23
An hour and a half passed, but no one seemed to notice. Jareth and Trinity stayed close together throughout the whole evening, inseparable. They made quite the pretty picture. Wherever Jareth was standing, Trinity was standing right beside him, her arm looped through his or her small hand enveloped in his own. Everyone could see that the king was enraptured with his fiancé, and most respected that enchantment and left Jareth and Trinity to themselves.
Despite the aching desire to leave Vorian to himself, Evelyn found that she couldn't leave his side. If she was about to lose him, than the last thing she wanted was to be far away from him when that time came.
Midnight drew near, and with it, the bright lights of the ballroom were replaced with candlelight. It gave the ballroom a magical, romantic glow, and the dances noticeably changed from fast, vibrant waltzes to slow dances that begged its participants to hold close the ones they loved. Jareth and Trinity became lost in a world of their own, completely oblivious to everyone around them.
Evelyn and Vorian continued dancing, and as the minutes passed, they both noticed that the air about them became warm and comforting. It surrounded the two of them like a mist.
"It's happening, isn't it?" Evelyn choked, stepping back from Vorian as the candlelight about them began to blur, completely fading into darkness. "Vorian, you're being called, aren't you? Let go of me. Don't lose your identity because of me!"
She pushed away and found that she and Vorian, just the two of them, were standing in what can only be described as nothingness. There was a mist enshrouding them, giving this place, this path between worlds, a mysterious atmosphere. Tiny white lights, like distant stars, sparkled and shone all about Vorian and Evelyn, making their eyes and skin shimmer.
"Evelyn," Vorian spoke, and his voice was deep with emotion. "We have come to the crossroads. I love you; love you with every ounce of my being. I want to return with you to your world, to spend the rest of my life with you. I would gladly sacrifice all for you. But perhaps your feelings for me aren't as intense as mine are for you, and if you don't want me, then I will remain in the Labyrinth, forever out of your life. My decision lies in your hands. Love me, accept me, and become mine forever, and I shall return to your world with you, to guard you and protect you, to give you my all. If you cannot love me in that way, than I shall remain here in the Underground. I want nothing more than to live with you, to hold you in my arms and love you all the day and night long, but if you don't wish that from me, than I will respect your wishes and step out of your life."
"Vorian," Evelyn whispered, shrinking back somewhat in the mist. "I will not let you sacrifice everything for me. It is because of my love for you that I want you to stay here. Just as you want to love me, I want to love you. I want to give you everything that I am. Think of how the Underground would be without you? The Talistide would miss you terribly, and the ocean would cease to be joyful. Your power is what makes you the water prince. Without it, you would only be human."
"What good is my power without my heart?" Vorian asked softly, his eyes searing into Evelyn's.
"Vorian!" Evelyn persisted, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Please! I cannot do that to you!"
"Don't thrust me away," Vorian whispered, his voice carrying on the wind. "I would become less than human to love you."
Evelyn shook her head, sobbing, and tried to wipe away her tears with her hand. When she finished wiping her eyes, an intense green now from the tears, her hand slipped of its own accord over her chest. Vorian's bracelet, the one he had made so many years ago for her, came to rest over her heart, and Evelyn closed her eyes as she heard the ocean breezes singing to her and the waves crashing against the shore. Again, she felt that impressive warmth that she could never explain flowing through her blood. This time, though, it made itself clear. This time, she heard exactly what the warmth was. A voice came to her mind, persistent and longing.
"I love you."
Evelyn opened her eyes to see Vorian standing quietly before her. The mist was beginning to encircle him, hiding him from her vision. She understood immediately that the time to make his choice was running out. But it wasn't really his choice, she reasoned. It was hers. She had power over the water prince's heart. She could either fill the emptiness that dwindled inside of him, or she could rip his heart in two.
Oh, and how she didn't want to hurt him! She wanted to love him! All of her most beautiful dreams revolved around him! All of her loveliest, deepest thoughts involved him. When she felt warmth, it wasn't really just warmth; it was his arms around her, his breath on her cheek.
The mist swirled violently, bringing Evelyn out of her thoughts, and she watched, silent, as Vorian performed one last, simple gesture. He didn't do anything extreme or abrupt. With a smooth motion that very much mirrored the motion of a wave on the sea, Vorian held out his hand.
