.
.
Chapter Fifteen
.
.
The throne room, already a mass of animated and agitated goblins, erupted into full fledged hysteria once Cashel and his men unexpectedly materialized inside the large chamber. Hoggle, Sir Didymus, and Ludo arrived just prior to the attack and threw themselves into the melee with Mortals Sal and Scarvy fighting alongside them; Alia darted in and about creating chaos where she could. The Labyrinth alerted its Queen to the sudden danger, waking her and Sarah prepared to teleport to the throne room to confront this invasion.
"Labyrinth, how many?" Sarah asked as she changed into her black and silver battle armor, similar to her Regalia in appearance but far more practical and sturdy with leather pants, and conjured her sword. A few hours of sleep warded off the worst of her exhaustion and adrenalin sped her blood but she knew that benefits were temporary and her weakened magic worried her.
'
I count four dozen Fae men with Cashel and we still have over 80 Runners active. I've sent three home and the Wished Aways await you for their Transformation. Cashel is determined to see you defeated or dead, my Queen.' "He won't succeed." Sarah said with a sneer. "Keep watch over the Runners, do what you must to defeat them but avoid harming them if you can." She added before teleporting from her chambers and appearing between Sal and Scarvy who neither jumped in surprise or shock but only gasped in relief.
"About time you showed up!" Sal snapped at Sarah forgetting in the frenzy that she could kill his Mortal hide with a twist of her wrist. Sarah narrowed her eyes for a second before joining the battle, her sword meeting against one Cashel's men's swords with a loud metallic clang. The goblins threw themselves at the invading Fae over and over. However, while the goblins were difficult to kill or even maim to a stopping point neither could the smaller, non-magical goblins gain an advantage over the larger, better equipped, magical Fae but only hamper and hinder the men by their sheer numbers.
Sal and Scarvy held their own in a physical battle but without magic they were over matched by many of the Fae attacking them; this was true as well for Hoggle, Sir Didymus, and Ludo. Although Ludo was able to call rocks he didn't want to risk destroying the castle but he did use his considerable size to his advantage knocking down invaders and disarming when possible. Sarah sought out Cashel in the crowd and pressed her way through the crowd to him. Cashel swung his large, two-handed sword in great, sweeping arcs clearing his surrounding area of goblins, some did not rise again and gradually leathery bodies and dark blood collected at his feet. Anger burned in Sarah at the site of so many of her loyal goblins laid low by him.
"Cashel!" She shouted holding her sword aloft at the ready, her dark hair trailing behind her while numerous goblins swept ahead of their queen. Sir Didymus saw his queen's intention and sped to her side to assist, his small leaping bounds bringing quickly through the skirmish.
"My Liege!" He bellowed ducking below a larger fighter to make his way to Sarah's side.
"Sir Didymus, I must reach Cashel. He's the leader!" Sarah instructed and nodded in the red head's direction. Cashel had seen Sarah's intent and waited for her approach fighting casually at the far side of the room, none of the goblins posing a real threat to him and a few of his men flanked his defenses.
"I will lead the way, Sire!" The old knight declared flinging himself before Sarah with a growl, his lance flying and whirling to knock the legs and knees of any Fae blocking his Queen. Yelps and howls accompanied Fae men jumping and hopping on bruised legs while Sarah hurried passed the distracted enemies in the company of her goblins until she faced her chosen nemesis.
"The Goblin Queen...at last!" Cashel leapt over the remaining goblins separating them and met her, both their swords raised. Sir Didymus growled, jumped up to slip below his guard and attacked Cashel biting his neck, hanging on with like a feral dog. "What's this?" Cashel cursed and flung Sir Didymus from him with a magical force so strong the old fox flew to the far end of the throne room, smashed into the stone wall and landed in a crumpled, unmoving heap.
"Cashel, you bastard!" Sarah cried out after watching her old friend injured by his hand. She conjured a crystal, flinging it at him but he waved his hand deflecting it and it crashed into the wall behind him.
"Temper, temper, Your Majesty." He mocked as he conjured his own crystal and returned fire. Sarah spread her hand to block the attack but the crystal swerved and hit her chest knocking her back several steps. Sarah grunted in pain at the dispersal of power sizzling over her torso but didn't lose her footing, her chest stung. How did he access such power while deflecting her own?
'Labyrinth, how did he do that?' She asked it in her mind.
