Enter the Labyrinth {Tag: Meds}

[Seren Ash]

Kassiendra watched as the spear was taken, and she visably relaxed. The illness seeming to sweep away from her. Few things made her ill now, one of them was objects from the light court. She was the child of a Dark Goddess and the embodiment of Winter. Of COURSE she'd be pained by the mere presence of light energy. Holding one of lugh's light crafted weapons had almost undone the resolve she had built up in the last moments. She heard Jareth's words and her eyes flickered with a bit of mirth.

"What you are saying is, you want a woman near delivery to go on a journey through a quest that only Rassilon may know is how dangerous?" The Specialist said as she squirmed a little again. The pain in her chest returning a little as she realized other then these beings here, which she didn't truly know, she was all alone. Her people were being hunted down like rats, and she had no way to protect them. Nothing she could do. Even with her eyes sliding closed, she found herself on her knees in her own mind.

"That is exactly what he is saying. Though I am quite sure that many Knights in any of the court, would LEAP to your defense. You are the Mother of Time. In many people's eyes, the only true spiritual leader of the Gallifreyan people." Kassiendra said finally as she pulled one leg against her chest, as she leaned on the window ledge. "You are the hope, that the Shining World will return, that you and what you go will bring a new Kingdom for alliances. That you will bring back those that guard and watch over the growth of life in the universe." She said in a gentle cadence.

"I was trained as a guard for the royal family. I haven't the training of a Lady, not truly. I was the Leader of my Halls. I took care of the children from their Initiations. Especially those that didn't quite make it. I worry about all of the ones out there right now. Not a single one of them is older then I am. They are all children and there is now a War afoot. I haven't the strength mentally, or physically to hold this task. What am I to do? The Guardians said they had chosen me and my children. But now I just feel like a piece in a game, a Queen to be overtaken and destroyed. A Queen with no King." She said finally. The finality of those words was striking even to her. She was admitting what was eating her alive on the inside. She had lost the one she sought to be her partner beside her. Her children may never know their father.

[The Meddler]

"What you are saying is, you want a woman near delivery to go on a journey through a quest that only Rassilon may know is how dangerous?" The Specialist said as she squirmed a little again.

"No," Midhir said firmly. "That is not acceptable."

"Naturally," said the Goblin King simulaneously. "But only if she is willing, of course. I have no claim on her services, nor cause to demand that she do so."

Midhir's disapproving glare slid off Jareth with no effect. "What are you playing at, my foster father?"

Jareth's only answer was a sly grin.

"That is exactly what he is saying. Though I am quite sure that many Knights in any of the court, would LEAP to your defense. You are the Mother of Time. In many people's eyes, the only true spiritual leader of the Gallifreyan people." Kassiendra said finally as she pulled one leg against her chest, as she leaned on the window ledge.

"You do not have to do this," Midhir said, a note of concern in his voice.

"You are the hope, that the Shining World will return, that you and what you go will bring a new Kingdom for alliances. That you will bring back those that guard and watch over the growth of life in the universe." Kassiendra continued in a gentle cadence.

Midhir knelt at the Specialist's side, clutching her hand like a child. "My Lady," he said, with fear in his voice, "No, please. Do not do this thing. I am capable of fulfilling the quest, and I don't want my s..." He broke off the words, chewing at his lip. "I would not see my Lady the Mother of Time risk her life or the safety of her children."

"I was trained as a guard for the royal family. I haven't the training of a Lady, not truly. I was the Leader of my Halls. I took care of the children from their Initiations. Especially those that didn't quite make it. I worry about all of the ones out there right now. Not a single one of them is older then I am. They are all children and there is now a War afoot. I haven't the strength mentally, or physically to hold this task. What am I to do? The Guardians said they had chosen me and my children. But now I just feel like a piece in a game, a Queen to be overtaken and destroyed. A Queen with no King." She said finally.

Silence. Then, from where he knelt at her side, Midhir spoke. "The Queen is the most powerful piece on the board, my Lady," he said simply. And then he smiled. "My words may have sounded light, but they were not spoken in jest. I have pledged myself to your service, so far as I am not required to break other oaths. You have heard my council and, if you now wish to command my services, I will obey."

[Seren Ash]

The Specialist listened silently, not even realizing that the Daughter of the Morrigan was nearly out the window. As if she was trying to flee from this very existence. Was her heart aching that much? Her eyes focused on Midhir at his words. He denied it, claiming she should not. Nearly shouting at her, and the Goblin King. But she caught what he had almost said, her head snapping up suddenly as her eyes narrowed a little.

