Caveats And Cliches (A Labyrinth Fanfiction)

Chapter 16: All Is Fair In Love And War

Just before retiring for the night, we stop in at the solarium to visit Jareth. I get a better look at the place this time around and realize why he's being kept here. This is a menagerie, filled with strange birds, multi-legged lizards, butterflies, and numerous unidentifiable amphibians and rodents.

He's being kept with the animals, because that's how Myles sees him. He won't even dignify him with a cell.

Jareth is right where he was before, still chained mercilessly. He's kneeling, one knee to the ground, one foot in front of him as if he were just about to rise, while leaning heavily on the chair next to him. When he sees us approaching, he struggles to his feet. He's black and blue, but his eyes are still defiant. It's a relief to see that he hasn't been broken. Smiling, Myles mocks him as if he were an honored guest. I plaster on a smile and titter whenever he makes a joking remark. When Myles tires of humiliating Jareth, it's my turn. I let my smile turn evil as I stare him down.

"Oh Jareth..."

I say condescendingly.

"I see hope in your eyes. Allow me remove it for you. No one can save you. You saw for yourself how impenetrable the mountains are. It's impossible to reach this place without going through the maze. And even if someone did make it through..."

I shake my head chuckling, then point first to my right, then to my left.

"Those woods are filled with soldiers loyal to Myles, and the shore is unreachable. No one can save you."

Jareth's eyes narrow in fury.

"But, no..." I tease. "No one is coming, because no one even knows you are here!"

I tilt my head back and let out a maniacal laugh that Myles joins.

"But don't worry, we are going to let your mother know where you are very soon. It's just a shame it will be too late for her to help you."

I spend the whole night tossing and turning, praying that Jareth understands what I'm doing. The next day Myles and I pore over details and decide on the day to act on our plan. Three days. In three days the council will be meeting together and that is when we will send our ultimatum. The message will only be sent to the Queen, but it will be easier to reach her while the council is in session. Again, we end the day ridiculing Jareth. This time, however, I can see the difference in his eyes. They are still narrowed, but not in anger, in concentration. He knows what I'm doing and he's paying attention to the details. I hurl insults deftly mixed with facts and pieces of our plan.

"...army from another sphere..."

"...brother is locked in a guarded tower..."

"...three days.."

I wish I could do more. For now, at least, I can feed him as much information as possible. Hopefully we will be on the same page when it's time to act.

The next two days pass quicker than I would like. Most of the time is consumed with Myles rewriting his malcontent speeches to fit the tone of a covert takeover. I pretend to contemplate the details of maintaining control and staving off attacks. Instead I spend the time trying to formulate a plan for getting Jareth, Easton, and I out of this fortress alive. Each night is ended with us taunting and berating Jareth. But each night it has less effect. He stands taller and more defiant, and Myles gets more irritated and more eager to spill his blood.

Good.

There's little more I can tell Jareth on the last night. Myles and I alternate taking cheap shots, but Myles has worked himself into a near a frenzy. He's hyped up on nervous energy for tomorrow and starts getting physical; adding extra bruises to Jareth's already weak frame. It prompts me to an action I had been debating about. I gently discourage Myles from beating him.