Hey there, my name is Danielle and this is my story. I am a fifteen year old living in SacramentoCalifornia. No, I'm not super tan and I don't know how to surf. Sorry. I don't have a lot of friends but the ones I do have are really cool. Most people can't get over how weird I am.
Before I tell you anything else you need to know one thing. I am a fantasy nerd. I love it. I even wear a cape on a regular basis. My biggest wish has always been to be sucked into one of my books and live along side the characters. I wouldn't be the damsel in distress; I'd be the kick ass bitch who could use a sword and shoot fireballs from her hands. Magic users are the shiz.
I wouldn't fight for good. I would fight for myself. Who ever could offer me more power would have my allegiance. That has been my wish for as long as I could remember. But magic isn't real and the days of swords and knights are over. But a girl can still dream right?
My mom and dad weren't together when I came along. My father decided he didn't want anything to do with me or my mother. Since then, Mom and I have been on our own until my new step dad swept my mom off her feet. They got married a few years back and have since created a beautiful little bundle of joy named Alexander.
I love Alex, but I do admit he gets on my last nerve. It's been a little over a year since his birth and my mother and my step father are going crazy. They go our sometimes to see friends and have some fun. They have me baby sit, which I am totally cool with, but sometimes it gets to be irritating. He is your baby, not mine. But he is my half brother so I keep my mouth shut. Who knows, maybe I'm Kitiara and he is Raistlin (Love you Dragon Lance fans).
"Danielle can you watch Alex tonight? We would like to go to a party downtown," my mother yelled to me from downstairs.
"Do I get paid?" I yell back.
"Yea in food," She replied.
"Sure why not?" I sighed. I hear the front door open.
"Bye Hun, please don't kill him or burn down the house!" my mother yelled on her way out the door. That's nice. Go ahead; assume I will watch your kid why don't you? I've become such a push over.
I get up from my desk and walk downstairs. Alex was in his play pin watching some stupid kids show. His eyes were glued to the TV and his mouth was hanging open.
"That's it kid, too much TV for you," I tell him as I pick him up. He smiled at me.
"You want to read a story with me?" I ask him. He smiled wider and nodded. Alex couldn't talk yet and he could barely walk. Mom just said he was a late bloomer.
I carried him back to my desk and sat him down on my lap in front of my computer. One of my friends had sent me a cool story that she wanted me to read. So far it seemed like something I could read to him. I clicked back to the first chapter and started reading it to him.
"Nobody saw the owl, white in the moonlight, black against the stars,
nobody heard him as he glided over on silent wings of velvet. The owl
saw and heard everything…"
The wind started picking up outside. It was the middle of winter so I thought nothing of it. I continued.
"The girl moved slowly from the trees toward the middle of the glade,
where a pool glimmered. She was concentrating. Each deliberate step
took her nearer to her purpose. Her hands were open, and held
slightly in front of her. The wind sighed again in the trees. It blew
her cloak tightly against her slender figure, and rustled her hair
around her wide-eyed face. Her lips were parted…"
Rain and hail started hitting the window. The wind blew harder then before.
""Give me the child," Sarah said, in a voice that was low, but firm
with the courage her quest needed. She halted, her hands still held
out. "Give me the child," she repeated. "Through dangers untold and
hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond
the GoblinCity, to take back the child you have stolen." She bit her
lip and continued, "For my will is as strong as yours ... and my
kingdom as great ...""
Lightning flashed and thunder roared shortly after. Alex started to whimper. I rubbed his shoulder and kissed his head. "Its ok, a little thunder can't hurt you I promise. You want me to keep going?" I ask. He shakes his head yes.
""She closed her eyes tightly. Thunder rumbled. The owl blinked, once.
"My will is as strong as yours." Sarah spoke with even more intensity
now. "And my kingdom as great ..." She frowned, and her shoulders dropped.
"Oh, damn," she muttered.
Reaching under her cloak, she brought out a book. Its title was
The Labyrinth. Holding the book up before her, she read aloud from it. In the fading light, it was not easy to make out the words. "You have no power over me ..." "
Thunder boomed again and the power went out. Alex started sobbing as we were enveloped by darkness. "Alex calm down, your ok. You are ok." I stand up clutching him to my chest. The rain hitting the window was ominous in the dark. I walk to my bedside table and take out a flashlight. I turned it on and light filled the room.
"Shh its ok, its ok. See we are ok. Alex look at me, we are OK."
Alex continued to cry. I became impatient with him.
"Alexander stop crying."
He didn't stop.
"Alex if you continue to act like a baby I'll put you down for bed time," I threaten. He didn't stop crying. I walk down the hall to Alex's bedroom and lay him down in his bed. He continued to sob.
I sat down in a wooden rocking chair in his room and listened to him cry. He could see that I was there and I hoped he would tire himself out quickly and fall asleep. He wouldn't give into sleep though; he just continued to cry.
