The Hearts of Goblins

Chapter XII

Jareth sat on his ragged throne. His back bent, both feet planted firmly on the floor, one hand balled into a tight fist that gripped onto the fabric on the knee of his trousers, and in the other hand Jareth held a crystal sphere. He gazed into it with a pointed expression. His jaw clenched, nostrils flared, and eyes burning with the rage that was bubbling up within him.

Several dozen goblins had gathered around to watch, wisely keeping their distance. All were silent. Within the throne room the only sound was of goblins shuffling uneasily on their scaly feet.

"Where are they?" Jareth growled quietly.

"What?" said a stupid goblin. All others turned to glare at the imbecile in their presence.

"Either be silent or go make yourself useful!" Jareth hissed. His gaze did not leave the crystal. Through it he watched his two adventurers feeling their way through darkness as they were led on by some annoying little scrap of fur. The group appearing to be coming to the end of the tunnel. Jareth turned the crystal in his hand and the image shifted. Emrys stood perched atop a labyrinth wall. They were still for a moment, but quickly their body tensed and they looked around. They held their hand out and made a grabbing gesture towards the sun. The image went dark. Distorted by some smoky black shroud.

"Damn." Jareth sighed.

"What did he say?" asked the stupid goblin. Jareth lept up and kicked the goblin halfway across the room.

"BE SILENT!!" he shouted. Goblins backed away from him. "Get Out! All of you!"

The goblins scurried away shrieking and crying as they went.

As the last, a particularly round goblin waddled out of the room Jareth sighed. He cursed Emrys and their damned unseelie magic. He cursed the whole of the unseelie court. He could not begin to grasp why his father had agreed to meet with them. Surely they would plan to betray him. Jareth grit his teeth. It wasn't as though he would necessarily be bothered if someone decided to assassinate his father. Jareth just didn't like the idea of Seelie and Unseelie joining together for any reason at all. The separation of the courts was natural, ideal, a perfect balance. They were as night and day, darkness and light, the moon and the sun. For them to be meeting, doing business, or associating with each other in any way... The idea put a sick feeling in Jareth's stomach. There was something painstakingly odd about the whole ordeal. The Seelie and Unseelie courts should just stay out of each other's way in his opinion.
Why had the blasted unseelie court had decided to cause such trouble now of all times? Jareth turned and glared out the window. Why had Emrys chosen today to have bothered him? He turned back to gaze into the crystal, turning his attention back to his little adventurers.

Gwen couldn't tell how long they had been stumbling through the dark. Her hand that was clutched securely in Lee's was her only comfort. It was humid and cold. With each step, mud squished between Gwen's toes. The air smelled of mildew and rot. Their conditions were bleak but Gwen could think of nothing except the darkness. She remembered the dark emptiness she had almost fallen into when she had stepped on the wrong tile. That darkness was different from this. That darkness was gripping and cold. It was vast and great. It terrified Gwen like nothing had ever scared her before. The blinding darkness that surrounded them now was meek in comparison but it served as a reminder of the nightmare that had almost taken Gwen.
"Fear not." Didymus said. Lee and Gwen both jumped at the suddenness of his outburst. "We grow near the exit! Thou shalt be granted light again soon."
Gwen took in a deep breath as a small amount of hope took hold of her heart. She wanted out. She wanted out now.
"Ah yes. Here it is." Didymus said. Gwen nearly shoved her friends out of the way as a bright ray of light burst through the crack in the ceiling as Didymus and Lee pushed up a loose tile. Lee let go of Gwen's hand in order to push the tile completely out of place. The square of bright light hit Gwen like a wave of euphoria.
"Ladies first." Lee said. Gwen could have kissed him for letting her go first. She scrambled up and out into the light and freedom. She sat down on the tiled ground. She stared up at the sky. She thought it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Lee grunted as he pulled himself out of the tunnel. He sighed and laid down. Didymus popped up out of the hole and gave them both a sharp toothed grin.
"There. That's better." He said.
"Shut up." Lee said.
Gwen sat silent for a few moment. Then she started to laugh. She chortled and howled. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She couldn't believe that she had actually thought that Lee would be the one to deteriorate mentally. Lee was clear headed. Gwen was losing it. She sobbed in a hysterical mix of laughter and crying. Lee watched his friend and felt tears come to his eyes. Seeing her go through this was torture.
"Come now, M'lady." Didymus said as he pranced over to console her. "It shall be alright."
"How are we supposed to get through this?" Gwen laughed, "This is a nightmare."
She leaned back on her arms and threw her head back and said between giggles,
"We were almost killed by a living goddamn forest fire."
"Aye, m'lady," Didymus said softly, "and thou showeth the signs of it." He pointed at her shoulder.
She was badly burned. Her shoulder stung deep into the very muscle. Her ankle had gone slightly numb.
She reached up with her hand and gingerly poked the red wound. She hissed and pulled back. It hurt like hell. But she blinked a few times as she began to regain her sense. She wiped her eyes and coughed.
"Sorry." She whispered. She looked at Lee. They had a silent conversation. Lee expressed his worry and Gwen tried to let him know that she was okay. She smiled at her friend.
"You look like trash." She told him Lee snorted,
"I wish you had a mirror."
Lee's shirt was in black tatters. What used to be a white tank top was now a useless sooty scrap. Lee pulled it off of his chest, which was significantly less grimy than his face and arms. Didymus stared somewhat rudely at the twin scars on either side on Lee's chest.
"Where didst thou gain such battle scars?" Didymus asked. Lee raised an eyebrow. Gwen giggled softly.
"Um surgery." Lee answered.
"We should try to keep moving." Gwen said. She needed something to keep her mind from wandering or else she would go mad again. She stood and offered her hand to Lee.
"Should thou not rest a few moments?" Didymus asked. Gwen's silver pocket watch suddenly felt heavy. 
"I don't think we have the time."