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In A Time Of Winter	By : Jetredgirl Category: G through L > Labyrinth Views: 5645 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from Labyrinth or it's characters in any way. The Original Characters ARE mine, but I don't profit from them either :)

Chapter List
- 13
- 14
After the long session in court Jareth just wanted to sleep. He was tired to his very bones. He would send word in the morning to Sarah what needed to be done for The Deep Mines Kingdom, as well as the other decisions that had been made.
His father had ordered food to their suites before retiring, and Jareth found a heavy silver cloche on the ornate table. He lifted the lid and was happy to find a steaming plate of meat and vegetables in thick gravy, and a warm hunk of fresh bread with a thick flaky crust. He prefered the simple hearty fare to the refined upscale dishes they serve to royalty if one were to seek out the dining facilities in the great hall.
He poured himself a tall glass of water from the jug to the side, and sat down to eat. just as he was chewing his first bite there was a sharp knock on the door. He swallowed his food and turned as a guard stepped in.
"What is it, I'm eating and I'm tired." He snapped. The guard bowed low.
"I apologize, My King, you have a message from King Eriol of the Elf Kingdom. He would like to speak to you privately as soon as it is convenient."
Jareth rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his unruly hair. "What does he want?"
"He did not say. Just that it is important." The guard's head remained bowed.
Jareth lowered his fork and sighed. "Can it not wait until morning?"
The large goblin nodded. "I can send word, My King, that you prefer to wait."
"No. Never mind." He threw his napkin down. "Best get it over with now. I plan to return home tomorrow if it is at all possible. Where does he want to meet?"
"The library, Sire. We will accompany you." The guard opened the door.
Jareth gave a long look to his food, and replaced the cloche. It was spelled to keep food warm, but it was a small comfort to a tired king who not eaten all day.
He wound his way down the halls, stairs and when he arrived at the door to the library, The Elven Guards bowed and opened the doors. He nodded in thanks and entered, the doors being quietly shut behind him.
Eriol sat at one of the ornate tables, sipping at a large goblet of what Jareth assumed was wine. He spied the Goblin King over the rim and sat it down quickly, his hand gesturing to the chair across from him. "Please, sit, old friend."
Jareth moved to the table but did not immediately sit. Rather than, he crossed his arms and glared at the Elf King. "Old friend? Are we? Somehow I doubt that, Eriol. Your actions in the hall say differently to the entirety of the nobility of the underground."
The leader of the Elven Kingdom raised a brow, but didn't take the bait to stand, he just got more comfortable. "You think me wrong. Do you understand all of what I have had to do? Do you think I enjoy it, Jareth? I lost my entire family, Goblin King, a fate I dearly hope you avoid. I hardened my heart because if I did not, there would be no one left to rule my kingdom. We have an even smaller population of Immortals than you do in your Kingdom, and I have little in the way of extended family. A few cousins is all. I now have the task of creating an entirely new family. While yes, the act of creating children may be pleasureable, I take less joy in it than you would like to believe, I'm sure. My consort will birth a son. I have hope there will be more children, but I am older than you Jareth I was sheltered by my family twice as long as you before being sent to training camps. That I will have one heir at all is a miracle."
"Is this why you took such a young one, Eriol? She is the age of my daughters." Jareth moved to sit, and Eriol poured him a cup of wine.
"She is also part human, like your dear Queen. A descendant of a human child you once granted to a family in my kingdom. She is very sweet, but I will not sit her on the throne. I considered it of course, but decided against it. My kingdom is raw and grieving for their Queen, and angry at the mess with Elspeth and Elsian still. There will not be another until my soon to be born son takes a bride. There is no need. If I do not live to see my son to adulthood, he will still be king, but I have made plans for my kingdom to be ruled by a small committee of trusted advisors until he is of age."
"Elsian lives, you know." Jareth answered. "My wife doesn't want him killed, nor do my children." He took a long draught of wine. He chose to not reveal the fact it was one of his children in particular. "I myself would have him a pile of ashes blown to the winds."
"I am aware. My elf told me." the old king answered. His voice was tired as he said it. "Do with him what you will Jareth, you have that right, and I do not claim him any longer."
"Do you care at all?" Jareth had to ask. The boy was his son, after all. Jareth could not imagine abandoning his child no matter what that child may have done.
Eriol laughed but it was a bitter sound."Of course I do. Do you think I enjoyed disowning him? Cutting him out of my life? I had to look into the face of child I raised and tell him I hated him. What choice did I have? You know how Elves are. You know their ways, traditions. One of your own does such things, it is expected they will be turned out. My kingdom would revolt if I tried to make Elsian The Elf King heir."
