Okay. So... Bear with me for a few things:

Length of chapters: I know, it's long. But in all honesty, I really didn't want to redocument and post twenty six chapters when I can cram two two four per "chapter" and have only six or seven documents to deal with. It makes the loading process a whole hella lot faster.

The sheer awfulness: I wrote this original copy when I was in 7th-8th grade, when I was first introduced to Labyrinth. And, as such, the names are different. There's certain concepts that the first re-write has that this original doesn't (like a lot of the business with Aerynn's "father". In this original, her father, like, doesn't exist). However, I totally encourage you to comment on just how awful it really is. XD

Cause, take into consideration. I'm gonna be a junior in highschool soon. I wrote this back when I was a wee-little seventh grader. Count that, ladies and gents. Seventh, eighth, nineth, tenth, almost eleventh. Almost five years ago. GOOD GOD! *barf*

So. Yeah. Enjoy the original I Moved The Stars For No One...

Prologue

A dense heat washed over the cracked and decaying brown stones that stacked up high to make the walls of the Labyrinth. Every green plant and pond had dried up, leaving a desert effect for every corner rounded. Goblins had become feistier and nastier at the lack of attention that their King paid these years. They had come to be accustomed to the fact that the only way to keep the Goblin King from locking himself in his chambers and staring at the God-forsaken crystal was to try burning the castle itself down— in which then the blond King would flick his wrist with no enthusiasm, returning his home to its proper state.

The goblins were growing tired of their King's behavior of late.

Jareth rarely roamed his castle, had stopped kicking around his citizens singing songs of babes and magic; he had given up sending the Cleaners to chase down those who had committed crimes, and he had even drained the Bog of Eternal Stench! While most favored the Bog being drained, every thing else had taken a form of lifelessness. As if the faeries no longer had reason to be sinister creatures, and the Junk collectors had no reason to meander about… collecting junk…

Instead… the Goblin King did what he did every single morning and night in the Underground…

He sat in his chambers, immersed with the full grown woman whose image was trapped within the confines of his crystal ball. Even after twenty years in her world (which seemed like all of eternity in the Underground), she still retained the beauty and light that he loved about her. Her hair was still the sleek chocolate brown, her eyes the brilliant shade of green that he remembered so vividly from when she had roamed his Labyrinth like she owned it. His lips parted, releasing a soft sigh.

He watched with adoring eyes as Sarah flitted around her kitchen, holding a pot of water, before placing it on the stove, turning the heat to high. The linoleum was a soft shade of cream, the cabinets painted a bright yellow with blue trimming. The counters were a pearl color of marble with oak. Like a dancer, she strode to the refrigerator, pulling out a pound of ground beef and pasta sauce. She seemed to be talking with someone, but the focus didn't turn to the other person. He watched her eyes sparkle with laughter as the sound of her voice rung out from the tiny crystal.

"Sarah…" He whispered to himself, wishing that she could hear him. But her eyes never wavered; there was never a touch of nervousness… even during the nights where he shouted her name with tears pouring from his eyes. He turned the crystal little more than an inch, staring at the face of his long lover's companion, catching his breath in the back of his throat. The same hair, same face, more youth… but the eyes… instead of that perfect green… the right eye was blue… the left… was brown.

His left index finger trailed by the corner of his left eye, running over the slight wrinkle that had formed over the years. The eyes were much like his own… He wondered how Sarah felt about that. How much it might have reminded her of him… every single day. To stare into those brilliant eyes, only to see a familiarity of him within her little friend… He chuckled to himself, listening closely as Sarah began to speak again.

"Aerynn, could you help me with this. I need you to chop the onions, put them in this bowl—" So… the young girl's name was Aerynn. He smiled. It was a beautiful name. Fit for a beautiful girl. Such a beautiful girl…

"Sure Mom." His heart leapt to his mouth, forcing him to choke a breath. What had she said? Mom?He sighed again, leaning against the back of his chair. So… Sarah had a daughter. And a marvelous one at that! The tingle in his fingertips began to fade, and the image in the crystal faded away, melting to the wall in front of him. The crystal vanished from his fingertips, and he dropped his hand to his lap. He had seen enough for today…

He smiled, closing his eyes for a moment. How gorgeous she was, that Aerynn. Sarah's little girl looked so much like the babe that he loved. The images in his mind continuously fluttered between Sarah and Aerynn, and he began to pick the similarities and differences between the two women. So much that was perfect… and yet… the differences made them each unique. Sarah was one who hadn't changed much, despite more wisdom and wrinkles. He sighed quietly.

He remembered, years ago, how Sarah had run through his Labyrinth, trapped in the illusion that he held within that one bite of peach, the times he offered her dreams to her. Even so young… so curious… she denied him. She refused to have everything that he would have given her. His smile dropped into a low frown, trying not to think of the last bit of the memory, but it was inevitable. She had to go and say those words… those six words…

You have no power over me…

"Shut up…" He whispered hoarsely to himself. Those damned words had haunted him since his final meeting with Sarah, where she so casually refused him and her dreams… However… she had made well coming off of the death of her father and stepmother, having to care for Toby off the child support she received monthly from her mother and her new stepfather, Jeremy (who had been the actress' co-star in several productions, Jareth later learned). She had survived a miscarriage, Toby's diagnosis of lung cancer (the once small child had turned rebel and began smoking at the age of seventeen), and then when her husband at the time had walked out for a younger (and in Jareth's mind sluttier) woman.

