Jareth sat in his throne room surrounded by goblins who where running around chasing chickens, some where drinking, others gambling, and two where tossing a ball with a small female child not even two years old. Leaning back in his throne he watched in his crystal as the child's older brother made another wrong turn and ended up back at the passage between the gate and main labyrinth. The teenaged boy had about an hour left there was no way he was making it back to the castle in time.
"Grett," Jareth called out and a short Goblin with mud brown hair stepped foreword and bowed at Jareth's feet. "Take the child to the maidens."
Grett bowed and took the child who was rolling the red ball around and he led her out of the room. Everyone assumed the children became goblins, that was always silly to Jareth, these wished away children would always be human. Humans are borne human, and goblins are born goblin. This child he just won would most likely end up a scullery maid in a Fae castle. The boy who wished her away would be the only one who would remember her from the mortal realm. The children would be trained in his other castle as servants then once they were old enough traded with other kingdoms.
The clock struck the thirteenth hour and the boy disappeared home to his new altered world. The Goblins where slowly wandering out of the throne room now that the game was over, heading back to their homes. Once again alone to his thoughts he formed a new crystal in his hand and looked down upon her. She was sitting on a blue couch her brunette hair pulled back in a pony tail. Surrounded by text books and note books she leaned back and sighed before picking up a white mug Jareth was sure was full of coffee. It was something Sarah drank when she was studying this late at night. Tomorrow was the ten year anniversary since her departure from the labyrinth, would she even remember?
"Sire," a voice called out announcing himself, and Jareth waved his crystal ball away.
"What is it Tavan," he asked as he looked out at his advisor. Tavan was a Fae from the southern isles and had dark tan skin. He was slightly taller then Jareth and his hair was black and spiked and he had eyes dark blue.
"King Racot of Aresia Is demanding a..." he began but Jareth quickly cut him off.
"I will not marry that bratty child of his," he growled and fisted his hands, his leather gloves creaking as he squeezed his fingers together.
"My king," Tavan tried to interject before Jareth went on a rampage.
"If Aresia wants to infuse itself with the Goblin Kingdom then let her marry Talek," he said as he stood up kicking a stray goblin along the way.
"Please your majesty," Tavan sighed. He thought since the game had gone so well Jareth would be more reasonable, unfortunately he was as ruthless as ever. "You know the council will force your hand you hav..."
"I know next month will be my five hundred year anniversary as King and I must have a potential queen by my side at the celebration," he huffed, knowing he had to speed things up or be forced to marry the Aresian Princess. "Two days from now I will present you a future queen you can parade in front of the council at the celebration. Now leave."
"Your...er... Good night my King," Tavan started to interject about Jareth's plan but was cut off by a raised eyebrow. He knew he was pushing his luck with Jareth that night and rather than spend a night being flung into the bog of eternal stench he would walk away.
Once Tavan's heavy footsteps had disappeared down the hall he formed a new crystal. There was Sarah's laughing face. The rules said he could go no where near her unless she wished it, but that didn't mean he couldn't play with those who were also near her. Shifting to it's master's wish the crystal held a new face. Sarah's housemate Madison. Her face was against the medical book she had just slammed against her forehead. Her blond hair with dyed blue tips puffed around the book. She was the link to getting Sarah back.
"Can we please get back to studying," Sarah sighed shaking her head as Madison's light blue eyes glared over at her from the anatomy text book pressed against her face.
"I'm trying the new method of pounding my head with information," Madison replied sweetly then repeatedly hit herself in the head with the book.
"How's that working out for you?" Sarah asked barely holding in a giggle at her friend's antics.
"I now have a headache," she hissed tossing the book across the tan carpet and than rubbing her head. "But I know understand the shoulder is connected to the hip bone and I am never going to become a nurse thank you."
"I would never allow you to take my blood pressure after that statement," Sarah sighed staring back at her book, knowing her friend would no longer be of anymore help studying. "But thanks for trying to help me prep for my exam Monday."
"This is why I like managing an ice skating rink, no bones," she moaned then un-paused her game of paper Mario. "I just have to upkeep the zamboni and make sure it layers the ice nicely. You just have to be the over achieving friend who wants more out of life."
"Well I've worked hard to achieve my education," she sighed as the words started to blur on the page.
Her eyes started to sting as she thought about her father. Him and Karen had another child when she was seventeen, a little girl named Emily. Things had turned around once again for her and once she had turned eighteen she was basically kicked out of the house. Her mother didn't want her, now her father and Karen didn't want her. It had been almost a year since she had last talked to her father. It had crossed her mind to wish Emily away, but then she would have to see him again. Those mismatched eyes and the pain she caused when she said those words.
"If you are going to sit there and think about something besides your studies you'll need this," Madison said as she held a bottle of fireball whiskey towards Sarah. She knew where Sarah's thoughts had turned too. They both shared in the comfort the neither of their parents had lived up to expectations. Madison had been on the streets at the age of sixteen and hadn't spoken to her parents in over nine years.
"I shouldn't," Sarah stated before grabbing the bottle and slamming it back. The burn down her throat felt good and took her mind from her past pain.
"I see you are being a bad influence again Madison," said a woman calmly as she entered the home. She was the same height as Sarah with feathery blond hair that was woven into a tight bun. She had the palest green eyes Sarah had ever seen, but she was the sweetest woman Sarah ever knew.
"Come on Ash you just happened to walk in on the bad part, I swear I was helping her study," Madison replied as she continued her game. Ash looked like she was their age, but Sarah knew she was older, she had taken Madison in off the streets. Sarah became apart of the little family of misfits four years ago when she started working at the rink Madison managed.
"I promise she was," Sarah stated, defending Madison. Ash gave them a warm smile before she went into the kitchen.
"I know it's Friday night but you two shouldn't be up so late," Ash said giving her normally motherly advice without being so over bearing. "It's a little after midnight, please don't stay up drinking or studying too late."
"Night Ash," they said in unison as Ash retired to her bedroom.
"You have so many books laying out," Madison stated as she got up and stretched and started piling a few of the scattered books up. Sarah took another swig of whiskey. "Now don't let me be a bad influence."
Sarah snickered as Madison failed at capturing Ash's sweet tone. Madison picked up the book she had tossed earlier and placed it on top of the pile she had created. They stayed up for another hour in silence expect for the noise coming from the game. Having enough studying for the night, Sarah tossed her book on top of the pile, and sighed.
"Calling it quits?" Madison asked as Sarah stood and stretched, her muscles popping under her movements.
"If I read one more page I may think your assumption of a shoulder being connected to a hip bone possible," she giggled before saying her good night and heading to her room.
Leaving Madison alone in the living room, she went back to her game. A few hours later after an intense battle with the demon behind the thousand year door, she jumped up when she beat the boss on the screen. Her open whiskey bottle tumbled and started to pour on the floor. Quickly picking it up she ran to get paper towels to clean it up, knocking Sarah's books over in her haste.
Once the carpet was cleaned she turned to picking up Sarah's books. As she was picking them up, she found something funny under the coffee table in the room. A beat up red book with the gold words of Labyrinth on the front was what she pulled out instead of the note book she swore she saw tumble underneath. Holding the book in her hand she involuntarily shuddered. Something wasn't right, this wasn't a normal book, and certainly didn't belong here.
Standing up, she walked towards Ash's room, then looked at the clock. It was five in the morning, she knew Ash would not be happy if she disturbed her so early. Turning off the TV she went into her own room, she placed the book in a wooden box that had roses carved on the top. She locked the box with a key she wore around her neck. Madison figured she would asked Ash about the book in the morning. Plopping into her bed she fell fast asleep unaware of the eyes on her.