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Chapter Seventeen
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The pain in Scarvy's head throbbed in a staccato rhythm generating nausea in his gut and double vision once he opened his eyes. His first view of the throne room consisted of silent destruction. The castle structure appeared slightly shifted yet still intact while the contents were no more than splinters. Bodies of either side lie in heaps through the room but few moved and Scarvy heard a smattering of groans filter throughout the room as various beings awoke. He glanced at his immediate surroundings and found Sal still unconsciousness next to him then he remembered with a shock Alia being knocked from his shoulder, her grip loosened in the wave of power cresting through them.
"Alia!" Scarvy ignored his nausea and migraine while he frantically scrambled over bodies searching for the small pixie. He blinked several times to clear his vision as he scanned for the pixie. "Alia!" Having lost his sword, Scarvy used both hands to dig through the disarray of people and objects littering the throne room in his hunt for her. Where was she? His heart clenched thinking he might not find her or worse..."Alia!" He stood upright shouting with all of his breathe.
"Will—"A soft trill sounded several feet away and Scarvy snapped his head in that direction, immediately rushing closer to find the pixie lying twisted atop an unmoving goblin, her glittering wings crushed beneath her.
"Oh, no, God, no...Alia." He collapsed to his knees and gently scooped his palms underneath her wrecked body and lifted her to his face. Her small limbs lie loose in his hands, her wings destroyed and torn. Using his thumbs Scarvy caressed her face lightly, brushing her bright blue hair clear of her bruised face. So small, she was so tiny this beautiful woman lying damaged in his hands.
"Alia, please..." Scarvy pleaded unable to sense if she lived until she shifted her head to look at him, her tiny eyes intend upon his.
"William," Alia whispered raising a weak arm to touch her hand to his thumb and she tried to smile.
"You're alive! Thank God!" Scarvy cried out bringing her close to his chest as he held her safely in his hands, his relief tangible yet temporary.
"I'm sorry I couldn't find you sooner." She said sorrowfully turning her face towards one of his thumbs and he heard her sob harshly, her entire body shuddering.
"Find me sooner? What're you talking about? Alia?" Scarvy watched as her shuddering ceased and her arm dropped to her side. "
Alia?" Oh, God...she couldn't be...Scarvy felt a hole gape in his heart as she stilled in his palms. Never before had he experienced such a severe and unexpected grief for any being in his life and he knew himself to be a man in touch with his emotions. Silent tears tracked down his face; a potent and overwhelmingly urge welled up from deep within him. Not pausing to consider the why's of his action, Scarvy simultaneously brought his palms to his face while leaning down to brush his lips to Alia's face. The barest corners of her tranquil lips touching Scarvy's grieving ones and causing powerful spark to shock him, like static electricity.
Blown backwards several feet Scarvy landed in a heap, dropping Alia in the process. By the time he recovered his senses and he looked up from his sprawled position on the floor, several goblins flattened below him, he saw what he believed to be a miracle. Alia stood in full health, sans wings and in full height of a human woman, gazing down at him. Some vague part of his mind noticed that although she appeared human, her short, blue hair remained and he liked it, as did other parts of his body.
"Alia?" He pushed himself up onto his elbows returning her serene gaze with an ever increasing dumbstruck grin. She smiled down at him, nodding.
"Yes, William." Alia offered him a hand and he accepted it to stand.
"What happened? Y-you...you look human." Scarvy stuttered in awe keeping her hand held in his larger one, his thumb randomly caressing her knuckles.
"I am human, William." Alia smiled wider, stepping closer to him and tipping her head back to look up into his awestruck gaze. His brows furrowed a bit but he never ceased looking into her clear, cerulean eyes.
"How? Why?" He asked and she heard a quaver in his usually self-assured voice. Alia cocked her to one side and Scarvy's heart skipped a beat at her endearing expression. Reaching up with his free hand he cupped her face, gently pulling her closer until their bodies nearly touched. Alia brought her hand up to encompassed Scarvy's against her face.
"For you...For us, because I love you, William, we're destined to be together. It's the way pixies are mated." She replied confidently and he breathed deeply, his body trembling, before touching his lips tenderly to hers—just a light brush, a test—and he felt an intense heat bloom and spread through his body. And then he knew, no doubts, no questions. His entire life led him to this moment and he understood the cause of his former restlessness. Why no previous relationship succeeded; Alia waited for him as his heart searched for her.