He stopped and took another large gulp of the heady drink from his goblet. "He is my adopted son, you well know. He shares my wife's blood, not my own. We had to hide that he was sired by a human, as Elves would refuse to be ruled by one. Only his biological mother, my wife and myself ever knew. Until I told him. That my consort has one great grandparent that was born human is now a fact erased from her family line, changed to be made to read as if her great grandmother was a foundling from another remote kingdom. You are lucky. Ruling goblins. They are already hybrid creatures and think nothing of being ruled by other hybrid beings. Elves are all about the purity of their bloodlines."
"Then what was the whole show of openly opposing The Goblin Kingdom in court?" Jareth took another long drink of wine, finishing the glass. Eriol offered to poor him another but he held his hand up to refuse. Another glass would not be a good idea on an empty stomach.
Eriol's face became sad. "Jareth, I realize you do not play court politics, or listen to gossip. I've always admired that about you. You and I, we go farther back than either of us would care to admit. We trained and fought side by side, you were present at my coronation, and I yours. Through everything you have always been the maverick of the underground, thumbing your rebellious nose at the courts and all it's ridiculous games. Marrying a human born woman. I have not been so strong as you. I'm mired in it. The court expects us to be acrimonious, barely speaking, so I play along. My kingdom has been on the verge of rebellion for years. Elves are not like other underground species. They could quite well govern themselves without us. I have to appease them far more than I would like...make no mistake, a growing percentage of the population want that. It's possible someday it will be my head on stake outside my own castle. "
Jareth knew The Elf Kingdom was the trickiest to govern. Elves were partly Immortal, the 2 races having a common ancestry on one side. "So turning Elsian out was done to appease them then."
The Elf King nodded. "In part. Truthfully I can hardly bear to look at him, even if I do care about the boy. Yet he could have stayed in his little hovel in my kingdom if he so wished. I just made sure to make it very difficult to wish it. It was for his own good, but I certainly did not think he would go to yours. I thought he would travel to some unincorporated wild area and wait out his punishment, then find a quiet place and live out his days. Away from courts, nobility, politics. There are still places on the farthest edges of the underground, or in the in wilds, where no one would now him or care who he was.
He paused for several minutes, to the point where Jareth was going to excuse himself, but as he made to rise, the troubled Eriol spoke. "Will you kill him?" He asked almost to quiet for Jareth to hear. "As I said, I understand. I accept. All I ask, if you do, please, will you return his ashes to me. I just want..to scatter them in the place where his sister's ashes were scattered. Close to where Eliana's memorial is."
"I honestly do not know what will happen, Eriol. However, we were once friends. I can honor that request." Jareth stood. "Is that all you wanted?"
Eriol tried to stand, but swayed back and sat down. "It seems I've had far too much wine. I just wanted to explain myself. My actions. In public I'm not sure if we will ever be allowed to be friends as we once were. Too much has happened. Far too many regrets. So much pain. Elsian was a good boy, Jareth. I know you won't believe it. There was always something wrong with his sister. She was always devious, playing with things she should not play with. She enjoyed hurting her servants, animals, and even her brother. He may not think I didn't know but I did. Eliana though...she loved those children, and to her face Elspeth was the perfect child. I covered up to much, hid too much from her about that girl."
"Elsian had choices. Ultimately he chose to follow the dark path he did. I will not regret his death, if it comes to that." Jareth answered stiffly. He didn't like the growing feeling of uncertainly in his gut about the man's fate. If he was forced to, he would admit the feeling did not start with this conversation. There was something deeply concerning with Elsian's willingness to come to The Goblin Kingdom.
For Jareth, any doubts were unusual. He made decisions and stuck with those decisions. He did not believe in regrets. This is how he had governed for almost as long as he had been a king.
Then he had met Sarah. She had softened his hard edges, made him kinder, more willing to find other ways to deal with his subjects. Her love, and his love for her had changed the way he saw his world, his life.
He was still getting used to it, he supposed.
Another silence stretched between the two men. Jareth started to feel awkward, standing there, watching Eriol drunkenly try to rise and fail, then give up and relax into the chair and close his eyes.
"Are we done here?" He asked. "I would like to return to my quarters, and my dinner."
Eriol sighed. "There is little more to say. I suppose I just...I needed to say some things. I have no one else to say them to. Even though we can hardly call each other friends or allies, I thought maybe you would be one person who could see things clearly."
"I see." Jareth answered. "I suppose we cannot call ourselves friends, but I would hope allies is not outside the realm of possibility, if it was necessary."