I stood and started to pace. Alex was really starting to piss me off. "Alex stop crying this instance!" I yell at him in my frustration. It just made him cry more. The rain continued to fall with no intention of stopping. The sound of the rain made me more angry, which made no sense. It usually calmed me. But right now ever noise just made me madder.
Then I remembered a line from the story I was reading to Alex. It popped into my head randomly.
"I wish the goblins would come and take you away right now," I whispered.
Everything was quite. Pure, unbroken silence. I closed my eyes. The rain was gone and Alex stopped crying. I opened my eyes to look at him. He wasn't there. I ran to the crib. Alex wasn't in there.
"Alex? Alex stop playing. Come out. Alex? Please Alex stop messing around. Alexander?" I searched franticly around the room with tears in my eyes. I stood in the middle of the room screaming for Alex to come out.
Suddenly I became calm. My heart slowed down to normal rate. Tears fell down my face but I was completely calm. I looked at the window. A beautiful owl looked at me. We stared at each other for a moment before it flew away.
Some one knocked on the front door. I walked downstairs slowly. I kept breathing evenly though my thoughts were as frantic as I was just a few minutes ago. I opened the heavy oak door. No one was there accept the rain. I closed the door and put my head against the wood.
I turned around. A man was sitting on the arm of my couch. I wasn't surprised. It was like I was dead. I just looked at him and he looked back. His attire was strange; tights, tall boots, and a ruffly shirt. He had blonde hair that was crazy and awesome.
I shouldn't be thinking about that. There was a strange man in my house and my baby brother is missing. You shouldn't be thinking about hair right now.
The man continued to stare at me. I walked to a table by the door. I opened a drawer in it and pulled out my wallet. I tossed it to him and walked back upstairs without looking back. I decided to search Alex's room again. He couldn't have gone far.
I could hear the man follow me up the stairs. I turned into my room and grabbed my sword. Yes I have a sword; his name is Carlos the Fifth. I turned around to face the man in my doorway, Carlos in hand. He just stood there smiling.
"Move," I told him. I was surprised by my voice. It was deeper then it usually was, not super deep but just like I was hella pissed.
"You won't find him," the man said back. I raised Carlos so that the sword's tip was pointed at the man's neck. One step forward and he was a dead man. He continued to smile at me like nothing at all was going on.
"Get out of my way," I tell him. He steps back out into the hall and gestures towards Alex's door.
"By all means go ahead. I just figured you wouldn't want to waste your time looking for him somewhere he isn't," The man said.
"Oh and you know where he is? Excuse me for not trusting a strange ass man who broke into my house and is helping me find my lost brother who you just happen to know is missing," I say to him sarcastically as I walk past him and into Alex's room. He followed.
"Well considering I took him for you I should know that he is gone and where to look for him," He says. I spin to look at him. He was leaning on the door frame smiling at me. I walk up to him and slap him hard.
"Where the fuck it my brother you stupid pervert? What did you do to him?" I scream at him. He stood at his full height and looked down at me. He wasn't smiling now.
"I will forgive you for that. You asked me to take your brother so I did. You should be thanking me. As to where he is," The man shrugged," He is safe."
"What do you mean I asked you? I didn't ask you for shit! Get the fuck out of my house! You know what, just stay here. I'm calling the cops," I try to get past him but he was blocking the doorway.
"Teenagers are so oblivious of what they say and do. I do believe you remember wishing for the goblins to take your baby brother away correct? Well I did. You are welcome," The man smiled down at me. I did ask the goblins to take my brother away. The truth crashed down on me.
"I didn't know, I'm sorry. Please bring my brother back! I'll do anything. Please bring back Alex," I beg the man. He pretended to think for a minute.
"No," He chuckled. I grabbed his shirt. New tears ran down my face.
"Please! I will do anything I swear. Take me instead just bring me my brother," I sink to my knees still clinging to his shirt.
"Well if you are willing to do anything then I guess there is something you can do," I look up at the man hopefully.
"Number one: stop wrinkling my shirt. Number two: stop groveling. Do you think that Marit would do when shit hit the fan? No she wouldn't, "He said sternly. How did he know who Marit was? When ever I fanaticized about me as a fantasy character that was always my name. There was the sweet crazy Danielle side of me. And then there was Marit, the badass whose only master was herself. He was right, Marit wouldn't grovel. I stood up and let go of his shirt.
"Number three: close your eyes," He whispered.
"No funny business," I threatened him with my sword. He raised his hands innocently. I closed my eyes.
"Open them and face your challenge," He said like a game show host. Before me was a massive labyrinth. I looked at it wide eyed.
"You will find your baby brother at my castle in the center of the labyrinth," He told me.
"Your castle?" I question him.
"Oh how rude of me. I forgot to introduce myself. I am Jareth, King of the Goblins, and Master of the Labyrinth. And you are Danielle, Half sister to Alexander," Jareth bowed.
"Marit to you Mr. Super Long Unimpressive Title. Ever heard of jeans? Those tights could blind a prostitute," I say to him as I walk towards the labyrinth.
"Just for that, you get a time limit reduction," He yelled to me. I turn to look at him.
