A/N: Hey! Chapter two! I hope to get into the swing of things soon. The first few chapters are usually a little harder to get out, so sorry if they aren't too great. I hope they're good, and I hope you all stick with me! Also, sorry that this one took a bit. The note on the bottom should explain things a little.

Disclaimer: I do not do the owning of the Labyrinth.

Chapter Two: Seven Devils

Jareth sent a messenger to the elves that night, and he and Sarah left the next morning.

She had hardly slept that night, and had not even thought to wash her face before they left, her wedding make up still covering it. She barely had the forethought to change into a plainer, comfier dress before they set off. Jareth was, possibly, more tense than her; constantly scanning the castle grounds as they stood, waiting for their ride.

"We will reach them very soon after my messenger does." He murmured to Sarah while several goblins readied a carriage. "They will likely be on high alert when we arrived, as I only allowed the messenger to know that it was an emergency that involved their kingdom."

Sarah nodded, ringing her hands nervously.

"What about your parents? They will need to know of this as well."

"Yes, and we will visit them next. I apologize for ruining our honeymoon."

Sarah shook her head, resting her hand on his shoulder.

"You didn't ruin anything. We will have our honeymoon after we get rid of this new problem."

Jareth nodded, but he seemed unconvinced. Soon they were on the road, headed for the elves' kingdom.

"So," Sarah began, plucking at the fabric of her dress. "Want to tell me about the thing that tried to kill me now?"

Jareth sighed, staring out at the passing scenery. They'd just left the Goblin Kingdom.

"It is an old being. Long ago, before you were born and I ruled over the Goblin Kingdom, back when the Underground was still relatively young, there was my parents' kingdom. They had a large court with many powerful fey in attendance. Theirs was the only kingdom this powerful in all of the Underground. The labyrinth itself was nothing but wilderness, untamed, and the goblins ran about with no home and no structure.

"Then, one day, from a land no one dares to venture, there came a man. He was built of darkness, and he wished to conquer the kingdom my father had built. He destroyed much of the old Underground, tearing entire settlements apart. Entire species of fey were exterminated, never to be seen again. With their bones he created armor and weapons. With their blood he poisoned arrows so that the most powerful fey could be felled with one strike. He summoned their very shadows to him and used them as soldiers. My father sent out his most powerful armies and they all fell. He was down to his last hope. He summoned his head general to his side and they headed to battle.

"Together, with the remains of my father's army, they drove him back. My mother worked with the best magic workers in the Underground to create a sort of cage. She went to those lands, the ones Arcadia would later rule, and with her magic, combined with theirs, she grew a grove, and cut deep into the Earth to create a deadly lake. Soon, my father and his general had driven the creature back to this grove. At the edge, they were forced into direct battle. My father was forced to fall back when the creature injured him, but his general remained strong. His general knocked the thing's helm from it's head, and suddenly the creature seemed to lose power. He was able to stab it through it's armor, forcing it into the poison grove, where it was sealed for what we thought would be forever."

Jareth paused, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"Nothing ever grew in the shadow's land outside of the grove he was caged in. My father decided that the safest way to protect the High kingdom was to create several smaller kingdoms. He began by crowning his general king of the elves. Since then, many new kingdoms have risen and fallen. Arcadia's first war nearly ruined the elves', and even with their vast lands, they do not have what they used to. A weakened version of the shadow's arrow pierced the elves' king, sending him into an eternal sleep. I believe it was the shadow's attempt at getting revenge. Arcadia was it's key to breaking free of the cage. She was the first to accept it's offer of life. Many others who somehow reached that lake were ended by the poisoned waters, but Arcadia allowed the shadows to have her as their vessel, which ended the power of my mother's spell. The cage was broken, and so, once Arcadia died, the shadow was free. Once it's helm is complete again, it will be all powerful."

Sarah was frightened now, and she was certain he could see that much.

"My mask was the helm?" She asked, quietly.