As Eriol struggled to rise again, Jareth grasped his arm and helped him remain upright. The other king looked surprised, then gave him a grateful nod.
"Guard!" The Elf king demanded. A large man appeared at his side. "Help me to my rooms. I'm not feeling well."
The guard bowed. "Yes, your Majesty."
He took his king's arm and placed it around his waist, leaned the drunken man against him, and moved to cross the room to the library door.
Eriol turned his head to his former friend. "Goodbye, Goblin King. Peace and prosperity upon your kingdom."
"And to you." Jareth replied. He breathed a sigh of relief when Eriol left. He waited a few moments and took his leave, returning to his rooms as fast as possible, a goblin guard trailing close behind.
_
Merkle the dwarf was worried. He was stuck in a small room in the dungeon of Goblin Castle, awaiting the arrival of The Goblin Queen.
"What was I thinkin." he mumbled to himself. "Shoulda jus' found some other place ta' go. I don' owe 'em nothin'."
However, he knew he did owe his brother. The sight of Hoggle's limp broken body after they had killed him, the gaping hole in his chest. The look of fear that had been frozen on his face. He watched as they wrapped the body in hides for transport and laughed as they talked about how The Goblin Kingdom would react. How they mocked The Goblin Queen's future reaction of the loss of the dwarf, cackling at the thought of her tears.
They hadn't know he stuck around to see what would happen. The didn't have a care that he managed to sneak out of the Troll lands as they left, his hand still grasping the traveling crystal they had given him.
He had found a small cave in the wastelands, and stayed there for a couple of days. Then the ground shook and the cave collapsed, forcing him to flee.
He then built a shelter with whatever foliage he could find, living off whatever small rodents he could catch and cook over a small fire. It had been disgusting. He had ended up burning the shelter down several times until he could find nothing else to build it back up with. He ran out of options. He sorely missed his own shack in the Troll Lands, and wondered if he would ever see it again.
At a loss of where to go, he had a revelation. If he went to The Goblin Kingdom, appealed to the Queen even if it galled him to do so, he might get lucky. Hoggle had talked on and on about how kind she was. He decided to take the chance.
He would give her all the information he could give about the Trolls, bending the truth enough that would absolve him of any real blame, and maybe, just maybe, he would be given refuge. It was his only chance to survive longer than a few more miserable weeks in the wastelands.
He hadn't taken into consideration the human born queen would be angry. He thought maybe she would be still be too sad to be angry, and might be happy to see him. Than again he had never come into contact with humans or human born immortals so he had to admit to himself, it was more hopeful thinking.
There was a rattling of keys outside the door and he jumped. It made him swallow hard and he started coughing as the door swung open, the Queen stepping inside followed by a tall immortal with dark brown hair and eyes. He closed the door behind them and stood against it, arms crossed. The queen stepped forward and stood over him as he tried to get his coughing to subside. He heard a whooshing noise, and a glass of water was sat in front of him. He grabbed it and drank, the cool water soothing his throat.
"Thank...you..." He was able to say while catching his breath.
The woman pulled out a wooden chair on the other side of the table and sat, crossing her legs and staring at him. She stared so long Merkle started to squirm under her scrutiny.
He turned away and stared at the floor. "I s'pose you wanna kill me."
"Not particularly." The queen answered. He looked up in surprise. "I'm not fond of taking lives willy nilly. If i end a life, it will be because I believe me and mine to be in imminent danger. Do I need to worry?" She stared at him unblinking.
"No." He shook his head. "I may not likes immortals, but I wouldn't go so far as ta kill one. I jus' stay away from 'em."
"Would you kill another dwarf?" Sarah asked pointedly.
Merkle knew what she was asking. "I didn't kill ma brother. Hoggle was a dummy fer gettin' mixed up with royals, but he was kin. Ya don't kill yer kin. We dwarves don't anyways."
"Sarah raised a delicately arched brow. "Well then...?"
"Them trolls livin' in the mountains done it. I saw 'em. If only Hoggle didn't follow me back. He wouldn't a' been killed. I shoulda known better, nothin' comes for free. But ya probably know hows we are abouts gold." Merkle felt weight on his shoulders begin to lift a little. He didn't even know that heavy feeling was guilt until it lightened. "I stole somethin'. I'm so sorry, Queen, I really am. I didn't want ta hurt no one. I jus' wanted the gold them trolls was offerin' me.""
Her green eyes glittered and she turned to look at the man by the door, who looked surprised as well. She turned back and her eyes were practically glowing with curiosity and suspicion. "What did you steal? Why were they offering you gold? Mekrle, what have you done?"