"You didn't tell me there was a time limit!" I yell at him.
"I believe I just did," He smiled, "You have nine hours. Have fun!" He disappeared. I growl under my breath. At least I still have Carlos.
"Stupid hippie," I say under my breath.
"I heard that," Jareth's voice booms around me. I raise my sword in the air.
"Kiss my boot ass hole!" I yell at the sky. Jareth just chuckles. I turn back to the labyrinth and begin what will be the longest nine hours of my life.
Jareth's POV (Will always be in blue unless I forget to change the colors)
The Danielle/Marit girl was entertaining indeed. I would watch her more closely then the others. I wasn't worried about the other girls in the maze crossing paths. The labyrinth would prevent any unwanted meetings. I didn't have to let the sisters of the children I take try to beat the labyrinth, but it was entertaining to watch. I figured that if they did beat me then they deserve to have the kid back. If they wanted to trade the kid well I'm ok with that too. At the end of the day I usually get to keep the kid.
I turned the little twerps into goblins for me to command. The lack of female goblins in the world for the past 150 years has been costly on the population. Taking children is the only way to search for a female goblin. You would think that turning girl babies into goblins would make them girl goblins right? Wrong. Don't ask me why that is just the way it is.
Every promising case has been taken back by their sisters. The last one was twenty years ago. That stupid, pathetic, annoying, repulsive, childish, amazing, beautiful, brave girl. STOP THINKING ABOUT HER. I threw the cup I was holding against the stone wall. It shattered. I paced the room angrily. A goblin came in to clean the shattered remains of the glass. It reminded me of the hopes she shattered without a backwards glance. Why was I such a fool?
"Were you thinking of the Sarah girl again master? You know it makes you angry," the goblin said.
"I know full well what it does to me. I thought it was forbidden to ever speak of her again. Get out," I commanded the goblin. He bowed and walked out. I sank into a one of the seats in the room.
I stare at the wall for a little while and think about everything I need to do. I come to the conclusion that I will do my kingly duties some other time. Right now, I want to play with my new toy. I won't make the labyrinth easy for Marit.
I looked around at the barren wasteland that I was standing in. It was completely flat until the tall walls of the labyrinth shot out of the ground. I looked at the walls. They seemed easily scaleable. I began to climb up the wall.
I reached the top and climbed down over the other side. The pathway I landed in looked as if it went on forever. I didn't bother wasting my time with it. I began to climb the next wall.
I climbed for a good five minutes. It didn't make sense that my climbing show take so long. The wall was the same height as the other wall I had just climbed over. I looked up to see wall reaching the sky. I looked down. I had only climbed a foot.
"Well that was a waste of time," I said as I dropped down. I pulled Carlos out of a belt loop in my pants and ran him against the wall as I walked down the path.
I walked for what seemed like forever before I realized there were breaks in the wall. I mentally slapped myself for not paying attention.
The next path was exactly like the first as was the one after that. I tried to go in a strait line by zigzagging through the maze but eventually the walls became different and I had to abandon my idea.
Eventually I came to a intersection. I chose the way going away from the castle, figuring that most people would choose the more obvious way. A smart maze builder would make everything not what it seems.
As I chose my path, a strange beast pops in front of me. He was short and bald. His dark skin was hanging off of him, making him look like a rotting skeleton. His large dark eyes were staring at me with fury.
"Pay for passage!" He barks at me. I raise Carlos threateningly.
"My payment is your life. Let me pass," I say to the thing.
"Pay for passage!" he repeats.
"Did you not hear me? I said let me pass," I shout.
"Pay for passage!"
This thing was wasting my time. Who knows what Jareth was doing to Alex? Who knew how much time I had left? I walked up to the thing intending to cut its arm or leg. I wasn't going to hurt it bad or anything, I just needed to frighten it off.
"Stop!" Someone said from behind me. I turned to see what looked like the thing's grandson running towards me.
"Please don't hurt him. He couldn't stop you if he wanted to. He has just been working this stupid job for so long he can't help it," the boy panted. I looked at the thing. He did look harmless, but I had to stick by what I know. Things aren't always what they seem in the labyrinth.
"Do you know the way to the center of the labyrinth?" I ask the boy.
"I know some of it. But if I help you King Jareth will kill me and my uncle. I'm sorry," the boy said. I think for a minute.
"He can't kill you if he thinks I am threatening your life for information," I tell the boy.
"What is your name?" the boy asks.
I begin to say Danielle but I stop myself. I am not acting like I usually do. I am not acting like Danielle.
"Call me Marit," I tell the boy. He nods.
"Well Marit, I can't help you. I'm sorry but I can't leave with you. My uncle is all I have left. If I tell you what you want to know Jareth will kill me and leave my uncle to starve," the boy explains. I look at him for a moment. His uncle was 5 million years old and he was the only way I could get to Alex. Now was my chance to let go of the mask I held up for every one and show my true colors.
I put my hand on the boy's shoulder. He was probably fourteen-ish.
"What's your name?" I ask.
"Joshua," He replies.
