A/N: I'm so sorry for taking so long to update, my personal life got in the way of my writing for a while, but I promise I haven't forgotten you guys or this story!
Disclaimer: Not own do I The Labyrinth?
Chapter Three: Smoke and Mirrors
Sarah was jolted awake by the carriage abruptly stopping, nearly sending her into the floor.
She rubbed at her eyes, noting immediately after that she had forgotten to remove the makeup from her wedding ceremony.
"Fantastic." She hissed, drawing a raised eyebrow from Jareth.
A raised eyebrow that turned quickly into laughter at the sight of her face.
In response, Sarah casually stepped on his foot as he helped her out of the carriage, trying and failing to pretend it was an accident. Her giggles gave her away.
A young looking elf, ambiguous in gender, met them at the gates to the castle, bowing deeply.
"Your Majesties, if you will follow me I will lead you to your rooms, where you may refresh yourselves before you meet with our beloved queen."
Their tone was oddly emotionless, but Sarah was certain that they meant it when they called Queen Galadriel beloved. Elves tended to be a bit cold in demeanor, but Sarah learned quickly that the behavior of humans was not the same as that of the fae.
She and Jareth followed the un-named elf to a luxurious room, and the newly crowned queen and her king were left alone then, with the promise that they would be fetched in no more than fifteen minutes to meet with the queen.
"Elves are very punctual, you will want to simply wash your face, perhaps change your dress." Jareth said, seating himself in front of the room's vanity and picking at a few strands of hair that had fallen limp during the carriage ride.
Sarah nodded, slipping into the bathroom to do just that. She first washed her face, drying it with a towel before glancing into the mirror.
She gasped, having forgotten completely about her recent transformation from human to fae.
The marks were lovely, a mix of silver and green. Her eyebrows and cheekbones appeared sharper, her lips slightly plumper than before. Her hair had a healthy shine, even after the long carriage ride.
Sarah believed she looked radiant.
After ogling her reflection for some time, the Goblin Queen finished preparing herself and rejoined Jareth, toying gently with the amulet that looked and felt so right where it rested between her breasts.
"Are you ready?" She asked, and Jareth nodded as he rose.
She noted the small exhale he gave when he looked at her, the way his eyes darkened. She could tell he agreed with her previous observation. Fae-hood suited Sarah well.
The elf who had lead them to their room was waiting outside it the moment Sarah opened the door.
"I assume you are ready to meet with Queen Galadriel now, majesties?" They asked, and the Goblin Monarchs nodded as a unit.
"Come then."
They followed the elf, and Jareth remained completely silent until they passed by the open doors to the throne room.
"Is Queen Galadriel not meeting us here?" He asked, frowning.
The elf shook their head, continuing forwards without even a backwards glance at Jareth. Sarah glanced between the two for a moment before venturing a question of her own.
"Where is she meeting us, then?"
"In the North Tower." Spoke the elf, and Sarah thought she heard a slight tremor in their voice.
Jareth inhaled sharply through his nose, and Sarah looked up at him questioningly. He shook his head, nodding for her to keep moving, and she did, though much more nervously.
The elf lead them up a tall spiral staircase, stopping and stepping to the side outside an ancient wooden door. Sarah saw the rigidity in the elf's posture and tensed further, but Jareth said nothing, simply opening the door and pulling Sarah into the room alongside him.
It was a round room, the decor simple but exquisite. There was a bed in the center of the room, and a chair. There was only one window, letting in a stream of light. Other than that, the room was dark.
The queen was seated in the chair, reading aloud to the person in the bed.
Jareth strode forwards, kneeling in front of the bed.
"Queen Galadriel, King Maerion."
Sarah inhaled sharply. The king of the elves. The one Jareth told her about.
She found herself moving without thought to kneel beside him, repeating his words. Even in his death-like sleep, the king radiated a silent power.
"You may rise." Murmured Galadriel, and they did.
Or at least, they tried.
Sarah found herself held still, an iron like grip on her wrist. She looked down to see the king's hand gripping her, though she had not seen him move. She let out a startled sound, and Galadriel and Jareth both turned, freezing at the sight of the comatose king grasping her arm.
Before either of them could move, the king spoke.
"A mask to bind,
A queen shall cry
A husband's lie
An eternal light
To end the dark
You must end a life."
His voice seemed to resonate throughout the room, all around them. The moment he fell silent again, his grip on Sarah released, and she stumbled back a few steps before collapsing, clearly shaken.
"J-Jareth what-" She gasped, refusing to take her eyes from the still sleeping king.
"A.. A prophecy?" Whispered Galadriel, and Sarah was further frightened by the look on the elf queen's face.
She looked rattled. Almost, Sarah thought, afraid.
Jareth, as horrified as he looked, was quick to snap out of it and help Sarah stand. She leaned against him for support, rubbing her wrist and staring at the man on the bed.
That much power, even when asleep, was almost terrifying.
"Galadriel, what does this mean?" Jareth asked, suddenly. Sarah thought she heard a tremor in his voice.
Galadriel was quick to school her shaken expression into one of utter coolness once more, though she took her husband's hand in hers before she next spoke.
"Your messenger would not tell me much, Goblin King, though I have my suspicions. Please inform me why you needed, so urgently, to speak with me."
Jareth began to explain the horrifying event that followed their wedding and Sarah's coronation. He was still supporting Sarah, though she was beginning to feel her strength return to her and could pull away, if she wanted. Which, to be frank, she did not.
By the time Jareth finished his story, though her facial expression remained carefully neutral, Sarah could clearly see the fear in the elf queen's eyes, and in the sudden paleness of her cheeks.
"So it is true then." Galadriel whispered, staring down at the elf king once more.
Jareth nodded, once.
"And what we have hear is true as well. He is stirring."
Galadriel nodded, sighing deeply.
"I cannot explain your prophecy, for not even the prophets themselves know for certain what meaning their words carry, but I can say this. I believe at least a piece of it is literal. Someone will have to die to rid us of this creature at last. A life will have to be extinguished."
The elf queen looked down at her husband for a while then, before her gaze snapped up to meet Sarah's.
"We will help you." She said, and Sarah found herself a bit startled at the earnest expression on the woman's face, as well as the fact that she seemed to be speaking to her.
"My kingdom shall ally with yours during this war, and we will work to recruit others as well. I am certain the fairies, at least, will join us. You should sleep here tonight, and then travel to the High Court. The High King and Queen must know what has happened. You must tell them what my husband has said, as well."
Galadriel paused, looking between Sarah and Jareth.
"You may take your leave, now. I wish to be alone with my husband."
Sarah pulled Jareth away before he could say anything. She could see, clearly, that Galadriel needed the solitude. Sarah could not imagine what it must be like, thinking your husband lost for so long only for him to suddenly give you hope again.
When they reached their rooms, Jareth sat in a fine arm chair near the fire, his expression one of worry. Sarah knew he was thinking about the words spoken by the king, and sighed, draping herself around his shoulders.
"Not now, Jareth, it's late. Come to bed, you can brood in the morning."
Jareth looked up at her, brow furrowed, but followed her insistent tugging on his hands. He undressed quickly before pulling her down onto the bed with him, pressing his face into her neck.
"I love you, precious thing." He whispered, and Sarah thought he sounded frightened.
"I love you too." She whispered, and she held onto him until she fell into an uneasy sleep.
There you go! I'll try to update again within the next week, to make up for lost time.