He explained to her about their crystal he had taken, and what the trolls had wanted it for. She demanded to know every single thing he had seen, experienced, and heard.
She asked him to tell her exactly what they had done to Hoggle, not because she wanted to know, but because she needed to. The words Merkle spoke were painful to hear, so painful the dark haired man stepped forward and silently laid a hand on her shoulder to try and give her some comfort.
Merkle knew the only way he was going to get any mercy was to tell her everything. So he did. When he was done he relaxed into the chair.
"Do you know about the ground quake?" Was her next question. "Do you know where it came from?"
"I felt it, that's fer sure. I can't tells you what it was they did, but they was up to somethin' magical. Wouldn't be too far a stretch to connect the two. Them trolls are nasty sorts."
Srah nodded. She leaned forward. "How could you...just stand there? Why would you let them do that to Hoggle?" Her voice began to rise. "He never did anything to anyone. The butchered him. tortured him. he was your brother!" She was practically screaming by the last words.
"My Lady..." Said the darked haired man behind her.
"No, Caolin. Just no." She jerked away from his comforting hand. Her jaw clenched. "Answer my question." She demanded of her murdered friends' brother.
Merkle felt shamed. He knew he should have done something, said something. He was a coward. He knew that. "I don' know what I coulda done, but I didn't wants that ta happen. Nothin' I can do ta change it now. Kill me if ya want. Don't matter anyway."
The silence stretched to engulf the room after that, the dwarf awaiting his fate.
Sarah sighed. "I'm not going to kill you. There has been enough killing. You will need to pay for your crimes against this kingdom. You stole from us. The crystal you took, it was special to myself and the King. I'm not sure what the ramifications are for the trolls having it, but Jareth will. You will have to explain yourself to him. I don't envy you that. He is not as forgiving as me."
She got up and moved to the door. Caolin knocked and a guard opened it from the outside.
"You will be taken to a cell on the south side of the castle, as those are undamaged. You will have a bed and some food. My husband will return in the next day or two, then more will be decided." She turned on her heel and left the room, followed by the man who had come in with her.
2 guards stepped in. "Let's go, dwarf."
Merkle was led to a small cell, one meant for beings of his size. He was relieved to see a warm cot and a small table and chair, with a tray of food waiting. Warm stew and a large crust of bread. The bread was a little stale but he didn't care. It was food, good food.
It was more than he expected. As the door shut and locked, the sun through the window tho only source of light, he relaxed for the first time in days.
_
Elsian shot up out of bed, gasping for air. "Dear Gods." He said as he sat there, his heart racing. His skin was clammy and hair damp with sweat.
Every time he slept since moving to his new quarters, he had been plagued by nightmares. Voices calling to him, bony hands grabbing at him. Things trying to establish a grip upon him as he fought them off. It had been 3 nights, and whatever brief naps during the day, if he slept long enough to enter dream state, it would start.
He wished he knew what was going on. He had not dreamed in such a way for a long time. Just dull nightmares of his foolish mistakes. These were different. They did not feel like dreams, but things trying to enter his mind.
He just wished he knew what in all l the underground was going on. He was blocked from his magic, but there was something he could feel. Some residue of darkness he sensed. It was like the underground was holding it's breath, and something was about to happen to turn all of their lives upside down and inside out.
_
Harmony walked through the dark woods of the Labyrinth. She had never been afraid of anything contained within though locals spoke of terrible things there. As far as she knew it was all legend to keep the denizens of the inner kingdom and Labyrinth out of it. There were many traps and creatures within that were there for the sole reason to confuse and trap runners.
She, of course, sensed any anomalies before she approached. The Labyrinth never hid anything from her.
Now she knew why. She had always had a connection to the sentient being that none of her siblings seemed to have. They thought of it more as a playground. They were never in any danger, because even if they fell into a trap, someone would fetch them after being alerted by The Labyrinth itself.
When they were younger, they would play games about who could reach the castle first or who could find the most trap, or the least amount. The maze was more of a babysitter than anything.
Indulging the children of its Keepers in silly games.
Somehow, before she was born, The entity itself had made her part of it to save her life.
Harmony felt tears form in her eyes. She found a spot near a tree and sat, picking up stray leaves and absently twirling them between her fingers.
She heard a distant crunching noise, something walking, getting closer. She sent out a tendril of magic to find out who it was. The familiar presence of an old friend made her smile.
A moment later a large shadow hovered over her. "Daughter Har-moon-eee." A deep gravelly voice said.
"Hey Ludo." Harmony said smiling up at the rusty colored beast and finding humor in his unique pronunciation of her name. Ludo was the kindest soul in the entire Labyrinth, and dear to all of them.
