Note: Jareth's last name, Fey, was something that I picked up from some website or another which inferred that he may actually be a fairy. (Fey is another word for fairy).
Chapter One
Jareth stared from the ledge on which he perched. The vast kingdom that lay before him seemed like a still portrait. This sight was not unusual to him, for he had watched the sun rise from that very ledge every morning since he was a little child. As he rested his back against the side of the windowsill that he was sitting in, he thought of his mother and how she used to tell him of the various areas of the land around him. Of course, at that time, the land had been much more fruitful and pleasant to the eye. He remembered how he used to wish for the day to come for him to inherit his portion of the Fey Kingdom. As he thought of this, he let out a short sigh of frustration. Had he known that he was going to become the ruler of such a desolate and lonely place, he would have much quicker begged to become a Subjective Advisor to one of his brothers than take on this wretched position.
Then Jareth's thoughts turned to his brothers themselves. As his eyes gazed over to the western part of the horizon, which held the first division of the Fey Kingdom, Narssica, he wondered about Talon, the eldest brother of the three Fey children. Half of Jareth's heart wanted to curse at the very idea of the man, but the other half overflowed with an emotion that brought a lump to his throat. This feeling of unbelievable loneliness called to mind a time when Jareth was a young boy, not even seven, and his brother was a mature sixteen. Once, long ago, the two would take walks together through the beautiful forests that bordered their Father's castle grounds. Here, Talon would tell Jareth of the many things to be discovered outside of the Fey Kingdom, for the brother had traveled many a time as both a messenger and a warrior for his father. Jareth listened intently to everything that his brother said, eager to learn the things that Talon knew so well. It was in these distant woods, which Jareth now had strained to rest his eyes upon, that his brother had promised to take him to the wonders of which he had visited. It was here that he had sworn to Jareth never to leave his side, to always be there for him, to be his guide and to protect him, should he ever get into trouble. It was here that the two boys had pledged a brotherly oath to remember those words...Jareth remembered, but as he looked toward the direction of his brother's Kingdom, he realized that Talon did not. This thought brought another memory to Jareth's mind. He still could see the day that Talon had married Aytina, and as he remembered, he could feel his face form the same bitter expression that he had been wearing during the ceremony. Yes, he remembered very clearly how his brother had so easily thrown aside the vow that he had made in the woods that day and allowed his bride take control of him. After that fateful gathering, Talon rode off with Aytina, and Jareth never saw him again. Although he did receive a few messages from the Prince, they were cold and short, with not even a mention of his promise...
Jareth then diverted his eyes to the eastern side of the horizon. In the distance, he could see the shimmer of water in the dawning light. This lake was the edge of the Kingdom Russica, which belonged to his younger brother, Xavier. The thought of his name brought forth a very uneasy sensation for Jareth, as he recalled another event from his history. Two years after Talon was married, Jareth's mother was expecting another child. He could clearly remember the day that she went into labor, remembered looking into her chamber, filled with fear, as the doctors rushed to her side, closing the doors behind them. He could still hear the commotion from inside as all attempts were made to aid the woman through her difficult delivery. The last thing Jareth remembered was the screams of his own mother coming from the room...then, nothing...
When Jareth's father emerged from the chamber, he took his son by the hand, and sat down beside him. He explained to him that his mother was not going to be with him anymore...he also explained that in her place, he had a new baby brother. Jareth now closed his eyes, remembering the fateful words of how he was to take over the Goblin Kingdom when he reached the age of nineteen, in place of his mother, for that was her final request. Jareth had agreed to fulfill that request as a mere child.
The funeral for the Goblin Queen was not heavily attended, in fact, Jareth himself was not there because his Father felt it would be better if he did not go. Jareth remembered how he had sat on the very ledge that he was on now, secretly watching over the whole affair, which took place directly below him. He could still recall how beautiful his mother had looked, even in death.
His new brother, Xavier, turned out to look like his mother, as Talon had as well. Both Xavier and Talon had jet black hair and emerald eyes, with a very light complexion. Xavier was a very bright child, and he and Jareth got along very well. However, Jareth could never seem to forget the fact that the reason his mother had died was because she had given birth to this boy. As Jareth thought of this fact, his heart once again filled with a terrible emotion. He breathed in deeply, then ran a hand through his long blonde hair. If it wasn't for that occurrence, Jareth's mother would have still been alive when he turned nineteen, and therefore, he would have been able to inherit a Kingdom section of his own choosing, and his mother would have continued to be the Goblin Queen. Instead, he was the only one capable of taking over for his late mother, and so he inherited a desolate land which hadn't been properly cared for since his she had passed away, while his baby brother had gotten the promise of a preferred chunk of the Fey Kingdom.
Yes, it seemed that this Kingdom was an outcast to the rest, for once he had taken on his duty to rule the land, his brothers appeared to forget that he existed. When Jareth's father passed away, and the three heirs were able to take on the titles of Kings, there was no more word from either of his siblings. Jareth tried to keep a basic contact with them, but it was all in vain, for they had inherited very busy Kingdoms that needed all of their attention, and Jareth had inherited...a nearly silent one.
When Jareth finally decided that it would be futile to continue sending messages to his brothers, it was like he had been rejected by his entire world. It was then that he had vowed, in a moment of rage, never to think the names of his brothers again...yet, day after day, he could not prevent their images from crossing his mind.
Jareth looked down at the metal pendant which hung from a leather strap around his neck. It was in the shape of a crescent, with a decorative chain embedded around the middle in a peculiar pattern. This pendant had been given to him by his Father when he had inherited the Goblin Kingdom. It had originally belonged to his mother, and it gave the wearer special powers. His Father had not explained what these powers were, instead, he said that they would be revealed to him at the appropriate times. Then his hand reached down to a small, velvet sack that hung from a leather belt around his hips. He drew from inside three crystal spheres, and began to rotate them around his hand. As he gazed into the crystals, he saw many things, all things, events occurring around his Kingdom. All seemed well. He gracefully guided the crystals from hand to hand, and then returned them to their holster. The sun was shining.
Jareth blinked his eyes, as if he had just been awaken from a dream. He then swung his legs around so that his feet were once again placed on the floor of his bed chamber. The room was made of stone, and along the walls were decorative candle holders which held burning candles. The light from the flames caused the content of crystal in the granite from which the walls were made to sparkle. Jareth walked over to his mirror which stood on an ornate chest near his bed. As he peered into the glass, the reflection of a tall man with sandy white, wild hair and mismatched eyes peered back. Jareth examined this man's countenance, looking strangely at his piercing gaze, high cheekbones, pale lips. He was wearing a white, long-sleeved shirt that was unbuttoned down to his chest, revealing to some extent the golden pendant which he wore. The shirt hung loosely around the waist of the man, a drastic contrast to the black leather pants that he was also wearing. As Jareth once again focused his attention on the man's eyes, he lifted a hand to his own brow. And even though the man in the mirror did the same, Jareth could not accept the fact that the face that he was looking at was his own. Although his skin still glowed, like that of a young man, in his eyes, Jareth could see the weathering of the centuries.
Jareth again blinked his eyes, shaking off all trace of his daydreaming. As he did so, the glass in the mirror vibrated briefly, as if someone had just thrown a stone into a perfectly still pool of water. Jareth turned his head to the side, almost as if he could not dare to look at the fixture again. At last, he looked back, and cleared his throat.
"Yes, what is it?"
At that moment, the glass seemed to twist and turn, and when it finally ceased its writhing, the image of a little man-like creature was displayed.
"Sir, forgive me for disturbing you so early," the dark, scaly-skinned animal hissed.
Jareth rolled his eyes quickly, trying to hide this action by brushing his hand through the hair that had fallen into his face.
"Go on, Sludgeglum," he said coldly.
"There has been an attack on the Southern Border. Because we had some men stationed in the area, it was put down fairly quickly. However, there is no reason why we should think that this will be the only attempt of something like this. It certainly is not the first."
"Yes, yes..." Jareth replied, thinking. He wondered why he had not seen any trace of such affair in his crystal surveyance of the area.
"I have been ordered to request backup by General Firestone. He fears that the next attack, when it occurs, will be of much greater magnitude than the last. He feels that the only way to protect the city of Gemcircle is to keep a small set of troops near the border until we can find another way to stop the Cassians. He expects me to deliver to him a response from you. What are your thoughts, Majesty?"