"And after all of that… you still find the ability to smile…" He whispered to himself, opening his eyes to stare at the ceiling of his chambers. The large, four-poster bed sat, made up and ready for use… 'But when was the last time that I actually slept in my own bed?' The Goblin King thought to himself, feeling a sense of weariness within him. He glanced at the clock on the far wall, the time reading just past 12. He sighed once more, tearing his eyes from the face with the daggers and numbers.

Why hadn't he destroyed that damn thing yet?

Inhaling deeply, Jareth swung his legs off the arm of his chair, standing up before stretching. Several joints in his knees, shoulders, and neck cracked, releasing a sense of peace bubbling through his body. A satisfied exhale rolled off his tongue, and he slid his boots off of his feet. Unbuttoning the black leather vest, he dropped the piece of clothing to the floor, plucking each of the fingers of his gloves off, tugging the leather away from his skin. The moon was inching along the night sky of the Underground.

Padding over towards the bed, Jareth pulled the blankets away, before pulling his shirt out of the waist band of his pants, tugging it up and over his head. Tossing it to a corner, he slid under the blanket, the mattress' fibers molding to his body. The sheets were chilled, sending goose bumps along the King's heated flesh. His hand ran along the left side of the bed, before his gaze crossed over to the emptiness beside him. There had been a time where he dreamed that Sarah had taken his offer, where she had stayed with him for all of eternity…

How he wished such dreams were offered to him…

Chapter One: Fantasy Box

"Aerynn, could you go upstairs into the attic, and find me a box that says 'Kitchen Supplies' on it? I seem to be missing a set of my measuring cups, and I really need them." My mother's voice was barely audible over my headphones, but I nodded anyway, standing up from my chair at the kitchen table, and padding passed my mother towards the laundry room. Baskets were filled with dirty and clean clothes, from whites to colors, denims to silks, towels and jackets. I passed the ironing table that was stacked with folded shirts and pants, before stopping by a white wooden door. Turning the knob slowly, I glanced up the stairs at the attic, the musty smell of boxes and antiques that I gradually learned to love. Inhaling deeply, I climbed the wooden steps slowly, my headphones still blaring Dancing In The Streetby an artist whose name I had forgotten at the time.

I flicked the switch beside the closed window, the small 100 watt light bulb crackling to life, illuminating a large portion of the over-heated attic. Glancing at several of the boxes, I found a large, Clorox box with the words 'Kitchen Supp' written on it. Pushing aside other boxes and bags with the side of my foot, I lifted the heaving box in my arms, regaining my failing balance before I flopped onto my ass. Shifting my weight, I turned to leave the cramped room—

But I stopped. Tossing my head, my hair swung over my shoulder, and I saw a dusty, crumpled box in the corner. Setting down the kitchen supplies box, I padded over to the corner of the attic, looking down upon the sealed box. Wiping away most of the dust, I stared down upon a single word written in faded black Sharpie. Fantasy. Fantasy? Since when did Sarah own anything aside from Disney movies and the occasional fairy tale story book that was fantasy related?

Making a mental note to return to the box later, and slid back to the stairs carefully carrying the supplies down, nearly tripping over my feet three times. Though people said that I was like my mother in more ways than a thousand, there was one thing I didn't have; her grace. I was a natural klutz, and when I did fall, disasters tended to happen in my wake. Finally, I stumbled out of the attic doorway, passing the laundry baskets and washing machine, into the dining room, where I sat the box on the table.

"Okay, here you are, Mom." I said quietly, sliding my MP3 player out of my pocket, and shutting the device off. The battery was nearly dead, plus I didn't feel up to listening to The Rolling Stones for the three thousandth time that day. Sarah smiled at me, wiping her hands on her apron.

"What took you so long, honey? Did you find Atlantis or something?" I laughed aloud, scratching the back of my head.

"Nah, but I believe I became well acquainted with the floor boards." The lie rolled off of my tongue with ease, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. I hated lying to my mother, and when I did, it made me feel sick to my stomach… literally. But then again, I wasn't sure if she should have known that I saw something that she might have thought better to be hidden.

"Ah, I see. Well, I need to let the sauce simmer. The meat has been broken up and added. I need to run to the store to by angel hair pasta noodles. You Uncle Toby is coming to visit tonight."

"So that's why you're making more than enough for the entire state of Texas." She laughed heartedly, untying the apron from behind her back.

"Well, you know your uncle and his eating habits." I nodded. True. I did know how much Toby ate… I would not have been surprised if he made the entire world really go hungry before being satisfied after a meal. I chuckled lightly to myself, walking out into the living room, and staring at the guitar that my grandfather Jeremy had bought when I was eleven.

