Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚

Sarah looks at the door to her home, memories of coming home late from playing in the park all day. She takes a deep breath before unlocking the door and walking inside and proclaiming "I'M HOME!"

She looks around and listens for any running feet, any quiet chatter between her dad and bonus mom.

Her eyes land on the counter and a pink neon sticky note laid on there. They must not be home. She closes the door and walks over and picks it up. They had to go pick up Toby from his trombone lessons. She rolled her eyes with a smile. He really loved playing the trombone.

The hours he spent making it scream through the halls when she was trying to study, was a pleasant memory now...instead of terrible when it actually happened.

She couldn't wait to see how much better he had gotten.

She took all of her suitcases from the house, and rushed upstairs to her room and placed it at the doorway and opened it widely. "Oh how I've missed you!" She proclaimed and ran over to flop on her bed. It creaks underneath her, which she believed might be a hello.

She forced herself to sit up and look around her room. She stopped as she looked at the closet. It was slightly open and a toy was slightly peeking out.

"Sir Lancelot?" She grins as she gets up and opens her closet doors. The boxes had been torn open and had been rearranged. Toby wrote her all the time about her wonderful toys, and the adventures he's given them.

She peers over the box and her grin falls a little as she sees the familiar book. How did she forget about the Labyrinth? A pang goes through her heart. She hadn't talked to Hoggle and her friends in so long. But Sarah was grown up now. She had new adventures she had to set sail towards.

She looked at the other boxes. Maybe it was time she gave up the things she didn't use anymore. She really didn't want to end up like the lady goblin who had things piled on her.

The book felt like a stranger now, instead of a familiar friend. This wasn't where it's home should be now. Her own little piece of magic, needed to be set free. She never thought she would have to give it up, but she knew in her heart, that this was what she had to do.

She thought maybe one day if she had a daughter or son, they could read it...and hopefully not wish away any siblings.

She takes out the boxes and goes through her things and packs things into a donation box. After she was done, she gingerly placed the book on top, and closed the flaps and taped it up, and wrote donations.

"SARAH!" Toby yells from downstairs.

"UP HERE YOU LITTLE MONSTER!" Sarah says going to the doorway. He runs up to her and tackles her down. Sarah tickles him.

"NO NO NO!" He yells laughing. Sarah stops and he says "The college goblins let you go! I'm so glad!"

"Well those college goblins are only letting me stay for the summer."

Toby groans. "I wis-"

Sarah placed her finger against his lips. "Nah-ah! Remember we don't wish around here." He stuck his tongue out and then began rambling about how his band made sound effects for every step their teacher made.

"Hey, Toby, you want to help me drop these off at Goodwill? I need strong arms and unfortunately...I'm fresh out of those." She says fake pouting.

Toby nodded excitedly and pushed his sleeves off and showed his 'muscles' and presented them with pride. "See? I'm really strong and I can lift heavy boxes for you!"

"Alright big boy, let's get these boxes to my car."

"Toby is on his way OUT of DA HOUSE!" He says after making some beat boxing noises.

Sarah walks down and looks at her bonus mom. "Since when does Toby talk in outro's to rap songs?"

"It's a new Toby-ism...and Sarah welcome home."

Sarah smiles a little, the words touching her heart. "I've gotta run these to Goodwill, but I'll be back."

"Busy busy Sarah, never has any time for her parents." Her dad says amused. "Be back soon for dinner."

She hugs them and goes out to the car.

She unlocks the car and he sits in the passenger seat and buckled up.

"Hey who said you could sit here?" Sarah asked teasingly.

"I did. You haven't seen me in a year, so you've gotta make up for it." Toby said. 

"Fair."

Toby pulled out a CD "You have to listen to the Sirens, their song 'The King' is the BOMB! I think Odio is my favorite!" 

Sarah laughs "Is that where you get your little outros from?"

"Duh!" He puts the CD in.

Toby chattered on about school and his new schoolmates and how everything was dull without her there, as they listened to the entire album. "I haven't found anyone who comes up with entertaining stories like you! Mom and dad tried to be as good as it, but they talk about taxes and stuff like that. Nothing exciting."

Soon they pull into the parking lot and walk over to the donation bin. She pulled it open and they loaded it up as Toby pretended to show off his 'muscles'.

It hit her that this was her final goodbye to the Labryinth forever.

"Please...find someone who'll take care of you better than I did."

She wouldn't have changed anything about her adventure.

"Goodbye my friends." She whispered as they pulled out of the parking lot. 

She wouldn't have traded the adventure for anything, but it's time for her to grow up. 

Emily thumbs through the book. "What's a Labryinth?" She calls out to her manager. "I don't know just throw it with the rest of the books." Her manager says. Emily shrugs going to put the book in front of the others. 

She gets a text on her flip phone and she leaves it on the top shelf looking for who it was. She grins and her manager comes over. "Emily get off the phone-"

"No no no, it's all good, look, I think he's gonna propose tonight!" 

"Aren't you both 17?" The Manager says raising an eyebrow.

"Oh come on, it's true love." She swoons moving past the books leaving the Labyrinth tucked out of place. 

"Sure. And I'm on my 3rd divorce, it always starts off that way." They go towards the counter. 

Days turned to weeks turned to months, and still no one had picked it up.

Not because no one could see the worth, but simply because the book did not choose anyone. No one was worthy to touch its pages, especially the grubby children goblins who had popsicle hands and would ruin its quality. 

Eventually, it got lowered to the diet and self help books that long outgrew their wisdom. Too small to grab anyone's attention. Time going too fast for anyone to slow down and see what was special about it. 

Thrift stores were no place for a magical book.

One day a new manager told another employee to throw it away, since no one has bought it. Not even once.

An employee had an attachment to the book, mostly based on her fear of being abandoned herself and had imagined the book had its own consciousness, and googled the book. Surely it had to be worth something. 

And it was. The only copy of the book in existence.

She took the book and auctioned it online, and earned a lot of money.

It was sold to an antique shop in (your hometown) and was shipped there.

And so this story starts again, as it did before, and as it will many times after.

But this time it starts with you.

┏ •◦இ•◦ ┓┗━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━┛┏ •◦இ•◦ ┓

ᴰᵃʸˢ ᴳᵒⁿᵉ ᴮʸ is an Antique store in (Your Hometown). It was as old as the antiques it sold, and was the sole reason why your bank account suffered.

Well, besides (Monsters/energy drinks/guilty snacks/hobbies).

Days Gone By was run by an old woman named Willow, who dyed her white hair different colors every few weeks.
She was the person you wanted to be. Being the most mysterious person in town, give out suspiciously good advice that applies to you, and get free things from people who never tell the same story on how they know you.

Ethereal even in old age.

Your hand clutched onto your paycheck and you tapped your foot waiting for the green man to pop up on the black screen.

You always promised yourself you would spend your money responsibly. Like saving up for a house in a dying economy, or even for future projects. But that was a nice dream to have. No one has money for anything really, so you might as well buy trinkets to decorate your elevator to death.

It finally switches, and you rush to the store.

The bell on the door chimes as you walk in. All of your worries and stress from work falls away. You were always safe here. No matter what was going on. A safe haven for years. 

"Willow? You here?" You call out, looking through the towering shelves.

"Hello love!" She calls and walks out from, a logically unable to hide behind, small beam. You noticed her hair went from Orange, to a bright pink. No tint of Orange was left. What wizardry did she use?

"Oh. You dyed your hair. Well done. I can't even see white or Orange."

Willow beams "I'm doing this for my friend, she got breast cancer a few weeks ago. Oh! Speaking of breasts, we have new antique dolls that have detailed breasts. A few girls from the high school have been begging to let me have them do work to save up for it. Odd isn't it? Good to see young doll collectors in this age."

oh.

You stifle a laugh as you realize what she means and you clear your throat "I'm just looking today, I'm not gonna buy anything." You lie, making your way through the maze of shelves that get moved around constantly.

"Oh really?" Willow asks skeptically. "Tell me when you want to check out!"

You were looking for something specific. A big tall mirror that you could put in the corner of your room. You were going....

(To put moss and mushrooms on there to add to the forest theme of your room./to put seashells and blue glitter that hopefully wouldn't fall off to add to the ocean theme/to paint it gold to make it more of a princess-y vibe/to put skulls on it to feel like a dark gothic queen/to replace the mirror that had broke because of a freak accident.)

You didn't find it.

"You sold the big mirror?" You call out, hoping it was somewhere you hadn't looked. 

"Yes! Mr. Mose purchased it for his daughter's 13th."

You groan letting your head fall back annoyed.

It just wasn't meant to be. You would have to find a mirror somewhere else. But nothing could replace it in your heart.

...

Alright now you were done being dramatic. And since you were here anyway, you could peruse other items.

You moved past a tapestry that had the phases of the moon on it with three witches holding up an orb, the swords section, and of course the small statues. You cross the shop and find the book section.

It was filled with a lot of leather backs and a few shirtless men covers. None of the models looked interesting enough, however, so you ignored them. 

However, as you continued to browse, one book drew your attention.

A small dark red leather book with gold lettering.

You took it off the shelf, and flipped it over. No author name, no authors note, no description, and no publication names. There were indents on the top of the pages where a thumb had rested on it. Someone had really loved this thing before giving it up.

You could find yourself smiling to yourself a little bit as you began to open it and read the first few pages. You knew this was going to be a re-read immediately, no matter how heartbreaking the ending might be.

You found yourself at 10 pages, then at 20. You had to force yourself to stop. This was just dying to meet the other books in your bookshelf.

You walk to the counter and set it down and looked at the door, casually looking as if you were about to ask to buy drugs, but really it was just the serotonin of a purchase you shouldn't be buying. "Hey Willow! How much is this one? I'm just curious, I'm not buying or anything."

She looked over from her box computer and raised an eyebrow. "And here I thought you might have left without buying anything, it would be the first time in history!" She looks down at the book and she smiles in recognition "Ah, this book! I recently got it from an online auction. This was ($529/426 pounds/478 Euros) but I'll sell it for half that-."

Your fingers immediately retracted from the book as if you were a faery touching iron.

That was way too much.

"Actually I'm going to put this back, this is way out of my price range-"

She leans over and puts her hand on your shoulder. You glance up into her eyes as she chuckles. "Y/n. You've kept me in business for years, talked with this old lady just because you wanted to be friends with the crazy woman, and you've kept me company. Let me give you this book and let it be company for you. I saw how invested you looked."

Your mouth dropped open and before you could thank her, or cry, she handed the book to you.

"It's free. Go and take it home, but hide it from your mother. If she catches you reading at the reunion today she won't be happy. Marilyn told me all about your extended family's adventures in the town."

Your heart skipped a beat in fear as you realize what day it was. You were going to get beat in your big age.

"Wait today's  THE Monday? Oh no-" You asked rhetorically realizing your mess up "I totally forgot about that, I gotta go. Thank you so much Willow!" You rush outside, the door ringing as you make your exit.

"TELL YOUR FATHER I SAID HELLO!" Willow shouted after you.

You wave her off as a 'I will!'.

You dash home as fast as you could, inwardly cursing. You knew you were forgetful at times, but this was the one time you shouldn't be late. You were huffing by the time you got home.

You quickly open the door to see your mother in the kitchen dressing up her casserole. The glare you received almost killed you right then and there.

"Y/n (M/n) (M/n) L/n!" Your mother said pulling out the full government name. "I thought we agreed that you were coming back home right afterwork!" She takes off her apron and places it on the island and walks over. 

"I'm sorry I forgot today was the reunion! Work scrambled up my brain."

"I'm going to scramble up your brain. Now go and get dressed. You're not wearing that."

You rushed over to your room and tried to pick a fast but cool outfit. You opened your window and checked to see if it was windy, or if the howling was coming from the neighbors dog.

It was the dog.

That dog was always howling, you sometimes threw it meat to get it to shut up. You didn't have any on hand so you let it howl. 

You start to push your window down but you see an owl shift on the branch. You pause as you look it head on. Wasn't that a barn owl? They were supposed to be nocturnal...and they never went into the city. 

"Um...hello?" You ask it.

It tilts its head and you pull the window completely down as you shiver. You don't want that thing to suddenly fly into your room. It's eyes were too human. You didn't like that.

You went to the bathroom and changed, and then made sure your bag was prepped with everything you needed.

[Weapons/Drawing items/Portable chargers/writing material/snacks/others]

There. That should do.

You open the bag's "Hidey Hole" and slip the Labyrinth book inside it. Then you take a decoy book and place it in your bag. You close your door and walked over to the front door. 

Your dad was standing there struggling with the tie in the mirror. "Oh for-" Your mother says sighing as she rounds the corner. "Y/n hold the casserole dish." She says placing the hot dish in your arms and turning to your father.

Ow ow ow.

"You're helpless!" Your mother says. "I know." Your dad says with a small smile. "You think you'd learn after all these years, it goes this way!"

"I like the way you put on my tie." He sighs simply a man happy with just being near his wife.

She swats his shoulder lightly shaking her head. "I'd appreciate that compliment any other day. We are late!" She says and takes the hot casserole dish out of your arms and looks you up and down. 