"I love you, Alia." He said breathlessly to her lips, dropping her hand so he could wrap his arm around her waist and tuck her tightly to him. Alia moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck, molding her body to Scarvy's. It felt right, perfect to be in his arms at last. The instant she set eyes on him as he lie recovering under the Queen's ministrations Alia knew him. Her Soul flared and Knew him and in Knowing him Alia found bliss in her life's course. She always felt welcome in the Goblin Kingdom but anxious regarding her place, now she understood why fate directed her to stay.
After the Queen's enormous spell ripped her from William's shoulder, smashing her to a wall and she lay dying, Alia feared her only chance at true love gone. But William found her in time and in his grief bestowed upon her the means to transcend her original form, as the magic of her race provided since the beginning of the Underground. His kiss melded their Souls, saving her life so they may start their lives anew together.
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Sal awoke to post battle pandemonium and severe pains in his head and back. His last memory of flying through the air and impacting the wall not the most pleasant, but at least his skull remained intact and his arms and legs still worked—all good. His first conscious thought consisted of how sore he would be for the next week plus; his following thoughts—who was Scarvy kissing so passionately and why did she resemble Alia, only significantly bigger? Watching the embraced couple caused a pang in his chest for his wife, Susan. While only a couple of days passed since he last saw her the time seemed longer and Sal's anxiety to return home washed over him. Scanning the area he noticed Jareth stumbling across the piled bodies, no doubt looking for Sarah and Sal struggled upright to assist. The sooner they figured out this mess he'd be on his way back to Susan. The visit to the Underground was interesting but Sal's quota for interesting topped off and boring sounded really, really pleasant right about now.
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'
Labyrinth?' 'Yes, Sarah?' 'Where are we?' 'The same place as before.' It answered calmly, its voice deliberately reassuring but Sarah's bewilderment intensified as she gazed at the environment surrounding her. She gazed down upon the area beneath her as she soared high recognizing nothing. Foreign colors assaulted her mind, millions of sharp details too rapid to focus upon cut her eyes and she tried to close her lids ceasing the assault then realized she had none.
'But it looks so different; how can it be the same?' Confused, she questioned again.
'It is how I interrupt our world, Sarah.' 'How you see it?' 'Yes, in a manner of speaking.' The Labyrinth stated and Sarah detected a noted of amusement in its tone. She felt light, free, and incorporeal as she experienced the Underground through the Labyrinth; somehow she knew she could touch any portion of the realm with a thought, interact with desire and that rush of power flooded her consciousness with raw energy.
'Is this how you feel all the time?' She asked mesmerized with the level of sensation and influence she felt over the entire Underground.
'No, this is...new.' It answered tentatively. The spell wrought immense changes for both of them and The Labyrinth, while better equipped to comprehend them, sought balance and grounding after so long in a stagnant environment. It's anomalous, new reality frightened rather than relieved it.
'What's happened, Labyrinth? Did our spell work?' 'All too well, Sarah, and now there will be consequences.' It warned, unused to the position of cautionary teller.
'What do you mean?' She wanted it to stop talking in circles and just answer her questions. Possessing the original spells allowed them to unravel the ancient magics which imprisoned the magical being which brought life to the physical labyrinth thereby negating The Game and any Runners or Wished Aways currently bound to The Game. However, in doing so the physical labyrinth was destroyed and the being known as The Labyrinth was partially set free. The Binding could not be fully undone as the original spells called for a Binding but it could be transformed, converted. Together they rewove the spells to Bind The Labyrinth directly to Sarah's soul, which being immortal withstood, barely, the transmutation of power. The Labyrinth clarified all this to Sarah in a single burst of thought as they floated through the Underground gradually drifting back to the Goblin Kingdom. She knew what it knew; it knew what she knew and the transfer of information, instantaneous.
'
We are the same and yet we are different than we once were. We are one and yet we are not. Together we are magic incomparable to any come before us and we are truly immortal.' '
You're finally free!' Sarah exclaimed strangely happy for the being nestled inside her soul.