"Yes. The elf king went to crush it under his boot after locking the shadow away, but it was already gone. Vanished. I didn't even realize that the mask you wore was the one from the stories until today. I knew it was a cursed thing, and a dangerous thing, but I doubt I would have ever known the truth were it not for the shadow itself coming to retrieve it. I doubt it will look as it did when you wore it now that it is being used as a war helm once again, but it is the same mask nevertheless."

Sarah nodded, slowly digesting the new information she had been given. Jareth watched her with concerned eyes until she let out a sharp huff.

"Alright then. We've got to round up anyone who helped out last time and come up with a plan, obviously. I don't really think the Elf king can help though, what with the coma."

Jareth frowned, glancing out the window again.

"The Elf king stirs for the first time in centuries. There is unrest in his kingdom and talk of war to come."

Sarah sat up straighter, eyeing Jareth warily. He sounded... tired. And scared. Not like himself at all.

"You're worried. More worried than I've ever seen you." She whispered, taking his hands in hers.

He looked into her eyes and she saw his true age reflected back at her, a thousand fears and worries ready to overflow.

"This thing... it was nearly stronger than my father. My kingdom, compared to his, is new and weak. You have barely embraced the Fey, so you are weaker still. I don't know how to protect the things I love from this evil, Sarah. It is more powerful than Arcadia, and you saw how I weakened when I tried to help you then."

Sarah rolled her eyes, slapping Jareth's hand where she held it. He looked up at her, stunned, and she glared at him, clearly disgruntled.

"You are being stupid again. We have allies and friends, and this thing isn't even at full power. If you let yourself get all mopey now-" she punctuated this by waving her hand at him aggressively, "-then we may as well just fucking hand him the last piece, because we won't win. I've beaten you, I've beaten Arcadia, and now we are going to beat this shit. Together. And then we're going back to the castle and we aren't going to leave your room or bed for a week."

Jareth stared at her for a long moment, wide eyed, and then he grinned dangerously, quickly moving into Sarah's personal space.

"You may need more than a week, precious thing, because you won't be able to do much walking once I am finished with you."

Sarah flushed, smiling breathlessly up at him. She cheekily leaned in to peck him on the lips, giggling at his stunned expression.

"Come on, Goblin King, you think you can rattle me that easily?" She teased, arching an eyebrow.

Jareth growled, moving to pin her to the door of the carriage, but her laugh stopped him.

"What is so funny?" He hissed, narrowing his eyes.

"Nothing, nothing." Sarah laughed, not voicing her inner 'tralala' that followed, "It's just so cute, how worked up you get."

She laughed harder at his offended expression, and the Goblin King sat back on his seat, glaring sulkily at his queen.

"You are incorrigible." He muttered, but his words only made her laugh more.

Eventually she calmed, though, glancing out the window to take in the country-side. The Labyrinth was lovely, yes, but Sarah knew it well, and this was new. In fact, s far as the Labyrinth went, she felt as though she knew it even better than before. She could mentally map every corner, every Oubliette. Traps she had not explored, and creatures she had not met.

This, Sarah thought to herself, was interesting.

And so, she closed her eyes, forgetting the country-side in favor of exploring her new-found abilities, and she did not open them again until they reached their allies' kingdom- not because she was caught up in her powers, but because she had fallen asleep.

I know this one was short, and it took me way too long to publish it, but I have several excuses. Two of my heroes passed away, very close together.

I am sure you all loved David Bowie as much as I did and were equally heart broken over his passage. I couldn't even look at this story the week of his death, and when I finally felt up to it, a certain Potions Master passed as well. Before that, I was sick. Also, I discovered Undertale, and that has unfortunately sapped some of my attention.

But I am back now! And the next chapter should have a bit more... action?

Anyway, thank you all for sticking with me. I hope you are all doing okay. I know that we all loved David Bowie, at the very least for his role as Jareth, and I hope he can at least live on in our writing, our thoughts, and our hearts. That was cheesy, but I'm crying now.