*I do not own Labyrinth*

Chapter Seventeen

Let there be war

The Goblin Queen sat strait and tall on her throne. The very essence of regal perfection. The Throne room still needed some work to really finish the image though, the chickens and the other animals had been removed but the space was still filthy. Goblins still loitered around the room but they were mostly sleeping at this time of day. Corvina looked as calm as a pond, she was unruffled as she sat in power.

She was putting on a front, her emotions under tight control as she sat over the Goblin court. Disaster hung over her, she could almost feel it.

Jareth was back, had made it despite her every effort to stop him.

With a flick of her wrist a crystal formed in her hand. Turning it this way and that she stared at the globe. It had taken longer than she would care to admit to figure out this particular spell. The ability to see and hear those within the Labyrinth, or outside of it if one was strong enough, was quite valuable.

Despite her ability to use this spell the Labyrinth refused her at every turn, every small victory seemed to come with some resistance, the crystal spell only showing her what had already happened, it was at least a few hours ago in fact. In the depths of the magic she could just make out Jareth and his few followers. Three natives of the Labyrinth and, to her surprise, one human who defended Jareth as he opened the portal.

"Using a human woman," Corvina snorted in disgust, "Pathetic," she said and with a small flick of her wrist the Magic dissipated.

To see his face again stirred her anger, to see him standing so close to a human woman made her blood boil. Memories of her own besotted mother, constantly singing her fathers praise even as age withered her into dust. Other than impregnating her human parent, her own father had done little else.

By the look of it Jareth was doing the same thing, "Typical!" she snarled. Taking a deep breath she pushed away the emotions. The Human woman was nothing more than an annoyance at this point but old wounds were being pulled at with this new development.

Corvina repressed a sigh and stood, leaving the room in an angry rush she ascended the stairs toward the tower. None of the goblins moved, seeming to be unfazed by her show of anger. This only angered her more! They should be reflecting her, doing her bidding and responding to her every mood.

Once alone in the tower, Corvina stepped onto the balcony over looking the Labyrinth below. "It no longer matters," she muttered tapping the parapet with long polished nails. Jareth had made it back, already she could feel the magic shifting, she was loosing control. Her power was dwindling, she still held the Castle and city, the Labyrinth itself wavered between them and the Goblins would be his the moment he stepped within the City she knew. Part of her wanted to cast them all out, yet she couldn't, they would only seek him, Goblins were not the most impressive creatures but there were so many of them he would win by numbers alone.

Shoving against the stones Corvina left her perch. Her heels clacked loudly against the stone as she moved across the room, not really paying attention to anything around her as she puzzled over the issues that could arise now that he was back.

Something that shouldn't have happened to begin with.

Corvina sniffed in annoyance at that. Three attempts on his life, and the life of that mortal he had and still he prevailed, overcoming the obstacles and now posed a real threat again.

Magic flared, pulling her eyes to the distant east. "Jareth!" she hissed, he was here and was casting a spell. It was hugely powerful, radiating like the sun. She almost recoiled from it.

Corvina stood taller, her shoulders back in defiance, she would not cower!

"Gravix!" she called, within moments at her side the wraith appeared. "Why have you failed me?" she demanded.

The wraith wavered. "The human is cursed," It hissed, bowed low, waiting her response.

"And that?" she demanded, pointing to the east, "Its a healing Spell, even I can tell that you fool! Your efforts are wasted." Corvina's lip curled in annoyance, she had not known he could even do healing spells. Likely a "gift" from his high court mother.

"The dwarf betrayed you, he knew the human." Gravix hissed in its own defense.

"Irrelevant now," she spat, "Dwarves are notoriously disloyal, and the least of my problems!"

"He is alone," It insisted, "three to aid him should hardly be a threat."

Corvina chewed on her lip. What the wraith didn't know was that her grip on the power of the Labyrinth was wavering, like she and Jareth played at tug-o-war. "How many from the human world have answered our call?" She demanded instead.

"Less than we had hoped," The Wraith sighed.

Her heart sank at the confession, she needed allies why wouldn't they come? She was offering them a kingdom. This is my Right! She thought, remembering her fathers promises.

Corvina needed a plan and quick. He would be planning to take the kingdom back from her, if he rallied the Goblins against her she would fail. "Gravix?" she began, "Gather the Goblins, all of them. They must be neutralized."

"Yes my Queen." The Wraith hissed disappearing into nothing.

Pacing before the open window looking out at the distant forest and open land of the east she waited to see what would happen once the spell was done. Several minuets past and slowly the spell flickered and was done.

He would come, he would challenge her to take back the kingdom. "It shall be war then!" she challenged the distant east where she knew he was. She would not give up the kingdom easily. If he wanted to drag a Human into this then fine by her! As they say on earth, "All's fair in love and war!" Corvina smiled as an idea formed in her head.

**End**

**Up next Sarah learns that she knows very little about the labyrinth and even less about Jareth**