"I'm sorry Joshua but I have my own family to think of," I say as I pin his hand behind his back and raise Carlos to Joshua's neck.
"You are going to help me get to the castle. You take me as far as you can then I will let you go," I tell him. I push him forward. He doesn't try to resist thankfully.
We pass his uncle who was still asking for payment. We walk a ways until Joshua tells me to turn. We round the corner to see Jareth. He was sitting lazily on a rock smiling as if he hadn't a care in the world. Joshua stiffened.
"Don't you have other thing to do then bother me? Can't you see I am busy?" I ask Jareth. He shrugged.
"You are much more entertaining than signing papers and having people beheaded," Jareth sighed.
"What ever. Nice jeans by the way," I commented. He had changed from his revealing tights into baggy jeans.
"They are uncomfortable and offer too much room," He frowned.
"Try skinny jeans," I said to him. He shrugged.
"Did you have a reason to bother me? I am on a time limit you know," I push Joshua forward.
"I am here to make you an offer," He said.
"An offer? What nonsense are you spewing Jareth?" I ask him
"I can give you your every wish Marit. I can give you your dreams. Everything you have ever wanted could be yours," Jareth walked up to me. He pulled a crystal ball out of thin air and began rolling it across his hands and arms. It was mesmerizing.
I watched the ball as it rolled across the back of his hand and into his palm. Jareth smiled as I looked into its depths to see me fighting in the center of a circle of dead Orcs blood was on my face and hands. I could feel the blood lust. My robes fluttered in the wind as another wave ran strait at me. The me in the crystal looked into the real me's eyes and smiled.
The crystal was moving again and my trance was broken. I looked at Jareth's smiling face.
"All you have to do is forget the baby," He whispered seductively. I smiled at him evilly.
"You would like that wouldn't you?" I whispered to him. His smile dropped. I walked to Joshua. Grabbing his arm roughly I forced Joshua down the path we were going. He struggled but I was too pissed to notice.
How dare Jareth think he could bribe me? Did he have any idea who I am? If he didn't he would find out soon enough.
The girl was good. Not as good as me but she was close. Not many had so resisted my offer when I make them see their dreams. The ball was just an act. Still, she could resist her most obvious desires. How to get past he walls and find what she really wants is the question.
I look at one of the six clocks on the wall; one for each girl fighting the labyrinth. The clock I was interested in was almost to the thirteenth mark. I sighed. The girl whose clock was almost up was a kind spirit. It was almost sad to have to tell her she could either take my deal or lose her sister with nothing to show for it.
I closed my eyes for a moment and thought of where the poor girl was. When I opened my eyes, I saw her sitting on a rock crying her eyes out. She lifted her head to look at me.
"What do you want now?" She asked.
"To offer you a deal. You don't have much time left, you might as well take it," I tell her. I whip out the crystal and hold it out to her. She stares at it for a while.
"Your dreams Mia. Or would you rather waste the short amount of time left wandering about my maze?" I laugh lightly.
There was an art to convincing people that their family member is lost to them. You had to insist that they won't be able to defeat the labyrinth but at the same time give them hope they can beat it. Then when you tell them they don't have enough time left they would be more willing to sell their souls to the devil.
She looked up at me. Her tear stained face was pleading but when she saw that I wasn't going to give back her dear sister she took the crystal from my hand.
"Good choice," I whisper. Within seconds she vanishes leaving the crystal ball sitting on the floor at my feet. I pick it up. The crystal is no longer clear, but smoky. I smile as I return to my castle to begin changing the girl's sister into a goblin. Hopefully this will be the one.
I reach the exact center of the castle. I keep the children there just in case their sisters do end up making it pass the labyrinth and through the GoblinCity. I enter a room with pink walls and a crib. Soft music was playing to keep the baby asleep. Looking in the crib is a small girl who was sleeping softly.
I place the smoky crystal next to the girls head. The crystal begins to absorb into the child's head. The girl begins to scream in pain as the smoky crystal forces its way through her head and into her entire body. Her face becomes disfigured and disgusting. Her body bulges and grows into a mass of oozing green flesh.
People who study the phenomenon say the change occurs due to the betrayal of one so close to them. I didn't care how or why it happens, just that it does. The process used to sicken me but now I am used to it. When the new goblin is formed the first thing I do is check to see if it is female.
"Son of a bitch!" I yell. The goblin is male. I throw the goblin across the room. It hits the wall with a loud thud. I walk stiffly out of the room and summon aid for the new goblin. I then march strait for Marit's brother's room.
"Hello Alexander," I say to him. The boy looks at me and smiles. He was our new hope. I pick the boy up and sing to him softly. He falls asleep in my arms a short time later. If I wasn't a monster, I'd be pretty good with kids.
"Your sister is giving me trouble. Maybe we should do something about that," I whisper to the sleeping boy in my arms.
I pushed Joshua forward. He guided me through the stone walls of the labyrinth. We were now entering what looked like a large garden. The grass was a dark green and soft back ground to the bright yellows and oranges of the flowers that had grown on its green canvas.
