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Chapter Fourteen
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Eric paced back and forth at the wall. The tracking crystal led him to a dead end and no matter what he tried, where he looked, or what alternate entrances he investigated he found no other way that activated the crystal as well as this one spot, at a dead end. At one point he even considered the possibility of an illusion and ran his hands over every reachable point of the stone wall but it was solid to the touch...without any sconces or cracks or anything to indicate a secret passage.
"Son-of-a-bitch," he mumbled quietly in frustration. Eric knew he was close, could practically feel Lizzie and the crystal blinked every second as long as he stood in a certain five foot radius of this wall. He knew he wasted precious time but he just couldn't figure out the trick of this wall. Sounds of Jareth's battle faded long ago as the crystal lead Eric deep within the structure. Eric counted at least five levels he'd descended during his search, each level darker, danker, and less comforting than the last; definitely dungeon territory, a thought which pissed him off to no end as he thought of his Lizzie trapped here.
Voices and footsteps at a distance rapidly growing louder made Eric spin from facing the puzzling wall. Someone approached, many some ones by the amount of noise; Eric paused listening and could fainting hear Jareth cursing and demanding to know where he was being taken, then shuffling, impacts like someone being stuck—likely Jareth, then footsteps again and no more Jareth speaking. Eric anxiously watched the base of the stairs at the end of the hall about fifty feet away and wasn't disappointed when a group of Fae man stomped down the staircase dragging what appeared to be an unconscious Jareth in the middle of their large group.
'Shit, guess my diversion is over, this must've taken longer than I thought.' Eric thought as he watched the group march down the hall straight for his position. Unsure of their destination, he waited until the last moment to run out of their way as the group stopped exactly where Eric had stood facing the mysterious wall. Sure enough a slumped Jareth was supported in their midst looking the worse for his efforts and a surge of pity welled in Eric for the man whom he'd hated for so long. He might still hate Jareth but Eric wasn't a complete bastard and couldn't stand to see such a strong, confident man laid to waste; that and he was their main hope for getting back safely if he couldn't find Lizzie, which left Eric to finish the mission. A mission he was quickly feeling overwhelmed by as he had no magic and no way to figure out how to get through that damn wall!
"Keep him close, it'll only be open for a second." One of the men announced and Eric perked up at those words, the other men muttered their agreements and hitched Jareth higher in their grasp. The first man whispered some chant in a language Eric didn't understand then a six by six section of the stone wall shimmered and evaporated revealing another chamber beyond.
'Well I'll be...' Eric thought stunned at the blatant display of magic. Even after so many years adapting to Sarah's new life and world he still had trouble grasping the plausibility of real magic and that disbelief cost him as he delayed just long enough following the group. He sprinted the ten feet separating him from the wall but met rematerialized rock, his open palm slapping the stone until his skin stung. "No...Lizzie..." he moaned agonized that he'd lost his chance then he realized that the same men would leave soon and while he might have a chance to enter then he most certainly didn't want to be trampled or discovered by them on their way out. He would have to wait, to bide his time and hope that another would enter soon then he wouldn't be so foolish to waste that opportunity.
"Hang on, Honey...I'm coming, Daddy'll be there soon." He whispered to the wall before backing away to the opposing wall to wait for however long it took.
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Lizzie watched from her prison as Cashel's lackeys roughly dragged Jareth into the hidden room. Her heart clenched in terror at the sight of an unconscious Jareth being manhandled by the half-dozen Fae men. She was brutally reminded of his stabbing by her father years ago and how he weak he looked as he slowing bled to death.
"Jareth?" She called out from her cage as the group scuffled passed her. "Jareth?" She said again, louder and scrambled from her rumpled cot closer to the bars, careful not to touch them.
"Quiet! Don't want us coming in there do you?" One of the men shouted at her and she flinched, her mouth shut but she refused to back away from the bars. She intently watched as the men maneuvered the limp Jareth onto a flat, wooden table then attached metal shackles to his wrists and ankles while wearing protective gloves. Where ever Jareth's clothes bunched and exposed skin the metal burned and within moments Lizzie could smell the scorching and cringed.