"You won't burn down the house or break your neck, will you?" My mother questioned teasingly as she grabbed her sweater. I gave her a friendly glare, before shaking my head.

"No. I'll be reading or playing a game or something. Hell, I might even call Clare, see how she's doing." Sarah nodded, grabbing her keys, and walking out of the door. I watched her out the window as she strode down the path, to her 1994 Dodge. After I deemed it safe (which meant that she had left the neighborhood entirely), I rushed back to the attic door, pulling the wooden slab open. Hurrying up the steps, I shoved box after box out of my way, dragging the hunk of cardboard towards the stairs.

"You know… you're really heavy for a box containing fantasy items…" I muttered under my breath, nearly falling backwards on the stairs as I slid the box down each of the steps slowly, wondering if the weight was caused by something valuable.

Reaching the bottom, I lifted the box into my arms, my muscles screaming from the weight. Hobbling out into the living room, I practically dropped the box onto the couch, before scanning the coffee table for a pair of scissors or a house key. Seeing an old car key, I picked up the small piece of metal, jabbing it into the tape and cardboard. Tugging it across the top, I pulled the lips of the box away, the musty smell of dolls, clothes, and books filling my nose.

"What on earth?" I wondered aloud, pulling out Victorian styled dresses, shirts, vests, masks, all with vibrant reds, golds, blues and greens. There were books like The Wizard of Oz and Snow White. Carefully, I pulled out a puzzle that reminded me of the maze with the marbles. Eventually, I reached the bottom of the pile, pulling out a doll that looked like a pink Muppet, a squirrel and dog combination, and two books. One was small, red leather binding with a one-word title in gold across the top. The other was a small black diary, the pages yellowed with age.

Pulling out the books, I gently stuffed everything else back inside, setting the box on the floor, and sliding it to my room, using my legs to move it. I kept the books in my hands as I pushed it across my bedroom floor, over to my futon. Flopping onto my bed, I stared at the two, the title glowing in the faint lighting of the setting sun.

"The Labyrinth…?" I whispered in curiosity, flicking through the pages. I set the red book aside, lifting the diary into my hands. Dust was lightly sprinkled along the first page. Wiping it away, I stared at the neat black handwriting. Property of Sarah Williams; 1986.

"Holy shit…" I muttered, opening to the first entry. I scanned my mother's handwriting, the elegant script slightly jagged from her youth. Even though I knew it was wrong to snoop through other people's belongings, my mother always held a mysterious air about her, like there was a bit of a secret life that she had lived…

"May 17th

Daddy is out with that wretched woman again. I can't understand what he sees in her. She's nothing like my mother, and she never will be! Ugh. I'm stuck watching Toby again. You know something, he can be the most adorable thing to play with and watch over at times, and I will admit I can be a bit protective of him. But more often than not, I wish that he just didn't exist. He gets all of Daddy's attention these days! Every last ounce of it!

And what do I get?

Absolutely nothing!"

I giggled quietly, turning the page to the next entry.

"June 2nd

Sorry I haven't written in a long while. Mary has been having boy troubles with Matt again. I care for Mary and everything, but she can be such a kiss up to that guy! She was saying how he hasn't been there for her, how he's always out with his friends instead of her— and then the next thing, he calls in a fit because Jay didn't want to hang at the skate park, and then she starts comforting him saying that at least she loves him and would gladly spend time with him!

After that I told her I had stuff that needed to be done before father got home, so I had to practically shove her out the front door.

Damnit! Toby is crying again. I'll be right back…"

I skipped over the next few months, for they detailed only in more boy troubles and fights with her parents. I stopped in August, noticing slight shaking in the handwriting and wet blotches all over the pages. Curiosity grabbed hold of my attention, and I began to read again.

"August 12th

I home… But I can't believe this. I want to say that it was all a dream and that none of it was real. But how can I say that? How can I when I have Hoggle, a dwarf, sleeping in my windowsill, Ludo, a giant cuddly creature that I think is some form of a bear, playing Scrabble with Sir Didymus, a cross of a squirrel and a dog, and fieries all over my room!

Diary, there are so many things that have happened technically in the last four hours… but it feels like it's been days or weeks or even months! So much that has made me from a sniveling bratty girl into… well… into a more mature individual…

So… I was rehearsing a scene in the park from my favorite play, The Labyrinth, right? Well, Merlin and I are running home because it was seven o' clock and Daddy wanted us home before then. Well, I get into this fight with my stepmother, and I run up to my room. After that, I noticed that Lancelot was missing from my shelf.

When I go to look for him, he was in the nursery, where Toby, as usual, was crying his eyes out. I began to scream how I want to be saved from this awful place. Well… eventually, all of my anger and frustration puts me in a stupid state of mind. I tucked Toby into bed, and began to leave, but little ol' me, I had to have parting words…

'I wish the goblins would come and take you away, right now.' I said, shutting out the light. I had just turned away when Toby stopped crying. I hurried back to his crib, to see if he was alright, and that maybe all the screaming and crying had worn him out and he just passed out… But…

He wasn't there…"

"Aerynn! I'm back honey!" I heard my mother's voice. 'Shit!' I thought, sliding the box under my bed, and hiding both of the books, before marking my place in the diary, under my pillow. My mother, holding a grocery bag in her hand, stood in my doorway, a bright smile on her face. "What are you doing cooped up in here, sweetheart?" She asked. I sighed quietly in relief. She hadn't seen me frantically working on hiding my latest discoveries.

