Adult-FanFiction.org : Movies

Shattered	By : TarnishedArmour Category: G through L > Labyrinth Views: 7713 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: Based upon the work of Jim Henson; specifically Labyrinth, copyright 1986 by Jim Henson & associated parties. I do not own or have legal rights to Labyrinth, etc., or make any profit from them. *Individual disclaimers for other works in

Chapter List
- 28
- 29
- 30
In the broken moments, while Sarah and Jareth had were indulging in several days worth of play and various dark-and-light pleasures, they had felt a change in their magic together. Sarah's magic still pulled at her, but it wasn't surging wildly and barely controlled anymore. Jareth's magic, in response, had pulled, but not surged and stretched at his control. Discipline and expanded skill had helped her learn how her magic responded to her body, enough so that they were able to actually touch magically during their passion. An entirely new dimension of sex had opened to them, then. Who knew that magic could orgasm, too? Or that magic could continue caressing magic and finding pleasure long after their bodies were worn out? Like the heart, magic seemed to have its own saturation point separate from that of the body. By the time they parted, Jareth and Sarah were refreshed, relaxed, and, once they'd slept the clock around and eaten ravenously of actual food as opposed to one another, invigorated in every way.
After Jareth had reluctantly pulled them into real time late in the night, he had talked with her for a while and, only when the dawn pinked the skies, left for his usual work of running the kingdom. When he had gone, Sarah had packed up her room and gone out in the morning light to tender her farewells, collecting good will and the promised goods from her friends.
From the Mastersmiths, several weeks before, she had received a beautiful and light, well-enchanted set of armour made specifically for her fighting style and physique. The daggers, sword, and a few other little weapons were included. Her shield, plain steel for now, awaited whatever decoration she earned-but she did not know this. She didn't realize that they thought she was taking the Knight's Trials. She didn't tell them otherwise, either. Instead of receiving any other goods from them, she gave them a gift for all their kindness toward her over the months. She re-cast the filling charms on the stones, strengthening for the last time before she left the town for what could be a long, long time.
From the proprietress of the Grey Gosil, she had received a very special pack that would hold her armour and various other things while she was not actively questing. Her sword and daggers and other, smaller weapons that were meant to be secreted on her person would be worn with her jerkin and breeches. She did use the smith-altered jerkin, now studded with steel in strategic locations, as a kind of light armour. It was strange, but she felt naked without her blades and armour now. It would have to be enough that she carried everything with her. And everything included, well, everything, even a small moneybelt that she had purchased with her earnings from regular work and from helping the Mastersmiths and others around town with various magical castings, many of which were water-based. Some would continue to generate revenue for her, and she was in no way averse to that particular set of barters.
For example, the Mastersmith's shop now made and sold some nice little canteens and cups that would fill with water when given a little magical zing-a little idea Wynta had come up with, but hadn't been able to manage for herself. Sarah had been able to cast the water charm through the earth-based magic she could manipulate, since the metal was from earth and, while molten, couldn't take a direct water-charm. Between the two of them, Sarah had gotten a tidy little profit. With a kind of innovative twist to the filling-charm, she worked out a way that Wynta could continue to produce the little metal containers without Sarah having to be there to cast her charms into the hot metal. The percentage they'd agreed upon would create a nice little account in the Mastersmiths' house, and Sarah allowed Wynta the credit. She'd offered to purchase the long-finished owl necklace from Tolliver, but he'd refused, saying he was holding it in exchange for her completing the labyrinth. The reminder of her original purpose here, when combined with the time with Jareth in the broken moments, goaded her into moving more quickly to get on her way.
She slid on her moneybelt and grimaced at the three packs on her bed, not including the newest one from the Grey Gosil. Over the months, she had acquired a good number of things, no few of them contributing weight to her packs. The pack from the Grey Gosil had been enchanted to hold and lighten what would ordinarily fit in three other packs. Since Sarah had already taken measures to gather and prepare her things before she got the enchanted pack, she simply stuffed her original packs-she happened to have three, when she counted the one dedicated to her full armour-inside it. Considering what may or may not lie ahead on her path to Jareth, she put the armour in last so that it was handiest.
