I do not own Labyrinth, nor the quote at the beginning of each story.
A serious of drabbles and shorter stories based on the seven deadly sins.
Greed
See, sons, what things you are,
How quickly nature falls into revolt
When gold becomes her object.
2 Henry IV 4.5.64-6, Henry to Gloucester and Clarence
The preceeding royals of the Goblin Realm had been lovers since childhood. A handsome prince and a simple girl, a former servent of the High King himself. It was a storybook romance before storybook romances existed. He had discreetly showered her with gifts, and even less discreetly with love.
He gave her simple things; a skirt here, a pair of earrings there. But the most memorable gift was that of a ring-simple and silver-of which he had slipped onto the fourth finger of her left hand, smiling devilishy. Tears flooded her eyes, as she skipped and stammered over her words. He had placed a gloved finger to her mouth, nodding, before giving her one last kiss, and disappearing into the night.
They were wed the next year, and while his father certainly didn't wish for the prince to marry a servant, the truth was, she was a good girl, and would make a marvelous queen.
And the gifts came coming. Jewelry, swords, horses of the whitest snow and darkest night, a crown of gold and, finally, a golden child's carriage.
The future Goblin King was born soon thereafter.
It wasn't long until a rebellion rised, a battle was announced, a date set. The Goblin Queen sat in her bed, surrounding by amethyst silk sheets, a baby clinging to her breast, her cheeks stained with tears, while her husband fought for her.
And it wasn't much longer after that until the Goblin Queen became a widow.
While the concept of "retail therapy" is certainly that of a mortal, it is most appropriate for the situation the Goblin Queen found herself in. Spending money left and right, going through jewels like water. Her son wore only the finest, her galas were extravagent, her guards outfitted with the hard steel chestplates. It became such a mess that it took less then three years for the Goblin Realm to be in danger of disappearing, for the Queen could no longer afford to keep the kingdom running.
The second rebellion came sooner then expected.
Angry goblins tore through the castle, destroying the property and ripping the Queen from her slumber. The center of the city was used as an example for all future queens, as flames lit by the ignored citizens engulfed the former servent into the eternal bliss of death.
The son was spared, the seventeen year old spitting image of his father, with a warning that he had better fix the mess his mother made, or face the same fate.
Sitting in the charred throne, he readjusted the half-melted crown on his head and swore that he would find a humble Queen, even if it killed him.