Lost and Lonely
2: Winter and Crystal Flowers
I sat up in the middle of the night, awoken by a flapping noise. I looked around to see an owl sitting on the window sill staring at me. It shook and flapped it's wings, cocking it's head as it sat there. Getting out of bed, I made my way to it. As I got closer it backed away a bit. I stopped halfway across and stood there. It rustled it's feathers and made a loud "Who!".
"Shhh sh!" I said putting a finger to my lips. It immediately stopped and stared at me. I nodded. "I don't know if Jareth likes owls or not. Or animals for that matter. But just in case be quiet." It seemed to understand, because it perched itself on the sill and sat there. I smiled at it. It ruffled it's feathers happily. "I think I'll call you Winter. Because of your beautiful feathers." I said, walking towards the desk. I looked through, finding some paper and pencils. I pulled the chair over in front of the window, a few feet away.
"Who?" Winter hooted as if to say, 'What are you doing?' and I smiled.
"Mind if I draw you?" I asked. It ruffled it's feathers and sat completely still, staring at me. I smiled and got to work drawing it. After what seemed like an hour, I had finished the drawing. I turned it towards Winter, who ruffled and made a small coo in happiness. "Like it?" I whispered and put it down. Winter suddenly reeled and flew out the window. "Oh. Okay that's cool." I said with strong sarcasm. I walked over to the bed and climbed back in.
" Aleixa? Aleixa? Wake up!" Someone was shaking me and calling my name. I turned over putting my head under the pillow.
"Ouch!" I yelped sitting up, after something bit me. I looked to see Genevieve floating in front of me.
"Good. Your up." She said smiling. I rubbed my finger.
"yeah. I am." I said. "One question. Why?"
"Oh. Breakfast. Jareth is getting testy because your still sleeping and not there for breakfast." Genevieve said, looking half nervous.
"Why? I'm tired gimme a break Jeez can't he take a chill pill?" I asked, rolling over.
"Aleixa! If he gets mad at you, who knows?" She said, with concern. I sighed.
"If I get up, will you show me through the labyrinth today?" I muffled.
"Yes! If it's alright with Jareth." She said. I sighed, getting up.
"Do I wear anything special for breakfast or do I wear Pajamas like normal people do?" I asked. Genevieve giggled.
"Dunno. Jareth always dresses up for everything." She said smiling. I smirked.
"I could tell." I walked over to the closet, throwing on sweatpants and a black tee. I quickly pulled my hair up in a bun and threw on black sneakers.
"Ready?" Genevieve asked me. I nodded, yawning.
"Ready as I possibly could be. I look like crap but it's…what time is it?"
"Nine."
"Damn!." I said. "I never sleep that late!." We walked out of my room and made our way to the dining hall. I kept tripping, because I was yawning so much and not paying attention to where I was going. I bumped into three goblins and a couple faeries. Suddenly, I ran into something else.
"Ouch! Watch where yer….Aleixa!" I looked down to see Hoggle staring at me.
"Hoggle, Hey!" I said.
"Jareth didn't bog you! Or Goblin you! He…He.."
"Took me in." I said deeply and exaggerating in a way. Hoggle nodded, confused.
"Where ya' headed now?" He asked me.
"Breakfast." I said. Hoggle looked up at my head at my ridiculous bun and chuckled. "I know I know." I said sighing. We came to the dining room and Genevieve flew off and Hoggle left. I opened the door and walked in. Jareth was standing, impatiently , looking out the window. Genevieve was right. He wore a white poets shirt, his gloves, a black vest, grey tight pants and boots. He turned around and saw me.
"Well, look at you." He said, amused. "What took so long?"
"I was sleeping." I said, yawning again. Jareth smirked and took a seat at the table. I walked over and sat next to him. I rubbed my eyes as I got there, and closed my eyes for a second. I opened them to find Jareth staring at me.
"Why are you so tired?" He asked. I shrugged.
"Big day?" I said. I had forgotten about Winter.
"Oh yes. I had forgotten. You still aren't used to the whole…underground thing." Jareth said.
"No not yet." I said playing with my fork. '
"Well, you have forever to get used to it," He said.
"Forever?" I asked.
"As in till the end of time itself." Jareth said, as though he were saying 'Oh yeah the sky is blue.'
"I'm positive I am not going to live forever." I said "I'm lucky to live to probably ninety." Jareth laughed.
"Oh but your mistaken Dear, this is the underground and I could make you immortal if I wanted to."
"Would you?"
