One in a Million Girls
By The Pricking Of My Thumbs Something Wicked This Way Comes
Macbeth
The throne room was in complete chaos as goblins scurried, bowed and bumped into each other in a hurry to do their master's bidding, not necessarily in that order. Jareth was draped over his throne barking orders and occasionally shielding his eyes with a gloved hand as he felt an inevitable headache coming on. He always got a headache when he had to try and command the unruly bunch of brainless twits. Unfortunately he had no choice, he was getting the castle ready for his engagement ball. "You there" he would poke his crystal topped cane at a goblin, "Go polish the best silver and make it shine until I can see your ugly face in it." Looking at another, "You, go sweep the stables." Narrowing his eyes he would spy another, "And you, what are you doing standing around? Well? Do something."
Just as Jareth thought he was about to scream in frustration the double doors burst open and his new jester, Toad, came ambling in on all fours in an impossible crablike motion. Bells jingling all the way as he reached the foot of the throne the harlequin slyly looked up at the King and asked, "Feeling crabby your majesty? Thought I might cheer you up." The pun was not lost on Jareth who grinned down at the tinkling form.
Although Toad's position was court jester his elegant image and graceful carriage gave the impression of power and intelligent sophistication rather than foolishness. His tall lithe form was covered by a bodysuit of spun metallic gray that had the slightest hint of sheen and matched his long silvery hair. The harlequin's facial features were obviously handsome under impeccably applied makeup that included a single diamond tear seeming to fall from his right eye. In contrast his black horned headdress ended in sliver bells shaped like moons and stars. Of course the fact that Toad looked more like a mage than a fool suited Jareth's sense of style quite nicely.
The Goblin King was glad for Toad's diversion to lighten his mood, so far this morning he had already sent four goblins to the Bog and it was only 10 o'clock. At this rate he'd clear the throne room by noon and someone had to do the work. Jareth had always been able to instill fear in the hearts of his subjects by a mere confident threat that did not have to be followed with action. All he had to do was say the word "bog" and the goblins were quaking in their boots.
Now the Goblin King was darkly different and everyone noticed that the shift started shortly after he became involved with his bride to be, Sonya. As their relationship deepened he became less tolerant of his subjects and their bumbling ways. Jareth evolved into demanding ruler who didn't smile much anymore. Actually that was good because the King's smiles were now canine and frightening as he locked eyes with an intended victim. Nope, none of the goblins wanted Jareth smiling at them.
The kingdom felt some relief when Toad became part of Jareth's court. While Jareth was still impatient with his motley crew Toad always seemed to know when to appear and break the building tension that saved many a goblin from the unpredictable King's wrath. Nowadays the jester seemed to be one of the few who could elicit a real smile and occasional chuckle from his majesty.
Jareth met Toad not long after Sonya became a part of the King's life. A traveling theatre group had accidentally wandered into the Labyrinth. Of course they were hopelessly lost in the maze and after Jareth had enough entertainment at their expense he appeared before the startled troupe. Seeing they were harmless Jareth invited them to stay and put on a series of plays for the goblin city. His minions were ecstatic but Sonya abhorrently refused to attend any of their performances, after all, they were but common rabble. Well, what Sonya wouldn't know wouldn't hurt her and one night Jareth transformed into an owl and watched the play.
He was amazed and delighted with the entertaining parody, but one performance stood out above the rest. The master of ceremonies was a harlequin named Toad whose wit and antics made the Goblin King laugh till he almost fell out of the tree. At the end of the evening Jareth made his way over to Toad to thank him for an enjoyable night and asked the actor to stay on as the King's jester. Sonya, of course, was predictably incensed and took an instant dislike to Toad. She wanted him dismissed but Jareth waved her arguments away and kept the jester as he wished, after all, he was king.
Sonya and Toad instantly recognized each other for the natural enemies they were, the opposing forces and actors in the larger play of darkness and light. Because of his heritage Jareth's instincts told him that good and evil were closing in around him but he did not suspect that the powers now held form in the guise of his two newest companions.
Suddenly in the throne room all bustle came to a complete halt and the goblins dumbly stared as Sonya glided into the room. Her grace was such that it seemed she didn't move, she just silently flowed over space. At her approach the jester whispered, "Here comes the old ball and chain now." At first Jareth shot Toad a warning look and then despite himself could not help but chuckle. As Sonya reached the foot of the throne she glowered at the jester and said, "I'm glad to see you are amused your majesty but I still don't see a reason to employ this clown." Eloquently bowing his head in mock supplication Toad addressed her with a thinly veiled smirk, "Toad your grace, not clown." Sonya wisely ignored him, knowing she could not win at a battle of wits with her adversary and would only look foolish in the attempt.