None of the things she received from her friends in the village were gifts. She had done many things for these shopkeepers, and they had promised her additional things she would need as a runner in place of additional wages or in exchange for magics that she could cast for them. Her range had improved, and she strengthened the filling charms in the smithy twice before the day she left. On this morning, when she'd re-cast the charm, every metalsmith in the room had turned to stare at her, jaws dropped in surprise. She had grown much, much stronger. The time with Jareth and her discoveries regarding sexmagic had only increased her strength, but she knew, somehow, that she hadn't reached the edges of her potential yet.
She wasn't the strongest in the village, but she had become rather skilled, and it was the skill that those who had bartered for a spell had counted on, not the sheer power of the magic. While the wages from the Grey Gosil were fair, the money she had received for spellcasting, much better. In truth, she could have afforded what they gave her in barter and had money left over, but barter, however advantageous for one party, is still barter, not gift. Thus, with a little bit of chiseling, Sarah was beautifully and skillfully outfitted for any adventures she may have, and she had coin to spare.
Armed and armoured, the amulet that accented her water-affinity riding on its blue ribbon, Sarah walked down the road, a travel-staff in hand. The staff, payment from Redok for her hot-water charm on his private bath the day before, was a well-shod staff with a nice leather handgrip at just the right height. Made of magically reinforced ash, it was light and strong enough to be used as a weapon, should the need arise.
With well-wishers behind her, her pack pleasantly light, the open road in front of her, and Jareth's attention still riding her like a beer buzz, she left the town of Destria behind, eager to return to her run. Her pace was good, the day was bright, and the air was sweet. It felt good to be back on the trail, even if she was a little tingly and sore from time to time.
Three hours before noon, Sarah stared at the large rock in the road.
"What is it with defacing perfectly good rocks?" she asked the air. She knew Jareth would listen in when he could, and so she made an effort to put a little more entertainment in her comments about this particular rock. "Fine, I'll read it, but don't expect me to faint with shock at the depth of the statement. Faith and Defense are the pillars of Loyalty. There."
Then she stopped. Smiled. She closed her eyes, thought of Jareth helpless in her arms on that first night back together, and said softly to the air, "I've known this for a while now. But thank you, rock. You did your job."
A soft laugh whispered by her on the breeze.
"And the fifteenth wall falls before you, Sarah." Jareth's voice on the air made her smile, and the lightness of his voice told her he was better for their time together, too.
She felt the ghost of a kiss across her lips before she walked on down the path, searching for another rock with some sort of profound graffiti carved into it.
***
In her studio, Karen picked up the crystal telephone that Jareth had created for her. Should Robert call, she was able to return the call on this crystal. The shape entertained her. It was a fully-functional rotary phone, but made entirely of crystal. It reminded her of the clear-plastic telephones that had been so popular the past few years in Radio Shack.
She picked up the little card the seneschal had left for her, a slip from a very real answering service in her former world, and began to dial the number. She didn't need the slip. She knew this number by heart.
"Robert Williams, please," she told the secretary. "Tell him it's Karen Souter." A brief minute on hold and Karen was connected to her ex-husband.
"Williams," he said into the phone, his best "assuring the masses" voice in play. Obviously the secretary had left her name off the message.
"Robert, it's Karen." She waited.
"Karen," he breathed, his voice becoming normal. "I…I'm glad you called."
"I don't want to be rude, but why did you call?" she asked. It had been almost two full years, even in her former world, and Karen did not want to see Robert. On the other hand, she didn't want to keep Toby from seeing the father he kept asking about, either.
"Well, I…I was hoping…I could see Toby. For his birthday. Next week?" he asked.
Karen closed her eyes. He was asking. Almost begging. The divorce papers gave her all the power and the fact he had no idea where they were only gave her more. She took a deep breath.
