A/N: I don't own Star vs. The Forces of Evil or anything else mentioned

Song: As The World Falls Down by David Bowie

AU: Labyrinth

Star was still trying register what exactly had just happened to her. Her own parents had just arranged a marriage for her without even so much giving the girl a heads up or even asking if she would be ok with being matched with someone. But now here she was in the court of the Goblin King, waiting for an audience with the lord of these foul creatures. Her parents had sent her alone, saying that she needed to meet her future husband on a personal level.

When she arrived in the Goblin Kingdome, she was found herself standing before a huge labyrinth that surrounded the castle. Luckily, the princess of Mewni was met by two of the Goblin King's servants, Alfonso and Ferguson, who guided the young girl to the castle. As they trekked through the labyrinth, Star wondered how many people had wandered this massive maze until they either become lost or fell into some hideous trap that led to their untimely demise.

As the princess awaited the arrival of her forced spouse, the king's disgusting henchmen cluttered around her in a circle, yipping and laughing at the beautiful girl before them that would be their queen. Star stood defiantly among the crowded mass of monsters, she refused to give them the pleasure of letting them see her be afraid of them—which she wasn't.

"It won't be long now" a goblin named Ludo said "Our master will be here soon"

Star made a gagging sound in disgust as a response to that. She could only imagine what the lord of the goblins would look like. The princess of Mewni imagined the king as a huge, overweight, wart-covered brute with sickly green skin and wicked yellow eyes, topped off with the stench of sweat and vomit surrounding his person. In truth, no one outside of the goblin dimension really knew what the king looked like, for he was a very solitary person. Star's parents made the arrangement for their union with a royal envoys sent by the king, who said the king was open to an alliance between their two kingdoms.

Suddenly, an owl flew through one of the court's windows. The goblin's suddenly panicked in response to the bird's entrance while others cheered at the bird flew above them. The owl then began to fly around the princess, as it was curiously observing her. The creature of the night then landed on the ground before Star, leaving the girl feeling confused as to what this bird was up to and why the goblins where acting so strange around it. She could only surmise that perhaps the owl was the king's pet.

Just then, the owl began to morph into a more human-like form. Within seconds, the bird and transformed into a handsome young man, leaving Star stunned at the sight of him. The boy was no older then she was and was dressed in a black suit with a cape that draped around him like shroud. His fingernails where painted black and sharpened like class. His ears were pointed like that of the creatures he lorded over and Star could see fangs in his smile. Star felt a strange combination of fear of admiration toward the boy, who looked back at her with a warm, welcoming expression in his eyes.

The goblins cheered loudly at their boy's presence until he slowly raised his hand to silence them. It was from that single gesture that made Star realize that the boy before her was in fact Marco Diaz: King of the Goblins.

"Welcome, Star Butterfly" the young king greeted polity with a bow "I'm glad you could visit my home"

Star was still taken aback by the boy to speak up for a moment until she could finally get the right words out of her mouth.

"It's nice, uh, to meet you to, your highness" she replied hesitantly

"There's no need to call me that, princess" the boy said "After all, we are to be wed"

Star wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying at the moment. She was still stunned by the boy's appearance—it was so vastly different from what she originally thought he would like. He was so much more…handsome then she had assumed he would be. Marco seemed to taken notice to her train of thought before speaking up.

"I know I'm not what you were expecting" the goblin king informed her with a smirk ""But I hope you're not disappointed"

"Not at all" she admitted bluntly, making the king chuckle lightly

"I'm glad to hear that" Marco mentioned before snapping his fingers "ah yes! That reminds me—I have a gift for you"

The young king held out his hand before the princess of Mewni and made a glass orb materialize in his palm. He then began to twirl and roll the ball all along his hands and arms before tossing it into the air where the orb began to hover before floating to Star. The young girl tentatively reached out and took the glass orb in her hand.

"What is it?" she asked curiously

"It's a crystal that allows you to see your deepest desires" Marco explained "Go ahead. Give it a try"

Star looked deeply in the orb and expected to see her home, but instead saw an image of the goblin king before her. What was wrong with her? She had only just met the young king just now and now she wanted him?

"Princess" Marco spoke up again in a more gentle tone "I know this is not exactly what you wanted, but I want you to feel happy here. The marriage can be held whenever you feel it is right. It could be today, a month from now—even thirty years from now if you wish it so"

Marco then kneeled before her on one knee, surprising his betrothed.

"I want to prove myself to you, princess. And no matter how long it takes, I shall do so" he continued "For like you, I have looked into the orb and all I saw…was you"