"Argh!" Jareth yelled, waking with a jerk and straining against the shackles which gave him little freedom of movement.
"Eh! None of that!" One lackey ordered and punched Jareth soundly. "You'll wait patiently for Lady Fiana to have her fun with you."
"You'll regret that." Jareth stated calmly, spitting blood while he deftly maneuvered the manacles until his clothing protected his skin.
"Oh, will I now?" The man leaned down into Jareth's face. "And when's that exactly? Before or after the Lady gets finished with the likes of you?" Then the man stepped to the side and pointed to Lizzie. "Or with her perhaps?" Jareth rotated his head until he looked directly at Lizzie not twenty feet away.
"Lizzie!" Jareth shouted and jerked his restraints earning several more strikes from the same man.
"Jareth!" Lizzie couldn't keep herself silent any longer as the impacts landed and Jareth's entire body spasmed in response; she heard his pained grunts and the jangle of the chains. If they'd captured Jareth did they have her mother, too? What happened? How'd they capture him? What did they plan to do with them? Lizzie started pacing inside her small cage as these thoughts swirled and her anxiety increased. She hated seeing Jareth weak, she could just sense his magic as a flicker of its usual strength and didn't understand if the iron interfered or something worse occurred that weakened him.
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The burning pain that woke Jareth was nothing to the heartache that pierced him to see Lizzie caged in iron merely feet from him while he lie powerless to help her. To know that she suffered because of his choices and errors weighed the guilt more and he swore to himself he would see her safe no matter the outcome. Jareth ignored the impacts raining upon him, feeling the skin of his face split open and blood flow and instead focused on assessing the situation, searching for his conjured crystals in Eric's possession. He wondered that Eric had not found Lizzie in all the time given to him and feared for his welfare. Unfortunately, due to the iron surrounding him and his lowered reserves of magic, Jareth could find no trace of his pre-conjured magic.
"You're right subdued now, aren't you?" The man said to Jareth, his voice scathing after his punches ceased and Jareth lie still, his eyes closed. He added one last punch causing Jareth's head to snap sharply before leading the group away. As they marched passed Lizzie several of them leered at her and one made a crude gesture but she refused to back away or lowered her gaze, standing resolutely in her prison until the men exited through the wall just as they had entered.
Once she was certain of their privacy Lizzie moved as close to the bars as possible keeping her skin clear and called for Jareth keeping her voice short of yelling. "Jareth? Can you hear me?" His head rotated back towards her slowly and even at their distance she saw that he was in some pain.
"I'm awake, Lizzie. Are you well?" He asked and Lizzie heard the faint note of anxiety in his voice which she knew he attempted to control mainly for her sake.
"Yeah, I'm okay. Mostly they tossed me in here and left me alone." She answered. "You don't look so good though."
"Well...my plan has taken a bit longer than I'd hoped and I've used my reserves." Jareth stated blandly. He felt ridiculous chained and currently helpless.
"Plan?" Lizzie asked.
"I won't go into details presently but things haven't worked out quite as I'd thought."
"Oh...but there's still hope...right?" Lizzie asked and Jareth heard his little girl with the young woman's voice.
"Yes, of course, Lizzie." He insisted before adding. "It'll just be a bit different than I envision, I'm sure. This is just a temporary setback." He assured her while wondering where the hell Eric was and what was taking him so long. "Just temporary." He repeated and shifted on his wooden table making the chains rattle.
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The two simultaneous Wish Invocations pulled Sarah from one side of the world to the other, both chose to challenge the Labyrinth and Sarah returned to the castle with two young children to watch over. She placed both in an enchanted sleep in the Transformation Chamber after manifesting cots for them both to sleep on until the end of their thirteen hours. She had just materialized in the throne room surprising Sal, Scarvy, and Alia when three more Wish Invocations fell upon her and she departed to collect the Wished Aways and Runners after the pain of the magic lessened. Each of these accepted the challenge, too and she deposited the three new children in the Transformation Chamber as two more Wish Invocations occurred.
"No!" Sarah cried falling to her knees in the round chamber, the spelled children undisturbed by her distress. "Cashel, you bastard!" Sarah panted as the pain swept through her. "Labyrinth!"