Her nostrils flared as she closed her eyes. Feeling tentatively into the possibilities of the future. "I will make this journey. But not alone. Her head tilted up as she stared straight at Midhir. "I will do this quest, but in order to do it I will require something." She said as she slowly rose to stand, her hand reaching out as the woman looked at the Goblin King. "I require the services of a Goblin. The smartest you have, the with the ability to transcend dimensions. Either that or ONE of the messengers of the Fae realm, with this ability. One that can be trusted - with a message." She said as her shoulders rolled back.

"You may have a crow if you like." Kassiendra said from the window as she stared across the woman. "The Crows of The Morrigan, are powerful creatures. I know it is considered wrong, if one being sides with another, with no real gain to themselves. It's not an equal trade, but lets face it. If she does not complete this quest, and find what she needs - she will never find the courage or strength to be the Queen she needs to be." She said as she looked at Jareth and Midhir.

"They say that the path to Tir'Na'Nog is also a King Makers Path. In the Days of Old the Druids would bring the King of Britain to attain the Serpents upon his wrists. Perhaps now, this path to the great ones land, will be used to make a queen. One that will have the aid of the Fae, in the rising of her new world. I would hate to see the future destroyed, because we failed to help a woman with child." She said in a shaking voice. Her eyes closed as she tried to stop the tears. "We have so few children of our own, I would... Wouldn't you two hate... to see those children die?" She asked finally.

[The Meddler]

"I will make this journey. But not alone. Her head tilted up as she stared straight at Midhir.

Midhir sighed in resignation, and then smiled and bowed. "As you will, my Lady. When would you have us begin?"

"I will do this quest, but in order to do it I will require something." She said as she slowly rose to stand, her hand reaching out as the woman looked at the Goblin King. "I require the services of a Goblin. The smartest you have, the with the ability to transcend dimensions. Either that or ONE of the messengers of the Fae realm, with this ability. One that can be trusted - with a message." She said as her shoulders rolled back.

"You ask much, Mother of Time," the Goblin King stated from his throne. "A goblin that is smart, and that can navigate the Trods and the Mirror Labyrinth, and that can be trusted?" He smiled, and there was humor and ice in his expression. "But I shall assign Phlaag to bear your message, assuming he returns with the Fire Gang." His smile grew thin. "You are doing me a favor, after all."

"You may have a crow if you like." Kassiendra said from the window as she stared across the woman. "The Crows of The Morrigan, are powerful creatures. I know it is considered wrong, if one being sides with another, with no real gain to themselves. It's not an equal trade, but lets face it."

"Trades need not be equal at the time of the trade," Jareth said, waiving a dismissive hand. "In fact, I prefer it when they are unequal - and in my favor."

"If she does not complete this quest, and find what she needs - she will never find the courage or strength to be the Queen she needs to be." She said as she looked at Jareth and Midhir.

Reluctantly, Midhir nodded his agreement. Jareth, for his part, simply shrugged.

"They say that the path to Tir'Na'Nog is also a King Makers Path. In the Days of Old the Druids would bring the King of Britain to attain the Serpents upon his wrists. Perhaps now, this path to the great ones land, will be used to make a queen. One that will have the aid of the Fae, in the rising of her new world. I would hate to see the future destroyed, because we failed to help a woman with child." She said in a shaking voice. Her eyes closed as she tried to stop the tears. "We have so few children of our own, I would... Wouldn't you two hate... to see those children die?" She asked finally.

"I will say that children are precious, yes." Jareth was still smiling, but there was something dark, even sinister, in his expression.

[The Master]

Midhir scowled at his foster father, who simply winked back.

"I will also say that I consider it a signal honor to be asked to play a part in restoring the Shining World, and that I hope my assistance will be remembered with kindness in times to come."

Midhir rolled his eyes. He was on the brink of saying something, when sounds in the distance caught his attention. "Speaking of Phlaag," he said, "I believe he and his cohort have returned."

Indeed they had.

Phlaag and another goblin - chicken-footed and bat-faced - carried pole from which hung a net bag stuffed with beaked heads that jerked and writhed like fish. Behind them traipsed a motley collection of goblins carrying or holding or struggling with or (in one case) still fighting with various dismembered body parts.

"We have returned, my Lord," Phlaag said with a shallow bow - a deeper one would have thrown him off balance. "I took the liberty of bringing the entire Fire Gang. I suspe"

"Well done, Phlaag!" cried the Goblin King, applauding. "well done indeed. Your reward shall be to serve the Lady Serantinia in a small task."

