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Worlds Of War	By : Lasski Category: G through L > Labyrinth Views: 16038 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Chapter 4: The Deal

                At the light touch on her arm Sarah bolted straight up out of sleep and swung out at her assailant. Her fist hit flesh with a resulting “oomph” from her attacker. The last remains of sleep quickly left her as she saw Johnny sprawled on the ground rubbing one side of his face. Instantly Sarah was contrite, while at the same time trying not to giggle. “I’m sorry Johnny, I didn’t mean to hit you it was just -”

                “Yeah, yeah, I know” cut in Johnny, “it was just reflexes.” He grinned at her to show there were no hard feelings and gave her a hand up off the ground where she had been sleeping. She winced as her bruised tailbone made itself known.

                Sarah grinned back at her partner before asking, “So what havoc has been wreaked in my absence?” Johnny’s smile instantly dropped and Sarah felt a responding sinking feeling. Something bad had happened, something very bad. Sarah stared hard at Johnny but he refused eye contact. “What’s happened?” she asked and really looked at him, “and what happened to your lip?”

                Johnny sighed and ran his tongue reflectively over the injured flesh, “you better come over to the conference table. Everyone else is already there.”

                Sarah nodded and followed Johnny. Whatever the problem they would figure it out together. Every leader was at the conference table, which although not unusual was not entirely the run of the mill either. Mac and Melinda were there, as well as Harold and Kate from the Clubs Squad, and Linda and Michael from the Hearts Squad.

                Michael offered Sarah a seat and that tipped her off that something was going on. If that wasn’t enough to warn her, everyone watching her was. Sarah wasn’t about to put up with any bullshit anymore than the rest of them and made it known. "Tell me what’s going on or I’m going straight back to my bit of ground and getting more sleep.”

                All the guys suddenly looked away and seemed to find some fascination with something around them. Kate moved in closer to Sarah and breathed in deeply as if to calm herself before speaking. “Sarah, do you know someone named Jareth?”

                That name sent icy needles down her spine and right into her gut. Breathing suddenly seemed extremely difficult as her throat closed up. Somehow she was still sleeping and this was some weird, whacked-out dream.

                “Sarah?” Kate pursued softly.

                “Yes,” she struggled out, “I know him.” Sarah cleared her throat and though it hurt it did loosen up her the tightness making it easier to talk. “What about him?”

                Melinda then took over and told of the encounter out in the streets - the invisible wall, the snakes, what was being offered. She gave a half smile when Sarah asked exactly the same question she has asked Jareth. ‘What did he want in return?’

                At that Mac actually got up and started pacing, Johnny stood a distance away as if he was about to walk off. Sarah gave them a glance then turned back to Melinda. “Well?”

                Melinda averted her eyes. “He made his demands very specific and clear. You in his bed. For as long as you… have sex with him, he will give his help.”

                Everything in Sarah stopped dead. She didn’t breath, didn’t move, didn’t think.

                Kate touched her shoulder gently. Johnny made his thoughts known. “This is ridiculous. Sarah, forget about the whole thing. However bad things get, however badly we might need this guy’s help we can survive without it. We’ve done so for years.”

                “And we’re loosing” grated out Mac. “I hate this as much as you do, but we need help and whatever this Jareth person is he can give it to us.” He gave a heavy sigh, “but you’re right. What he’s asked for… Sarah, you don’t have to do this.”

                “He’s fey” mumbled Sarah and looked up at Mac. “He has immense power and if he wanted to he could probably wipe the Superiors from the face of the earth. This offer” her voice held contempt, “is just another game to him. He’s a master at manipulation and while I’ve no doubt he would help while I… while I amuse him, as soon as he’s bored of me he’ll toss me aside and leave the lot of us worst off than we are now.”

                “Then there’s no point in taking up his offer in the first place then” pointed out Johnny, somewhat relived.

                Sarah shook her head, her mind working even as her anger grew. “Jareth won’t play by the rules if he can help it but he won’t break them. If we can make a deal that suits us all and doesn’t allow him leeway to twist his way out of it we might be able to gain something out of this.”

                “Sarah, you don’t have to make yourself part of the pact” said Kate.

                Sarah stood up. “Let’s be optimistic,” her tone of voice said otherwise. “When do we have to give Jareth our decision?”

