After a fitful, almost sleepless night, Helena came awake to the feel of Xensor's hands caressing her breasts. Swallowing the bile that bubbled up in her throat, she groaned and touched her fingers to her temple. Darkroot had amazing powers, that was true, but it also left the imbiber with a monumental headache. She was gambling on the chance that Xensor was aware of this and hoped that he wouldn't be too keen on taking her while she was 'ill'.

She was right. As her eyes fluttered open and looked at him, he had a slight frown on his face. She didn't get the impression that he was irritated at her, more that he was annoyed with himself for not anticipating the hangover that the darkroot would leave behind. She gave him a pained smile, rubbing her temple harder.

"That Starlight wine certainly lived up to its reputation," she said softly, with a touch of apology to her voice. "I shouldn't have drunk so much of it…"

Xensor leaned forward, kissing her lightly, then flung the covers back. Helena fought the urge to cover her naked body with her hands as he ran his eyes over her. She could tell when he noted the bruises on her, and didn't flinch when he extended a finger towards one of them.

"I apologize, my lady," he said huskily. "I'm afraid that your beauty was quite… inspiring… last night."

"As were you," she said in a low voice, slight smirk twitching her lips. Her eyes dropped down to the marks she'd left on his neck. He looked at her quizzically as he rose, then got a look at himself in the mirror near the bed. He grinned at her, his eyes gleaming. The rest of his body was reacting too, and Helena figured she'd better stop the seduction and go back to playing the sick little woman. She closed her eyes, giving out another groan while she brought up her other hand to massage her temple.

It worked, thankfully, as he walked over to the wardrobe and pulled out some clothes. Helena followed suit, putting her smallclothes and shift on as quickly as she could while still acting ill. With her body shielded from his gaze, she felt a little less vulnerable. She slowly pulled her dress over her head, lacing it up and then smoothing out her hair as best she could. Xensor pulled on the bellcord near the bed, then extended his hand to her.

She took it with a pained smile, keeping the other hand on her temple. He led her back to the table just as a couple of servants came into the room, pushing a wheeled cart. These too were Fae, and they gave her a look that was equal parts fear and trepidation as they cleared the dinner dishes and laid out a breakfast platter. Eggs, bacon, some kind of toast and a pitcher of fruit juice were placed beside a steaming teapot. At Xensor's gesture, she began serving herself some of the food, noting with amusement that she still wasn't given a fork or a knife.

Xensor served himself a healthy portion of the breakfast items, eating with an elegance that bespoke of nobility. Helena had been too hungry to notice his table manners last night, but he was definitely taught by someone of the upper echelon. When he'd finished his meal, he poured himself some tea, sipping it slowly and watching her over the cup. She looked at him quizzically, and he chuckled.

"How very trusting you are, my dear," he said. "I would have thought you'd hesitate to take any food or drink from me, given what you've undoubtedly been told of the Fae. You didn't hesitate last night, either…"

She raised a brow, giving him a lopsided smile. "If what you wanted was a lifeless doll to make love to, then have at it. I would have been driven to eat or drink at some point anyway. Perhaps I was trusting, but you didn't strike me as the type to need such… tricks."

He laughed delightedly, "Oh, how I do adore your spirit. You remind me of a horse I used to have…"

"It's a good thing you've already seduced me then, my lord," she said with a bit of acid to her tone. "If you're going to compare me to a horse the morning after."

"Oh, I meant no offense by it," he said, still chuckling. "It was intended as a compliment, I assure you. Such spirit is rather refreshing when one considers that most women are simply decorative."

"And… I am not decorative?" she asked, allowing a hint of feigned hurt to drift into her voice.

"Oh, you are lovely, to be sure. You are also rather dangerous… an intriguing combination. I am quite aware that you are rather… skilled… in defending yourself. Such spirit has its uses, and I am delighted to explore all of its… possibilities."

She was saved from having to answer when Perian came into the room. Rather than speak aloud in front of Helena, he bent and whispered his message into Xensor's ears. Xensor nodded, then turned to Helena.

