A King's Curse

A/N: Hello all you Labyrinth fans out there. First I would like to point out that this is no longer the original version of the story. I am writing the author's notes before hand, not really something I am prone to do however I am doing it anyway.

It simply had to be done. I came to this conclusion after re-reading the story and finding the arrangement of events a little less than ideal.

I first discovered Labyrinth after a friend of mine was disappointed that 'Pan's Labyrinth' was not a sequel. I'd like to say that I immediately looked up what this great movie was that could make a good movie like Pan's Labyrinth disappointing, however I didn't. I only watched the movie for the first time this summer. At first I was appalled; I'm not a fan of Muppets. However despite my initial aversion I had the overwhelming desire to watch it again. So I did, and now here I am writing fanfictions.

This particular storyline starts approximately one year before the movie; however it will also cover the movie and go slightly past. Just to give you a perspective on things.

Personally if you've read it all already I'd suggest you go over everything, and maybe... REVIEW!

Chapter One - Lonely Owl

Ten crystal balls lay on velvet cushions in a display case. Each glimmered with the light of a young maiden's dreams. In each the goblin king could see the faces of the young women he'd given a matching crystal to. His black leather gloves dragged mournfully along the glass.

Sighing deeply, he pressed his forehead to thin sheet that held him back from the past. He pushed away from the case and flopped onto an armchair at the centre of the small room. This was his tower, his place of solitude. No servants dared to enter this chamber and bother him. He dragged his fingers through his thick white hair and curled up in the armchair.

There was the door, opposite it, a table, to the table's left, a window, and across from that, the display case. In the middle of it all sat Jareth, in his armchair.

He tore himself away from his restful state. The window beckoned, outside it his labyrinth stretched almost as far at the eye could see, but the rolling hills marked the end of his maze and the trails into the desolate outlands. Life beyond was difficult, but many still chose to live there instead of within the relatively prosperous goblin city. In reality nothing within the goblin kingdom was exactly 'prosperous', a fact which reminded Jareth of his own inadequacy whenever he thought of it.

Walls within the labyrinth shifted, not an uncommon occurrence. Jareth travelled to the table and pieced together the latest changes on an expansive model. He knew what they were, though he was never sure how. The wooden box next to him which should have held pieces was empty. But there were two identical boxes beneath it, Jareth shifted the empty box aside to expose the next.

The lid opened but not to a box of more labyrinth pieces. He looked into the box of his father's personal items shocked. He stared at it, remembering his father's rule over the labyrinth and his past.

The box collided with the wall with a violent crack as Jareth flopped back into his chair. Contents scattered, a book had made it all the way to budding up against Jareth's boot. Objects of the past were exactly why he'd quarantined this tower from his subjects, however having one so close to his person was increasingly frustrating.

The aging copy of 'The Labyrinth' was gently lifted by leather shrouded fingers. He straightened out the pages and blew the dust off the cover.

He walked over to the box, lifted it properly, and used his magic to repair the hinges. 'The Labyrinth' novel, a photo album, a pet collar, a dried flower, a blue velvet ring box, a pendant that was missing its gem, each was placed gently into the wooden chest. He closed the lid without a second glance and tucked the whole thing under the display case.

Jareth stood, and glanced at the one remaining box by the table, but he didn't dare. Instead he summoned a crystal ball, let it glide be along his hand. Silently he stared into the globe. It could show someone their dreams, as well as stored the dreams of anyone who touched one for himself to see. He stared for a long time into the clear glass. Again and again he tried to call up his own dreams but the magic was useless to him.

Magic turned the crystal into a squirrel and Jareth let it dash along his arm. Then as it neared his hand he caught around its neck, watching it choke before throwing it against the wall. It turned back to its crystal ball state as it flew and shattered against the hard stone, but as the fragments fell to the floor they re-formed the globe.

It rolled back to him.

Frustrated he kicked the ball and watched it shatter again as he let himself fall to the cold stone floor. The crystal ball rolled into his hand and vanished at a whim.

He didn't bother to look at his display case. Dark shadows leaked from the crystals like a poison. The silky black liquid drained along the floor around the Goblin King's boots. He stood up and walked away, towards the window, he tried to make himself oblivious to the ooze, it happened often enough.

"I've got to get out of here," the goblin king moaned.

Black boots thudded down the towers stairs. The goblins were their usual restless selves, and greeted their King with shouts and intoxicated breath.

"Hey, King Jareth!"

"Jareth!"

"King Jareth?"

His intense eyes practically glared at his piteous subjects. "I'm going out for a while, don't wait up for me."

"Out?"

"Into the human realm?"

"Oh I don't think that's a good idea."

"That's a great idea."

"We're bored."

"Someone new to torture."

He glanced around at their drunken merriment. Although they were a horde of stupid fools, they were a good distraction from his own woes. "Well then, what kind of person do we want?" he asked his subjects sweeping his arms dramatically.

"Spineless!"

"No, brave, they're more fun."

"We want a challenge."

"Someone religious."

"Good at puzzles, they'll last longer."

"I want a screamer!"

Jareth, scratched his chin, "How about, a brave religious screamer?"

The goblin subjects cheered, as more spirits were dispensed around the room. A head flew across the chamber resulting in mock body-surfing back to its owner. Jareth smiled, they were a good distraction from just about anything, and he was good and ready to stay and enjoy a rowdy party.