At this pause in the battle Jareth took a moment to study Sonya. It wasn't just her unrivaled beauty and perfect form he was attracted to, it was her cold and cruel character. He felt in her a darkness that not only matched but surpassed his own. His vain nature was also nourished by the fact that he would be joining with Sonya who was royalty and held several impressive titles such as; Queen of the Veil, Mistress of the Cold Region and Guardian of Mystical Knowledge. Yes, she was a rarity; one might even tritely venture to say she was one in a million girls.
Looking around in true disgust Sonya fluidly motioned to the sea of goblins and sniffed, "Can these things get the castle ready in time?" Reflexively, Jareth wanted to defend his kingdom's subordinates but then he thought, "Why should I not disdain these idiotic creatures? Sonya is right." Jareth coldly looked over the mass of still goblins and drawled, "The morons will have everything ready unless they want to feel the wrath of the Goblin King." While his subjects had no soul they did have emotions to hurt and many of the smarter goblins lowered their heads in shame. No one noticed Toad's eyes shining with unshed tears for the plight of the little ones.
How Jareth met Sonya was considered to be quite extraordinarily by chance. As was his habit on the night of the crystal moon (known as a blue moon by Aboveground standards) he took a midnight flight over the Labyrinth. Gliding gracefully in the silvery light he suddenly collided in midair with a hawk. Seeing the hawk swiftly plummet to the ground he quickly landed to investigate damage to the creature. He was immediately stunned to find not a bird but a beautiful woman who was thinly yet completely veiled lying lifeless at his feet. He forced himself to tear his eyes away from her and swiftly transported both of them to the castle library.
Jareth laid the unconscious figure on a couch and immediately summoned his healer to minister to the female. While waiting Jareth sat next to her still form murmuring encouragements and rubbing her delicate pale hand. Suddenly her eyes fluttered open and Jareth's heart stopped. Sonya's eyes were like black crystals that bore into his being with an intensity unlike any he felt before. It took a moment to regain himself and manage to ask, "Are you alright?" It was at that point his healer swiftly entered the library with a scowl on his face that indicated this had better be good. Glasis was in no mood for petty royal injuries interrupting his concentration on spellbinding. He growled, "Your majesty knows I..." then Glasis saw Sonya and froze in reaction to the woman before him. Two things stuck Glasis at the same time; he was awed by Sonya's incredible beauty and repelled by some kind of intuition about her. Sonya spoke then in a voice that was deep but yet rang, like silver bells, dead funeral bells, "Where am I? What happened?"
Sonya completely dominated Jareth's time from then on. He absolutely insisted she stay at his castle until she was completely recovered, and of course he oversaw every moment of that recovery. For the first two weeks he barely let her out of his sight, unless absolutely necessary. Whenever they weren't together he made sure everything she could have wanted was provided before she could wish for it.
Woe to the goblin that did not please Sonya for Jareth commanded that everything be perfect for her. The Goblin King barely slept or ate as he obsessed over the mysterious woman. To keep her entertained and pleased he scheduled garden walks, rides in the country and transportation spells whisking them to the most romantic areas in his kingdom. Jareth filled her room and every room she might walk though with fresh flowers that were changed daily. Jareth insisted she only be served her the best wines, foods and sweetmeats he could procure. His majesty had ten goblin seamstresses making her wardrobe out of the finest fabics that existed, and then conjured up those that didn't. Jareth neglected his duties and kingdom as his life revolved around Sonya. She was like a black hole and he was like an object caught up and spinning irresistibly in the vortex of her gravity.
While Jareth was blind to any defect in Sonya, others saw her quite differently. They were always in awe of her arresting beauty but could plainly see the hard coldness of her heart. The Goblin King could be cruel and manipulative but Sonya was that along with vicious, evil and mean spirited. Whenever Jareth wasn't around she treated the inhabitants of his kingdom as if they were the lowest creatures she had ever set her black eyes on. She would kick, slap, abuse or ridicule any goblin that displeased her in any way. Sometimes she made up reasons for them to displease her just so she could inflict harm on them. The goblins quickly learned to stay away from her and were overcome with fear if they had to attend to her needs.
As her cruel and evil acts continued unchallenged Sonya escalated her wickedness against the King's subjects by manipulating Jareth into also punishing them for oversights or made up infractions. Many a goblin was thrown into a dungeon or oubliette because either her bath wasn't warm enough or her saddle wasn't buckled to her liking. She did not openly tell the Goblin King to punish those responsible; she just suggested that perhaps more strict discipline would straighten them out. She dropped hints of what she did to her subjects when they did not show appropriate respect for her station. As Jareth listened to her he started to enjoy ministering discipline on his subjects till it was whispered that it bordered on sadism. Word quickly spread about Sonya's vicious nature and the fact that his majesty was becoming just like her.