Jareth clasped his hands and put his extended forefingers to his pursed lips. This most certainly was not the first time that the Cassians had caused trouble near the Border. In truth, he would greatly prefer to just send an army across to take them out once and for all. However, this was not an option, for all of the Border cities depended on the Cassians to provide them with water, for there was no other supply large enough for the city except to the extreme East, which was in the possession of his brother. In actuality, it was the whole water situation that caused the problems between the Cassians and the Border cities. The Cassians did not feel that the cities were paying them a fair price for the water that they provided, and the Border cities felt that they were paying much too high a price and had refused to pay. Now, if the Cassians had lived within the Borders of the Goblin Kingdom, he would have immediately set an official price for the water, to be obeyed without question by both sides, and the problem would have been solved. But because the Cassians belonged to a different Kingdom altogether, he knew that he had to bargain with them or get nowhere. He sighed.
" Well, I suppose that I have no other choice than to agree to send some troops to the Border, as you have requested. In the meantime, I will conference with the Court and see if I can get anything accomplished. This has got to stop."
" Thank you, Sire. I will keep in touch with you, and alert you immediately if anything additional occurs."
Jareth nodded, and then the glass went blank again. He looked around his room, noticing the sunlight that spilled in through the window. He walked over to where the curtain was hung around a post on the wall. He loosened the velvet drapery from the hook, and let it fall clumsily back into place, leaving only a small space open to the outdoors. The room became fairly dark, with the candlelight casting an eerie shadow over his quarters. He walked over to his bedpost, where a black overcoat hung. He took it from the post and put it on. Then, he let his hand locate the velvet sack near his hip. From it, he drew one of the three crystals that were kept in there. He lifted it to eye level, holding it on the tips of his thumb, index and middle finger. As he gazed deeply into it, a strange swirling mist began to stir inside of the sphere.
" Crystal of Power, Crystal of Night
Awaken Your Magic, Let Me Take Flight."
With these words, a wild wind seemed to wrap itself around Jareth. It tugged at first at his clothes, then it took hold, folding them about his body. His hair twisted madly in this storm as the crystal that he was holding began to glow brightly. At last, his figure seemed to dissolve beneath a cover of silk and leather... then, his clothes, too, joined in the strange metamorphosis. There was an incredible flash of light, and once it dimmed, in the place where Jareth had stood was a beautiful snow-white owl.
Out of the window he flew, maneuvering around the curtain and then swooping down from the tower that he had been in moments before...down...down... Then he darted toward the South, gliding on the breeze that blew across the land. Once out of the Castle Grounds and past the Goblin City, he could see forest below him, and around the forest were small lakes, mountains and other natural wonders. But he did not let these marvels distract him, instead, he kept his eyes in the direction toward which he was flying.
It was not long before the terrain below him became quite foreign, for he was nearing the Southern Border, an area to which he was not very familiar. The lack of water in this part of the Kingdom caused the land to be cracked and barren. Unlike the Eastern, Western, and Northern parts of his Kingdom, the South was a lifeless plain; instead of regular sightings of inhabitants of the country, as had occurred when he was more to the North, it was odd to see even a hut or building of some sort which would signal that something breathing had been there at one time.
At last Jareth could see the sparkling silhouette of Gemcircle City, the largest city that existed on the Southern Border. The town was famous for their jewelry, for they held the largest gemstone mines in the Kingdom. As he flew over the city, Jareth could see that the troops that Sludgeglum had sent were just arriving. Up ahead, Jareth could see the Southern Border - the Painted Mountains, whose cliffs were so steep and high that no one could climb them. The only creatures capable of making their way up and down these natural barriers were the Cassians themselves...and, of course, someone with wings.
Up, up, and over the mountains he flew. Jareth was now very alert, for he realized that he was not on friendly territory anymore. The land that the Cassians inhibited was not at all like that of Gemcircle City. While the very edge of the plateau was, indeed, as dry and barren as down below, once one moved inward, the land changed into a much greener habitat. Jareth could see many rivers and streams that stretched lazily across the seemingly endless mountain top. Then Jareth noticed the Craveholder Dam, an apparatus built by the Cassians which blocked the flow of these streams from reaching the edge of the mountain, and hence, from getting to Gemcircle City. Behind the dam, the water pooled into an enormous lake, the remains of the many storms that hit the area due to its high elevation. It was obviously much more water than the Cassians would ever use, and Jareth wanted more than anything to somehow destroy the dam and return the water flow back to the way it once was. However, he knew that doing so would only aggravate the problem rather than combat it, that was why he was heading toward the Cassian's main city, Redellah.
Jareth had only been to the city once before, and that was many years ago. When the Cassian King Krest had been in power, he and Jareth had made a peace pact between the two Kingdoms, promising to remain friendly over all issues, and to work together for the common good. But when King Krest unexpectedly died, the Cassians were left in a disoriented state. That is when a creature by the name of Selka stepped in, using the Kingdom's weakened state to obtain power. Selka was not a true Cassian; he was actually a cross between a Cassian and a Dragonfaerie. The Cassians, most of which were not very intelligent, found his appearance to be not frightening, but rather amazing. Because Selka had retained the look of a Cassian in most ways, he was able to convince the people of the Kingdom that he was sent to be a Divine Leader by the Nine Great Gods of Akrah. These were the gods that the Cassians strongly believed in, they were the protectors of the Nine Great Powers: life, strength, light, hate, love, fear, mercy, courage and wisdom. Utilizing this myth to its fullest, he reminded the Cassian people that anyone who disagreed with a Great God or one of their Disciples would be swallowed up by the Shadows of the Land and cast into the Underground Hell for all of eternity. Knowing that no Cassian would dare challenge his authority after hearing that, he took from the Alter of The Three Suns, which stood in front of the Cassian Palace, the Scepter of Might and declared his position as The Almighty King of the Cassians. He preached to the people of the Cassian Kingdom about the "hidden truths" of the "secret pact" between their former King and the King of the Goblins. He moved the people to hate the Goblin Kingdom because, he told them, its leader had been threatening to attack and destroy the Cassian Palace unless the Cassians promised to slip them all the silver that they needed for their jewelry (which was only located in caverns near the top of the Painted Mountains), free of charge. Therefore, he said, King Krest had signed this little document with the King of the Goblins, yielding to his demands. Now, the Cassians were not nearly smart enough, or at least the majority wasn't, to understand that if they were to be attacked, there were armies in the Kingdom to protect them and could easily obtain the sympathy and aid of other strong Countries if they could prove that the situation was true. Instead, they only understood one thing; that their homes were being threatened by some foreign force, and that it was wrong. From that moment on, there was never another peaceful interlude with a Cassian and an inhabitant of the Goblin Kingdom. Shortly after King Selka took to the throne, Craveholder Dam was built, and the war between the Cassians and those who lived in Gemcircle City over water began.
Jareth had no idea of this whole occurrence until the first attack was made on Gemcircle City. That was when he had contacted the Cassian Royal Assembly and Court, the brains of the Cassian Race that served as an advisor and enforcer to the King. This was when he was curtly informed of the "intolerable demands" that he supposedly had placed on their society. Jareth had tried to fight back, saying that he had no part in such a pact, but the Court did not listen. They warned him that he was never to set foot again on their land, or a disaster beyond anyone's imagination was to befall Gemcircle.
At this thought, Jareth laughed to himself. Well, he hadn't exactly violated that demand yet... And anyway, he knew that the Cassians' threats were little cause for concern. The race was clumsy and he had a much greater army than they did. Still, he could not attack, because he had to keep the water supply going to Gemcircle City, even if it meant buying it. He needed to talk to the Court about this, and try to get to some sort of compromise. Jareth knew that the Cassians were hard to deal with, so he was prepared to offer them compensations that were of way more value than they deserved. In the meantime, he would keep a set of troops in the general vicinity of Gemcircle to protect it.
The owl swept down toward the ground at great speed, then, at about eight feet above the ground, spread its wings and beat them violently, slowing its fall and allowing it to hesitate there for a moment or two before there was another great flash of light. When things returned to normal, there stood Jareth, on the steps ascending to the Great Cassian Palace.
Jareth looked about himself, but it seemed that there were no guards this deep into the Castle Grounds. They were most likely posted at the front gates. Jareth didn't really want to have any run-ins with guards, or anyone but the Court, for that matter, but he also didn't want to appear to be sneaking around the Palace. He approached the large door to the castle, which was made from silver, a most valuable material to the Cassians. He wasn't sure whether to knock, try to open the door himself, or find some other way in...He wanted to get to the Court as quickly and swiftly as possible. After a short moment of thought, he drew from his black velvet sack another crystal, held it high above his head, and said:
"Crystal of Power, Crystal of Might
Make Those Inside Incapable of Sight"
Then he took hold of the great knocker on the door, and hit it against the metal plate which was beneath it. When the knocker made contact with this plate, it produced a very loud banging noise. Jareth waited with a smirk on his face. This should be pretty funny, he mused. When the door opened, a short, old woman dressed in fine clothes peeked out from behind it.