"As much as I would like to spend the day getting to know you better, I fear that duty calls." He rose gracefully, executing a gallant bow in her direction. "You may go where you wish within the manor and the gardens, but I would remind you that the collar around your neck is keyed to the perimeter walls. For your own sake, I urge you not to test it."

She nodded with a small smile, noting the annoyance on Perian's face. He clearly didn't like that she now had the run of the manor. Helena chuckled inwardly. Perhaps she could find out how many men were stationed here, and get it out to her father tonight…

Tonight.

While the Healing magic could certainly be used on Xensor again (and would be, if Helena had anything to say about it), it was unlikely that she could get away with provoking his climax again before he took her. The first time, he probably chalked up to it having been a long time since he'd had sex. That Helena was able to instill a feeling of satisfaction and a hazy physical memory of having had her after the fact was nothing short of a miracle. A second time might inspire him to think about it more closely and realize he'd been duped.

That's a problem for tonight. Concentrate on what you can do right now.

She rose from the table and executed a curtsy as he left the room. Having already searched his chamber last night, she knew there was no benefit to doing it a second time and resolved to tour the manor. With any luck, she could tally up the number of his forces, maybe take note of the manor's defenses.

With that in mind, Helena meandered here and there. The guards had apparently been informed of her new circumstances, as none of them challenged her. Curiously, a couple of them actually appeared concerned for her… whispering amongst themselves and looking at her in an almost worried fashion. Perhaps it was concern for themselves, Helena didn't know, but they certainly didn't seem to be happy to have a Goblin girl walking among them.

Consciously making her journey through the manor with as much nonchalance as she could, Helena could see that there were about two hundred men stationed here. The walls of the manor were quite strong, the only entrance into the complex being a large oaken gate which was currently shut and barred. What was really strange was the difference between the gazes of the men about the manor. The ones she'd pegged as Xensor's minions had a sinister air to them. The rank-and-file soldiers she encountered in the courtyard did not. Helena suspected that these guys likely had no idea what was really going on, nor were they privy to Xensor's plans.

She could see that there was some woods and a small town around the walls of the manor, but didn't see any civilians. Either there weren't any to begin with or Xensor sent them away. It didn't much matter, as Helena couldn't get past the walls so long as the collar was around her neck. She did note that the manor was surrounded by fields as far as the eye could see, and she couldn't discern any neighbors close enough to the manor to make a difference to her.

Eventually, she found herself in the garden, an overgrown, almost riotous place with flowered vines creeping everywhere and choking out some of the more sedate plant life. She managed to find a small stone bench to sit on once she'd pulled the vines away. As she listened to the birdsong around her, Helena's thoughts drifted back to her family.

As she'd discovered last night, her father had already dispatched Randel to march on Fellmark, which meant that they knew she'd been abducted and were even now looking for her. Tremane would know by now as well. She felt the wave of agony at the thought of her loved ones and how worried they must be. Her father would be frantic, trying to formulate some plan to rescue her… her mother… oh, goddess, her mother would be inconsolable. The guilt she felt at her stupid actions was almost crushing, and her usual mantra of mentally rehearsing her plans didn't soothe her this time.

And Tremane… she could see him so clearly in her mind's eye. Why, oh why didn't she just accept? Why did she think that bonding with him was a bad thing? Helena couldn't stop the tears that welled up in her eyes at the thought of how she'd hurt him. And now… now she was gone and likely never coming back. What would that do to him? True, they weren't life-bonded, the geas not invoked, but… what would losing her do to him? Would he ever be able to bond again, or would his heart die along with her?

No. This doesn't help you. You will get free. Somehow. Some way. Believe it, or you've done half of Xensor's work for him.

Yes, somehow she would be free. And when she was, she would take the opportunity the Fates had handed her, the opportunity she had so blithely discarded. She'd bond with him, however and whenever he wished.

That's assuming he'd even want you when this is over. What will he say when he knows…

She couldn't think about that right now. She just needed to get free. The rest was a problem she'd face down after she made her escape.

Somehow.