'
After a fashion, but it will serve me well enough as we learn to co-exist in our new life, I am grateful for your trust.' '
Thank you.' '
Brace yourself...we're nearly home!' It said briskly confusing Sarah again.
'
Wha—' "Sarah! Sarah, wake up!" Jareth's worried pleas filtered to her ears and brain and she woke with jagged suddenness; her eyelids snapped open to see Jareth hovering over her with an expression of horrific grief twisting his features. "Sarah, thank the gods! You're alive!"
"Alive?" She repeated trying to comprehend her situation. She recognized the throne room behind Jareth but at first glance the structure appeared in pitiable condition. The walls leaned while the dust drifted down from the shifting rafters. The hard flagstones dug into her head, the armor protecting her back; she lie flat on the floor and relieved faces of those she loved gathered around and above her—Jareth, Lizzie, Hoggle, Ludo, and even Sal.
"Mom?" Lizzie's young voice reached Sarah's ears and she turned her head from Jareth to look at her daughter kneeling next to her with great tears streaming over her cheeks.
"Lizzie!" Sarah exclaimed at the site of her daughter alive and healthy. Lizzie promptly cried harder throwing herself to her mother's breast, deep sobs shaking her and running over Sarah's armor. Jareth silently watched his two most loved ladies finally reunite thankful that neither was lost to him nor each other; and especially relieved his reckless plan to confront Cashel worked in their favor, eventually.
"Jareth?" Breaking from his ruminations he saw Sarah reaching out for him from her supine position around Lizzie. He grasped her hand holding it between his own firmly placing it to his chest and felt his eyes mist.
"My Sarah, we thought..." He paused to clear his throat, "We thought you'd gone. Whatever that last spell was..."
"An unraveling of The Labyrinth and a new Binding...of sorts." She cryptically explained.
"Unraveling?" He said in awe, squeezing her hand tighter. "Bloody hell, Sarah, I felt your pain through the Bond and the magic feels...oddly different. What've you done?" Lizzie nodded her agreement against her chest but refused to move.
"What was needed, what was required, I'll explain everything in detail but for the present tell me our status here." She said suddenly all Goblin Queen and she pulled Jareth's hand indicating she wished him to assist her to sit up, which he did. Lizzie moved upwards with her mother and Sarah steadfastly kept her arm over her daughter's shoulders refusing to release her.
"Ah, well, Cashel is unconscious from your initial blast and I've already transferred him to the dungeons with the rest of his men who survived. Your spell quite incapacitated them. Deliberate intent on your part, Sarah?"
"And The Labyrinth, it no longer wished to be associated with him or his men."
"Excellent, that solved one of our problems nicely. As for the Runners and the Wished Aways they're...ah...they're gone, all of them." He replied hoping for more answers from Sarah.
"Oh...well, that wasn't deliberate but..." Sarah closed her eyes for a second then reopened them, "Labyrinth says once we abolished The Game within the spells all current participants returned to their origins Aboveground in good health."
"Convenient." He deadpanned with an arched brow.
"How long was I unconscious?" She asked as she looked around at the chaos of goblins and physical destruction of the throne room. Jareth gave her an odd, inquisitive look.
"Sarah, it's been a quite a few hours. I considered moving you to our quarters but I was fearful...that...well..."Jareth trailed off unable to detail his apprehensions regarding her wandering soul and not wishing to alarm either her Lizzie unduly.
"Oh...
OH." She stammered deciphering his meaning and switched back and forth between Jareth's face and Lizzie's. Hoggle cleared his throat having not spoken before then.
"Yours Majesty, Sir Didymus...we can't find him." Hoggle stated quickly, his eyes downcast and Ludo added a mournful howl.
"And there's more, Mom. Dad, he's...he didn't..." Dropping her face Lizzie couldn't bear to allow her mother to see the grief welling up in her eyes.
"No...Eric didn't survive?" Thinking of both Eric and Sir Didymus dead heated her tenacity.
"I'm sorry, Sarah." Jareth pulled her into an embrace giving her a moment to compose herself.
"Where is he? Perhaps we can do something." Sarah announced while Lizzie directed her and Jareth assisted her to her ex-husband's side. Mild dizziness assaulted her as she stood but Jareth steadied her.
"You've never tried after this long and you're weak; do you think it's possible?" He asked supporting her as she knelt at Eric's side.