"All right. How about Saturday?" she asked. It was a small step, but one she made for Toby's sake, not her own.
"Saturday?" The hope in his voice stabbed Karen through the heart. He was so pitiful now. She would never bend to him before, but she never wanted him to beg. "Can…when?" he asked, not voicing his first thought.
"How about a day of it?" she asked, closing her eyes. "At the theme park that opened last year." Jareth had let her keep an eye on things, and she'd liked the little park that had opened. It was great for little kids, and even kept teens entertained.
"That would be wonderful!" Robert said. He sounded like a kid himself. "I'll pick Toby up. Or you can drop him off. Either way-"
"I'll have his nanny drive him, Robert. I…It's just too difficult to see you right now. Maybe some other time, we can get together for Toby, but…I don't know what I might do, and I won't hurt Toby's feelings by doing something rash." Karen was honest with Robert, even though she knew he wouldn't appreciate it. The same bluntness and artistry that had drawn him to her had ultimately destroyed his affection for her, just as it had for his first wife.
"Alright," Robert said, trying not to be upset. "I…Look, I know the court said that the visits had to be supervised, but do we have to call the clerk?"
"No. The nanny will stay with him. I trust her judgement," she added, "and when it comes to Toby, I generally trust yours."
"Thank you, Karen." Robert's voice was actually grateful. She wondered if his face was, too. "I'm sorry. About everything. I know it was my fault, not yours. I know you never would do anything to hurt Toby or Sarah, and I…was a complete ass. I'm sorry."
"Robert, don't," Karen said, feeling the tears start again. She hadn't cried since the first month she'd been here, and now here she was, a watering-pot again. "I know what you want to say, but don't. Find someone new. Someone more like…you are. Someone who wants the corporate life, who can be what you need. We did this to ourselves and each other, Robert. Let's not try to turn one conversation into a therapy session."
Robert cleared his throat. "Right you are, Karen. When can I expect Toby?" he asked, getting back to the subject at hand.
"Early morning, no later than eight," she replied. "I'll make sure he has everything he needs."
"Very well," Robert said, becoming more formal. "Thank you, Karen. For doing this."
"It's not a problem, Robert," she replied. "I know he'll enjoy it." And he would.
"Well, I guess I'll be ready at eight," Robert said. "Have a good day, Karen."
"You too, Robert." Tears running down her face, Karen hung up the crystal phone. She dropped to the floor and cried, the soft music accentuating, not hiding her sobs.
She had failed. The one time she had reached for love, for family, for the closeness that family brought, she failed. What good was dance when she wasn't worth loving? When she didn't know how to love as a mother and wife should?
No one heard her, no one came to check on her, and she somehow knew that was her fault, too.
***
In his office again, Jareth hummed as he waded through the stacks of paperwork. Everyone had noticed the change in him since the night before. No one was quite sure enough of his response to ask what had been the source of the miraculous transformation, not even his intrepid secretary.
"Oakheart!" Jareth summoned the elf in question. "I have an idea what to do about those caravans…"
Inspired by the relaxation and not-sleeping with Sarah, Jareth had a truly wicked idea.
"Yes, Sire?" Urwan of Clan Oakheart, frequently called just Oakheart by his employer, appeared before his king, glass pen ready for instructions.
"Well, instead of sending the goods with a usual merchant's escort…"
Oakheart listened. He nodded. He wrote. He wondered at the change in Jareth.
All in all, this was one of his more brilliant and diabolical ploys. Moreover, the names Jareth gave him for this particular mission had Oakheart grinning just as widely as Jareth was.
The odd irritability of the last several months was over. No doubt about it, the king was back.
***
Sarah walked on, then saw yet another rock with yet another carving on it.
"Prudence is the fabric of Nobility," she read aloud. "Okay, you got me on this one. Answers ahead. Let's go, feet."
And she walked on.
- 28
- 29
- 30
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Shattered