Caelan materialized in a stone building, several transport runes carved into the floor. Almost as soon as his vision sharpened, he heard the sound of weapons being drawn.

Before him were a half dozen Greater Goblins, armed to the teeth, their weapons leveled at him. Thankfully, they didn't attack him immediately, rather they watched him warily. Caelan was almost certain that there were some of the little Goblins here too, although he couldn't see them. His gaze swept over the warriors flanking him, finding the one that was probably in charge and looking him directly in the eyes.

"I am King Caelan of Iftanzel. I am here to present myself to King Jareth as a hostage."

For a few long moments, they stared at him, their hatred almost palpable. The one he pegged as the leader sheathed his weapon. "Wait here," he growled. The warrior walked out of the room, leaving Caelan standing on the transport rune next to his travel bag.

After what seemed like hours, the lead warrior returned with another man. This one was tall, with platinum hair and the coldest ice-blue eyes Caelan had ever seen. The man's gaze pierced him, he could feel it almost into his soul. His memory tickled his brain… this one was the Spymaster, it had to be. He ran his gaze over Caelan quickly, then returned to look him in the eyes, pinning him on the spot with just that look. Caelan suppressed a shiver.

"Why are you here?" the Spymaster growled. His voice was just as chilling as his gaze.

"I received Princess Helena's message. I'm here because of that message."

"Morlan said you called yourself a hostage," said that cold voice. "Why call yourself such, if you are the King of Iftanzel?"

Caelan looked at the man squarely. "To stop a war. To stop my people from dying. Yours too." He realized that this man before him already knew that he was indeed the King of Iftanzel. His icy gaze roved over him again slowly, his expression absolutely impassive.

Finally, his eyes flickered a bit. "You will accompany me back to the castle. You can present your case to the King. But I warn you… any attempt at your Fae fuckery will be met with instant execution."

Caelan nodded solemnly. Several warriors who were waiting outside filed in and positioned themselves around him, one of them picking up his bag. The Spymaster turned on his heel and led them out of the building.

He scanned his immediate area… as expected this Visitor Center was situated outside of Caladh. He could see the massive walls of the Labyrinth ahead, and in the distance, the towers of Jareth's castle. Groaning inwardly at the thought of walking all that distance, he was pleasantly surprised when an open carriage pulled up to the Visitor Center.

He was seated between the warriors, the Spymaster facing him and watching him coldly. Caelan tried not to be too obvious as he looked around, but his curiosity didn't seem to disturb the warriors around him, much less the Spymaster. He couldn't help the shiver of awe as they passed through the enormous iron gates of the Labyrinth, proceeding down a large thoroughfare that bisected the giant stone maze.

Here and there, he could see the citizens bustling about. They paid him little attention, going about their business with a brisk economy of motion. Occasionally, he'd get a curious look from one of the residents, but no one called out.

Eventually, the carriage pulled up to the castle. There were a host of warriors lining the steps, watching him with barely concealed contempt. They alighted from the carriage, the warriors assembling themselves around him. The Spymaster led them into the foyer, his long stride forcing Caelan to take two steps to each one of the Goblin's. They proceeded down a wing of the castle and up some stairs, two floors worth from what he could tell, until they came to a set of double doors. The Spymaster opened them, and the warriors shuffled Caelan into the room.

He'd seen the Goblin King before… the first time during his father's armistice signing after losing the last war. He remembered how tall the King was, how utterly frightening he looked. The power coming from the Goblin King was a tangible thing, a force that could make the hair on one's arms stand on end.

Before him stood a man in torment. His eyes were hollow… his entire demeanor one of agony. His power was still there, and still frightening, but the man himself was ragged with worry. Standing next to him was an equally hollow-eyed human woman with dark hair… the Queen, he surmised.

He tried to stay on his dignity. Tried to tell himself that these were Goblins, and he shouldn't give two shits about their pain. But he did. He cared. Because it could have been him with the hollow eyes… and very nearly was.

"King Caelan. I remember you from the armistice," said the King.