"You didn't bring a book right? I better not catch you reading. You don't get to see your family a lot. You have to at least let them know you still know they exist."

"I didn't bring a book." You lied. She placed her hands on her hips and turned to you with The Look.

"Open the bag."

You do and she pulls out your decoy book and looks you up and down. "I know you better than you think I do." She puts it on the table and turns to your dad. "You too, f/n." Your dad sighs and begrudgingly pulls his book out of his jacket with a small smirk.

You look away pretending you didn't see another book outline on the side of his shirt.

You all pile up in the car and after 40 minutes of driving, arguing over the directions on the paper map, and getting concerned over the cloudy sky, you finally got to the reunion.

The reunion was always held in a lake house, where the grandparents cooked and baked, and in exchange for food, everyone talked and ate with each other. They put away all political arguments until right before dessert, when everyone at least could enjoy a few meals.  The kids would go outside and play with each other while adults yelled.

Normally, there were a few who practiced summoning demons with sticks and leaves reciting lyrics to edgy rock songs from the 70s that contributed to Satanic Panic.

Some ran around screaming non stop. 

The few who ignored everyone and just caught up on life, most likely to join the adults as soon as they were old enough. 

And while you were in your early 20s, you still had yet to stay inside at the reunion and 'become an adult'. You preferred the kids. And the adults preferred you to sit at the kids table anyway.

Even if it meant participating in a mud ritual that was supposed to make the sun stay up longer. 

The car stops and everyone unbuckles and gets out. Your dad scratched his nose and nodded at you. You repeated the signal. He smiles and your mom drags him away, as they made their way into adult territory. 

You stand by the car watching your mom boss him around. You pretend to gag at the sight. You pause, considering where you wanted to go first. Soon you gave up and went over to where there was screaming. At least you could have a free show as you read. 

Those screaming voices belonged to Jack and Sarah, the twin cousins who were both 13, and absolutely unhinged. 

"DIE YOU STUPID OGRE!" Sarah yells waving her branch at him, using all her strength to attack.

"NAY!" Jack yells back and blocks her with the 'sword' which was really just a smaller stick. 

Things looked like it was the height of their dramatic play. 

Though which one you were supposed to root for, you didn't know just yet. 

2

"I can't believe you would betray me. My own flesh, my own blood! I had worked so hard to conceal your gift and this is how you repay me?" Sarah shrieks.

"Dear sister, couldn't you see this was written in the stars? In the blood of our ancestors? You knew from when we could speak that this was to be so." Jack says. "I was not meant to be your hero. I am your villain. Ever since birth, I was not meant to be your supporter. I am your ending."

Maybe this was a good time to let them know you were here. Maybe you'd get the details.

You walk closer to them and clear your throat. "Hey!"

This captures the attention of the twins.

Sarah grins at Jack, seizing the opportunity of his distraction and stabs at his midsection, making him double over.
"Never look away from your opponent. I thought you would know better by now, Jackie. The hero always wins." She says raising her stick up to go for the final blow. 

Jack rolls his eyes and pushes her branch away and runs over to you and hugs you tightly. "Y/n! She's being a bi- brute. She's being a brute. Stop her."

"Wuss." She says rolling her eyes before looking at you and smiling. "Thanks for helping me win Y/n."

Jack lets go of you and speaks, but Sarah talks over him, dominating the conversation. "They have lots of cookies and cupcakes, I think we have more desserts than food this year! Except I'd sneak in there, grab what you want, and quickly leave, Grandma Ira asked me if I was dating anyone. I'm 13. The only thing I should be paying attention to is math class."

"You don't even pay attention in math though?" Jack points out wiping the leaves off of his coat.

"Exactly, how am I supposed to have a boyfriend? Both of those things require too much effort that I don't have." She says tossing her hair.

"Hey boys, and girls, aren't really worth dating in middle school. They're all trying to find out their personality. And there's way too much drama and hormones." You say offering the greatest piece of advice you wished you knew back then.

But of course everyone their age ignores that advice.

What do older people know?

Jack says "Mom dragged me out of my room to be here. And all they've done is insult my honor. They comment about my video games and the lack of maidens." He closes his fist and closes his eyes edgily.

Sarah rolls her eyes looking at you, gesturing to him. "You see what I have to deal with? He's talking like a nerd again. Ever since he got into middle school this is all he does. His boyfriends are all he talks about." 

"I am not a nerd! I am a dungeon master. Nerds are not on my level. I am above them all."

Sarah uses her fists as crybaby tears. "Waa waa. Tough talk for a 13 year old who cries when someone says 'your mom' on the itty bitty playground. 'Mommy mommy! I don't know how to talk to girls!" Sarah folds her arms waiting for him to say something.

"Well- Well-....I hope you marry a ginger!" He really needed to go to a comeback class, because that did not work at all.

You felt second hand embarrassment from that.

She raises an eyebrow and looks him up and down. "You thought that comeback really would work? What's wrong with gingers? I thought one of your boyfriends was-"

He turns away and lifts his stick up, a challenge. "Y/N! Battle me, I wish not to fight the ogress over here." He glares at her.

"Well sorry you're such a fairy." Sarah mutters.

"Sarah we don't call people 'fairy'." You say lightly getting onto her and then looking over at Jack. "Who am I to deny your request, dear cousin?"

Sarah tosses her stick to your feet. "Just remember, Jack is the evil prince that's trying to destroy the walls and the world order to restore the old ways." 

"Right. Lots at stake then?" You say.

You toss your bag off so you could have mobility.

Sarah watches it fall over and the old buckle unclasped. "You really need to stop buying vintage bags, they're always broken." She calls and when you don't hear her she just sighs and goes over to set it up right. 

And as the faux swords clanged together, and the thunderous laughter from Jack echoed through the woods, and the grass groaning as the weight passes over them, Sarah saw a glimpse of your book.

"...Hey Y/n what's this?" She goes to take it out of the secret pocket.

You hear hooting of an owl in the distance. Sarah looks towards the tree line, weirded out. She looks back down and takes the book out, curiously. 

Distracted, you were about to tell Sarah to not touch it, and Jack 'stabs' your midsection. "HAHA! I win! You're getting weaker. I thought you would be a challenge." You brush the stick away brushing away his comment.

"Hey Sarah let's not touch that, it's very pricey-"

"Y to the NNN!" Someone's voice behind you called. You turned around and saw Uncle Sam striding up to you 3, ignoring the other distant cousins. You could smell alcohol from where you were standing.

Dear Lord, not now. 

"You didn't come in and give your ol' uncle a hug! I mean my wife and the others I understand, they're fucking bitches. But me? That's a bit rude! Didya not get a good Christmas present last year?" He says trying to be carefree so bad. 

"Uh, I kinda...don't want to go in there before food's ready." You say awkwardly looking at your cousins.

He takes a swig. "You know they're all starting to think you're ungrateful. You never hang out with us, always whispering to Jack and Sarah of all kids, you're never at home, and you're always in your room when you ARE home."

"You told her she needed to lose weight at the last family reunion and taught her how to puke up food to stay skinny." Sarah says. "I think she can be a little ungrateful for that."

Uncle Sam's eyes shift to what Sarah was holding, and he takes a swig from his half empty corona bottle.

For a drunk, washed out, middle-aged man, he was pretty spry.

In just 4 seconds, he had reached Sarah and pulled the book from his hands as you wince. He holds it out of her reach.

"This. Is. Unfair!"

"So undignified." Jack says as he takes out a small camera and snaps a photo and quickly pockets it.

He turns to the end and focuses his eyes, attempting to read. He reads the ending aloud.

"THE. END!" He declares and looks down at the three of you in absolute misery. "That was a boring ending, I don't get why any of you read this kinda shit. You got better things to do."

Sarah marches over and stomps on his toes making him drop the book, she catches it as Sam's hand flies to his foot, spilling some of his drink into the grass.

"FUCK'S SAKE SARAH! You're grounded."

"Kiss my ass old man." She flips her hair and turns to you.

"Double grounded!" He yells at her. "No books, no friends, not even your bedframe!"

"Oh boohoo, cps visit?" Sarah turns and gives you the book, ignoring her yelling father. "Sorry he spoiled the ending. It looked like a cool book."

"It's not like we can do anything about it." You say glaring at him.

"We should call that Goblin King on him." She says, a wild gleam appearing in her eyes. "I'm sure he'd have something to say about it." 

"I'm pretty sure he's the villain of the story Sarah." 

"So? Villains have more fun." Sarah says looking over at the beginning where Book Sarah wishes away the child. "See? It even has instructions on how to summon him. Even better."

"That's not-"

Sam looks around at them "What kind of cultish shit is this?" 

"Go, before your nards DISAPPEAR!" Jack yells, wiggling his fingers, 'drawing energy' from the sky.

"TRIPLE GROUNDED!" Sam yells as he retreats, trying to play it cool.

But he was afraid. So, so afraid.

Sarah takes the book again and begins to read from the book. "Oh Goblin King, oh Goblin King! Hear my plea! I wish you would tak-"

Jack panics and hits Sarah on the head with a stick to stop here. "Stop that! You'll curse us!" He exclaims.

Her hands fly to her head and in her anger, she spoke "OW! UGH! I hate you Jack. You know what? I wish the Goblin King would take YOU away from here. Right now!" She turns around and tries to stomp off. You follow after her and grab her arm.

"Hey. Sarah, you're better than that. Apologize to him. Right now." You say.

She rolls her eyes and turns around, opening her mouth to say some BS apology when she stops suddenly. 

"Jack?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

You wondered why she was afraid. And when you looked back to his spot, you saw the stick he was holding on the ground, and a missing Jack. 

"Jack? JACK!" You call out, looking around.

"Jack come on this isn't funny! We're not one of your boyfriends, don't joke around like that!" Her breathing was growing heavier, and she looked around frantically.

You raced over to the nearby bushes and quickly looked around. Nothing. You looked at the cliffs edge. He didn't go near...did he?

There was a crack further in the woods.

"Sarah this way! I heard something!" You yell. She scrambles after you, and you both follow the crack. You saw someone further up ahead.

Please let it just be an upset Jack.

Every tree in the forest looked distorted into people figures, and you couldn't properly see past some of the thick brushes. You halt as you look up and see the owl from this morning.

Human eyes filled with almost myrth-

"OH GODS IT'S AN OWL!" Sarah screamed. She grabbed your arm and you kept her behind you protectively.

Sarah was deathly afraid of owls. 

Some kind of animal darted out of a bush, it looked like a flash of grey, but also like bulky sopping wet cardboard. It ran around the tree dancing and mocking noises.

You glance at the ground and pick up the closest thing near you, which was a rock.

"What is that thing?" Sarah whimpers. "That definitely doesn't look like an animal."

"I don't know. It looks like it has a disease though." You respond.

The goblin stops and stands there shocked. "'AY! I don't got no disease. If anything you-"

The owl swooped down and became a man with bright and full hair....and tights.

Ridiculously tight tights.

Like almost distractingly tight tights. 

"That'll be enough, Crog." The man says. Your jaw drops open. The Crog tucked into a ball and rolled away into the bushes.

"Who are you?" You ask gripping the rock in your hands.

"Oh Gods, it actually worked. You're the Goblin King." Sarah says, making the connection. His eyes flicked between Sarah.

"Sharp girl." He says before looking back up to you. 

You looked him up and down, not sure what to do now. He was....shiny. And handsome. You didn't expect a Goblin King to...well...not be a Goblin. He looks more like a fae.

"Where did you take Jack?" You asked, trying to hide your own fear. You had to forget yourself for a moment. 

"Were you the one who wished him away?" The Goblin King asked coolly, taking a step closer. You take a step back and raise the rock a little higher.

"She is." Sarah said quickly, hiding from the Goblin King behind you.

You glare at him "I'll throw it! I'll- I'll beat the sh- crap out of you." You threaten.

"You think a rock can defend you from the Goblin King? You're so," He pauses in his speech trying to think of a proper word. "quaint."

"What does quaint mean?" Sarah whispers.

"This is not a time for us to do a dictionary-" you begin to whisper but the Goblin King takes another step forward and you throw the rock at him.

He raises a hand and effortlessly moves it to the right. It falls off the cliff.

Sarah looks around for another rock.

"Where did you take Jack!" You ask, Sarah pressing another rock into your hands. You throw it again, and he simply moves it again.

"You know very well where he is, Y/n." He says.

"How would I know where he would be? You're the one that took him away. Do I have to check for a van or what?" You said. "I didn't even read your (shitty) little manuscript. So give back Jack and take your titey-witey glitter tights out of this family, and bother someone else."

"Y/n, a rock!" Sarah puts a rock in your hand and goes back to holding onto your arm. 

"My my...you're in trouble aren't you? And you're braver than I thought you would be." The Goblin King pauses for a moment. "Very well then, I'll give you a chance. He's in my castle." He pointed somewhere. You felt Sarah's grip on you loosen and the world as you knew it fell away.

Your eyes went up to the sky, a disturbing red that looked like the freakiest tomato soup you've ever seen. And in the distance, there was a castle, and wrapped around it was a maze that seemed to go on forever.

"You have 13 hours to retrieve your kin. Or he becomes a goblin and you are doomed to roam the Labyrinth forever until you forget everything about yourself."

