The difference of the dark halls underneath the stage and the room in which I stand in now is vast. Where there was a lack of any finery in the halls, it was made up for as elegant metal curlicues and expensive incense fancied the overall atmosphere. Red velvet lounges occupied by the fabulously rich and powerful whispered in a great grandeur. The voices of the house owners and exotic refined accents carried to my quiet position by the double doors. I'm waiting to be presented properly.

The bone-thin owner elbowed his squat partner who was basically drooling at the elegance of the woman he was just talking to. With a quick draw of his kerchief, the rotund man wiped at his forehead and waddled to my waiting form. Such a comical man.

"M'lords et m'ladies, je voudrais presénter le dramaturge estimé Williams." The squat man held his white gloved hand out to me. I placed my bare hand upon his, feeling the worn cloth at my fingertips as he began to guide me to the sitting folk. When I'm close enough to them, I slightly curtsy and remain standing. Sitting among these people without being asked is highly improper.

"So, Madame Williams, you look quite young to be a successful playwright. What pray tell, went through your mind when you created your play?" A beautiful blonde haired woman said in her heavy French accent.

"Many things I have thought of, madame. My trials and tests of life, the happy memories I once had, hopes and dreams of all I've come across. All very real and very powerful since I'm standing before you with my play to be performed in the grand stage." I reply almost too curtly.

"Oh, I see. Dreams can truly be a powerful thing to those who can properly capture them." Replied the elegant woman. The rest of the group nodded in lively agreement.

I wanted to add to her statement when the doors behind me flew open to reveal another gentleman appearing to be 'fashionably' late and didn't seem guilty for a breath's moment. The lady I was speaking to held out her hand. I took it and knelt beside her, her light breath brushed upon my neck as she whispered.

"That, dear Williams, is a marquis of something very important. You see, ever since the French Revolution any sense of noble titles were abolished, but that man..." She eyes flickered to the wild-haired man as he conversed with the house owners. "That man is part of the secret service of our beloved president and the ones before him. In fact, if my memory serves me, he leads the service, but doesn't let anyone know that he does for safety reasons, though I can't see why. He looks as if he could protect the president from anything with his own body and walk the next day."

"If he doesn't want anyone to know of his real role, why is it that you know?" I ask.

"Well, some time ago, when he first started, he was practically bragging about it, but nine years ago, he suddenly wanted secrecy about his position. Something must have happened and he won't tell anyone about it. Ever since then, he seemed to be searching for something or someone. I believe that someone had threatened him and he's trying to find them before the person strikes first." I see the ignorant belief in the woman's eyes and practically jump to my feet.

"Well, thank you the information. I'll make sure not to make him angry with me." I quickly say before giving the lady a slight curtsy and turn to leave when a smooth voice to the left of me speaks up.

"Leaving already? I just arrived, Madame Williams."

With a mental groan, I fix a small smile and face the self-titled marquis only to take a step back in fear. The man seems similar to the man in my dream from this morning. Too similar, but I can't tear my eyes from the loosely styled hair and the gold- and silver-like eyes. What did the lady say? Nine years ago, this man changed. Nine years ago, I had run the Labyrinth. It suddenly seemed fitting that the Goblin King could change everyone's memory to believe that he has been here for years and present himself as the man from my dream just to spite me. My faux smile fades as I glare at the man before me.

"I do apologize, but I must be going. I just remembered that my troupe must practice before opening night." I turn to everyone else. "I am dearly sore that I haven't been able to stay for more than a few minutes, though work must be done before pleasure." I give a respectful nod to the people in the room then fly out and away from the heavy room. I hear them talking about me when I leave although I don't care what they say at the moment. I needed to leave.

I pause to see that I've led myself to the double staircases in the main lobby without fully knowing. Tired of being confused, I harshly sit on one of the steps and attempt to think about all that's happened in the past two days. Has the king really gone so low as to meddle with the humans' minds just to walk among them and see me? I hold my breath when I come to a realization that I didn't consider myself among the humans for a moment. I'm honestly changing and I can't do anything about it. Stifling a blood-curdling scream, I bite my lip and dig my nails into the palm of my hands, breaking through the skin layer by layer until the insane pressure to shriek idles for the present moment. I begin to taste the tang of iron and bitterness of salt when I release my lip and wipe away the blood and tears.