"I don't know but I have to try." Sarah placed her hands to either side of Eric's face then moved them to his chest as she closed her eyes and searched for The Labyrinth deep within her.
'
Labyrinth, help me heal him. I need to restore him to full health.' '
Sarah, he is Mortal and has passed Beyond my reach.' '
You've healed Mortals before.' '
Not after so long; not with such damage.' '
But...he's Elizabeth's father. Can you do nothing?' '
I'm sorry...I cannot find his soul. His passing is too far.' Sarah breathed deeply then opened her eyes to the expectant gaze of her daughter and the resigned gaze of Jareth.
"I'm sorry, Lizzie, we can't find him." Sarah reached to hug Lizzie who pulled away. "He's gone, Honey." Sarah tried again and Lizzie resisted.
"You always save everybody and now you can't save Dad. You just don't want to!" Lizzie cried.
"That's not true, Labyrinth can't find his soul, it's been too long, and he's already passed too far. I'm sorry!" Sarah tugged on Lizzie's shoulders a last time and Lizzie finally relaxed, collapsing into her mother's embrace.
"Dad! Oh god, Dad!" Lizzie wailed into her mother's chest as she rocked her only child.
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Sarah supervised the beginning of the massive clean-up of the Goblin Kingdom with the assistance of Labyrinth as an ever present whisper in her mind and a burning in her soul. Hoggle and Ludo found Sir Didymus's body buried under several dead goblins, apparently the goblins defended the downed knight at the cost of their own lives. Labyrinth and Sarah again failed to find Sir Didymus's soul and she suspected their inability to restore lives stemmed from more than distance through the Beyond. Something changed in their Binding, something fundamental in the Labyrinth's power and Sarah worried how this might affect them in the future.
'
We are changed, many things will be different.' Labyrinth replied to Sarah's inner musings.
'
Do you know what else changed?' She anxiously asked, careful to mask her emotions to her subjects as she oversaw the steady work. Always the stoic Goblin Queen she dared not allow those dependent upon her to dread instability or indecision in their monarch, especially in such a time of risk.
'
I am unsure. I cannot know with sufficiency until we attempt to use that power.' '
Well...' Sarah had no real response for Labyrinth and her heart shriveled knowing Sir Didymus and Eric forever beyond her reach.
"Sarah?" Jareth's voice broke her connection with Labyrinth and she blinked several times to focus on his inquiring face. "Sarah, the throne room is cleared but we don't know...what do you want to do with our fallen?" His voice cracked on the last word; Sir Didymus a long time friend of the crown, as well as the numerous goblins. Placing a reassuring hand upon her shoulder he waited for her decision as she grappled with her own emotions.
Moments later Sarah met his eyes and said clearly, "Build a pyre." And he mutely nodded with a small frown; he disliked the idea of sending off so many of their own but nothing else to be done for it.
"And Cashel's fallen men?" He asked.
"I'll place a suspension spell on them. I want the Council to see how many Cashel turned to his scheme. Let them deal with the traitors; I want nothing more to do with the lot." He nodded again, a bit unnerved by her cool demeanor but he knew how deeply she buried her emotions for the present and chose not to challenge her on the decision. The verdict on Cashel and his men, living and dead, would be left to the Council. Jareth agreed with Sarah's decision; the sooner they eliminated any trace of Cashel from the Goblin Kingdom the better for all.
"Leave them to me, Sarah." He touched her face lightly with his knuckles and her eyes softened at the sincerity and support he projected to her. Too much, far too much, her lower lip quivered for a few seconds and Sarah feared her sentiments might overwhelm her.
"Thank you." Eyes squeezed shut, Sarah gained control of her emotions while Jareth continuing stroking her face. "I..I—"
"Go to Lizzie, rest, I'll find you when all is finished." He kissed her forehead and his love poured through their Bond in heavy waves along with his concern for her health. She knew he worried for her and suddenly privacy and her bed sounded wonderful.
"Yes, that's a good idea." She leaned upwards pressing a kiss to his lips and sighed. "I'll see you later." Too tired to teleport, Sarah trudged her way to the upper rooms of the castle where Lizzie earlier escaped. Jareth watched his love walk dejectedly into the front gate of their partially demolished castle feeling her exhaustion and grief reverberate in their Bond. He vowed to protect her from any further pain within his power but her new Binding changed the magic and he felt the strangeness resonant in his blood. How this changed for them, for him, time would reveal. Turning he launched from the ground and transformed in a smooth blink and an owl flapped its way to the sky; it took little magic as it was inherent to his Fae nature.