Your eyes widen. The stakes were very high. Would you even be able to get to it in time? You barely survive your daily schedule. Not only that, you've been on your feet all day at work. 

But you would have too. You would have to do it for Jack.

He can't escape this himself. 

"It doesn't look that far." You say, straightening your shoulders. "It's farther than you think." He says, suddenly behind you, his breath tickling your neck. You shudder and move away.

This man did not understand what personal space was.

"If you think my terms are too much, you can simply leave the boy with me. You won't even remember him-"

"No." You interrupt him. "I'm not leaving him behind. Especially not to someone like you."

He feigns surprise and mock offense. "To someone like me? Remember who you called upon to take this boy away."

"I didn-"

A clock appeared with 13 hours.

"The clock is counting Y/n, I would get to moving if I were you." He vanishes.

You huff and try and think of an insult, even if it's only to make you feel better. "YOUR EYELINER IS MESSED UP BY THE WAY!"

You start walking down the hill trying to pull all of your thoughts together. "I'll show you cruel. You're going to want to wish yourself away." You grumble.

┏ •◦இ•◦ ┓┗━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━┛┏ •◦இ•◦ ┓

"Unhand me you fiend!" Jack snarls and bites at the multiple goblins trying to tie him up. 

"Ouch! It bit me!" A goblin says. 

Jack grins wickedly. "Yeah! And you know what happens when a human bites a goblin right?"

"...what?"

"You turn into a human!" Jack says and they all back up. 

"I don't wanna be ugly!" They shriek. 

"Quiet! No one's turning into a human." Jareth says. "You're clever, child, but you must remember you are not in charge here. So quiet down." 

Up ahead was an abandoned garden, pools of nasty water and algae collected undisturbed, and dark grey and brown and glitter stones sat untreaded on.

You stepped forward and looked at the tiny things flying through the air. Faeries. Ugh. They were really annoying they bite...sort of like mosquitoes. Except for the sucking thing. 

A small gargoyle looking man turns a corner. He turns on his machine and a few faeries fall down. "68..." He mutters. 

"Glad someone's doing pest control around here."

A faerie stuck it's tongue out at you before the man turned it on and it crumpled to the floor. "You don't feel sorry for them?"

"No. Clearly you don't either." You counter.

"Touche." He looks you up and down. "You're not Sarah..." He sighs and turns to leave.

 That was cryptic.

"Hey wait! How do you get to the castle?"

"Walking!" He calls out. You throw your arms in exasperation. "Well, where is the entryway?"

"Right over there! Now leave me alone! You humans are nothing but heartbreak and trouble!" Fair enough. You almost felt bad for the little man, and wanted to know what the problem was. But you were on a timer. 

You look at a big door and it opens. You walk over and peer inside. To the left, the hall went on forever, and to the right it was about the same. "What in the Alice in Wonderla-"

"Which way are you going to go?" The man asks.

"I thought you didn't care." You say.

"Hoggle just wants to know so he can wipe your dirt up." Hoggle looks around and grabs a broom.

You sigh looking both directions. "Right. Because the Goblin King probably thinks he's always right."

"Jareth?" Hoggle questions.

So his name was Jareth. Interesting.

"Good luck." Hoggle calls as you begin to walk right.

"Oh, uh...you too-" You say before regretting your words. You quicken your pace to get away from the awkward conversation.

There were a lot of vines slowly crawling on the floor, and as much as you tried to avoid them, they poked at your shoes, and tried to tug on them. You wished you picked up some sort of stick to whack them away with.

But that wasn't the only problem.

The walls all looked identical, only switching up a little bit. The only way you could tell you were moving at all was because the doors had disappeared. You needed to think more creatively, find a loophole to this puzzle.

You looked at the wall and saw some ridges you could climb on. You touched the brick and it rumbled a little bit and went out further.

"Oh er- thank you." You say as you hoist yourself up on the stones and climb up. Your hand grapples the top and you hoist yourself up. You straddle the top of the wall and look towards the castle. You looked at the pattern, you could get through in no time!

"Yes!" You whooped, but then wobbled a little and you grabbed onto the rock. You probably needed to get down. But before you went down you saw that there were holes in the maze, little shortcuts.

"It's a trick of the light...!" You exclaimed and leaned sideways a little trying to memorize the pathway. 

Jareth lounged on his throne, watching his crystal ball very closely. So. You had climbed the wall. Not many runners have tried to climb the wall, it had been sanded down so none could.

And yet...

The walls allowed you to climb up on it to have your moment of revelation. To figure out Jareth's little trick. They must be forgetting who they belong too.

Jack sneezed. "Why bless you Jack. I'm sorry you're in a dusty crusty castle that smells like Chicken Scratch, Feathers, and Assholes. Aren't you allergic to that Jack? Can't really help it can I? Though it makes sense the only medieval castle you'll ever see in life belongs to an asshole who doesn't clean up after himself."

Jareth continues to ignore him. Jack talked a lot.

Another loud sneeze came from Jack.

Jareth sighs and yells "CROG! Get the chickens out of here. They're annoying me. And get the boy off of the floor and untied." Jareth was tired of his complaining already and it wasn't even an hour.

Jareth whispered something, and the footholds the wall had given you, shrunk back in. Now for the fun part. The throwing.

"Sooorrrryyyyy" The brick groaned and launched you to the ground. You barely had any time to react, before your shoulder hurt like hell. "OW! HOLY SHIIIIiiiiTAKE-" You bit your lip trying to stop from yelling.

"Oh no! What happened?" A small voice said. You opened one eye to see a worm. "You look like you need a spot of tea. THENA!" The worm yelled.

A small tea cup gets pushed out and it grows into a tea cup the size of your hand.

"What the-" now both of your eyes were wide open, this was growing worse and worse by the minute.

"It helps the pain! Drink up!" He says with a smile.

Well, in a magical world, you weren't going to question this logic. 

You sit up, groaning at the burning of your shoulder, and your back. You pick it up with a shaking hand and sniff it. (Favorite tea flavor). You take a sip, and almost instantly, the warmth pooled into your arm and you were slowly regaining feeling. You chug it and the burning, numbness, screaming nerves, and the pain leaves.

"This really does work..." You say quietly surprised.

He pushes over a vial.

"We learned humans are clumsy sometimes, so just drink this whenever something hurts. Would you like to come inside and meet the missus?"

"Oh no-, thank you, I have to get to the castle, but thank you for the tea. It helped immensely." You pocketed the vial and looked around for an entrance. There should have been one around here.

"Why the castle?"

"To save my cousin."

"Well what's your cousin doing there?!"

"The Goblin King." 

"Well if you really must go, go straight ahead and take a left. It goes straight to the castle! I wish you good luck in retrieving your kin." He says brightly.

You get up and go through the entrance and go left.

Jareth watches as you start going left. No one ever goes left. They never heard the worm out, they didn't stay for tea, they went right. They were always in a panic mode. Yours hadn't kicked in yet. 

But you weren't them.

You weren't her.

You were going to be someone that was about to change the whole game, and the way Jareth plays. Someone who was going to be a major pain. Someone who shouldn't be as smart as this. But no matter. He can put the same obstacles from the right to the left. The Labyrinth constantly changed anyway.

You were clever, but he still had control of everything. And that alone was going to be your downfall.

"Hey J-King! What kind of goblin am I going to be?" Jack suddenly asks.

Jareth prickles at the nickname but decides to go along with the small banter anyway while trying to think of how to rearrange the game. "Do you have so little faith in Y/n?" Jareth muses.

"I was kind of wondering. Am I going to be a hot goblin like you, or am I going to be like a gargoyle like in the hunchback of Notre Dame, because I already am pretty short. I haven't even hit a growth spurt, or even puberty."

Finally Jareth turns over and looks at the child. "What are you even talking about?"

Jack sighs. "Can I look like you, and actually get women?"

"No."

Jack sighs and thinks. "Men?" 

"No"

"Damn it. Then what's the point?"

"Eternal Punishment."

"For what! I'm not even the bad guy here." Jack complains.

"For behaving like a goblin. The longer you are here, the longer you are proving the point that you belong here. You were made to be a goblin it seems. I'm just helping the physical transformation." Jareth says glaring at him. 

A goblin crawls in.

"Tiq? Rearrange the fireys, our player needs new challenges."

"Right away King Jareth." Tiq says before she scurries away. 

Chapter Management

3

Right.

Forward.

Left.

Right.

Left- no dead end, you needed to go right.

Left.

As you walked, you could feel your legs starting to cry out for mercy. You didn't even mind the strange creatures, or the strange surroundings. Just the walking, was going to make you fall in exhaustion. 

That and the vines loved tugging at your shoelaces. 

You get to a courtyard after another dead end and before you could turn around, a chill goes through you. And when the voice speaks, you realize why you had suddenly frozen up. 

"Y/n..." A voice calls. 

You whip around, your heart hammering. "What-"

An apparition of some high fae lady with a crown was observing you. She moves close to you. "Aren't you just lovely dear? My you'll be excellent here. You'll love it. She couldn't have chosen a better player..." She says moving her hand (across your hair/shifting your clothes slightly), you almost shaking. 

"What? What do you mean?"

"Oh you don't know me yet but you will. Go through the statue." She says looking over to a statue that suddenly unearths. A man and a woman seeming to smile, the mans foot propped up on a skull. Weird. They had crowns on and the woman was holding a baby girl.

"How can I trust you?" You ask. 

"Because you simply don't have a choice."  She moves forward again and plays with (a lock of your hair/your upturned collar and turns it down). "I know this Labryinth. Go through that statue. You'll get closer to what you seek. "

You walk closer to the statues and really take a look at them. Features of Jareth were scattered among both of them. "You're Jareth's mom?" You say turning around to this observation, but she's gone. 

You blink and raise your hand to it and move your hand slowly through the stone. 

You take a deep breath and move through, falling out of a stone block that had Jareth's face on it. You could see the castle was closer now. 

Arguing. 

Why could you hear arguing-?

You walk closer to the sound, sure that that would be your next clue forward. 

4 guards, a blue and red door, and a dead end behind you. 

Well. You wanted something magical and here it was. Though you had a feeling, this was more of a challenge for Sarah, rather than you.  It was more tame than what you expected, actually. 

The doors seemed to be the only way out. You turn to look at them. "Okay, well- what do you guys do? I know you have to do something."

"Some might speculate that that was a rude comment." Blue says sassily. The guards all laugh together. 

"One of us lies, the other tells the truth. I never lie." Red says. 

"What a lie!" Blue gasps.

"It's the truth!" Red blinks innocently at Blue.

Blue tries to kick at Red, but as they were 2 feet apart, Blue couldn't reach Red.

"You can only ask one of us one question." Blue says.

That has to be the truth though? But he might be lying...

You think for a moment. You didn't know if they could see color, know how to count besides one, or even if they can see like you can.

"I've got it!" You say and step to Red. "Did I just ask a question just now?"

Red places it's lips together and shakes it's head. "Say it, say it!" Blue cheers on. Red shakes it's head and tries to look anywhere else before it groans "Ughh! NO. No you did not."

"HA HA!" You go to Blue and it opens. 

"Smart question. You'll blow through the Labyrinth easily." Blue praises.

"She's going to fail." Red mutters.

Well that's comforting. At least you knew you were going on the right path.

You walk through the door and see a dark tunnel in front of you, and there were moving tiles they shifted and reappeared randomly. You see a pitch black pit, you grabbed some glitter that had clumped up like dirt and threw it with a small rock. You didn't hear a thud.

You tried to follow the pattern, watching it closely. It took you a moment, but then you realize it's a beat. It was the beat of a song. It was familiar. You hum for a second, realizing it was eerily similar to a classic 80s song. You take in a shaky breath and hop, hyping yourself up, before singing out loud and backing up to take a running start. 

Then you ran to the tiles and began hopping over them, trying not to hesitate.

Jack got up from his corner and walked near Jareth's throne and peered over. "What are you doing?" Jareth asked annoyed. "I want to see what the nerd is doing." 

Jareth shifted away uncomfortably as Jack invades his personal space. "Singing. Now quiet." He watches you mouth the lyrics. He could hear what you were singing, but Jack couldn't.

"I can't hear anything!"

"Because your mouth is moving faster than the speed of sound. Now be silent."

He won't take any child older than the age of 5 for personal reasons. Maybe even ever.
Human teens were goblins of their own category.

You were so close, but you slip on one as it disappears too early. You try and jump and you grab the edge. 

"Come on Wall, help me!" You say. "You did it before, please!"

The wall groans. "Caaan't."

"Please!" You say trying to get your other hand on the edge. 

"Dooon't telll?" The wall asks.

"I promise! Just please help- WHOA-" As soon as you promised, the wall boosts you up from below and you flip over onto the ground. You sit up, your heart pounding. "I'm alive? I'm alive. Oh my g-" You grasp your heart taking in a deep breath before you get up shakily and go towards the end of the tunnel, going into the light.

SLAM.

Wall appeared in front of you. "Wall-" You begin to say but you stop. "I swear when I see that Goblin King I'll-"

"What'll you do?" A smooth voice asks.

