Thanks to all who read and reviewed! Dirty looks and puppy eyes to all who read and didn't review!
If you're looking for a disclaimer, you ain't gonna find one. *raspberry* Well, you might find one on the first chapter...
*~*~*~*
When Talisha woke up the next morning, there was a cup of tea beside her bed, at the perfect temperature. She was surprised, but thought it was probably the work of the pixie, Reeta. Reeta had the image of an obedient and thoughtful servant. Ish stumbled out of bed and to the closet, cup held in one hand. The day before, she had discovered it full of dresses, and a simple wine-red dress with an embroidered bodice was today's choice. After a short bath, it was time to ignore breakfast and start work. She never was much of a morning meal person anyway. Yesterday's closer inspection of the library had told her that it was full of history books, all concerning the Labyrinth. Ish longed to get outside into the maze itself and look around, maybe climb one of the cherry blossom trees she saw, but didn't know if that was allowed. So instead she took down a dusty volume and started to read.
"Milady?" Suddenly, Reeta was standing at her elbow with a tray of food. Ish glanced up, startled, and saw the pixie setting the tray on her desk.
"Thank you," she said quickly, before the little figure slipped out the door. Ish dug in, propping her book up and flicking through the pages with interest. Halfway through the meal, a distraction appeared beside her with a smirk-smile on his face. Ish was starting to dislike him, particularly for that smug look.
"Working already?" Jareth asked. Talisha put on her most polite noble lady face and smiled demurely.
"That's what you hired me for, isn't it?" She asked sweetly. The look he gave her told her that he knew exactly what she was doing. Ish let herself feel slightly pleased as she turned back to the book. Here was one noble who wasn't so buffle-brained, even if he didn't have the disposition and warmer heart that other nobles had. Silence reigned for awhile, Ish staring at her page and the Goblin King simply standing beside her. Finally he spoke.
"Will you meet me at the stables after the noon meal? Reeta shall show you the way," he looked at her, and Ish purposefully didn't meet his gaze. She would make sure he knew what situation she had been in. Ish wasn't sure she liked this man anymore.
"Of course, sir. I shall meet you there," she replied, gracing him with a quick glance and polite smile from her fake noble face. That seemed to be enough, as he left then. The young woman put her head in her hands, staring into her now-empty breakfast bowl. All night she had been mentally kicking herself because of her decision, and she was still despairing now that the new day had come. She, Talisha Sa Inglesidee, a lowly noble maiden, had condemned the mortals to being toyed with by a selfish, prudent pig called Jareth. Who knows what rules he had for this game of his? Maybe the children wouldn't be given back to their siblings even if the teenagers won through the Labyrinth. Maybe the teenagers would be severely punished if their parents found out that they had lost their younger siblings. Who knew what that child-snatcher would come up with.
"But it looks so harmless..." she murmured to herself, gazing out of the window. It was true, the Labyrinth seemed the picture of innocence, not a trace of any monsters or dark forests or traps anywhere. It must be so easy to get through. Ish suddenly had an idea. Maybe if she wrote the book the way she wanted it to go, with rules and a happy ending, she could get back at him for doing this to the mortals. She started reading again with renewed eagerness, already planning the plot in her mind. He would want the main character to bow under him and lose. So Ish would make the main character defy him and win. Simple.
*~*~*~*
Talisha stopped writing, dropping her quill and rubbing her eyes with a tired hand. It was late at night, and her candle had burned to a stub, but she couldn't stop writing. It was almost a month since she had come here, and already the young woman was about halfway through the story that she had planned so carefully. Ever since her decision to defy him and write the story how she wanted it, Ish had been studying the Goblin King carefully each and every time she saw him. The noble maiden was sure he noticed her doing this, but hoped he would pass it off as being for the story. And it was, of course. But he had a bigger part in it that he thought. He was the bad-guy, who stole the mortal girl's baby brother when she wished him away, then wouldn't give him back. Suddenly Ish had an idea, and scribbled it at the top of her parchment. She would make his character fall in love with the girl! And then, of course, the girl would deny him to get her brother back. It was perfect. The young woman yawned hugely, and stumbled up the stairs to her bed, blowing out her candle. Tomorrow she would go through the pages and change some parts, to fit in her new plot.