"Oh…just… boredom." I replied coolly. Sarah smiled, before leaving the doorway. I sighed dramatically, leaning back against the wall. She hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary. That was a relief. The last thing I needed was my mother being suspicious after only being gone for what— fifteen minutes?

But what had she meant in her diary— Toby not being in his crib? How could a baby have disappeared so quickly in such a matter of short time? Pondering these thoughts, I stood from my bed, shutting out the light, and walking out to the dining room again. Sarah had gone back to preparing dinner, the house phone tucked between her shoulder and her ear as she chattered to whom I suspected to be Toby. I thought about asking if he knew what had happened, but doubted that he would even remember it.

I sighed, turning my head to stare out the window. The sun was low on the horizon, pink and purple clouds pluffing along the skyline. I rested my chin in my hand as I sat down at the table, mindlessly sketching pictures and writing song lyrics and bits of poems onto the lined pages of my journal. Sarah's voice was like background music as she hustled around the kitchen, laughing and talking loudly with my uncle.

"Aerynn… Aerynn!" My head snapped up, and I stared at my mother, who was still holding the phone to her ear. She smiled sweetly, most likely mentally laughing at my obliviousness again. I rolled my eyes slightly, but I couldn't help smiling with her. "Toby wants to know what flavor of ice cream you want."

"Why?" I asked her, setting my pencil down and shutting my journal.

"He's buying us desert for after dinner tonight." I chuckled. That was so like my uncle, always offering to take us places, and even when we said there was no need, he'd wave it off like nonsense and take us anyway. The strange thing was… Toby was about fifteen years younger than my mother, and he acted more like an older brother to me than an uncle. 'Then again, Aerynn, you've gotta think about this. Toby is only ten years older than you.' I thought to myself.

"Mint Chocolate Chip, pleasies!" I said loudly, and I heard Toby laughing on the other end of the line. I smiled lightly, standing up from the table. I crossed over to the living room again, scanning the CDs that lined the wooden shelves. Eventually, I plucked one from the 'D' section, and showed it to my mother. She grinned, and nodded once, before continuing her talk with Toby.

Opening the DVD player, I set the CD inside the drive, pushing the ENTER button. The drive slid into the machine slowly, and the front flashed the number of tracks and total time. Pressing PLAY, I skipped over the first few tracks, before turning up the volume just as Sarah had hung up the conversation with Toby. The song began to play, and I swayed my hips side to side to the beat of Let's Danceby David Bowie. Sarah, wearing the stained apron again, joined me in a obviously untalented tango dance. Laughing, I spun her in circles, singing at the top of my lungs.

"Put on your red shoes and dance the blues…" I grinned ear to ear, twirling away from my mother as she sang the background vocals.

"Let's dance to the song they're playing on the radio…"

"Let's sway—"

"—While the color lights up your face. Let's sway, sway through the crowd to an empty space. If you say run, I'll run with you. If you say hide, we'll hide. Because my love for you would break my heart in two if you should fall into my arms and tremble like a flower." I spun my mother in circles as she dramatically fell into my arms, being a damsel in distress almost. I laughed again.

"Let's dance for fear…" She sang aloud, her voice like the ringing of bells.

"Your grace should fall; let's dance for fear tonight is all. Let's sway you could look into my eyes; let's sway under the moonlight, this serious moonlight. If you say run, I'll run with you. If you say hide, we'll hide. Because my love for you would break my heart in two if you should fall into my arms and tremble like a flower." I heard the phone ring, and Sarah ushered with her index finger to turn the volume down. I sighed sadly, lowering the volume so that David's voice was a soft hum compared to what it had been a moment before. She rushed to the table, lifting the phone to her face, pressing a button.

"Hello?" She said, before rolling her eyes. "Toby, dinner is about five minutes from being done. I don't think Aerynn is going to care if you by Safeway brand or Dryers brand."

"Dryers preferably, please and thank you!" I shouted so my uncle could hear. Sarah rolled her eyes again, smiling. She said a few more yes' and no's, before hanging up again. She sighed quietly, padding over to the stove, stirring the pasta sauce and noodles a few times.

"Well, your uncle will be here shortly, he was caught up between the store brand and Dryers brand of Mint Chocolate. Plus he wanted to know if I wanted Slow Churned Chocolate, Light Chocolate, or just regular." I chuckled under my breath, walking over to the cabinet by the sink, pulling out plates for dinner. She pulled out three forks, a butter knife, a cutting board, and a bread knife. I watched as she carefully slid the pan that held the loaf of bread out of the oven, setting it on the unused side of the stove.

