The King's Labyrinth
Horizon 7/?

A thin hand slapped across the calm surface of the water, shattering the 
dark pool with shards of reflected candlelight. The flames flickered and 
struggled in the breeze her swirling garments caused as she left the room 
in agitated strides. Walking into her privet apartment, she shed the heavy 
mantle that covered her dark hair, black eyes flitting over the familiar 
objects of the room. The paraphernalia of magic used by the most powerful 
sorceress in the Underground. Useless, all of it. Nothing could repair her 
shattered spell. Jareth was remembering and she could do nothing to stop 
it. Had the girl done this? Sarah's child. Annag sighed heavily, sinking 
into a chair. She was feeling her age today, felt the years piled upon her 
shoulders despite her perpetual youth. Not for the first time, she wished 
her mentor was there to advise her. "He's going to remember." She said to 
the empty house, as if searching for the answer from the stone walls 
themselves. "What do I do?"

----

"Ann? Are you okay? Don't go to pieces on me here."

"I'm fine. It's......a beautiful painting."

"If you like bloody battle scenes I guess." Silviet looked at her friend. 
"You look ill."

"I'm fine." She said more forcefully. Whatever lingering doubts she'd had 
about the connection between Jareth and Xander's illnesses had been 
completely banished from her mind at the sight of the painting. She looked 
at her friend, eyes suddenly determined. "We have to go Silviet."

"Go? We can't go anywhere. Not with Xander the way he is."


"Silviet, you have to listen to me and you have to trust me. I know what 
I'm doing. We need to wake Xander and take him with us. Jareth's suffering 
from the same thing he is...and it's far more than a coincidence. Go wake 
him and bring him out here. We have to go now."

Silviet glanced at her, saw the desperation in Amalthya's eyes, and did as 
told. Amalthya took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to regain 
some calm. Whatever poise she'd managed to gather, however, was shattered 
by Silviet's panicked voice coming from the bedroom. 

"I can't wake him up! Ann, come help me." She sprinted to the bedroom, 
adrenaline surging, heart pounding. "I tried everything." Silviet gasped.

"Don't panic. I need your help now." She looked into her friend's 
frightened eyes. Deep down, Amalthya was just as terrified, but she shoved 
the acid fear away, refusing to give in. She bent down and lifted Xander's 
limp form off the bed, supporting him on her shoulder. He was taller than 
her by several inches, but slight of build, much to her relief. With her 
free hand, she reached out to her friend. "Take my hand Silviet, and get 
ready for a shock." Silviet didn't hesitate. Amalthya closed her eyes and 
prayed that this would work. In a split second, the trio vanished from the 
room.  Amalthya's knees buckled beneath her as cold stone replaced the worn 
wooden floor of the apartment under her feet. She staggered forward but 
managed to catch her balance and stand upright again. She'd transported 
them directly to her room in the castle and now rid herself of Xander's 
unconscious form by placing him on the bed. Silviet stared at her with 
wide, questioning eyes, unable to understand what had just taken place. 
"Stay here Silviet. I can't explain things just yet. I need to find Jareth 
first. Look after Xander."

Silviet struggled to regain her composure. She was confused by what had 
taken place, unable to understand how they'd suddenly appeared in this 
place. But it also confirmed a growing suspicion she'd had, that Ann and 
Jareth were not exactly as they seemed. "Go find him." She nodded in 
assent. "I'll stay here."

Amalthya headed out into the castle's hallways, searching the most likely 
places for any sign of Jareth. She found him in the small room off the 
library, slumped over at his desk. "Jareth." She said quietly, shaking his 
shoulder gently. "Jareth?" She shook him harder. "Damn." She cursed under 
her breath. "Looks like we're on our own." 

She went quickly back to the bedroom where Silviet remained, sitting in a 
chair she'd brought over to the bed. 

"Jareth's out too, which means we're in trouble."

"Trouble?"

"I was counting on Jareth's help. I don't see how we're going move both of 
them."

"Aren't there any other people in this place? There has to be someone..."

"There's no one here Silviet. There hasn't been in a long time. But there 
might be someone we can call on."

"Then let's do it. This is creeping me out."

"I wish there were a better way to do all this. I need to get something, 
come on."

"But Xander-"

"Isn't going anywhere. And he won't be ever if we don't do something now." 
She grabbed her friend's hand and dragged her down the maze of corridors to 
the room she and Jareth shared. "They're around here somewhere." She 
muttered, looking through the large wardrobe. "Ah, here we go." She pulled 
out a large, ornately carved box and flipped open the lid. Nestled in the 
velvet lining were several crystal balls which shimmered slightly in the 
weak light. She pulled one out and held it in her hand, turning it over 
slowly. "Jareth was training me to use them." She said quietly. "I can't 
conjure them like he can, but I do have some control."

"What are you going to do?"

She allowed a small smile to play across her face. "I'm going to get us 
some help."

End Chapter Seven