Lost and Lonely
11
"And by someone you mean,"
"We don't know, " Genevieve said, "But they weren't wished away is the thing."
"Did this happen," I added, tapping my fingers on the sill, "When I entered the Labyrinth?" Genevieve shook her head, adding a small frown, then tugging on her wrist.
"No, when you came, the world did shift, but, in a different way."
"How so?"
"Instead of bad signs, there were good signs, like the sky turned violet , the air turned warmer, the smell of warm vanilla mixed with a hint of cinnamon filled the whole place." Genevieve snapped out of her little trance, sighing and looking up, "But now, it's colder, and dead like."
"So, " I bit my thumbnail, "this person means bad news."
"Very," She flew out the window, and disappeared. I stood there, befuddled at what to do.
"Lex!" I heard Jareth yell. I turned to face him, as he was now standing by the throne.
"Yeah?" I asked, walking over.
"Go in your room and do not come out until I say so understand?" He ordered me.
"Why?"
"Just do it." He snapped and disappeared. I was no longer in throne room but in my bedroom.
"Lex!" Hoggle came wobbling into the room.
"Yo." I said, biting my thumbnail.
"Jareth sent me to watch you and make sure you don't leave." He said sheepishly.
"Wow." I said, paying no attention to him. I was busy thinking about who could be in the Labyrinth. "Who is it?" I asked.
"Well," Hoggle began, "It's a person. But not a good person."
"I know that!' I snapped. "But who?"
"I'm not allowed to say who." Hoggle looked down. I grabbed his shoudlers.
"I won't tell. I swear on my grave." I said, shaking him lightly.
" 'ight jeez calm down." Hoggle said, as I shook him. "It's Hades, Jareth's cousin, ruler of the Underworld."
"Jareth's cousins with Hades?" I asked confused now.
"Yeah," Hoggle muttered, "He hates the fact that he has to look over the dead and always comes to visit Jareth. However he is very mischievous and schemes a lot. Always trying to take things and souls when no ones looking."
"Ah. So Thaaaat's why He wants to hide me." I said, putting my head in my hand.
"Yeah, Hades is a real con man to." Hoggle added, "Will try ta' sell ya something claiming it's good or magical or whatever. Really, it'll bring ya' hell." He shook his head, chuckling. "He even flirts with his brothers wives and stuff."
"A real pervert eh'?" I asked, laughing.
"Yeah. Real peverted." Hoggle chuckled. He sat down and began counting his jewels.
"So why did he come?" I asked.
"He heard about you and wanted to see if it was real." Hoggle scoffed. "If ya ask me, he probably just wanted to try and rape you or steal you or something." He added a small cough, "does it all the time."
"What a creep." I muttered. "Do you think Jareth will lie or something?"
"Probably will say that you went back aboveground or whatever." Hoggle answered, counting still. I nodded and sat there, playing with my hair.
"Sooooo…" I sighed, going towards the vanity. "Now what?"
"I dunno." Hoggle picked up one jewel and studied it. I sighed and picked up my sketchbook and began to doodle random things. Like wolves and people and things like that. After about an hour I was bored of drawing, so I put the book down.
"Hoggle," I said breaking the current silence, "Do ya think Hades left yet?"
"You'd know." Hoggle muttered, still counting his jewels.
"How?"
"Well for one thing the sky would be normal again." Hoggle pointed to the window. I went to stick my hand out when I saw an invisible barrier had been place on it. "And Jareth would've sent for you."
"Oh okay then." I said, climbing on the bed. We both jumped as someone knocked on the door. It flew open and Blotch, along with Skip and Pleet came running in.
"Miss!" Pleet said.
"Yeah?"
"King wants you." Skip announced.
"Hades figured out he was hiding you and threatened to break down the castle if he didn't meet you." Blotch added, looking at my belongings. "Do you want that pillow?" I threw it at him and he ran off. I threw on a giant hoodie and boots. If I'm going near a pervert, I'm covering up.
"Coming." I sighed, Hoggle looked at me, as if to say 'Your not seriously going are you?' and I sighed, nodding. Pleet and Skip showed me where the two of them were. They were outside, in the back of the court, sitting at this table, looking at the scenery.
"King!" Pleet ran over, saluting him oddly. Skip ran into him, knocking them both over.
"Yes?"
"Miss is here." Skip said, getting up.
"Thank you that will be all." Jareth said. "Now leave before I bog you." The two scrambled to get to the castle and ran off. I stood there, befuddled. Jareth lifted his eyes to where I stood. I looked at Hades. He was tall, not as tall as Jareth, and very built for a guy who lives with the dead. He had shaggy red hair and wore black pants, black studded boots, and a black jacket. His eyes were an intense yellow, and his teeth pointed.
"This must be the girl I've heard about." Hades said, flashing his awkward smile.
"Yeah, I must be. Unless Jareth is seeing someone else." I scoffed. Hades let out a weird, half menical laugh.
"Charming." He muttered, turning to Jareth.
"I see you two already are getting off on the right foot." Jareth mumbled.
"Come Jareth stop being so gloomy." Hades purred. "Your gal is here." I shot Hades a confused look, and Jareth a 'this guy's a complete wacko' look. Jareth rolled his eyes and stood up.