You whirl around and your back hits the wall in surprise. "Oh! Goblin King. Hi. So weird running into you." You suddenly felt really nervous as you look up at his face.

His arm was propped against the wall as he rested the side of his head against it, looking down on you. You do a double take. Did he change outfits? Wait is he wearing heels to be taller than you?

You collect your thoughts quickly and pointed at the wall trying to seem cool and collected. "Um. You pulled a wall up. That hardly seems fair. I should have passed the challenge already."

Jareth shakes his head "Not fair? Nothing's fair. You have just as much a chance at winning as you do losing."

You doubt that. He could trap you inside a glass box until time runs out.

Maybe don't think that, you don't want to give him any ideas. 

You look behind him to see the end of the tunnel, but it was a lot darker and you could barely see the tile. His hand raises up and he grips your chin lightly and turns you back to look at him.

Your touch starved heart beats wildly, at the audacity of that of course. And also because you read too many romance books. But also gross, but also kinda cool?

He's messing with your head somehow, he's gotta be.

He lets go.

"How are you enjoying my Labyrinth." To him, this was practically a script he followed.

It was something he asked everyone who participates. And all of them are foolish, saying it's easy. To try and intimidate him. But they shake in their boots, lying with their jaw clenched. Until Sarah of course.

You look up trying to think of an answer. The whole time, you had mentally tried to figure out how you would talk to him after, seeing as this was a ridiculous situation. How should you antagonize the deity that has complete control of your life right now?

You finally smile mockingly at him, staring him down, filled with a confidence you've never had in your entire life. 

You were choosing Vicious Mockery.

"Jareth that's your name right?" You ask.

He nods.

You sigh happily and lean forward ready to lay into him the roasts and comebacks that you've been saving for years. Time to lay off all your aggression. 

"I've role played harder dungeons than this. The puzzles they gave me in Kindergarten confused me more than your puzzles. You put more thought into your outfit-," You take your hand and tug on the folds of his shirt making him lean forward a little before finishing your sentence with,
"-than you did your Labyrinth." You let go of his shirt, folded your arms and leaned back, hitting the wall. You smirked. You had won this session.

His smile drops and he leans off the wall mirroring your position. He looked taller and more sinister now but you weren't going to back down. You glared back at him challengingly.

He was a man that wore HEELS to be TALLER than you. He's insecure for sure, you could totally wear him down.

Jareth's eye twitched. It seems you chose to be cruel. You were enjoying ridiculing him, you weren't too intimidated now. Words were your game and you were twisting this to your sheer will. You went for the throat.

How typical of a human to do that.

"This is simple? Don't compare my Labyrinth to your childish antics. This is lavish, it is not a 4 piece puzzle where they reward you for your mediocrity."

"Then stop making it so easy to compare. And I thought you liked children, seeing as that's the only person you try and target. Don't think I noticed how you looked at my cousin earlier. I bet you even have dresses to dress them up so you can feed your sick little fetish-" You say, seeing how worked up he was getting over this.

His hand flew up and slammed his hand into the wall, the wall cracking. He paused and set his jaw and then backed up and withdrew his hand, his hand curling in itself as if he burned himself by allowing himself to hit the wall out of anger. He took a deep breath before continuing.

"Then how about we up the stakes. You're grown aren't you? So we'll just have to make it more grown up for you." You lean forward, Jareth deserved the roast and you didn't care what consequences this brought.

"Bring it on. I'll see you in 11 hours."

Jareth disappears.

┏ •◦இ•◦ ┓┗━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━┛┏ •◦இ•◦ ┓

Jareth comes back and sees Jack draped on his throne, mimicking Jareth's pose from earlier. "Get off." Jack quickly scrambles off and holds his hands together with a nervous expression. "You- You have a comfortable chair. Although I do have another question."

"What?" Jareth snaps.

His nervous expression immediately morphs into an impish one. Perfect for a soon to be goblin.  

"How many hours did you spend planning that outfit. Y/n does have a point you know." He said biting his lip trying to stop himself from laughing. Jareth pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Your whole family is annoying. I should just turn all of you into Goblins now." 

"Then we'll annoy you for eternity." Jack said. Maybe his tactic was to annoy Jareth so much he would return them back to earth. He was almost tempted to.

"Then you'll go into the bog of eternal stench."

Jack looked at him triumphantly. "I don't have a sense of smell. My dads farts would make you lose your sense of smell too if you knew him."

Jareth gives up.

Now that Jareth was gone, the tiles were out of control. You couldn't find a pattern at all. The hall seemed to grow even more darker and darker. You tried to pretend as if you didn't just sign your life away to death, and said "Yeah you think speeding this up will hurt me? Think again pretty boy," pretty boy? That isn't an insult get it together Y/n.

"I had a piano teacher. And I learned the hard way."

You looked at the small ridge along the walls. You put the tip of your shoe on it to measure. Just enough to step on and not slip. There were thick vines hanging down from the ceiling. You tugged on one and it seemed to support you.

This was more riskier than handing a report card to (least favorite guardian when angry) and it consisted of mostly (C's/B's/A-'s).

You pulled at the vines and scooted on the ridge slowly making your way through. One of the vines turned into a snake. You tossed it immediately, keeping your grip on the vine that single handedly was saving you. 

When you would get to reflect on this adventure later, you would be scared out of your wits. But not right now. You only had one goal. Get to Jack.

When you got to the other side, the tiles fell down leaving a big gaping hole. "Pft. This is like second grade level. I graduated years ago." You call out.

Jareth was sick of your ramblings. He knew you were scared now. Some people talked big game when they were. And it seems you were no different.

You made your way through the entry and looked around. The doors were gone, and there were hedges twice as tall as you. The floor was entirely made out of shiny tile. You looked at it suspiciously and stepped on a few. They didn't fall, so maybe this was safe to walk on.

Maybe.

You stepped lightly as you looked around. You can't relax, you just pissed off someone who could kill you at any moment. You regretted your words. Sure it was fun to see him get frustrated as much as you were, but that was mean.

And unfortunately due to certain raising techniques, you can't be mean for shit and not regret it.

No one who put that much thought into a costume should be compared to elementary school. It was a fantastic outfit too, but you wouldn't tell him that. He didn't deserve to know. Not after taking your cousin.

Why was evil so (hot/sexy).

He was a pretty boy, but such an evil and corrupted man. The kind that you definitely loved watching or reading about.

You find yourself in the same spot. You turned around and went that way and found yourself in the same spot again. You ran and then found yourself in the same spot again. You walked slowly and yet again. You looked around and tried to find something that would give away the clue. You saw a wall that was a slightly different gray than the others.

"Bingo."

You first tried to speak to the wall, but it didn't talk to you like before. So alternatively you started to push on the wall, you pulled, you kicked, and it finally slammed down revealing the next section. You walked forward and continued going.

You thought about Jareth, you wondered if he knew you were lying when you insulted his Labyrinth. If you survived this, you had some serious suggestions on how to make it better.

#1 less walking. You could barely get anywhere in 13 hours. #2 food-

As you continued listing on ways to improve the Labyrinth and treated it like it was a game, you heard a rumble and a vacuuming noise. The ground was shaking, and the tiles grew grimy and moldy.

"Ew...what is..." You bend over to look at it.

Eyes popped up and winked. You scrambled back.

"Uh oh!" You heard at least 15 tiny creatures squeal. "What is that?" You ask yourself, your eyes widening. They hopped towards you. "HOT HOT HOT!" They screamed.

You wish they were just complimenting you. But you knew that it wasn't the case.

Sarah L/n

The leaves whirled around Jareth and Y/n, and when they settled they were gone. "Y/n?" She asked in a small voice. They were all gone. Jack. Y/n. And now she was stuck in the middle of the woods, with no one around. She took a deep breath and tried not to panic. What would Jack do in his nerd games?

Look for clues. Right. Surely something was around here. Magic doesn't completely go away just like that.

Her eyes fell on the book that lay innocently among the leaves. Maybe it was like the Neverending story, and she could read what they were doing. She dived to get it, as if scared something else would take it away. She thumbed through trying to see if either of the names were in it.

No.

It wasn't like the movie.

She needed to get the adult's help. They would know what to do. Mam would be mad at her for wishing him away, but they knew way more than her. She held the book close to her chest and ran towards the cabin that held everyone together.

Mam was arguing with dad while he was smoking. "You cannot just tell my mother that she's a self depraved starving whor-" She stops when she sees Sarah run up.

"Are you bleeding? Are you dying? Are you on fire? No? Then go-" Her dad started.

"THEY'RE GONE!" She shouts.

"Who's gone?" Mam's voice wavers and all traces of anger were gone.

"Jack and Y/n have been taken by a strange man in the woods. I wished Jack would disappear after he hit me and Y/n went after him but a man took them both." Sarah says trying to keep her words clear by not crying.

Her dad made a thoughtful expression. "Honestly? They can keep Jack. That good for nothing boy-"

SMACK! 

"I'm done with you. Man up and call the police before I make you go missing too." She turns away from her husband and shouts Jack's name. She runs towards the woods and Sarah follows her. "Did you see the vehicle? What did he look like?"

She described what he looked like. "He didn't have a vehicle. Jack just disappeared. I didn't even see which direction they went."

The grandmothers and grandfathers all clamored out, and the aunts and uncles all were yelling.

"Oh the wains are probably playing in the woods somewhere. They'll find their way back." Great-Grap says. "Grap, I say this in the nicest way possible. Go take your meds and go back to the house. You don't know what's going on." Sarah's aunt says.

"Lass it's fine, they're probably just playing-" Sarah's grandma said.

"No. It's not fine. And I'll be damned if I stay here one moment longer listening to everyone's bullshit." Mam said and grabbed her coat. "Come on (m/n). We have our children to look for."

Sarah's eyes widened. Her Mam never got angry with their grandparents before.

Mam, Aunt (m/n), Aunt (Other name), Papa, and Uncle (f/n) rushed towards the woods and began combing it, keeping each other on call.

Sarah rushed up to Papa, her favorite grandpa, and tugged on his sleeve. "Papa can I look with you? It's my fault they're gone."

He crouched down to her level and shook his head. "No sweetie, it's not your fault. Go ask Grandma if she can take you home." "We live hours away." Sarah said confused. "To Y/n's house. So at least we know where one of our children is."

Sarah nodded and ran to find Grandma. "Papa asked you to drive us to Uncle (f/n)'s house."

"Oh those Weans always making trouble." Grandma huffed and then said "Well come on. I'll drive you there. Take a few snacks before you go." This was no time for food. She could barely eat as it is.

They drive to Y/n's house. Sarah immediately went up to your room throwing the door open and began to sift through the furniture. "GOBLIN KING! I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME! BRING THEM BACK! I'M SORRY! BRING THEM BaCk..." Sarah started crying. She tried to keep the tears out of her voice.

She didn't want her brother to become a goblin, or her cousin to never come back.

She can't imagine a world without her brother, or her cousin. 

She loved Jack, even though he sucks sometimes, he doesn't deserve to become a goblin. Maybe she should ask to be the goblin instead. She looks around, hopeless, and then she sees a sword.

Then she gets an idea, the most dangerous idea that she's ever gotten.

It was up to her to help.

She'd read about main characters going on big adventures like this for years. What they take, and what they will need. Sarah nods determinedly. She would find some way to get to you and give you everything you need. She looks around for a backpack that will hold the sword and some snacks and other things. There were a lot of books that looked untouched, and clothes on the floor.

You might need a change of clothes.

She sees a scarf. You could get cold. You'll need that.

Another sword lay against a bookshelf, more decoration than anything. She grabbed that also. She took a few clothes that definitely didn't match and sandals. She got a hoodie, some of your snacks, and then she crept out to the hallway to go to your parents room to see if anything useful would be in there.

She found a flash light with extra batteries, but nothing else that was helpful. She went downstairs and filled two canteens up with water, and then grabbed a match box.

She stuffed it in your bag and then ran inside. She walked carefully, looking for some key to get in the Labyrinth. She heard shuffling in your closet. 

She thrust it open and manhandled the goblin who was measuring your closet.

"LET ME DOWN!" The goblin said trying to bite her. "Take me inside the Labyrinth." She took the sword out of its hilt awkwardly trying to keep the goblin hostage. "Put me down and I will." He said sweetly smiling. She mocked his smile and said "I'll let you live if you take me there now." He gave her a look "You? Let me live how scary."

She raised her sword to his neck slightly pressing the tip into his leathery skin.

"I'm 12, angry at the school system, run on caffeine, and I have a sword. Do you really want to test me?" She snarls. The goblin gulps and then nods.

Then she was standing in a garden. 

She lets go of the goblin accidentally and he fell into dirty water. He coughed and climbed out. "YOU'RE CRAZY!" He ran away. This human was strong enough to catch him without being afraid and held him with one hand. Screw his service to the Goblin King. He's out.

She sees another creature that was doing a little dance. "The nest is gone!"

"HEY!" She shouts and runs over. "Oh hello Sarah....SARAH?" The little one says confused. "Where's my cousin?" She points the sword her eyebrows furrowed ready to slay the creature if he doesn't give answers.

"Where did you get that? And don't stab me, I'm a friend." She lowers the sword and looks around. He didn't look harmless, he could definitely attack at any moment, so she would keep her guard up. She could have landed right into a goblins nest.

