"The Key to The Kingdom"
(c) Rebekah L. Copeland, Aiijuin Graphics 2011
Disclaimer * Based on "Labyrinth" by The Jim Henson Company (c) 1986
"Peter Pan" and characters were written respectively by J. M. Barrie
"The Neverending Story" aka "Die unendliche Geschichte" and all of its characters were written respectively by Michael Ende.
"Wizard of Oz" and its characters were written by L. Frank Baum
Chapter Ten: Enter the Prince
Jason thought that he had heard a whisper beckoning him forward, or it could have been the soft, rose-scented winds that swirled around the Magnolia-petal structure. His footsteps became heavier and heavier as he plodded forward. Finally, he reached the doorway into the Home of the Childlike Empress – which was actually the inside of the Magnolia flower. Then, without a warning, he saw them… Two round, golden eyes which reflected Jaye back to himself. They watched him enter into the archway without blinking. He stopped in horror.
Every part of his body shook, right down to his toenails. His heart failed him for courage. Then, he had heard a voice, sweeter than maple syrup, and more soothing than the ebbing ocean say to him, "I've been waiting for you, for a very long time. Please enter, and do not be afraid. I will not harm you."
Jaye took three more steps, and noticed that the person who was speaking to him was a little girl - not more than ten, or eleven years old. Her straight hair was three times as long as her body and was the color of the purest snow. Her skin was ivory-colored, like her home, and it was accented in shimmering glitter from head to toe. She wore a long, flowing, white gown that had a train of lace and ribbon which extended backwards behind her and wrapped about the massive room at least six, or seven times. A small pearl-like tiara graced her brow, and looked as intricate and as delicate as she. Her body was petite, and slender and she stood only as high as Jaye's shoulders.
Jaye almost forgot to breathe in her overpowering presence, until she touched him lightly on the arm and said to him, "I thank you for my new name and welcome you to Fantastica, Prince of the Two Realms with eyes that have seen the Twin Dominions of the Underground. Unfortunately, I cannot give you AURYN, because another mark of a great kingdom has lain claim over your soul - and, you are not fully human. The Neverending Story was only designed to draw in a human child, so I cannot grant you any wishes. I sense that you seek answers to many questions, but before I can reply to them, I must give you a name first."
Jason blinked at her words. In his trepidation, he had nearly forgotten that he didn't remember his name. He asked, maybe a little indignantly, "Alright then, what's my name?" He hadn't meant his request to come out so uncivilized, but his senses were overloaded from all of the consuming sights and sounds and smells around him.
Again her words trickled like a light, summer rain, "The one your father placed upon you at birth exactly ten years ago today, of course." Aurelia Skye smiled and the whole room brightened around her as she continued, "You are called, 'Jareth Goblin King, Jr., High Prince of the Underground, and sole heir to the Goblin Kingdom. I'm very sorry to say, however that as you had hoped, I cannot take you into your father's realm. You see, he does not fully stand within the Boundaries of Fantastica. He only partially exists here, and mostly exists elsewhere – into a place far beyond my reach."
She continued, "Long before time even existed, your father - the Goblin King - had written himself into the lands of Fantastica by writing his own story for the eyes of only your mother. He foresaw her coming before she had even been born. Since the story was only meant for her eyes alone, then only she – if she had ever entered through the realm of Fantastica – could have ever hoped to pass safely and completely unscathed into the Underground. Your mother did not, however enter the Goblin King's land through the forbidden entrance within Fantastica, but she entered in from the main entrance of Invitation shown to her by the Goblin King himself after his impatience to wait for her."
Jaye, or Jareth as he was now called, had to take a moment to let the story sink into his brain. The Childlike Empress' words were there, and yet they were not. They made perfect sense, and yet they did not. One minute she stood before him, and the next she did not. He closed his eyes already dizzy, tired, and weary of Fantastica and Aurelia Skye. Young Jareth took grip of the amulet around his neck and collapsed down to the ground.
The Golden-eyed Commander of Wishes leaned in close to him and whispered, "Your father is like me, Jareth, and so you will become like him one day. Neither of us can exist in the other's Realm completely, but like any great legend our rumor – a whisper of what we are - can linger in the other's land, for those whom the rumor was designed. I could rightfully show you where to find the entrance into the Goblin Kingdom, from Fantastica, but I'm afraid that your father never designed this entrance for you to use. If you want to survive, then you will have to take another path."
Jareth managed to pull himself up again, although he was not sure how. He felt that he probably would have been better off if he had never been given a name. His mismatched eyes gazed deep into Aurelia Skye's golden, mirror-like eyes and then down to AURYN, which was hung around her neck. The Childlike Empress finished speaking as she took Jareth by the hand, "Atreyu has retrieved your crew members, Tigerlily and Captain James Hook. They landed close to his village inside Tempastee Lake. Their wounds have been dressed, and they are recovering as we speak. The vessel, which you crashed landed in, has been completely repaired by Captain Blackbeard and his crew, who know a great deal about pirate ships. "
Aurelia Skye looked at Young Jareth's mournful expression, as she said, "Do not despair, Jareth Goblin King, Jr. You are your father's son, and your mother's son – which makes your stronger than you know. Even stronger then them in many ways. I am going to give you a guide who can help you pass back through the boundaries of Fantastica, for she was once a human long ago, but she has only forgotten. Her name is Dorothy Gale, and she will lead you and your friends back to the other side with the help of Mayestril – the Wind Giant of the West. Go now, and be brave. Remember! When you need the Goblin King, you only need to say the words, and he will be there at the speed of a wish."
Jareth had looked down for a minute and when he looked back up again, suddenly, he was standing in the middle of the Greenskin's village, where Atreyu – a native, warrior boy of nearly fifteen, who looked very similar to Tigerlily both in coloring, clothing, and sharp, dark features - was walking towards him followed by Tigerlily, Captain Hook, and a new girl, who Jareth had never seen before.
A tall, gangly, plain girl of about twelve, or thirteen was dressed in a blue and white gingham dress with white puffed sleeves. Her turquoise-blue eyes and chocolate-brown braids reminded Jareth of a girl that he once knew from school, but could not recall the name of anymore. The new girl had a little dog that followed close behind her. Her face had the same confusion spread upon it that Young Jareth's had. She stopped for a moment and adjusted a pair of ruby red slippers on her feet that matched the color of Falcor's eyes. Jareth hadn't been properly introduced to her, but he was fairly certain that this was his guide out of Fantastica, Little Dorothy Gale.