King's Labyrinth
Horizon 9/?

Amalthya gaped at her. "You're kidding me. You *have* to be kidding me." She knew  that the Underground was a land of surprises, but really, this was too much.

"Half-brother, technically." Annag replied, ignoring Amalthya's skepticism. "I'll explain in a minute. Firstly, I'm sure you'd like me to explain what is happening. I want to reassure that both Xander and Jareth are fine, and that they will both regain consciousness in time.  You needn't worry for them.

They're in comas." Amalthya pointed out dryly. She was suspicious of the woman and wasn't ready to trust her just yet.

"And they'll awaken once the spell has fully unraveled." She said with a hint of sadness.

"Spell?" Silviet piped up. "This is all getting incredibly unbelievable." 

Annag looked at the woman. "This isn't your world. Things that are impossible there are commonplace here."

Silviet gave Annag a wane smile. "You're the second one to tell me that today, and I think I just might believe it."

Annag glanced over a Gabriel before continuing to speak. "Both Jareth and Xander are under a spell, one of my own devising. The whys of this will become apparent once I've told you the events leading up to it's casting. If you'll go with Gabriel, he'll lead you into the sitting room. I'll join you shortly."

Gabriel led the two women into the room. The last light of the sun was gleaming through the  huge stained glass window on the wall opposite the door, causing the colors to glow like dying embers.

"It's the same as the painting." Silviet said, running a hand over the vibrantly colored glass.

Amalthya nodded, gazing at the window and wondering what it meant.

Shortly, Annag appeared in the doorway. The fading light shown on her face, letting Amalthya get a good look at her for the first time. Gone were the heavy robes and large cowl she'd worn before.  She was now dressed in a  plain dusty blue gown which hung to the floor.  Scrutinizing the woman's face, she could now see a trace resemblance between her and Xander. They had the same eyes, though Annag's were black as night instead of violet.  And they had similar mouths, though Annag's showed none of the humor Xander's did. Where he was jovial and quick to smile, his half sister seemed solemn, almost sorrowful.

"I suppose I should start at the very beginning. What I'm going to say may seem incredible, especially to Silviet, but it's the sincerest truth.
	Xander was born here, in the Underground. This was centuries ago, when the land was still filled with our people. It was an era of both great joy, and great sorrow for my family and the other court families. My father had been killed  some years pervious during a failed attempt by a rival king to overtake Jareth's father's throne. My father had been one of King Spiridon's  most loyal and trusted knights, One of his personal body guards. 
	After several years, my mother remarried. Talin, also one  of the king's knights, had been a dear friend of my father's and had helped to support  my mother and I after his passing. Xander was born in mid-summer, and the court was already in a festive mood. Earlier in the year, Jareth had been born. He was the king's only heir.  I was five at the time. It was rare to have three children so relatively close in age in the court at one time. Because we live so long, our people have a low birth rate. I was lucky to have playmates my age. Two more years passed peacefully in our kingdom. Then, the year I was to turn eight, all hell broke lose. 
	That was the summer Lord Herden d'Avennes and his men marched south from their kingdom in the mountains to try to claim the  throne of the Goblin King."

"The fighting was brief but vicious. Many men on both sides lost their lives, including Talin, Xander's father. My mother was inconsolable. the queen, who had been friends with my mother since their girlhood, took Xander and I under her wing.  She treated us as if we were her own children. King Spiridon himself felt responsible for us, as we'd both lost a father in his service.
	The battle with Herden's men was to be the last for many years. The old lord had been killed in the fight and had only an infant son to succeed him. The years that followed were the happiest of my life. the three of us grew together in an atmosphere of love and friendship. Jareth was as much my brother as Xander was , and the two of them were inseparable.
	When I was nineteen , I left the court and the life I'd known for so long to receive from the sorcerer Melcant. I'd always had an aptitude for magic and my abilities surpassed that of the tutors that instructed Jareth and Xander. Jareth showed promise, and perhaps, had he not been the heir to the throne, he too would have gone with Melcant. Xander had very little ability and was always slightly jealous  of Jareth and I. Looking back, I suppose my leaving was a blessing in disguise. Had I not left, it's likely Jareth and I would have eventually been forced to marry. And we would have been miserable together. Besides, my heart belonged to another. 
	Though I was distressed at having to leave behind all that was familiar, I soon became absorbed in my studies. the years seemed to fly by. I was twenty-four the year we got the word.

King  Spiridon had died, and Jareth was now the Goblin King."

End Chapter Nine