huzzah! another chapter! I hope you are enjoying reading this as much as I am writing this. I already have an idea for another Labyrinth fan fic! Please read and review so I get some warm fuzzies! :)
I still do not own Jareth (my life would be a lot happier if I did) I still do own Arianna and Bentley
Looking into Arianna's ice blue eyes, Bentley recalled how it all happened. Like his brother, Bentley can take the form of an owl (though he takes the form of a brown owl, rather than a white one). Bentley always enjoyed flying around Aboveground, for he found mortals fascinating. He loved how their dreams and fantasies came close to what his home was like. He thought it was hilarious how distorted some mortals' ideas of magic were. Magic did not solve all problems as so many mortals seem to think it did. Like many things in life, magic presented its own set of problems.
When magic was mixed with royalty, the problems grew. Bentley was always a shy lad, quite unlike his flamboyant brother. Jareth seemed to prefer tight leggings to show off his body, but Bentley preferred to be a little more modest, however, Bentley did also like loose poet shirt, but not for the same reason as Jareth. Bentley chose them for comfort, whereas, his brother chose them to show of his chest. Jareth loved having attention on him at all times. That suited Bentley because he chose not to stand in the spot light. He preferred to stay to himself. When the boys become of age, Jareth basked in the number of girls who flocked to him because of his position. Bentley felt uncomfortable when girls wanted to sleep with him just because he was a prince with great powers. These fae girls were of loose morals. They showed more of their body than Jareth. They didn't want Bentley because of his character. They only wanted him because he was a prince. That is why he took to flying around the Aboveground. The mortals didn't know that a prince was amongst them. All they saw was a standard owl, though very few humans seemed to notice that an owl was awake during the daytime.
Though Bentley was not insane about the girls who threw themselves at him, he did become interested in some girls; after all he was at that age. He loved studying the different types of human girls he saw. Some were more reserved than him, some were more ostentatious than Jareth, some liked kissing other girls, and some liked being alone. Of course, so many girls were more complex than that.
On one of his many outings to the mortal world, Bentley flew into the backyard of a small house. It seemed like the house would fall over if one would blow on it. There were rusted car parts and barren brown grass. Amongst the putrid garbage that was lying around, Bentley saw a girl. This wasn't just any girl. Her skin was as white as porcelain. Her hair was a beautiful shade of gold. Her eyes were mountain blue. Though she was clearly a young girl, Bentley could tell that she would grow up to be a great beauty, for she already had a beauty that was ethereal. He was instantly intrigued by this girl. She sat alone with a worn out doll. She talked to the doll as if the doll was real. "Dolly, you are my only friend. The kids at school make fun of my dirty clothes and I don't even think Mommy wants me. I don't need anyone but you." Bentley's heart tugged for this girl. How could such an angelic child be so unloved? Bentley flew to the front of the house and peered through the living room window. He saw a young woman with brown circles under her eyes and very little meat on her bones injected some sort of drug into her arm. It made a bit more sense to Bentley now. How could this beautiful little girl thrive in such an environment?
Bentley continued to watch the girl as she grew into her teenage years. He would later learn that her name was Arianna. It turned out that Arianna did not thrive at all in her mother's home. She turned out to be like her mother. She did drugs and slept with a multitude of men. She even began to look like her mother, with brown bags under her eyes and very little meat on her bones. Normally, Bentley would turn away from such behavior, but there was just something about this girl that Bentley couldn't ignore. He could see past her drug and sex addictions. He could see that she had a good soul and that she simply needed rescued from such a hostile environment.
Bentley knew that he could not just take her away with him. It would go against the rules of the Underground. Jareth was able to take Sarah away because she beat the Labyrinth and now had certain responsibilities. Arianna had not wished anyone away nor was she of fae blood. Still, Bentley could not sit idly by and watch Arianna slowly kill herself. He strongly felt that if she knew of his world, that she would be smart enough to do the rest. Bentley talked with his brother, Jareth, who had by this time assumed the throne of the goblin king. He explained Arianna's situation. Jareth agreed that if Arianna said the right words and wished herself away, then he would bring her back to the castle.
One night, Bentley returned with a red leather book in his beak. He found Arianna lying in an alley way with a needle hanging out of her arm. He could see such sadness in her eyes, as if she truly regretted doing the drugs. He swooped down and dropped the book within reach of her and then flew up to a tree branch where he would have a clear view of Arianna. He knew that she was going to say the right words. He could feel it.
Bentley watched as Arianna began crying her beautiful eyes out. Amidst the tears, Arianna rolled her head to one side. Upon doing so, she spied a small red book. Written on the front in gold letters was Labyrinth. Though she had drugs in her system, her childlike curiosity pulsated. She picked up the mysteriously placed book and began leafing through it. She read of a land of magic and wishes, goblins and other creatures. This land had no monsters like Arianna was already accustomed to. She read of a king that came and took away children who were not wanted, who were wished away. I know the feeling, Arianna thought to herself. Though not everything seemed perfect in this faraway, magical land, Arianna thought it sounded a whole lot better than her current state. With tears still streaming down her face, Arianna said aloud, "I wish the goblins would come and take me away right now."
Bentley was correct. She said the right words. As soon as the words were said, a white owl flew toward Arianna. When the owl got close enough, it materialized into Bentley's ostentatious brother Jareth. Clouds of glitter swirled around him as Arianna focused her eyes on the sight right in front of her. She was wondering if this vision was a side effect of the drug she had just shot up her arm. "Good evening, Arianna," said Jareth who was clad in all black, including his sparkly cloak. Arianna squinted her eyes as if to focus them. "Who…what are you," the girl asked dazedly. 'Now dear," said Jareth, "That is two questions. As for the first question, I am Jareth, king of the goblins. As to what I am, I am a fae." Arianna's mind could not even begin to register what a fae even was at that moment. She chose to ignore that for the time being. "Um, okay. What are you doing here?" Jareth looked down at the drug addled girl. Truly, his heart went out to this poor thing. "Why because you said the words, of course," Jareth answered. Arianna looked puzzled, "What words?" Jareth mimicked her (in a voice that sounded just like her own), "I wish the goblins would come and take me away right now." Jareth smirked, "I hope you don't mind that I came in place of my goblins. Now I must warn you, since you wished yourself away, there is no going back." Arianna was lost, "where am I going?" Jareth sighed, "Back with me to the castle beyond the labyrinth and the goblin city."
Arianna had a lot to take in at that moment. She wasn't even entirely sure this was just a drug induced hallucination. Then she figured that even if this is indeed real, she had nothing to lose. She was sick of the sex and drugs. Anything had to be better than this. "Okay, mister goblin king. Take me away forever."
Jareth then nodded toward a curious looking brown owl in a nearby tree before he threw down a crystal. Once the crystal was thrown, Arianna disappeared with Jareth down to the Underground. Bentley then flew away in satisfaction, knowing that they had done some good for Arianna. She was going to sober up, and when Bentley felt she was ready, he was going to paint her mornings of gold and spin her valentine evenings, something his brother had taught him.
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