'I am unsure; he understands something of my magic I suspect.' 'Of course,' Sarah thought as she parried his swing, 'the original spells...he must know things we don't. Well, I'll just have to surprise him.' Sarah launched herself at Cashel, her blade slashing and blocking at his, pushing him back preventing him time to conjure. How long she could maintain this pace she was uncertain and prayed Jareth returned soon as she feared for him, she'd been unable to sense him since she wakened. And she still sensed nothing of Lizzie.
.
.
jsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsj
.
.
The Labyrinth observed the various activities within its boundaries with heightened curiosity and concern. Never had so many Runners challenged it before and the vast magical drain weakened it. The Labyrinth believed itself to possess unlimited power as its limits had never before been surpassed but then never had so many Invocations been initiated in its long history. It believed that true death was beyond it but the immense and sudden drain on its magic alarmed The Labyrinth greatly, as magic was its life source. What might occur if its levels bottomed out? If even one Runner succeeded what would be their fate? It watched its Queen battle its former ally, Cashel, whom The Labyrinth now viewed as an interloper and a threat to its new found peace and future.
The Labyrinth looked outside the castle walls to check on each Runner individually, taking only seconds for the powerful being. Many of the Runners were confused or trapped within the puzzles and physical tricks and traps The Labyrinth set before them with their time running out. Unfortunately, a few craftier Runners found their way through and closed in on the Goblin City and the Castle beyond. The Labyrinth focused its energies on the handful of Runners closing the distance to their goal, creating more difficult puzzles and diabolical traps to stop their progress, a few ending up in oubliettes shifted to capture them. The next hours would determine the outcome for all The Labyrinth surmised with a hint of trepidation.
.
.
jsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsj
.
.
"Lizzie, we have to get out of here." Eric whispered through the bars.
"Dad, we can't leave Jareth!" She whispered back.
"He can take care of himself; he wanted me to get you out of here." He retorted, anxious that the lady tormenting Jareth would hear them and their chance for escape gone.
"Get me out of here first. Fiana has the keys somewhere on her." Lizzie cocked her head towards Jareth to indicate Fiana.
"Lizzie." He cajoled, his eyes pleading with his daughter.
"Dad, please!" She argued gripping his forearm, careful to avoid touching the crystal in his hand. Lizzie could feel the spell within and knew it would instantly transport any touching it directly to their castle, iron notwithstanding as it was conjured earlier and remained outside of iron's influence.
"Son-of-a-bitch." Eric muttered as he withdrew his hand from between the bars and knelt to pick up the invisibility/stealth crystal again causing him to vanish. Lizzie turned away from her father to check on Jareth and saw that Fiana had crawled on top of him and with her dress hitched up passed her knees she straddled his hips. Jareth's pained expression haunted Lizzie as Fiana had produced a knife which she held at his neck. Lizzie decided she'd had enough waiting around, her aggravation and fear boiling over.
"Hey, bitch!" Lizzie yelled from the side of the cage closet to Jareth. "Hey! Don't ignore me!" Lizzie turned and kicked her cot, making sure it rattled loudly. This brought Fiana and Jareth's faces around to face her. Fiana looked irritated, Jareth strained, his eyes pinched partially shut and his lips a thin bloodless line.
"Be silent!" Fiana said sharply without removing the knife from Jareth's neck.
"Screw you!" Lizzie responded and kicked her cot again. "Let me out of here, bitch!" Fiana raised her free hand and cocked her head to one side, her face twisted in anger.
"I hadn't planned on harming you, child. But you give me little choice." A flash of energy erupted from Fiana's hand blasting towards Lizzie. It dissipated partially as it passed through the iron bars but enough remained to strike Lizzie throwing her into the opposite side of her cage. Lizzie screamed as her head struck the iron with a hard impact and sizzled for a moment until she collapsed onto the stone floor, dazed.
"Fiana, leave her alone...your wrath is with me!" Jareth said to Fiana threatened Lizzie and watched in horror as Lizzie flew backwards. He fought his restraints and bucked his hips trying to toss her off but Fiana's weight settled firmly upon him. She refocused her attentions to him from Lizzie, the knife cutting the skin of his throat slightly and a line of red appeared, Jareth growled.
"Now, Jareth, don't give me a reason to end our fun early." Fiana goaded her voice almost flirty. "I would truly hate to harm Lizzie further, she reminds me of myself before you destroyed me." Jareth stilled beneath her, his head thumping back against the wood table.
.