Her courage suddenly wavered as she realized how serious this would be if she had to get into a fight.

"Can you take me to Y/n?"

"Who's Y/n?" He asks nervously looking left and right.

Sarah saw right through that. "She came through earlier. I need to find her immediately. She needs my help." "There's never been two people here before." The little one muttered and then sighed. "I'm Hoggle. At your service."

"Hoggle, do you know how to find her?" Hoggle thinks. "There's a tunnel we can go through. The technical term is obliuette."

"Take me there." Sarah said. She almost got chills. She sounds so cool right now. She can't wait to tell Jack how kick ass she's become for him. And y/n too.

Hoggle begins to lead the way.

"Looks like another player has joined the game." Jareth said amused. "She has nothing to do with this and yet she joins." She found a way in without ever having to go through the Goblin King. This family never ceases to annoy and surprise him.

"That's what family does. We fight for each other. Though I'm sure you don't know what that means do you Jareth?" Jack says smugly.

Jareth tries to ignore him. He'd never have someone force their way in to help their loved one, or have the bond that these 3 did. Y/n was special to them both. Humans normally were a terrible species but, and he admits the cliche, you were different from the other runners he's had.

And he was almost tempted to entertain the idea of you winning. You had your intelligence, creativity, boldness, and seem intimidating even when all you did was touch his collar.

And he had to admit that your singing was better than most he had heard. After years with the goblins, they weren't exactly the best choir to sing with. You were refreshing. Maybe he'd turn you into a goblin too, just so he could listen to a nice voice every once in a while.

You were a thousand surprises in one small box, and every angle he looks there was something new. He's never had anyone like that before. You were more than just a 2D personality.

In just 4 hours, you've made him go from indifferent to your fate, angry, curious, and now overthinking about the words you said to make him angry. He cared. And nothing felt like a script with you. It was like talking to someone real after only reading about characters.

After being lonely.

He cleared his throat trying to clear his mind of you. He was thinking of you entirely way too much. He was supposed to be throwing challenges at you not singing your praises in his mind. You were his target and enemy.

He tried to look for a flaw as you rushed down that hall. Too energetic. You ran weirdly. You solved the puzzles as if you went through this everyday. You whined about it not being good enough. See? Lots of flaws. Lots of things to hate about you.

Sarah and Hoglet were starting their own journey to you. He decided he should let you two meet. You would need some of things Sarah has brought you. Because everything was about to become bad for you. You did say you wanted it to be harder, so harder it will be.

Oh and out of all the people that had ever gotten into his Labyrinth, you were the fastest walker.

Whatever the book's reasons for choosing you, he was starting to be glad it did.

You made him feel alive. 

A thrill rushes through him. 

Alive.

4

Where were we?

Oh yes, the tiny creatures yelling hot as they bound around a corner, curiously enough.

"Hot feet hot feet hot feet!" The 15 tiny dragon creatures were jumping up and down trying to hop away from something. You didn't have to wonder about it for long.

You saw a tidal wave flow into the courtyard. But not just any water, hot water. Hot water rushed into your shoes and you squealed while hopping along with the creatures. It wasn't dignified the way you were hopping around, but at least no one was around there making fun of you to your face.

A big giant machine spouted out really hot water making it impossible to see due to the steam rising everywhere. It scrubbed at the bricks of the Labyrinth walls. Soap suds and dirt began to make the water all muddy.

"EEEEE!" One creature wasn't able to keep up with the group. It's wails made you feel bad for even considering to leave it behind. You sighed and started hopping back over. You got attached easily to things and you didn't want to witness a creature dying. 

It's screams would haunt you.

"Don't bite me I'm trying to save you." You say over the noise. The small dragon nods and you pick it up and start running. A dead end.

But there was a platform that you could go on to, saving your feet. You'll chance it. You scrambled up there as the wet socks continued to burn your feet long after you were out of the water.

"Is that grown up enough for you Y/n?" Jareth asked while watching it. It was a brilliant idea, having hot water clean up the courtyard.

Adults dealt with 'landing in hot water' all the time.

He pauses. Maybe he'd gotten the expression wrong. 

He watched as you saved the small creature.

His amusement dimmed for a moment. You went back into the water to save it? Even though you would get hurt? Did humans get attached this easily to things that would not serve them any purpose?

Then some other questions started flooding in before he could make himself stop caring. What if you didn't make it past this level? The others would give up, but this wasn't something you could give up on. This could turn into a life or death situation very easily. 

"YOU CAN DO IT!" Jack shouts encouragement, knowing you wouldn't hear him. Why were children so loud?

He did feel a prick of concern.

Gross.

All 15 dragons perched on top of you. "Cool feet cool feet cool feet..." They all muttered contently.

"Can you fly us out of here?" You asked the dragons. 

"No no no, we're too tiny." The one you rescued said.

"Nyathil!" The rest crowed and jeered at him.

You looked around and saw it was getting closer. You saw that you could easily climb up to the machine and be safe there. You'd have to touch the straw and get on to the plastic. Easy.

Well, easier said than done. You had to hype yourself up before you could start running again. You definitely would need a long nap after all of this craziness. Maybe a decades worth of hiding and chocolate. While you distracted yourself you jumped in and started running, surprising yourself.

Yes you actually decided to do that.

You ran towards it and climbed the straw, yelling in pain as you hoist yourself on to the plastic part and you sit down afraid to even move. It felt as if your feet would rip off at any moment. Your breaths were labored as you squeezed your eyes and gripped a piece of the plastic trying to not cry.

Jareth leaned forward watching closely. His thumb brushing against his lower lip as he watched in anticipation. 

"Thank you!" The swarm of dragons said and started to fly upwards and disappear. "Wait!" You cried out. The small dragon huffed "They left and left and left."

"I thought you couldn't fly." You said. "I can't. They can." Nyathil said sadly. "You can stay with me then." You didn't want to get off, but you needed to find out where you were.

You stand up and climb over the rest of the equipment. It hurt worse than cramps. You get to the top and look around. "Heights scary!" Nyathil said. You saw the castle was close. That would be good. You slid down the fabric and ran through the water, the pain no longer hurting. You couldn't feel your feet anymore.

Finally you got to dry land and you start to sway. Your vision becoming black as you stumble towards the hall. You fall over from exhaustion.

Jareth straightened in his chair as he saw you fall down.

"If she dies, I'm gonna kill you. Or die trying. Most likely die trying, you're like half my height." 

Jareth bit the inside of his cheek. He could give you a healing salve, but he couldn't act like he cared. He'd send it to the most convenient point so it seems like someone else pitied you.

"Crog get me a piece of parchment paper and a quill." Jareth orders.

ס₪₪₪₪§|(Ξ≥≤≥≤≥≤ΞΞΞΞΞΞΞΞΞΞ>                ס₪₪₪₪§|(Ξ≥≤≥≤≥≤ΞΞΞΞΞΞΞΞΞΞ>

Something was nudging you. You opened your eyes slowly to see Nyathil booping your nose. "Awake awake awake!!" He yelled excitedly. You were on a very different part of land. There was no more vacuuming noise. You were on top of green grass and a few feet above you was a big pipe. The hatch starts moving upwards.

You quickly roll over, your heart pounding as you look around for something to fend off potential enemies. Nyathil huffs smoke and opens it's mouth to shoot out tiny flames.

"HOGGLE! GET OFF OF ME!" A familiar frustrated 13 year old shouts as she tumbles out with Hoggle. "I'm sorry Sarah-" You forget all of your pain, all of the aching bones in your body as you tackle her as she tries to get up again.

"What the hell Y/n? Wait y/N?" She says as she hits the ground, the bag being squished. You squeezed her, glad for a familiar face. You missed her so much, and being able to hold her.

"I'm so sorry Y/n. I should have been here instead of you. I'm so sorry that I blamed you. But I fought off a goblin and forced him to take me here so I could get you some things." She says. 

"Sarah, Sarah look at me. Neither of us knew this was going to happen. I would have taken your place anyway! I could never let you go through this." You said hugging her tightly. "You're killing me." She breathes out. You let go of her and her eyes fall to your feet.

"Holy shit what happened?" Sarah exclaimed looking at the burns. 

You begin to get onto her "Sara-"

"I'm 13. Everyone has a potty mouth get over it." She untied your shoes and stripped off your socks to look at how pink your feet were. Her mouth was open as she looked at the damage.

"I have a scarf we can wrap your feet with." She said digging through the bag. She cut it into a few pieces and wrapped it around the bottoms of your feet. You were used to walking through the park without shoes, but you've never walked with burns before.

You stood up and began to walk. "Are you sure you should be walking on your feet like that? I'm sure Jareth would let me stand in for you-" 

"We don't have time to worry about me. It's been 5 hours." She stood up and motioned for Hoggle and Nyathil to follow.

"When did you get a dragon?"

"Just a few moments ago...and no it doesn't fly."

Sarah sighs heavily. "I wonder what Jack is doing right now? He's probably simping over the man in tights. He looks like he has a big pe-" She closes her mouth as you look at her with an eyebrow raised. 

"Personality?" She finishes and awkwardly looks around. "That's crazy who said that? Yeah we gotta...we gotta get going huh? Come on dragon." Sarah hurriedly picks up the pace.

Jack looked to Jareth as if he just came out of a daydream. "Hey buddy, dude, bro, Jareth, King of the homeboys...what did Y/n do anyway?" Jack asked. Jareth sighed and said in a monotone voice "Y/n wished for you to go away. This is the consequence of those actions."

Jack looked at him. "No she didn't. Sarah did. After I tried to stop her from wishing away our dad." 

This stops Jareth from editing his plan to murder Jack. He'd put you through hell over something you didn't even do?

Now Jareth was the fool in the Goblin court. "And you didn't think to say this earlier? All of this could have been avoided if someone said something." Jareth glares at the boy.

"Y/n would have fought to take Sarah's place. As I said, we stick up for each other. You would have had both of them in your Labyrinth anyway. They have some weird bond that no one understands."

The girls and Hoggle walk through the small hedges.

"I think we should go left." Sarah says.

"No, Jareth is a prick and going left is what he wants us to do-" You start to say. 

"How would you know? It's a Labyrinth and a puzzle we have to do things that he thinks we wouldn't do but we know that he would think we go left so he changes it to the right, but it's actually left." Her hands followed her words and she trails off as she realizes she doesn't know what she was talking about.

"You don't make ANY sense right now. I think going right is the best idea." You say. 

"You got lost in a Denny's parking lot. There I said it." She raises her hands in surrender.

"You're not even supposed to remember that! You were two!" You say throwing your hands in the air.

A terrible howling comes from nearby as shouts and giggles followed it.

Hoggle winces and says "D'oh I hate this part! Goodbye." "Wait-" Sarah reaches out to him but he was halfway out of there. "Keep the jewels" 

"I thought we were friends!" Sarah said tearing up.

"Hoggle is Hoggle's friend. I'm not making the same mistake again."

Sarah huffs "Son of a bitch!" You could see some tears welling up in her eyes as she crossed her arms and bit her lip. 

"Let's go find out what that howling is." You say.

"Yeah. We don't even need to think about that coward anyway."

You both walk through and see an Orangutan looking thing hanging upside down.

"Orangutans are endangered." You said randomly. 

"What does that have to do with the fact they're torturing the poor thing?" Sarah asked. A rock hit her ankle. "Ow!" She looked down and picked it up.

"Come on. Let's distract them." Sarah said and threw as hard as she could. The helmet shifted and the goblin started yelling "Hey! Who turned out the lights?" The biter at the end of the stick bit the other goblins behind. "HEy!" He yelped.

More rocks came and you both started chucking it at the guards. The guards ran off.

Sarah did a sassy hair flip and said "And THAT'S why I'm on the softball team."

"Orangutans are usually not aggressive towards humans, but we should keep 3 feet away just in case."

"Everyone's been friendly so far, come on. He's adorable!" Sarah says.

You took a deep breath and decided to trust your cousins intuition. Monkeys were monkeys. They were harmless right? Monkeys were okay. No need to be afraid. 

Jack was allowed to sit next to Jareth, only because he promised he would be quiet and would do no more unnecessary commentary. Jareth thought he was okay when he wasn't speaking. If you failed, he might take Jack's speaking ability away, and that be the only punishment.

No not if, when. Jareth blinked rapidly as he came to realize that he was actually hoping you would win this one. 

He stared at your face as you discussed with Sarah how to approach the best. His eyes looked down to your lips as he wondered what you were saying.

"You're smiling-" Jack starts to say.

"Do I need to banish you to the corner?"

".....no sir."

The monkey was whipping around wildly, and you both slowly stepped up to it. You were about to say careful but you stopped yourself. You had to trust her. "Now stop that! We just saved you, you need to be nice." She lightly scolded him. 

"Ludo. Nice." He said almost immediately stilling.

"Is Ludo your name?" Sarah asked tilting her head with him and smiling. Ludo nods.

"I like this one."

She drew her sword out of it's sheath and cut the rope. He landed on his head. "Oh shit!" She places her hands over her mouth and then kneels by him. "Are you okay?" He sits up slightly swaying and stops.