She watched as he sat his great bulk down beside her and tilted his head. "Sad?"
"Not really. Well maybe a little. I'm just...in shock I guess. My life is totally different than what I thought it was. Sometimes I wish..." She couldn't bear to finish the sentence.
Ludo opened his arms. "Come here daughter Har-moon-eee." He offered. "Hug."
She leaned into his large body, snuggling into his soft fur as the gentle beast rocked her softly. "Be okay. Always. Ludo your friend. Promise." He said.
Harmony sighed and let the tears flow. "I just wish sometimes, I'd never been born." She was surprised she could say it out loud. "It just seems I'm not worth all the trouble it took. This is all too much. I don't know what I am anymore. How am I supposed to be some sort of hero, or savior or whatever they are expecting of me?" She sobbed.
"No." Ludo answered. "Not say that. Sarah loves, King loves. Loves no matter what. Ludo knows. Ludo was there. Since Beginning. Daughter Har-moon-eee. Ludo loves too. Like own."
Harmony knew in her heart what Ludo said was true. He, and Didymus, and poor Hoggle. Witnesses to the very first moments of the love that made her, and her family. They were there when the seed was planted that became what they are now. That her parents loved each other so deeply and completely was an anomaly in the Underground. The 3 beloved creatures had more faith in her family than she often did.
She fingered the chain she had worn since she was young. The stone Ludo had given her inlaid into her royal necklace. She never felt much like a princess. More like a freak of nature.
She had never doubted herself so much until she overheard her parents talking. Now she just felt...wrong.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to do." Harmony leaned back against the tree, sniffling.
Ludo nodded. "Understand, I think. Young ones learn. Young ones grow. Daughter Har-moon-eee, not there yet. Still need time. Whole life to find out, could be. No rush." He gave her one of those large toothy grins he was known for and patted her hand.
"You know, Ludo. You are wiser than most immortals I know." She said. Her tears were drying. she took a kerchief out of her pocket and wiped her face. She felt like she got something out that had been building for a while. "Promise you will keep this a secret though."
"Secret. Yes. Tell no one." The large gentle friend agreed.
Harmony stood up, so Ludo did. "Walk me to the castle?" She asked.
"Honor." Ludo answered, holding out his arm for her to take.
They walked back, arm in arm.
_
Jareth was trying to leave. Every time he made progress, he was waylaid. Talystra was full of minor nobles negotiating for favors, and it was driving him insane. He wanted to go home. Longed for his kingdom, his wife, his family. Even the goblins. At least they were simple to govern.
"Son," Jastiel stopped him in midstep. "I know it has been a frustrating day, perhaps we should set out first thing in the morning, before dawn and everyone awakens. you got your message off to Sarah...we could..."
"I realize this." "He snapped out. Immediately regretting his harsh tone. "I'm sorry father. I'm worried. Far too many alarming events lately. I need to be with my family. I cannot leave them alone. Sarah is strong, but in terms of the underground, she is a mere babe in the woods." He took a deep breath trying to relax. "I worry too much."
"One thing I have come to know about your wife, Jareth, is to never underestimate her." He gave him a knowing smile.
Jareth smiled. "That is true. Still I do it. She could most likely conquer the entirety of the underground without my help. I better not speak of that even as a joke here."
Jasteil agreed. "Let us go down to see..."
"Goblin King! Goblin King! Your Majesty!" A messenger came flying through the crowd straight at them. "I have been sent to tell you, you must hurry to the court!"
Jareth took a step back to avoid the young man running straight into him. He looked panicked.
"What is it?" Jareth asked, alarmed.
The young servant bowed as he tried to catch his breath. "Reports coming for the Deep Mines Kingdom. The Queen has requested an emergency session. Something terrible has happened there."
Jareth and his father exchanged glances. "I will be there momentarily. Father, as this is an emergency session it will be Rulers only I'm afraid."
"I will return to the suite and await your return." Jastiel said. He watched as Jareth followed the messenger, and when they were out of sight he climbed the stairs once more, knowing it could be another long night for his son.
_
When Jareth arrived, there was an uproar. Much yelling, arms waving. He didn't wait for anyone to fill him in but pushed through the crowd towards the tall dark woman he could see was in the middle.
When he got there the look on Queen Hellena's face was one of shock and despair.
"What is it? Hellena?" He took her hands, seeing she needed a friend, not another king yelling questions at her. She focused on him. "Hellena?" He asked again, softer.
