Fan Fiction / Crossover Fan Fiction ❯ The Fallen Labyrinth ❯ Chapter 3: Keeps Us From the Stark ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

This chapter of The Fallen Labyrinth is dedicated to the awesome Anij. She was the only one who reviewed. You people had better do some serious asskissing to her too, 'cause she saved you guys from a fate of "REVIEW NOW's” running all through the damn chapter. It wasn't five, but (shrugs) I've always been kind of fickle.

Anij and everyone on ladycosmos.anifics.net, you can skip the rest of this note, as it doesn't apply to you.

Normally, whether you believe it or not, I don't go ape-shit if people don't review. I used to. Oh boy, did I. I even used to hold chapters for a ten-review ransom.

Needless to say, I got pretty frustrated real quick. It's too much stress, and I really don't need the addition to my already stressful life.

So here's the deal. If you don't want to review, don't. Just don't expect me to be all cheerful about it. this story means too much to me just to throw it out because apparently no one likes it except for one person.

(breathes deeply) So how 'bout we start over?

Hi. I'm Ceris Malfoy, the wife of Draco Malfoy, also known as The Spanish Rose. I like to write fanfiction, and I absolutely adorereviews.

I even accept constructive criticism, flames, and fangirl moments. I love them, I adore them, I live for them. They are my bread and butter and the reason why I write. Yes, I write for myself, but it never has that same glow of accomplishment that one gets when they read a comment about their story and think 'Someone commented!'It implies, dear reader, that you think enough of this fic to comment, no matter what your comments are.

Some might object to me beating you guys upside the head about this. Others might get offended and go away. Here's what I say to that: I'm a learningwriter. I'm trying to become good enough to begin a successful career as a novelist. However, I can not do that if I don't know what to fix and what is good about my writing. Every comment helps me to refine my writing.

For example, people have been complaining that I write too-short chapters in my other stories. I've been trying my hardest to learn how to write more than the barest detail so that I end up posting longer, fuller chapters for my viewers enjoyment. I have yet to find out if I have been successful in this venture.

Alright, that's enough. If, by the next chapter, you still haven't reviewed, I give up.

DISCLAIMER: Labyrinth characters and story are not mine. The Fallen's are.

The Fallen Labyrinth

Chapter 3: Keeps Us From the Stark

By: Ceris Malfoy

Kitsuko's anger with Jareth evaporated as he flew through the skies; the wind rushing past his face as he flew higher and faster, ivory wings majestic against the blue-white sky. He loved flying, He circled around the citadel several times, trying to prolong the sweet thrill, but knew that he could no longer ignore his Queen's summons. Even now it beat against his mind, that throbbing power of hers demanding an answer soon. Grinning, Kitsuko dived steeply, closing his eyes as the wind roared past. He turned left sharply and flew through the open window, and settled down to wait.

He did not have long to wait. Almost as soon as he had gotten comfortable, his Queen was sweeping through the doors, goblins, pixies, and the darkling throng following in her wake.

Kitsuko studied the goblins. Ever since the exile of their Fae-King, the goblins had become something that would be unrecognizable to their past kind. They were taller, harsher, built for death and war (1). They had become savage beasts, and as such had been banished from the Seelie Court (2). He smiled grimly. Whatever else she might be, Ananke was not a fool. She had recognized in these creatures an amazing potential. She had given them a home, she had given them power, and she had given them victims (3). They deferred only to her now, and had named her their Queen (4).

He turned his gaze to the pixies and shuddered. Their technical name was the Diminutive Fae or the Tiny Ones, but nobody dared call them that. Not after what happened to the Fairies (5). Again, by some trick or deal or concession, his Queen had made them her ally, and they flocked around her constantly.

He then turned his gaze to the darkling throng, or the Unseelie Court as they were known in polite circles. They were all sadistic bastards in his opinion, but they were not shallow, unlike the Seelie Court (6). He sighed as he studied his Queen, and smiled warmly at the feeling of intense pride that suffused him.

She had done the impossible. For too long now the Unseelie Court had been the dumping grounds of the Seelie Court and other creatures. Ananke had turned it into a force to be reckoned with. And all within a mere seventeen years (7). Most considered her too emotionally fragile to hold the title of the Dark Queen, but she had done it, and now...

She turned her gaze on him, and frowned.

...and now he was in trouble.

“You summoned me, my Queen?” he bowed low.

She delicately waved her hands in dismissal, and everyone left. She studied him for a moment. “Of all my advisors, of all my councilors, of the few I could call friend in this prison, I had trusted you the most.”

He raised an eyebrow. “My Queen?”

