Once upon a cursed king

Chapter 13: The Queen Returns

James paced agitatedly back and forth in his cell something was happening, he could feel it. Suddenly a burst of light flashed through the dungeon causing a sharp pain to shoot through his body before it stopped, he sighed almost in relief at what the light must have been

"What was that?" Duvessa croaked as she shuffled to the bars. She gasped as she seen him, he was once again a goblin.

"I believe the king has his powers back," James explained.

"You was a goblin wasn't you, you made a deal with the harpy to become human?" She asked rhetorically.

"It's not something I'm proud of, I have spent my whole life trying to rectify what happened," James said bowing his head in guilt.

"Well now you can, don't goblins have a magic of their own?" She asked excitedly.

"Of course, your right." He exclaimed.

He gathered himself together and imagined himself in the cell with Duvessa. As he appeared before her he quickly grabbed her hand.

"Quickly where would they be, we must hurry before I lose my strength." He blurted out.

"Well if I know the harpy it would be the cave." She answered.

"Think about it, get a clear picture in your mind and I should be able to get us there." He said hopefully.

He could almost feel her concentration before he transported them just to the mouth of the cave.

"Wait, listen," James told her placing a small hand on her calf.

"You can't do anything to me if you do you will start a war," they heard the harpy shout.

"So be it." Jareth snarled back.

James knew he needed to act fast, it was now or never.

"A war would be inevitable if that were the real Duvessa." He shouted from the mouth of the cave.

Jareth turned quickly to see who had spoken, as he did two figures walked into the cave, one was tall and the other short.

"Jinx?" Jareth asked disbelievingly.

"You! How did you get out? I should have killed you both when I had the chance." The harpy raged as she strode towards them.

Jareth used the distraction to grab Sarah, removing the chains and gag with a slight sweep of his hand. He pulled her into him holding her never wanting to let go.

"Oh, Sarah I'm so sorry love." Jareth breathed into her hair.

"Never mind that now, we need to finish this," Sarah replied softly giving him a small kiss on his cheek.

They turned simultaneously to the pair that currently had a murderous woman stalking towards them. Jareth conjured a Crystal and threw it deftly at her stopping her mid-stride and binding her powers.

"Ahhh you let me go now!" She screamed as Jareth and Sarah walked around to face her.

"I can tell there is some sort of long story behind all of this, just give me the basic facts. I can now gather that you were Sarah's friend 'James' am I right?" Jareth asked regally.

"Yes, I was weak and got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time." James began to explain.

"I don't need to hear the sob story! As of now, I want to know is who or what she is." Jareth interrupted. Sarah put her hand gently on Jareth's arm shaking her head at him, he could tell she meant that he needed to calm down.

"She's a harpy," Duvessa stated simply as she moved more into the light.

"Ah, now it all makes sense, she has been keeping you alive in order to take your essence so that she could masquerade as you. That is quite clever except you slipped up, you got desperate and sloppy." Jareth taunted her.

He formed another crystal and placed it against her head, she screamed in pain as the stolen essence was forcefully pulled from her.

"Here I believe this is yours." He threw the crystal towards Duvessa, as she caught it the essence flowed smoothly through her repairing all her wounds and replenishing her back to full health.

"Now what to do with you?" He snarled at the harpy who was still frozen in place.

"I believe that is my decision to make." A woman's voice echoed through the cave.

She appeared before them, she stood tall with the same long red hair as Duvessa, in a promiscuous black dress that barely covered anything and was made of an almost see-through material.

"Ah Queen Mab, returned to her kingdom at last. Just as your daughter is finally free from her imprisonment. You wouldn't have anything to do with this now would you?" He asked seemingly polite.

"Goblin King, impertinent as ever I see though I do adore you for it. I have been on a well lets call it a retreat and leave it at shall we. I'm sure your delicate mortal doesn't want to hear the business of the Unseelie fae." She laughed seductively.

Jareth smiled back at her though it did not reach his eyes, he didn't like the way she had stressed the word mortal. He understood the subtlety of fae threats better than anyone.

"I will be generous and allow you the punishment of the harpy seeing as it is your land she has infiltrated. But I do ask you to keep a tighter leash on your subjects in the future." Jareth bowed to her as he gathered Sarah into his arms preparing to take them to his castle.

"Oh Jareth, I do wish you had excepted my offer we could have had so much fun together." Mab pouted at her batting her eyelashes.

"There is only one queen for me and she is currently wrapped within my arms," Jareth answered and kissed Sarah on the head. Before he had fully transported them they both heard a torturous scream as the Queen set the sluagh on the harpy.