Strangers 'Til Now - A Labyrinth fan fiction

Chapter 29 - Fight Scene

Sarah and Hoggle looked at each other in shock. How could anyone be so cruel and heartless as to kill their own family, and then masquerade as a grieving brother?

A harsh laugh comes from the entrance to the throne room. She whips her head around to see Gideon enter, her insides boiling with pure rage.

"The filthy little human has finally uncovered the truth," He smirks, placing both hands on his hips like Jareth sometimes did when he felt particularly smug.

"How could you?" Sarah asked.

"Simple. I want to be king."

"But to kill your own brothers! You're a special type of monster!"

"I am a monster for wanting power?" His eyes raged with a lust for more murder. "A monster for wanting a change?"

"Why not discuss a change with the others? Why go to such drastic measures?"

"I. Rule. Alone." Each word was punctuated by the sharp tap of his foot as he walked closer toward Sarah.

Hoggle still had not stood up, and looked terrified at the exchange. Gideon was getting too close for his comfort and Sarah backed up a little bit. Hoggle gulped and stood in front of her, facing Gideon. He laughed and sent the little goblin flying across the room, where he lay unconscious.

"Hoggle!" Sarah tried to help him but she was also thrown at a wall, where vines wound their way tightly around her wrists.

Gideon took slow, deliberate steps toward her. When he stood nose to nose, he withdrew a dagger from his sleeve. Quick as lightning, he ran it down her arm, just deeply enough to leave a trail of warm blood behind.

"What does your wife think of this?" Sarah demands, teeth gritted through the stinging pain the slice brought.

"My wife was given two choices," He explains, a grin on his face. Join me, or die. Her death was a well kept secret and I've had one of my shape shifters take her place these last few months."

"You killed your own wife?" Sarah struggled to break free, fighting the tightening vines. With a wave of Gideon's hand, they gave lose and Sarah lid down the wall, massaging them while trying to avoid the blood trail. "It was you who chased me in the hall of mirrors wasn't it? You and that... Shape shifter. You caused me to fall and get the amnesia."

"I did. And I should have killed you when I had the chance, but I froze."

"And the peach!" She stood, using the wall for support. Her blood dripped on the stones. "You sent me into that hallucination. You tried to get me to forget my husband and position."

"Yes, well I had to try something. I knew you were close to finding me out."

"Why not just kill me?"

"I feel, that with you alive, I can gain total rule, rather than just killing you. Those ugly goblins have grown to respect you so much, killing you would only send them into a rebellion. They never liked Jareth much until you came back anyway.

"But. If you are to bow before me, accept me as the new high king, things will be an easy and smooth transition!"

"I'd never bow down to a murderer! What have you done with Jareth? I know he's still alive."

"Yes, my bear brother. He's the only one you'll ever bow down for, am I correct?" She ignored the sexual innuendo and he moved along. "Yes, he is alive. And he will stay alive, if you give me the kingdom."

"It's not mine to give."

"Alright Sarah, lets play a game," He conjures and hourglass and turns it over. "If you can find him in one hours time, you can keep him, and I will duel my brother for his kingdom. He will die, and I will keep you around out of spite."

The first beads of sand hit the bottom of the hourglass and his words angered Sarah so much that she lunged for him, screaming obscenities.

Gideon retaliates by punching her on the shoulder, just above her breast and she stumbles back a few feet before lunging at him again. The two exchange blows as the hour ticks by. Gideon is surprised at her determination, but he has one up on her with his dagger, and cuts her multiple times.

Sarah lay exhausted on the floor after rolling away from Gideon. He hoisted himself up to look over at her. She'd succeeded in breaking his leg in 3 places and dislocating his shoulder. Using his good arm, he crawled across the room and pulled his dagger back out of the hidden pocket. Sarah was so out of it that she didn't hear him.

He raised it high and starts to bring it down, directly over her heart. Just before the blade can sink into her skin, both the dagger and Gideon are lifted and thrown across the room by an unseen force.

Sarah and Hoggle, who had regained consciousness, sat up. She could feel such power generating from her that she never knew existed within her. It seemed strong enough to cure every bruise and cut Gideon had given her, including the one on Hoggle's head.

As soon as the power had come, it was gone again.

"The baby?" Sarah questioned aloud, then laughed to herself.

"What baby?" Hoggle said.

"My baby, Jareth's baby." She laughed again. "He must take after Jareth."

"Uh, Sarah?" Hoggle asked as she went from laughing to crying in a few seconds.

"Jareth! Oh Hoggle, how will I find him now?"

"Well, I imagine you follow your heart," He said simply. Sarah looked at him as if he were diseased, and he shrugged his shoulders. "What? Those human novels aren't all complete rubbish you know."

She stood and thought hard. She wasn't quite sure how to proceed. She stood there, willing and waiting for something. Maybe Jareth would just appear before her.

"The courtyard balcony..." A voice in the back of her mind told her.

She took off running up the stairs and down a corridor. There were at least 5 balcony's in the whole castle, but only the one over the courtyard showed prominently in her minds eye.

The door was halfway open and she burst through it, the force of her entrance causing the door to hit the outer stone wall and shattering the glass panels within.

He was there, unconscious and slumped onto his side. She knelt beside him and gingerly brought his head to rest in her lap. His body was cold but she could feel the faintest of heartbeats in his chest. She spoke softly, begging him to wake.

"Step aside Sarah," Gideon was standing in the doorway, looking worse for wear. He held an armed bow and arrow in his hand.

Jareth finally opened his eyes, but his body was still paralyzed. Gideon had used the strongest poison available to put him in this catatonic state.

"Step aside, or die with him."

Sarah kissed Jareth on the forehead before gently lowering his head to the ground. His eyes fluttered open and closed. Her mind worked quickly to concoct a plan she hoped would work.

The King of sprites, and the Queen of goblins stood facing each other with death in their eyes. One would kill the other before this would be finished.