Lost And Lonely - A Labyrinth Fanfic [UPDATED VERSION]

21) Hearts, Ravens, Reasons

"Why do we have to head back? I mean, I understand why but we already made it halfway there."

"There's a reason I hardly ever leave my Labyrinth unguarded. By my supervision, at least. And with that attack we had, I can't help but feel as if it was supposed to be a trap for us."

"What do you mean?"

"I..." Jareth trailed, a bit hesitant to explain. "Long ago, when I was with another woman, I took a small red velvet box, placed a shard of my heart inside it and hid it in my Labyrinth. And when I say a shard of my heart, I mean it quite literally."

"Wait, why though?" Raven turned and looked up at him.

"The woman was...complicated. Over time I noticed she lost interest in me while she claimed to still love me. As a test, I hid my shard within my walls and made her search for it within thirteen hours." He sighed. "It was never found. And all this time since then, it's sat within the Labyrinth completely untouched."

"Are you sure it's still there?"

"Hm, believe me, I would know surely if it was even grazed by a finger. Or even breathed on. I would know." His voice softened.

"So...is that why you don't like leaving the kingdom unguarded by you? You're afraid of someone stealing the shard?"

"Yes. I'm especially afraid of Penelope getting to it." Jareth's voice became slightly harsh when he said the woman's name. He hated just the thought of her.

"What...what happens when it's found? Do you just...attach it back to yourself, or...?"

"I give the shard to the one who found it. If they found it, it meant that the person would be interested in companionship with me. Once they have the shard, we share a unique bond. Emotions are shared, desires. It's...very unique, indeed."

During the whole ride back, Jareth's thoughts were mainly on how much he wished Raven would stumble across his heart. But even if she did, she wouldn't have a clue what to do with it. He felt so empty and incomplete without that shard, he worried if it would ever be found.

Once they returned to the kingdom and made sure everything was safe and secure, Jareth breathed a sigh of relief when the goblins reported the usual.

"Are you hungry at all?" He asked Raven as he headed into the castle.

"Nah, not after what happened earlier." She shook her head. "I was thinking of just taking a walk, clear my head of things."

"Stay inside the City. I want to be sure nothing happens to you." Jareth immediately snapped at himself in his head. How could he say that to her? So straightforward, and he was sure she was going to pick up on his serious protectiveness on her.

"I will."

Jareth nodded and turned to go inside. When she made sure she was out of sight, Raven teleported herself into the Labyrinth, and began to search almost frantically for the shard. Small red velvet box. She kept telling herself.

It was near sundown, and soon Jareth may want her to go inside the castle. Raven had to hurry. But where was the box? She had to think of where he would have placed it. Somewhere special? Somewhere no one would think of?

Becoming frustrated, Raven sat on a stone bench and huffed. She had to admit to herself that she loved the Goblin King. She couldn't hide it anymore. She needed to find that box.

Beside her, a low croaking noise sounded toward her. She turned and saw a large, ebony raven standing on the other end of the bench. Looking right at her.

"Hey..." Raven softly spoke to the black bird. It croaked again, and fluttered on top of the wall, trying to gain her attention.

Curious, Raven followed. She was led down narrow paths, steep staircases and through a small hedge maze.

The raven stopped and stood above a thick bundle of prickly vines and crinkly red roses. Raven was slightly confused as she looked at the small thicket, and looked to the black bird. It looked down and croaked. She bent down and carefully started to pull away some of the vines, but then they began to move themselves. The thorned branches revealed a small red case, made with the softest velvet, with a few small rose petals sitting on top.

Lo and behold, Raven had found the heart of the Goblin King.