Whaaaaat? Another story? AHHHH! This story is pretty much finished but there's a lot of editing to do for most of the chapters, but this first chapter is ready to go, so I'll publish this first. (Also yes I keep saying I'll update Strangers Till Now but I keep deleting the chapter I'm on because I'm a bit stuck but I will try to update soonish, maybe? LOL)

This is a Beauty and the Beast type story, although I will say that this is more "inspired" by it rather than based on it. In fact, this first chapter mirrors the Disney film and the legend the most.

This is a much more straight forward story than most of my stories. It's about love, no big bad guys or anything like that. The struggle is mostly within Jareth, but there is some in Sarah too. This is very much a romantic story but it's also about growth, about being a better person than you had been in the past. Sarah's story in the film was about her journey in redemption and growth. This is Jareth's.

As always, thank you for taking the time to read this story. There are many, many amazing ones out there. I don't get paid to write this so please keep that in mind for any critiques, but please give critiques and compliments my way kindly! I have become a better writer by your reviews!

Once upon a time, in a world of magic, there was a young prince. He was born to a particular race of immortals called Faeries, living his life without any real care for anyone or anything but himself.

He may be a Prince, but nowhere anyone who would ever have to rule anything one day. He had older siblings and cousins who would have such an honor. Not that he cared. Why would he? He already riches, parties, and any form of entertainment that he wanted. Someone else can take care of other people, he would stay where he was with his endless fun.

The young Prince was a classic example of someone who was not evil, but not quite good either. He was a selfish man who would not seek to hurt anyone, but he would not seek to help one in need either. Nothing was more important to him but himself. Anything he wanted, he got just by his natural charm. However, he never deceived anyone, for he never needed nor wanted to.

When he grew out of adolescence, his family realized the result of their neglect. He was so far gone, he would not listen to reason, thinking with the idea of "every person for themselves" for he had a false sense of entitlement, thinking that he had hardships that were comparable to others.

One particular night, he was hosting a ball, as he often did. Beautiful men and women adorned their faces with jewels, their lips painted and their cheeks powdered. They had on the finest threads used for their clothing and the finest tailors make it just for them.

As was common for weary travelers, they would approach homes and other living places, no matter how run down or how grand it was as there were not always inns that were easily accessible. One such woman, obviously sickly looking, was knocking on the castle door, pleading to come in.

The workers took her in, as the Prince did not mind weary travelers so long as they do not bother his partying schedule. It was also the rules of hospitality, to play the good host for a weary traveler.

However, this lady in particular wanted to thank him for his hospitality as he was the host. She had a glass of milk and settled in a spot in the kitchen. She turned to a maid to ask for help. "My dear, can't you ask for the master or mistress of the house to come and greet me?"

"He's at a party currently, madam." She said kindly. This was normally enough of a reason, for the Prince did not like to be disturbed. "He will not be available."

"Oh? What kind of a party is it?" She asked. "Exclusive invitation?"

The main snorted. "If it wasn't then I don't know what is."

"So he passes out individual invitations?" The woman asked.

"No, madam." The maid replied. "There is no formal invitation, just certain people of a particular caliber are invited to be here. Forgive me, but I must leave to serve His Royal Highness."

"Your Royal Highness, a pleasant party as always." One nobleman praised him and handed him a drink. "You always have new ideas and the best of times."

The Prince smiled at the praise. "Why, thank you. My workers help me set things up. Not like I would do it myself anyhow."

"Ah, but you designed it. And they get handsomely paid, don't they?"

"Indeed they do."

A few dances, and the Prince was twirling a few ladies and some gentlemen here and there in his arms, adoring the attention by all as the most desirable bachelor in the realm.

He would always remain a bachelor, to the disappointment of nearly everyone. They would get a dance, a kiss, just a small taste of him then take their leave. He did not need to marry like his higher ranking family, so why would he? And he had no love for any person. He thought it was a load of hogwash anyway. Love. Even his own parents did not love each other. And what was the point of a marriage if two people could not even stand each other?

Out of the corner of his eye, there was something, or rather, someone who did not match the scene. In the pristine floor among the rich and wealthy was a sick woman who was huddling towards him.

The Prince did not like this at all. It ruined the scene and made his guests uncomfortable to see poverty. He had to amend this right away!

"Are you the good Prince who has allowed me in?" She asked him, her face masked by the hood of her rags.

"I ask that you leave the party, please." He said with words sharper than a knife. "I have guests to attend to. You may stay in the guest room, I shall have someone set it up for you."

"I just wanted to thank you." She held something out. "Please take it as my token of gratitude."

He curiously looked at what was in her hands.

A peach.

A perfectly round peach, with the loveliest aroma coming from it. Considering how she was dressed in rags and asking for a place to stay with nothing but the clothes on her back, one should realize how precious such a gift is, especially as she did not even take one nibble off of it.

The Prince did not think this way.

He shoved it back to her without a second glance. "Thank you, but please leave. I do not have time for this nonsense."

She reached after him. "Sir, that is a delicacy. It is the only thing of value that I had to give you."

"I don't need pity or even thanks." He whirled on her. "I have everything I would ever need, it is an insult to my and my wealth to offer me something like this. I will not have myself owing you."

His pride was hit, because he did not understand what it was like to say "thank you" for the sake of it and not for any ulterior motives.

"You refuse to accept a gift from one like me? Why, because I am not well off like you are? Because you see me as a charity case or one you must put up for that is what duty says?" She gritted her teeth.