"When the time is right I will." Jareth said snapping his fingers. The three goblins came in with the trays and drinks again. We both ate in half silence. Occasionally Jareth would yell at a goblin and bog one of them. I kept hoping that one day I wouldn't be getting bogged. Once I had finished I got up out of the chair and started to walk away.
"That was good breakfast Jareth but I think I'll go now." I said starting to leave.
"An uh, where are you going?" Jareth asked as I stopped halfway.
"To go get properly dressed. Genevieve is taking me through to see the Labyrinth." I said.
"Oh no. " Jareth said. "Genevieve isn't taking you. I will take you." Because he couldn't see my face, I bit my lip and thought, 'damn it' and nodded.
"Oh. Ok." I said continuing out the door. As soon as I was out, I bolted to my room. I got inside shutting the door. I quickly pulled out jeans and threw them on. I put my hair in a ponytail and added earrings. I put on a white sip up sweatshirt over the tee and put my sneakers back on. I grabbed the drawing, folding it up and shoving it in a pair of boots. Someone knocked on the door. I rushed to the vanity grabbing eye shadow and put it on. "Come in." I said calmly. Jareth walked in.
"Ready?" He asked. "Almost." I said, adding some more mascara. Jareth came over and grabbed my wrist.
"You don't need it. You look great." He said. He wasn't smiling or anything. I put it down nodding.
"Oh…Okay." I said, stepping away from the vanity. Jareth pulled on my wrist, and we walked out the door. We walked out of the castle into the city. I looked around at the small houses, the fountain and the little stairs. "I've never seen this part." I said out loud accidentally. Jareth just continued walking, out of the gate and into the labyrinth. We kept on walking for what seemed like forever. I saw many places, statues, and other things. Finally we came to a forest part where the canopy covered the sky, making little sun shine through, but all the plants seemed to glow. Jareth walked over to a giant rock and sat on it.
"So," Jareth finally said, "Do you like it here?" He started to juggle one of his crystals.
"It's quite amazing in here. Glowing plants and such, I feel like Alice in Wonderland." I said, turning to see other things.
"I meant, How do you like it here in the labyrinth. The Underground." Jareth said, amused.
"Oh," I said, embarrassed, "I like it. It's confusing. But cool." I went over to a glowing red flower and poked it. It changed to a bright yellow. "Beautiful.." I said sighing. I heard someone else sigh and turned to Jareth. He was still juggling, but had his eyes fixated on me and the flower.
"Touch the center of it." He said smiling. Not one of his cold or playful smiles. But a warm one. I nodded, and looked at the flower. I touched the center. As soon as I did, it began to ripple with colors, changing constantly. I watched, amazed at this wondrous flower. It continued changing and glowing brighter each time. Suddenly it turned bright white, and hardened. It continued to glow and change, but was now a crystal flower.
"Oh my gosh." I said, picking it up. "That was amazing." Jareth was still juggling his crystal, but looking at me.
"Isn't it beautiful?" He asked me. I nodded.
"So beautiful!" I said, smiling. I looked at him. "This place is so magical."
"There are more surprises around every bend." Jareth said. I walked over to him. He was still juggling.
"How do you do that?" I asked him. He smiled at me.
"I could teach you later," he said, "If you'd like me to?" I nodded, smiling.
"Well I'd love for you to-" I was cut off by a screaming noise.
"Majesty! Majesty!" A goblin flew out of nowhere, hitting a tree and falling to the ground.
"What Rangel? What is so important that you interrupt us?" Jareth said, annoyed.
"A little boy wished his twin brother away. And...his twin did the same." Rangel said, excitedly. Jareth smiled in such an evil way and stood. He suddenly changed into this black outfit with a dark blue glittering cape. He looked at me.
"I'll be back as soon as I turn these twins into goblins," Jareth said, "Don't move." He said the last part so sternly I nodded quickly. Satisfied, He and the goblin poofed away. I sat on the rock, alone.
"Alright. Now what do I do?" I said, looking at the crystal flower. Of course I got no answer. "Ugh. This is boring." I said to myself, playing with the flower. It gleamed and sparkled as it changed. "At least this thing is still in one piece. I'm surprised I haven't broken it yet." I turned it over and over just looking at it.
A crunching noise grabbed my attention from the flower. "Jareth," I called out, "Is that you?" My heart picked up a beat when no one answered. "Of your trying to scare me…It's working." I said, giggling a little. Suddenly, a small dog like creature, with one eye and horns came out of the bushes. I put my hand to my chest and took a deep breathe. "Just a dog." I said to myself. The dog sniffed the ground. Then looked at me and bared it's teeth. "Just…a dog. With eight rows of teeth." I said, backing up a bit.
