Of Duty and Love
By DragonQueen3
I haven't posted a story in a LONG time. I hope people will like this, I've been tossing different scenes from this around for a while. Love it? Hate it? Want me to print it out and fuel your flames? Let me know!
The breeze softly blew the bright array of autumn leaves through the park, the park she had played in as a child, as she slowly wandered through the fading sunlight. On the other side of the brook she could see the group of townspeople bringing firewood and buckets of candy for the bonfire and trick-or-treating. Tonight was All Hallow's Eve, her favorite day of the year. So many magical things could happen on this night of nights, and that was what she was hoping for.
Over the years since her return from the Labyrinth she had changed. Her love of fantasy had stayed, that was one thing she would never lose, but her tastes had turned to the finer things instead of her childish fantasies. Instead of garish posters of poorly drawn faeries and dragons, she had obtained beautiful prints of highly acclaimed fantasy artist's paintings. She had completely changed her room from a frilly pre-teen's room into a room that any interior decorator would be envious of. No, she was not a child anymore, and she was tired of the fakeness and pointlessness of the world.
The Labyrinth, when reading the book, had been fake and the world real. After her thirteen hours within those walls, she had come to realize that she was wrong, and that the Labyrinth was the true world and Earth was just an alternate universe. Sitting on her windowsill that night, she had realized that she had been given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to catch a glimpse of what life could be like. Life with...him.
That was why she was there, in that park. She was hoping that through some divine miracle she could go back and stay there. Yet she didn't know how to do so without his help. He hated her now, she was sure of it. There had to be some other way of getting back there. If not into the Labyrinth, than into that other world itself.
She sat on the bench where she used to act out scenes from the play. How she used to love that book. She still loved it, but she didn't act it out anymore, not since she had experienced the real thing. The book held a permanent spot on her shelf, and every once in a while she pulled it out, just to remember the adventure, the thrill of having actually done something so big.
Children giggled and twirled around in their store-bought costumes, throwing the leaves around and chasing each other around the bonfire. By now the sun had set and the stars were beginning to poke through the black veil of night. The breeze had picked up, making her pull her thin sweater tighter around her small frame. She gazed up at the sky and wished with all her might that she could go back.
Nothing happened.
Sighing, she squeezed her eyes shut and let her head drop forward. She was foolish for even thinking that it would actually work. She stared at the moon reflected in the water of the little stream next to the stone bench she was perched on. Memories of her trip floated to the surface of her mind, and a smile graced her lips.
Oh, how she would love to go back there.
The air changed, shifted almost, and she suddenly knew she was no longer alone. Glancing up, she saw a short, thin man dressed in a rather ridiculous outfit. His doublet, shoes, and stockings were patterned in Harlequin, and a jester's hat of the same design sat atop his head. He smiled at her.
"Who are you?" she asked, gazing at the amusing little man.
He just tapped his index finger against the side of his nose. "Ah, that is for me to know and for you to forget about. No person has ever learned of my name."
Nothing surprised her anymore. "Ok, then why are you here?"
He chuckled and flipped backwards onto his hands and turned so he could face her. "I'm a thief of sorts, among other choice names people have chosen to title me with. I've worked many jobs, for many different people. Right now I am employed for Lord Leblanc, a half-fae who is in dire need of servants."
She stood up, and tilted over sideways so she could look at him better. "Go on."
"I happened to hear your wish, and I have come to grant it. How would you like to come and be a stable-hand for Leblanc? You could come back to the Underground, no questions asked."
Standing up straight, she pondered this question. She could return to that world, and have a low-status job, or stay here and endure a horrible life of always being scorned for her imagination. She just smiled wryly.
"Is Leblanc a good man?" she asked of the jester, who was now doing cartwheels along the bands of the stream. He stopped and looked at her.
"He's fair at times, but can have a fierce temper if you get on his bad side."
Not like I've dealt with that before.
"I'll go," she said. He hopped up in front of her and took her hand in his. She stared up at the moon, a crescent, and prepared herself mentally for never seeing it again.
The sky twisted, warped, and she felt herself slipping between worlds.
A/N: I do hope people will like this, I plan on actually finishing this one! I plan on making this rather long, so stay tuned.