Toddlers that know how to call Kings.

Sarah was a big girl now. She was exactly 3 1/2 years old, and understood lots of things. She could not, however, understand how she was supposed to play nice with her little cousin Meghan, who was a bratty baby! Meghan was almost 2, and couldn't do as many things as Sarah could. She also couldn't listen when Sarah told her to not touch her dollies. Or her beloved Lancelot. Or to not grab at the new puppy's fur, although Merlin, the traitor, didn't seem to mind. Meghan and her family were staying with Sarah and hers for a few weeks and she was very tired of having to deal with all of the messes that Meghan caused for her. She didn't care that they lived all the way far away in Ireland. They could just go right back as far as she was concerned!

And that is when she got a wicked lovely idea...

Her Mommy had recently read to her a wonderful new story; The Labyrinth. Mommy always had the best stories and could really bring the people inside them to life. Also, Mommy said that if you could believe enough, magical things could happen. Well, Sarah knew that Meghan was a brat who deserved to be turned into a stinky old goblin! And, she knew that the Goblin King would be more than happy to come here and grab up a new little goblin, so she would call him and have him remove her problem immediately!

She stumbled over the words a bit, not quite certain if she was saying them exactly right or not. But suddenly, there was an explosion of glitter! And there he stood, in all of his regal glory, Jareth, King of the Goblins! Sarah was mesmerized by the sight of him. His wild hair, so blonde it was practically white, stood out in crazy angles like a halo around his head, his eyes, one brightest blue and the other, deepest brown, looked at her in shock, but still, he stood tall in his black armour and swirling cape and looked for all the world as imposing as anything Sarah had seen in her short lifetime.

But... she was unafraid of this imposing man. This Goblin King.

He arched a brow at her... he remembered the babe, how she had grown! He would occasionally check in on her, ensuring all was alright. He knew her Mother had a copy of his book. It had resided in her family for years, he wasn't certain, but years and years ago there must have been a little Fae in their bloodlines. It seemed like when Sarah had been born, it had all settled into her. She was holding her ground, admirably. So he asked her if she was indeed the one who had called him.

His voice was like bells, Sarah decided. Pretty for a boy, but somehow it suited him just right. She nodded her head at his question. "Yes. I called you. Meghan isn't being a good girl, so you should take her far far away and just keep her!" He chuckled. Her little voice was sure and strong, and she seemed to think what she was doing was for the best. Meghan, it seemed, had not really noticed him. She was draped atop the fluffy sheepdog pup, chewing contentedly on the little foot of a rag-doll. Jareth went to her, and, picking her up, removed the doll from her mouth and handed her another small doll that looked suspiciously like a goblin. She smiled and clapped her hands gleefully. He sent her off, whispering for her to find her Mommy and go see her, watching as she toddled out of the playroom. He turned to see Sarah, the tiny precious thing, looking aghast.

"I called you to take her far far away! Instead you gives her toys? That's not fair!" she accompanied this announcement with a stomp of her little foot. Jareth only smiled at her little outburst. He conjured up a chair and sat rather regally in it. "Sarah. Little precious Princess, come here." He held out his arms and only had to wait but a moment before she came willingly. He scooped her up and settled her into his lap. She looked up at him, still wearing a small frown and he laughed, gently, he rubbed a finger across her brow, attempting to smooth out that frown. After a few passes of his finger, the girl giggled and swatted at his hand. "No fair King o' de Goblins! You gotta take her away now!" Jareth began to hum a tune as he rocked the girl, waiting for her to calm some more.

Finally, when he felt she was ready, he explained that only adults could wish away children, and that they then had 13 hours to run his special Labyrinth in order to get the wished-away child back if they truly wanted to. Children could not, under any circumstances, wish each other away. It just was not done.

When Sarah once more informed him it was not fair, he only chuckled at her and told her to imagine how crowded the Underground would be with all of those children that other children had wished away. How many goblins he would have running around the place! "No, Sarah-Precious. You can't wish away your cousin Meghan. However, that doll I gave her? It will keep her more amused than playing with your toys, so let her have it. She will not touch your things again, so your dollies are safe. Have patience, my darling child. She will one day no longer be so annoying as you think she is and will be a good friend. Now here, have a snack and think no more of wishing her away." He then handed her a large, perfectly ripe and juicy peach... eagerly, she took it and bit in, and all was forgotten as the sweetness of the peach stole over her, and soothed away all of her hurt and anger. Jareth left her, snacking away happily on her peach, with a kiss atop her head, and in a swirl of glitter.

Months would pass before Sarah's Mother could finally get all the glitter cleared away, and in that time she could barely keep the girl in peaches, her new favourite fruit.