In a resigned voice he responded. "Fiana, I'll do whatever you want, just don't hurt her. For your own memory if not for me." He pleaded and looked into her eyes. What he saw in those silvery gray depths chilled him. The Fiana he'd known and betrayed centuries ago barely existed. This person, this shell of Fiana couldn't be sane. After centuries of the pain he now understood she'd lost her mind, lost any semblance of rationality and he wouldn't be able to reason with this woman. He would only be able to go along with her desires until he could free himself. His magic reserves slowly increased but the touch of iron hampered his drawing upon his power and weakened him physically.
Fiana rocked her hips and ground herself into Jareth's bare groin. He felt his body respond slightly but not enough to please her. Soon she would be angered at his lack of...ability and what would her actions be then? Jareth watched Fiana ride him, keeping himself very still while he considered his options.
'Ironic,' he thought, 'how not so very long ago I'd done anything, had done anything to see this very vision of Fi taking her pleasure in me. Yet now, knowing love as I do I find nothing worthy for myself, only pain and sickness.' Her grip on the knife never wavered but she did seem to lose awareness as she closed her eyes and rocked against him and Jareth patiently waited for some change, some opportunity. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore her for a few seconds while he weight possibilities.
"Oh, Jareth...my Love...how I've missed you...you've missed me haven't you—aahhh!" Fiana cried out and at first Jareth cringed that she might have reached completion while straddling him before he noticed her weight disappear. His eyes snapped open and he looked around to see Fiana sprawled on the floor next to him on the side opposite from Lizzie's prison. She appeared confused and she'd dropped the knife. Finally... Eric must've acted! Jareth's head swiveled to check on Lizzie and saw her standing and watching them anxiously, wisely silent. Fiana tried to stand but an invisible force held her down, her shrill voice echoed in the stone chamber.
"What is this?" Fiana howled struggling against the invisible force and Jareth strained over the edge of the table to watch the fight. He pulled at the shackles restraining his wrists and felt the edge of the iron singe his skin as it slipped passed his shirt cuff and he hissed in pain. Fiana grunted, flung her arm upright with a flash of light and Eric suddenly materialized thrown from where he had been sitting atop her and landing several feet away. A smashing sound echoed in the chamber and Jareth knew Fiana destroyed the invisibility/stealth crystal.
"You...Mortal! You used magic against
me?" Fiana stood looking down upon the slumped Eric than she turned to Jareth. "I sensed your magic in that crystal. Who is this Mortal that you bring him here?" Fiana reached her hand out calling her knife which jumped from the floor flying back to her hand as she stalked the crouched Eric.
"Fiana, wait!" Jareth called out and she spun her head to face him. A tingling started in Jareth's skin and he felt a time slip approaching. Not now! And yet perhaps he could use this. He'd never attempted to move during a slip but if he could adjust his arm just a few inches while he was away he might be able to remove his arm from a shackle.
"What do I care for a Mortal? One who dares touch me in violence? Why should I listen to you, Jareth?" Fiana answered viciously continuing to move towards Eric who scrambled backwards from her, his eyes riveted to the blade in her grasp.
"Dad!" Lizzie yelled tensely pressed against the bars with her clothing protecting her wathcing Fiana threaten her father. Then in her peripheral vision she saw Jareth blink out in a time slip. "Oh no, not now!" Lizzie moaned, "Dad..." This was all going so wrong. She tried drawing on her power to manifest a crystal but it sputtered and the half formed crystal shattered in her palm. She just wasn't strong enough to overcome the iron surrounding her. Her father continued to crab-crawl backwards from Fiana, fear evident on his face.
"I don't think so Mortal, enough." Fiana twisted her wrist flinging a bolt of power at him and freezing him place. "Stay still so that I may kill you. Watch, Jareth, as I destroy your Mortal." Fiana faced Jareth and found him missing from his shackled prison. "Jareth?
Jareth!" She rushed back to the table, forgetting Eric, and dropping the knife in shock. He was gone...vanished! Impossible, the iron impeded his magic and he was yet too weak for any physical escape...How? Fiana ran her hands over the wood, stunned disbelief writ over her face.
"That's right, bitch! He's gone!" Lizzie jeered. She'd felt Jareth's time slip ending and braced herself for the result.
"Impossible." Fiana mumbled half lying upon the table, disappointed tears filling her eyes. So long she waited for his return, so long she craved his touch and he vanished. She was choking! Something strangled her, tight around her throat; Fiana pried at Jareth's hand, her fingers tugging at his larger ones. Jareth tightened his hold upon her slender neck, squeezing until he heard her breathing diminish to a wheeze. He pulled her face close to his and saw alarm bloom in her eyes. Fiana mouthed his name as in benediction, tears still running over her cheeks.
. . . .