"Let's rest here," I say as I sit on the soft ground. Joshua follows my example and lies down. The longer I sit, the more tired I seem to become. The soft grass under me seemed to call to me. "Rest," it said, "We will watch you in your slumber."
I lay back and allow my eyes to close. I hear Joshua's soft snoring but I don't pay attention. Soon I am immersed in the world of dreams.
I walk through the bodies of the dead. Smoke darkens the sky as the sun sets. I smiled at the dead as I walked by. My black robes glided behind me as I walked. Crows cawed at me when I disturbed their feasting. My hood covered my dark hair and shaded most of my face.
My destination comes into view. A round stone table stood in the field of the dead. As I approached it I saw that I wasn't alone with the fallen. A man stood on the opposite side of the table from me. In the middle of the table there was a crystal ball.
The man had blood on his boots and pants, but his white shirt remained pristine. His blonde hair was tied back with a leather strap. He saw me approach and held his hand out to me. When he saw I wasn't going to accept it, he allowed his arm to drop.
"Is this really what you want Marit? You know you are capable of more than this," He gestured to the field of the dead, "You know that Danielle wouldn't allow you to do this. She is your weakness and you are hers. You two will drive each other insane before you get your way. Tell me what you really want Marit."
"Jareth, do you really think you could get that out of me so easily? Danielle and I have an understanding," I say softly.
"For now. But what happens when you have reached your goal? Danielle will want to remain in charge and you will be but a happy nightmare. She won't have any use of you. Even if you resist she will beat you. You have given her free rein for too long. She is stronger than you," He stated.
"Don't you think I know that?!" I yell at him from across the table. My sudden outburst causes some crows to take flight, cawing as they flee. I take a moment to calm myself.
"I know what I must do," I whisper.
"Marit, you and I both know that there are other ways to save you. One of them is right in front of you. Take the crystal," Jareth whispers vehemently. I look at the crystal then I look at Jareth's face. His eyes looked at me intently. I look around at our surroundings. The smell of blood and smoke filled the air. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply.
"You asked me what I want most Jareth, I want power. I want the ability to come and go as I please. I want to be able to fight in battles and have people look at me with fear and respect. But what I want doesn't matter. Danielle is still in control of us even if she is allowing me to come out to play. Ask her what she wishes for most. Then maybe YOU will get what you want," I tell Jareth.
"And how do I do that?" He asks.
"Give her a reason to give her deepest wish to you. Open yourself up to her. She is a fool. She will fall into your trap," I tell him.
"And why help me? I am fighting you and you are telling me how to defeat you. That makes no sense Marit," Jareth asks.
"Because Jareth, if I help you then you owe me; and I rather like that idea," I tell him as I turn away. I hear him chuckle as I walk back through the field of the dead.
I wake up and slowly rise to my feet. I kick Joshua in the foot to wake him up. He opens his eyes immediately.
"Hey!" He begins to protest. His eyes look past me and then go wide. I could already guess who was behind me.
"Look Jareth if you are here to waste my time again I have news for you," I say turning around. But Jareth wasn't behind me. It was a giant cockroach. It was about three feet tall.
I rip out Carlos and point it at the bug. It squeals at me and charges. Instinctively, I drop on one knee and point Carlos at the bug's neck. I could hear Joshua running away behind me. So much for my guide.
Carlos punctures the bug's neck easily. I pull him out at the bug squeals in pain. I cover my ears at the high pitched scream. The bug backs away to look at me and begins to charge again.
"Oh shit," I say as I rise to my feet to get out of the way. The insect runs past me and hits the wall. I smile at the cockroach as it rises again. Hitting its head seemed to make it angry. It turned towards me and began to run at me again. I jump out of the way at the last second.
"Do you like him?" I hear above me. Jareth was sitting on the top of the wall behind me. "He seems to like you," He says pointing. I turn to see the bug almost on top of me. I jump away.
"Stop distracting me you worthless nymph!" I yell at him.
"Fey actually but close," He said. The bug charges me again. Again I jump clear. I look at Jareth.
"Are you eating popcorn?!" I yell at him. He smiles.
"Want some?" He says as he throws a handful at me.
I look at the bug. He stopped charging me for the moment. He dug his bug feet into the ground and sprinted forward. I braced myself with Carlos in hand. As the bug neared me I stepped out of the way, only to grab one of his antennas. I used his momentum to swing up on his back. I clutched Carlos in two hands and drove him into the beast's back.
I dragged the blade backwards as I slipped off the bug's back. The cut ran from his neck to his buggy behind. The cockroach didn't get back up. Jareth started clapping.
"Just for that entertaining spectacle, you get an extra hour," He said dropping down. I beam at him. "If…" My smile drops, "You tell me what you want more than anything in the world," Jareth says coming to stand in front of me.
I frown at him. "How am I supposed to tell you something I don't even know?" I snap at him. He smirks.
"Ask Danielle you said. Look at where that has gotten me. Thanks for nothing old friend," Jareth says. He turns and walks away.