"Well, you two have met. I guess it's safe to say that Lex can go back to her room now." Jareth shot me a look. I nodded.
"Right okay I'll leave." I turned towards the castle entrance, only to run into Hades who was now right there.
"Oh why lock her up on such a glorious day?" Hades announced. "I say we should go for a walk!" He looked at me, still grinning. "How does that sound?" Jareth stood there tapping his foot impatiently and crossed his arms.
"Don't ask me I'm just here." I said, walking towards the pond.
"Fine. A quick one. Then you may leave." Jareth spat to Hades.
"Lovely!" Hades said, walking over to me and pulling me away from the pond, grabbing my arm and Jareth's.
"You may let go of us both." Jareth growled in a low voice.
"I say you keep the Labyrinth quiete in order, Jareth." Hades ignored him and continued pulling us. He snapped his head towards me. "How did you end up here my dear?" Jareth groaned and rolled his eyes.
"A door." I said simply. I tried to pull away from him, but he continued holding on.
"A door!" He suddenly yelled. "A door well that is something now isn't it a door? Haha! How hilarious!" I looked at Jareth, who looked ready to jump off a bridge and kill himself. After an agonizing twenty minutes, Hades finally took us back to the castle.
"Well, best be on your way, Hades." Jareth said, snapping, when a goblin came and brought Hades his hat.
"Best be indeed." Hades smiled widly. He shook Jareth's hand wildly, and then took mine. "Pleasure to meet you." He said, kissing it. It burned intenstly like fire. I took it back quickly. Hades turned to leave, then turned back to us. "And if you ever feel like dumping this loser, you know how to find me." Hades winked and disappeared.
"Creep." I spat and wiped my hand on my pants multiple times. "Ugghh what a creep." I shivered.
"He….pisses…me…..off….a great deal." Jareth finally said, slumping into his throne.
"He seems very….lively for a dead guy." I said.
"He is so, demanding. Always trying to take what's mine." Jareth said.
"Has he tried taking the kingdom?" I asked.
"Not yet thank god." Jareth cried. "If He did, he wouldn't know what hit him." He looked at me. "And if he kisses you again I'm going to kill him." I grinned.
"Yours are better don't worry." I laughed. Jareth rolled his eyes, amused though.
"He will try." He muttered. "Because I have you now he will want you."
"If he comes near me I'll rip his nuts off." Jareth looked at me, shocked.
"Anyways," He said, "anything particular you want for dinner? I'm fresh out of ideas."
"How's about chicken?" I asked. Jareth shook his head frantically as soon as I said it.
"Don't say that!' He yelled.
"Why? You have plenty of chickens can't we kill some?" I asked. He shook his head again. "Do you not like chicken?" I picked up a chicken that was standing there. "I know they can be annoying but they taste good. Especially Rotisery."
"Stop saying that!" He yelled, louder.
"Why?" Jareth just pointed and I saw why. Suddenly, a huge group of chickens came out of nowhere, pecking me.
"That's why we don't announce it."
"Fucking chickens!" I yelled, running away from them. The chased me down, pecking me and cawing at the top of their lungs. "I'll eat you all!"
Later, I sat with Jareth in his throne, as he cleaned the cuts the chickens gave me. They were brutal, I will say.
"Damned chickens." I muttered, wincing.
"Stay still." Jareth laughed. "Your own fault. I wanred you."
"A little late on the warning though." I said, sighing.
"Well it's over now." He said, cleaning the last cut. "there." He handed a goblin the cleaning materials, and it took them away. I sat there, arms crossed, and eyes slanted into a glare.
"I still say we cook them all." I growled. "Break their little legs so they can't run away, pull out their feathers one by one, and remove their beaks, then dip em in-"
"That's enough out of you." Jareth said, covering my mouth. "Unless of course, you want me to save you from the chickens again." He kissed my forehead. "That I don't mind."
"What the grabbing me and poofing away or the chickens pecking me to death?" I snapped.
"Angry little girl aren't you?" Jareth taunted me, playing with my hair. I just glared across the room and sat there, arms still folded.
"Whatever…" I muttered, biting my thumbnail.
"You need to lighten up, Love." Jareth said, brushing my hair out of my face.
"I was attacked by chickens." I muttered angrily, looking at him.
"It wasn't the worst." Jareth snickered.
"I know but," I paused, "They were chickens."
"Oh you need to learn to ignore things like this." He cooed, turning my face towards his and kissing me forcefully. As he withdrew, I looked at him.
"Lemme guess, now your gonna say and pay attention to things like that." I grinned.
"Maybe." He said, leaning his face in again. I heard a clucking noise and turned to see a chicken on the arm of the chair, staring at me.
"You can leave." I hissed at it. It just cawed in my face and pecked at me. I flew into Jareth's arms and sat on his lap. "Devil chicken!"
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS READ THIS AND REVIEWED IT TOO! LOVE YOU GUYS ;)
JARETH and HOGGLE BELONGS TO JIM HENSON
HADES GREEK MYTHOLOGY
AND LEX IS MINE