'My Queen.' "How many Runners can you manage at once?"
'That is unknown. There has never been more than one Runner at a time during the Game.' "The bastard is trying to overwhelm us. If he can get one Runner though it'll weaken my Bond with you; he's assuming you're still trying to break free."
'That seems likely. There is another aspect. I don't know the limits of my power, if there are any but if he continues to send Runners, even if none succeed this will weaken you. He may send others to attack while the Runners are in the Game.' "I've considered that. Alia is marshalling our forces...such as they are. We were never created as a true kingdom; we don't have a standing army."
'I will do what I can to encourage the creatures of the Labyrinth to repel any invading forces but what you want to do about the Runners, my Queen?' "Trick them, do whatever you can to keep them from succeeding while I respond to the Invocations. We cannot allow any weakness. If necessary...cheat but do not kill them. They're victims in this as well. I must go; I've already stayed to long." Sarah stood and snapped her fingers, vanishing from the Chamber as The Labyrinth responded to her last statement.
'As you wish, my Queen.'
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Wish Invocations continued for several more hours until Sarah was beyond exhaustion and into her second wind. Barely enough time existed between Invocations for her to collect the Wished Aways and Runner...for they were all Runners...and respond to the next Invocation. Finally, after nearly ten hours no more Invocations occurred and Sarah teleported from the Transformation Chamber to the throne collapsing to her hands and knees.
"Your Majesty!" Alia exclaimed and flew to Sarah's side. Sal and Scarvy jumped up from their seated positions on the floor and rushed to join Alia, their weapons and chain armor clattering. Hours earlier they'd dressed for battle in light weight chain mail and leather armor, adding various blades and deadly hand weapons and until Sarah's arrival they'd waited, restlessly, for something to happen.
"Sarah! Are you alright? You look awful!" Sal blurted before thinking.
"Thanks," She answered snidely but it lacked her usual fire. "I'm done in." Sal and Scarvy stood to either side and helped her stand.
"Alia's filled us in on what she can." Scarvy said. "So how many Runners are there now?"
"Labyrinth?" Sarah asked aloud.
'Eighty-four and the first has approximately three hours remaining but is less than halfway through. I've been successfully distracting him during your absence.' The Labyrinth stated for all to hear for the Queen's convenience causing Sal and Scarvy to jerk and look up and around, shock evident on their faces.
"What the hell was that?" Sal exclaimed beating Scarvy. Sarah gave Alia a pleading glance which Alia quickly understood. Her Queen was beyond tired and had no time for questions.
"It is the spirit of The Labyrinth, the being itself, the source of Her Majesty's magic. Usually it only speaks to her Majesty the Queen but can make itself known to any when it chooses." Alia stated then flew back to Scarvy's shoulder where she landed and gripped the collar of his shirt. Scarvy automatically reached up to touch her lightly before focusing on supporting Sarah.
"Oh...well...okay then." Sal said then switched to medic mode. "Sarah, you're exhausted. You need to sleep."
"There's too much to do." She mumbled, already falling asleep where she stood, head lolling against Sal.
"Right," Sal answered drawing the word out. "We'll look after everything, make sure no one gets into the castle but for now you need to rest."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Alia prodded. "I agree you must rest even for a short time." Sarah nodded weakly too tired to argue. Wish Invocations drained a lot of magic and physical energy, she'd never experienced a drain of this magnitude, fortunately her Bond with the Labyrinth was primary and the Invocations part of the source magic otherwise she'd never be able to complete so many and remain conscious.
"Alright, just a little while. We have to be ready." She mumbled again as they escorted Sarah the long walk to her and Jareth's private chambers. They laid her down, fully cloth, upon her bed and instantly heard snores.
"I guess we win this round." Sal joked earning a baleful stare from Scarvy. "What?"
"Look," Scarvy said, "Let's leave her alone for a bit while she rests and see what else we can get ready cause this isn't over."
"Right." Sal agreed and they filed out of her room returning to the throne room before Scarvy called out to the Labyrinth.
"Labyrinth?" He said with a cringe. He felt ridiculous talking to thin air.