"You. Friend." 

"Yes! I'm a friend. I'm Sarah, and this is Y/n. Do you know how to get to the castle."

He thinks and nods. "This way. Sarah." He points to a hallway. Sarah looked to you "Take that Disney princesses. A new princess has arrived."

Well, Sarah is a hufflepuff. And there was nothing wrong with that.

"Hey hey hey!" Nyathil chirps nudging at a piece of paper on the ground. You bend down awkwardly and pick it up. 

Don't forget to use the vial

-Just a. worm

"What is that?" Sarah asks. "It says to use the vial- oh. Nope absolutely not, I don't trust worms." Sarah says and rips up the paper. "Whatever is in that vial, you shouldn't take it."

Jareth sighs. Children. He'd have to personally help you then.

"Oh! Doors. Why are there so many doors?" Sarah asks. Sarah and Ludo began talking but you had the strange feeling of being watched again. You turned around to see a bubble in the distance. Had it been there the whole time? How long had it been following you?

"Y/n come on we have to...go...what are you staring at?" Sarah asks. You turn to her.

"Do you see that bubble?" You turned back to point at it but there was a completely different wall. 

"Uh I see Jack getting turned into a goblin if we don't hurry up." She says and then runs to catch up.

"I think I'm going crazy." You mutter to yourself. 

Ludo stops in the middle of the tunnel and looks between two passageways. He goes through the one that looks to have a jungle. He slowly stepped through but then turned around. "Ludo? Ludo what's going on?" Sarah asks. "Dark!" Ludo says and tries to move past her.

"There's a light right over there Ludo! Hold my hand and we'll get through this." She says. He takes her hand and she hisses. "Ludo that's too hard." 

"Sorry..." he mumbles.

"Sarah I don't think we should be here." You say turning around to see vines creeping over the way you just went through.

"Oh you two, why are you getting so scared over nothing-" She stops speaking. You looked back to see both of them were gone. Your hands started trembling. "SARAH? LUDO! No, no no no." You fell to the ground patting on it trying to find out where they had gone.

"HOGGLE!" you yelled. "HOGGLE SARAH'S GONE!" You yelled. "SARAH? SARAH???"

Hoggle heard screaming from the distance. He heard you shout Sarah's name. He stiffened. It wasn't his Sarah, so it shouldn't be his problem. But it was his problem. Sarah is his friend. He promised her he'd look after the new runners.

"Oh I'm coming!" Hoggle said and started running, trying to get to you,

Jareth sticks his foot out, looking at a glass potion. Hoggle falls down and looks up. He inwardly curses. "And where are you going?" Jareth asked. He finally looks at Hoggle. "Ah your majesty, I was just going on a walk." 

"A walk towards screams and danger? That doesn't sound like you at all."

"Well-"

"We've been through this before haven't we. You're running to help her." Jareth says. Higgen never learns. Not from one runner, not from two runners, and not from the next runner.

"Sarah needs my help. She ain't the one doing your puzzle."

"Here you are again, talking about Sarah as if she's your friend. Well where's your Sarah? Didn't she say she would call you when she needed you? That she needed all of your friends at random times? If memory serves me, she's only called for you 3 times before giving away the book."

"HOGGLE!" Another yell.

Jareth looks over. "Oh, but Sarah isn't calling for you. You must have made another friend."

"It's not like that your-"

Jareth tossed the potion to Hoggle. "Hoggle, it's of utmost importance you give this to Y/n."

"I learned from last time, I ain't-"

Jareth's nose flares as he glares at Hoggle, shutting him up instantly. There was an even more dangerous aura than he had ever seen the Goblin King have. "Y/n has 1st degree burns on her feet and she's about to face the firey's. Show a little grace and just give it to her." Hoggle looks up at Jareth.

They make eye contact and Jareth lulls his head towards the left trying to scowl. Hoggle's mouth drops. He knows what's going on now.

"Jareth...is y/n your friend?" Hoggle asked.

Jareth scoffs. 

"What makes you think of such a ridiculous thing?" He pauses for a moment and then sighs  "Well? She's still screaming. You better run to defend your 'not a friend'." He says doing the quotation marks. Hoggle begins to run immediately.

,.-~*'¨¯¨'*·~-.¸-(Trigger_Warning:_Firey's_)-,.-~*'¨¯¨'*·~-.¸

"Maybe I should rename him Hobble." Jareth says to himself before stepping into the castle, watching the goblin limp in both legs as he runs. Jack was shaking. "Jareth? What the fuck are those things?" Jack asks, looking at the crystal ball once Jareth looks back.

Jareth looked over and winced "She found the firey's." He tried to sound indifferent. Jack squinted. The doors opened and some goblins hissed to get his attention. "Not now." Jareth said trying to see what the Firey's were doing.

"What the hell is wrong with them?" Jack asks. 

Jareth looks at them. "The creatures of the Labyrinth are sick."

"Sick?"

"They normally aren't this way." Jareth hums, his eyes looking towards the exit. "Stay here. I need to check on something."

"Yeah, like I can go anywhere else." Jack huffs. 

Oh the sun has gone down...(Sun gone done)
There is nowhere to run!...(Can't run!)
All my brothers come round...(We're around)
Say goodbye to the sun...(No more sun!)

The Firey's were more twitchy than usual, and their pupils were dilated. They weren't going to be showing you mercy. Runners, they have learned, will never be their friend. So they shouldn't treat them as such. 

We'll take your pretty little head...(That head)
And skin your stinky human feet (Human feet)
Burn you brighter than sunlight...(Fire dance)
We're your new friends the Firey's

You won't have no problems (No more problems)
No more goblin King!
Chilly down with the fire gang

A firey jumps out of the shadows with a skull over it's face and a detached arm. 

Chilly down with me.

They all began laughing and pushing you around. "Let's see how long it takes to tear it limb from limb!"

The skulled one tapped your shoulder and it's neck cracked. You jumped backwards but beyond that you could hardly move, you were so terrified.

"Oh she's no fun! Hardly a runner, but she's got a nice round head to play with."

The three seized your arms and hoisted you deeper into the cave.

"Think of all the things we could use the head for! Games, dancing, .....food."

"It would probably taste really good."

One of the monkeys licked your cheek and that's what broke you out of your trance. "Mmmmm salty." 

You struggled. 

"Let me go!" You shouted. "She's struggling!" 2 more broke out of the shadows and tied you up.

Lights suddenly lit up the whole cave and you could see the terror that was holding you captive. They were smiling. "Don't we have a charming smile? BRING OUT THE CHILLY DOWN!" A machine rolls out with comically lit colors that had a blade moving like a chopping block.

"Does her arm come undone?"

"Might as well try."

Jareth entered the Tapestry Room, holding his crystal ball, watching. He needed to get to you, and he needed to get to you now. If the Labyrinth creatures are starting to get sick and darker, this means there's something wrong underneath the surface. 

He touched the tapestry as new circles formed underneath his reign, and he began to see the future.

...

Y/n, oh no. 

He looks back at the fireys.

Jareth thinks, his breath hitching, You can do it Y/n. Escape from them. Why aren't you moving? You need to leave!

They pulled at one of your arms, and it popped out of the socket. "SHIT!" You yell.

"Oh~ Shit shit shit shit! It has funny language. I think we oughtta keep her."

They grabbed your head and carried you over. You were having a panic attack by now. They argued whether they should snap your neck first or chop your head off first. You could smell the metallic blood on it and they put their hand over your mouth.

"Come on Y/n call for me...Call for me." He said, his leg tapping intensely. 

 If you didn't call for him, he would have to go on his own.

The blade got dangerously close, and as he was standing up you closed your eyes, bit the firey's hand and when they pulled away you yelled "JARETH!"

Not Hoggle. Not Sarah. No one but him.

You spluttered out feathers and slightly gagged. They obviously never took a bath. You didn't know why you called out for Jareth, but you knew he had to be watching. Maybe he'd help. You prayed he'd help. 

The Firey's screamed and their hands went off of you and they retreated. You squeezed your eyes shut trying to wriggle out. 

"Quit moving." You heard someone instruct. 

Their arms quickly moved and undid the ropes that were clumsily tied. You opened your eyes as Jareth picked you up. He set you down on the ground, his eyes never leaving yours. "Y/n?" He whispered softly. 

There was a split moment where you leaned in a little. His eyes looked down to your lips. "Jare-" You started but then he was gone. Your wrists dropping to your knees. You wondered if that really happened. It had too, otherwise you wouldn't have escaped. 

You blink disoriented, at the sudden softness.

Hoggle yells "Y/n! We have to go! They're coming back!" He throws a rope down and you climb up. "Hoggle help I can't reach the top." The firey's ran over and jumped trying to grab at your feet. 

"I can't!" Hoggle says. A firey grabs at your ankle. 

"Hoggle! They're pulling my ankle." You say. The scarf-sock falls down. Hoggle touches your hand and then you both fall through a chute.

Jareth sits on his throne sighing loudly rubbing his temples. Jack looks at Jareth's concerned and worried body posture. 

"Dude do you have a thing for my cousin? Barf." He jokes. 

"What did I say about commentary?" Jareth says not opening his eyes yet. 

Jack purses his lips together.

His mind goes back towards the tapestry of the future.

If nothing changes in the next few hours...you were going to stay here forever. 

5

You slid down a tunnel, your feet hitting a few rocks as you rolled down the stones. A branch struck you in your stomach as you groaned. "Oh what the-" You say before gagging at the smell. The bog directly underneath you made your eyes water, and when you finally saw where you were, you almost fell down. You screamed holding on tight to the branch. Your fingernails digging into the wood, the small pieces stabbing at your fingers.

A 6 foot drop and your life would be over.

You saw your shiny reflection, and you suddenly were aware of how small the branch was. Your stomach was the only thing in contact that was holding you up. You swung your leg over and straddled it trying to listen to see if the creaking was just the weight shifting, or if you were about to drown.

You closed your eyes trying to steady your breathing. You start to scoot backwards. You hear Hoggle screaming, about to shoot in the bog. "HOGGLE!" You scream and your hand shoots out to catch him. The tree dips down and the tip of his shoe barely taps a bubble. The popped bubble shrinks into the water. You strained trying to hold on to the tree and Hoggle.

It was a lot of different greens and browns, with putrid smells hitting the inside of your nose. And if you opened your mouth you could taste the colors. And your eyes watered even more. You could barely see.

It was also steaming. Was that normal for a bog? Probably not.

"Oh! Just let me go and die here. I deserve it for all I done." Hoggle moans miserably. His legs were swinging, making it incredibly hard to keep both you and him from falling into the form of vomit.

"I'm not going to do that, you big baby!" You exclaim looking around. "Tree can you- can you help me?"

If walls would help, surely the tree wood- er would.

The tree starts moving up towards the ledge. This was perfect, now you could get your footing-

The tree throws you two towards the other side. You saw Ludo in that moment and you were so happy to see him! 

....

But not when you were hurtling right at him. 

He raised his paws up and catches you. Hoggle lands face first in the sand.

He spits out sand and pats himself down. He sighed in relief when he saw he wasn't inside the bog. He kicked off his shoes into the bog that had the slightest touch of the bog. He wasn't going to risk it.

And then he took a deep breath in order to yell "DAMN YOU JARETH." 

Sarah giggles and helps him wipe the sand off his face. He slightly swipes her hand away. "Don't coddle me!"

"Ugh, what is this place? It smells worse than your dads farts." You say looking at Sarah.

"The bog of eternal stench." Hoggle said grumpily. "Ah great, my favorite shirt ruined! Jareth loves to hang this place over everyone's heads. I should be used to the smell by now but it gets worse and worse every time I get here. And because I saved you, now we get to have a little vacation. Jareth's favorite party trick."

"You act as if saving me was the worst thing you've ever done." You say. You were glad he did. You couldn't stand this place. You wanted to leave as soon as you could.

"It might as well be! He's a jealous ruler, and no one gets to lay hands on what's his."

Sarah's mouth drops open as she looks over at you.

"Ohhhh~ No one gets to touch what's his?" She wiggles her eyebrows.

"Sarah? Sarah no!" You say catching on to what she's thinking. "He is literally the enemy."

"Can I be the maid of honor? Throw flowers, in a fantasy realm come on! Please please!"

"No one's getting married if we're stuck in here." Hoggle says.

"You didn't say I couldn't be the maid of honor." Sarah says taunting you.

You try your best to ignore her. You weren't even going to think of marriage. Though it brings up a good point, what if this all comes to a close and the terms change? What if you had to marry Jareth in order to free Jack? You swallowed any fear down and tried to correct your posture and see if there was an exit in this place.

"OUT! OUT!" Nyathil says jumping down from the trees. Ludo dips his head down. "Out. This. Way." Ludo says pointing to a newly constructed bridge.

A speck of bog flings at the group, making all of you hurry up towards the bridge.

"Where's the rat thing?" Hoggle asks knocking on the door. 

"A rat? Where?" Sarah asked excitedly. She had a pet rat at home named Higgle Piggins. Which is ironic seeing as Hoggle was eerily close to it in appearance and manner.....

Hoggle huffs. "Sir Didymus guards the place. SIR DIDYMUS?" 