"King Jareth," Caelan replied, inclining his head slightly. He glanced around at the others in the room. They all returned his gaze with various levels of hostility and mistrust, even Prince Jacen, who had always been amiable to him in the past. "I'll come right to the point. I received your daughter's message. I realized that unless drastic steps were taken, a war was going to break out between our two kingdoms. A war that will engulf the entire Underground if we don't stop it." He looked at Jareth's Queen, whose gaze was slightly less venomous than the others.

"You offered yourself as a hostage… for our daughter. Why?" she asked.

Caelan allowed a sardonic grin to appear on his face. "Tell me, my lady… is my life not already forfeit? If this was truly my doing, your King would not stop until he'd choked the life out of me with his own hands. It doesn't matter whether I die this minute or a year from now. What does matter is our people. I am willing to give my life for mine. For my daughter. And maybe… well, maybe I might even be able to help get your Princess back."

The Goblin King looked at him coldly, "And why would you be so concerned? What is the life of a Goblin girl to you?"

Caelan met his gaze squarely. "Because I am a father, too. And Illiana is my world… she's all I have left of her mother… and no parent… Fae or Goblin… should ever endure what you are enduring. That bastard was targeting my daughter. It was just bad luck that your Princess happened to be there, too." He gathered himself, a resolute look in his eyes. "More than that… how many of our people would have died if our Kingdoms came to blows again? Over something like this? How savage would the fighting have been if one of us thought the other had stolen their child? I can tell you… my Army would have wanted to paint the streets red with Goblin blood. I can only imagine yours feeling the same. It would be slaughter, on both sides. For a lie. Your daughter… she risked everything to get this warning out to us. To save us from the kind of savagery that Xensor was willing to inflict on his own people, as well as yours. I refuse to let her bravery be in vain. I stand willing to do whatever it takes, anything within my power, to bring her back safely to you."

Jareth's Queen looked at both of them in turn, her eyes welling with tears. He found his heart breaking in sympathy as she whispered, "Please… I just want my daughter back."

Jareth looked over at the Spymaster. Their eyes met. Something passed between them, something unseen. Jareth looked back at Caelan. "Very well. I accept your offer. You are a hostage to the safe return of my daughter. You will be treated with all respect and guarded at all times." He turned and walked over to a table which had a map spread out on it. "Have a look at this."

Caelan approached carefully. Jareth pointed out where they had already searched. "We think she's somewhere west of Surinar Vale. I don't think they took her very far, a Goblin girl that far off the border would have provoked at least some comment and speculation in Iftanzel. It is my opinion that she's being held somewhere here," he indicated the area near Umbrean.

"If I may… my luggage?" he looked over at the Spymaster. That gentleman nodded to one of the warriors, who brought forth his travel bag. "I brought some detailed maps of the border for your perusal." He rummaged through the bag, finding the map he was looking for and spreading it on the table. As he did so, one of the little Goblins stepped up to the table to watch. Suppressing a shiver at the razor-sharp claws and teeth on the little creature, Caelan pointed out the area Jareth had indicated.

"This is the town of Umbrean. The Viceroy of this area is an old friend of mine. It has a Visitor Center. Do you have an Elf you can trust? One that is willing to transport there and deliver an inquiry?"

"We have something better," said a voice behind him. He turned to see a Goblin man with curly golden hair holding a communication array. "I assume your friend has one of these?"

Caelan smiled, "He certainly does. Good. Let's see if he's home." He manipulated the crystals to dial in to Rorthe's array. To his relief, his friend answered immediately.

"Sire? To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Old friend… I need your help."

"You have it. What can I do?"

He glanced around the room. "You've heard about the Goblin Army?"

Rorthe nodded gravely. "Yes. Heading for Fellmark. Why the hell would they be attacking us now? I don't…"

"Xensor. Xensor Dai is why."

"But… Cae, this is crazy. Last I heard he was rusticating somewhere after letting himself get captured by the Goblins..."

"He came to me about two years ago… wanting his command back," Caelan replied. "I refused him. Needless to say, he was quite annoyed with me."