Being in this much emotional pain, I remember what my mother used to sing to me before she left to chase after her dream of acting. Whenever I was having trouble sleeping or if I couldn't understand something, she would sing a song that always calmed my soul, no matter how pulled it was. I start humming the light introduction and listen to the words coming to mind.

'When your good-nights have been said and you are lying in bed, with the covers pulled up tight. And though you're counting for sheep, you get the feeling that sleep is gonna stay away tonight. That's when you hear it coming. That's when you hear the humming of the Midnight Train... here again. Can't explain that Midnight...'

"Feeling lonely, Madame Williams?" A silky voice came from the shadows.

"No, monsieur. I just needed a breath to myself. I shouldn't have come when there is still so much to do before noon." I say to the very man I was trying to run away from.

"Oh." He simply says as he walks to the stairs where I am and folds his hands behind his back, gently rocking his weight between his heels and toes. "I cannot help but feel that you left because of me. I hope that I did not frighten you for my late arrival."

I softly sigh looking up at him, not sure whether this is the King anymore. "I wasn't scared of you. I thought that you were someone else. You look very similar to him and I was just not feeling up to dealing with him again today."

"You met with him this morning?" His metallic colored eyes bore into mine. "He didn't harm you, did he?"

I snap my focus to my feet. "I only wish that I could say no, but I'm not one to wish for things that is impossible anymore. None of my wishes when I was younger made a difference to my life and when one wish did come true, it was one I didn't really mean." I glance at the marquis with softened eyes. "There's not anything even you could do to help me, monsieur. This parasite of mine is one that will never go away until I bend to his wills, which won't be for a long time from now."

"I was not going to offer aid." He warmly grinned. "I believe that you are a strong young woman, well worth everything that you've created by yourself and can handle a pest such as your little goblin."

My brows furrow with confusion once again. "Excuse me, but what did you just say?"

"What? That the man who bothers you is but a little goblin, one of evil spirit?" I watch his face for any clue of realization of what he just said, but I see no flicker of what I'm looking for. He truly does not know of the King. I relax and lean back against the steps.

"That's what I thought you said. Anyway, what are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be in the room with the other guests?"

"The only reason that they're here was to see you, madame, but you had other things to do. I came to see if I could convince you to come back and have a nice chat with us. I swear that we do not bite... hard." He smirked quite playfully for a well-aged man.

I tilt my head to look at the man from a different angle. "I've heard that expression before, monsieur."

"Ah, well... I should expect so from an American."

I huff at his comment as I slip to my feet, standing erect in the presence of a noble man. "I may be American, but I have the heart of the world."

His left hand falls to his side while his right lifted before me. I place my left hand in his offering hand when he slightly bows and lays a soft kiss upon my bare hand. "That was beautiful, madame Williams. Just as you are beautiful."

Feeling a blush creep up on my cheeks, I pull my hand out of his grasp and wrap myself with my arms. "I thank you for the comment, monsieur, however unnecessary that it is."

"Madame! You wound me as well as the others. I'm sure that you could spend a few minutes with us." He dramatically walked around me, lightly touching my upper arms. "It will relieve this stress you have and might even help you lose some of your confusion. Nothing like the gabble of the French to see things differently, don't you agree?"

Feeling unnerved by his touch, I slide out and away from him. I wanted to go back to fixing the costumes and direct my troupe yet I also wanted to create a better impression to the rich for the sole reason that their voices are listened to which could very much lead to more support to my play and troupe. I must do what needs to be done. I'll just work harder and faster on the clothes before anything else happens. With a smile I speak to the waiting man.

"I will be honored if you escort me back to the lounging room."

"C'est parfait, madame! Please..." He motions in the direction of the room. "I will be just a moment more here." I lower my head and began to stride around the corner when I heard the first few words of the marquis speaking without his French accent. "It's only a matter of time now, 'monsieur.'" I pushed myself against the wall in the darkness of the hallways to eavesdrop. "Everything that is yours will be gone and become a part of a greater domain. As of now, you've already lost this millennial long game between us because you have left alone your most valuable asset. You should have been more careful when luring in the meek and stubborn."

A light voice replies, but other voices of the goblins appear around me. "Lady not safe. Danger comes. This place had wards. Nasty, hateful wards. We's cannot help all the time, queenie. Only kingy now." I try to shush them so that I may listen to the marquis and his guest, but a small, bug-eyes goblin with gloves on his ears, hands, and feet tugs on the black part of my sleeve. It had been so long since I've actually seen the goblins. I kneel down and hug the tiny creature when he whispers something. "Kingy torn in two, queenie. His soul split. Queenie met both of him now. Help the kingy before it too late." I lean back to look at the goblin with bewildered eyes, but all of the goblins had disappeared and I was missing my right sleeve. A soft whisper meets my ears. "I return it soon. You safe now."