'William Scarvy.' The strange alto feminine voice answered in his head and ears simultaneously and chills raced down his spine.
"Uh...hey...we need to prepare while the Queen rests. Any ideas, can you help with that?" He asked trying to keep the confidence from seeping from his voice. Sal's eyebrows arched but he kept silent.
'I can. I've already began gathering my various residents and the goblins should be of great assistance.' "Goblins? How?"
'You will see. They are quite resilient creatures, difficult to kill.' As The Labyrinth explained this dozens and dozens of goblins of various sizes streamed into the throne room and filled the hallway beyond, all wearing mismatched armor and carrying odd weapons. Sal and Scarvy backed away from the disgusting looking creatures until they stood back against a wall but Alia zipped over the goblins' head unafraid.
"Look! They're here! They're here to defend their Queen!" Alia cried out in joy, her glittering wings reflecting the evening sun shining through the one large window. And the numerous goblins responded to Alia's enthusiasm with calls and banging of weapons, armor, and shields until the entire room clanged with metallic resonance and shouts.
"We help Queen!"
"Queen need us!" bang!
"Goblins kill!" bang! Bang!
Sal and Scarvy looked at each other, smiles slowly spreading and their stances relaxing. "I guess we've got our army." Scarvy said Sal nodded with enthusiasm as they both joined in the shouts and banging.
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Cashel stood on a large hilltop with dozens of his loyal men at the outskirts of the physical border of The Labyrinth's lands overlooking the chaos which they'd unleashed upon the Goblin Kingdom and its Queen. Nearly a hundred Runners navigated The Labyrinth presently, each motivated by fear instilled by Cashel and his men to succeed or lose their loved one in the attempt or their lives if they did neither. Determined to wrest control of The Labyrinth away from Jareth and his bitch once-Mortal queen, Cashel had spent the last ten hours teleporting throughout the world above forcing Wish Invocations to overwhelm and weaken the Queen before starting the next phase of his plan. While she was busy recovering and dealing with so many Runners he and his men would invade the castle proper.
Cashel planned to take the Queen by surprise and either force her to relinquish control of The Labyrinth to him or kill her outright and take control of The Labyrinth once she was no longer an issue. Cashel was quite certain his intimate knowledge of the ancient magics would allow him to best the Goblin Queen who would normally be much stronger than he, but circumstances were altered. His grandfather's own creation made sure of that. Cashel possessed detailed information that not even the Goblin Queen knew and he would use it to defeat her, to suss out her weaknesses and those of his former ally, The Labyrinth.
"My Lord, the last Runner is well into The Labyrinth. All is prepared and we await your word." Gethin stated solemnly to his lord after approaching and placing himself down on one knee. Cashel nodded without looking down to his man.
"Very good, Gethin. You've communicated with those at my holdings? The prisoners are still secure?"
"Yes, my Lord, as a few moments ago."
"Good, good...well then...let us begin so that I may obtain that which is rightfully mine." Cashel announced. "Give the word that I will be teleporting everyone en masse soon and to gather closely together so that all are touching."
"Yes, my Lord." Gethin stood and began spreading the word and Cashel's men quickly began closing ranks and huddling close in preparation for large teleportation spell.
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Jareth heard a whooshing sound behind him and strained his head trying to see what happened before he focused on Lizzie's frightened visage which looked away from him and towards the source of the noise.
"You..." Lizzie said her strong, disdainful voice contrasting with her scared expression.
"Is that anyway to speak to a friend, my dear Lizzie?" Fiana answered and Jareth froze his motions to try to see her. He'd hoped never to see her again but knew it to be futile. Nothing would keep Fiana away once he was under her control.
"Fiana, stay away from her!" He shouted intending to draw her to him away from Lizzie and Fiana, ever tempted by Jareth, complied walking to his side without another glance at Lizzie. Jareth watched Lizzie fumed inside her cage as he put himself in danger and saw a bit of her mother peeking out in her physical mannerisms. Sarah never could abide see her loved ones suffer, Lizzie would be no different but Lizzie now understood her limits whereas Sarah never acknowledged that she had any.
"My my, Jareth...so protective and she isn't even yours." Fiana ridiculed as she came closer to his bound body.