"Goblin King..." Her voice was raspy. she cleared her throat. "Our borders are collapsing and there are...things. My daughter sent me a message. Creatures that no one has ever seen. They are feeding off the living. My people are losing their magic, and many are unable to fight. They are running, hiding in the mines which are protected by the innate magic within the stone there but...it's slowly weakening. These...creatures are feeding off the magic. My kingdom is...dying..."
Queen Hellena slid to the floor, taking her hands from Jareth's and covering her face. "My people..my children..."She moaned.
"Do you hear that!" The King of Crystal Waters Kingdom yelled. "There is something eating away at the underground! Who will be next!"
More yelling, more screaming all around, as The Queen of The Deep Mines Kingdom moaned and lamented on the floor.
Jareth crouched next to her. "Hellena, Do you have any more information?" He asked quietly.
She looked up at him. Her dark eyes full of pain. "Marja, my daughter, she said...the first border to collapse, it was our border that is adjacent to The Troll Lands. Why would they do this? I don't understand? We have traded with The Forest Trolls for many years?!"
Jareth held her hands in his once more. "I do not know, dear Queen. But we will be going to find out soon. Until then, how long do you think the magic will hold? How long will your people be safe in the mines?"
"I do not know, dear friend Jareth. As I said, many were collapsed. How deep they can get, I am unsure. Perhaps a few weeks underground. There is little food, but some water sources if they can get down enough. Underground springs, they could fish there." She answered her voice cracking.
"The creatures are getting stronger, she said. The more they feed, the worse they are to fight. We are strong people Jareth, but how can we fight what we have never known?"
"We must find a way." Jareth assured her. We WILL find a way. If we do not, we are all in danger." His stomach was in knots.
He had not got any alerts from home, so far, but he knew now he must return as soon as he could get a carriage. "Would you like to come to The Goblin Kingdom? We would welcome you. Away from here and all this bedlam. We can make plans to go to Deep Mines."
She nodded. "Yes. Please." She answered. "I will gather my party, my warriors and staff that are here. They will want to go home too."
The Goblin King helped her off the floor, and began to push back through the crowds. "Move, you idiots." He growled. at the other rulers.
"Goblin King!" The head of the council stopped him. "Where are you going? You can't leave!"
"Yes." He faced the man, staring him down. "I can. I will go home. If you do not think I will would gladly burn this place to the ground to remove it from my path to do so, you are sorely mistaken. Hellena will be better off in my kingdom for the time being. She is obviously in despair and all that would happen here is questioning about things she could not possibly know, making her more bereft. We will be in The Goblin Kingdom should you need to contact us further."
He guided the Queen out the door as he motioned to three servants. One to get his father, another to send word for the Deep Mines party to join their queen, and a third to fetch carriages for them all. He would stop and send a message off to Sarah to have rooms prepared for guests.
_
Garak the Great barely managed to make it back to his mountain. Only a handful of his fellow warrior night trolls were with him. Most were scattered between the plains and the mountain, drained of life from the hell he had unleashed.
He should have listened to ancient Forest Troll who sat across from him on the floor. It made him angry that he was wrong, and he planned on taking it out on them most likely target.
"Old man.." He hissed. "You must have done something wrong. What have you done?!"
Xachem the ancient troll mage sat on the floor a few feet away. It has struck him at the time he could possibly flee to his village, but thought better of it. He did not want the creatures following him. He also felt responsible and needed to find a way to fix this catastrophe. The only place to do that was in the Night Troll stronghold where he had worked on the magic to cause it.
"I told you.." He waved his bony finger at the king. "I tooold you. You should never toy with magic. Never. Troll magic is not delicate and balanced. It is rough, and unstable. Handling such unmentionable magic. Have we not learned after the debacle with The Golden Kingdom? We are not meant wield such power. Fools!" He spat in the direction of Garak.
"Now, NOW you see. Trying to activate immortal magic. Now you have ripped the very fabric of the underground. The creatures that live between worlds are not meant to dwell here. They will take it all and we will all die. The ONLY ones who have a chance to fix this are immortals. Now you will receive what you wanted least of all. They will come here and they will destroy you."
He lay his head in his hands once he said his peace.
Garak watched as the old thing shook. At first he though the mage was crying but after a moment, it was clear he was laughing. At him. The Greatest Night Troll King That Ever Lived.
"Shut up!" He yelled, flinging a pot at the other troll. "We will find a way...I will not allow immortals here!"
Xachem pushed himself up to his feet. He grabbed his walking stick and limped over to the king, looking up into his twisted ugly face. "You will not have a choice. They are coming already. I know it. I feel it. She is coming. The girl borne of the Gods themselves." He grinned, his eyes glowing.
