Disclaimer: I only own the Councillor, and the two Councilmen Tiana and Flynn. I only borrow the others. I promise to return them when done, no worse for wear. Hogwarts is in reference to JK Rowling's Harry Potter universe.
Author's Notes: This chapter covers the first half of the first hour only.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Sir?" the messenger squeaked, and bowed awkwardly in the pen doorway. "The Councillor would wish to see you now."
Jareth, the Goblin King, nodded curtly, and he stood in one fluid motion. Dressed in his most formal garb, he clasped his hands behind his back, and he motioned for the servant to lead the way. The messenger squeaked again, and he hurried out, but still aware the Goblin King followed him, very serenely, very calmly, and very kingly. "Err, is it true?" he squeaked a third time. "Did you really turn the human babe into a goblin babe?"
Jareth hid a smirk. The eyebrow arched over his lighter eye. "I did nothing of the sort," he answered.
"Oh, umm, it's just because everyone's saying, and well, you have so many, and… Well, you, and you, you…"
"Do you always believe everything you hear?"
"N-no, no Your Highness," the goblin stuttered, and squeaked. He turned his gaze to his feet in his embarrassment, and he early ran into an office door. "Th-the Councillor, Your Highness."
"Thank you," Jareth waved him away, and he rose one hand to knock upon the door. Vaguely, he noticed the messenger had already hurried away. From within the other side of the door, he heard a 'Come in', and he opened the door to step inside. He closed the door again behind him, and he bowed, respectfully, if not slightly stiffly. "You sent for me, Councillor?" he asked as he rose again.
"I did, Jareth, yes," the older gentleman replied, and he too gave a stiff, respectful bow. "Please have a seat." Jareth raised an eyebrow again, but he did as suggested. "As you know," the Councillor continued, "you have been called to trial on account of your possibly condemnable, and certainly frowned upon, actions in regards to the most recent girl to run your Labyrinth. The Council has moved your date to today."
"Soon, isn't it, Councillor?"
"Yes, very soon. But they are not to be deterred otherwise. Further, they have assigned Tiani to be your defense."
"Who is he to argue against?"
"I am sorry, Jareth," the Councillor sighed, "but they assigned Flynn."
"Flynn?" the Goblin King repeated. "But they only assign Flynn when they deliberately want to attempt to condemn the accused!"
"Yes, I know. Also, I am to serve as the Presidor of this, and they've asked me to purposely shift the jury's sympathies against you."
"You will obey of course."
"I do not promise anything." Jareth looked directly at the Councillor, and he knew his emotionless mask briefly fell away to relieve his startled expression. "Do not look so surprised, Jareth," the Councillor added. "I am your friend, for bitter allies and great alliances."
"Mercy for that," he muttered. "Anything else I should know of this trial? Any surprise witnesses?"
"Oh, just, you know, the usual. However, you might be pleased to know, the trial is to last only thirteen hours. A homage of sorts to you, for your tendencies to give your runners thirteen hours."
"Perfect," Jareth muttered again. "What time do we start then?"
A slow, uneasy, almost sympathetic smile formed across the Councillor's lips. "Now. I am to lead you to the courtroom. You are to have no reaction to anyone on the jury stand, or in the two wings. You are to enter quietly, look nowhere but forward of you, and, under no circumstances whatsoever, are you to speak rudely to anyone in that courtroom," he ordered, and he stood, and he stepped out from behind his desk. He placed a strong grasp on Jareth's shoulder, almost preventing the Goblin King from rising. "I am sorry, my friend. I tried on your behalf, but they didn't want to listen."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A human bein's made of more than air
With all that bulk, you're bound to see him there
Unless that human bein' next to you
Is unimpressive, undistinguished
You know who… --"Mister Cellophane", Chicago
"Ladies, and gentlemen of the jury," Flynn began, "today, we are not here to accommodate justice. No, today, we are here to see this man condemned for his inexcusable actions. However, my fellow Councilman would have you believe that his client, this man, the Goblin King, was acting under court of law of his Labyrinth? Court of law, ladies and gentleman, Court of law! Of the Labyrinth! Of the Labyrinth! There is nothing in the laws smiling upon what he has done. Nothing. And, we all know this. We both know this trial is only a formality, you know your decision, I know your decision, but still…"
"Are you quite finished, Councilman Flynn?"