Her green eyes burned. “Why did you not tell me that Jareth was here?”

He sighed. “I'm sorry, my Queen. I was tricked into an oath against telling you unless he interfered in any way (8).” He did not explain. He did not have to.

She sighed, running a tired hand over her face and through her ebony-amethyst hair. She sighed. “So how is he?”

Kitsuko tried not to let the jealousy show on his face. He did not want to talk about him. “He is as difficult as ever, my lady.”

She smiled bitterly. “Of course he is.” She turned away and walked over to the scrying-glass. Peering into its depths she murmured, “Show me the boy.”

Inside the depths of the scrying-glass, mist and power swirled around and around, before a small, murky image appeared. Quietly, she beckoned to Kitsuko, who willingly joined her side. “Watch,” she whispered. Kitsuko leaned in closer, and breathed in deeply of his Queen's sent.

Together they watched the small red-haired male as he journeyed.

Jin cursed. Loudly. Fluently. He hated forests. Give him a city any day. This was ridiculous! He eyed the twisted, moving trees with distaste. While regular forests didn't bother him as much, trees that moved and tried to kill him every time he approached(9) was pushing his patience, and he had very little patience to begin with. He glowered at the forest ahead, and sneered at the path behind. No matter which way he chose, he was apparently doomed.

Sighing, he eyed the left and right paths, and shuddered. No way was he going that way. To the left of him was a path that abruptly disappeared into a cloying fog, and every now and again he would catch sight of ...something moving swiftly in the dense white shit, and every time a shrill scream would follow. No way on earth, not for a million dollars would he go to the left. An old catch phrase for some movie or another whispered softly in his ear, and he giggled hysterically.

“The fog is alive, and it has teeth...”

To his right, the path led down, down, down into a dark abyss that he could not see if it had an end or not. And he was not taking any chances. So, the right was out. Behind him lay failure, and he would not admit defeat so soon.

Green eyes blazed challengingly, and a pointed chin lifted defiantly in an unconscious imitation of the mother he hardly remembered. Muttering curses under his breath, he walked forward.

The trees moved.

Jareth watched as his son decided on which path to take and cursed just as fluently as his son when he saw the choice. Obviously the boy was too determined to win to go back, and too smart to go left into the fog. Even Jareth, for all his considerable power, refused to go into the fog. Especially considering that he had no clue as to just what it was, exactly, that lived in it. But why go forward, when all that was forward is a forest determined to beat one to death? The Underground would surely be a better place...

Sighing, Jareth resigned himself to exposing his whereabouts to his ex, and followed his son, determined to protect him from harm.

The trees moved.

Jin cursed and dodged backwards. He glared at the forest in sheer fury. Nothing was going to stop him from getting his brother back, come Hell or high water. He bared his teeth and ran. He was vaguely aware of someone behind him cursing his name with an almost hilarious desperation, but for the most part, he was aware of nothing but the trees and dodging their heavy blows.

He was failing misery.

For every blow he missed, there were three more waiting. They hurt, oh how they hurt, but they did nothing but make him angrier. Cursing even more creatively, he gathered everything he had, every last residue of strength within him, and ran as if the Hellhounds were baying at his heels.

Something within him stirred from its resting place and reared its ugly head.

Jareth could only stare in amazement as his son, his son, outran the trees' blows. With an almost preternatural speed he dodged and ran and weaved. Jareth followed, warily, and more slowly. The trees did not try to kill him, recognizing him as fae, but they were agitated by his presence. He watched as the red-haired boy growled and came to an abrupt halt in the center of the forest.

And the trees did nothing. They moved angrily, but did not strike.

It wasn't until Jareth reached his son's side that he realized why.

He was fae.

It really shouldn't have been so surprising, as the boy was his son, but it was.

Green eyes blazed emerald-fire. Red hair glowed crimson and gold, wilder and untamed. Pale skin shimmered as if stars had taken up residence within it.

His son. His heir.

Jareth laughed delightedly. Sarah's baby was all grown up.(10)

In the citadel in the center of the Labyrinth, Ananke, Goblin Queen, High Queen of the Unseelie Court, Keeper of the Wild Magic, laughed.

Kitsuko stared wondrously at the fiery being reflected in the scrying-glass. He was beautiful. He reluctantly tore his gaze from the new fae and studied his Queen.

Bitter tears ran down her cheeks as she laughed hysterically, and her body trembled unbearably.

It broke Kitsuko's heart to be unable to do anything but watch her.

Eventually she calmed down, though the bitter tears still ran down her cheek. “So he can still find happiness, despite my curse.” She stared at the scrying-glass, and a black cloud of hatred crossed her face. Snarling, she swept the scrying-glass off the stone dais, and watched as it shattered to pieces.

