AN: For those who don't know, this story is a sequel to my story titled "The Debt" I strongly suggest that you read that first, otherwise you will be hopelessly lost with this story. Many thanks to all my reviewers from "The Debt" You guys are the best! I hope that Vendetta will be as enjoyable for you all! I can't promise that my chapters will be out as quickly as my last story, but I'll try to update often.
Disclaimer: I own Aiden, Cyla, a dead Fae named Farris (who will be mentioned), Velvet, Riley, Metta and her band of traitorous elves and I will be owning more. I don't own Sarah, and I hate to admit that I don't own Jareth, but alas I do not. I don't own the Labyrinth either. They belong to the late and ever talented Jim Henson.
Vendetta
By Corrie McDermott (Cormak3032)
February 2002
Passion and Anger...
They had spent 3 days together, alone in his castle. Three days spent holding, comforting, loving each other with everything they were after all that had happened. She had grown accustomed to the feel of him against her and she had memorized almost everything about him. She didn't want their time alone together to end, but she knew that it would soon draw to a close. Every book had its final page, every play it's last act and every moment it's last few seconds.
She knew he was off in another world, as he held her against him. The night was cool, but the air sweet and fragrant. A full moon hung just over the horizon and crickets chirped their nightly melody beyond the castle garden. He had been silent much of the afternoon and she knew something was bothering him, although she didn't know what.
He had been victorious against the dark lord Farris, a kingdom lay in waiting somewhere for him to return and claim it, and the woman he loved was his. So what was wrong with him? She had been asking herself that question all afternoon as she observed him. She loved the man who held her, more then any other. She didn't enjoy not knowing what was wrong with him.
He stroked her long dark hair with his hands and she felt his chin resting on the top of her head. He had not pushed her away, despite his silence. If anything he had been demanding of her. He didn't seem content unless he was holding her touching her or at least gazing at her. She didn't mind all the fuss and attention at first but soon it began to bother her. Obviously whatever bothered him had to do with her or their future. Otherwise he would not be so obsessed with making sure she stayed within arms length of him.
She was growing tired of playing these games with him and angry with herself for not just asking what was wrong. His problems were her problems and vice versa. Sighing deeply she let the words flow from her mouth.
"Jareth, what's wrong?" She felt him tense slightly against her and that didn't make her feel much better. She turned in his arms, breaking his contact with her hair and stared up at him. He gazed down at her with worry in the depths of mismatched eyes. "Jareth? What is wrong with you?" She reached up to touch his pale skin and he closed his eyes, allowing his face to fall into her hand.
He sighed. "You don't understand Sarah." He turned his head from her, gazing out into the night. She stepped around him and forced him to look at her.
"That's right, I don't. So explain to me what is wrong. Why have you been so quiet? Why have you been so totally obsessed with me all afternoon? If I move away too far, it upsets you. I see the look in your eyes."
He let out a deep sigh and caressed her face with a bare hand. "As much as I would like to believe that the worst has passed, it hasn't. There is still so much at stake." He pulled her to him. " I fear I will lose you..."
"Fat chance. I'm not going anywhere, anytime soon. I love you Jareth. I wouldn't suddenly leave you." He placed a finger on her lips to silence her.
'I know. It's not you I worry about. It's others. After all that we have been through, there is still a chance that I may lose you."
She cast him a confused glance. "I don't understand."
"I don't expect you to. Our ways are not your ways."
"Jareth, I really detest riddles."
"Then you are going to loathe the High Court."
"The High Court?"
He nodded. "Yes. The High Court. I will be summoned there. For the first time in 400 years I will be summoned. I will be forced to explain my actions. Why I killed Farris. And I will be forced to explain everything about you. Why I brought you here, why I want you to stay, what right do I have to claim you as my own and I will possibly be forced to explain why I love you. Why I would willingly give everything I am and everything I have to a mortal. It's never been done before. No Fae has ever loved a mortal. And especially not the magnitude that I love you." He stoked her dark hair. "They will want to know everything about you."
"Why? I'm just a mortal. I obviously mean nothing to them. I have no magic. I'm no danger to them."
"In their eyes, you are. Mortals value the use of iron. It's used for weaponry, buildings and transportation. It is a very important substance to mortals. Fae fear mortals for this. They fear them taking over the Underground that is why many do not live here. The few that do live within my kingdom because of the Labyrinth.. I will have to prove that you are not a danger and that you don't rely on the use of iron."
"What if they believe I am a serious threat?"
