Chapter 1
She called to him.
She shouldn't have been able to call to him, but she did.
He sat on his throne, one leg thrown over the top, hand resting on his chin, seemingly deep in thought
Gloved hands held a riding crop that he tapped on his booted foot in time with the ticks of the clock.
That's when he heard it.
She was crying. The emotion sliced through him like a dagger causing him to sit up with inhuman speed. One Hand raised to his chest his breathing labored
The goblins that littered the throne room all jumped in shock when there king moved. He'd been sat like that since the last runner had given up and fled the Labyrinth in tears. They had no idea why there king was so upset. After all what fun would it be if the runner actually won?
One of the Goblins next to the throne spoke up as another wave of emotion struck the king like lightning
"kingy! Kingy in pain?" it said a rare look of concern gracing it's ugly face.
"kingy not well?" said another
"kingy drink more! That make feel better" said a third as he raced forwards with a pint of Goblin ale
In his grubby hands
"QUITE!" Roared the King. "The next one of you cretins that speaks will end up tipped face first into the Bog"
the goblins shivered at the rage of there king.
The pull to go aboveground was getting stronger. And he knew he'd have to do something about it soon
His heart started pumping wildly as another wave of emotion struck him.
A grimace flashed across his beautiful face as he rose from his throne. The Goblins watched in fear as he strolled over to the window and stepped onto the ledge. The pull was getting stronger now. If he didn't move soon he'd be forced. Ignoring the Goblins that were cowering under his feet he gracefully transformed into a barn owl and flew out into the night.
The Goblins stared as there King left. One small Goblin shuffled to get a better look out of the window before he turned to face the others and with a small snigger he spoke
"Kingy Mad!" he snorted.
"Kingy always mad" said another with a giggle.
"Kingy doesn't drink enoughs. So we drinks enoughs for him" said the Goblin that had offered the potent brew to his master. All the Goblins fell back laughing as they resumed there celebrations
"Who wants to play chicken canon?" hollered a fourth as the others cheered.
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A young girl sat huddled against a tree. Tears marked lines down her beautiful face.
She sat with her knees drawn up to her chest her arms wrapped around them protectively, as if she was trying to hide herself from the world. She didn't notice as a barn owl landed quietly in the tree above her, it watched for a long time as her sobs became less frequent and her labored breathing evened out.
She didn't no how long she'd been there for. But as the girl looked up she noticed the sky beginning to darken. She wiped a hand across her face as she stretched out her legs. She rested her head back against the tree and closed her eyes trying to get her whirling emotions in check.
He heard her sigh before she spoke. "well come on feet" she rose so quickly from the floor that she startled the owl that had been watching her so intently. She froze as she heard a rustle in the branches above her and turned slowly to see what had made the noise.
Her emerald green eyes searching the branches above her before connecting with the owl. He wasn't expecting her to look at him and was taken off guard momentarily by the depths of those green eyes. He didn't move as her gaze locked onto him. His heart beat pounded in his feathered chest.
He was even more surprised when she spoken again. This time to him
"sorry" she said. A sheepish smile on her face. Before she turned and ran across the park.
He waited a moment before he took flight again, this time however he intended to follow her.
He had no idea why'd she'd been crying. But he knew if he followed her home he'd find out.
As he settled onto a branch outside the Victorian house she'd entered he listened,
Her mother had left. She'd ran off with her lover. Not saying goodbye to her daughter choosing to leave a note instead.
No wonder she was crying. But how had she managed to call him?
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He watched her many times after that first day. It was a pleasant change from the mundane dealings of holding court and listening to the Goblins squabble over who's chicken was who's.
He watched her make herself crowns out of flowers and read books under the same tree she'd been crying under.
He watched her play with the beast she called merlin. And recite plays and other stories.
He was drawn in by her belief in his world and her need to always be the hero in her acting.
He watched as she slayed imaginary dragons, saved princesses and married kings.
He watched as she fought wars and always defeated the villain in her stories.
When she turned 14 her father remarried. A year later a babe was born. That's when he decided to leave the book.
He'd left it on the stone bench near the tree. She always stopped by the bench to ready her self for her next act. He was thrilled when she picked up the book and started reading straight away. He wasn't sure what her version entailed as the book was different for all those who read it. It was after all the way to his kingdom.
He rarely had a child wished away anymore. His Labyrinth now mainly used to test young fae women due to some ridiculous law created by his kin. A sentient being that was the Labyrinth required runners to keep its spirit alive. Valuable lessons were learnt inside those walls. And as the master of the Labyrinth Jareth The Goblin King was the only one able to use magic within it. Which meant that all faes that ran the Labyrinth would have to do so using only there smarts. Of course no one had actually won. And if it wasn't for that damn prophecy maybe they would stop trying.
He'd been elated when he'd returned to the park a few days later to find her reciting lines from the book he'd left. It gave him a glimpse into what exactly was said within its pages. He knew she was unhappy with the new babe. And had hoped she'd wish herself away. A creature as pure and imaginative as her deserved to be in the underground. She'd flourish there.
He was wrong however. On the eve of her sixteenth birthday he heard her say the words.
He was shocked as he heard the call. Changing into his armour with a flick of his wrist he transformed into his owl form and soared out into the night.
He entered the dark bedroom. Steeling himself for his first conversation with the girl he'd watched for so long
Green eyes stared at him for a moment. And then she spoke
"You're him, aren't you? You're the Goblin King!"
He offered her, her dreams. And she denied him. Insisting he give her back the babe
"He's there... in my castle. Do you still want to look for him?" he asked
"Is that….the Castle beyond the Goblin City?" she said. No hint of nerves betrayed her voice.
He begged her to turn back. But of course she wouldn't.
"it doesn't look that far" she stated. He sighed inwardly. And gave in.
"It's further than you think... and time is short. You have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth, before your baby brother becomes one of us... forever. Such a pity."
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He'd have given the babe back straight away if she'd have agreed to take his place. After all it never was about the babe.
He watched her progress a smile on his face as she found her way into the Labyrinth with ease.
She defied him at every turn. Even calling his Labyrinth a 'piece of cake', he took time off her, thinking it would stop her but she made friends with his subjects. Turned them against him in a bid to win back her brother. He'd used her new 'friendship' with the annoying dwarf Hogspurt, Hogbrain, Hogful or what ever his name is to get her to eat a dream peach.
He was furious when she managed to break free of the spell. Smashing the wall of the crystal ball room with a chair and shattering the dream. He'd been so close.
He was surprised when she made it past the Goblins and into the castle. But at the same time he was elated. It didn't matter that she was a mere mortal. He felt like he'd finally found someone worthy of being his queen. Of course he could make her fae so she'd be able to wield the powers that being Queen of the Labyrinth and of the Goblins gives you.
That's were he made his biggest mistake. He'd under estimated her and her belief in the book. In that final confrontation in the room of stairs as he'd stared into those beautiful and yet cruel green eyes and bared his soul to her
She tore his world apart again with a few words of triumph over her otherworldly nemesis
"You have no power over me!"
He was broken. In 10 short hours. Sarah, his Sarah had denied his heart and stripped him of the power he had over her.
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Welcome! i'd like to thankyou for taking the time to read my story. so far theres only one chapter. and as ive never written a fan fic before. or any other kind of story for that matter i'd like you to be patient with me! i have no idea where this story will lead as it was a rather spontaneous thing for me to do. but i hope you like it! the first chapter wasnt really necessary but it was fun to start it off with something from MR Nibs point of view ;) anywho. see you in the next one! dont forget to review!