"Hello? ...Hello?! Is anyone there?" she questioned, looking quite confused. "I am quite certain that someone came knocking at the door! Now, reveal yourself!" she said as she looked about the staircase.
Jareth watched in amusement as the old woman wandered persistently back and forth along the landing before the door. He could not help but laugh as she looked directly towards him, but still did not see him. In her senility, she could keep doing this for hours, and if she says anything to anyone about the mysterious knocking, they will never believe her, he thought. He then walked through the open doors, totally undetected.
The halls in the Castle were decorated with silver in every way. Since he knew that he was invisible to everyone else in the building, he did not even try to stay in the less trafficked halls, on the contrary, he continued down the main hallway, pausing to listen in on conversations in the hope that he could gain information on where, exactly, the Royal Court was.
Most of the conversations that Jareth eavesdropped in on were of no importance to him. He learned of the existence of new Ordinances for the City of Redellah, he learned that one of the servant's sons was kicked out of his private school because he didn't want to learn how to fence. But it wasn't until he walked into the grand ballroom that he found out something interesting.
The room that lay before Jareth was breathtakingly decorated, full of silver and jewels. In the corner of the room was a beautiful grand piano, and at its keyboard was an equally beautiful young girl. Because the piano was turned on an angle, he could not get a good look at her face. Still, Jareth was enchanted by her frailness, and by her concentration on the song that she was playing. She seemed...sad. For a moment, Jareth was distracted from his plans, and he paused to listen to her performance. The song seemed to lull him into a trance, it provoked emotions from him with the greatest of ease, it was the kind of song that one never wants to end. Jareth listened with dreamy intent...it pulled him into it, it took control of his mind. It was wonderful.
Suddenly, a man came running into the room. The girl at the piano whirled around just as the hand of the man behind her rose and slapped her violently across the cheek. Jareth looked on, half in terror, half in amazement, for the girl was not of the ordinary... she seemed to be some sort of cross breed...and so was the man.
" You devil! How could you do this to me?!" The man screamed at the girl.
" I had no option! You gave me no choice!" She cried, her eyes filling with tears as she rose from the bench.
" I will not allow you to get away with this!" He yelled, louder this time, grabbing the girl by her shoulders and throwing her to the floor. " You will pay for what you have cost me! Do you understand?! You will suffer!"
" I will do what I must to stop you from tormenting these people any longer!" She said, holding her hand to her stinging cheek.
The man spat upon her, then kicked her to the ground. He put his foot upon her, and looked fiercely into her eyes.
" You will never stop me. I am your King. You will do as I say, or you will die. By tomorrow morning, you will be gone. If I ever find a trace of you again, I will kill you. " With that the man went walking quickly out of the room, leaving the young girl on the ground, shaken. Jareth watched him leave, then turned his eyes to her. She looked no older than eighteen. She was wearing a velvet green dress which was tied at her waist with a golden rope. Her eyes were jet black, but they had golden centers. Her face was exaggerated from her forehead to her temples, almost pulled back, making her eyes very large. Her ears became pointed at the tips, like an elf's. Her chin was very narrow, her lips crimson and shaped into a perfect Cupid's bow. Her nose was small and turned up slightly, her cheeks were glowing a soft pink hue. Her hairline made her face look like even more heart-like, and her long, black hair was cut to cascade gently around her face and down her back. On the crown of her head was a small tiara...not one like a Queen's...like a Princess's...
Jareth could stand it no longer. He could not see why anyone would want to hurt such a delicate, young, beautiful creature. He searched his velvet sack for a crystal.
" Crystal of Power, Crystal of Choice,
Let this girl now hear my voice."
Jareth knelt down next to her fragile frame, turned his head in the effort to see her face better, which she was now burying in her hands.
" My Darling, are you all right?" He whispered.
The girl stopped her gentle sobbing instantly, her dark eyes shot up in fear.
" Who's there? Where are you?" She said, her voice shaking. She looked frantically around the room, but saw nothing. " Please, don't do this to me. Show me where you are,"
" Shhh..." Jareth cooed, now moving to be in front of her. " They can't hear me, but they can hear you, Love. Can you go to a place where we can be alone? It will be much easier to talk, then."
As the girl looked up, thinking, Jareth got a clear view of her gorgeous face. Her eyes were sparkling from the tears that were rolling down her cheeks. Her eyes moved back and forth, as if she was searching her mind for an answer. Finally, she answered.
" Yes...yes, of course...follow me."
She led him down the corridor from where he had entered the ballroom. Then down another hallway, and finally up a flight of stairs. The second floor was as splendid as the first, full of silver decorations. They followed the outer ledge of the corridors, and Jareth could see the first floor by looking over the railing. Minutes later, she opened the door to what appeared to be her own chamber, then, after pausing a moment to the side of the doorway, closed the door behind her.
" All right, we won't be disturbed here. Now please, tell me who you are."
She said, a nervous edge to her voice.
" If I tell you who I am, you must promise to tell me what all of that commotion in the ballroom was about," The deep voice seemed to come out of nowhere to the girl.
" I don't see why I have to tell you anything about it, it is none of your business," She hesitated. " And anyway, I doubt that it would do much good."
" I wouldn't place too strong a bet on that," Jareth replied. " Well, then, I'll tell you what. I will tell you who I am, and then, you may feel a little better about telling me what I want to know. Fair enough? "
" Certainly, there's no reason to say that's unfair at all. So, Strange Voice, tell me who you are, and why you are here,"
" I have come from a distant country, one that I am sure bears a name that you will not like the sound of. I come in peace, my purpose is, quite simply, to ask the Royal Assembly and Court for a compromise over an issue involving a city near one of your Borders." At this, Jareth paused.
" Well, that was very vague. You still have not told me who you are, or why it is that you are moving about the Castle in such a secret form, what this issue is that involves our borders. Know that I have no unpleasant feelings toward any country, in fact, I am quite sympathetic with many unpopular places."
" All right, then. I will tell you the truth, but I am hoping that you will then do the same for me. My name is Jareth, I am the Ruler of the Goblin Kingdom. I have ventured to your country in the hopes of ending a rather ridiculous feud between one of my Border cities and Redellah over the water supply. As I am sure you already know, I am not exactly what you would call popular in this city, that is why I am trying to sneak into the Royal Assembly and Court, so that they can't deny me entrance. Once I am there, I will make my business plain. I mean no harm, I am just trying to solve this problem."
" Yes, I have heard many things about you... " She said in an uneasy voice. " I shouldn't be talking to you. "
" No, I am sure you shouldn't be, but you are. I know what they said about me, about the pact, about things that I want to do...things that I would never do...There is nothing to be afraid of. I would never hurt your people, only if I am attacked do I fight back. However, the people in this city have been making life pretty miserable for the Border city of Gemcircle, which relies on Redellah for water...you must understand that I am obliged to intervene. But I would never, never do any of the horrible things that people say I would do. I'm sure I'm not making much sense to you, "
Jareth sighed, and looked at the girl, trying to think of another way to explain himself.
" No...no, you are making sense. I have been told of a heartless King that rules the Land of the Goblins, one that feels only hatred toward the people of the Cassius Race. But I have always known that this could not be true, for I was told by someone who is incapable of anything but evil, " She said.
" What is your name? " Jareth asked her.
" My name is Mylindia, " She said. Then she added, " Why did you call them my people? "
" What? " Jareth asked her, confused.
" When you were talking, you called the people here my people... why? I am clearly no Cassian. "
" Because you are a Princess, " He paused, tilting his head to the side with animal-like curiosity. " Are you not? "
She turned her head away, then, after closing her eyes for a moment, she looked back toward the center of the room.
" Yes, but... I could be a Princess from anywhere..."