"Jareth?" I shout. He looks over his shoulder at me.
"Nice tights," I say. He chuckles as he walks away. I decided not to ask him about what I really wanted to know. I'm sure I already knew the answers to all of my questions accept how to get to the castle.
I look at the distant castle. Accept it wasn't so distant anymore. I smile. The closeness of my goal gave me the drive to continue my journey. For a good half hour I didn't hear or see anyone. After that, I could hear growls or insane sounding laughter.
I pass by without looking back. I didn't want to turn around and see some monster just before it ripped my throat out. At times the castle looked far away and other times it looked as if I was at the base.
As I entered a part of the labyrinth where the walls were now dead twigs I rested. I had walked a long way and was breathless and dehydrated. I hoped dearly that the castle wasn't far.
I got up and continued on my journey. I made my way through the dead hedges towards the castle. "Halt!" someone yelled in front of me. I looked ahead. Before me was a dead end with a small statue on a pedestal. It looked like a sphinx.
I took a few steps forward to get a better look at it. "I said halt! Do you not know what that means? It means stop!" said the statue. I stop and stare at it. "Now where are you going?" asked the sphinx.
"To that castle," I reply.
"Ahh well. I will make a deal with you. If you answer my riddle correctly, I will point you to a path that will lead you strait to where you want to go. If you answer incorrectly, you must stay here until these dead walls that surround us once again are green," said the sphinx.
I was good at riddles, but not great. Well you can either do this and save yourself a butt ton of time or you can continue wondering about like a lunatic.
"Alright," I say.
"Great! Lets see, give me a moment to think up a good one," the sphinx says. I stand there and wait politely.
"Only one color, but not one size, Stuck at the bottom, yet easily flies. Present in sun, but not in rain, Doing no harm, and feeling no pain. What is it?" The sphinx asks.
I take a minute to think about it. It was easy enough for me to figure out, but I didn't want to offend the sphinx.
"Is it… a shadow?" I ask.
"That it is. You may pass," It says as the pedestal moves out of my way. The wall also moves to revile a path strait to the castle. I take one step forward but before I put my foot down I looked at the floor. There was a hole in the ground that seemed to go for forever. I jumped back.
"A moment please?" asked the sphinx. I turned to look at it.
"I offer a warning. You have more then one shadow in your life. Until you find who you are, you will always have the shadows cloud your way. Find your path quickly or else," the sphinx said. I nod at his cryptic warning.
"Thanks?" I say.
"All will become clear very soon young one," said the sphinx. I jump over the hole and continued on the path. Other obstacles presented themselves but none were difficult. Soon the path dead ended with no obvious exits.
I spin around and push on the walls to see if they will open. I sit down and decide to give up. I looked up to see the sky but I only see a trap door.
"That's strange. I thought I was outside," I say to myself. I stand up and pull the door down. The door doubled as a ladder and soon I was standing in front of the castle.
"Now to make Jareth pay," I whisper to myself. The castle had a large door with gargoyles on each side in the walls. I tried to pull open the door but it wouldn't budge.
"Try knocking," said one of the gargoyles. I looked at it and shrugged. I knocked on the door. It opened immediately. Behind it was Jareth.
"Ah there you are! We have been expecting you. Come in you'll catch a cold out there," he said. I just stood there shocked. He continued to act stranger and stranger. He pulled me inside and proceeded to give me a tour of the entry way. Then everything went black.
(Marit's POV. The real Marit I mean.)
"Jareth stop acting like a fool," I say. It felt good to be in control.
"Look Marit you know what the child means for me. Don't condemn my people," he asked.
"Dear Jareth you think I'm here for the child? That's what she is here for. Besides, taking the pest wouldn't condemn your people. There are other little boys and girls in the world," I said as I walked through the entry way and into the belly of the castle.
"Ever heard of redecorating Jareth?" I asked.
"Why are you here then?" he asked ignoring my question.
"In time," I said. We walked in silence then. I led both of us to the center of the castle.
"Marit I beg of you don't do this," Jareth said running in front of me.
"You can't stop me Jareth, it's against those stupid rules of yours," I sad as I walk past him. I go down a hall and open a door on the left. I entered the room and looked in the bed to see little Alexander sleeping. I smile at the boy.
"Marit…" Jareth started.
"Make me another offer Jareth. Make it good and maybe I will leave the baby for you," I say.
"Leave the baby and…" he started to think frantically.
"You know what I want Jareth. Are you willing to give it up?" I asked.
He sighed and closed his eyes as he realized what I was after.
"Tick tock old friend. Time is slipping away," I laugh.
"Leave the baby and I will be your slave," He whispered. I smiled. Victory was in my grasp. I just had to play it just right.
"Good boy. Where was that crystal?" I ask. He tosses it to me. I walk out of the room and into a new one. This room held a little girl.
"Amazing isn't it? The way you can take little humans and turn them into little goblins," I say. I watch the crystal fill with a pale red smoke. I lay it down by the girl's head.