                “Now would be a perfect opportunity Sarah.”

                Sarah breath caught in her throat, no amount of time could ever erase that voice from her memory. Fighting terror and anger alike she turned to face the Goblin King.

                Sarah suddenly felt 15 again, swept back in time and standing at the precise moment when the Goblin King had first appeared to her in all his power and glory. Then, as now, there were about to bargain for what each wanted. Only this time it concerned a whole lot more than a child.

                Sarah was standing on the line between fear and fury and as she wasn’t about to turn and run from her old foe so that only left one option. She fixed him with a stare that would make fire turn to ice. “You absolute bastard.”

                She felt Melinda tense beside her - the Diamond’s leader had seen what Jareth could do first hand on just a whim and was understandable worried that Sarah would insult someone who obviously could kill them just as easily. But Sarah had a history with Jareth and unsettled scores, and if he was arsehole enough to suggest the deal he had then Sarah figured she had every right to call him all the names she knew.

                Jareth on the other hand merely smiled and waited for Sarah to finish her tirade.

                “Who gave you the right to step back into this world and annoy my life with your presence? And above all things to have the gall to even think of your proposition, if you can even call it that. I’m not some whore or piece of property you can negotiate a deal with. Go find some other mortal’s life to mess in and leave mine alone. I don’t need your help, I didn’t ask for your help so turn yourself back into a bird and flap away.” Sarah only stopped when she felt Johnny’s hand lightly squeeze her arm in caution.

                The narrowing of Jareth’s eyes was the only warning.

                Sarah felt Johnny’s hand leave her arm the same split second she heard surprised screams from behind her. She spun around and felt the blood drain from her face and her heart rate race to impossible levels. Somehow the table had been flipped up onto its side and the four table legs bents inwards, ending in points which sunk deeply into Johnny’s flesh, pinning him to the underside of the table. One in his right thigh, one in his stomach just above his left leg, another stabbed into his left shoulder and the last held his chest down. Blood had just begun to seep through his clothing and a shocked expression held his face frozen.

                A sob threatened to tear through Sarah. She couldn’t loose Johnny - couldn’t! He was her closest friend, the closest thing she had to a brother. He was the one who backed her up, who saved her life on a regular basis, looked after her. She was close to hyperventilation and couldn’t tear her eyes away from the horrific before her as she spoke to Jareth. “Stop this Jareth, let him go… please.” Part of her was shocked at how quickly she resorted to begging but she would not loose Johnny, even if that meant pleading with the enemy.

                Jareth raised an eyebrow before making his way over to Sarah to stand behind her. “I don’t believe he will last much longer Sarah. Those are fatal wounds and he’s loosing a lot of blood.”

                Sarah stared at Johnny, only dimly aware that Jareth had pulled the hair away from her neck, running his fingers through it, yet utterly aware of his words. “I want to hear you say that you’ll consider my offer.” The fingers in her hair tightened their grip. “He’s dying Sarah. Don’t make me wait for an answer or it may be too late.”

                “Yes, god damn you,” she sobbed out. This wasn’t how it was meant to be. Jareth wasn’t meant to be so cruel, so heartless. She was meant to be able to stand up against him against any odds. The fates had somehow got it wrong and screwed everything up.

                “Good girl” whispered Jareth and kissed her just below the ear; Sarah shivered from the fleeting touch. The table legs removed themselves from Johnny’s body and he fell to the floor. Sarah struggled to get to him but Jareth grabbed her around the waist and held fast. Mac and Michael checked Johnny over before helping him up. There was no blood, no gaping holes in his flesh. “You see Sarah,” said Jareth, “I get something I want then you get something you want.”

                Seeing that Johnny was a little shaky but otherwise unharmed Sarah stopped struggling and fell partially against Jareth. Too much had happened too soon and she felt so tired. She was so sick of fighting and at the moment fighting Jareth’s hold on her seemed the smallest of battles.

                Jareth breathed in the scent from her neck before resting his chin against her head. “Perhaps I should come back when you are in a more receptive mood before we discuss the details of our deal. Though I must insist that I have an answer by sunset, five days from now. And while you think about that, I also want you to think about this Sarah. Your friend was not harmed by any action of yours but because of his own. Keep that in mind while I’m away.”