"Food." It said in a low grumbling voice. It took two steps forward and it's tail wagged furiously. I shook my head.
"No. Not food. Friend." I said. I wanted to run but I didn't know if that would provoke it to kill me.
"Friend?" It said to me. "What is this friend thing you speak of?"
"A friend is someone you can trust and hang out with." I said smiling.
"No. Brute doesn't need friends. Just Brute." Brute bared his teeth again and opened his mouth wide. A second mouth attached to a snake like thing came out of it's mouth giggling. It started for me and I put the flower in my sweatshirt, zipping it up all the way.
"Jareth!" I yelled running suddenly. Brute chased me as we passed vines and such. I found a huge tree and grabbed one of the vines. I started climbing it as Brute gained on me. I put my foot in one hole accidentally, almost slipping off and falling. At the top I looked down to see him climbing on his own. "Damn it! Jareth! Where the hell are you?" I yelled. Brute laughed as he climbed up higher.
"I'm gonna eat you up!" Brute taunted me as he got closer. I kicked him in the face and jumped from the tree. I hit the ground and immediately regretted it. I went to get up and noticed my right leg was in terrible pain.
"Damn What a time to break my freakin' leg!" I yelled. Brute jumped down in front of me.
"Now your stuck." He said sticking his second mouth out.
"Back off!" I yelled. Brute leaped at me but I kicked him. He fell back and ran at me. Suddenly the ground opened up and he fell down screeching. I backed away from the hole and winced in pain as I moved. I felt someone grab my arm and help me up.
"How could you go and get yourself in trouble like that?" Jareth said sternly as he helped me up.
"Oh sorry mister 'I'll be right back' you weren't back! So I'm sitting there not moving like you told me and guess what happens. Oh! I know! One of your little creatures attacks me, forcing me to jump out of a tree and break my friggin' leg!" I yelled as Jareth glared.
"Well then I apologize but that's not important what's important is that you survived. Now let's get you back to the castle and fix your leg." Jareth said, putting one arm under my legs and the other around my ribs. I held around his neck, careful not to fall off.
"Out of all things to happen here." I said angrily.
"Just be thankful it didn't eat you." He said testily.
"I just hate being a damsel in distress." I said looking down.
"Well we can't help what happens just let it go." Jareth seemed angry and annoyed.
"Sorry that I just almost got killed." I said in a low voice.
"Enough!" Jareth yelled, causing me to jump. "Not another word from you. Capiche?" I nodded instead of responding. Jareth smiled, seeming satisfied. He poofed us into the city and walked into the castle. I was still in his threshold grip. We got inside and he sat on the throne. Carefully, he put his hand on my leg and gentle moved his fingers over it. I winced in pain as it throbbed. Suddenly, I felt nothing. "Move it." Jareth said. I looked at him, then my leg. I moved it, bending my knee. It was almost all better. It hurt a little. "I couldn't heal it fully," Jareth said, "Only partially." I thought for a second.
"Wait, so If you could heal it," I groaned, "Then why didn't you do that in the forest part?"
"Because," Jareth said smirking that annoying and playful smirk.
"Because why?" I demanded.
"I don't need to give reason to what I do." Jareth said defiantly. He found this to be a funny game.
"But I demand reason!." I said in a mock accent of his. He looked down at me, almost scolding. I immediately looked away.
"The reason I didn't heal you is because I wanted to carry you back," Jareth said taunting me, "Besides, it's funny when your helpless." He added a small and cocky laugh at the end. I frowned.
"You suck." I muttered under my breathe, hoping he wouldn't hear me.
"What?" Jareth said cooley. I shook my head.
"Nothing."
"Tell me what you just said." He demanded. I shook my head again. Jareth grabbed my hair and tugged my head backwards, pulling. I grabbed at his hands and tried to make him let go.
"Stop! Stop it!" I yelled, crying almost. He pulled harder.
"Repeat it!" He yelled.
"No!" I said, grabbing at his hands again.
"SAY IT!" He finally screamed in my face.
"You SUCK!" I yelled back. Jareth's eyes widened, then slanted into complete disgust.
"I suck eh'? Well, if you hate me so much I guess you would prefer to stay in an oubliette." Jareth said furiously and the floor opened. He shoved me in and I fell down. I landed in a dark pit, that was cold and wet. The tunnel above shut and It got completely dark.
Big thanks to anyone who read this chapter ^^ I appreciate it. I would lvoe to here some tips, errors, and critques so PLEASE say something!
Jareth and Hoggle belong to Jim Henson
Aleixa, Genevieve, Rangel, and Brute belong to moi
-Lexx