"She's the daughter of my heart if not my blood." He answered proudly and heard Lizzie inhale at his words. He knew that she knew how proud of her he was and how loved but he never told her those exact words, ever the fool he realized he should've expressed his full emotions to her years ago.
"Your heart? Yes, let's speak of your heart." Fiana said conversationally as if they sat over tea and not in a dungeon with iron surrounding them. Iron which sapped at Jareth's already diminished magic and strength, burning any exposed skin. He knew Fiana felt the iron's weakening effects as well just by being near it but she was at full strength and not likely to care.
"Fi, please..."
She slapped his face hard enough that a reddened, swollen blotch formed over his cheek. "Don't call me that! You don't ever get to call me that again!" Tears sprang to his eyes once he opened them again and beyond Fiana's hovering body he saw Lizzie pacing in her cage deftly avoiding the bars, her hands clenched at her sides and her face a mask of fury. Where the devil was Eric? The man had better not have gotten lost or killed when his daughter needed him the most.
Then Fiana's hands caressed his face and she planted warm kisses over the injured cheek. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to hurt you. I just get so upset with you sometimes, my Love." Fiana cooed in his ear before moving lower to his chest where she began untying his shirt.
"Fiana, what are you doing?" He protested.
"I've missed you, Love and I know you missed me, too." Fiana exposed his chest, ran her hands over his pale skin and bent lower to bestow open mouthed kisses along his throat and sternum and tease his nipples. Jareth jerked in surprise as her mouth fastened on his chest, feelings of revulsion coursed through him even as he felt his body respond and stir. He tried to reach through his Bond to sense Sarah but felt nothing, likely due to his diminished state. He turned his face towards Lizzie hoping to send her a look expressing his violation and distaste, what he noticed was Lizzie leaning towards her bars farthest away as if touching someone and a slender thread of hope blazed within him. Was her father inside the room? Had he managed to find them?
"Tell me you love me, Jareth." Fiana coaxed in a soft voice, her hand trailing down his body until it found its goal and wrapped around his semi-hard member through his leather pants.
"Fiana, please don't do this." Jareth said in a voice just short of begging. She squeezed him harder until there was nothing but pain firing and he grimaced and jerked his hips.
"Tell me you love me." She commanded in a harsher tone and her fingernails dug at his tender flesh through the tight leather. Jareth said a quick prayer that Sarah would understand.
"I love you, Fiana." He answered dully and refused to meet her eyes.
"That didn't sound very convincing." She unfastened his pants so she could wrap her hand around his now flaccid manhood. "Perhaps you need more motivation." Fiana stroked and pumped his manhood and it stirred slightly but remained no better than slightly less flaccid. Jareth gritted his teeth, determined to think of anything revolting to keep his physical reactions from overwhelming him. He would not allow himself to respond to Fiana's ministrations; a unique challenge as he was a virile Fae man. He dared not even think of Sarah as he knew his body might likely respond to Fiana's delight.
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Lizzie watched in horror as Fiana tortured Jareth, using his own body's normal reactions against him. She watched his jaw clench and his eyes close in emotional pain as he resisted Fiana's teasing and coaxing. What did she want with him? Why this violation and rape? Frustrated tears leaked from her eyes as she paced, the iron making her skin itch. How she wanted to claw her way through the bars and rip Fiana, the woman who claimed to have been her friend, to visceral shreds. How dare she harm her and her family. If only she could find a way out of this rat prison, if only...
"Lizzie..." A voice whispered close by. The voice so low pitched Lizzie thought at first she imagined it. "Lizzie." Again, the whisper, and Lizzie turned her head towards the sound, cautious that Fiana not be alerted to her movements and saw her father standing behind her where Lizzie's own body had hidden him from Fiana's view if she might turn and face Lizzie's cage.
"Dad?" She said incredulously, staring at her father who held one crystal while another lie at his feet.
"Yes," He said with an obviously relieved smile. "I'm here to take you home, just grab this crystal with me." He urged quietly and Lizzie lunged forward then stopped herself just before she grabbed his hand stretched through the bars holding the crystal.
"But what about Jareth?"
