AN: Guess who's back! It's me! After an unconscionable amount of time without an update, I'm here with a new chapter featuring...only original characters! I know, I know, but I'm trying to set up the next part of the story. Please give it a try! Then leave me reviews and let me know what you think! xoxo

Queen Myristica of the Dwarf Kingdom sat haughtily upon her throne. Her husband and co-regent, Corian, was in the throne beside her. He looked rather exasperated.

"How can you be sure this dwarf is really your nephew?" he said to her, leaning over so only she could hear his words. "Your sister has been missing for years, and we never met him. No one knew what had become of him."

"Trust me, it's him," she insisted. "I knew Primrose had him hidden away somewhere. When I received word from the Mystagogs that they had captured a party of spies from the Goblin Kingdom, they told me he was with them. It's definitely Hoggle."

"I don't understand," Corian complained. "Why now? And why is he with them?"

"I don't know why now," she hissed, "but isn't it obvious why? He's come to challenge us for the throne. Why else would he come stealthily, and with such companions? I don't think he was captured by the spies. I think he hired them!"

"Myristica, that makes no sense. Primrose, wherever she is, was your younger sister. Our laws are clear. You had the strongest claim to the throne after your father died. "

"Are you getting forgetful in your old age, Corian? Don't you remember how beloved Primrose was? She was always the favorite," Myristica sneered. "It wouldn't have taken much for the people to have chosen her as their new queen once our father was gone. " She flicked imaginary dust off her skirts with unnecessary force. "Fortunately, her own foolishness kept her out of my way. Can you imagine? The king's daughter, running off with the gardener?" She snorted. "Of course, that was all before you lived here. You have no idea how livid he was. If you'd have seen him you'd have understood why she never even tried to come back."

"I can imagine," Corian replied drily. "But if you never saw Primrose again, how did you even know this Hoggle existed?"

Myristica rolled her eyes and sighed. "I can see you're going to be of no help with this situation."

"Remember, dear," Corian prodded gently, "I only married into the family after Primrose disappeared. I only have an outsider's information about those events."

"True enough, I suppose," Myristica sniffed. She hesitated a moment. "I might as well tell you that Primrose didn't really disappear. Not at first, at least. She eloped with the gardener and they settled in the western part of the kingdom. They thought their location was secret, but father sent spies to follow them and keep track of their comings and goings."

Corian shook his head. "I know your father was a suspicious man, but even so it surprises me that he would spy on his own daughter."

"Consider his position, Corian. He and Primrose didn't exactly part on good terms, since Primrose was heartbroken he wouldn't consent to the marriage. But technically she was still in line for the throne, she and any offspring she bore. He had to know what was going on."

Corian looked unconvinced, but decided to move the topic forward since his wife was being uncharacteristically forthcoming with him.

"You said she didn't disappear at first. What happened?"

Myristica looked uncomfortable, but at Corian's insistent glance she relented. "No one else knows this, not since Father died," she whispered. "His spies reported to him monthly, and when they reported that Primrose was with child he was furious." She sighed. "I think he always thought she'd come to her senses, leave the gardener behind, and return one day. But once a child was in the picture, he realized that wasn't happening."

"Go on," Corian prompted.

"He visited her home in secret, shortly after the boy was born. I believe he wanted to convince her to leave the Dwarf Kingdom and perhaps resettle in the Open Lands. But there was an…an accident."

"Myristica, he didn't…"

"He arrived at night, in disguise. He thought perhaps she wouldn't permit him entry otherwise. Primrose had an unusual amount of magical ability for our people and she could practically disappear when she felt threatened. But when he tried to enter the house, Primrose's husband – Nailor, I believe was his name – took him for an intruder. There was a struggle, and the king's guards…"

"Murdered a dwarf in his own home?"

Myristica glared at him. "Defended their king."

"Tragic."

"One could say so. I'm sure Primrose was devastated. She was so foolish to choose Nailor, but it did appear to be a true love match. After that she fled again, taking the child with her, and no one was able to locate her after that."

"I can't believe you didn't tell me about this before."

"Of course I didn't. Do you realize how poorly it would reflect on our family if this ever got out? All the people loved Primrose. There was mourning for weeks when she went 'missing.'" She shifted uncomfortably on her throne. "I'm only telling you now because you finally need to know. Because this Hoggle is a threat to our throne!"

"Shouldn't we meet him first and then decide whether he is a threat? Duncan reported that he was rather shabbily dressed and seemed but a simple dwarf when he was first recovered by our warriors."

"Simple and shabby? I think not. Not with multiple rock callers to do his bidding, plus that confounded attack fox. That kind of team takes money and means to put together. And don't forget the two goblins." She leaned even closer to Corian. "I think the Goblin King himself may even be involved!" she insisted, eyes wide.

The mention of the Goblin King was the first thing that made Corian truly begin feeling uneasy. Though he hadn't been aware of the true circumstances surrounding his sister-in-law's disappearance before, he wasn't that surprised given what he knew about the stern, unbending old Dwarf King. But if the Goblin Kingdom was getting involved, that was a whole different story…

"What makes you think Jareth has anything to do with Hoggle?" he asked his wife skeptically. "Everyone knows that the Goblin King is…unconventional. But he has always been known to follow the rules of the Underground."

"Goblins think rules are only there to be broken."

"Perhaps, but you know as well as I do that Jareth is not a goblin. Plus, by all accounts he provides at least some semblance of order to the Goblin Kingdom, and he maintains the Labyrinth to the highest standard. You can't tell me that's not an impressive accomplishment."

"I wonder if you'll find him so impressive when he's stealing our throne right out from under us, hoping to install Hoggle as a puppet?"

Now it was Corian's turn to roll his eyes, but his uneasy feelings were growing. "Why would you even think that?"

"I told you our friends among the Mystagogs reported that Hoggle's group was also intercepted passing through their lands, but that they managed to get away."

"All you told me at the time, actually, was that the Mystagogs reported suspicious activity around the border. That's why we sent out the warrior dwarf parties."

"Well, what if I told you that Selise herself also told me that Jareth was with the group?"

"And he let himself be captured?" Corian shook his head. "Not likely."

"That's just it," Myristica said, smirking. "He wasn't with them when they were captured, but he showed up at dinner anyway."

"Dinner?" Corian asked, confused. "Why would they serve their captives dinner?"

Myristica's smirk slipped. "That part didn't make sense to me either. Apparently something made them reconsider and let them out, but then Jareth showed up. Selise didn't like that one bit."

"I wouldn't think so." Corian was not fond of Selise or the other Mystagogs, and he wasn't comfortable with his wife's strange alliance with them. Still, they did occasionally provide valuable information. "Why didn't you just ask Selise for more details?"

"I've tried, but I haven't been able to reach her. Not for days now."

Corian stroked his dark beard thoughtfully. Something about this whole situation wasn't adding up.

"What do you plan to do with Hoggle?"

"We must tell him to leave immediately, of course. We must act now while his allies are in our dungeons."

"Why not get to know him first?"

Myristica made a face at her husband. "What? You want me to become bosom buddies with my traitorous nephew?"

"That's not what I said. I think you're missing an opportunity if you ask him to leave right away. Besides your suspicions and some dubious claims from Selise, we really have no idea what he's doing here. Why not give him a welcome and see how it goes? He is your family, after all."

Myristica mused for a moment. "I don't know. What if while we're playing the kindly old aunt and uncle a goblin army is getting ready to attack?"

"We can set a guard, and raise our wards. Our army is already here, and ready to defend our fortress."

Myristica sighed. "Fine. We'll try it your way. But if I even get a whiff of goblin, out come the axes."