                Sarah stumbled back a bit as Jareth suddenly vanished. She sank slowly to the floor wishing she could just curl up and die. What a hell of a night.

                ***

                Sir Didymus trotted next to his friend as they left the castle. The meeting with Jareth had been short and to the point. Unfortunately quick briefings didn’t equate for safe, simple missions.

                "'Tis times like these that I wish I were not of the honorable kind" Sir Didymus grumbled in one of his rare grumbling moments - he more liked to rant.

                The man in black chuckled. "Come now my friend that is the last thing I expect to hear you say. Besides I would have thought that you would enjoy the target of your mission?"

                Didymus huffed. "'Tis not the target, it is the way in which I am to make my entrance!"

                This time the man did laugh. "I don't suppose you like to get wet, and poor Ambrosias even less."

                The shaggy white dog whined as his name was mentioned and the man chuckled again.

                "And what of you sir knight?" Sir Didymus questioned, "The danger that you ride into could end in your death or worse."

                "Ha!" the man scorned arrogantly, "no torture could be worse than the BOES and Jareth threatens my life enough on a daily basis that I have no fear of that journey." 'But the fox is right' he thought, 'I'm going into the heart of danger and I haven't been to the Aboveworld in such a long time.' He smiled sadly to himself.'Sarah, I hope you have the strength to take on Jareth. I hope I have the strength to see my mission through. If either of us fails the human world will fall to the Superiors and the Underground won't be far behind.'

                Three hours later the two riders reached the outer limits of the labyrinth, to the mist that separated the two worlds. The man slid down from his mount's back and took what he could carry with him. "Take care of yourself Hawk" he said rubbing a strong hand over the horse's neck, "run free until I have need of you again. Hawk lipped at his shoulder, whinnied, and then galloped off.

                "Good luck, Sir Didymus" he said to his friend.

                "And to you also, good sir" the fox bowed.

                The man sighed and stepped forward into hell.

                "Come on Ambrosias," Didymus demanded, "we may as well face our destiny head on. Tally ho!" The dog whimpered then ran towards the mist. Instantly the ground dropped out from below them and the temperature thundered down to freezing. They freefell for a moment then splashed into the cold open ocean.

                ***

                Thumping on his door snapped Toby from the world of The Hobbit.

                “Captain, Captain! First mate says to come quick.”

                Put instantly in a sour mood, Toby tried not to snap at the cabin boy when he wrenched his door open to the bright eyed kid. It had been five days since the battle with the Black Pearl and every moment had been spent watching his back from potential assassination. Five days of nothing but ocean in all directions as they sailed to America. “What is it?”

                The kid cringed and took a step back. “S-s-sorry Captain. The first mate said to get-”

                “Yes.” Toby said sharply. “I heard that bit, quite loudly. Never mind” he forestalled the kid who had opened his mouth to speak again. “I’ll find out for myself.” Which really, Toby thought, he should have done in the first place rather than taking his mood out on the cabin boy. Knowing that Rick wouldn’t disturb him unless it was something important, Toby stepped back into his cabin to grab his picture of Sarah. She would look over him through this.

                The cabin boy trailed nervously behind Toby as he stalked up to the deck. What greeted him was not a surprise, and he wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. For a moment a deep pang of grief wrapped and squeezed tightly in his chest; Jim would have been able to explain it to him. The dead captain had a way of explaining contradictory feelings that Toby would feel, ever since the first one when he found himself liking a man who killed his father. The man had just made sense.

                Rick walked over and stood next to him. “I thought you would like to handle this yourself.” he said quietly.

                Toby nodded his thanks and instantly hardened his heart again. Another show to the Albatross tribe that he was their leader and should give him absolute loyalty… or die.

                “Explain.” he demanded. The man, bound in chains before him, was caught by the cook and cabin boy of the lead ship when he was adding poison to the main food supply. The bound man snarled at Toby and the Captain vaguely recalled his face.

                “Bring out some of the food.” Toby requested quietly.