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Jareth soared over the remnants of their kingdom in his owl aspect. Dread suffused him once he saw the extensive damage to the entire Goblin Kingdom and the obliteration of the physical labyrinth. Every stone, every brick once infused with the magic of The Labyrinth lie in dusty ruins surrounding the outer walls of the Goblin City. Sarah's explanation yet pended regarding the new Binding spell but once he saw the ruination Jareth required no further enlightenment of what occurred. The strangeness of the magic now made sense; Sarah Bound the magical being of The Labyrinth directly to herself after setting it free of its earthy prison.
"My Sarah, my Love...what have you done?" He thought and knew the Council would not be pleased.
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Sarah found Lizzie lying in her bed staring at her ceiling with a blank expression plastered on her face. Lizzie still wore her Aboveground clothes when Fiana abducted her just over a day ago; it seemed a longer time. Her own clothes she'd adapted to a more comfortable tunic and pants from her battle armor while en route to Lizzie's room. Sarah still craved a real bath but delayed her desire until she could reconnect with her child.
"Lizzie," Sarah peeked around the edge of her door, "May I come it?" Sarah meekly asked afraid her daughter might reject her after the earlier stresses. Lizzie shifted her head to meet her mother's questing gaze and shrugged.
"Sure." Lizzie replied. Sarah closed the door delicately behind her, approached the bed and sat on the edge where she could reach Lizzie lying in the center.
Placing a hand on Lizzie's thigh Sarah suggested. "Perhaps cleaning up and changing might help you feel better." Then Lizzie returned her eyes to the ceiling.
"Sure it will, it'll clear everything up just like nothing happened." Sarah flinched at Lizzie's bitterness.
"You know I didn't mean that."
"He's dead, Mom. Dad's dead because of me."
Sarah squeezed Lizzie's thigh, "Don't say that! Fiana and Cashel are at fault—"
"Because of me! Because I let them in my life then Dad saved me from Fiana." Lizzie jerked upright, her voice shrill. "Did Jareth tell you that?" Sarah shook her head.
"He did and not just because he came to find me. Dad pushed me away and got hit when Fiana tried to kill me, that's how he died and it's all my fault!" Lizzie's verbal tirade degenerated to hysterical weeping and she collapsed into her mother's embrace. Sarah patted her back and rubbed her hair.
"It's not your fault, Lizzie." Sarah crawled in bed next to Lizzie and tucked her into her side. "There's so much to tell you that you don't know. So much that started before you that I've only just learned, too, listen to me closely, Honey." Lizzie's sobbing quieted and Sarah told her of Jareth's past and gradually Lizzie's guilt lessened and mother and daughter eventually fell asleep in each other's arms.
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Finishing his aerial tour of the kingdom, Jareth returned to the castle and sent a message crystal to the Council informing them of the battle, the cause, and the resulting damage to The Labyrinth and The Game. He requested an immediate security delegation to collect the invaders and expected a response by the end of the day. Next he cast a suspension spell over Cashel's fallen men so their bodies suffered no further decay. Fae being difficult to kill, there were only a few. Then he decided to pay a visit to Cashel; his conscience demanded he confront his former friend a final time before the Council escorted him away.
The dungeons beneath the castle consisted of numerous small cells carved from the bedrock, lined in iron and locked with iron barred doors. Each cell just largest enough for one man and with Cashel and his remaining men imprisoned they occupied most of the narrow cells. Many of his men sustained minor injuries and Jareth treated the more serious as he checked on the men making his way towards Cashel's cell. The rest could wait for the Council's intervention for their minor injuries. After a bit of time he arrived at his wanted destination.
Cashel crouched at the rear of the narrow cell, his head cushioned by his clothing and supported by the wall behind him. His once bright red hair now dingy and framing his face in lanky strands, his previous arrogant demeanor gone in his obviously slumped shoulders. For a moment Jareth felt pity for the man once his near-brother. Jareth approached the iron bars refraining from touching them; he had enough iron near him to last the rest of his immortal life.
