Disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth, or any of the characters.

Chapter Thirteen

Spies of the Dark

"I can't do that," Sarah cried out. "He's… He's my friend!"

"He is your captor," Asura fired back. "Surely you can't harbor any feelings for that hideous beast."

"Who are you? The Asura I knew would never say such things!" Sarah was angry, angrier than she had ever been at Verdant. Asura's eyes seemed to smile, though her face remained as passive as ever.

"You would not kill to be rid of them?"

"Never! I would never do that! Just… just because of what they look like, they're NOT bad people," Sarah raved.

"Sarah, I am going to show you a chain of events that will not be so pleasing. There is a traitor among you here, and if you can't find out who it is, then I fear you may not have a choice."

"What? I don't understand," Sarah said eyeing her suspiciously.

"Listen child, I had to be sure that you were really attached to Verdant, it won't work otherwise! So stop looking at me that way and be grateful that I find you worthy enough for this."

"Why are you helping me so much? I never asked, not that I don't appreciate what you've done for me."

"…Because you need to protect the rest of the Underground. If this traitor succeeds, it will trigger the downfall of the entire Seelie Court, bringing an up rise to the Un-Seelie court to drive this world into darkness! You are its last light of hope…" Asura sighed.

"Alright…I will do my best," Sarah said almost sadly.

"I know you will, do not worry, soon it will not matter if your Jareth can find the counter curse. The Dark Elf King cares for you a great deal more than you realize. Just watch, for this all I can tell or show you," Asura said, her voice fading away as well as her image being consumed in the swirling white fog.

Sarah waited in the blinding fog, thinking it almost cheating to have the help of a spirit Queen, but when the fate of a whole world hangs in the balance, it's more than necessary that she get this right.

Finally, a scene appeared before her. She was running into Jareth's arms, both of them being bruised and bloodied, and then she was pulled back quickly through the fog into the vision where she had been shackled to the wall. Why was Asura showing her this again? The familiar cries from down the stone hallway, and then the guards. The whole thing was exactly the same as the first time she had seen it.

Next the fog swirled and she was with Verdant. They were walking down the hall quickly, and then something jumped out at them. It was more hideous than anything Sarah had ever seen before, Verdant shoved her behind him, and then the scene changed again.

Sarah didn't recognize where she was through all the fog yet, but she was alone. Then it cleared to show her watching her older self with the baby Rosalie again. Jareth entered with the same limp as last time, and when her older version reached him and embraced him, the dialogue was different.

"Are all the arrangements made," her older self asked.

"Yes, the festival will commence shortly, are you sure you are up to it?"

"Yes, I've been attending for years, why should this time be any different?"

"Well, considering…" Sarah didn't get to hear what Jareth said for she was thrust back into her own world.

Sitting up, Sarah gasped, she must have done something right to change the future so far. The Underground wasn't in ruins anymore in that vision, but what festival was she talking about? Next she tried to focus on the other two things she had seen.

It was all too confusing, and she was too tired to dwell on it now. Maybe if she could enhance her seeing powers, she could have a better chance of saving Verdant and the rest of the world. So the next morning, she barged right up to his doors and knocked once. When he came out to see what she wanted, all she asked was:

"How do I get stronger?"

With Verdant confusedly agreeing to train her further in the power of "seeing", Sarah felt much more confident. She had long since sent her letter to Jareth, adding on what happened in the most recent vision. She knew it may take a day or so for it to be delivered, and waited anxiously over the next few days.

Verdant was way more experienced than Sarah, frustratingly so for her. He could send visions to her, and make her fight against them.

"Come on Sarah, I've not even reached half of my force, you can't l hold off just because it's me. I need you to fight back," Verdant growled. Sarah's brow was furrowed, he was right; she was only focusing on keeping her defensive wall up.

After a long training session, Sarah returned to her room to see that a letter was sitting un-opened on her bed. Her heart jumped into her throat as she ran over and ripped it open. The familiar scent of home was somehow embedded in the parchment, and once opened it read:

My Dearest Sarah,

I cannot tell you how relieved I was to receive some word from you. I've been trying everything that I can think of to remove the curse with the help of Feyore and Eve. As for this most recent vision of yours, I think the main priority is the vision where you are in the dungeon. I know it seems pointless, but why else would she feel the need to show it to you again? I know you are very clever, and if this is as important as Queen Asura says, then I know you won't let us down. I wish that I could help you or tell you more.

All is well here, and I am as well as I can be. I miss you dearly. I am grudgingly grateful to this king of yours for having the decency to take care of you properly and keep you some company. Though Eve, Feyore, and even Dydimus try their best, I cannot sate the loneliness that exists without you here. I wish for nothing more than to hold you close and never let anyone take you away again, but for now we are working against a greater evil than this distance. Though what could be a greater evil than this I do not know. I love you more than words could ever say, and my heart longs for the moment when will be together again. I hope to hear more from you very soon, for your letter brought some much needed comfort. Take care love.

Yours always and Forever,

Jareth

"Oh, Jareth…" Sarah whispered with tears in her eyes once she finished the letter. She had not broken down since her first night here, and now reading this simple letter, emotions came flooding out of her. Curling up on her bed, tired, and now emotionally drained. She could sense the pent up anger that Jareth had for Verdant, but it was understandable. This gave her even more of a reason to find this "Traitor" quickly. She hated to leave Verdant, he was such a good friend to her now, and she would hate to leave him lonely again. Maybe once they reversed the curse he could find a Queen.

With a sigh, Sarah just laid on her bed, letting the silent tears fall. Dinner would be soon, but she was so tired, she didn't even realize she fell asleep with Jareth's letter clutched in her hand.

