~Chapter 1~

Twenty-two years of age, living in a small apartment on the edge of the city, and trying my hardest to make it through my last two years of college. Life isn't so bad in fact this has been my best semester so far, but at the end of the day it's just tiring and frustrating. Unlike a lot, and when I say a lot I mean my three friends I managed to keep till my first semester of college at least, I decided to take a few years to save for college and explore the states some. Looking at my piles of homework and bills beside me I start to wonder if I should have even come to college in the first place, even though I'm progressing and learning a lot every day it is just so much work. I sigh and recline a little further into my oversized chair, "It's just not fair!"

"I wonder what your basis of comparison is…."

I chuckled to myself with that memory resurfacing, even after seven years I still had memories of the strange king. Of course I had my memories with the rest of my friends; to this day I still call upon them when I am at my lowest, but my memories of the goblin king were all I had to remember him by. I was scared to call upon him when I was younger and even now I have a fear of calling him to me. It wasn't the type of fear that keeps you petrified and scared for your life, it was a fear of the unknown. There were nights that I could only fall asleep by thinking of him, his voice and the song he sang while I was under his spell. It always surprised me how well I could recall him in such detail even though I was with Hoggle and the others much longer than the king. I sighed again wondering if I would even get the nerve to actually call upon him; I honestly doubted it and it made me incredibly frustrated with myself, why was I such a coward. Secretly I knew why I couldn't call him, why I was so afraid… I knew in my heart there was something between the king and I, I knew it when I was younger but I didn't know what it was, so even through the tears I said the words and escaped from the Underground world.

A hard flash of lightning cracked through the sky and snapped me out of the trance I was in, I looked to my window and quickly tried to get up noticing I had left my window open, had I been a bystander I probably would be laying of the floor laughing at my attempt to get to the window. Eventually I did make it over there and successfully closed the window.

Just as I went to clean up some of the mess I had made in my attempt there was a knock and the door, I turned towards my clock and sighed, "Coming!"

My step-mother, father and Toby were coming to visit me for the day and although I am always happy to see Toby I could live without seeing my parents. Ever since the Labyrinth I became extremely close to Toby and if I never got the chance to see my friends again I could at least be grateful for the relationship with Toby that came from my adventure.

I placed the few items I had picked up on my small coffee table, straightened out my hair and shirt and headed to the door. As soon as I opened the door I was almost knocked down a rapidly growing Toby, I found my balance and returned his big hug. I liked being out of the house but I miss my little brother more and more each day, at least they came to visit me often.

"Sorry about that Sarah, Toby you must be more careful!"

"He's fine Karen, really. How are you Toby?"

He smiled brightly at me and said, "Better now that we are finally here!"

"It's not that far, you just get too excited" Karen imputed into our conversation.

I just rolled my eyes and welcomed them in, "What happened to the living room Sarah? It looks like a storm blew through!"

"It was a nice day outside so I had the window open, but I didn't expect a storm to come out of nowhere. Although I hadn't realized that much water had gotten inside; let me go grab some towels."

After the mess had been cleaned up we started a light conversation as we waited for our take-out to arrive, Toby had insisted because he loved the family run Italian restaurant a few blocks down. Before long the food had arrived and we sat down to eat, "Sorry I still don't have a "real" table and chairs, I haven't found a way to rearrange to make space."

Karen gave a forced smile and said it was no problem while she tried to be "perfect" while balancing the hot plate on her small TV tray. Before she could say anything my father's phone rang and he excused himself to go answer it. "So how has school been Toby?"

As Toby explained that was going on at school our father came back with a sour look on his face, "Sarah I hate to ask this of you but would it be possible for you to babysit Toby for a few hours? Maybe even the night? A client is in dire need of assistance and knows I'm in the area."

"Why don't we just get a hotel? That will be plenty for the three….." Karen started to say until Toby cried out, "NO! I want to stay with Sarah!"

My father smiled and chuckled, "I figured that would be the case, Karen he will be fine. Besides you were saying just yesterday how nice it would be to stay the night so we wouldn't have to make the drive so late."

"I know but…"

"Karen it really is ok, there is more than enough room for the both of us and I have a 4 day weekend from school. Plus I still have that bag of cloths you brought last time so he'll even have something to change into."

Toby was already beaming and Karen knew that she couldn't argue, especially since Toby started going through my movie collection to find something for us to watch together. "Well alright, I guess we should go on to get a room and get you to your client. Toby please behave for your sister, otherwise I'll be forced to have her bring you to me."

"I'll be perfect I promise!" Toby came and threw himself at me with a big hug, excitement all over his face.

"I'll go grab his backpack from the car and we can head on."

After a little more small talk, and the retrieval of Toby's bag our parents took off leaving Toby and I alone. "So what movie did you pick out?" He smiled and ran to show me which ones, I always loved his choices because he always picked the same three; The Sword in the Stone, Aladdin and the Muppets. I smiled and ruffled his hair a bit, "Alright we'll start watching them as soon as we get you settled, so go grab your pajamas from that bag and I'll get the popcorn."

"Ok!" he started to run off but stopped in his tracks and turned around, "I almost forgot!"

I arched my eyebrow not sure what he was doing as he rummaged through his backpack, "Ah ha!"

He hurried over to me holding something very carefully in his hands, "What is it Toby?"

"I don't know really, when we moved my room into your old room I found this under your bed. It has a note on top of the box that says "For Sarah Only" so I hid it away until we came to see you again."

He handed me a black box, with the note still on top, and waited for me to open it. I smiled at his curiosity, he is so much like me, and began to examine the box in my hand. It was a fairly simple black box, honestly it was the note that captured my attention, the writing was like old calligraphy and it looked both worn and new at the same time. I finally began to lift the lid and gasped once I saw its contents, "What is it Sarah?"

I took it out of the box and we mutually marveled at how beautiful it was; it was a simple silver chain but attached to it was a glass orb held in place by a very ornate piece, which was also silver. "Sarah it's so pretty! Where did you get it from?"

I knew in my head this was not from my world, no this had a magic around it that gave me chills; this was magic from the goblin king himself. I had never told Toby of our adventure in the Underground so he would not know who the goblin king was and probably couldn't feel the magic surrounding it. All I could do was lie, even though I hated to, "Um… I don't know Toby. Maybe I found it at one of the Renaissance Fairs I went to as a kid… Or maybe it was a prop from a play. Either way thank you for bringing it to me, now go wash up and change."

"But…"

"Really now Toby its ok, run along."

He gave me a look that told me he was both confused and irritated from my answer. But huffed and took off to go do as I asked. Once I heard the door close I found myself crying and I wasn't quite sure why, I knew this was from the King but I didn't know why he would gift me something so beautiful. I know I have never seen this before, and I remember the crystals he always had so I knew I hadn't just forgotten about it… and honestly how could I forget about something like this. Without really thinking I put the necklace around my neck and noticed it fell exactly where his pendant laid on his own chest, I wonder if he did that on purpose. The opening of the door reminded me of my company and my job to start the popcorn, my thoughts would just have to be set aside for now. I dried my eyes and stood making my way to my small kitchen to start making our snack.