"What are you doing?" Jareth exclaimed.
"Do you really think me foolish enough to piss off Danielle? Just because she isn't aware of me doesn't mean she can't hurt me. I'm keeping Alexander," I said.
"You forfeited him," said Jareth.
"Yes but you are now my slave and therefore all your property is mine. So I get to keep the boy. Also, with your power combined with mine, I can take control of this useless body any time I want," I say with a smile. Jareth's face paled. I looked back at the little girl. The transformation was nearly complete.
"At least you get your little girl Jareth," I say as I walk out of the room. I knew what I had to do before I could give control back to Danielle. I went into a random room away from Jareth and the children and locked the door.
I looked around the room and pushed any furniture off to the side with magic. It felt good to use magic again. I hadn't in a while.
I focused my mind on one thing. I stood in the middle of the room with my eyes closed for an hour. After that hour I reopened them to see my body standing in front of me. I allowed Danielle to control. I kept hold of myself to keep from vanishing.
Soon Danielle opened her eyes to look at me. And may I say, the expression on her face was priceless.
(Danielle's POV)
It was like I was looking at me. Only it was see through and wearing different clothing. I raised my hand to touch the mirrors face.
"Please don't do that," said the mirror of me. I pulled my hand back.
"Hello Danielle. I am glad I can finally meet you. Don't worry, our brother is fine. I just need to talk to you," said the mirror.
"Who are you," I asked.
"You know exactly who I am," the mirror smiled.
"Marit? You aren't real. You are a fictional character I made up," I said.
"Ah yes well I am not. Ever heard of reincarnation? Yes well it just happens I get to share this worthless husk with you. See I was you a long time ago," said Marit.
"So that dream was real?" I ask.
"Oh very real. A memory even. You're welcome for saving our ass with the bug by the way," Marit says.
"Am I going crazy?" I ask.
"We both are a bit fucked up in the head but if anyone is crazy here it's me," laughed Marit.
"Explain this to me," I say as I gesture to both of us.
"Let's see, I died a long time ago. I used my magic to come back in a new body. Much like possession but the 'souls' of the people I possessed left them when I entered the body at birth.
With you however, something went wrong and I was put on the backburner. Your consciousness was always in charge and I always fought to gain control. But, lucky me, I was given a chance to escape.
I will be in Jareth's debt for sending you that story. Your subconscious let me trickle through the cracks to help you in the labyrinth. So sad for you that I actually was able to take hold of your consciousness. If it weren't for me, Alex would be dead and you would still be some pathetic little girl. Now you have potential," Marit explained.
Somewhere in her speech I had sunk to the ground. Being told you've been possessed all your life was slightly shocking
"What are we going to do now?" I asked.
"Well now I will give you an option. I can either completely take over our body and you will be trapped as I was or we can have equal share. Either way I will be doing what I want. But with the fifty fifty spilt, you can gain everything you have ever wanted. Magic, adventure, power, everything you've ever dreamed of could be yours. Your call," Marit said. She bowed to me.
"Why offer me this? I kept you trapped for so long, don't you want revenge?" I asked.
"Why? You didn't know what you were doing. Also I can tell you have potential. With our power combined we could do anything," Marit said.
I thought about what this all meant. My entire life was changing in this room. Nothing was nor ever will be the same again. I won't have to dream about girlish things anymore. I could look to the stars and know that they weren't my limitations.
"Alright; Fifty fifty," I said.
"Excellent!" Marit whispered. She vanished and I could feel something in my mind. An expansion if you will, but full of knowledge and the keys to gaining power. I walked to the door and opened it. The air smelled differently and my vision seemed to be different as well. Everything was so crisp and clear.
"Miss, King Jareth had me bring these to you. He said he had saved them for your coming," a goblin said. He held up a bundle of black cloth. I picked them up and looked at them. In my hands were velvety black robes. black_velvet_robe_lined_in/thing?id=16758139
"The king wishes to know if you will be staying for dinner," said the goblin. I thought about my family and how my mother would be home soon. "We have time. I wish to say some things to Jareth before we go," thought Marit.
"We won't be staying for dinner but we do wish to say some thing to him before we leave," I told the goblin. He bowed and left. I went back into the room to change.
"We will be coming back here you know. Jareth has been a good friend of mine for a long time. Are you ok with that?" Marit asked in our head.
"As long as you are ok with us living in my world until I am eighteen," I reply.
"Of course. But when that does happen, we are going places you have only ever dreamed of." I could feel Marit's excitement. I could feel my own excitement rising.
Jareth's POV
Danielle walked into the doorway and looked out across the GoblinCity and across the labyrinth.
"To think, I had started this journey with only a fantasy of what I have now. If I had known would I have done anything differently? Would I have met you Jareth?" she asked.
"Our meeting was inevitable. And of course you would have done things differently. The past doesn't matter though. Only the present and the future," I said to her.
"What of my brother?" she asked turning her gaze to me. I waved a goblin forward. He carried Alexander to Danielle. She picked up her brother.