"What your kind sought to destroy, will destroy you. I saw her long ago, in a vision. The night she was nearly lost, yet saved. You just wait...you just wait." He cackled as as he spoke.
The cackle got louder and louder in Garak's ears until he couldn't stand it anymore. He ripped the stick out of the old troll's hand and the Xachem fell, then Garak beat him with the stick until the older one fell silent, unconscious.
He didn't want the mage dead, yet. He just wanted him quiet.
"Old man, don't test me again." He said to the bloodied heap on the floor. "No immortal girl is coming for me. If she does, I'll be ready."
He sat back in his chair and fumed.
_
Sarah left her study in a dead run clutching a piece of parchment in her hand. "Sherryana! Caolin!"
Caolin had been attending to minor court in his King's absence. Jareth long ago entrusted minor goblin issues to his aide if Jareth was absent. Sherryana was standing next to him taking notes for the King and Queen to review later.
Sarah came flying into the lower throne room, where the minor court was typically held.
The aid and his wife looked up, startled. "What is it Lady Sarah?" Caolin stood, concerned at his Queen, and good friends, tone. "What has happened?"
Sarah stopped in a skid, then took a moment to catch her breath. "A message from Jareth. We will be having company. I need your help getting some rooms ready. Also I sent word to the party traveling to The Deep Mines Kingdom to come back. Jareth said he would explain later. " She walked to Sherryana and handed her the paper. Caolin read it over her shoulder.
"Queen Hellena is coming here? Oh my." Sherryana said.
Sarah hadn't heard much about the woman so didn't know what Sherryana meant by that statement. " Should I be worried, or scared?" She asked.
Sarah's petite assistant laid a hand on her queen's arm. "Oh no not at all. She is a wreat warrior queen. I'm sure you will like her. It's just. The Deep Mines Kingdom must be in terrible danger for her not return. They are fierce fighters. A small nation in size, but they hold much power due to the rare mineral they produce. They must be strong to protect such vast riches there."
Caolin nodded. "Staunch Allies of The Goblin Kingdom, and good ones to have. Hellena was one of the few females who is army trained. Jareth has known her since they were young. They are a matriarchal society. You should ask her to tell you the history of the kingdom. It's fascinating."
"I thought women weren't allowed to train in the army." Sarah remarked.
"There are always exceptions." Caolin smirked at her. Sarah instantly thought he must have picked that up from spending too much time with her husband. "She was already marked for Queen. Her mother requested her eldest daughter be trained, the Council complied. As I said, Deep Mines holds much power here."
"Alright." Sarah answered. "Well, for now we just need to make sure they have proper places to stay. The floor below the family wing is unused. It has the second largest set of chambers in the castle. Caolin, please make sure there is no lingering damage there and Sherryana please get some maids in there to clear them of any dirt or dust, and that there are fresh linens and anything that will be needed there. They will be here within the next 2 hours. Let's get busy."
_
The castle was in a flurry, readying everything for the visiting royalty.
Sarah called her eldest 4 children to her, telling them, especially the boys who tended to get dirty fast, to be clean and presentable for their father's guests, the girls out of their tunics and leggings and into dresses. She hustled her two youngest into baths and clean clothing herself with the help of the nanny Moirah.
Nearly 2 hours later they all stood quietly and waited in the formal upper throne room. High court was held there and that was where all official guests were greeted. No Goblins aside from the Royal guards were allowed.
"Why do we have to be here again?" Robbie asked his twin in a whisper.
Perryn elbowed his "Shut up." He whispered back.
"Both of you shut up. Mom asked us to, that's why. " Lily said.
"Mommy's pet." Perryn teased, and he got a glare from his elder sister.
Their nanny leaned forward from behind them. "All of you, quiet." She told them sternly. They went silent, stood straight and faced forward. There was no arguing with Moirah.
Little Karelinda hung onto her mother's skirts, and Harmony stood next to Sarah, holding her littlest brother Jariel's hand.
Caolin and Sherryana stood immediately behind and to the side of their Queen, at the ready for whatever may be asked of them. The rest of the Jareth's and Sarah's family were directly behind Sarah and her children.
The air began to shimmer and the smell of magic began to fill the air. It was very strong because of the amount of power it took for Jareth to move a large group of people at once.
He will wear himself out, expending so much. Sarah thought.
There was a pop and a group of at least 20 people appeared Jareth at the front, his father next to him.
Sarah resisted the urge to run into the arms of her husband, but each saw the look of relief and in the other's eyes at being in the same room again.