He bent down to what would be her eye level. "If you dare speak ill to me, then you can walk right out the front door!"

His roar was so loud that even the music stopped. The guests all were pointing and whispering about what could make the Prince so angry.

It only took a few seconds for the partygoers to heckle and boo at the visitor. For how dare she ruin their fun?

The Prince had expected her to whither away or to listen to him, so that he can go back to his fun.

What he did not expect was for her to throw her hood back and to stare at him with the deepest kind of disappointment and fury.

She, like every other fae, had magic. But she was more powerful than most.

For she was the High Queen of the Underground.

She was also the Prince's grandmother.

He got to his knees and begged when he saw her floating in the air, her golden blonde hair flowing around her. In her earlier days, she had not just been a beautiful woman, but a warrior.

"Please." The Prince clasped his hands, begging. "Please forgive me."

"SILENCE!" She commanded him. "I am so disappointed in you, myself, and your father for allowing you to be like this. He knew better than to leave you to your own devices and to have unlimited access to wealth. I should have paid more attention, and it is one of my deepest regrets that my own posterity would be so cold and cruel to a weary traveler, a grave sin, as you well know."

"I did not know who you were, Grandmother!" He said.

"It does not matter!" She bellowed. "You are no better than the other creatures of the Underground. No one is above anyone else! Not even I, for being a ruler means to in the service of others. Unfortunately, your cousin Hathor is right, you are too far gone to have any normal punishment."

She swept her hand around the room of people who had also gotten on their knees. "You all should be ashamed of yourselves! Not only did you allow my grandson to go on with this behavior, you have participated in such heinous acts! Every guest here, mark my words, you will be let go, but next time, I will not be so kind."

They all whispered words of affirmation that they understood her.

The Prince breathed in a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Your High Majesty."

She floated to him. "You, my precious grandson, how I have had so many fond memories of you as a boy bouncing on my knee. I love you more than words can say." She placed a hand under his chin.

He felt optimistic at this. So he would just go back and party, and to tell his workers to not let anyone bother him and set his temper, that was all he needed to do.

The High Queen's countenance changed into one of great sadness. "Which is why this will hurt more than tearing my limbs apart to do."

He didn't even get to ask when he felt icy cold winds blowing around him, as if he was moving through a tornado.

When it stopped, he opened his eyes and saw that he was no longer in his castle. He was on stone floors instead of fancy marble, his grandmother in front of him.

"Where am I?" He asked her.

She opened a curtain. "You, my boy, are in Goblin City. They have a need for a king or a queen, as the last one in line has passed away."

"No." The Prince started at her in horror. "You can't."

"You need to understand the importance of taking responsibility for your own actions." She said without passion in her voice.

"I can't be king!" He yelled at her. "No, you can't do this to me!"

"Prince Jareth, I now declare you King of the Goblins."

"NO!"

Anywhere but here, where he would be isolated from the majority of his kind.

"And to further your punishment, you will be isolated from other immortals who live here as well. No more grand balls. No more exclusive parties. It is time you learned to care for every sentient creature. It's time for you to stop being so conceited and entitled."

"And how long will you keep me here for?" He roared at her, no longer trying to gain her favor. "Until I rot from madness at not being able to communicate with a sentient person?"

She folded her arms. "You are being dramatic as always. You have dwarves, goblins, foxes, rock callers, many others who can communicate. This castle has books as well. You can improve the lives of others, be a better man. To answer your question, Jareth, you will be isolated here until someone will proclaim to you his or her love for you and to you. Truly, really love you. Not because of an illusion. Not because they love the idea of love, but because that person loves you with every bit of their heart. Until you can find one who will break this spell, you will remain here for eternity. Hopefully by that time, you will have learned to think of someone other than yourself without ulterior motives. That you may learn to love yourself."

"How can that happen if I'm isolated from everyone?" He demanded.

"There will be a way." She promised. "For it has been foretold that it will."

"You believe in silly, nonsense prophecies?" He asked.

"It is the only thing that gives me faith in you to one day have a fulfilling life." She said with sadness in her eyes. "You are so far gone, my grandson."

He said nothing. His eyes were filled with the most foul hatred.

The High Queen started to disappear. "May you be deserving of happiness and to one day receive it."

When she disappeared, goblins came around him to swear fealty but he did not care. He ran out of the castle and tried to leave the Goblin Kingdom but could not from some invisible force field. He ran around the castle, frantic with worry.

Who would love him? The only people who came around were children who were wished away and anyone who was grown were Runners of the Labyrinth.

Besides, who could ever love someone like him?

For the first time, he admitted who he was. For who would ever love a monstrous beast like himself?

There is more to his backstory, which will be revealed in later chapters. As you can see, he's very much a selfish jerk. Not evil, and you'll see that he DOES have a code of honor but yeah, that's the problem with a lot of people in this world in my opinion: they're not evil, they're just selfish and don't care about others which leaves them hurt.

I have chosen to make this story rated K+ because I want to give something to my younger readers, and I want to prove that you can write a story that is just as complex and meaningful without adding "adult stuff" in it. Not that I'm against it, in fact I tend to almost always read rated M stories lol. Also, I wanted this to be within the Disney Fairy Tale sort of series that I've started. The other two so far are Once Upon a Dream and A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes.

Please leave a review! Thank you again for taking this chance! I appreciate it more than I can say!