Let's Hear It For The Boy
My name is Alfilda, which in German means "She who helps the Elves". Funny, because I am and Elf, so why help myself? Haha, very funny. As I walked towards what looked like a huge, moving labyrinth, a sudden hoot caused me to jump. I pulled an earplug out, turning off my iPod, and spun around. There, on a dead tree's branch, was a barn owl. I sighed and smiled.
"You scared me, Sire Owl," I muttered. He hooted, tilting his head in curiosity. I blinked, and Owl became Man. I leaped back, getting into a defensive Elf warrior pose. He, the man, laughed lowly. He was amused and being mocking at the same time. Never, ever mock an Elf! "Who do you think you are, laughing mockingly at me like a mocking bird?"
"What a good comparison, child," he said, clapping.
"Answer my question, sire," I snapped.
"I am the King of this land that you so stand upon," he said. "I am Goblin King Jareth, but you, my fair Elf, may call me Your Majesty or Lord."
"I am no person under your command, sire," I hissed, crouching low.
"Oh, but as long as you're in the Underground, basically on my front steps," he mused. "You are under my full control."
"Fine," I stood.
"Good," he stated. "Now, you have two choices here." He waited to see if I would protest or make a noise. When I didn't, he continued. "Either you can let me take you to my castle or you can reach said castle through my deadly labyrinth. It holds so many dangers it's not even funny how injured you'd be if you survived the thirteen hours. If anyone helped you, you'd lose two hours each time. If you got stuck, you'd just die. Make it to the end, and I allow you to either return to the world and time you were in, getting chased by drunk and filthy miscreants, or staying and getting a more comfortable life. Which will it be?"
I thought about. Take his offer of living unscathed or probably die trying to get somewhere in thirteen hours where, if asking for help, those hours will lose by two each help taken? "I'll choose living unscathed at this point."
"Then you have the offer of returning to your life," he said, taking my hand and popping us into a dirty room. He groaned, grumbling about goblins being so dang messy.
"I agree on that, sire," I muttered.
"If you need time to think on the offer, you may stay until the choice is made," Jareth groaned. He stopped, processed what I had just said moments ago, and looked at me curiously. "You said you agree with me on something?"
"Goblins being messy, sire," I said.
"How do you know of such a thing?" he asked.
"I'm also a mythical creature, sire," I said, lifting my hair to show my long pointed ears. He gasped, coming in front of me and touching them gently.
"An Elf!" he gasped again. "Never have I seen an Elf woman with beauty such as yours!"
"Thank you, sire," I stated, blushing. He noticed my rose colored blush, and touched my cheeks with a warm, gloved hand.
"Do not call me sire," he said. "It gets boring whenever someone keeps calling me that. Over and over again goblins continue to say it all day. You have the privilege of calling me Jareth."
"Yes, Jareth," I mumbled, my blush deepening.
"Do you know how to do anything entertaining, Madame?" he asked. He appeared in front of his throne before plopping down and slinging his right leg over the arm of the chair, his left over his lap.
"I know how to sing, dance, and tell a story," I shrugged. "Nothing special."
"Sing," he said. "Sing for me, please."
"As you wish, Jareth," I curtsied and took out my iPod. He glanced at the technological object before looking me in the eyes. I started Let's Hear It For The Boy again, and began to sing along to it.
Jareth smiled and watched, his eyes following my dancing figure. I felt the burning gaze rake gently down from the hair on my head to my feet. It was fine with me, though. I didn't mind the look he gave me, with his different colored eyes eyeing the necklace around my neck. I danced around the room, dodging fallen pots and vases that have been smashed unceremoniously by goblins. Suddenly, someone's hands joined mine, and I tensed until I found it was Jareth, dancing and singing with me along to the chorus. I felt a small smile break out on my face as one did his.
"Though I only just met you, young Elf," Jareth said softly after we were done. I was sitting on the stairs below his throne, he in the same position he was before in the chair. "I do not know of your name and you're a wonderful dancer."
"My name, sorry, is Alfilda," I smiled. "Which means "She who helps the Elves" in German. And, Danke, which means thanks in German."
"You are most welcome, Alfilda," Jareth murmured.
"You're a wonderful singer and dancer yourself, Jareth," I said with a small smile.
"Thank you," he smiled.
"Your welcome," I said.
"It's getting late. After dinner, I shall show you to your room myself," Jareth bowed low, and swept his hand from one side to the other. A crystal materialized into his hand from thin air and he popped us to the dining hall. Which, by the way, was grand. It was white, like a lot of the castle was, and had a long, magnificent table with elegant chairs.
"Amazing, Jareth," I whispered.
"Indeed," he said and smiled.
I was about to sit two seats away, to be respectful, but Jareth shook his head. "The guest always sits next to me, Alfilda."
"I was only going to be of respect, Jareth, but I shall do as you say," I said. I looked at his face, for it had paled slightly, causing fear to strike in my heart. "Did I do something wrong? Say something wrong?" I asked, still standing.
"No," he muttered, waving his hand at me to sit. "Just what you said at the end of that sentence reminded me of what I asked of a young girl a few years back. "I ask for very little. Love me, fear me, do as I say, and I will be your slave."" He quoted what he had said then, and I felt my heart break at the story he told as we ate. A young girl named Sarah Williams, only sixteen, had wished Jareth to take her baby brother, Toby, away. He did, and appeared in Toby's room to speak with Sarah. He told her to forget the baby and take her dreams, all that she's wanted, instead. I listened as he told the tale of his deciet and love, and fun time with Toby.
"And she defied me, breaking my heart," he sighed sadly.
"I'm so sorry," I murmured, touching his hand gingerly. "I shouldn't have brought that up for you."
"It's not your fault, do not apologize," Jareth said.
"Oh, but, technically, it is," I said back. "I'm to fault. I brought it up for you."
"By accidental sayings, my dear Alfilda," he was standing with me in what I presumed to be his room with a smile on his face.
"Your room is beautiful, Jareth," I murmured.
"This one is yours, Alfilda," he said. Taking my hand he gently kissed my knuckles. "Good dreams, my dear."
"Good dreams, Jareth," I smiled when he left. That night, I did have good dreams, unknowingly because of the "Dream Controller" Goblin King Jareth.