"Sarah..." He started. his voice cracked a little, which made Sarah give him a concerned look. "My dear Queen, I present to you The Queen of The Deep Mines Kingdom, Queen Hellena and her advisors and guards."
Sarah stepped forward and almost stepped back again whe Jareth moved to the side and bowed, letting the other queen step forward and past him.
She was tall. Taller than Jareth. And the most beautiful woman Sarah had ever seen. Her dark eyes with flashes of amber standing out against her chocolate skin. Her black hair piled high, with colored stones woven throughout.
Then she smiled and spoke, her softly accented voice soothing. "Queen Sarah. I am grateful to you and The Goblin King For your hospitality. My kingdom is..." Her voice caught in her throat as she was holding back emotion. "I am unable to return to my home. That I have a place to go that is NOT The wretched Council Hall is comforting at the time." She bowed her head to Sarah in deference to the Queen of Goblins in her own Goblin Kingdom.
Sarah bowed back and offered her hands. "Please, welcome. It is no trouble at all. These are our children." She gestured to each in turn. "Harmony and Lily; my twins Robert and Perryn; Jariel, and..." Sarah looked around. Her smallest child was hiding behind her looking at the tall woman with huge eyes.
"This is our youngest, Karelinda. She is shy about strangers." She explained.
The visiting Queen bowed to each one, her eyes twinkled and she smiled at the youngest child's awe of her.
She then turned to Jareth. "Your family is lovely, friend Jareth. You have done well. I sense a fellow warrior in this Queen."
Jareth chuckled. "You have no idea." His eyes shimmered with mirth at his wife.
"Oh you." Sarah said, tapping him on the arm. "Queen Hellena, we have readied the floor under our family area for your private use. Caolin and Sherryana will show you to them. Would you mind if I had a moment alone with the King?"
Hellena's eyes softened further as she saw the looks exchanged between the two monarchs. "I do not mind at all. I understand. Such a pair with six children surely has much love between them."
The group followed Caolin and Sherryana out of the throne room to the stairs.
Jareth gave the children each a quick hug and kiss, then let Sarah lead him out of the room and to his personal study. Once they were behind the closed door, Jareth wrapped his arms around his wife and breathed in her sweet familiar scent. He opened the bond between them and soaked up her warm presence and let it wash over him and soothe him, and Sarah did the same.
"I missed you' Sarah said. "Then again, I always do."
Jareth took her face in his hands and just looked at her for moment before answering. "I love you. I love our children. Everything that is anything to me resides within these walls."
Sarah had sensed something was wrong immediately but waited until they were alone. "Jareth...what is it?"
He guided her to the lounge by the fire and sat, then sat her on his lap. "The Deep Mines Kingdom. I cannot stop thinking about what has happened there. Barriers collapsing, strange unknown creatures eating the magic away from the very lands and people. I fear we are in terrible danger. That it is only the beginning. If anything should happen, Sarah...I cannot..."
He couldn't even finish the words.
"Dear Gods." Sarah listened. "What is going on?"
Jareth shook his head. "The only way to find out is to go there. I know you called the Ogres back from their journey, but when I go I will take them."
"Not right away I hope. You are exhausted." Sarah said. She curled around his body.
"I don't want you to go." She admitted. "It sound so dangerous."
"It is." He answered. "More dangerous than anything I have ever heard of. Sarah if something were to happen..."
Sarah shook her head. "Don't say that."
He shushed her. "I need you to hear this. If something were to happen, and the danger begins to show itself here, you must do something drastic."
"What?" She asked, apprehensive.
He sighed. "You must go above. Take the children, and take Toby, Jewel, and little Jamey, and go above. Except Jewel, you all have enough human DNA that eventually you would...adapt once more to that world. Jewel...she is young...she has a chance too, and Jamey needs her."
Sarah glared at her husband. "I will NOT leave you. Not EVER. I made a vow, Jareth. I live and die here with you. IF it comes to it, I will send the children above with Toby and Jewel to stay safe until the danger passes, but don't you dare ask me to leave you here. I can't do it."
"Sarah..." Jareth started plead his case once more.
"No. Jareth. Just no." Her eyes filled with tear. "Besides, we will be fine."
"We will discuss this more, later." He answered. He held her as close as possible, not wanting to let her go. Yet, wanting her safe with their offspring far away.
They lapsed into silence, staring into the fire, hoping against hope Sarah's words would ring true.
That all would be fine, and none of their loved ones would be in any danger.
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Thank you for your patience dear readers. I actually updated over on FFN about 3 weeks ago but completely forgot to update here. Apologies!
Guess who I modeled Queen Hellena after? :)
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In A Time Of Winter