"Here, Mom, you go sit down, you've been on your feet all day. I'll take care of the bread." I said, setting the plates on the table, before taking the oven mitts off of her hands. She sighed with a smile, before walking back into the living room.

Gently, I slid the bread onto the cutting board, my left hand wearing a mitt to hold the bread in place while my right held the knife, slicing the loaf into several thick slices, one by one. Soon, there were nine slices of crispy, warm bread, even and laid across the board. Lifting the board, I strode over to the dining room table, positioning it in the center, the three plates positioned in a triangle around it. I glanced at the empty space on the table, remembering when my father had sat in that seat.

Shaking my head slightly, I walked over, grabbing the butter out of the fridge, and sat it beside the bread. I heard the front door open, and a loud welcome from my mother. I smiled brightly, taking the silverware to the table. I looked up to see my Uncle Toby, holding a grocery bag as he embraced my mother. He let go of her, muttering something in her ear, before turning to face me. His grin grew wider on his face (if that was remotely possible).

"There's my little niece! How've you been, kiddo?" He said, setting the ice cream on the edge of the table, before hugging me as well. I hugged him back, before pulling away.

"I've been doing well. Seems like you're not doing too bad yourself." I said in response, taking the bag of ice cream to the freezer. I pulled the door open swiftly, setting the entire bag on the top shelf, before shutting it again. I looked between my mother and my uncle, picturing a fifteen year old and a baby. I had seen my mother in her youth and when Toby was a small thing. It was hard to imagine that something could have happened to either of them…

But then again, I didn't know the whole story either.

"Anyways, dinner just got done, so, I'll serve up the noodles, you two make yourself comfortable!" Sarah chirped brightly, walking into the kitchen. Toby and I sat down in our seats, grabbing slices of bread and buttering them as Sarah scooped out noodles and dropped them on our plates, along with spoonfuls of steamy sauce. I could smell the beef, the oregano, and the tomatoes all mixed in along with various other spices and seasonings.

"So, Sarah, did you hear? Seems like Linda and Jeremy are moving out here to Washington soon. If I remember correctly, Jeremy called me and gave me the news, saying that New York just wasn't working for them." My mother laughed lightly, positioning herself comfortably in her chair, before taking her own slices of bread. I bit into a piece of burning meatball, trying not to make notice that the piece of food was practically destroying my mouth. I swallowed it without chewing much, feeling the pain as it ran down my throat.

"Yes. Linda gave us a call last week saying that they were moving again, but she didn't tell me where. I figured it would have been something like Paris or London this time. But out here? Wow… there's an improvement."

"Maybe they're getting tired of the paparazzi?" I suggested, taking a bite out of my bread.

"Who knows. But it'll be nice to have them close. I've been missing them." Toby said, closing his mouth around a clump of spaghetti and bread. I chuckled, twirling the noodles onto my fork. "So, have you done anything aside from work these days, Sarah?" he continued after swallowing.

"No… Just working at the school, coming home, grading papers and making dinner like every other night ever since you graduated high school. Dad would have been proud of you." Sarah said quietly. I sucked down the bite of food that I had. Toby caught a gleam in his eye, and a teasing smirk appeared on his lips.

"What? No more adventures—" Sarah's fork stabbed through her pasta, clanking against the glass plate. Everyone stopped moving, and she and Toby held each other's gazes for a long moment. Her chin trembled slightly, before a smile lit her face, though it never reached her eyes.

"No. I'm done with adventures like that."

"Like what? You never told me you had a wild side, Mom." I said aloud, biting into my second slice of bread. She smiled faintly at me, and I thought I saw a bit of sadness in her expression.

"Let's save it for another time, sweetheart." She said calmly, but I detected a hint of warning in it. I nodded slowly, ripping another bite out of the bread, before swallowing a meatball with it. Uncle Toby fell silent for a split second, before chattering about some sort of issue he had at work. But I didn't pay much attention to the conversation after that. Something in my mother's face after Toby asked about her adventures. It was like it was saying 'Say another word and this fork will be sticking from your eyeball'.

I shuddered at the thought. I could tell she didn't want to talk about it.

But I could find out…

Chapter Two: The Goblin King

I sat in the silence of my room. It was early Monday morning (six thirty-seven to be precise), about and hour and a half before I had to be at school. Sarah had already gone in, due to the fact that it was Resource day, and she expected several of her students to come in. I leaned against the wall, her diary on my lap. I sighed, before staring down at it again. Slowly, I flipped open the pages, turning to where I had left off.

"He wasn't there.

Noises began to occur all over the nursery, shadows moving along the walls and through the cracks in the floor. A white and brown barn owl was fluttering outside by the balcony doors. The storm was raging outside, the harsh winds shoving the doors open with such ferocity that they slammed on the walls. The owl fluttered around for a few moments, before it transformed into a man.