"Brother?" Ludo says looking around trying to squat down and peer through the branches. The door opens and Hoggle looks inside. Empty. Except a suit of armor was placed on the stands with a letter. Hoggle opens it and reads it.

"Oh. I guess he's gone."

The air had a sad tone to it, as Ludo crows.

Gone? Like...dead?

Hoggle goes towards the bridge and gets to the end, he looks back in worry and flinches every time the bog throws muck at Sarah. A little sign laid at the end, 'the new bridge dedicated to Ambrocious'

"Who's Ambrocious?" Sarah asks when she reads the sign.

"He was a brave dog. Unlike me." Hoggle answers shortly. "Hm." Sarah doesn't push it when she sees that it only made them sadder.

She tries to distract them. "So when we get to Jareth how are we going to hit him? Because I think a nice chopping board would send him into next week. His royal little behind would finally feel how much of a pain he's been." It only made Sarah happy to talk of Jareth's soon demise. You should have been excited to scheme on how to take him down as well.

The memory of when he saved you, and the potential of what could have been a kiss flashes through your mind. Your face gets a little hot. And then you realized you had practically pulled him forward and had a whole banter with him. This was not going to be good for your mental health. Looking back on it now, it didn't even seem like a roast session. More of a hero-villain flirting thing.

You were hopeless.

"Maybe you could steal his throne Y/n. Become the new ruler. I'm sure anyone would be better than him." Sarah says, making you snap out of it. 

"No way. I just want to get home." You say.

Hoggle looks over and sees your (red face/uncomfortable stature) and tugs on your hand. "Um, I have a healing potion...of sorts. I know your feet must be really hurting." He holds up the glass vial and Sarah eyes it but stays quiet.

"A potion? Do I drink it?" You ask taking the vial from his hands. You take off the lid and waft it. It smelled like peaches. You didn't really expect it to have a pleasant smell.

A familiar smell?

"Yes you drink...it." He didn't know how much you should drink. That might be a problem in the future. But it was a healing potion, no harm could be done from it right?

Jareth just wants to heal you, for whatever reason. Okay it looks really bad now that he's thinking it through.

You took a small sip and instantly heat went through your veins and attacked the places that were hurting. You took a bigger sip and slowly the soreness went away and your feet turned back into your normal (s/c) color. They no longer looked like chubby marshmallows that had fallen into a fire and forgotten by the campers around it.

Hoggle sighed in relief as you seemed to be fine.

Maybe Jareth had changed his mind about you.

Maybe you both were really friends.

There was a bubble perched on top of the tree, floating towards you. You capped the vial and looked around. "Did anyone else get hurt?" You look to see if anyone else has any wounds. No. Just you. Of course. Fate's favorite.

You all began walking but slowly you started to sway. You coughed a little. "You okay?" Sarah asks turning around but then her eyes grew wide. "Ho..ggin is this normal?" Your hands rushed to your head as your vision began to swirl. Your words began to slur "Higby?"

Hoggle winced.

He couldn't help but to correct you "It's Hoggle-" Hoggle backs up and takes the vial from you. He throws it against the tree and the tree begins to decompose at an alarming rate.

"I-I can't be apart of this anymore!" Hoggle yells and begins to run. "Hoggle? What do you mean-" She turns to try and catch his attention but you fall forward. She tries to catch you, but you both end up falling to the ground. "Ugh you're so heavy!" Sarah exclaims, her body under yours. "I...what?"

Nothing made any sense. The colors were dancing.

"Ludo! Come and pick Y/n up. We're going to DEMAND a cure from that cursed Goblin King." She says grabbing a branch.

Ludo picks you up and the bubbles begin to float closer. Sarah sees it and runs over and whacks it. It pops. "Huh. Well I hate to burst your bubble Goblin King, but you're not getting my cousin! See Y/n? I'm so clever- ....Y/n?"

While she was doing her unplanned one liner, a bubble had burst on your nose and you had disappeared. She looked at the bubble floating out of her reach.

She looks to Ludo and then back in the direction where Hoggle was.

"Hoggle what have you done?" 

(<(<>(<>.(<>..<>).<>)<>)>)(<(<>(<>.(<>..<>).<>)<>)>)(<(<>(<>.(<>..<>).<>)<>)>)

You were staring at a grandfather clock, showing 7 PM. You blinked, you must have spaced out. You turned to see a room full of people who were dancing. Chattering and drinking. It felt like home. You allowed yourself to smile as you moved to go through them. Your (suit/dress) clashed with another one and you moved to say you were sorry but no sound came out.

Your hands went to your lips and you frowned. Was it always like this?

You looked around and the people were staring at you as if you did something wrong. They were adorned with jewels and pretty dresses and suits. But the thing everyone had was a mask.

Something you did not have.

You felt embarrassed that you had come here, wherever it was, without one. But that was odd too. You couldn't remember ever coming here, or hearing about it. You couldn't remember anything and no matter how hard you tried, there was nothing coming to mind.

The people eventually went back to talk to each other, and you felt like you could move again. You passed through the people looking around, sizing up the scene. It was a pretty place, and there were glasses of half drunken wine or champagne cluttering the tables.

A woman with feathers as a dress spun around, the feathers floating around with her. She seemed to be the main entertainment of the rooms. All of the men practically lined up to dance with her. Well except for one who was approaching you.

A man with a sunken mask and wiry grey hair waltzed up to you and offered his hand. He had many different shiny jewels, and gold and silver all weighed him down. He gestured to dance.

Ah, now you remembered. You were waiting for somebody. And he definitely wasn't him.

You shook your head and declined it. He over exaggerated his sadness as he walked away. You backed up, suddenly feeling uneasy.

A red headed man with a brown mask and with tall long horns, and even greater height approached you, offering his hand. No matter how tall you were, he was obviously at least 2 feet taller. You needed to get away immediately. You shook your head and declined it.

You looked around the room, your heart sinking. Why wasn't he here? You didn't even know who he was, but it hurt to not see him. And you knew you couldn't rest until you knew where he was.

You tried to stick to the walls so no one else would approach you and try to whisk you away.

Then you saw him in the distance and you knew it was him.

He removed his mask and looked straight at you and a small smile graced his lips. They looked so soft....er...focus! He had big hair and excellent eyeliner. His costume was grander than anyone else's in the room. A pair waltzed past him and he disappeared. You jumped slightly. This was either a magician, or a 90's serial killer movie.

People don't just disappear like that.

You started to go his direction and ended up where you were when you saw him. You look around and start to panic. How did that happen? Everything just seemed to loop around. Maybe to make everything seem bigger than it actually was?

Then you saw the stranger dancing with a girl similar to you, but he was staring at you. He drew closer and when you tried to step towards him he disappeared again. You huff and look around. Where could he be? There were only so many people in the room now that you knew it wasn't too big.

You regretted looking up.

The room had white ceiling tiles that seemed to expand forever no matter where you looked. You suddenly realized you couldn't see the walls. There seemed to be more and more people crowding in. This was too much. Hands seemed to touch you but you couldn't see anything.

What kind of dream was this?

A nightmare most likely.

A hand goes on your shoulder and you see the most ugly mask you've seen in your entire life. His smile was increasingly getting wider the longer you stared at him. You needed to get out of here right now. You step backwards but he followed you. Hands wrapped around your arms and legs as the crowd pushed you towards the thing, and you tried to struggle.

"May I have this dance?" You heard from behind him. The hands suddenly disappeared. 'Yes' you say whirling around and your hand takes his. Your heart almost stops.

It was him.

He brought your knuckles to his lips and lightly kissed it, never glancing away from you for a second. Instantly the people gave you both room. It felt less crowded as he pulled you closer to him, and placed his hand on your waist and began to dance. He guided you around, and music that you knew was playing the entire time but couldn't hear, suddenly became recognizable.

Your hands and waist both burned by his touch, and was soothed by it at the same time. This man must mean something to you. Maybe even everything. Your eyes glanced to the hand holding yours. No ring. He wasn't married it seems.

Maybe he was looking for someone to marry him.

Maybe you even had a secret hope that he would choose you.

He waltzed with you and spun you around and brought you to his chest. He was light on his feet, and every second you felt joy and happiness. Your heart fluttered in a way you'd never experienced before. This stranger was everything to you.

If only you knew where he was from.

People slowly faded out until it was just you two dancing. And maybe that was all you ever needed. Just him and you. Whoever he may be. You stumbled for a moment when you leaned forward, maybe to try and steal a kiss?

"Y/n."

He stopped dancing for a moment. That was your name, and hearing him say it completed a part of your soul you didn't even know was missing. Maybe that was too sappy for you to think. You didn't really write poetry that much, but he made you want to start writing it.

His eyes drop down to your lips and he tilts his head ever so slightly. He looked as if he was drunk off of your gaze, a high that only you could give him. A look of love and a slight mix of curiosity.

He moves closer, his lips slightly parting.

Then a clock struck startling you both. You looked around the empty room. Oh. A dream ends eventually doesn't it.

Your face falls downward before you start to look where the clock is. His hand moves from yours to your chin and makes you look back at him. His thumb on your chin and his fingers on your pulse.

"Stay."

It seemed more of a question than a demand. His tone seemed to beg you to stay. Your eyes went down to his lips. You wanted to say yes, your heart was begging you to say the one word that would change everything forever.

He looked back down to your lips and you both begin to close the distance.

The chimes grew louder and louder, trying to warn you of something. But quite frankly you didn't care.

He kissed your top lip, slightly hesitant. But after the first touch, you both wanted more. You drew back and kissed again. His hand went from your chin to your cheek, and pulled you closer.

He spoke in between the kisses "I don't want you to leave."

And then the final chime struck and silence filled the room. You pulled back, your lips trembling as you were unable to open your eyes for a moment. And then you spoke.

"Jareth."

Then everything came rushing back and you stumbled backwards. He watched you closely as you began to realize what was going on. 

He was an enemy. Someone you weren't even supposed to be around. Someone you were supposed to hate.

You see a door to the right and you rushed towards it and threw it open and you were outside. Billions of stars shined, and you saw the garden morph into what it truly was. A maze. Your hands rushed to the balcony rail and you peered down, you breathed heavily unable to completely think straight. But things slowly started to fall in line.

The water that reflected the stars swirled to show 3 people climbing over piles of trash. Hoggle, Sarah, and Ludo. How did you know their names? You heard Jareth step outside and you whirled around, pressing yourself against the railing.

He stole your cousin and you had to rescue him....

And then you kissed him?

You shake your head as he opens his mouth to say something. "Y/n?"

You felt betrayed. He never would have done this, he just wanted to waste time.

"This isn't real. You're not real! You just...you just wanted to waste the time. Is that what you wanted? To toy around with someone just to win some stupid game? I should never have thought you wanted anything else than victory. We're enemies and that's all we can ever be. Do you think it's just okay to kiss someone like that?"

You don't give him another chance to speak.

"You never would....you never would have done this outside of some sick and twisted fantasy. I hope you're happy, because when I get to your castle and get Jack, I am going to beat the ever loving (shit/hell) out of you."

You rushed down the stairs and looked back up at him and shook your head before jumping into the puddle hoping you weren't about to look a fool.

"It wasn't fake." Jareth murmured his hands going up towards his own lips. He couldn't blame you. He had wasted time with you. He sees the 13 minutes left on the grandfather clock. He strides over to it and rewinds the time that he had 'wasted' enchanting you.

And in his mind, he rewinded all of the moments of the kiss. 

Maybe the tapestry was wrong. 

He looks back to the puddle and watched as you woke up on a pile of trash. Maybe he had just thought you wanted it. That was a move his father would have made. Kissing someone just to toy with their emotions. Maybe he didn't even feel what he thought he did with you.

But he can't lie if he said he didn't like it. 

He did.

And maybe, just maybe...you really could be the happily ever after the Labryinth had been looking for. 

Chapter Management

"Oh. My. God!" Jack said as soon as Jareth came back in with a pout. "You kissed my cousin? What the hell were you thinking? You know what I hope she beats you cause that was an asshole move. And that's coming from someone who's broken up with a girl over text." Jack said.

"Be quiet. Do you think I wanted her to react that way? Do you think I was playing with her feelings? I can't meddle with something that wasn't already there...even if it was misinterpreted." Jareth said impatiently and leaning back into his throne with a huff.

Jack's jaw dropped.

"Holy shit! Someone kill me now. Not even bleach can cleanse my insides, I need a Lady Macbeth cleaning service to wipe all this sappy stuff off me. I see it everywhere. And you're into her? Gag me with a spoon! You're in LOVE with her." Jack said.

"Don't make me tie you up."

"Kinky. And yeah right, trying to bag the whole family? Why not. Just please don't mess with Sarah. I don't like to share with her...and I dunno maybe you could be into me too- no? I'll just...I'll just shut up. Maybe you're not actually into kids after all, thank God- yeah sorry my bad." Jack says as he sees the glare Jareth is giving him.

Your back felt so sore, you groaned as you rolled down a trash pile. You cough and open your eyes to see you were in a landfill. Great. At least it seemed more organized than your room. You smiled at the thought of your room. You wished you could be in bed right now...

Wait where even were you?