"They might draw up the papers for your death." Jareth sighed heavily. No wonder her was fretting all day. "Even if they don't find you a threat. Anyone who is worthy may try to stake a claim on you. They could take you away from me." He looked worried but she ignored it.
"Take me away? I'm not am unwanted child to be moved about from home to home. I'm an adult who knows exactly where she wants to stay and exactly where she belongs. And that is beside the man I love; you!"
He reached for her hands and kissed each of them slowly. "We both know what you want and what I want as well, but the High Court doesn't work that way. I will be forced to prove my claim on you and I do not yet know what some of the tests may consist of."
"Jareth this is ridiculus. And what about me? Won't I have a say in this court?"
He shook his head sadly. "You are mortal Sarah. Those without possession of iron are helpless against the Fae. They are not thought of as equals or even close to equals. Only King Varian, Aiden and myself ever felt sypathy for them and that sympathy turned into understanding and evolved into respect and the belief in equality."
"So I have no rights?"
"None."
She let out a loud breath. "My God. This place is backwards."
"It may be backwards to you and being away from the court for so long it is also strange to me. But its law and tradition to everyone else here. We are the outsiders in this instance and we must abide by their rules."
"And they always get the outsiders."
"Not always."
"Why don't we flee then? Why don't you come live aboveground with me? Let's skip all this "claims court' bullshit and live happily ever after aboveground. No one there can tell us that we can't be together."
He shook his head sadly. "I cannot live aboveground Sarah. Being in the presence of iron constantly would make me very ill. And I can not leave the Underground, I have too many promises made here that would be broken if I left."
She nodded and stepped from his embrace, taking a seat on a stone bench nearby. "So what am I supposed to do then, hmm? Just let them talk about me like I wasn't there? Let them make decisions about my life that I should be making? I should just let them take you away from me and not be upset?" She was so angry that she was shaking and he instantly took a seat beside her, taking his hands into his. He smoothed her soft skin, trying to calm her.
"I won't let them take you away from me. I promise it won't happen." His words were sincere but they both knew better.
"But you can't promise me that Jareth! You can't! Just like you couldn't promise that you would return to the temple for me!" She cried angrily.
"What would you have me do? We can not hide from the court. That is impossible. Aiden will be there to help us, and possibly Cyla as well. Not all is lost."
"No but when you started this whole conversation you sure made it sound like we were doomed from the start."
He let out a shuddering breath. "We were..." he let out softly.
"What?"
"I said that we were. Doomed from the start that is." He turned his head away from her.
"I don't understand."
He gazed at her hesitantly and Sarah felt a coldness chill her. "I was aware of the dangers from the beginning. I knew the court might notice you here, but I was so hell bent on wanting your love and you, that I blindly ignored it."
"So you knew from the beginning that something like this might happen?" he nodded slowly and she jumped to her feet. "Damn it Jareth!" she exploded. "Didn't you think to tell me about something like this? Didn't you think that I should know exactly what I was committing myself to?"
"You commit yourself to me, as you said so yourself and that is exactly what will happen."
'You can't be so certain!" He reached for her to comfort her and she pulled away from him and he felt his heart ache. With her back turned to him she asked, "So what will happen if they take me away? Where will I go?"
He sighed and she spun around to face him. "Tell me Jareth."
He looked to utterly helpless and despite her anger for the court and him this very moment she felt it subside. "You could go to anyone. Anyone who proved to have a rightful claim over you."
"Jareth, you're the only one who knows me, anything truly about me. I love you and you said you loved me. Surely the court will see that we love each other?"
"Yes, they will see that, but it might not be enough. The underground isn't run by love, Sarah. It's run by old, bitter Fae who have no use for such an emotion. Can we not discuss this right now?"
"Oh yes, fine let's put it off until later so I can get pissed off all over again!" she cried throwing her hands up into the air. He reached for her, pulling her into his arms and she shoved him back hard. 'Don't! Don't try to comfort me, ok?"
"Why are you so angry with me?"
"Because you could have warned me a head of time. Things might have turned out different and maybe I would have...would have.."
Pain flashed through his eyes and then raw anger. He got to his feet. "What Sarah? You would have chose differently? You would not have admitted that you loved me? Is that what you were going to say?" The anger in his mismatched eyes gave way to so much pain that she had to look away.
She squeezed her eyes shut, blocking the tears that threatened to fall. She was angry and full of grief all at once. She reached for him and buried her face in his chest, the tears cascading down her cheeks, one after another. "No..no.." she whispered against him. "I love you Jareth." She sobbed. "I love you with all that I am and I just don't want them to take me away."