Phlaag dropped the pole, eliciting outraged squawks from the heads of the Fire Gang, and bowed. It wasn't particularly graceful, that bow, but it was pretty good for a goblin. "As you command, Dread Majesty."

Jareth rose and strode over to the net bag, which had grown suddenly calm. For the Fire Gang, anyway. "I have certain questions," he said in a voice like silk. "You will answer them - and I feel it imperative to mentiion at this point that you are my subjects, and therefore required to speak truthfully - or..."

He pulled a head out of the bag at random and, with a surge of power, opened a portal. A blast of rancid, reeking air erupted from the hole as he dangled the head through by the beak.

"All of you will be thrown, piece by piece, into the Bog of Eternal Stench."

He waited for the terrified yammering to die down a little. "Now. Some time back, you were approached by someone claiming to be me. That someone provided you with weapons of cold iron, and instructed you to attack Kassiendra Du'Morrigu. You will tell me all about that meeting, sparing no detail. Begin now."

[Seren Ash]

"Well it's like this dude - "

"No like this!"

Kassiendra was going to get a headache from the voices of these dang things. The Specialist was sitting back, looking rather thoughtful. While Kassi waited for those dang red monsters to speak. "Cease and desist, speak clearly to you liege lord, or I'll make you do so." The woman said as the biting chill swept from her and snow swirled around her. Black eyes glowing almost blue in the slowly dying light.

"Well it was the tall and skinny women, the daughters of that queen - yeah! They showed up with you... and exclaimed that you didn't want the feathered broad."

"So said we could play a game, gave us the blade. We didn't know it was deadly man!"

"It was just a game, then the big feathered lady came - "

"Yeah the scary one, her mom!"

"And picked her up, and well... that was it."

The Specialist looked at Midhir her attention divided, but slowly she stood up. "I'll take the journey with you Midhir. If it is successful, and we find what information we need... We will return, and you will have my full support in becoming King of Spring." She said as she cleared her throat and pulled from her side a piece of paper, and a pen. Writing out a note and turning to the messenger that Jareth had allowed her to use. "This is to go to The King that Would've Been. Make sure he knows that I sent you, before you give him the note. That way he isn't tempted to... devour you." She said with a teasing smile on her face.

[The Master]

"Well it was the tall and skinny women, the daughters of that queen - yeah! They showed up with you... and exclaimed that you didn't want the feathered broad."

"Bide a moment," Jareth said, voice dangerously calm. "The 'daughters of that queen'? Do you, by chance, refer to Drumlin and Moulin?"

He leaned forward on his throne, catching the Fire Ganger that had spoken by the beak. "Think carefully - difficult as I know that is for you - are you telling me that you had identified the women that gave you the Cold Iron blade as the daughters of the Queen of Moraine?"

The Fire Ganger rolled his eyes in frantic thought, then started to open its beak. Jareth spoke first. "When you answer, bear in mind that I may call upon you to swear an Oath before the entirety of the Seelie Court that you speak the truth." He leaned closer. "And if you are foresworn, my wrath will be terrible."

The Ganger's head made a convulsive, swallowing sound. "They... uh... They looked like her daughters. If they weren't the real thing, we sure didn't know."

"Continue, then."

They poured out the rest of the story, short as the remainder was. The Goblin King leaned back in his throne again, staring at them.

"You know what this constitutes, Midhir?"

Midhir nodded. "Casus vindicta, my foster father."

The Goblin King's smile became feral. Hungry. "And what price may I ask for this insult?"

Midhir shrugged. "Weregild is set at the value of the loss. What would have been the value of an alliance between the Goblin Kingdom and the Court of Nightmares?"

Jareth's eyes strayed to Kassiendra for a moment. "Value beyond reckoning, Midhir. Value beyond reckoning."

[The Meddler]

Midhir returned his attentions to the Specialist. "I'll take the journey with you Midhir," she said. "If it is successful, and we find what information we need... We will return, and you will have my full support in becoming King of Spring."

"King of the Seelie Courts," Midhir corrected gently. "I am already King of the Court of Spring. And I am grateful to you, Mother of Time."

He smiled a lopsided smile. "Or may I have the honor of calling you the Specialist?"

Writing out a note and turning to the messenger that Jareth had allowed her to use. "This is to go to The King that Would've Been. Make sure he knows that I sent you, before you give him the note. That way he isn't tempted to... devour you." She said with a teasing smile on her face.

Phlaag gulped nervously, and bowed. "As you wish, Mother of Time. I shall deliver the message, by means of the Shining World that Should Not Be." With those words, he scampered from the throne room.

Midhir dragged a chair close to the Specialist and flopped into it. "When shall we leave, my lady?"

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

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