CHAPTER NINE: Something is not nothing

Yes, it took me quite some time but I have an excellent excuse... I just don't know what it is yet. About this chapter, it starts in the third person point of view. Why you might ask yourself, because I can. No, I just wanted to try this out. Please let me know if you like it. If you do, this might be the first of many. Again I own nothing of Labyrinth.

1986, the throne room of the Goblin Kings Castle.

The ground had finally stopped shaking. It ended not long after the sudden quake had begun. Goblins from all over the Goblin city came to the castle, which was half ruined by now, in need of help. But their king was nowhere to be found, neither was the latest runner. The girl who was presumably called Sarah, if one could believe the rumours. After all, rumours are spread faster than a flame in a hay bale and not always true to their word.

It was also whispered among one another that the impossible had happened, or so it was always believed to be impossible. Voices whispered that the girl had won the baby back. But this was a very fresh rumour indeed and only their king would be able to confirm it. But the brighter ones among the goblins could see the connection between the disappearance and the quake. Alas, there were very few of those goblins.

All sorts of goblins had gathered in the throne room. Families sat together, those without a family would seek comfort, sleep or chase chickens.

The longer the absence of their king continued, the more anxious the goblins became. Not even the chickens could provide as a distraction from their current situation. One goblin decided he had enough of it.

"I've had it with this waiting! If the king doesn't return this instant I will..I will...". The goblin was at loss for words after his short outburst.

"You will what?" Every single creature in the room turned towards the source of the voice and there he was. The one they had been waiting for. The Goblin King stood there in full regalia, wearing his trademark smirk. But if you looked close enough, you could see the whirlwind of emotions behind his mismatched eyes. He stepped closer towards the one who had dared to speak out, until he was mere inches away from him. With very little space between them, The Goblin King kneeled in front of his subject.

"Pray tell what you will do." He asked, while still wearing his smirk. The goblin was paralyzed by fear and knew better than to speak. So he just stared with big, fearful eyes into the two coloured eyes of his king. The latter put his hand in front of the goblins face and conjured a crystal ball, while maintaining eye contact. The Goblin King raised his eyebrows. "Nothing tra la la?" He finally stood up and glared at his subjects, daring them to finish the sentence. For once it was completely quiet in his throne room. He slowly strode towards his throne and stopped in front of it so his back was directed to the crowd. When he didn't immediately turn around, the goblins got a little confused. After a sigh he turned around and began his speech.

"Those of you who have lost their home will be helped with the reconstruction. In the meantime, you can stay in the main hall. Those of you who do not have major damage to your homes, will rebuilt the castle. Any questions?" Although this last sentence was clearly meant not to raise any questions by the tone of his voice. And yet, one was brave or foolish enough goblin raised his hand, although a very shaky hand. The goblins surrounding the particular goblin took a step aside.

The Goblin King directed his very stern gaze on the little goblin. The king didn't say that he could speak, but the goblin started anyway because he felt very uncomfortable to be the center of attention of his king.

"What about the girl, Sarah, Your Majesty? And the baby?" If looks could kill, this little goblin would be no more. But it was apparently his lucky day. The Goblin King composed himself after he nearly broke his cane and answered in an almost bored tone, even though his eyes said something completely different.

"The girl is home with her brother for that is what she has won. I will not tolerate anyone even mentioning her name, let alone her existence. Anyone foolish enough will be exiled. Everyone who is still here after two minutes will be thrown into the Bog of Eternal Stench." All the goblins in the throne room hurried away and after only one minute, the Goblin King was alone at last. His facade of stern ruler dropped after he dropped himself onto his throne. He looked around like he was viewing the room for the first time and the put his head into his hands. That was how a goblin guard found him the next morning. Head in his hands staring into the nothingness.

This was how he stayed for several months. Most of the time he would be almost in a trance. The only times he wasn't, was when he would eat, fall asleep on his throne or when he would yell at a goblin from time to time. But he hardly ate and slept at all, which became quite noticeable after a while because his shirts were too baggy and the rings under his eyes were almost permanent.

One morning it changed out of nowhere. He changed into his full regalia once again, mounted his horse and left. He didn't say where he was going, but in the evening he returned with a dead wild hog and multiple animals unknown to the Aboveground. One looked like a hybrid between a sheep and a bunny with horns.

And so he left every morning on his horse. Sometimes he came back with dead animals, other times he was completely drunk and still managed to get back to his castle safely. But he came back each night to yell some order so his kingdom wasn't completely out of control. After that he would lock himself up in his chambers.

Only once was he called by a single mother who wished her child away. He stood before her like he did with Sarah, smirking and being oh so smart. He didn't even need to offer the woman her dreams. She might have said the words on impulse, but she did mean them. After all, they all do at the moment they say those words. Only most of them regret their decision. This one did not. She was Sarah's age when she wished Toby away. She didn't have any money to take care of the little girl called Phoebe. She didn't wanted to give Phoebe up for adaption because she couldn't live with the thought of knowing that someone else was raising her baby. So she asked for the Goblin King to take her baby away, but only if he would make sure that Phoebe would be looked after. She also asked if he would wipe out any memory of Phoebe with her and anybody else who knew Phoebe, like her parents and ex-boyfriend. Maybe it was the desperation mingled with determination or the fact that she reminded him so much of her. But he did what she asked.

The Goblin King made sure that everybody who knew of Phoebe forgot all about her. Phoebe was turned into a goblin and he made sure that she was placed in a secure family who would love her as their own. The Goblin King would still leave in the morning and come back late into the evening, but sometimes he would go to see how Phoebe was doing and if she was looked after.

It took three years until things turned around once more. Other lands of the Underground had heard of the situation and decided to take advantage of it. The Goblin Kingdom and its king weren't strong enough to win the battle. The king knew this, for he and his kingdom were never the same after that faithful day years ago. But he didn't surrender. After holding his kingdom for quite a while against invasions, the king got an iron arrow in his leg. Not really deadly one might think, but the Goblin King was a Fae and iron can be fatal for the Fae if it the wound is not treated. The Labyrinth, which was connected with the wellbeing of its ruler, would fall if its king fell. The oppressor claimed the Goblin Kingdom and declared itself the new ruler of The Goblin Kingdom. The body of Jareth, the king of the Goblins was not found by his former subjects, even though they searched after the battle.

Hope you enjoyed this different chapter. Until the next! Read and review if you want to!