"Release the Mortal." He said through gritted teeth, barely keeping his temper in check. "NOW!" He closed his grip further on her neck and she squeaked as his nails broke her skin. Fiana raised her hand without looking and with a flourish Eric was freed from his suspension.
"Thanks, that was—"Eric blurted before being interrupted by Jareth who continued to stare and grip Fiana.
"Get over her and free me!" Jareth commanded and Eric scrambled up from the floor to obey while bristling at Jareth's tone. Jareth maintained his hold on Fiana while Eric searched her person, found the silver keys to the shackles and Lizzie's cage on a chain around her neck hidden beneath her high collared dress. After a couple tries Eric was able to free Jareth just as Fiana wrenched herself from of Jareth's grip. Jareth rolled off the table and refastened his pants in one smooth motion all while maintaining eye contact with a coughing Fiana. Eric ran passed Fiana giving her a wide berth but Fiana made no move towards him as she focused solely on Jareth who walked slowly towards her, his shirt dangling open exposing his pale chest and exhaustion clearly etched on his face. Freed from the iron, Jareth felt his power flowing back to him but he was so tired, his edges frayed.
Eric opened the cage door and Lizzie flew from her prison into her father's waiting arms. "Dad!"
"Lizzie, honey!" Eric hugged his daughter close inhaling her scent from her long hair, relieved to have her free. Their reunion was cut short by Jareth still facing off with Fiana.
"Eric, get her out of here." Jareth bluntly ordered.
"But Jareth..."Lizzie started moving towards him but her father grabbed her arm preventing her from moving.
"Lizzie, it's my job to get you back home. No arguing!" Eric said pulling the teleportation crystal from his pant's pocket.
"I'm not leaving without Jareth!" She insisted and Jareth heard her mother's voice underlying her own.
"Lizzie, listen to your father." Jareth said glancing from Fiana to Lizzie's wide eyes, stubborn just like her mother; fissions of pride zapped through him but now was not the time for parental indulgence. Lizzie hesitated, resisting her father's tugging before finally relenting and turning away from Jareth just as Fiana launched bodily into Jareth with a shriek, her nails aiming for his face. Jareth grabbed her wrists keeping her nails from landing but her weight over balanced him and they both crashed to the floor, he grunted upon impact with the stone floor barely keeping his the rear of his head from striking.
"Jareth!" Lizzie cried leaving her father's side to rush to Jareth, careening into Fiana and knocking her off Jareth's supine body
"Lizzie!" Eric yelled racing to join his daughter now sprawled over Fiana. If he couldn't convince her to leave Eric wasn't about to allow his only child to attack this insane woman alone.
"Get away!" Fiana screamed, rolled, and raised both hands which emitted a flare of light.
"NO!" Jareth reached for Lizzie feeling the vast power Fiana drew up and summoning every bit magic he felt within brought forth a shield manifesting between Lizzie and Fiana but the block only incompletely formed and Fiana's power coalesced . Eric launched the remaining distance shoving Lizzie roughly from Fiana as her magic unleashed partially striking Lizzie. The full strength of Fiana's magic collided directly into Eric, slamming him at an incredible speed into the far stone wall. Lizzie landed several feet from her father and tumbled to a stop, unmoving.
"Lizzie..." Jareth gasped then stretched his hand out calling for the knife Fiana dropped earlier before Fiana could look to him. It slid rapidly around the table, skittering across the uneven stone floor to plant itself firmly in his palm. He flipped landing astride Fiana, his legs caging her and before she could conjure another blast he plunged the blade deep into her abdomen, twisting as he pushed.
"AAAHH!" The piercing scream of Fiana reverberated in the chamber, her fingers curled into her palms of her upraised hands, and she stared at Jareth in utter incomprehension. "Jareth?" She murmured, "I love you, why?" She asked as she reached her hands to his contorted face of rage and grief, his mismatched eyes intensely brilliant.
"I'm sorry, Fi." Jareth withdrew the blade, blood flowed freely from the wound, and he saw her eyes flick her injury then back to his eyes and he knew what he must do. "Fiana," Jareth leaned down until his lips hovered inches over hers. Fiana stroked his cheeks with her fingertips then cupped his face between her palms. Her eyes softened and a strange clarity surfaced. "Fiana, Cashel is threatening my kingdom. I need your help."
"Jareth, he'll destroy you and all that you hold dear all in the name of revenge." She whispered then coughed violently. He touched her face with his free hand, the blooded blade held firmly in the other.