"Trust me," his eyes seemed to plead, just as they had when she first met him. "Believe in me. Don't let me go. Don't let me live without you. Time is short. Don't let me go. Oh please, love me, tell me you want me. Trust me…"
"Life without you," Evelyn whispered, "would be nothing compared to life with you. My dreams are nothing compared to what you offer me. I won't let you go."
She looked up into Vorian's face and matched his gaze with her own.
"Vorian," she spoke, her voice quivering with emotion. "I do trust you. I do love you. Oh, Vorian, I love you so much!"
She grabbed hold of his offered hand, watching as their hands became entwined. Fresh tears streamed down her cheeks when she saw the mists swirling about her left hand, dancing about her ring finger. Her tears of worry and fear dissolved into tears of inexplicable joy as the mist subsided and there, glittering in the starlight, was a band made of white gold, cut to look as though it was a wave from Vorian's beloved ocean.
"Vorian," Evelyn breathed, looking up into his face again. "Oh Vorian."
She saw the fear dissolving from his eyes, and a fire appeared in those orbs of blue and green, a fire that Evelyn had seen several times but had never fully understood. That fire spoke of passion, pure longing, but before, Vorian had never been able to express what his eyes had spoken. Now, though, both the Underground and the human world were witness to what had just taken place. Evelyn had given herself fully to him, and he had given himself up to her. They were now bound, by the powers of matrimony, and she was his. She was his! And he was hers, and he determined, for the first time since he had first met her and had fallen in love with her, to show her just how thrilled he was with that.
Evelyn wasn't given another chance to speak. Vorian moved his thumb gently across her hand, the one that was still in his, and then used that hand and pulled her quickly to him. She collapsed against him and grabbed hold of his shirt. Her eyes shone brilliantly into his as he lowered his face, and with a passion that many never thought the great Lord Vorian possessed, he lowered his mouth to his new bride's and kissed her like he had wanted to for many long years. He had waited for this moment forever, as had she, and there was no shame in the movements of his mouth against hers. There was nothing unholy, nothing remotely impure.
Evelyn was, as could be expected, blown away. She couldn't keep up with his energy, but she tried. It absolutely exhilarated her to be kissed by him, and she responded as best she could. It was obvious that she was shy when he first kissed her, but he didn't leave room for that to last. His passion and inexplicable joy fused into her. She raised one of her hands to his face as she continued to kiss him and then, with trembling hand, brushed her fingers against his cheek. He caught hold of her hand and held it there; entirely absorbed with the woman he loved.
The mist began to swirl, and Vorian pulled his mouth away from Evelyn's. He rested his forehead on hers, their noses still touching, and smiled. Evelyn smiled in return and gazed up into his eyes, so close to hers, so full of joy and contentment.
"My Evelyn, how I love you," Vorian whispered as the starlight became candles and the strange mist was transformed into the ballroom.
"And I love you," Evelyn whispered before she kissed him gently and then rested her head on his chest.
XxXxX
"Well," Jareth spoke, his eyes sparkling with delight as he twirled Trinity. "Someone's returned."
"What?" Trinity asked, looking in the direction Jareth was gazing.
"It seems to me that someone made up her mind," Jareth smiled against Trinity's cheek.
Trinity watched, dumbfounded, as Vorian craned his neck and kissed Evelyn soundly on the lips.
"What happened?" the startled woman asked. "Where did they go?"
"That doesn't matter," Jareth grinned, somewhat amused by his fiancé's surprise.
"But she would never let anyone kiss her like that! Not even Vorian!"
"She would let her husband, wouldn't she?"
Trinity's eyes widened even more, but her wide-open mouth immediately turned into a smile when she saw the ring shimmering on Evelyn's finger.
"Let us congratulate them," Jareth smiled, and then led Trinity towards the happily dancing couple.
"Evelyn!" Trinity cried out joyfully, throwing her arms around her friend as soon as she was close enough. "Congratulations! Oh, you finally got together!"
"We did," Evelyn blushed, looking over Trinity's shoulder at Vorian.
"And you did get married before I did! How wonderful! But Vorian," Trinity spoke, her voice softening. "You lost your powers."