Diary… I'll admit, even now, he is probably the most handsome person that I will ever meet. He had dirty blonde hair that was a few inches passed his shoulders, a thin but relatively wide mouth. His face held youth but with a touch of wisdom. He towered at least a head if not more over me. He had broad shoulders, long legs, strong arms… Just the sight of him made my heart explode…

And looking at him… I knew…

He was the Goblin King…"

What the hell? Goblin King? 'But there are no such things as goblins, dwarves, imps, faeries… but then again… None of this should be here… unless Mom got interested in writing a fantasy story that involved herself and Toby…'

"'You're him aren't you? You're the Goblin King.' I said. I remember that he smiled at me, tilting his head to one side. 'I want my brother back, please, if it's all the same.'

'What's said is said.' He replied, crossing his arms over his chest casually. I had to find a way to get Toby back.

'But, I didn't mean it!' I argued in a plea. His eyes widened in mock surprise.

'Oh, you didn't?'

'Please, where is he?'

He smirked. 'You know very well where he is.'

'Please bring him back… please…' I watched him stalk forward, his hands on his hips. I remember his eyes, his right was blue, and his left was brown." My breath hitched in my throat, and I thought of my own eyes, exactly the same. Perhaps it was just mere coincidence…

"'Sarah, go back to your room. Play with your toys and your costumes. Forget about the baby.' He said to me. I fought the urge to do as he said like a puppy to its master. The urge was strong, if I must say…

'I can't.'

'I've brought you a gift.' A crystal appeared in his hand, a smile stretching on his lips. Diary… his smile was magnificent…

'What is it?' I asked.

'It's a crystal. Nothing more. But if you turn it this way, and look into it, it will show you your dreams. But this is not a gift, for an ordinary girl who takes care of a screaming baby. Do you want it?' He motioned it out towards me, and I stared at it thoughtfully. 'Then forget the baby…' I swear Diary, my heart shattered once the words passed his lips.

'I can't. It isn't that I don't appreciate what you're trying to do for me, but I want my brother back. He must be so scared…'

'Sarah,' the Goblin King cut me off, the crystal transforming into a snake. He stretched the serpent out in front of him. 'Don't defy me…' And what does he do then?

He throws it at me.

The moment my hands rush to my neck to pull it away, the snake was a scarf. I watched it fall to the floor, spinning in a spiral, where the face of a goblin poked through, laughing at me.

'You're no match for me Sarah.' He said.

'But I have to have my brother back.' I begged. He nodded, moving to my left, pointing out of the window.

'He's there, in my castle.' I saw beyond the wooden frame and plants that wound around the window a valley with a maze, and on a hilltop in the distance was a large castle, looming over the whole thing. 'Do you still want to look for him?'

'Is that… the castle beyond the Goblin City?' I asked, turning to him.

'Turn back Sarah, turn back before it's too late.'

'I can't. Don't you understand that I can't?' I asked of him, turning back to stare at the castle in the distance.

'What a pity…' I heard him say.

'It doesn't look that far…' I was determined to sound brave and optimistic, but I knew that it would probably take me forever to reach it. I hadn't heard him walk towards me, for there was a silence, and then he was standing so close beside me…

'It's further than you think, and time is short.' He walked away, standing by a tree, motioning to a clock that had been etched into the bark. 'You have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth before you baby brother becomes one of us… forever… Such a pity…' His voice trailed as he disappeared.

Oops, gotta go again. I'll be right back. Daddy needs my help…"

I marked my place, and shut the black diary, leaning my head against the wall. This Goblin King… I had yet to learn his name… But I was curious to know just how our eyes could be the exact same, when Sarah's were green, and my father's were blue. Neither of them had any genes relating to brown eyes. I sighed heavily, turning my head to the right to glance at the time. 7:16 AM. I still had time; the school was only a few blocks down the road.

Swinging my legs off of my bed, I stood up, the diary clenched in my grasp. I walked across my room, sliding the book, along with The Labyrinth, into my backpack. Lifting my shoes into my hands, I walked back over to my bed, sitting down as I untied the laces. My thoughts continuously drifted to the blonde King. How could someone described as what sounded like utter perfection be so cruel? But then again, I couldn't truly say that he was cruel. He offered my mother her dreams… but at what price?

I shoved my feet into my shoes, tying them quickly into double knots. Leaning forward, I snagged a sweatshirt from the floor, sliding it over my head. Running my fingers through my hair, I deemed myself decent, before trudging passed my dresser, grabbing my bag, and slinging it over my shoulder. I shut the light out, before exiting my room.

The house was quiet, and I could hear Uncle Toby's light snoring coming from the spare room that was down the hall from my room. Padding into the kitchen, I grabbed an apple, before turning to head to the living room. My gaze shot to a picture of my parents. Even though my mother was still angry and upset with my father, she would never get rid of that picture. I had inherited my mother's brown hair, but some days it would have a golden shimmer to it. My father had light blonde hair.

I smiled softly, before walking to the front of the house. I pulled the front door open, the chilly morning air nipping at my nose. Taking a bite from my apple, I shut the door behind me, walking across the lawn, and down the road to the school. I pulled my MP3 player out of my pocket, wrapping the head phones around my ears, and pressed play. My footsteps fell to the beat of the song, and I found myself mentally performing the song.

