A/N: I don't own the Labyrinth or any of the characters therein. I do own the originals. And I only aspire for entertainment, not accuracy. Flame me not and I'll flame you not.
Chapter Two: Unspoken NamesFact Two: Never, ever say the name of he who rules the Labyrinth.
Don't ever do it. Not on pain of something far worse than death. Don't call him. Don't say his name. Don't even say his title. You learn that in the Labyrinth, words have power. Names have more power than ordinary words. His name has power beyond your wildest dreams.
If you call him, he'll come to you. If you ask it of him, he will exact his price for it. If you challenge him, he'll not back down. Do not say his name. Don't even think it. It's not worth it.
He is fearsome to behold. He is majestic. He has the glamour of a star. He has the allure of magic. He is the ultimate promise, and the ultimate price. I warn you now, do not defy him. He said it to me once, in warning. I ignored him. I had no choice. You do. You have the choice not to call. If you call, you must defy him. If you don't, you lose. And what he has taken from you is seldom worthless.
He always takes more than he says that he will. He told me that he had taken what I… asked him to. He did not tell me what else he would take. He exacted my innocence and my childishness. He took my naiveté and my lightness of heart. He made me more an adult than some ever become. He tired of fulfilling my expectations. Everything I asked of him, he did, in his own twisted way.
He is to be loved. He is to be feared. He is to be avoided, if you can. And the very best way to do that, is to never ever even think his name.
Curiosity, in this case, will not 'kill the cat'. It will change you. It will challenge you. It will risk everything that you have. Resist the temptation. Save yourself the heartache. Don't ever say his name. Don't make my mistakes. Don't say his name.
Do I regret it?
I'll get back to you on that…