He hugged her to him, running his hands over her back. "Then we'll have to prepare very well for our time in court." He held her tightly against him and placed kisses in her hair. "Either everything will be alright or the world will fall down around us."
Disclaimer: I own Aiden, Cyla, a dead Fae named Farris (who will be mentioned), Velvet, Riley, Metta and her band of traitorous elves and I will be owning more. I don't own Sarah, and I hate to admit that I don't own Jareth, but alas I do not. I don't own the Labyrinth either. They belong to the late and ever talented Jim Henson.
Vendetta
By Corrie McDermott (Cormak3032)
February 2002
Passion and Anger...
They had spent 3 days together, alone in his castle. Three days spent holding, comforting, loving each other with everything they were after all that had happened. She had grown accustomed to the feel of him against her and she had memorized almost everything about him. She didn't want their time alone together to end, but she knew that it would soon draw to a close. Every book had its final page, every play it's last act and every moment it's last few seconds.
She knew he was off in another world, as he held her against him. The night was cool, but the air sweet and fragrant. A full moon hung just over the horizon and crickets chirped their nightly melody beyond the castle garden. He had been silent much of the afternoon and she knew something was bothering him, although she didn't know what.
He had been victorious against the dark lord Farris, a kingdom lay in waiting somewhere for him to return and claim it, and the woman he loved was his. So what was wrong with him? She had been asking herself that question all afternoon as she observed him. She loved the man who held her, more then any other. She didn't enjoy not knowing what was wrong with him.
He stroked her long dark hair with his hands and she felt his chin resting on the top of her head. He had not pushed her away, despite his silence. If anything he had been demanding of her. He didn't seem content unless he was holding her touching her or at least gazing at her. She didn't mind all the fuss and attention at first but soon it began to bother her. Obviously whatever bothered him had to do with her or their future. Otherwise he would not be so obsessed with making sure she stayed within arms length of him.
She was growing tired of playing these games with him and angry with herself for not just asking what was wrong. His problems were her problems and vice versa. Sighing deeply she let the words flow from her mouth.
"Jareth, what's wrong?" She felt him tense slightly against her and that didn't make her feel much better. She turned in his arms, breaking his contact with her hair and stared up at him. He gazed down at her with worry in the depths of mismatched eyes. "Jareth? What is wrong with you?" She reached up to touch his pale skin and he closed his eyes, allowing his face to fall into her hand.
He sighed. "You don't understand Sarah." He turned his head from her, gazing out into the night. She stepped around him and forced him to look at her.
"That's right, I don't. So explain to me what is wrong. Why have you been so quiet? Why have you been so totally obsessed with me all afternoon? If I move away too far, it upsets you. I see the look in your eyes."
He let out a deep sigh and caressed her face with a bare hand. "As much as I would like to believe that the worst has passed, it hasn't. There is still so much at stake." He pulled her to him. " I fear I will lose you..."
"Fat chance. I'm not going anywhere, anytime soon. I love you Jareth. I wouldn't suddenly leave you." He placed a finger on her lips to silence her.
'I know. It's not you I worry about. It's others. After all that we have been through, there is still a chance that I may lose you."
She cast him a confused glance. "I don't understand."
"I don't expect you to. Our ways are not your ways."
"Jareth, I really detest riddles."
"Then you are going to loathe the High Court."
"The High Court?"
He nodded. "Yes. The High Court. I will be summoned there. For the first time in 400 years I will be summoned. I will be forced to explain my actions. Why I killed Farris. And I will be forced to explain everything about you. Why I brought you here, why I want you to stay, what right do I have to claim you as my own and I will possibly be forced to explain why I love you. Why I would willingly give everything I am and everything I have to a mortal. It's never been done before. No Fae has ever loved a mortal. And especially not the magnitude that I love you." He stoked her dark hair. "They will want to know everything about you."
"Why? I'm just a mortal. I obviously mean nothing to them. I have no magic. I'm no danger to them."
"In their eyes, you are. Mortals value the use of iron. It's used for weaponry, buildings and transportation. It is a very important substance to mortals. Fae fear mortals for this. They fear them taking over the Underground that is why many do not live here. The few that do live within my kingdom because of the Labyrinth.. I will have to prove that you are not a danger and that you don't rely on the use of iron."
"What if they believe I am a serious threat?"
"They might draw up the papers for your death." Jareth sighed heavily. No wonder her was fretting all day. "Even if they don't find you a threat. Anyone who is worthy may try to stake a claim on you. They could take you away from me." He looked worried but she ignored it.