*~*~*~*
But that wasn't to be the plan for the day. When she woke up, well after dawn, Ish sat at her desk after breakfast, staring at the first page. She had absolutely no idea of what to write. Her mind was like a stone, no notions coming out at all. (OOC: this is, of course, my pathetic little attempt to describe writer's block.) Toying with her pencil, she stared out the window. It was so lush green out there... so inviting. And yet, somehow forbidden. Her host hadn't forbade her directly to go out there, but it was somehow a no-go area. Their horseriding trips had been on a side of the palace that wasn't included in the Labyrinth, and try as she might, Talisha could not see this part from there. She stood, and at an impulse, strode out the door. Well, if she couldn't see the rest of the Labyrinth, she would simply find another library. Maybe there were more books for her topic somewhere. Ish, after about half an hour, finally located a large room filled with dusty volumes.
"Wonderful," she breathed, taking one down and flipping through it. It was about magical worms. The next was about the habitats where you could find pixies, and the next about some old war. But the fourth book held something of interest to her. It was an old journal of some adventurer, who stumbled upon the Labyrinth. He described it as a miserable, stone maze with mould and fallen branches and strange eyeball plants everywhere, and invisible openings that eventually he worked out. It was a plain brown, most of it, with the exception of some hedges and a forest towards the front. Ish couldn't believe it.
"Lady Talisha?" That musical voice could only be from one person. She whipped around, trying to hide the large book behind her slim frame.
"I-I couldn't find something I needed on the shelves in my room, so I came looking..." she stammered, then trailed off as Jareth came forward and like lightening had the book from behind her back. He fixed her with a questioning gaze.
"Are you sure? I am quite positive that books like this were included in your selection," he said. She nodded desperately, glancing quickly at the exit, which unfortunately happened to be behind him.
"Mmmhmm, yes, I'm sure," she flashed a nervous smile. Either he had been hiding the Labyrinth's true image from her, or it was changed. But she was set in mind now; he had created a painting for her to look at when she looked out the window.
"May I just go back to my room? I have this idea I need to get down on paper," Ish lied, edging around him then walking as fast as she could without looking rushed towards her quarters. Once there, the young woman inspected her window more closely. And, if she reached out with a quill, she managed to tap something solid, like glass. Next in line was a long stick she had picked up from a garden on her way back. Unfortunately, Ish tapped too hard. The image broke, shattering like glass, with the effect glass did, but no shards. The lush Labyrinth faded, to be replaced with a horrible stone maze, with a dark forest and some hedges nearer to the middle. It was ugly, she had to admit. A thump sounded behind her, and the fae maiden turned to se Jareth, the book she had been reading in the bigger library on her desk.
"I see you discovered the illusion," was all he said. Ish scowled.
"You lied to me," she accused.
"I did not lie. I have said nothing about a beautiful Labyrinth, all there was was an illusion, and you saw-"
"You put it there, though. You meant for me to see it, and be fooled. Well it didn't work," Ish told him triumphantly. He met her gaze, and she faltered. Mismatched eyes were very startling to look at, especially when they looked back at her. She broke away and moved over to her desk.
*~*~*~*
He stared after her, not knowing what to say. Talisha was the first to defy him, and accuse him of lying. She had spirit, he had to admit. The maiden ought to be punished, for calling him a liar, but Jareth couldn't bring himself to suspend her in the Bog. Instead he left the way he came; by magic. Once propped on the throne again, he considered what to do with her once the book was finished. Her family could easily be given funds, and good words could be passed to the Fae King's ears, but Talisha might decide to do something to stop him taking the mortal's siblings. She might be a noble and unused to work, but from the way she took to the story, there was no doubt that she would work as hard as she could to achieve her goal: stop him. There was only one choice then. Send her into the mortal world to escort the book. He set his mind to plans.
*~*~*~*
Once Ish knew he was gone, she went back to the window and took a good look. Her nose wrinkled at the place's unkempt image. From her vantage point, the noble maiden could now easily see traps and monsters and even some guard-type short people with biting fish on sticks. It was a nightmare. Ish sighed and went back to work. She missed her family, and the sooner she got the story finished, she could get away from that horrible man.
*~*~*~*
Yep, she's a spoilt brat all right, isn't she? Nobles.
Please review! I know this isn't one of my best chapters, and has taken ages coming, but I promise there will be better ones later on! Please, just click on the box and type a few words... *puppy eyes*
Sweet Sunshine
Seul Loup
*******************************************************
* Fancy yourself as a writer? *
* *
* Want to win prizes for your stories and poems? *
* *
* Corey's Place - this is for you! *
* *
* http://feanorbirmans.ozefamily.com.au/coreys_place/ *
*******************************************************
If you're looking for a disclaimer, you ain't gonna find one. *raspberry* Well, you might find one on the first chapter...
