What is your relationship with my brother?"
"We don't have a relationship" Tess replied. She backed up, caught off guard at his change in mood.
"Do you hold hands? Have you shared a kiss?" Jareth asked in a light tone. Tess almost had to strain to hear him. Instead, she could feel her heart race suddenly and the blood pounding in her ears. Any noises that might have been were lost as Jareth crept towards her with his terrible glare. "Perhaps" Tess backed up against a stone portion of wall with a trailing rose vine. Jareth placed his left hand against the wall, near her head, effectively trapping her. He leaned over so they were eye to eye. "The two of you had quite the night together."
"We don't have a relationship" Tess whispered. She was not expecting her voice to be caught in her throat as it was.
"What do you have?" Jareth asked. "No silly agreements without the details, Tess. You didn't seem overly thrilled to see either of us when we first met."
"I wasn't" Tess replied. She pushed his wild hair from her face. Blonde tendrils were brushing against her thanks to the constant light wind through the Labyrinth.
"He convinced you otherwise" Jareth stated. Tess mindlessly chewed on the inside of her cheek, thinking about it.
"Not exactly" Tess replied.
"He did something to win your initial trust" Jareth prompted. Tess risked a glance to Jareth's eyes. She wasn't sure if he was angry or curious or just trying to be creepy, but she felt as if he would rip her apart.
"He saved me from two thugs" Tess informed him. "He didn't have to."
"He saves you and you went home" Jareth reported. Tess gave a slight nod.
"It wasn't too long after I got home that I found that book on my doorstep" Tess said. "Then, at some point in the night, he was banging on my door and you showed up."
"He quite literally barged into your life" Jareth commented. His hand fluttered as he spoke. "Whisked you away to a magical realm after that?"
"I—He—" Tess found herself distracted by Jareth's proximity. He smelled like peaches and cinnamon. "He put something in my coffee."
"My, that's a classic Fae move" Jareth said with a smile. "He drugged you and took you away." He leaned in and whispered to her. "That's not very gentlemanly of him."
Tess tripped over her words until she shook her head and took a deep breath. "I think he meant well."
"Do I make you nervous?" Jareth asked. A smirk tugged at his lips and his eyes sparkled mischievously.
Tess swallowed and shook her head 'no'. "Of course not. You're just…standing so close."
"What have I done Tess? Tell me" Jareth asked in his half whisper. A gloved finger touched her jaw. "What did I do?"
"You?" Tess asked. "You came that night."
"For?" Jareth prompted. Tess's mind blanked and all she could do was shrug. "To keep an eye on that lout." He gave it a second to sink in. "Didn't I do everything you asked?"
"I don't really remember" Tess whispered. Tess was nearly dizzy with her mind racing and the smell of peaches. She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. She felt Jareth's gloved hand on hers and she snapped her eyes open.
"I've been here, making sure you are accompanied while finding your way" Jareth whispered. "Isn't that kind?"
"You—You made a toad crawl out of my mouth" Tess whispered. "That was disgusti-"
Jareth's lips brushed against hers and then he drew her in for a deep kiss. He pulled her to him and felt her body stiffen. She made a startled whimper before pushing at his chest. Jareth let her go, gently.
"You taste nothing of toads" Jareth informed her. He stepped back from her, smiling at her deer-in-headlights expression, and faded away.
Tess waited until she was sure he was gone before sliding to her knees. "Oh man."