My question died in my chest when I heard the silky voice of the marquis flare up behind me, hinting at anger and distrust. "What are you still doing here?" His metallic eyes sparked with an inner flame that either wasn't there before or was expertly buried. Feeling the power of his anger told me that I was in danger and could possibly not make it out alive. I nervously rub the bare skin of my arms, trying to think of a way out of this messy situation. I begin to stutter because the completely different aura from this man threw my mind all out of sorts. At first, I perceived that he was at least a kindred soul who had honor and loyalty, but now... I feel an age old anger and deep dark hate clouding the hall. I was beginning to feel his icy demeanor and it was cold, short of being arctic. I bring my hands to my upper arms in attempt to warm myself, when I realize the skin of my right arm. I straighten myself with my head held high and my right arm revealing itself to the secretly dark man.

"I'm missing my sleeve, monsieur, as I hope you can see." I wriggle my fingers before watching his face fall to a more neutral expression. "I would not be properly dressed to return unless I find it." The air slowly lifted from my person. I have to thank that little goblin.

"I beg you pardon, madame. My job with keeping my president safe and general security of this country leaves my... how you say... edges quite rough to social standards."

"I wouldn't have guessed." I say, trying to stay on his good side. I'm so used to talking this way to my step-mother after I ran through the Underground. Even when I became more reasonable and responsible, Karen still annoyed me with unneeded motherly actions and reactions. As a result of my being an unnoticeable smart-ass with her for so long, I've also been able to hide my true emotions around annoying or angry people and this man is both.

"I will help you search for your sleeve, if it would please you." He asked very lightly as if nothing had happened.

I politely bow my head, showing a slight submission as his suspicious ego wouldn't help but drop at the sight of a woman weaker than he. "If you'd like, but you could also go back and break the news to the others that if I can't find my sleeve, I'll speak with them at a later time before the performance days of the play." Giving him a choice of either doing a menial task or escaping where he can woo the other women. I could see in his eyes that it was a battle not worth fighting over.

"I'll leave you to it, then, madame, but I shall be disheartened should you not find your sleeve." He bowed, lightly grasping my left hand in his right. "I hope to see you very soon." A light kiss upon my bare skin and I felt as if I wanted to amputate my arm before it was too late to stop the surge of discomfort coursing through my veins. I drowned my frown, giving the marquis a seemingly blushing grin until he turned past the corner and his footsteps lost in the echos of the vast hallways.

I didn't move for a while, taking in the silence of the lobby to check and double-check that I'm alone. With no other presence filling the nearby halls, I relax my rigid spine and open my lungs to the sweetened air. The marquis may not be the King, but he still means trouble. He was talking to someone and I wasn't sure if I wanted to know, though I couldn't help but feel that it involved the Underground and me. Remembering something, I scan over the front doors and windows. Nasty wards upon this place preventing the goblins to stay? My instincts, however hay-wired, are warning me.

'Come try to take me away... But bring me back before day light and fill the time between.' I turn to walk back to the costume room. Might as well work my thoughts and the time away. 'Take me everywhere but don't abandon me there... Just want to say I've been...' Of all the places I've been, it's France that's going odd on me. I want to see home once more before anything could happen to me. Oh, home... 'I believe in you completely, though I may be dreaming sweetly...' I'd give almost anything to peacefully sleep. It's been years since I have. It's always seemed to be one thing after another. Finishing high school, going to a university, getting famous, and moving wherever my troupe and I are sent.

And now? I have to deal with the King, avoid this shady marquis, and... what of that man? What am I to do about him? He's everything I'd want in a man, but I'm not so sure for a lover. I know that the King has the perfect qualities for a lover, but he still needs to be a good man at least. I violently beat down any thoughts about either of the men clouding my mind. I have a play to put on and nothing else should matter to me. But still... I often wonder if true love really exists. 'Starlight express, starlight express... are you real? Yes, or no? Starlight express, answer me yes... I don't want you to go.'


I'm so sorry to the untimely delay in this story, but I hope this makes up for it.
I just needed to introduce a few more characters before I get started on the good stuff ;)
Please review. :)