Part One; The Old Woman

It was the Summer Solstice, and all in the Goblin Kingdom were preparing for the great feast that would be taking place that evening.

Those in the kitchens chopped and diced, fried and boiled, roasted and baked till there was enough food to feed the entire kingdom.

Maids worked from the early morning washing and dusting, making the whole castle look like new. Tapestries hung from the pale stones, fires blazed from the hearths. Music filled the halls as the musicians tuned and practiced.

Those that worked the fields gathered fresh vegetables and grains. Some gathering wood for the fires that would be lit at sundown. All worked, happy to help. All but one.

Avery was a small goblin, rather young for her kind. She had skin like old leather and eyes so bloodshot they appeared red. She wasn't attractive to fae or human standards, but she was great beauty to the goblins. She could have had any male she wanted, but she only wanted one and he was out of her reach.

Avery was in love with her king.

All the other goblins around her began to finish up their gathering, the time to prepare the tables within the great gardens was getting near. Avery lagged behind. She was torn about the night ahead. She would be allowed to be in the presence of her beloved king, but it would only remind her how utterly alone she was and that he would never look upon her as anything other than another goblin.

She stopped as she neared the city gates, an old woman was leaning against the wall. No one else seemed to notice her, or the huge basket at her side.

The woman smiled a toothless smile at the little goblin and waved her over. Avery looked up to get a better look and was shocked to realize that while the woman looked very much like a goblin she wasn't one.

"Hello dear, you look tired from the fields. Come and sit, I have some water that you may drink." Avery nodded. She was very tired and oh so hot, a sip of cool water would be wonderful. She sat down in the dirt next to the woman and took the mug she was handed. The water slid down her throat cold like ice.

"Thanks you, Lady." Avery handed the mug back, but before she could stand back up to return to her work the woman stepped up in front of her.

"You're welcome dear, but there is more I can do for you I think." The woman stroked her hair as she looked down at Avery, her lips curling into a smirk.

"Oh, yes much more. You desire something that you can not have, a man. What would you say if I told you I could help you gain him? What would you give me?" Avery stared blankly up at the woman. To gain King Jareth? Oh she would give everything she had.

"Coulds you really? Coulds you help me with getting the King's heart?" The woman crouched down beside the little goblin as she pulled her basket against her hip.

"Yes, I could. But you will have to give me something in return." Avery sat up on her knees, her hands out before her.

"Anythings you want Lady, anythings." The old woman smiled widely and reached down to pull something from her basket.

"Good, good now. I will turn you into a human woman, but I want you to pledge to me your life." Avery set her hands in her lap for a moment, her life? An image of King Jareth smiling as he spoke her name lovingly came to her mind and she looked back at the woman.

"I pledge tos you my life." The old woman nodded and handed a small vile to the goblin.

"Take this, but before you do listen closely. You only have three months to gain the King's heart. If by that time you have not succeeded you will remain as a human, but die within a week. Do you understand." Avery just nodded before tipping the vile back.

Her body felt like it was on fire, she could feel her legs grow and hair sprout from her head. Once the pain passed she looked down at her nude body, no longer covered by the thin cloths she used to wear.

Her skin was still streaked with dirt and she could see a few cuts that she had gained from the fields.

"Thank you." Avery stopped, her voice! Her voice was soft and light and she sounded so much like the fae women of the court. She could even speak properly! She stood up only to fall back down, but with a huge smile on her face.

"No need to thank me child. Here, put this on." Avery grabbed a hold of the plain bit of brown cloth. This looked nothing like what the fae women wore. She looked at the old woman but did as she was told. The dress was short and torn, but covered her.

"Good, now go to the castle gates and wait there. You will understand soon enough, but you must hurry before the celebrations start tonight." With that the old woman turned and vanished.

Avery hurried to the castle gates, she didn't even pay any attention to the looks she was getting as she passed by. All she could think about was how she was one step closer to her beloved.

Author's Note; Short I know, but instead of putting this whole thing in one go I decided to post it in parts. This is just a little something i thought up, the first story in a line of stories I have been working on based on fairytales. This one of course is based after The Little mermaid, and not the Disney version you remember from your childhood. No sweet happily-everafter here, sorry.

This will most likely be around three to four chapters.

Disclaimer: Not mine, not even the plot!