“Kitsuko.”

He tore his gaze from the shattered remains of the scrying-glass and turned to his Queen. “Yes, my Lady?”

“Find the boy, and make sure he reaches the Rivers of Truth.” An terrible emptiness had settled over her face, and her power was beginning to swirl angrily around her petite form.

Kitsuko was no fool. He bowed low, and whispered, “Yes, my Queen.” Turning he flapped his great wings once, twice, and then lifted off and soared out the window.

Ananke watched him go with longing eyes. “Too soon will our worlds turn upside-down.” She walked over to the window. “Seventeen years, and he finally finds happiness. What of my curse then? Does this mean that mine shall come?” She looked at Kitsuko's weaving form. “Will there finally be an end to this terrible loneliness?” Her gaze darkened. “Or do you mock me yet, my fine fellow? Is this yet another of your tricks?” A humorless grin crossed her features before that terrible emptiness settled over them.

“Havok,” she called.

A tall demon, pale violet hair shimmering unnaturally, even by fae standards, one remaining crimson eye gleaming with hunger, entered. “Yes, Dark One?”

She turned and studied him. “Find the Exiled One. Find him and make sure you bring him to me alive.” She watched as the demon's face fell slightly. “I said alive, Havok, not uninjured.”

Havok's face brightened. “Where do you want him, oh generous one?”

She smirked, and her eyes narrowed. “Take him to the Escher room.” The smirk blossomed into an animalistic baring of the teeth. “I think he misses it.”

The demon known as Havok threw back his head, and laughed. After just a few seconds, Ananke's laughter mingled with his.

So? What do you think? I had some difficulty with this chapter, as it feels rushed to me. But I really didn't feel like tangling the story-line to Hell, so I left it the way it was. Read and review and enjoy!

Ja ne,

Ceris Malfoy

NOTES:

1. Jareth was the Goblin King. When he was Exiled (for several reasons that will be explained later), the goblins lost contact with his power. And so they became warped and changed into what they were always meant to be: Goblins. (The evil troll-like creatures of human mythology, not the silly, harmless, klutzes of the movie.)

2. In this story, Jareth was Seelie. His goblins were of the harmless variety. When they lost contact with his power, they warped, and became something entirely different. The Seelie weren't going to stand for them tainting their court, and booted them. Kinda makes you feel almost sad for the little buggers, huh?

3. She's at war with several other groups, which will be revealed at a later date, and they are her warriors. Victims? Oh yeah. By the nation full.

4. A horde of creatures that powerful can not be tamed. The only way someone rules a horde of creatures that powerful is by election.

5. The biting fairies in the movie? Yeah. They are not the pixies. The pixies look like a badass, pimped-out, bitch-slap-your-ass version of the fairies. They DON'T like being called the Tiny Ones or the Diminutive fae. At. All. The fairies and the pixies have been at war for several millenniums. When Ananke became the Dark Queen, she gave them power, more than they usually had. (By the way, the fairies are part of the Seelie Court.)The fairies called the pixies the Tiny Ones, and the pixies kicked their collective asses. Now not one single fairy dares to show even a hint of wing within the Labyrinth, as the pixies have declared it quite clearly as their territory.

6. The Seelie Court is obsessed with remaining the 'glittering throng'. They have only pure, beautiful, and/or harmless creatures within their circles. As such, anything that does not match that criteria is labeled as 'monster' and thrown to the side. All Seelie are dangerous and powerful, but they are the court of Illusion and Light, and their illusions have been a millennia in the making.

7. Each High-Queen or King of a court can rule up to three-to-four millennia before they are even considered mature rulers. That Ananke brought the Unseelie Court into a position of power to be reckoned with in just seventeen mortal years is kinda scary to other Fae.

8. I don't explain this one later on, so I'll do it here. What happened was that he got suspicious of where Caelestis, his wife, was wandering off to all the time, and cornered her about it. She got him to pledge an oath that unless it interfered with his Queen's plans, that he could not inform her. Then Caelestis took him into the forest surrounding the Labyrinth and introduced him to Jareth, the Exiled King and his beloved's Ex. There was a big fight over that one, but Kitsuko finally agreed to keep his oath.

9. My inspiration for these trees is the Whomping Willow from the Potterverse.

10. Half-fae come into their heritage only after a period of prolonged exposure to Fae magic, and then a greater concentration of it. How Jin came into contact with Fae magic during his lifetime Aboveground will be explained later. As for the greater concentration, the Labyrinth is Wild Magic made form. If that's not a concentration, I don't know what is.