Disclaimer: The Phantom of the Opera, the Goblin King, and the Labyrinth do not belong to me (though I think if it were up to them, they wouldn't belong to anyone), only my own characters do.
This story is dedicated to the memory of David Bowie. The King is dead, long live the Goblin King!
PotG: Not Your Hero
Chapter 1
A Debt Must Be Paid
How unusual, the groom thought as the winter white owl flew past the open door of the stable and toward the chateau. He shrugged his shoulders and went back to work currying the Comte's favorite stallion.
The silent bird banked around and landed on one of the snowy second floor balconies. It bobbed its head as it peered into the frosted window at the occupants inside.
"Now you be a good boy and take a nap for Mommy, Gustave," Christine smiled as she laid her sleepy first born down in his bed. "And afterward we'll see if Daddy is in the mood to play."
She kissed the child's curly head as he closed his blue eyes and drifted off to sleep. Smiling she quietly backed out of the nursery and closed the door.
"How is he m'lady?" the nurse asked.
"He's asleep finally, Claudette," Christine sighed.
"The poor lamb, this last week has been too much for him," she tutted.
"For all of us I'm afraid," the young mother said as they walked down the hall.
"Shall I call for tea?" Claudette asked.
"Please, I could really use a cup," Christine said. "I'll be in the conservatory."
"Of course, m'lady," she nodded and went off to the kitchen.
Raoul sat in his study going over the deeds to properties that were now his by right of inheritance. He still couldn't quite grasp it, his father had been the picture of health less than two weeks ago and now he had lain in the family crypt for the last five. Raoul was now the Comte DeChangy officially; the will had been read, the title, deeds and bank accounts now all belonged to him. He didn't quite know what to do now that all that power was his and would one day belong to his sleeping son upstairs in the nursery.
Gustave had turned two years old three days ago. He wished it could have been a more joyous occasion for the child, but the Comte's death had still been too fresh, the household was still in the official mourning period and so the birthday had been a somber occasion.
"Good evening Vicomte," a silky voice purred to Raoul's left.
"That's Comte and who let you in unannounced?" Raoul said not giving the stranger the satisfaction of looking up from his papers.
"You let me in," the voice replied.
"No, I did not," Raoul returned.
"Yes you did, 3 years less 3 moons ago," was the reply.
The nobleman sat there silently, going back in time. Suddenly his face paled and he stood so quickly that he knocked over the heavy desk chair. "You! Where are you? Show yourself!" Raoul demanded.
"Shh, you'll wake the baby," the Goblin King admonished stepping out of the shadows, cradling a sleeping Gustave in his arms.
Raoul stood there gaping like a codfish at the Alve who held his son.
"Come now, you do remember your debt to me," Jareth said, stroking the child's dark curls.
"Debt? I owe you nothing," Raoul hissed, finally finding his voice.
"Oh yes you do, you summoned me and that has a price," Jareth replied.
"You gave me no information, no help, I don't owe you a thing, least of all my child," Raoul argued.
"That is your fault, you said the words and had no child to give me," Jareth said. "But I was kind and told you that I would wait. I have waited and now the debt must be paid."
"Raoul, Raoul," Christine gasped rushing into the study. "Gustave is gone, I went to check on him and he's gone."
"Fear not my dear, your child is safe in my arms," Jareth purred.
Christine looked to the voice and paled. It was him, the taker of unwanted children. "No," she cried out. "You can't have him, I haven't said the words."
"No, he did," the Goblin King replied indicating her husband.
"Raoul? How could you? He's my son!" she cried turning on her husband and beating her fists on his chest.
"Christine, stop this," Raoul said catching her wrists. "He is not taking our child."
"Oh, I beg to differ on that," Jareth said rocking the still sleeping child.
"What did you do Raoul?" Christine demanded. "What did you do?"
"Go on, tell her," Jareth urged.
"I…I…I made a mistake," Raoul stuttered.
"You most certainly did," she snapped.
"I may have summoned the Goblin King by accident," he sheepishly said.
"By accident? You can't summon him by accident, you have to say specific words and have an unwanted child," she said.
