Ok, give this one a chance. It is before the Labyrinth, but Sarah is in the story, you'll just have to wait and find out how she'll appear ;) I'm really excited about this story, so please don't forget to comment on it! I'm on summer break so I should be able to concentrate on this one, for that matter, my other story is postponed until this story is completely out of my head. Oh yeah, I don't own Laby..blah blah blah, but certain original characters are mine. There, that should suffice.
It crept through the night, a sliver of silver and moonlight riding on the air currents; stealthy, quiet, and focused. No one saw it, nor sensed it as it flitted through the village, passing this door, passing that door, until it came upon a small house a ways from the others. It was perfect; a small one room cottage, no window but a wonderfully wooden door with a small crack between the floorboards and the door itself. A small breeze moved the air invitingly, and with a near unperceivable movement it snuck under the door and entered the home.
It wasn't long before it saw what it wanted; there, in the corner, on a small cot, lay a child. Children were the easiest to turn, somehow their innocence called to its very core, and it moved through the air and hovered over the babe. The child's breathing had a smooth rhythm and without a second thought the baby breathed in the very air over it; oblivious to the poison it would bring.
Mornings in the Underground were a joyous occasion. The sparkling gold rays of the sun broke over the neighboring mountains as if singing a victory over the pass. The villages were washed with the warm light, the sun's pink tendrils brightening to its purest color of gold. To many, the sun's rising was a sign of a new day, a brighter day that held all forms of promise, but not on this day.
The villagers were gathered in the center square already as the sun curved up from the east. Several women wept, but none as hard as a raven haired women standing in the center of the crowd. At her feet, a black bundle was crumpled on the ground, moving and cackling as if possessed. As the sun's rays lowered onto this bundle, the material was removed and staring back at the villagers was a monstrous sight. The creature had huge black eyes, a strange, piggish nose, tall ears, and fangs, but the villagers drew back as they discovered the skin was coarse and rough, like leather, and the creature cackled at them.
The raven haired women sobbed, "I woke up this morning to this…this…thing." She spat, "There was no sign of my child…" Her eyes searched for anything, anything to keep her from looking at the thing at her feet. A few voices from the crowd cried to burn the abomination, and as the crowd's voices grew in agreement, a lone figure passed through them.
It was an old woman, older than many of them, and she had wrapped a shawl over her shoulders, tugging at it as she came closer to the dark haired women and the baby. "Destroy it?" She asked and the crowd shouted in glee. "Whatever for? Has it done anything to you?" There was no answer and the woman bent down to view the creature before her, the villagers holding their breath. "Little one, can you understand me?" The creature gave a weak, but recognizable nod. "Hmm…well, little goblin, little friend, what shall we do with you?"
"Drown it if you want, but take it far away from me." The dark haired women said glaring down her nose. There was no sympathy in that tone, just the desire to be rid of an unwanted pest and the old woman stood, shaking her clothes into place.
"Kill your own child?" The woman sighed and reached toward the creature, who placed a clawed hand into her own. "Such a pity, but never fear; I have heard of this happening in other places in the Underground as well…perhaps the king shall have an answer." The villagers shouted the king's name and the woman smiled. At least the villagers had some common sense. Without a backward glance, the old woman shifted the creature into her arms and walked away, walking towards the rising sun, for all knew the king's city, in the middle of his magnificent maze, was always to the rising sun.
Jareth glared at the mound of papers on his desk with a desire to engulf them all in flames, a habit he did not wish to indulge often, but this past week's reports were testing his patience and with annoyance he pounded his fist on the desk, threw his feet up and leaned back in the over sized chair. The page waiting at the door knew that pose and clinched his teeth. It was never a good day to be servant in Jareth's castle when that expression was used and he took in a deep breath, which didn't happen to be such a bright idea for it brought the crystal gaze of the king's mismatched eyes upon him. With a sigh Jareth brought his fingers to the bridge of his nose and rubbed them slowly, never taking his mismatched eyes away from the servant. After a brief second he lowered his feet and leaned his elbows on them, "Find Didymus for me; have him report here immediately."
With a curt bow and an audible "Yes, Lord," the page turned and silently left the room. Jareth smiled slightly and shook his head, his blonde-white locks loosely falling around his eyes and down his back as he grabbed at an envelope and shook the paper open. Another case of this mysterious "illness", he crumpled the paper ruthlessly and this one did catch flame, smoldering and turning to ash in his grasp. He stalked to a window and peered out into the city surrounding the castle. Most everything was as it should be, the village was peaceful, prosperous, and housing a plague, he thought bitterly as he saw the rundown housing at the very furthest reaches of the city within the walls. That was where all the "goblins" were being housed, and no matter what Jareth declared, more arrived everyday. A burden; and a mystery to him.
Jareth felt the monstrous footsteps approaching his office before he actually heard them, and smiled his first real smile of the day as his door opened, allowing entrance for a large, burly man with bright, red, curly hair that was cut close to his ears. This man's black eyes sparkled with humor and his lips curved upward, barely seen through the bush of matching red hair that supported a beard. "Having a loving morning, or so the page tells me?"
"Don't jest, I'm not really in the mood," Jareth said leading Didymus to the chair across his desk. "Did you see them, the make-shift villages?"
Didymus rubbed his beard thoughtfully, "Aye, I saw 'em…you're going to have to do something about them…and soon. The city can't handle many more of these refugees."
A scoff escaped Jareth's throat, "Wonderful, eventually Dorensae will be known as the "Goblin City"." A deep sigh followed and Jareth handed Didymus a few of the reports, which the large man read quickly, a frown appearing on his brow. "They expect me to solve every problem instantly," exasperation crept into his tone, "I'm a king, not a god!" Didymus nodded but remained quiet a moment longer, examining the letters once more before setting them on the desk. Another envelope caught his beady eyes and he reached for it, looking for permission from his monarch. When Jareth gave a slight nod of approval, Didymus opened the seal and shook his head a moment after reading the unfolded letter. He wordlessly handed the paper to Jareth, allowing the king a scant moment to read before speaking.
"Tarrence and the other Lords wish a counsel…no doubt to discuss the rising "goblin" populations in their provinces." Didymus sat back in his chair and took a deep breath. "It probably would be of benefit to us to participate; seeing as your decisions are final."
"Very well," Jareth breathed, "though you know I dislike having all my lords in one place…too dangerous." He stood and walked past Didymus, placing a hand on his shoulder, "See to the details." Didymus nodded as his king, and his truest friend walked from the room.
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