" No, I can see it in your eyes. And anyway, I know your Father is not a complete Cassian, so I know you wouldn't be, either. "
" You are right, " She said. " I am the Princess of the Cassians. I am embarrassed to admit that to you, because I know how much trouble you have been having with this Race. I know...everything. "
" Please tell me what that was all about, back in the ballroom,"
" Oh, it is so difficult to explain. There are so many things that you must know to understand. You see, I am not like my Father either... My mother was different than you or I, for she was a human. My father met her by traveling on the Crystal Traverse which he accessed by using stolen spells from a black sorceror... yes, I know, it is forbidden. But my Father has no fear. Through the Crystal Traverse he saw many things, many human things...he became what he wanted to become just by thinking it. Appearing as a human, he fell in love with her, something that he seems to be incapable of now. He had intended to stay with her... he was not always a bad man. But when I was born, I looked...like...well..." She looked down at her hands, her unusually long, thin fingers adorned with various silver bands. " I was not at all a beautiful human child. I am not human, just part human...my Father could not change my appearance, because, unlike him, I had not traveled through the Crystal Traverse... I was created in the human world, so my form was damned to be unalterable because of it. I know that my Father tried to explain to my Mother what he was and where he had come from, but she did not want any part of it. She told him to take me and never come back. At least, this is what he has told me. I grew up in the forests near the Calyptic Sea. We were never very well liked, although I think that it would had been all right if we had just settled down somewhere. Everyone that we met treated us as outcasts because of our appearance; we had to lie and say that we were from some distant Country, changing this nonexistent place's name whenever we felt that someone might be catching on to our true background. My Father had a way with hooking up with anyone and everyone that could get us money, legally or illegally... He learned many, many things from the thieves that roamed the cities near the Sea. He would promise me that our lives would be different someday, but it seemed to me that he was never going to break his cycle of crime and false identity."
Mylindia walked toward the large window that took up the majority of one of the walls of her bedroom. She pushed the white, lacy curtains to the side, and began to gaze outside.
" Then, one day, we stumbled across the White Rivers of the Cassian Kingdom. My Father immediately wanted to go explore, for he was eager to try the same tricks that he had exhausted in all of the other cities. I didn't know what to expect, but something told me that this city was very different from the others. Indeed it was, " She took a deep breath. " I thought it was beautiful...the trees, the water, the endless view...my Father did, too...but for a different reason. 'Silver, silver, silver.' That's all he ever talked about. It was as if my Father had found his Utopia, a perfect land which existed solely to fulfill his every greedy little desire. That was when he met up with Elzra.....That was the beginning of the nightmare. Elzra was an expert thief, involved in a massive criminal trade that got unbelievable amounts of money for... yes, silver. And, wouldn't you know, there we were, in the Silver Breadbasket of all the Countries. My Father immediately jumped for the opportunity to become an assistant of Elzra's... he worked in secret... I lived in secret... my Father and Elzra became great friends, partners in crime...and as Father grew richer, he grew more bitter, more corrupted every day. But his lovely fantasy was about to take a turn for the worst. The King, yes, King Krest, was starting to catch on to this whole affair. That is when my Father and Elzra plotted the unthinkable.
" It was to be the King's fifty-fifth year of rule in just days, but he wouldn't live to see it. The Master Criminals, Elzra and my Father, had bargained one of the Night Sprites into sprinkling a magic concoction of Death's Spine and Sleeping Wine on the pillow of the good King just before he lay down to sleep. The poor man never woke up...
" No one can detect a magic potion, so it did not seem like the King had been murdered; just that he had died of old age. I realize that in your Country, there is no concept of time, but things are quite different once one crosses the Southern Border. So, it would seem that there was no conspiracy, that no harm had been done to the Good King. Still, the Cassian People were shocked, for they had not prepared for this at all. This was when the second part of my Father's plan was put into motion. You must first understand that Elzra had been a criminal for many, many years, and although he didn't like to admit it, he was known in various parts of the Country. Therefore, he urged my Father, with his foreign but strangely familiar Cassian-like looks, to take the Cassians in with strong sweep of an emotional address, and consequently, take them into his grasp. My Father told them, ' This is a very sad day for Cassians everywhere; the Gods weep for you. But dry your eyes, o Country of mine, for today a Phoenix will rise from the ashes.'
" He told them things that were very untrue, yet they believed him because he seemed so... sincere. He lied to them. And when he took power, he continued his business with Elzra, selling and depleting much of the Cassians' silver supply. But Father is also a very smart man, and he knew that he needed a scapegoat. So he devised a plan that would make it seem like your people, the gentle people of Gemcircle, were to blame for it all. He said that they had been threatening to attack us should we refuse to provide them with all the silver that they desired, all of it for free. And since Cassians are so easily swayed, they believed him.
" But I have always known the truth. I have watched my Father torture his own people simply because they did not think that he was a God, I have watched him kill because someone disagrees with him. I know that he has been cheating the entire Cassian race for years. I cannot stand the guilt anymore, and although I know that I was just a child when this started, I am now a young woman, and I am, whether or not I agree with it, the Princess of this city. I will not watch my people suffer. That was why my Father had treated me so. Earlier today, he found out that I had sent a letter to the Great Faerie of the other bordering Kingdom, the Desty Kingdom, in a desperate hope that she could send help. To my despair, the letter had been intersected, and now...." Mylindia's voice cracked.
" I have no doubt that my Father will kill me if I am not gone by tomorrow morning. He has done much worse before, he has no mercy. But despite my fear of what may become of me, I cannot cease my efforts to free this Land from his Reign. I will stop my Father, if it is the last thing that I ever do. "
Mylindia turned back toward the center of the room, and scanned it with her eyes.
" I have told you everything I know, and still, you are remaining transparent. I think that it is in your best interest to stop using this veil of invisibility, and to reveal yourself to me. I do not wish to talk any longer to a man that I cannot see. "
Jareth smiled weakly, then spoke.
" Of course, I had nearly forgotten. "
There was a flash of blinding light, and when Mylindia was once again able to open her eyes, standing before her was a man. For a moment, she seemed stunned by his appearance. He was much taller than she, his sun-streaked hair rose wildly above his head, flowed recklessly down around his face, then tapered off around his shoulders. He had a thin, but very masculine frame, dressed handsomely in a black overcoat with a white shirt underneath and black pants. His face was pale; there was no trace of color on his perfectly sculpted cheekbones. His lips were turned up in a peculiar half-smile. She noticed that his brow was naturally furrowed, giving him a stern disposition. When she looked into his eyes, one of which was blue and one of which was brown, she felt like he could see right through her. This sensation was so awkward that she immediately turned her eyes away and set them more toward the floor.
" Is something the matter? " Jareth asked her innocently, trying to catch her eye again.
" No, no..." She said, as her cheeks began to glow a brighter pink. She cleared her throat. " It's just that a keeper of such great magic must be a very powerful Wizard, indeed..."
" A Wizard..." he said, lifting a brow. " Well, I've never been called that before. " He smiled, revealing his perfectly straight, white teeth.
" If you are not a Wizard, then what, exactly, are you? " Mylindia appeared puzzled.
" My powers are derived from a Greater Magic, that of which my Mother, who had been the Queen of the Goblins up until her death, had been the keeper of. These powers are centered around the pendant which hangs around my neck. It was also my Mother's, just as it had been her mother's. The pendant remains with They who Lead the Goblins, They can never take it off. So, you see, I am definitely no Wizard. I am simply the object through which the Magic of the Goblin Kingdom flows; without this pendent, I have no power. "
" I see, " She said. " That's quite incredible. "
" Yes, " Jareth sighed and looked to the side. " I suppose it must seem that way. " He returned his gaze to the girl. " As much as I am enjoying this conversation, my Dear, I really must be on my way. I don't suppose that you might be able to give me a push, so to speak, in the direction of the Court, now would you? "
" Certainly. You must go back down the same staircase that we took to get up here. Once you are back on the first floor, take a left turn. Follow the corridor until you reach an intersection. Take a right, and continue forward until you see two large, silver doors in front of you. Through those doors lies the Conference Chamber for the Royal Assembly and Court. Did you follow that, my friend? "
" Yes, I follow. " Jareth spoke softly. " Thank you for your help. "
" No, thank you for listening to me. I pray that the Court agrees to your proposal; we are in great need of your help. I only wish that I could go with you, but my Father is still here in this building, and if he catches me snooping about, he will surely kill me right then. "
Jareth took the girl's frail hand. " Then, I will come back for you. You can accompany me on my journey back to my Kingdom. My magic is effective not only on myself, but on others as well. I can ensure your safety. "
Mylindia smiled weakly.
" You are, indeed, a Kind King, Jareth. But I am afraid that I cannot leave this Country. You must remember that, while I may not be a true Princess in the sense that I was no heir to the throne by Royal Blood, I am still responsible for the Cassian People. But do not worry about me, for I have already devised my own escape plan, something that I have had in place for many years, should the need to leave suddenly ever arise. Now, you must go, before anyone detects your presence. "
Jareth looked into the Princess's eyes one last time, as if to make certain that she had no second thoughts about her decision. Then, he took her hand in his, rose it to his lips, and kissed it gently.
" Good-bye, Sweet Child, " he whispered.
Then, he took the pendent, which hung from his neck, into his hands and closed his eyes. There was a tremendous flash of light, and then, just like that, Mylindia was alone once again in her room.
