The faeries were thick this time of year. His duties were thus all the more draining as he hobbled along the outer perimeter. Round and round, day after day, as his father had, and his father before him. How far back did it go? For how long had his kind been tasked with service to the Goblin King? Or did it even have a beginning, or was it just and endless line of dwarves with no beginning and no end?
Such thoughts hurt his head, and he couldn't afford a headache today. There were weeds to be plucked, stones to be moved, and, of course, faeries to be dispatched. It would be nice if he'd be given some other tool for this besides his makeshift swatter, but truth be told Jareth didn't come by very often to these outskirts of the labyrinth. Unless, of course, there was a Visitor: someone attempting to navigate the labyrinth to rescue some child. Then the other role he played for the King came into play.
But this was rare: those knowledgeable enough to know The Words were generally knowledgeable enough to know that what was said was said, and that the only way to best the King in his own land was if he chose to give you chance, which he wasn't always inclined to do.
Yet as he thought this, fate chose - as it sometimes does - to prove once again how we can not, in fact, know what time will hold. For coming down the hill was a man of purpose. The sweat running down his olive skin betrayed his quest: this was one who hoped to navigate the maze.
"How do I enter the labyrinth?" he barked. Obviously, the gardener thought, this was a man used to commanding others.
"Is that how you ask a question where you're from? Hrmph. Not much for manners, are we? I was taught that it's rude to ask questions of someone when you've not been introduced, and especially not in a manner less question than command."
Minos growled, but decided an argument would take longer than simply playing this fools game. "I am Minos, King of Crete and all the surrounding islands of our empire. I am son of Zeus, son of Kronos, and am not to be trifled with."
"Son of Zeus?" He than added to himself, "Is that what your mother told her husband? Convenient." He then added aloud, "Well, I'm Hedgewart, and I'm rather busy as you can see. So if you want to go into the labyrinth, you can do it over there." He pointed to an opening in the wall that the lord of Knossos could swear was not there before. He was beginning to see how deceptive this land was.
"What do you know of navigating its depths? Tell me now, if you care for your life, dwarf."
"Already with the threats? You won't last long in there, I'll tell you that. I don't know the way the castle, nor would I want to go there. Nor would you, if you knew much of this place. But I'm guessing your mind's made up on it, so I'll tell you what I can - not that it'll make a difference. All I can tell you is this: things are not what they seem."
"Hopefully that'll be help enough to satisfy you, but either way it's all I can say. And you might want to let me live anyway, since you may want my help on your way out."
What gall! Was the dwarf so callous with his own life that he would speak to him that way? Minos had half a mind to kill this Hedgewart then and there, but had a better idea.
"Oh, you'll not be killed yet. For you are coming with me as my guide." He grabbed the gardener by the scruff of the neck and dragged him kicking into labyrinth with him.
"Oh great," thought Hedgewart with a sigh, as he was dragged, not for the first time, past the walls. "He's one of Those."