*~*~*~*
When Talisha woke up the next morning, there was a cup of tea beside her bed, at the perfect temperature. She was surprised, but thought it was probably the work of the pixie, Reeta. Reeta had the image of an obedient and thoughtful servant. Ish stumbled out of bed and to the closet, cup held in one hand. The day before, she had discovered it full of dresses, and a simple wine-red dress with an embroidered bodice was today's choice. After a short bath, it was time to ignore breakfast and start work. She never was much of a morning meal person anyway. Yesterday's closer inspection of the library had told her that it was full of history books, all concerning the Labyrinth. Ish longed to get outside into the maze itself and look around, maybe climb one of the cherry blossom trees she saw, but didn't know if that was allowed. So instead she took down a dusty volume and started to read.
"Milady?" Suddenly, Reeta was standing at her elbow with a tray of food. Ish glanced up, startled, and saw the pixie setting the tray on her desk.
"Thank you," she said quickly, before the little figure slipped out the door. Ish dug in, propping her book up and flicking through the pages with interest. Halfway through the meal, a distraction appeared beside her with a smirk-smile on his face. Ish was starting to dislike him, particularly for that smug look.
"Working already?" Jareth asked. Talisha put on her most polite noble lady face and smiled demurely.
"That's what you hired me for, isn't it?" She asked sweetly. The look he gave her told her that he knew exactly what she was doing. Ish let herself feel slightly pleased as she turned back to the book. Here was one noble who wasn't so buffle-brained, even if he didn't have the disposition and warmer heart that other nobles had. Silence reigned for awhile, Ish staring at her page and the Goblin King simply standing beside her. Finally he spoke.
"Will you meet me at the stables after the noon meal? Reeta shall show you the way," he looked at her, and Ish purposefully didn't meet his gaze. She would make sure he knew what situation she had been in. Ish wasn't sure she liked this man anymore.
"Of course, sir. I shall meet you there," she replied, gracing him with a quick glance and polite smile from her fake noble face. That seemed to be enough, as he left then. The young woman put her head in her hands, staring into her now-empty breakfast bowl. All night she had been mentally kicking herself because of her decision, and she was still despairing now that the new day had come. She, Talisha Sa Inglesidee, a lowly noble maiden, had condemned the mortals to being toyed with by a selfish, prudent pig called Jareth. Who knows what rules he had for this game of his? Maybe the children wouldn't be given back to their siblings even if the teenagers won through the Labyrinth. Maybe the teenagers would be severely punished if their parents found out that they had lost their younger siblings. Who knew what that child-snatcher would come up with.
"But it looks so harmless..." she murmured to herself, gazing out of the window. It was true, the Labyrinth seemed the picture of innocence, not a trace of any monsters or dark forests or traps anywhere. It must be so easy to get through. Ish suddenly had an idea. Maybe if she wrote the book the way she wanted it to go, with rules and a happy ending, she could get back at him for doing this to the mortals. She started reading again with renewed eagerness, already planning the plot in her mind. He would want the main character to bow under him and lose. So Ish would make the main character defy him and win. Simple.
*~*~*~*
Talisha stopped writing, dropping her quill and rubbing her eyes with a tired hand. It was late at night, and her candle had burned to a stub, but she couldn't stop writing. It was almost a month since she had come here, and already the young woman was about halfway through the story that she had planned so carefully. Ever since her decision to defy him and write the story how she wanted it, Ish had been studying the Goblin King carefully each and every time she saw him. The noble maiden was sure he noticed her doing this, but hoped he would pass it off as being for the story. And it was, of course. But he had a bigger part in it that he thought. He was the bad-guy, who stole the mortal girl's baby brother when she wished him away, then wouldn't give him back. Suddenly Ish had an idea, and scribbled it at the top of her parchment. She would make his character fall in love with the girl! And then, of course, the girl would deny him to get her brother back. It was perfect. The young woman yawned hugely, and stumbled up the stairs to her bed, blowing out her candle. Tomorrow she would go through the pages and change some parts, to fit in her new plot.