Chapter One
Jareth stared from the ledge on which he perched. The vast kingdom that lay before him seemed like a still portrait. This sight was not unusual to him, for he had watched the sun rise from that very ledge every morning since he was a little child. As he rested his back against the side of the windowsill that he was sitting in, he thought of his mother and how she used to tell him of the various areas of the land around him. Of course, at that time, the land had been much more fruitful and pleasant to the eye. He remembered how he used to wish for the day to come for him to inherit his portion of the Fey Kingdom. As he thought of this, he let out a short sigh of frustration. Had he known that he was going to become the ruler of such a desolate and lonely place, he would have much quicker begged to become a Subjective Advisor to one of his brothers than take on this wretched position.
Then Jareth's thoughts turned to his brothers themselves. As his eyes gazed over to the western part of the horizon, which held the first division of the Fey Kingdom, Narssica, he wondered about Talon, the eldest brother of the three Fey children. Half of Jareth's heart wanted to curse at the very idea of the man, but the other half overflowed with an emotion that brought a lump to his throat. This feeling of unbelievable loneliness called to mind a time when Jareth was a young boy, not even seven, and his brother was a mature sixteen. Once, long ago, the two would take walks together through the beautiful forests that bordered their Father's castle grounds. Here, Talon would tell Jareth of the many things to be discovered outside of the Fey Kingdom, for the brother had traveled many a time as both a messenger and a warrior for his father. Jareth listened intently to everything that his brother said, eager to learn the things that Talon knew so well. It was in these distant woods, which Jareth now had strained to rest his eyes upon, that his brother had promised to take him to the wonders of which he had visited. It was here that he had sworn to Jareth never to leave his side, to always be there for him, to be his guide and to protect him, should he ever get into trouble. It was here that the two boys had pledged a brotherly oath to remember those words...Jareth remembered, but as he looked toward the direction of his brother's Kingdom, he realized that Talon did not. This thought brought another memory to Jareth's mind. He still could see the day that Talon had married Aytina, and as he remembered, he could feel his face form the same bitter expression that he had been wearing during the ceremony. Yes, he remembered very clearly how his brother had so easily thrown aside the vow that he had made in the woods that day and allowed his bride take control of him. After that fateful gathering, Talon rode off with Aytina, and Jareth never saw him again. Although he did receive a few messages from the Prince, they were cold and short, with not even a mention of his promise...
Jareth then diverted his eyes to the eastern side of the horizon. In the distance, he could see the shimmer of water in the dawning light. This lake was the edge of the Kingdom Russica, which belonged to his younger brother, Xavier. The thought of his name brought forth a very uneasy sensation for Jareth, as he recalled another event from his history. Two years after Talon was married, Jareth's mother was expecting another child. He could clearly remember the day that she went into labor, remembered looking into her chamber, filled with fear, as the doctors rushed to her side, closing the doors behind them. He could still hear the commotion from inside as all attempts were made to aid the woman through her difficult delivery. The last thing Jareth remembered was the screams of his own mother coming from the room...then, nothing...
When Jareth's father emerged from the chamber, he took his son by the hand, and sat down beside him. He explained to him that his mother was not going to be with him anymore...he also explained that in her place, he had a new baby brother. Jareth now closed his eyes, remembering the fateful words of how he was to take over the Goblin Kingdom when he reached the age of nineteen, in place of his mother, for that was her final request. Jareth had agreed to fulfill that request as a mere child.
The funeral for the Goblin Queen was not heavily attended, in fact, Jareth himself was not there because his Father felt it would be better if he did not go. Jareth remembered how he had sat on the very ledge that he was on now, secretly watching over the whole affair, which took place directly below him. He could still recall how beautiful his mother had looked, even in death.
His new brother, Xavier, turned out to look like his mother, as Talon had as well. Both Xavier and Talon had jet black hair and emerald eyes, with a very light complexion. Xavier was a very bright child, and he and Jareth got along very well. However, Jareth could never seem to forget the fact that the reason his mother had died was because she had given birth to this boy. As Jareth thought of this fact, his heart once again filled with a terrible emotion. He breathed in deeply, then ran a hand through his long blonde hair. If it wasn't for that occurrence, Jareth's mother would have still been alive when he turned nineteen, and therefore, he would have been able to inherit a Kingdom section of his own choosing, and his mother would have continued to be the Goblin Queen. Instead, he was the only one capable of taking over for his late mother, and so he inherited a desolate land which hadn't been properly cared for since his she had passed away, while his baby brother had gotten the promise of a preferred chunk of the Fey Kingdom.
Yes, it seemed that this Kingdom was an outcast to the rest, for once he had taken on his duty to rule the land, his brothers appeared to forget that he existed. When Jareth's father passed away, and the three heirs were able to take on the titles of Kings, there was no more word from either of his siblings. Jareth tried to keep a basic contact with them, but it was all in vain, for they had inherited very busy Kingdoms that needed all of their attention, and Jareth had inherited...a nearly silent one.
When Jareth finally decided that it would be futile to continue sending messages to his brothers, it was like he had been rejected by his entire world. It was then that he had vowed, in a moment of rage, never to think the names of his brothers again...yet, day after day, he could not prevent their images from crossing his mind.
Jareth looked down at the metal pendant which hung from a leather strap around his neck. It was in the shape of a crescent, with a decorative chain embedded around the middle in a peculiar pattern. This pendant had been given to him by his Father when he had inherited the Goblin Kingdom. It had originally belonged to his mother, and it gave the wearer special powers. His Father had not explained what these powers were, instead, he said that they would be revealed to him at the appropriate times. Then his hand reached down to a small, velvet sack that hung from a leather belt around his hips. He drew from inside three crystal spheres, and began to rotate them around his hand. As he gazed into the crystals, he saw many things, all things, events occurring around his Kingdom. All seemed well. He gracefully guided the crystals from hand to hand, and then returned them to their holster. The sun was shining.
Jareth blinked his eyes, as if he had just been awaken from a dream. He then swung his legs around so that his feet were once again placed on the floor of his bed chamber. The room was made of stone, and along the walls were decorative candle holders which held burning candles. The light from the flames caused the content of crystal in the granite from which the walls were made to sparkle. Jareth walked over to his mirror which stood on an ornate chest near his bed. As he peered into the glass, the reflection of a tall man with sandy white, wild hair and mismatched eyes peered back. Jareth examined this man's countenance, looking strangely at his piercing gaze, high cheekbones, pale lips. He was wearing a white, long-sleeved shirt that was unbuttoned down to his chest, revealing to some extent the golden pendant which he wore. The shirt hung loosely around the waist of the man, a drastic contrast to the black leather pants that he was also wearing. As Jareth once again focused his attention on the man's eyes, he lifted a hand to his own brow. And even though the man in the mirror did the same, Jareth could not accept the fact that the face that he was looking at was his own. Although his skin still glowed, like that of a young man, in his eyes, Jareth could see the weathering of the centuries.
Jareth again blinked his eyes, shaking off all trace of his daydreaming. As he did so, the glass in the mirror vibrated briefly, as if someone had just thrown a stone into a perfectly still pool of water. Jareth turned his head to the side, almost as if he could not dare to look at the fixture again. At last, he looked back, and cleared his throat.
"Yes, what is it?"
At that moment, the glass seemed to twist and turn, and when it finally ceased its writhing, the image of a little man-like creature was displayed.
"Sir, forgive me for disturbing you so early," the dark, scaly-skinned animal hissed.
Jareth rolled his eyes quickly, trying to hide this action by brushing his hand through the hair that had fallen into his face.
"Go on, Sludgeglum," he said coldly.
"There has been an attack on the Southern Border. Because we had some men stationed in the area, it was put down fairly quickly. However, there is no reason why we should think that this will be the only attempt of something like this. It certainly is not the first."
"Yes, yes..." Jareth replied, thinking. He wondered why he had not seen any trace of such affair in his crystal surveyance of the area.
"I have been ordered to request backup by General Firestone. He fears that the next attack, when it occurs, will be of much greater magnitude than the last. He feels that the only way to protect the city of Gemcircle is to keep a small set of troops near the border until we can find another way to stop the Cassians. He expects me to deliver to him a response from you. What are your thoughts, Majesty?"