"I am, Councillor. At this time, I'd like to call my first witness."
"Very well."
"The Council calls Hoggle to the stand."
From the back reaches of the two courtroom wings, Hoggle shuffled down the aisle, and past the table where Jareth sat. He sneaked a glance towards his King, but he couldn't read anything from Jareth's blank expression.
"State your name for the court," ordered the Councillor.
"Hoggle."
"Proceed, Councilman Flynn," nodded the Councillor, and Hoggle uncomfortably took his seat upon the witness stand.
"Hello, Hoggle. How are you today? Good?"
"Err, yes."
"Lovely. Would you please tell the court, how long you have been in service of the defendant, the Goblin King, Jareth?"
"Few centuries. I's the Official Fairy Exterminator for His Majesty."
"Fairy Exterminator?"
"Yes. That's right."
"Fairy Exterminator. And tell me, Hoggle, is Jareth a fair employee?"
"Objection, Councillor!"
The Councillor peered over the edge of his wooden pew. "I'll allow it. Proceed, Flynn. Answer the question, Hoggle."
"Err, yes, hesa fair, better than some."
"Better than some. He always remember your name?"
"Nooo…."
"No," Flynn smiled sympathetically. "But I would 'Hoggle' to be such an easy name."
"Heca llsmeHo gwarts."
"I didn't quite catch that, Hoggle. Would you repeat that?"
Hoggle shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He looked, not without some uncertainty, towards the Goblin King, towards his King, his employer, but Jareth wore his impeccable mask above his clothes and neck, and nothing seemingly would break it. Hoggle sighed. He hated courtrooms. He hated appearing in them, and he hated testifying in them, and he, above all, he hated the questioners. He much preferred his small house on the Labyrinth outskirts, or visiting with Ludo and Sir Didymus in the Swamp, now that they had nose plugs, of course.
"Hogwarts," he blurted out, "He calls me 'Ogwarts."
Flynn smirked, and he glanced knowingly at the audience. "Hogwarts," he repeated, "a very great, very well-known Wizarding school in Northern Scotland. Hoggle," he turned again from the jury to face the witness, "did Jareth ever do anything you viewed to be dangerous?"
"D-Dangerous?"
"Yes, dangerous. Towards you, towards others, or towards the Labyrinth itself? Did you ever see him turn children to goblins?"
"Objection!" Tiana cried, and he rose in a hurried motion, with both his hands slapping loudly against the wooden tabletop.
"Sustained," allowed the Councillor. "Redirect your line of questioning, Councilman. Scratch that last question?"
"Did you see the Goblin King inflict harm towards himself, or anyone else?"
"Err…"
"Is that a yes, Hoggle?"
"Objection!" Tiana cried again. He had barely had time to sit again, when he jumped up again in his fury. "He's purposely leading the witness."
"Sustained," the Councillor repeated. "But you Hoggle, answer the question."
"Err… He ain't mean to hurt nobody. 'E jus' wanted to distract 'er. Yes, that's right, distract 'er."
"And, who's her?"
"Sarah?"
"Sarah? Surely you don't mean Sarah Williams?"
"O' course I do!"
"No further questions, Councillor." He smirked again, and he leaned forward towards the table where Tiana and Jareth sat. Purposely, and slightly ambiguously, he raised one eyebrow at Tiana. "Your witness," he said haughtily.
"Hoggle," Tiana spoke, and he rose to walk slowly around the table. He crossed the short distance between the table and the Witness stand. "You say the Goblin King purposely physically harmed, Miss Sarah Williams?"
"Yes."
"How? Did he hurt her? Threaten her? Did you ever see him raise a hand to her?"
"Not that I's see."
"And, yet, you insist that my client harmed Sarah Williams?"
"'E gave her the peach!"
"A peach? A peach! But what harm could a peach do?"
"She forgotten."
"She forgot. What did she forget exactly?"
"'Er 'brother."
"Her brother. So, in a manner of speaking, didn't the Goblin King do exactly like he was supposed to do? She wished the child away, no? Didn't she ask to forget? Four times, my client offered Miss Sarah Williams her dreams; and four times she rejected him. Does that sound fair to you?"
"Err… no, but I's—"
"No further questions, Your Honor."
And, returning the smirk in Flynn's general direction, Tiana returned to his seat. Still, Jareth remained passive, but Flynn snorted.