"Help me stop him. Help me right the wrong I've done to you both and stop this madness." He gently asked lightly touching her face, her eyes drifted shut.
"I've missed you so, my Love. The pain...my heart knew only pain..." She responded leaning into his touch.
"I know and I understand now how I wronged you. I was a cad to treat you thusly and a coward to run...I've missed you, too...What we almost shared." He leaned down a bit further until their lips nearly met. "I need you, Fiana. I need the original spells that Cashel's grandfather used to create The Labyrinth. I know he has them. Where are they?" He whispered and though he used her he's sincerity was genuine. He once great love lie severely injured by his own hand. Her eyes fluttered open to gaze into his. He was so close, close enough to kiss and her emotions overwhelmed her.
"Kiss me, Jareth." She quietly asked her hands still holding his face between hers. He finished the short distance between their lips and brushed his against hers. "Tell me you love me, please, that you've always loved me." A wavering note shook her voice. He hesitated for a few heartbeats and swallowed thickly and prayed Sarah understood.
"I-I love you." He responded trying to maintain sincerity in his tone. "Tell me, please, where are the scrolls?" He asked gently and brushed his lips back and forth to hers. She released one hand from his face, twisted her wrist, and manifested a bundle of ancient looking vellum rolls.
"Liar," She said softly, reverently and with her eyes still clear Jareth saw a flash of his old Fiana in their depths. "All his work is here, all that you require." He released her face and grasped the scrolls feeling the power humming in the documents.
"Thank you." He told her, their eyes staring directly into each other. "I'm sorry, Fiana. I'm truly sorry I hurt you. I understand now and—"
"Shhh..." She placed her hand back to his face interrupting his cracking voice and his head dipped to rest on her chest. "I know." She ran her fingers through his hair. "Jareth, you must help me now. You must free me from this burden."
.
He nodded against her breast and he sniffed once before lifting his head to meet her poignant gaze and said stoically. "I understand." Then he plunged the knife deep into her heart until only the hilt remained visible; Fiana gasped once, her mouth silently dropping wide and her hands fisting his hair. He waited a short time until her grip relaxed and her eyes dulled before continuing to draw the blade around in a sawing motion, his tears coursing down the sharp planes of face to drip and mix with her pooling blood. Finishing the ragged cuts he discarded the knife with clatter on the floor and used the same hand to dig her heart out until the red, dripping, still organ rested in his palm. Whispering a few words of power he watched as Fiana's heart ignited by internal fire, consumed by it until only ashes remained in his palm which he placed reverently on her chest.
The only way to free a Fae bound by an unrequited Heart Song required the literal removal of their heart and its subsequent burning. Since death found them so rarely, Fae feared that without the proper death and release a cursed individual may carry their pain through the veils to exist for all eternity in the Underworld living with the suffering of the loss of Love. All Fae are taught the appropriate way to complete such a ritual but Jareth never thought he would use it. The seriousness of the Heart Song weighed heavily on his own heart as he contemplated his crime against the woman he once thought he loved.
"Forgive me, be at peace, Fi." Jareth leaned down again placing a last brief kiss to her motionless lips curved in a faint smile then pressed her eyelids closed over her dull gray eyes. He remained in that position for a few minutes contemplating overpowering thoughts of his past and how it shaped him then thoughts of his future and those that needed him intruded.
"Lizzie," Jareth sat up glancing around until he found Lizzie crumpled on the other side of the room not far from her similarly laying father. He stumbled to her; scrolls clutched in one hand and could see that she still breathed as he drew closer. "Thank the gods! Lizzie!" He lightly shook her and tapped her face.
"Wha—Jareth?" Her beautiful eyes opened wide and Jareth almost sobbed aloud in relief, his own eyes brightened with fresh tears.
"We're safe but we must leave quickly." She sat up with his help and as one they turned to look at Eric's still form.
"Dad!" Jareth heard the stress in her voice and followed her to Erics's side. "Dad?" Lizzie knelt next to him proceeding to assess her father, "Jareth, he's not breathing!" Her voice cracked. Jareth knelt next to her and checked for a pulse but found none. Eric lie still, eyes closed and mouth contorted but in his hand he still clenched the teleportation crystal.
"We must return immediately; your mother can help him but we must go!" Jareth firmly insisted and before Lizzie could respond he clasp her hand in his and placed both over the crystal tightly held in Eric's clamped hand. The teleportation spell activation as soon as Lizzie's hand touched it. Her eyes downcast yet earnest while her mouth tightly frowned; Jareth knew he would never forget the deep look of sorrow on her face as she stared at her dead father.