"Marit says she will be back for her property," Danielle says.
"I look forward to it," I say with a bow. I look up to see Danielle and Alexander had gone. I turned back into the depths of the castle and decided that I was getting old. Either that or I wasn't having enough fun.
I climbed up the many flights of stairs to my room. I would've just magicked myself there but the exercise was good for me. At least that's what I said the first three flights. Maybe I was getting old.
I entered my room and locked the door. I walked out onto the balcony and looked at the horizon. People had told me I was crazy for building my castle in the middle of the desert. I let them laugh until I made the ocean enter the desert and start only a few miles from the edge of the labyrinth.
They stopped laughing when I showed them the view. The labyrinth was large but it was also on a hill. I was able to see well beyond the desert and out across the sea. I could feel a slight breeze brush my face as I turned back to my room.
I grabbed a chair and a small stone table and dragged them onto the balcony. I placed a crystal onto the table and I sat down. With magic, I morphed the ball into a mirror. I sighed. I was going to regret doing this. It would put me in a bad mood for weeks. I had to though.
I made the mirror show me Sarah. She looked older then before, wiser. Her dark hair hadn't changed nor had her eyes but there where lines on her face. She was smiling at a brown haired boy that ran up to her. A man followed the boy, a tall man with brown hair and blue eyes.
Sarah smiled at the man and kissed him. I threw the mirror over the edge of the balcony and sent the chair after it. The table followed as well as any other light furniture I could find. The sun set into the sea
I cried well into the night, heartbroken all over again. I should have told her I loved her. I should have done something to show her that I loved her.
"What happened to the past doesn't matter, only the present and the future?" someone asked.
I looked up at the balcony to see Danielle in all black robes with her hood on.
"Screw you," I said.
"You want to screw someone but it isn't me," she said.
"Not now Marit. Leave me be," I tell her.
"Fine, I won't help you," Marit said. I look up at her confused.
"What are you talking about?" I ask her. She held out her hand to me. I stand and take it. Marit smiles at me and transports us to a suburban area. It was dark outside.
"Come," Marit says softly. It was hard to follow her with her black robes. She walked up to a house and lightly tapped on the door.
"What are you doing?" I asked. She just grinned at me. The door opened.
"Can I help you?" said Sarah.
Who guessed that Marit would take Jareth to see Sarah? Anyone? Hello? To the next chapter…!
"Yes you may. My name is Marit and I believe you know a very dear friend of mine. I was wondering if you had seen him recently," Marit said.
"Who are you talking about?" Sarah said cautiously.
"I'll give you a hint; you met him when you were about fifteen. Don't remember? I'll give you another one; I wish the goblins…." Marit trailed off. Sarah paled and stared at Marit wide eyed. Sarah hadn't seen me yet and I took the opportunity to stare at my obsession for a little while.
Sarah tried to close the door but Marit stopped her.
"You see Sarah; my friend has become sort of…annoying since you denied him. He is full of all these emotions like sadness and anger and such. Not unlike a teenage girl," said Marit.
"Gee thanks. Why don't you dress me up in a tutu and parade me about my own kingdom while you're at it," I say.
"Don't give me any ideas," Marit said. Sarah gasped when she finally took notice of me. I looked at the ground. I couldn't bare her look of terror. Sarah ran into the house.
"I'll take that as an invite," said Marit pleasantly. We both entered and sat down in the living room. Eventually Sarah came out to see us. She kept her back to the wall.
"It's nice to see you again," I said to her.
"What do you want?" Sarah asked.
"He is head over heels for you," Marit said as she summoned herself a cup of tea.
"Don't Marit," I said warningly.
"Absolutely crazy in fact. Just a few minutes ago he was throwing furniture off the top of the castle because he saw you kiss your ex. It was quite funny actually. He was crying the whole time," Marit said pleasantly.
"Marit STOP," I said louder.
"Hell, he had forbidden anyone to say your name and he had destroyed everything that reminded him of you. You remember the gate where you entered the labyrinth? It's gone now. He beat it down with his own fists. It wasn't pretty," Marit said as she stirred her tea.
"I SAID STOP," I yelled. I stood up and looked at Sarah. She stared at me wide eyed. Tears threatened to fall. I could feel the tears in my eyes as well. I looked over at Marit. She looked pleased with herself. I looked back at Sarah.
"I'm sorry," I said. I left the house in a rush. I could hear someone running after me calling my name but I had to leave. I had to get back to the castle. Just like that, I was home.
Its times like these when I regret becoming me. I knew that in a few short hours, a poor goblin would come in to bring me breakfast. That goblin will most likely die. Just like my heart right now.
The goblin will become black and hard until he eventually bursts into smoke, leaving his remains on the ground. The remains of my heart on the ground, shattered like the crystal twenty years ago. The dust of the goblin's charred corpse, just waiting to be swept up and thrown out.
That's what Marit did tonight. She swept up what was left of my heart and threw it away. Because nothing in her possession can have weaknesses. I have to wonder if Danielle will learn this lesson the same way I did.