"Oh he said the words and summoned me, but there was no child," Jareth agreed. "However a bargain was struck and I've come for payment of the debt."
"You are an idiot," Christine snarled and marched to the doors that lead outside. She threw the doors open and cried out to the darkening winter garden. "I need the help of the Guardian."
A rather annoyed frost fairy picked herself out the snow where she'd been unceremoniously hurled when the doors were flung open. However, upon hearing a summons for the Guardian, she flew off for the nearest fairy ring.
Upon entering the ring, she cast a spell and disappeared with a pop.
"I am so going to get you Erik," S'ray said ducking behind a corner of the barn.
"Not if I get you first," Erik grinned finishing his snowball.
"In your dreams," S'ray shouted and lobbed a snowball at his head.
"Missed," he called ducking the icy projectile.
"Distraction shot," she laughed and hit him square in the chest.
The Phantom spun to the side and lobbed his snowball at her head; however it seemed to explode in midair. "Hey, no cheating and using magic to deflect them," he frowned.
"Wasn't me," S'ray said.
"It was me!" chirped a now wet and angry frost fairy.
"Shouldn't you be painting windows little one?" S'ray asked.
"Guardian has been summoned," she chirped. "Must come, both of you."
"What's going on?" Erik asked walking up to them.
"Summoned, must come," the fairy urged.
"Alright, let us grab a few things first," S'ray said heading toward the house.
"Hurry, big trouble," the fairy cried.
"Two minutes to grab weapons, little one," Erik said as they now ran inside.
"Hurry, hurry," the fairy chirped impatiently.
"Alright, where's the trouble?" S'ray asked as the re-emerged, this time armed for a fight.
"Come, need to use ring," she chirped.
"Alright, we're coming," S'ray said as they followed the fairy.
"What's she talking about? What ring?" Erik asked.
"A fairy ring, you know, mushroom circles," she replied.
"And what does this have to do with summoning you or us?" he continued.
"It's a way of traveling great distances very quickly," S'ray said. "We're here."
"Get in, get in," the fairy twittered and started pushing at the Phantom.
"This can be very disconcerting the first couple of times you do this," S'ray said as she stepped into the ring.
"How bad can it be?" he asked following her.
The fairy followed, said the spell and the three of them disappeared.
At the edge of the forest by the DeChangy Chateau the trio suddenly reappeared again.
"I don't know what you were worried about, that wasn't so bad," Erik said taking one step and falling face-first into the snow.
"Watch the first step, it's a doozy," the fairy laughed.
"I did warn you," S'ray sighed kneeling down next to him and helping him to his knees.
"I don't know what happened, I just blacked out," he said shaking his head.
"Like I said, it can be disconcerting the first couple of times," she replied, helping him slowly stand now.
"Virgin," the fairy twittered and flew off.
"We'd better get going and follow her," S'ray sighed. "Are you alright?"
"I think so," he said and they started off.
"Any idea of where we are?" S'ray asked.
"Not a clue, but whoever owns this place is very wealthy," Erik said.
"Wait, that crest on the barn, it looks familiar," she said pointing.
"Too familiar," Erik groaned. "I know where we are."
"Well?"
"The DeChangy Chateau on the other side of Paris," he said.
"This way, this way," the fairy called. "Hurry, hurry."
"Thank heavens," Christine sighed opening the doors again. "Angel and Guardian, you're both here."
"You summoned them," Raoul said in disbelief. "I am a Comte; I could have handled this myself."
"Yes and you've done so well, so far," Christine snapped at her husband. "You've got to help; he wants to take my baby."
"Who wants to take your baby?" S'ray asked.
"Why hello cousin," Jareth smiled from where he stood still holding the child.
"What's going on?" Erik asked stepping into the room.
"And hello to you too, husband of my cousin and wolf killer," Jareth greeted.
"What are you doing here?" S'ray asked turning to the High Alve.
"I am merely collecting on a debt that was owed to me," he calmly said.
"Please don't let him take my baby," Christine begged going to her knees before S'ray and Erik.
"Darling, get up, you're embarrassing me," Raoul hissed taking her by the arm and pulling her back up.