Jareth clasped his hands and put his extended forefingers to his pursed lips. This most certainly was not the first time that the Cassians had caused trouble near the Border. In truth, he would greatly prefer to just send an army across to take them out once and for all. However, this was not an option, for all of the Border cities depended on the Cassians to provide them with water, for there was no other supply large enough for the city except to the extreme East, which was in the possession of his brother. In actuality, it was the whole water situation that caused the problems between the Cassians and the Border cities. The Cassians did not feel that the cities were paying them a fair price for the water that they provided, and the Border cities felt that they were paying much too high a price and had refused to pay. Now, if the Cassians had lived within the Borders of the Goblin Kingdom, he would have immediately set an official price for the water, to be obeyed without question by both sides, and the problem would have been solved. But because the Cassians belonged to a different Kingdom altogether, he knew that he had to bargain with them or get nowhere. He sighed.
" Well, I suppose that I have no other choice than to agree to send some troops to the Border, as you have requested. In the meantime, I will conference with the Court and see if I can get anything accomplished. This has got to stop."
" Thank you, Sire. I will keep in touch with you, and alert you immediately if anything additional occurs."
Jareth nodded, and then the glass went blank again. He looked around his room, noticing the sunlight that spilled in through the window. He walked over to where the curtain was hung around a post on the wall. He loosened the velvet drapery from the hook, and let it fall clumsily back into place, leaving only a small space open to the outdoors. The room became fairly dark, with the candlelight casting an eerie shadow over his quarters. He walked over to his bedpost, where a black overcoat hung. He took it from the post and put it on. Then, he let his hand locate the velvet sack near his hip. From it, he drew one of the three crystals that were kept in there. He lifted it to eye level, holding it on the tips of his thumb, index and middle finger. As he gazed deeply into it, a strange swirling mist began to stir inside of the sphere.
" Crystal of Power, Crystal of Night
Awaken Your Magic, Let Me Take Flight."
With these words, a wild wind seemed to wrap itself around Jareth. It tugged at first at his clothes, then it took hold, folding them about his body. His hair twisted madly in this storm as the crystal that he was holding began to glow brightly. At last, his figure seemed to dissolve beneath a cover of silk and leather... then, his clothes, too, joined in the strange metamorphosis. There was an incredible flash of light, and once it dimmed, in the place where Jareth had stood was a beautiful snow-white owl.
Out of the window he flew, maneuvering around the curtain and then swooping down from the tower that he had been in moments before...down...down... Then he darted toward the South, gliding on the breeze that blew across the land. Once out of the Castle Grounds and past the Goblin City, he could see forest below him, and around the forest were small lakes, mountains and other natural wonders. But he did not let these marvels distract him, instead, he kept his eyes in the direction toward which he was flying.
It was not long before the terrain below him became quite foreign, for he was nearing the Southern Border, an area to which he was not very familiar. The lack of water in this part of the Kingdom caused the land to be cracked and barren. Unlike the Eastern, Western, and Northern parts of his Kingdom, the South was a lifeless plain; instead of regular sightings of inhabitants of the country, as had occurred when he was more to the North, it was odd to see even a hut or building of some sort which would signal that something breathing had been there at one time.
At last Jareth could see the sparkling silhouette of Gemcircle City, the largest city that existed on the Southern Border. The town was famous for their jewelry, for they held the largest gemstone mines in the Kingdom. As he flew over the city, Jareth could see that the troops that Sludgeglum had sent were just arriving. Up ahead, Jareth could see the Southern Border - the Painted Mountains, whose cliffs were so steep and high that no one could climb them. The only creatures capable of making their way up and down these natural barriers were the Cassians themselves...and, of course, someone with wings.
Up, up, and over the mountains he flew. Jareth was now very alert, for he realized that he was not on friendly territory anymore. The land that the Cassians inhibited was not at all like that of Gemcircle City. While the very edge of the plateau was, indeed, as dry and barren as down below, once one moved inward, the land changed into a much greener habitat. Jareth could see many rivers and streams that stretched lazily across the seemingly endless mountain top. Then Jareth noticed the Craveholder Dam, an apparatus built by the Cassians which blocked the flow of these streams from reaching the edge of the mountain, and hence, from getting to Gemcircle City. Behind the dam, the water pooled into an enormous lake, the remains of the many storms that hit the area due to its high elevation. It was obviously much more water than the Cassians would ever use, and Jareth wanted more than anything to somehow destroy the dam and return the water flow back to the way it once was. However, he knew that doing so would only aggravate the problem rather than combat it, that was why he was heading toward the Cassian's main city, Redellah.
Jareth had only been to the city once before, and that was many years ago. When the Cassian King Krest had been in power, he and Jareth had made a peace pact between the two Kingdoms, promising to remain friendly over all issues, and to work together for the common good. But when King Krest unexpectedly died, the Cassians were left in a disoriented state. That is when a creature by the name of Selka stepped in, using the Kingdom's weakened state to obtain power. Selka was not a true Cassian; he was actually a cross between a Cassian and a Dragonfaerie. The Cassians, most of which were not very intelligent, found his appearance to be not frightening, but rather amazing. Because Selka had retained the look of a Cassian in most ways, he was able to convince the people of the Kingdom that he was sent to be a Divine Leader by the Nine Great Gods of Akrah. These were the gods that the Cassians strongly believed in, they were the protectors of the Nine Great Powers: life, strength, light, hate, love, fear, mercy, courage and wisdom. Utilizing this myth to its fullest, he reminded the Cassian people that anyone who disagreed with a Great God or one of their Disciples would be swallowed up by the Shadows of the Land and cast into the Underground Hell for all of eternity. Knowing that no Cassian would dare challenge his authority after hearing that, he took from the Alter of The Three Suns, which stood in front of the Cassian Palace, the Scepter of Might and declared his position as The Almighty King of the Cassians. He preached to the people of the Cassian Kingdom about the "hidden truths" of the "secret pact" between their former King and the King of the Goblins. He moved the people to hate the Goblin Kingdom because, he told them, its leader had been threatening to attack and destroy the Cassian Palace unless the Cassians promised to slip them all the silver that they needed for their jewelry (which was only located in caverns near the top of the Painted Mountains), free of charge. Therefore, he said, King Krest had signed this little document with the King of the Goblins, yielding to his demands. Now, the Cassians were not nearly smart enough, or at least the majority wasn't, to understand that if they were to be attacked, there were armies in the Kingdom to protect them and could easily obtain the sympathy and aid of other strong Countries if they could prove that the situation was true. Instead, they only understood one thing; that their homes were being threatened by some foreign force, and that it was wrong. From that moment on, there was never another peaceful interlude with a Cassian and an inhabitant of the Goblin Kingdom. Shortly after King Selka took to the throne, Craveholder Dam was built, and the war between the Cassians and those who lived in Gemcircle City over water began.
Jareth had no idea of this whole occurrence until the first attack was made on Gemcircle City. That was when he had contacted the Cassian Royal Assembly and Court, the brains of the Cassian Race that served as an advisor and enforcer to the King. This was when he was curtly informed of the "intolerable demands" that he supposedly had placed on their society. Jareth had tried to fight back, saying that he had no part in such a pact, but the Court did not listen. They warned him that he was never to set foot again on their land, or a disaster beyond anyone's imagination was to befall Gemcircle.
At this thought, Jareth laughed to himself. Well, he hadn't exactly violated that demand yet... And anyway, he knew that the Cassians' threats were little cause for concern. The race was clumsy and he had a much greater army than they did. Still, he could not attack, because he had to keep the water supply going to Gemcircle City, even if it meant buying it. He needed to talk to the Court about this, and try to get to some sort of compromise. Jareth knew that the Cassians were hard to deal with, so he was prepared to offer them compensations that were of way more value than they deserved. In the meantime, he would keep a set of troops in the general vicinity of Gemcircle to protect it.
The owl swept down toward the ground at great speed, then, at about eight feet above the ground, spread its wings and beat them violently, slowing its fall and allowing it to hesitate there for a moment or two before there was another great flash of light. When things returned to normal, there stood Jareth, on the steps ascending to the Great Cassian Palace.
Jareth looked about himself, but it seemed that there were no guards this deep into the Castle Grounds. They were most likely posted at the front gates. Jareth didn't really want to have any run-ins with guards, or anyone but the Court, for that matter, but he also didn't want to appear to be sneaking around the Palace. He approached the large door to the castle, which was made from silver, a most valuable material to the Cassians. He wasn't sure whether to knock, try to open the door himself, or find some other way in...He wanted to get to the Court as quickly and swiftly as possible. After a short moment of thought, he drew from his black velvet sack another crystal, held it high above his head, and said:
"Crystal of Power, Crystal of Might
Make Those Inside Incapable of Sight"
Then he took hold of the great knocker on the door, and hit it against the metal plate which was beneath it. When the knocker made contact with this plate, it produced a very loud banging noise. Jareth waited with a smirk on his face. This should be pretty funny, he mused. When the door opened, a short, old woman dressed in fine clothes peeked out from behind it.