                The cook, or perhaps Rick, must have been anticipating such an order because Cook instantly dumped a barrel of poisoned apples in between Toby and the convicted man. Toby looked into the barrel. What a waste of good food. He picked out one apple and flipped out a sharp flick knife to slowly peel the fruit. He gave a thought to juicing the apples first. It would be easier to get the man to consume the poison. But then it wouldn’t be as painful as he could make it. Slicing a small bite-size chuck from the apple, he stabbed it into the end of the knife. “Open his mouth.”

                A couple men shifted to grab the jaw of the bound man and pray their fingers into his cheeks and mouth to pry and keep the mouth open. Toby moved quickly, he didn’t want his men to get bitten. He shoved the apple and knife down deep into the man’s throat, wedging it sideways Toby made sure the chunk stayed behind as he withdrew the knife, slicing the tongue on his way out. As soon as the weapon was free the men around him let go of the man’s jaw which snapped shut loudly. The man choked and spat out some of the blood quickly flowing into his mouth. Yet, just as Toby knew, the man swallowed reflexively on the blood, and swallowed the apple piece down as well.

                “It’ll take a few minutes, but he’ll die soon enough” Toby said and flipped the blade shut. He would have to use alcohol to make sure it was clean later.

                “Throw him overboard, sir?” Rick asked.

                “No. Toss his body on of the other ships once he’s dead. One where some of his friends are.” As best as they could, Toby and Rick had separated the old Black Pearl group amongst those loyal to him to keep easier eyes on them and to prevent large groups organizing a mutiny too easily. Yet, with about twenty or more ships, they couldn’t separate all of them. “Let it be a reminder for them.”

                “And take that body with you” he nodded towards the decapitated body strung to the mast. I don’t want to smell it anymore. Also, find the people who were involved, he wasn’t the only one in on this, and use them to test the rest of the food for poison. Throw the ruined food overboard, but keep some just in case.”

                “Yes, sir.” Rick yelled at the other men to get them moving on the Captain’s orders.

                Toby inwardly sighed and looked over the rolling sea. Already he was sick of this. He knew he could be a captain, but it wasn’t a dream he kept. He hoped his non-desire wouldn’t make him careless. Something caught his eye in the waves, something dark and small. Maybe it was sharks from this far away.

                “Sam!” Toby called up to the crow’s nest at the highest mast. “What’s out in the water? Port side!”

                There was a very significant pause. Then an answering shout. Toby and Rick looked at each other from across the deck. “Say that again, sailor” Rick yelled.

                “Dogs!”

                ‘What the hell?’ Toby thought. “Hard to port side” he called to Rick.

                “Hard to port side!” Rick called out to the men.

                Ten minutes later Rick, Toby, and not few of the men stared into the water. The little shaggy dog was strange on its own, out in the middle of the sea. But the other dog… whatever it was…

                “My brothers from the sea. Help me!” The cry came from the water, certainly from where the dogs were, but how could one of the dogs speak?

                “Is it talking?”

                “I heard it. It spoke!”

                “It can’t possibly be.”

                “It’s trick of the sea. Captain don’t let it on board!”

                Toby almost agreed with the last comment from his men. But his curiosity was stirred. “Lower the nets” he called. He watched impatiently as the nets were eventually lowered and tossed towards the dogs. The men yanked up the nets and tossed them on deck the leave the animals to crawl out on themselves.

                “Good show, fine men!” came the high voice again, and the oddest creature jumped from the nets, causing some men to reach for their weapons. It walked on it’s hind legs and though it resembled a dog in form, it’s manner, clothing and speech were all that of a late century Englishman.

                “What are you?” Toby demanded.

                “Sir Toby? Do you not recognize me? Although you were a babe when I last saw you. I am Sir Didymus, and this is my faithful steed Ambrosias.” He bowed and gestured to the dog cowering and whimpering under the heavy rope nets. One of the men poked out with a sword and lifted the nets from the animal so it could crawl out. “I have been sent to look after thee, Sir Toby. With every honorable bone in me I will follow the orders sent from the greatest of powers. I will-”

                The dog’s speech was cut off by the choking, foaming at the mouth, and blood spit/splatter and subsequence death of the condemned poisoned man. There was silence as the man thumped to the deck.

                “Sir Toby?” Didymus questioned. “By honor, what goes on here?”

                Greatest of power!. Sarah’ he mentally thought to his goddess, ‘is this a protector you have sent me, or a menace to test me?’
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Worlds Of War