"Take me away? I'm not am unwanted child to be moved about from home to home. I'm an adult who knows exactly where she wants to stay and exactly where she belongs. And that is beside the man I love; you!"
He reached for her hands and kissed each of them slowly. "We both know what you want and what I want as well, but the High Court doesn't work that way. I will be forced to prove my claim on you and I do not yet know what some of the tests may consist of."
"Jareth this is ridiculus. And what about me? Won't I have a say in this court?"
He shook his head sadly. "You are mortal Sarah. Those without possession of iron are helpless against the Fae. They are not thought of as equals or even close to equals. Only King Varian, Aiden and myself ever felt sypathy for them and that sympathy turned into understanding and evolved into respect and the belief in equality."
"So I have no rights?"
"None."
She let out a loud breath. "My God. This place is backwards."
"It may be backwards to you and being away from the court for so long it is also strange to me. But its law and tradition to everyone else here. We are the outsiders in this instance and we must abide by their rules."
"And they always get the outsiders."
"Not always."
"Why don't we flee then? Why don't you come live aboveground with me? Let's skip all this "claims court' bullshit and live happily ever after aboveground. No one there can tell us that we can't be together."
He shook his head sadly. "I cannot live aboveground Sarah. Being in the presence of iron constantly would make me very ill. And I can not leave the Underground, I have too many promises made here that would be broken if I left."
She nodded and stepped from his embrace, taking a seat on a stone bench nearby. "So what am I supposed to do then, hmm? Just let them talk about me like I wasn't there? Let them make decisions about my life that I should be making? I should just let them take you away from me and not be upset?" She was so angry that she was shaking and he instantly took a seat beside her, taking his hands into his. He smoothed her soft skin, trying to calm her.
"I won't let them take you away from me. I promise it won't happen." His words were sincere but they both knew better.
"But you can't promise me that Jareth! You can't! Just like you couldn't promise that you would return to the temple for me!" She cried angrily.
"What would you have me do? We can not hide from the court. That is impossible. Aiden will be there to help us, and possibly Cyla as well. Not all is lost."
"No but when you started this whole conversation you sure made it sound like we were doomed from the start."
He let out a shuddering breath. "We were..." he let out softly.
"What?"
"I said that we were. Doomed from the start that is." He turned his head away from her.
"I don't understand."
He gazed at her hesitantly and Sarah felt a coldness chill her. "I was aware of the dangers from the beginning. I knew the court might notice you here, but I was so hell bent on wanting your love and you, that I blindly ignored it."
"So you knew from the beginning that something like this might happen?" he nodded slowly and she jumped to her feet. "Damn it Jareth!" she exploded. "Didn't you think to tell me about something like this? Didn't you think that I should know exactly what I was committing myself to?"
"You commit yourself to me, as you said so yourself and that is exactly what will happen."
'You can't be so certain!" He reached for her to comfort her and she pulled away from him and he felt his heart ache. With her back turned to him she asked, "So what will happen if they take me away? Where will I go?"
He sighed and she spun around to face him. "Tell me Jareth."
He looked to utterly helpless and despite her anger for the court and him this very moment she felt it subside. "You could go to anyone. Anyone who proved to have a rightful claim over you."
"Jareth, you're the only one who knows me, anything truly about me. I love you and you said you loved me. Surely the court will see that we love each other?"
"Yes, they will see that, but it might not be enough. The underground isn't run by love, Sarah. It's run by old, bitter Fae who have no use for such an emotion. Can we not discuss this right now?"
"Oh yes, fine let's put it off until later so I can get pissed off all over again!" she cried throwing her hands up into the air. He reached for her, pulling her into his arms and she shoved him back hard. 'Don't! Don't try to comfort me, ok?"
"Why are you so angry with me?"
"Because you could have warned me a head of time. Things might have turned out different and maybe I would have...would have.."
Pain flashed through his eyes and then raw anger. He got to his feet. "What Sarah? You would have chose differently? You would not have admitted that you loved me? Is that what you were going to say?" The anger in his mismatched eyes gave way to so much pain that she had to look away.
She squeezed her eyes shut, blocking the tears that threatened to fall. She was angry and full of grief all at once. She reached for him and buried her face in his chest, the tears cascading down her cheeks, one after another. "No..no.." she whispered against him. "I love you Jareth." She sobbed. "I love you with all that I am and I just don't want them to take me away."
He hugged her to him, running his hands over her back. "Then we'll have to prepare very well for our time in court." He held her tightly against him and placed kisses in her hair. "Either everything will be alright or the world will fall down around us."