AN: Ok I've restarted this story. I wasn't happy with it last time. And although the body of the story is staying the same I wanted to explain more fully, why the things that are going to happen, happen.Now I've probably confused everybody. (I know what I mean.) Enjoy!

Disclaimer: For all the chapters to follow: I'm only borrowing the characters. I promise to put them back when I'm finished. (Jareth may arrive a little while after Sarah. I may need a few private moments with him, alone.)

Too much, too young

Prologue: Game time.

Jareth sat on the cold stone steps of the Esher room. He was right at the very top, staring at the inscription that had been carved into the wall centuries earlier. The prognostic text was written in flowing script.

The ruler of the goblins and the maze of never-ending turns, will betroth a mortal who defeats him and she surrenders her freedom in exchange for all she's learned.

Jareth disappeared, only to reappear in another corner of the room, more of the same script was here also;

A great battle shall come to the world of the underground. Through light and dark, joy and pain, betrayal and defeat.

He closed his eyes and willed himself to another corner. Where he studied the writing here;

As a family they will destroy the threat to all lives. When all is said and done the Underground will rejoice the marvellous feat.

When he appeared in the last corner he stared at the faded writing. Cursing to himself he felt sure that if he could only make that line out he would understand what order the writing should be in, and exactly what it meant. But the writing was far too faded, it had been for countless centuries. It was strange though, the other sentences had not faded at all.

Jareth sat on the cold stone floor, going through the lines again.

The ruler of the goblins and the maze of never-ending turns, will betroth a mortal who defeats him and she surrenders her freedom in exchange for all she's learned. A great battle shall come to the world of the underground. Through light and dark, joy and pain, betrayal and defeat. As a family they will destroy the threat to all lives. When all is said and done the Underground will rejoice the marvellous feat.

Historians had studied the texts again and again, coming up with few theories. The main one was that; The ruler of the Labyrinth would marry a mortal who completed the maze. And that the mortal would be the key to the salvation of the Underground. Jareth sighed, maybe the turn of events would not come to pass in his lifetime. But he was still thoroughly intrigued (some might even say obsessed) by the prophecy.

Disappearing once more he reappeared in his chamber. Cursing to himself he threw himself onto a chair. Damn Darra, if he hadn't… A frantic pounding on the doors halted his thoughts. With a flick of his hand the door flew open. A young and terrified blue haired pixie boy stared at him, his already huge eyes seemed widened further still. When the pixie said nothing Jareth fought to calm himself. "Yes Muggle, What is so important that you feel the need to disturb me?" Muggle swallowed nervously, "My lord king I'm sorry to disturb you. I swear! The goblins are up to no good, you should be aware. Mortal girl's foolish cries they have heard. They are dancing with glee, cos she said the word. "Damnit!" Jareth exploded out of the chair. "Did they help her with the words?" Muggle thought about it, "I think so my lord, in fact I'm almost sure. At first I don't think she knew what the right words were. But as I was leaving I heard her retry. The first part of the summoning she did cry.Jareth cursed again. "I thought I'd gotten this all straightened out the last time. Now I'm going to have to give the stupid girl a chance to get the child back.

Appearing in the throne room he summoned a crystal, twisting and turning it about in his hands, he drew in the power needed for the spell. Time relocation wasn't easy and he hated to it, but needs must. He had to know all he could about the girl in order to defeat her. Jareth knew it would be easier to go back and stop the goblins from taking the child in the first place, but he had given his word to the insufferable little creatures. And being their sovereign he had to honour it. It all came down to the pact he'd made with them.

The goblins could hear mortals when they wished away children. The goblins not being a prolific race often took the children that were wished away, as soon as they returned to the underground they turned the children into goblins. When he had first arrived he had not minded. All races had their own customs. It wasn't until he was told that many times the goblins prompting the mortals into using the exact words, that he did something. Most of the time Jareth managed to stop them from doing so, but there were limits to even his powers and he couldn't watch the pesky creatures all the time. Jareth had made a bargain with them, if they could keep the child for more than 13 hours, they could keep the child. But if the person that wished away the child decided to try and rescue it, Jareth would exceed to them the challenge of the labyrinth. If they won that –something that had never happened. The goblins would have to give the child back. Unlike the Goblin rulers of times past he didn't bring mortals to the Labyrinth just to have fun with them. Jareth had had enough fun with mortals, to last him a millennia. But the Labyrinth had proven too difficult for all of the mortals thus far. A portal appeared before him, Transforming into his owl form he flew through the opening.

Jareth waited perched on the balcony rail outside the room that Sarah was in, she was trying unsuccessfully to quiet the distraught child by telling him a story. Jareth ruffled his feather in irritation. He was cold and wet, and couldn't wait 'till she said the words. To take his mind off his uncomfortable state he thought back to what he had learned of the mortal girl. She was strong, stubborn a dreamer, she was caught in the transitional phase between being an adolescent and an adult, too old for fairy tales but too young for reality. And unlike most human adolescents she seemed to be fighting to keep her youthful fantasies.

Jareth heard her wish and gave himself a moment to prepare before launching himself off the railing.

Game time!