Jareth paced the room. Feyore and Eve were over at least once a week with new information, but nothing was working so far. He was more than confused to say the least to receive a letter, but seeing Sarah's familiar hand writing, he thought it was a dream. He still held to her letter as he sighed sitting upon the bed they had shared. It had been almost a month since the Dark Elf King had taken Sarah, but the pain was as though it had just happened earlier that day.

Dydimus brought up dinner for Jareth every night, though more often than not he didn't touch it. Jareth wouldn't eat in the dining hall alone, it only made him miss being with Sarah more. Every thing reminded him of her, even the damn hallways with which he walked with her. Such a mess he was, and he was no closer to getting her back. He wondered if she had told the Dark Elf King of the supposed traitor, probably not. He had a feeling she would find the traitor before he found a remedy for this curse, and if not, she wouldn't abandon the other King, especially when it meant the fate of the entire underground.

The Dark Elves were a powerful people; if it fell into the wrong hands they could easily and tactfully take out many of the other courts. It had to be a disgruntled citizen, most likely one that held some position in the castle, but whom?

Sarah was awoken by Feryia knocking on the door. Sitting up groggily, she winced, her eyes burning slightly from the tears shed earlier. She had long since requested a mirror, Verdant arguing that she would look beautiful no matter what, but fulfilling her wish.

Going over to the water basin, she washed her face, carefully folding Jareth's letter and leaving it on an out cropping of rock. Deciding that she could pass for just waking up, Sarah opened the door and looked a little surprised to see Verdant standing there, silken robes and all.

"Good evening Sarah, I've come to escort you to dinner myself." Sarah smiled; it was a nice change, though she did like Feryia's company. He offered her his arm, something that he rarely did, but she took it none the less. She debated telling him about her vision, but didn't know if it would help or complicate her situation. "Are you well Sarah?"

"Yes, just a bit tired," Sarah was a bit startled by the question. Did she really look that bad, or was Verdant just a keen observer? He nodded his acceptance of her answer and they walked down a long dark hallway. She was never fond of them, always afraid something was going to jump out at her, and she had never been more right on this instinct.

No more than a few moments after Sarah had thought she saw something move, Verdant shoved her behind him, emitting a low growl.

"It's only I Sire," Sarah heard from behind Verdant's tall frame. That voice was so familiar, looking over Verdant's shoulder, she saw the same laughing, and antagonizing eyes of the Dark Elf that had meant to beat her in her vision.

"You'd do well to remember your post and not go wandering," Verdant said calmly. "What are you doing away from the dungeons anyway, Andan?" Andan narrowed his glowing red eyes slightly, spotting Sarah.

"Just getting away from the screaming for awhile," Andan replied walking casually past, keeping his glaring eyes on Sarah. Verdant felt her grab his arm, as Andan passed. Once he was well out of ear shot, Verdant turned to look at Sarah. She was staring after Andan with a horrified expression on her face.

"It's him," Sarah whispered. How had she not seen it before? Andan had given himself away already and she had been blind to it! "The Underground will soon belong to us if all goes as planned." He hadn't been referring to the Dark Elf King, someone else was behind him. That's what went wrong! Jareth was expected to give in so that Sarah would return and not be able to stop them. That didn't happen; who ever this was didn't want a Queen from another Court around while they took down the Dark Elf King.

"What is it Sarah," Verdant said, his red eyes glowing concerned.

"He's a traitor…"

"Sarah how can you know…" but Sarah was quick to cut him off.

"She told me! Asura, she TOLD me, pointed it right out and I… I didn't see it until now," Sarah sighed.

"Queen Asura? The demon queen of the spirit world you mean?" Verdant asked.

"Yes! She's helped me all the way to this point. Oh Verdant, you and the Underground are in great danger!" Sarah hushed her voice, not releasing her hold upon his arm, worry burning in her emerald gaze. "Someone plans to kill you to take the throne; they want to pull the Underground into darkness!" Verdant reached forward and put a hand on her shaking shoulder.

"It is most likely the leader of the Un-Seelie court," Verdant sighed. "When the curse was put upon us, they reckoned with me to join them, but I refused, angering them greatly. They promised one day to take my kingdom by force and I can only imagine now is the time. This may very well be the beginnings of a war between the Un-Seelie court and my kingdom… we alone cannot take them on…"

"…but what if the curse was removed? What if we stop whoever is trying to kill you? I could get the Seelie Court on your side!"

"They would most likely lose interest, but we can't wait around for that. As for putting off whoever is trying to kill me, we would have to know when they are going to attack. Dearest Sarah, I don't know that you would be able to convince them, it will be safest for you if you return to your…"

"NO!" Sarah looked at him incredulously. "That's what they want you to do! I'm the only one in the Seelie court who knows the truth about you! They don't want me around when they kill you, if I leave then you are in even more danger!"

"Alright, alright," Verdant gave in, smiling under the shadows of his cloak from her loyalty. He thought for sure she would run to her room grab her things and be gone before he could blink, but no, here she was. "Write your King, tell him what has happened. I'll bring dinner to you, this is urgent, go!"

Sarah didn't need another warning, before she was running off to her room. Throwing the door opened and leaping to her parchment and quill, she began to write to Jareth.

Author's Note:

Oh my, what a mess. Sarah and Verdant had better watch their backs with that goon wandering around working for the Un-Seelie Court. Yea, I didn't really know how this would pan out, but I'm pretty pleased with it. I was wary of the idea of a giant war between the courts, but I was just being lazy thinking about having to write it out should it come to pass. It may or I may have Sarah and Jareth find a solution. Don't worry their reunion is coming soon. Thank you soooooo so so so much to everyone who has reviewed so far, it means a lot to me! As always, keep letting me know what you think and please forgive any errors that slip my eye.