"Bangkok, oriental setting. And the city don't know what the city is getting. The crème de la crème of the chess world in a show with everything but Yul Brynner. Time flies, doesn't seem a minute since the Tyrolean Spa had the chess boys in it. All change, don't you know that when you play at this level, there's no ordinary venue. It's Iceland, or the Philippines, or Hastings, or, or this place!

"One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster! The bars are temples but the pearls ain't free. You'll find a God in every golden cloister! And if you're lucky then the God's a she. I can feel an angel sliding' up to me.

"One town's very like another, when you're head's down hanging over your pieces brother. It's a drag, it's a bore, it's really such a pity, to be looking at the board, not looking at the city. Whaddya mean? Ya see one crowded, polluted, stinking town. (Tea, girls, warm and sweet, sweet. Some are set up in the Somerset Maugham suite) Get Thai'd! You're talking to a tourist whose every move is among the purest. I get my kicks above the waistline sunshine.

"One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble. Not much between despair and ecstasy. One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble. Can't be too careful with your company. I can feel the Devil walking next to me." I tossed my apple core into a trash bin, before crossing the lawn of the front of the school. I was a little early, but several students that I vaguely knew where already by the front doors. I walked passed the parking lot, leaning against the railing of the stone steps, my music blocking out the sounds of the world around me.

"Siam's gonna be the witness to the ultimate test of cerebral fitness. This grips me more than would a muddy old river or reclining Buddha. Thank God I'm only watching the game— controlling it. I don't see you guys rating the kind of mate I'm contemplating. I'd let you watch, I would invite you— but the queens we use would not excite you. So go back to your bars, your temples… you massage parlors…

"One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster! The bars are temples but the pearls ain't free. You'll find a God in every golden cloister. A little flesh, a little history. I can feel an angel sliding up to me. One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble. Not much between despair and ecstasy. One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble. Can't be too careful with your company. I can feel the Devil walking next to me." I pulled my MP3 player out of my pocket, about to change the song when I heard someone calling my name. I looked up, seeing a light blonde haired girl with blue/green eyes, snow white skin, a backpack slung over her shoulder. She was wearing a pair of worn out converse, faded jeans, a green t-shirt, and the hoodie she had bought during a vacation in Oregon. I smiled slightly, plucking off my headphones so they hung around my neck.

"Hey Clare." I said as she came to my side. A blond, also pale skinned boy came up behind her. His hair just barely covered his bright blue eyes. He grinned at the two of us.

"Hi Danny!" Clare exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly. Danny froze slightly until she pulled away, and proceeded to act like he was being strangled by some invisible force. I rolled my eyes, scanning through my music library, placing a headphone over my left ear but keeping my right open. Eventually, I got bored with trying to find a song, and I shut off the device.

"Aerynn, Aerynn, Aerynn, Aerynn, Aerynn, Aerynn, Aerynn, Aerynn, Aerynn, Aerynn, Aerynn, Aerynn, Aerynn, Aerynn, Aerynn, Aerynn…" Clare began to say my name over and over and over again. I sighed, losing patience fast.

"WHAT?" I shouted, glaring at her. She smiled brightly. Danny had taken a seat on the steps of the school, immersed in his DS. Clare giggled at me, tugging on the sleeve of my sweatshirt.

"You're coming to my birthday part this Friday night, right?" She said. "Danny, Cya, and Allie said they'd come!" I sighed again, scratching the back of my head.

"I don't know Clare… I need to start working on my Halloween costume for this year. Plus, Ms. Travinski said she needed my help with the decoration ideas. Not to mention, I may need to help my mo— Ms. Williams with grading this weekend as well. But I'll see what I can do." I said, having to correct myself from saying 'my Mom'. Sarah wanted to be known as a teacher, not a parent, when on school grounds (which meant that I had to call her Ms. Williams practically all the time).

"Oh… okay… Well, if you're too busy then I guess I can ask Haley if she wants to go…" Clare's voice drifted as she lost herself in a saddened state of thought. I sighed, wanting to smash my face into the wall. I hated making my friends feel upset…

"I'll ask Sarah when I get home tonight…" I muttered, slouching against the railing. Clare perked up, a smile on her face like nothing had happened. Sometimes I believed Clare had a bipolar disorder. And more often than not, she was pretty much confirming my thoughts about it. "So, where are Cya and Haley?" I asked her, turning and taking a seat beside Danny, who was still engrossed in playing some kind of Pokémon game.

"Oh. Apparently Ms. Williams needed them for Resource today." She replied, taking a seat beside me, sandwiching me against Danny. I nodded slowly. I placed my backpack on the ground in front of me, pulling out my mother's diary again. We still had about twenty minutes until school started. I opened to my place, when I noticed Clare looking over my shoulder.

"What?" I asked her when she met my gaze.

"What's that?" She questioned, motioning to the diary. I sighed again.

"A diary." I said, moving the string out of its position so that it hung loose over the side. Clare fidgeted uncomfortably beside me.

"Whose is it?" I resisted the urge to groan aloud. Instead, I bit down on my tongue for a split second, before responding.