"Cashel." He said and the red head pulled his head from the wall and chuckled snidely.
"I wondered when you might come to gloat." He answered but otherwise didn't move.
"That's not why I'm here." Jareth calmly replied which caused Cashel to stand and eye him warily.
"Then why?"
Jareth pursed his lips and placed his hands to the small of his back, pausing for a bit before speaking. "I'm here seeking your forgiveness." The last word snapped Cashel's false ambivalence and in three large strides he rushed to door and grabbed the bars in his gloved hands. Cashel's wild eyes and crazed behavior startled Jareth but he refused to expose himself and stood firm.
"My
forgiveness?" Cashel spat. "You dare!"
"Cashel, I realize now how gravely I wronged you and Fiana and compounded it by fleeing."
"Ha! You state your sins with so little effort." Cashel's harsh bark of laughter coiled in Jareth's gut and he forced himself to concentrate on his goal.
"No...No
little effort." Jareth's eyes dipped for a second then rose to meet Cashel's proudly. He tried to dampen his pride while facing his old friend and now enemy but found it difficult to grasp humility. "Fiana forgave me and she's the one I wronged directly. Is it so much to ask from you?" He queried. Jareth heard the leather of Cashel's gloves creak as he tightened his grip upon the iron bars.
"You killed my Fi after you stole her from me! You'll never receive my forgiveness." He spoke with such bitter finality that Jareth no longer doubted the enormity of Cashel's hate. Jareth stepped closer to the bars and snapped in response.
"She asked me to free her, Cashel. You know I was duty-bound."
"Then you're duty-bound to me as well!" Cashel yelled to his face.
"You're insane! I'll not kill you for my transgression against her. Your fate is for the Council to decide." Incredulous, Jareth backed away from the cell but Cashel lunged out grabbing his shirt collar. The bars brushed his cheek causing the skin to smolder; the imprisoned man seemed not to notice the pain.
"Please, Jareth, you freed Fi...free me as well." Cashel pleaded, his face flashing from anger to desperation. His fist tugging at Jareth's shirt nearly ripping the cloth. Jareth cocked his head, uncertain of the abrupt and unexpected change. "
Please." Cashel repeated frantically tugging harder.
"Cash, what are you saying?" It couldn't be true. He refused to believe all these years Cashel suffered as Fiana.
"I Sang to her, Jareth. Gods help me," Cashel's voice failed and he released his grip on Jareth's shirt, his arm limply hanging through the bars, his face burning against the bars. "A week before our marriage vows we were in the garden, kissing, and I...I couldn't stop myself." His friend's bloodshot eyes drilled into his and tears collected before falling from Cashel's eyes. "She was so beautiful, my Fiana, and I loved her so. I didn't want to wait."
Closing his eyes, Jareth hung his head unable to watch his friend punish himself on the iron. Bloody hell...a week before their vows. Cashel likely Sang to Fiana earlier the same day she ran away from him. If only he'd never approached her, Fiana probably would've Sung to Cashel a week later as she promise for no other reason then to assure her survival. A poor existence to be sure but a far better life than this torture. Cashel's ruthless sobbing tore his heart and his searing flesh prickled his nose. Gods, the damage they caused by their selfish choices and actions. But to kill his former friend, even in mercy?
"I'm sorry, Cash...I can't. Not now, not after what you've done here." He slowly shook his head backing away from the cell. Cashel jerked his face from the bars, burnt skin clinging to the metal, and found Jareth's stunned eyes.
"What? No, you must! Jareth?" His voice exposed tremors of fear. "
Jareth!"
"No, Cashel, you must answer to the Council for your treachery." He replied stoically turning away from Cashel, pain tearing his heart asunder. The Council's verdict would serve all best, he clung to that. He refused to kill his defenseless friend, even by his friend's choice.
"No! Jareth, don't do this! Please, as my friend,
please!" Cashel's pleas battered his ears as he rapidly walked away exiting the dungeon. His knees weakened, Jareth nearly stumbled past the other cells and Cashel's men observed him with razor eyes and silent curses having overheard their conversation. Cashel's voice echoed in the stone cells, his voice pitched hysterically.
"Jareth, this isn't over! You hear me, you bloody bastard! This isn't over!"