"Hello? ...Hello?! Is anyone there?" she questioned, looking quite confused. "I am quite certain that someone came knocking at the door! Now, reveal yourself!" she said as she looked about the staircase.
Jareth watched in amusement as the old woman wandered persistently back and forth along the landing before the door. He could not help but laugh as she looked directly towards him, but still did not see him. In her senility, she could keep doing this for hours, and if she says anything to anyone about the mysterious knocking, they will never believe her, he thought. He then walked through the open doors, totally undetected.
The halls in the Castle were decorated with silver in every way. Since he knew that he was invisible to everyone else in the building, he did not even try to stay in the less trafficked halls, on the contrary, he continued down the main hallway, pausing to listen in on conversations in the hope that he could gain information on where, exactly, the Royal Court was.
Most of the conversations that Jareth eavesdropped in on were of no importance to him. He learned of the existence of new Ordinances for the City of Redellah, he learned that one of the servant's sons was kicked out of his private school because he didn't want to learn how to fence. But it wasn't until he walked into the grand ballroom that he found out something interesting.
The room that lay before Jareth was breathtakingly decorated, full of silver and jewels. In the corner of the room was a beautiful grand piano, and at its keyboard was an equally beautiful young girl. Because the piano was turned on an angle, he could not get a good look at her face. Still, Jareth was enchanted by her frailness, and by her concentration on the song that she was playing. She seemed...sad. For a moment, Jareth was distracted from his plans, and he paused to listen to her performance. The song seemed to lull him into a trance, it provoked emotions from him with the greatest of ease, it was the kind of song that one never wants to end. Jareth listened with dreamy intent...it pulled him into it, it took control of his mind. It was wonderful.
Suddenly, a man came running into the room. The girl at the piano whirled around just as the hand of the man behind her rose and slapped her violently across the cheek. Jareth looked on, half in terror, half in amazement, for the girl was not of the ordinary... she seemed to be some sort of cross breed...and so was the man.
" You devil! How could you do this to me?!" The man screamed at the girl.
" I had no option! You gave me no choice!" She cried, her eyes filling with tears as she rose from the bench.
" I will not allow you to get away with this!" He yelled, louder this time, grabbing the girl by her shoulders and throwing her to the floor. " You will pay for what you have cost me! Do you understand?! You will suffer!"
" I will do what I must to stop you from tormenting these people any longer!" She said, holding her hand to her stinging cheek.
The man spat upon her, then kicked her to the ground. He put his foot upon her, and looked fiercely into her eyes.
" You will never stop me. I am your King. You will do as I say, or you will die. By tomorrow morning, you will be gone. If I ever find a trace of you again, I will kill you. " With that the man went walking quickly out of the room, leaving the young girl on the ground, shaken. Jareth watched him leave, then turned his eyes to her. She looked no older than eighteen. She was wearing a velvet green dress which was tied at her waist with a golden rope. Her eyes were jet black, but they had golden centers. Her face was exaggerated from her forehead to her temples, almost pulled back, making her eyes very large. Her ears became pointed at the tips, like an elf's. Her chin was very narrow, her lips crimson and shaped into a perfect Cupid's bow. Her nose was small and turned up slightly, her cheeks were glowing a soft pink hue. Her hairline made her face look like even more heart-like, and her long, black hair was cut to cascade gently around her face and down her back. On the crown of her head was a small tiara...not one like a Queen's...like a Princess's...
Jareth could stand it no longer. He could not see why anyone would want to hurt such a delicate, young, beautiful creature. He searched his velvet sack for a crystal.
" Crystal of Power, Crystal of Choice,
Let this girl now hear my voice."
Jareth knelt down next to her fragile frame, turned his head in the effort to see her face better, which she was now burying in her hands.
" My Darling, are you all right?" He whispered.
The girl stopped her gentle sobbing instantly, her dark eyes shot up in fear.
" Who's there? Where are you?" She said, her voice shaking. She looked frantically around the room, but saw nothing. " Please, don't do this to me. Show me where you are,"
" Shhh..." Jareth cooed, now moving to be in front of her. " They can't hear me, but they can hear you, Love. Can you go to a place where we can be alone? It will be much easier to talk, then."
As the girl looked up, thinking, Jareth got a clear view of her gorgeous face. Her eyes were sparkling from the tears that were rolling down her cheeks. Her eyes moved back and forth, as if she was searching her mind for an answer. Finally, she answered.
" Yes...yes, of course...follow me."
She led him down the corridor from where he had entered the ballroom. Then down another hallway, and finally up a flight of stairs. The second floor was as splendid as the first, full of silver decorations. They followed the outer ledge of the corridors, and Jareth could see the first floor by looking over the railing. Minutes later, she opened the door to what appeared to be her own chamber, then, after pausing a moment to the side of the doorway, closed the door behind her.
" All right, we won't be disturbed here. Now please, tell me who you are."
She said, a nervous edge to her voice.
" If I tell you who I am, you must promise to tell me what all of that commotion in the ballroom was about," The deep voice seemed to come out of nowhere to the girl.
" I don't see why I have to tell you anything about it, it is none of your business," She hesitated. " And anyway, I doubt that it would do much good."
" I wouldn't place too strong a bet on that," Jareth replied. " Well, then, I'll tell you what. I will tell you who I am, and then, you may feel a little better about telling me what I want to know. Fair enough? "
" Certainly, there's no reason to say that's unfair at all. So, Strange Voice, tell me who you are, and why you are here,"
" I have come from a distant country, one that I am sure bears a name that you will not like the sound of. I come in peace, my purpose is, quite simply, to ask the Royal Assembly and Court for a compromise over an issue involving a city near one of your Borders." At this, Jareth paused.
" Well, that was very vague. You still have not told me who you are, or why it is that you are moving about the Castle in such a secret form, what this issue is that involves our borders. Know that I have no unpleasant feelings toward any country, in fact, I am quite sympathetic with many unpopular places."
" All right, then. I will tell you the truth, but I am hoping that you will then do the same for me. My name is Jareth, I am the Ruler of the Goblin Kingdom. I have ventured to your country in the hopes of ending a rather ridiculous feud between one of my Border cities and Redellah over the water supply. As I am sure you already know, I am not exactly what you would call popular in this city, that is why I am trying to sneak into the Royal Assembly and Court, so that they can't deny me entrance. Once I am there, I will make my business plain. I mean no harm, I am just trying to solve this problem."
" Yes, I have heard many things about you... " She said in an uneasy voice. " I shouldn't be talking to you. "
" No, I am sure you shouldn't be, but you are. I know what they said about me, about the pact, about things that I want to do...things that I would never do...There is nothing to be afraid of. I would never hurt your people, only if I am attacked do I fight back. However, the people in this city have been making life pretty miserable for the Border city of Gemcircle, which relies on Redellah for water...you must understand that I am obliged to intervene. But I would never, never do any of the horrible things that people say I would do. I'm sure I'm not making much sense to you, "
Jareth sighed, and looked at the girl, trying to think of another way to explain himself.
" No...no, you are making sense. I have been told of a heartless King that rules the Land of the Goblins, one that feels only hatred toward the people of the Cassius Race. But I have always known that this could not be true, for I was told by someone who is incapable of anything but evil, " She said.
" What is your name? " Jareth asked her.
" My name is Mylindia, " She said. Then she added, " Why did you call them my people? "
" What? " Jareth asked her, confused.
" When you were talking, you called the people here my people... why? I am clearly no Cassian. "
" Because you are a Princess, " He paused, tilting his head to the side with animal-like curiosity. " Are you not? "
She turned her head away, then, after closing her eyes for a moment, she looked back toward the center of the room.
" Yes, but... I could be a Princess from anywhere..."
