Chapter Three:

"Haven't they left yet?"

The healer looked up from her post beside the Goblin King's bed. It had only been little less then a week, and yet he had worsened considerably. His silver blonde hair was lank and lifeless, sticking to his face, which was slick with sweat. Although he was sweating, he was cold to the touch and was now unable to even sit up without help – and yet despite all this, his eyes and face still held a strong determination not to give in to pain.

"Your minions?" She asked. "They will not leave because they wish to remain with you. They tell me that you have always cared for them, and they will never leave you or the Labyrinth. Both of you are their protectors."

"They are idiots," Jareth sighed. He closed his eyes against a sudden sharp pain and then opened the odd orbs again, focusing instantly on the healer who was reaching for something. "Healer, your potions will not work now… I will die tonight."

She had secretly thought so herself, but hearing him word it himself distressed her. She irritably swept her hair over her shoulder, and put down the bottle she had picked up. "You may be able to hang on longer, Sire."

He gave a weak smile at her obstinate optimism. "I doubt that my dear." He gave a world weary sigh and looked away from her to a blank spot on the intricate ceiling.

"Majesty?"

"Yes?"

The Healer looked down at her hands for a moment. "Why aren't you afraid to die?"

"Everyone dies eventually," He told her, his voice although weak still sounding majestic. "As a healer, you should know that better then anyone else."

"Yes, but no one likes to die…"

There was a moment's silence. He slowly, with all the effort he could, raised his hand to run it through his lank hair. Then as he lowered it again he began to speak. "The Labyrinth and I are one. Everyone knows this, but everyone forgets to mention the Labyrinth is old. Very old, most kingdoms in this realm are defeated, taken over… but the Labyrinth has remained itself for years.

"And as I inherited my right to be its king, as well as its memories and powers, I felt it was tired of it all… It wanted it all to end. And so I decided to live my life for it, never fathering an heir, so that when that fateful day came the Labyrinth could rest at last."

She looked at him in the dim light; unable to comprehend why no one knew he was a caring and brave man. Had he kept it a secret to others? Or did no one wait for him to open up to them? She thought to the subjects waiting in the Labyrinth for the final hour; all of them scared and yet too obstinate to leave him. They knew what he was really like, she could see that having gotten to know him now…

He turned his head to her, "You are thinking of the judging nature of people again, I can see it in your eyes." He closed his eyes briefly. "I had different opinions, so I was labelled stubborn. I refused to marry, so I became a rake. I was quiet and aloof and became a bitter recluse." He smiled to himself, opening his eyes, "Amazing really isn't it?"

She didn't answer, somehow silently urging him to speak to her more, to share what he had learnt with her. But instead he turned his head back to stare at the ceiling. "They will not leave… and if they do not leave the Labyrinth now they will perish with it. They are fools."

"They are not fools!" She exclaimed suddenly, with a rush of emotion that scared her. "They are the few people who never judged you and who never spread rumours about you! They are the few people who truly know you and love the real you! That is why they won't leave you, because they love the real you who loves them and longs for them to be safe after you are gone!" She caught a sob in her throat.

He looked at her almost sadly, "You are tired my dear, and I think it is time for you to leave before you perish yourself."

"No! I will not leave," Tears began to spill from her eyes, and she knelt beside his bed. "I will not leave because I refuse to leave a man who has been alone all his life, through other people's judgement, to die alone. I cannot leave because every part of my body says I cannot leave you alone to suffer without anyone beside you. I cannot leave because I respect you as your people down in the streets do, and I understand their love for you."

More tears spilled down her face and she pressed his hand to her face. "I will not leave."

He looked at her, with a mixed expression in his eyes. He weakly lifted his hand and stroked her silver locks. "If you were to perish, the Labyrinth and I would not forgive ourselves. If you were to perish, who would remain to speak the truth about me? No, my dear healer, I have allowed you to be stubborn until now," He pressed his index finger on her forehead. "Now it is my turn to be stubborn. You leave now."

It was only by summoning all the strength he had that was able to transport her from the castle. She blinked and looked around the woodlands she was now in. She cradled her head in her hands and began to weep, for the life she couldn't save, and the life she had herself misjudged for so many years.