"Is this true, did you make a bargain with the Goblin King?" Erik asked, looking Raoul right in the eyes.
"I…I…" he stammered.
"The truth, if you want our help," S'ray said, her warm violet eyes turning very cold.
"I did," he said, his bluster all gone.
"There he admits it, I shall take my leave of you all now," Jareth smiled.
"Your majesty, if you would indulge us in just a bit more of your precious time," S'ray said formally. "We were also summoned and would like to hear both sides to determine if there is a need for our help and if we can even provide any help."
"I have been absent long enough from my kingdom, but I can indulge a few more moments for my family," he smiled.
"When was this bargain struck?" S'ray asked.
"Three years less three moons," Jareth replied, rocking the child.
"You bastard, you were going to use him against us," Erik growled.
"Shh, you'll wake the baby," Jareth said glaring at the Phantom. "Anyway, I don't do the bidding of mere mortals unless they have an unwanted child."
"But they didn't have a child yet, she had perhaps just become pregnant," S'ray said.
"True, but he then promised me his first born to be collected at a later date," the Goblin King explained.
"And you called me a monster," Erik said glaring at the Comte.
"But doesn't he only get unwanted children?" Raoul objected. "We want our son."
"You struck a bargain, his highness is well within his right to claim the child," S'ray replied.
"Please, I don't want to give my baby up," Christine sobbed.
"I have money, lands…I'll pay you to leave us our child," Raoul said grasping at straws.
"I am a King, I have no need for your paltry wealth," Jareth sneered.
"Your majesty, I seem to recall that if one of them were to defeat your labyrinth that you would be bound to return the child to them," S'ray said looking emotionlessly at her cousin.
"True, but this is not a typical situation," he replied.
"I'll do it," Christine said going to her knees before the Goblin King. "Please your Highness, please give me a chance, I beg you."
"I'm sorry poppet, but you aren't allowed to challenge my labyrinth," he softly said.
"Please, please," Christine cried, her tears dripping onto his shining boots.
"Sorry, it is out of the question," Jareth said. "A pregnant woman is simply not allowed to attempt the challenge."
"You're pregnant," Raoul gasped completely surprised by this revelation.
"Then I'll do it," S'ray said in all seriousness.
"No," Erik said stepping up and putting his hands on her shoulders.
"For once we are in agreement," Jareth said. "Sorry cousin, but you are an Alve and not allowed to be a champion for the mother, it just wouldn't be fair."
"Angel please, that's my baby he's going to take and turn into a goblin," Christine sobbed going over to the Phantom now.
"Anyone else want to be the champion for this poor mother and willing to try winning her child back?" the King asked.
"I'll do it," Erik said, causing everyone to look at him. "I owe you this much Christine."
"Challenge and champion accepted," Jareth smiled.
"Erik, don't do this, you don't know what you're doing," S'ray said turning to her husband.
"Maybe I don't, but someone has to and Raoul is not nearly smart enough to outwit an Alve King," Erik said taking her hands and holding them to his heart.
"Be careful, the labyrinth changes to suit whomever is running it," she said looking into his amber eyes.
"So it will be darker and more dangerous for me," he nodded and looked directly at Jareth. "I can accept that."
"Shall we then?" the Goblin King asked.
"Wait a minute,"Raoul interrupted. "I'm not letting him go after my child, I'm coming along."
"Excellent," Jareth smiled. "A team effort then."
"Stay out of this Vicomte," Erik growled. "I don't need your kind of help."
"Too late, the mortal has also accepted the challenge," the Goblin King said. "Let us be off then."
Then with a flourish of his free hand, Jareth, baby Gustave, the Phantom of the Opera and Raoul DeChangy disappeared from the chateau's study.
"Oh my God, where have they gone?" Christine gasped, clinging to S'ray.
"To the Labyrinth in the Underground," the Alve coldly replied. "Now pray that the Phantom outwits the Goblin King and brings back your foolish husband and child."
Author's End Note: It seems that the Phantom has stepped into it, right up to his hips and maybe even higher. And Raoul still has that habit of opening his mouth before thinking things through.
Coming up in Chapter 2 – And So It Begins
Erik and Raoul enter the Labyrinth.