" No, I can see it in your eyes. And anyway, I know your Father is not a complete Cassian, so I know you wouldn't be, either. "
" You are right, " She said. " I am the Princess of the Cassians. I am embarrassed to admit that to you, because I know how much trouble you have been having with this Race. I know...everything. "
" Please tell me what that was all about, back in the ballroom,"
" Oh, it is so difficult to explain. There are so many things that you must know to understand. You see, I am not like my Father either... My mother was different than you or I, for she was a human. My father met her by traveling on the Crystal Traverse which he accessed by using stolen spells from a black sorceror... yes, I know, it is forbidden. But my Father has no fear. Through the Crystal Traverse he saw many things, many human things...he became what he wanted to become just by thinking it. Appearing as a human, he fell in love with her, something that he seems to be incapable of now. He had intended to stay with her... he was not always a bad man. But when I was born, I looked...like...well..." She looked down at her hands, her unusually long, thin fingers adorned with various silver bands. " I was not at all a beautiful human child. I am not human, just part human...my Father could not change my appearance, because, unlike him, I had not traveled through the Crystal Traverse... I was created in the human world, so my form was damned to be unalterable because of it. I know that my Father tried to explain to my Mother what he was and where he had come from, but she did not want any part of it. She told him to take me and never come back. At least, this is what he has told me. I grew up in the forests near the Calyptic Sea. We were never very well liked, although I think that it would had been all right if we had just settled down somewhere. Everyone that we met treated us as outcasts because of our appearance; we had to lie and say that we were from some distant Country, changing this nonexistent place's name whenever we felt that someone might be catching on to our true background. My Father had a way with hooking up with anyone and everyone that could get us money, legally or illegally... He learned many, many things from the thieves that roamed the cities near the Sea. He would promise me that our lives would be different someday, but it seemed to me that he was never going to break his cycle of crime and false identity."
Mylindia walked toward the large window that took up the majority of one of the walls of her bedroom. She pushed the white, lacy curtains to the side, and began to gaze outside.
" Then, one day, we stumbled across the White Rivers of the Cassian Kingdom. My Father immediately wanted to go explore, for he was eager to try the same tricks that he had exhausted in all of the other cities. I didn't know what to expect, but something told me that this city was very different from the others. Indeed it was, " She took a deep breath. " I thought it was beautiful...the trees, the water, the endless view...my Father did, too...but for a different reason. 'Silver, silver, silver.' That's all he ever talked about. It was as if my Father had found his Utopia, a perfect land which existed solely to fulfill his every greedy little desire. That was when he met up with Elzra.....That was the beginning of the nightmare. Elzra was an expert thief, involved in a massive criminal trade that got unbelievable amounts of money for... yes, silver. And, wouldn't you know, there we were, in the Silver Breadbasket of all the Countries. My Father immediately jumped for the opportunity to become an assistant of Elzra's... he worked in secret... I lived in secret... my Father and Elzra became great friends, partners in crime...and as Father grew richer, he grew more bitter, more corrupted every day. But his lovely fantasy was about to take a turn for the worst. The King, yes, King Krest, was starting to catch on to this whole affair. That is when my Father and Elzra plotted the unthinkable.
" It was to be the King's fifty-fifth year of rule in just days, but he wouldn't live to see it. The Master Criminals, Elzra and my Father, had bargained one of the Night Sprites into sprinkling a magic concoction of Death's Spine and Sleeping Wine on the pillow of the good King just before he lay down to sleep. The poor man never woke up...
" No one can detect a magic potion, so it did not seem like the King had been murdered; just that he had died of old age. I realize that in your Country, there is no concept of time, but things are quite different once one crosses the Southern Border. So, it would seem that there was no conspiracy, that no harm had been done to the Good King. Still, the Cassian People were shocked, for they had not prepared for this at all. This was when the second part of my Father's plan was put into motion. You must first understand that Elzra had been a criminal for many, many years, and although he didn't like to admit it, he was known in various parts of the Country. Therefore, he urged my Father, with his foreign but strangely familiar Cassian-like looks, to take the Cassians in with strong sweep of an emotional address, and consequently, take them into his grasp. My Father told them, ' This is a very sad day for Cassians everywhere; the Gods weep for you. But dry your eyes, o Country of mine, for today a Phoenix will rise from the ashes.'
" He told them things that were very untrue, yet they believed him because he seemed so... sincere. He lied to them. And when he took power, he continued his business with Elzra, selling and depleting much of the Cassians' silver supply. But Father is also a very smart man, and he knew that he needed a scapegoat. So he devised a plan that would make it seem like your people, the gentle people of Gemcircle, were to blame for it all. He said that they had been threatening to attack us should we refuse to provide them with all the silver that they desired, all of it for free. And since Cassians are so easily swayed, they believed him.
" But I have always known the truth. I have watched my Father torture his own people simply because they did not think that he was a God, I have watched him kill because someone disagrees with him. I know that he has been cheating the entire Cassian race for years. I cannot stand the guilt anymore, and although I know that I was just a child when this started, I am now a young woman, and I am, whether or not I agree with it, the Princess of this city. I will not watch my people suffer. That was why my Father had treated me so. Earlier today, he found out that I had sent a letter to the Great Faerie of the other bordering Kingdom, the Desty Kingdom, in a desperate hope that she could send help. To my despair, the letter had been intersected, and now...." Mylindia's voice cracked.
" I have no doubt that my Father will kill me if I am not gone by tomorrow morning. He has done much worse before, he has no mercy. But despite my fear of what may become of me, I cannot cease my efforts to free this Land from his Reign. I will stop my Father, if it is the last thing that I ever do. "
Mylindia turned back toward the center of the room, and scanned it with her eyes.
" I have told you everything I know, and still, you are remaining transparent. I think that it is in your best interest to stop using this veil of invisibility, and to reveal yourself to me. I do not wish to talk any longer to a man that I cannot see. "
Jareth smiled weakly, then spoke.
" Of course, I had nearly forgotten. "
There was a flash of blinding light, and when Mylindia was once again able to open her eyes, standing before her was a man. For a moment, she seemed stunned by his appearance. He was much taller than she, his sun-streaked hair rose wildly above his head, flowed recklessly down around his face, then tapered off around his shoulders. He had a thin, but very masculine frame, dressed handsomely in a black overcoat with a white shirt underneath and black pants. His face was pale; there was no trace of color on his perfectly sculpted cheekbones. His lips were turned up in a peculiar half-smile. She noticed that his brow was naturally furrowed, giving him a stern disposition. When she looked into his eyes, one of which was blue and one of which was brown, she felt like he could see right through her. This sensation was so awkward that she immediately turned her eyes away and set them more toward the floor.
" Is something the matter? " Jareth asked her innocently, trying to catch her eye again.
" No, no..." She said, as her cheeks began to glow a brighter pink. She cleared her throat. " It's just that a keeper of such great magic must be a very powerful Wizard, indeed..."
" A Wizard..." he said, lifting a brow. " Well, I've never been called that before. " He smiled, revealing his perfectly straight, white teeth.
" If you are not a Wizard, then what, exactly, are you? " Mylindia appeared puzzled.
" My powers are derived from a Greater Magic, that of which my Mother, who had been the Queen of the Goblins up until her death, had been the keeper of. These powers are centered around the pendant which hangs around my neck. It was also my Mother's, just as it had been her mother's. The pendant remains with They who Lead the Goblins, They can never take it off. So, you see, I am definitely no Wizard. I am simply the object through which the Magic of the Goblin Kingdom flows; without this pendent, I have no power. "
" I see, " She said. " That's quite incredible. "
" Yes, " Jareth sighed and looked to the side. " I suppose it must seem that way. " He returned his gaze to the girl. " As much as I am enjoying this conversation, my Dear, I really must be on my way. I don't suppose that you might be able to give me a push, so to speak, in the direction of the Court, now would you? "
" Certainly. You must go back down the same staircase that we took to get up here. Once you are back on the first floor, take a left turn. Follow the corridor until you reach an intersection. Take a right, and continue forward until you see two large, silver doors in front of you. Through those doors lies the Conference Chamber for the Royal Assembly and Court. Did you follow that, my friend? "
" Yes, I follow. " Jareth spoke softly. " Thank you for your help. "
" No, thank you for listening to me. I pray that the Court agrees to your proposal; we are in great need of your help. I only wish that I could go with you, but my Father is still here in this building, and if he catches me snooping about, he will surely kill me right then. "
Jareth took the girl's frail hand. " Then, I will come back for you. You can accompany me on my journey back to my Kingdom. My magic is effective not only on myself, but on others as well. I can ensure your safety. "
Mylindia smiled weakly.
" You are, indeed, a Kind King, Jareth. But I am afraid that I cannot leave this Country. You must remember that, while I may not be a true Princess in the sense that I was no heir to the throne by Royal Blood, I am still responsible for the Cassian People. But do not worry about me, for I have already devised my own escape plan, something that I have had in place for many years, should the need to leave suddenly ever arise. Now, you must go, before anyone detects your presence. "
Jareth looked into the Princess's eyes one last time, as if to make certain that she had no second thoughts about her decision. Then, he took her hand in his, rose it to his lips, and kissed it gently.
" Good-bye, Sweet Child, " he whispered.
Then, he took the pendent, which hung from his neck, into his hands and closed his eyes. There was a tremendous flash of light, and then, just like that, Mylindia was alone once again in her room.