"Sarah's." I kicked myself. Why did I have to be on the Truth setting at a time like this? Clare's eyes widened slightly as a hand covered her mouth, and she let out a dramatic gasp. I rolled my eyes at her.

"You shouldn't be reading someone else's property, Aerynn! How would you feel if your mother went snooping through your private stuff?"

"She doesn't, because I don't own a diary where I keep things that are meant to be private. You know me Clare. I share everything with my mother. Therefore I have no need for something like a diary. And I think it's about time she did the same…" My sentence trailed to just under my breath. Clare scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Well then you could ask her, 'Hey Mom, when you were my age, did you do anything fun and exciting?' It's not that hard, Aerynn!" I inhaled deeply through my nose, losing my patience with her. I exhaled slowly, calming myself so that I didn't have the urge to punch her in the nose.

"It's none of your business what I do, Clare. So butt-the-fuck out." I replied coolly. Her expression turned from shock to disbelief to a mild tone of anger.

"Fine." She said, getting to her feet and storming off. Danny looked up from his game, watching as Clare stormed off in a hurry.

"What's her problem?" He asked. I shook my head slightly.

"I have no idea…" I said, before reading.

"August 14th

Sorry it's been a few days. But… at any rate… where did I leave off?

'Such a pity…' His voice trailed. I looked out at the castle, before sighing. I walked down to where I thought the entrance might have been, before spotting a small, wrinkly man… taking a leak in a small pond.

'Excuse me…?' I said. He jerked upward slightly, fixing his pants.

'Oh, excuse me!' He turned to me, his expression rushing from apologetic to annoyed. 'Oh, it's you…'

I talked with him for a few minutes longer, learning that his name was Hoggle. He showed me the entrance to the Labyrinth, before leaving me inside the never ending maze. There were many strange things that happened after that. I talked to a worm, who said, 'Things are not always what they seem in this place. So, you can't take anything for granted.' I took a new path that seemed like it was leading me closer to the castle. For a time, I heard Toby crying, and that helped me try finding my way.

After a while, I came to a dead end. But when I turned away, I heard voices behind me. I turned back, and there were two doors, red and blue, with four guards. Two on each door. They told me that one door led to the castle at the center, and the other led to certain death. I remember I walked over to the red door, and asked the top guard, 'Would he tell me that this door leads to the castle?' After a moment, he replied, 'Yes.'

'Then the other door leads to the castle and this door leads to certain death.' All four guards seemed impressed.

'How do you know? He could be telling the truth!' The top guard responded.

'But then you wouldn't be,' I explained. 'So if you told me that he said yes. I know the answer is no.'

'But I could be telling the truth!'

'But then he wouldn't be. So if you told me that he said yes, I know the answer would still be no.' He glanced over at the top guard of the blue door, and asked it that was correct. The blue guard said he didn't know.

Thinking I had it figured out, I opened the blue door, took two steps…

And fell down a trap door."

"Aerynn!" I glanced up to look at Danny.

"What?" I asked.

"The bell is gonna ring in like… one minute. We gotta go." I sighed, placing the string in my spot, and slid the book back into my bag. Standing slowly, I scanned across the front lawn of the school. In the distance, I saw Allie and Clare talking lightly with one another. Jordan (Allie's boy toy) looked relatively bored, hanging off of Allie's arm. I rolled my eyes, spun on my heel, and walked beside Danny at a relaxed pace.

"You know something that I will never understand?" I said aloud, staring at the front doors of the building as we made our way inside.

"And what's that?" He asked as we stopped by our lockers. I spun the dial for the combination, opening the metal door, and shoving my bag inside.

"I will never understand love. I saw Allie talking to Clare just before we came inside right? Well… I don't know how Jordan puts up with her. She's got him hanging on a string all the time, and he seems perfectly fine with it." I pulled out my binder and the diary, before shutting the door again. Danny trotted along beside me, trying to match my long stride. I exhaled slowly.

"Well… Jordan isn't exactly the brightest of all football Captains. And Allie… well… Allie is Allie." Danny replied as we walked into Algebra 3. I took my seat in the back of the classroom, Danny took the one to my left. Cya and Haley came in moments after, taking the seats to my right and in front of me. I smiled slightly.

"Aerynn, what are you doing for Halloween?" Haley asked, turning in her seat to face me.

"I was going to be just a witch again this year, but I found a box of some of my mother's old costumes, so I was going to ask her if I could borrow something from there." I replied, folding my hands on top of my binder and the diary.

"Ah. I see."

"What are you guys doing?"

"Faery." Haley said quickly, a smile on her face.

"Greek Goddess." Cya replied, her nose stuck in the sixth Harry Potter book. I looked over to Danny, who had a wide smile on his pale face.

"I'm going to be a king." He said triumphantly. I rolled my eyes, but a slight blush colored my cheeks. 'Then I shall be your queen.' I thought with a laugh. It wasn't unknown of my crush for Danny. I had liked him since the sixth grade. Even he had known that. But he never made any notion that he liked me in return. I sighed, opening my binder as the teacher walked into the class.

'If only…' I thought.