"Well, he always was a legend in his own mind. So… you pissed him off. What does that have to do with the Goblin Army?"

"Because that idiot decided that the best way to get his command back was to start a war. A war with the Goblins."

Rorthe's face turned pale. "Oh, Goddess… you mean that little blonde girl was telling it true?"

Caelan's gaze sharpened, and he could hear the people in the room around him almost snapping to attention. "You've seen her?"

"I saw the message. I thought it was some kind of ruse, what with the Goblins marching on Fellmark," said Rorthe, his voice grave. "Are you telling me she's really…"

"Princess Helena, of the Goblin Kingdom. Yes."

Rorthe looked back at him in shock. "Then that means… he was going after Illiana…"

"Yes."

The dark haired Fae on the other side of the array shook his head in dismay. "Sweet Danu, Cae… they took the Goblin Princess? Jareth's going to kill us… kill us all…"

"Not necessarily," came the cold, clipped voice behind Caelan. Jareth had moved to stand behind him. Rorthe's eyes got wide.

Caelan hid his inner amusement. "Rorthe, I'm working with the Goblin King to get his daughter back. I need your help in this. Everything points to Xensor being somewhere along the border near Umbrean. A manor house or large farm. I need to know if you've seen anything… extra troops, unusual activity, anything."

Taking his horrified gaze off the Goblin King and looking back at Caelan, he shook his head. "It's been quiet. Nothing out of the ordinary, at least hereabouts. But… if I had to guess, I think he's closer to Fellmark."

"Why do you say that? Fellmark is a diversion… he wants the Goblins to attack there."

"Yes, but… how better to prove his 'worth' to you than to muster his men and lead a defense of Fellmark? Even if his forces are pushed back, he'd still come out of it looking like a hero. You would have been hard pressed to deny recommissioning him in that scenario. Hold a moment…"

Rorthe rose from his seat, the sounds of rummaging carrying through the array. He returned to his chair, carrying a map. "Surinar Vale… right on the border of all three Kingdoms. North of the Vale is Dwarven territory. Goblin allies… and too populated to hide the girl for long. East is Goblin… they'd already have searched there. But West…" He perused the map more closely. "There's a Goblin town over here, about fifty miles West of Fellmark. Philliston I think it's called. Just over the border there are manor farms, mostly owned by Army officers. That message… the girl mentioned an officer. Maybe you should check back with Haorsham, the Hall of Records. Find out if that officer owns a manor over there."

Caelan nodded in agreement. "I will. Rorthe, how many men do you have available?"

Rorthe looked uncomfortable when he responded, "I… sent a large contingent of them to Fellmark… they asked for help, so I…"

"Understood. Call them back. We may need them."

Rorthe looked back at the Goblin King, "Uh… Caelan… is that…"

Jareth leaned forward, "I have called my Army back, Viceroy. They will not be moving on Fellmark. They merely stand ready to hear confirmation of where my daughter is before moving out."

Caelan nodded in agreement. "I vouch for that, Rorthe. Call your men back. We may need to perform a joint rescue operation and I… don't really trust anyone else but you with this."

Rorthe bowed his head, "As you command, Sire. And I will make my own inquiries, perhaps we can discover more information. Whatever I learn, I will pass on to you immediately."

Caelan gave him a thin smile, "I thank you, my friend. With any luck, we might be able to stop this bastard."

With that, the array went dark.

Jareth looked at him with faint unease. "Are you sure you can trust him?"

Caelan smiled, "I should hope so. His daughter was my Queen."

Author's Notes:

Here you can see the aftereffects of so many centuries of conflict. Caelan thinks to himself that he shouldn't care about the pain the Goblins are going through... but he does. Jareth is mistrustful that any Fae would give a crap about a Goblin girl and is wary.

And make no mistake, what Caelan did is dangerous. By formally offering himself as a hostage, Jareth is within his rights to kill him if Helena dies. No Fae kingdom could protest it, not even his own. That's why Garthan was so hesitant to believe it... it was utterly shocking.

But now, two 'enemies' are putting aside their preconceived notions and coming together for a common purpose.