Disclaimer: yeah yeah yadda yadda I don't own please don't sue...by now you should know the drill...
The Retelling
Prologue:
In life, there are events that take place for the soul purpose of shaping a person. Whether the events are for better or worse, is not for anyone to decide except said person. But what if one day a breed of person came along to defy all preset rules and theories? What if I said that new breed of person was me? Would you even believe someone if they suddenly told you this? But now I am getting ahead of myself. Perhaps it is best if I start at the beginning of my dilemia. You see, it all began with a girl, barely 15 years of age, and her younger brother, merely 2 years old...
Chapter 1:
"Toby? Toby? Toby! Why can't you just shut up? It's not bad enough I have to babysit, but now you have to go and start crying? Stupid little step brother! I wish you had never been born. Or even better I wish the Goblin King would come and steal you away!" a fustrated teenage girl named Sarah screamed at a toddler sized boy named Toby.
Sarah, in her mind, had every reason to scream at the toddler as he had every reason to scream at her. Though her efforts were futile in getting the child quiet, they lifted her spirits, if only a little bit for a short while. For as her spirits were being lifted, the wind outside her house lifted as well. Rain and wind seemed to multiply in strength as soon as the word 'king' passed from Sarah's lips. Sarah's surburban home seemed to bend and sway to and fro in this sudden storm. The lights flickered and lightning flashed twice before the house was hidden in darkness. Toby's loud cries abruptly stopped too suddenly for it to seem normal.
"Toby are you okay?"
Sarah's only reply was the sound of a dozen pairs of little feet shuffling along the nursery room floor. She looked around frantically in the dark for a sign of the toddler.
"Toby?"
Sarah whispered more urgently this time. She began to panic as she considered the thought that Toby might be hurt and it would be her fault.
However, Sarah's only reply was the eye of the storm revealing itself and the nursery window slowly creeping open. Sarah gasped and looked towards the window. She expected to see Toby, but instead she glimpsed the parting feathers of a snowy owl and heard faint voices calling her name. Curiosity rivaling with fear, she edged closer to the open window. As soon as her brunette head peeked out of the window, she felt a shove from behind.
Sarah toppled forward through a tunnel void of space and time yet filled with fog. Screaming in terror, Sarah landed on a moss covered hill overlooking a maze of shrubery and brick walls. Pausing in her shouts of alarm momentarily, Sarah chanced a glance backwards because she felt a set of eyes upon her.
"Hello dear Sarah and welcome to my Labyrinth domain," I announced with a smug expression on my face and a smirk on my lips, "I've been expecting you."
(I suppose now is as good a time as any to brief you on who I am exactly. My name is Jareth and I am the Goblin King of the Underground. To the average mortal, this title holds no meaning, but to those amongst you with a vivid imagination, I am the holder of your every wish and desire. I decide the fate of your dreams and I hold your youth in the palm of my hand. How, you may ask, am I capable of so much, yet be so scarcely known? Simple. You see, only those fortunate enough to find a book I have written are capable of understanding the power I hold. A book which is titled after my dear maze, The Labyrinth. Now, with this quick briefing of the history behind myself and the book that lead to dear Sarah's arrival I can continue.)
Sarah stared blankly at the man before her and swayed slighly as if the strangeness of the situation was trying her mentality and stamina.
"This can't be happening," Sarah muttered to herself in an attempt to gain control of her emotions, "This is a dream. You are not in front of the Labyrinth and that man is definately not who you think he might be."
I continue to smirk and reply to her silly rambles," But it is happening, my dear, you are far from dreaming, and I am everything that you want me to be."
Sarah paused in her mutters and began to pace in a tight circle on the hilltop. Her mind was racing as she tried to take in everything that had happened to her in a matter of minutes. She understood that she had caused this to take place. She wished Toby away and she would have to run the Labyrinth in order to have him returned to her, or she would watch as the poor boy was turned into a goblin. As much as the thought of Toby being a goblin appealed to her sense of humor. Sarah knew that if she did not return home with the child, she would be in serious trouble. She turned to face her male obstacle with a new sense of purpose and a hint of attitude to mask her fear and attraction.
"Well, if you are the Goblin King from the book, then I get thirteen hours to run this maze and win back Toby," Sarah rationalized.
I merely nodded at the little show she was trying to put on. Her fears of getting in trouble for losing the child were screaming from her pores, but I decided to humor her. If she wanted to run the Labyrinth to win the child, then I would not stop her. It would have been much easier to just ask for the boy's safe return, in exchange for a stern lecturing about the importance of family, of course; however, females are such feisty creatures and tend to draw things out much longer than necessary.
"If that is what you wish, then very well. You have thirteen hours in which to run the maze or Toby will be mine to do with what I see fit," I answered her," I bet he would make a fine goblin."
I could not resist baiting her with the goblin part. I have no need for turning small children into goblins. They populate just fine on their own. Toby would remain in a smalll nursery for my servants children until she had finished her little trip. Then they would both be returned home, with the older knowing she should be more careful what she wishes for. However, it would be priceless to see the look on this mortal young woman's face after she realized she ran through the Labyrinth for nothing. I wish the Underground had cameras to capture such moments.
Okay that's all of this midnight attempt at a fic. I know I should be working on my other stories, but I couldn't resist posting this to see if anyone likes it more than my other, darker, Laby fic. Reviews are cherished. Adieu for now.