That was when a she-goblin caught his eye. That one was once a two year girl, her father had wished her away, and she had willingly crawled to comforting Goblin King's arms. She wasn't supposed to have become a goblin at all, her mother was given a chance to reclaim her, but her mother was unwilling to sacrifice herself to save the girl.

Jareth turned away from the horde and his responsibilities again. Palace doors creaked open as his body fell off into an owl. The goblin kingdom and the labyrinth peeled away beneath his wings and the human world washed in to take its place. The wind felt good against his feathered form, it was the closest thing he had to freedom.

Jareth watched the bustle of modern life from a rooftop with interest. They were free. Each no matter how poor or rich had a place here to live out their dreams. His thoughts drifted to his crystals, wondering half-heartedly why it had never worked on himself. He vaguely remembered when they had; then again it might have been a memory of his father's magic. Several hundred years did little to aid the memories of a long gone childhood.

He turned his attention back to the people on the street. Despite their freedom, many gave up their dreams, and let themselves sink into melancholy. Jareth could see plainly those who had, their sunken eyes, slouched shoulders, and tired expressions. He rolled a crystal to one of those lost faces.

As soon as the man touched the crystal Jareth had access to his long forgotten dreams, and trepid memories. His name happened to be Norman. Jareth noticed he was a religious man, who screamed a lot, bravery however wasn't apparent in his memories, but he was close enough. The pavement beneath Norman sank as he was dragged into Jareth's labyrinth.

The gaping hole returned to solid ground like a rubbery liquid, people simply walked by ignorantly. Despite that not all were completely lost their clouded eyes could no longer recognize magic, though a young boy stared dumb-struck at the spot, until his time-worn mother pulled him away.

"That should keep me occupied for a while," Jareth sighed darkly. It was routine, he'd done it so many times before. It kept the goblins entertained to tease a human wandering lost through his labyrinth. He could taunt and torture a human into so many ridiculous situations. The labyrinth responded to everyone differently, if it could spark new life into their dreams they would be able to escape it.

Jareth stretched his wings and took flight again, a low soar across the human streets and parks. He toyed with pairing the human up, it gave them more motivation. They were remarkably social creatures and not just in the manner of the goblin's unstructured partying. Their ability to form long-lasting bonds made them resilient where a goblin 

might simply turn away. It was this that fascinated Jareth, made him want to watch them scuttling about his labyrinth. It was this that often made him fall in love. Or at least it seemed like love, Jareth knew he himself was rather uncertain in the subject. He enjoyed to test those bonds of human relationship and for a reason he could never quite determine. The women he'd loved however never seemed to pass.

Thinking on the subject gave him little comfort; he would return his labyrinth and enjoy playing with his latest human toy. He listened absently to tidbits of conversation of the humans he passed.

"Well, you know Margret, she couldn't handle a –"

"-threw the whole thing, at least ten feet."

"Did you see the school play? Absolutely charming."

"and then the spaceship went WHAM!"

"-to the castle, beyond the goblin city..."

Jareth froze, he knew those words. He landed gently on a branch over the young woman who sat sewing next to her big sheep-dog. She flipped to a page in her novel, "To take back the child that you have stolen." He leaned over on the branch to watch her, his head leaning to one side curiously.

She closed her eyes to concentrate and began again. "Give me the child," her voice was sad, full of emotion. "Through dangers untold, and hardships un-numbered I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city, to take back the child that you have stolen."

She smiled satisfied and hurriedly finished her sewing. "What do you think Merlin?" she asked the dog, holding the dress up to show roughly how it would look. Merlin barked. "Amazing what you can do with old bed sheets."

Jareth leaned to far, and nearly fell off the branch before he caught himself, ruffling his feathers flustered. The girl turned toward a big clock tower just visible over the line of trees. "Six o'clock, time to get home, before step-mom has one of her pregnant lady fits. Come on, Merlin."

She ran off with her dog and her dress, Jareth looked down at the copy of 'The Labyrinth'. She had forgotten it. Jareth landed gently next it, its bindings were worn but well cared for. He looked in the direction the girl had travelled and lifted the book carefully with his talons.

He landed on the overhang of the deck, as the girl opened the door.

"Sarah, you should really come home sooner," came her step-mother's reprimand. "You're too young to be wandering around so late."

"It's fine, I had Merlin with me," Sarah replied, and she and the dog went inside.

Jareth's owl head poked upside down over the edge of the overhang as the door closed behind her.

He left the book for a moment and travelled between windows. Her room was easily identifiable and completely enchanted, stuffed toys sat in individual shelves, fantasy books were stacked neatly between book-ends on her dresser. Her door opened, Jareth ducked out of sight and returned to the overhang to grab the book.

Sarah put her dress on her bed, humming pleasantly. She shuffled through the folds of the dress and froze. "'The Labyrinth', oh no, I must have left it in the park." Frantically she headed to the door when her window blew open loudly. Curiosity compelled her and she turned towards the window and saw her book, lying on the windowsill. She rushed over to it and sighed relieved, holding it close to her chest.

Jareth sighed softly looking up at the clouds. Something about this girl had grabbed his interest, a rare event in itself. He tried her name out, and found it satisfying, "Sarah."

A/N: Okay, tell me what you think of the re-writes or the story in general if this is your first time reading it, I'm posting all the way up to the new chapter 4 today, so yeah. REVIEWS!!