"And I am very happy that I did," Vorian smiled understandingly and then turned to Jareth. "I made my choice, Goblin King."
Jareth didn't speak, but threw his arms around Vorian in a great hug.
"I have a request for you, my dear friend," the Goblin King spoke. "I would like to spend a few days longer with you before I return you to your new home. I want there to be time where there's just the two of us again. Once you return to Evelyn's world, I don't know when I will be seeing you again. I will miss you immensely. Please, tomorrow, come with me on another trip, like the ones we used to have when we were children."
"I would gladly, Jareth," Vorian smiled. "Of all the things in the Underground that I will miss, it is you that I will miss the most. Know this, my dear friend, my best friend, that you will always, always mean the world to me."
XxXxX
The ball came to a conclusion, and the women went to their chambers and quickly got into bed. Vorian had wisely decided that he and Evelyn should remain in separate chambers until they had a normal marriage ceremony in her world. It was with some reluctance that he bid her good night at her door, but he did what he knew was right and left her and Trinity to themselves. Once in bed, Trinity began to question her friend, being very curious about what had happened, but she quickly learned that all her questioning was in vain, for Evelyn was fast asleep. Trinity smiled gently as she glanced down at her friend to see the woman sleeping with a smile on her face and her hand with the ring resting on her pillow.
The following day, Jareth and Vorian set out on their trip together. They traveled throughout the Underground, both on horseback and on foot. They stopped at all the places of their childhood; the cave where Jareth and Trinity had once stayed, the waterfall where Vorian had nourished Evelyn back to health and she had cared for him. They went to the tops of the highest mountains and to the depths of the lowest valleys.
Even though Vorian no longer had his powers, the creatures of the ocean were still drawn to him, as if to say their last farewells to the water prince. The Talistide danced before him, leaping in and out of the water and nickering to him cheerfully. The waves folded about him when he stepped into the sea, rolling in circles about him, wishing him the best.
The time spent with Vorian was enough to convince Jareth that Vorian was completely at peace about his decision. He wasn't afraid to face the human world, to live a human life, for he would have Evelyn to face it with, and nothing could have made him happier.
While the men were spending time together, Evelyn was spending as much time as she could with Trinity. Trinity would have to return with her, at least for a short time, to the human world, but then she would spend most of her time in the Labyrinth. Trinity also required some more training on the ways of being a queen and acting like a lady, and Evelyn taught her valuable lessons patiently and with humor.
By the time Jareth and Vorian returned from their trip, Trinity had learned a great deal and was more prepared to be the Labyrinth's queen. The entire Underground had been informed of Vorian's decision and had been told that the water prince would be leaving the Labyrinth. Everyone in the Underground gathered at the castle when the king and his dearest friend returned, all of the creatures of the Labyrinth wanting to bid the water prince farewell.
Vorian, Jareth, Evelyn and Trinity stepped out onto a great balcony to stand before the people, and all of the world's inhabitants bade Vorian a hopeful and encouraging farewell. He spoke to them briefly and then took Evelyn's hand in his. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her. He held her hand in his as he looked up at Jareth. The king was dressed in his utmost best, and he stood tall, but Vorian could see that there was pain behind Jareth's magnificent eyes.
"My friend. My dearest Jareth," Vorian spoke. "I have chosen my path. Yours waits for you. I leave with you Trinity, your perfect match and the woman who shall bring you the greatest of happiness. I will never forget you, and I know I shall see you again. Don't be upset for me. I am extremely happy, and I shall always be, so long as I have my darling wife at my side. I will miss you, Goblin King."
He stepped forward and threw his arms around Jareth. All of the people cheered as the water prince stepped back and the Goblin King held his hand out to him.
"Never shall I forget you, Vorian," Jareth spoke, grasping his friend's hand and holding it tightly in his. "Should you need anything, just call and I will come. We are far more than just friends. We are brothers, and as such, you shall always be in my heart."
"And you shall be in mine," Vorian smiled and then put his arm around Evelyn. "Jareth, my brother, my king, and my friend, show me the way home."
a/n: aww it's almost over! but wait we still have one more chapter! Must write the weddings after all ;)