*~*~*~*
But that wasn't to be the plan for the day. When she woke up, well after dawn, Ish sat at her desk after breakfast, staring at the first page. She had absolutely no idea of what to write. Her mind was like a stone, no notions coming out at all. (OOC: this is, of course, my pathetic little attempt to describe writer's block.) Toying with her pencil, she stared out the window. It was so lush green out there... so inviting. And yet, somehow forbidden. Her host hadn't forbade her directly to go out there, but it was somehow a no-go area. Their horseriding trips had been on a side of the palace that wasn't included in the Labyrinth, and try as she might, Talisha could not see this part from there. She stood, and at an impulse, strode out the door. Well, if she couldn't see the rest of the Labyrinth, she would simply find another library. Maybe there were more books for her topic somewhere. Ish, after about half an hour, finally located a large room filled with dusty volumes.
"Wonderful," she breathed, taking one down and flipping through it. It was about magical worms. The next was about the habitats where you could find pixies, and the next about some old war. But the fourth book held something of interest to her. It was an old journal of some adventurer, who stumbled upon the Labyrinth. He described it as a miserable, stone maze with mould and fallen branches and strange eyeball plants everywhere, and invisible openings that eventually he worked out. It was a plain brown, most of it, with the exception of some hedges and a forest towards the front. Ish couldn't believe it.
"Lady Talisha?" That musical voice could only be from one person. She whipped around, trying to hide the large book behind her slim frame.
"I-I couldn't find something I needed on the shelves in my room, so I came looking..." she stammered, then trailed off as Jareth came forward and like lightening had the book from behind her back. He fixed her with a questioning gaze.
"Are you sure? I am quite positive that books like this were included in your selection," he said. She nodded desperately, glancing quickly at the exit, which unfortunately happened to be behind him.
"Mmmhmm, yes, I'm sure," she flashed a nervous smile. Either he had been hiding the Labyrinth's true image from her, or it was changed. But she was set in mind now; he had created a painting for her to look at when she looked out the window.
"May I just go back to my room? I have this idea I need to get down on paper," Ish lied, edging around him then walking as fast as she could without looking rushed towards her quarters. Once there, the young woman inspected her window more closely. And, if she reached out with a quill, she managed to tap something solid, like glass. Next in line was a long stick she had picked up from a garden on her way back. Unfortunately, Ish tapped too hard. The image broke, shattering like glass, with the effect glass did, but no shards. The lush Labyrinth faded, to be replaced with a horrible stone maze, with a dark forest and some hedges nearer to the middle. It was ugly, she had to admit. A thump sounded behind her, and the fae maiden turned to se Jareth, the book she had been reading in the bigger library on her desk.
"I see you discovered the illusion," was all he said. Ish scowled.
"You lied to me," she accused.
"I did not lie. I have said nothing about a beautiful Labyrinth, all there was was an illusion, and you saw-"
"You put it there, though. You meant for me to see it, and be fooled. Well it didn't work," Ish told him triumphantly. He met her gaze, and she faltered. Mismatched eyes were very startling to look at, especially when they looked back at her. She broke away and moved over to her desk.
*~*~*~*
He stared after her, not knowing what to say. Talisha was the first to defy him, and accuse him of lying. She had spirit, he had to admit. The maiden ought to be punished, for calling him a liar, but Jareth couldn't bring himself to suspend her in the Bog. Instead he left the way he came; by magic. Once propped on the throne again, he considered what to do with her once the book was finished. Her family could easily be given funds, and good words could be passed to the Fae King's ears, but Talisha might decide to do something to stop him taking the mortal's siblings. She might be a noble and unused to work, but from the way she took to the story, there was no doubt that she would work as hard as she could to achieve her goal: stop him. There was only one choice then. Send her into the mortal world to escort the book. He set his mind to plans.
*~*~*~*
Once Ish knew he was gone, she went back to the window and took a good look. Her nose wrinkled at the place's unkempt image. From her vantage point, the noble maiden could now easily see traps and monsters and even some guard-type short people with biting fish on sticks. It was a nightmare. Ish sighed and went back to work. She missed her family, and the sooner she got the story finished, she could get away from that horrible man.
*~*~*~*
Yep, she's a spoilt brat all right, isn't she? Nobles.
Please review! I know this isn't one of my best chapters, and has taken ages coming, but I promise there will be better ones later on! Please, just click on the box and type a few words... *puppy eyes*
Sweet Sunshine
Seul Loup
*******************************************************
* Fancy yourself as a writer? *
* *
* Want to win prizes for your stories and poems? *
* *
* Corey's Place - this is for you! *
* *
* http://feanorbirmans.ozefamily.com.au/coreys_place/ *
*******************************************************