"Get off my back! Haven't you any manners?" A small goblin woman with a towering amount of trash said. You scrambled off looking at her. What WAS she? She tilted her head. "Well don't stare! That's rude...What are you looking for? No one comes here unless they're looking for something" She asks.

You looked around confused. "I...I don't know. I saw someone here. I needed to get to them." The only people moving were the tiny trash people. The woman's grouchy face turned into a soft smile. "Well then. Let's get you changed and rested up. Majesty knows you need it." You followed the woman to a door and she opened it.

Majesty?

Maybe you were looking for him? Sounded right. 

Your room was inside. "Home? I'm going home?" You asked feeling so woozy. Ugh thank the 'Majesty' for being able to have your bed again. You walked inside and then collapsed on your bed. You were so tired, hungry, but at least you weren't in pain. Your tongue remembered some kind of peach. The door was shut and you looked around. You needed to get changed. You open (wherever your clothes are) and change.

You even found your shoes. You wondered why you didn't have any in the first place. Dreams you guessed. They were weird.

You walked up to the door, ready to go tell your dad about this odd dream you had, but you still saw the same red sky and trash. "What the...?" You looked behind you and then back outside. You moved forward to step outside but the trash woman blocked you.

You could easily have stepped over her, but she pushed at your knees making you go back outside. "Hey, what's out there that you don't got in here?" 

"A will to live?" You asked jokingly. 

"I've got the three day old chocolate you bought from the store not too long ago that you forgot existed. That's close enough isn't it?"

"Eh, that is close enough."

She pressed it on to you and it stuck. You didn't have enough energy to question why it was like that. "Your (hair/clothes) could use the (lint roller/hair brush)....oh where was that thing?" She smiles "You know this is the perfect Toglins room. You have everything and know where it is. You would love it here! Oh (Stuffed animal)! I know you haven't seen that in a while." She placed it on your head and walked by.

"Toglin?"

"Trash Goblins. We came up with it ourselves. The goblins WISH they could be us. They never have any stuff to show off. Speaking of showing off do you remember this (Books you haven't read yet that look pretty on the shelf/Random shiny things you found on the ground mixed with rocks/energy drink collection I know some of y'all fucking have)."

You absentmindedly nodded looking around.

You didn't like this dream.

Things continued to pile on you, and you felt suffocated. You could barely lift your arms due to the weight. "Don't forget this either!" A picture that 2 year old Sarah drew of you and Jack. Why did you even have that? No matter how it got into this room, or why it was there, you realized that you were looking for Sarah and Jack. Jareth was just wasting time again.

"Stop..." You mumble. She continues. "No stop!" you say as your head finally clears up. You wipe off the items as she hisses at you. "I can't just let you leave. You belong here-"

You kicked her into the wall.

"No. I'm going to leave. This may be my room, but this is all just useless stuff I don't need."

"Then give your shoes back."

"Suck my a-" You begin but the walls crumple down.

"Y/n!" You heard Sarah yell.

You tried to think of a cool one liner to make your exit. Instead you just finished your sentence. 

"Ass." 

And then you crawled up the wall and made your way to Sarah.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE??" The Toglin yelled in pain. The pile caves in and the yelling stops. Did you just kill that Toglin? 

Someone grabbed your hand.

"Y/n! Thank Gods you're here. We've got to go. We have an hour left, we have to move- oh you found your shoes."

You let her lead you down the trash as you processed what happened. The whole dance and....kiss...felt so real as if it actually happened.

"You're safe right? Nothing harmed you?" You asked looking at her. 

"No! I'm alright. Ludo protected me. We found a secret passageway that will skip the valley and lead us straight to the gate." Good.

You all crawled through the hole and helped Ludo into it. He just barely fit.

You had one hour when you went into that dream. Did he reset that hour?

Nyathil, Ludo, and Sarah were all planning on how to storm the castle. And even while you wished you could boldly say you would fight him....you didn't know what you would do. You had mixed feelings about him. And even though he was attractive, he still had multiple things to answer for. Just because he kissed you and gave you an extra hour doesn't mean you should forgive him for everything.

He probably laughs at babies getting kicked, you didn't really know anything about him.

Just imagine him as some enemy when you're fighting him. Imagine him moving in to stab you and kill you! Your brain unhelpfully provided you with him pinning you against the wall and using that sword to lift your chin up.

Okay, maybe not that.

Or he has Jack chained up and you have to sacrifice yourself to save Jack!

Your brain then imagined you in chains with him towering over you and-

You're just not going to win against your brain are you? It was only going to torment you about your mixed feelings, and it was going to laugh at you. You were going to be your own downfall. Jareth wouldn't even have to touch you, you probably would just crumble on sight.

You both got to the gate and two guards were sparring each other. "Why not sleep?" Ludo asked. Neither Sarah nor you could understand what he meant. "HALT! Who goes there?" A tiny scrappy animal says after he topped the goblin.

"Friend!" Ludo smiled.

"Ludo? Where's Hoggle? Who are they? Is that a younger Sarah?"

Sarah tilted her head "Oh I've come to bring Y/n to the Goblin King. To turn her in for...the reward." The theater kid in her was scheming, finally able to act for good, instead of pranks and getting out of parent-teacher conferences.

"Reward? What reward? King Jareth says no one shall pass. I swore on my life that I would not let anyone through!"

You then got an idea. "You're Sir Didymus aren't you? The brave....knight..." Was he a knight? You weren't familiar with his character. You were glad your uncle read the ending now. Unforgiveable on his part, but at least you knew the names. 

He huffed up proudly "That I am! I guided Sarah to the castle and we defeated the goblin king."

"And then you betrayed Sarah."

"WHAT? I did not!" Sir Didymus pointed his sword at you. You used to have a friend who had a chihuahua. You were not scared of this squirrel with a toothpick. "Then why are you helping the Goblin King? I'm sure Sarah would be very disapointed."

His face fell "But that was before Ambrocious." He said quietly. "Dog?" Ludo asked.

"He was sick, the bog went inside him and I couldn't help him. Jareth tried to help, but when no one could heal him...I couldn't defend the bog anymore. So I started anew as his loyal helper. I couldn't...I couldn't stand being there."

Inwardly you sighed. 

You wished Sir Didymus didn't say anything about a sick dog and people trying to help. You might have had a little soft spot for that sort of thing.

"Look, I'm sorry about your dog but time has run out. That's why I'm here to bring here. We're here to be turned into Goblins." Sarah said thinking quickly. You were glad she was into improv. "They would have told me..." He looked down to his companion. "Right?"

The companion shrugged "I've been here for the last 6 hours I don't know anything."

"Everyone else knew! Ludo is serving the King as well."

You took a mental note to never play any bluffing games with her. She was too strong for her own good.

"Truth." Ludo said. 

"Then we shall open the gates."

Jack looked at the bubble and then back at Jareth before cackling. Your fingers were still placed on your lips, not even knowing what you were doing told Jack everything he needed to know. "What?" Jareth asked annoyed. Jack smirked, not wanting to reveal anything.

"Oh my god I think I actually ship you guys." Jack giggles.

d(^o^)b¸¸♬·¯·♩¸¸♪·¯·♫¸¸

Sir Didymus trotted in with a big smile. "Sarah, when you get turned into a goblin maybe you could join the army! Female Goblins tend to be the strongest so you can be a very good warrior! And smartest too! There's one almost as smart as Jareth. Tiq I think."

You cautiously followed and then saw a straight line to the castle. You got ready to run when a goblin rushed up. "You idiot! They tricked you! We still have about an hour before the games over."

Sir Didymus halts and turns back with a shocked expression. "My brother....lied? NGAHHHHHHHH-" He begins to shout and charge.

"Sorry Sir Didymus." Sarah said before punting him into a nearby house. 

"Sarah!" Ludo said his shoulders heaving.

"What? We have places we need to be okay? I'm not gonna be sorry for the rat right now."

Okay maybe she was more of a Slytherin than a Hufflepuff.

49 minutes left in the game. The clock seemed to appear everywhere, around every corner.

Tick tick tick 

The goblins were in Jareth's throne room toasting the new goblin. Jack was drenched in the drink that Goblins threw on him. "Jack the Goblin player! Lost again, no spite! Jack the Goblin player! He has got NO FIGHT!" They chanted in a hearty tune. Jack was trying not to cry.

Now he was getting scared. What was going to happen to him?

A goblin burst inside. "THE GIRLS ARE HERE! WEAPONS!" Jareth sat up. "What are you all waiting here for? Go get them! They cannot reach Jack....Come. We have somewhere to go." Jareth said. Jack wordlessly gets up and follows him.

As they go up the stairs Jack stops and looks up at him. He looks back. "Y/n won't actually fall in love with you, you know." 

"I know." Jareth said not looking directly at Jack. 

"She doesn't care about you. She's not going to choose to stay."

"....I'm willing to take a chance, and hope for even the slightest chance that she will." Jareth says.

"She's going to kick your ass. And for relief you will find none, for I bite my thumb at you sir....You deserve nothing less than loneliness."

Jareth couldn't blame Jack for his harsh words. Jack was getting scared. Jack knew the game was about to be over so he was trying to go out as cool as he could in these circumstances.

"I know I do." Jareth said before continuing up the stairs.

You could hear the rush of goblins running through the streets. A chicken ran in front of you. "Wha-" "BOO!" A goblin said from behind you. You grabbed the sword from Sarah's sheath and pointed it at the goblins throat.

"I will send you to Valhalla, the creator, whatever you guys believe in." You threaten.

The goblin instantly runs away screaming.

"IT'S GOT A SWORD, IT'S GOT A SWORDDD!"

The army marches up and Ludo starts to walk backwards and then runs at them, knocking them over like a bowling set. Some canons get prepped as a line of shelled goblins stood waiting to get shoved in. "FIRE!" The goblin balls miss badly.

The goblin groaned "Did we win yet?"

"No" Sarah said before stomping on it's tail.

"THIS WAY!" Hoggle's voice came from a distance. Sarah's face lit up. "HOGGLE YOU CAME BACK!"

"Come on before you make me regret it." Hoggle turns and begins to run.

Is that all he ever does?

You hit several goblins away, and Sarah acquired a bat. 3 goblins blocked Sarah's path and she hit one over the head. The bat broke in half. Sarah nervously laughed "Uh....you're very strong!?" She turned and ran. You thwapped them with your sword and Ludo pushed a house onto them.

You heard something rolling and you saw the cannon crash into the house next to you. Your feet were getting tired from kicking the goblins away.

Finally the last set of stairs towards the castle were there.

You dashed up there but a goblin tackled you, sending you falling down the stairs. You scrambled away kicking at it as it tried to bite at your feet. Suddenly it stood to attention and awkwardly marched away. You looked behind you to see a bubble floating there.

Sarah and Ludo were back to back. "GO GET JACK!" Sarah shouted as she pulled off a helmet and threw it at a Goblin, accidentally stabbing it in the eye. You nod and run upstairs and tug open the doors that open dramatically.

You pant heavily, your breath is the only sound in the air. There was only one passageway, and that way was up.

"Oh honey I'm home!" You call, going up the stairs quickly. You were trying to hear any sound that would indicate shuffling or even giggling. There was no answer.

"Well that was rude. I even gave you a pet name." You said mockingly.

Then a big archway appeared at the top and inside were mirrors. Thousands of mirrors in a dimly lit room. You saw jack and the middle and you rushed forward but you smacked face first into the pane. You felt at the glass and tried to find the next passageway.

You hated this.

There was a low rumble of humming and softly spoken singing. You've heard it before. But where from?

"JACK-" You yelled but clamped your hands over your ears. It amplified loudly.

"Your eyes can be so cruel, just as I can be so cruel..." You heard from behind you. A hand brushed on your waist and you twisted around to see Jareth disappearing. This wasn't some happy musical, this was about saving your cousin.

This wasn't your world to fall in love with.

Soon Jack looked to only be a few mirrors away. But there was no way to get to him. 4 panes blocking you. You knew what you had to do. You closed your eyes and moved backwards to get a running start. You jumped through the mirror and shattered it.

"I can't live....within you..."

The next thing you knew was that you were on the ground, your face against Jareth's chest, and he held you taking pieces of glass off of you.

"Why didn't you tell me Sarah was the one who wished Jack away?" He asked. You looked up at him in shock.

"She's just a child! She saw something cool and wanted to try it. She made a mistake, I couldn't let her go through this and be punished like that." You twisted around trying to see where Jack was. His hands gripped your arms, not allowing you to leave.

"Now look, I've been generous-"

"You call this generous? I'm not the judge of fairness or unfairness, and life never is fair, but you have not been. Are you telling me I should be thankful that I'm alive right now? That I should get on my hands and knees and praise you for not turning me into some worm after you make me go through hell just to save my family from you? That I'm going to become a better and changed person because you needed to play a villain in someone's story?"

You pause to take a breath.

"I didn't need you in my life. Sarah didn't need you in her life, and JACK doesn't need you in his life." You say trying to not be anything but angry.

Jareth didn't seem to be phased by your words. You say nothing for a moment trying to read what he was thinking. His hands move to your shoulders, and looks at you head on.

"But you do need me in your life. You crave it just as I do."

"You're just putting on some show, you're going to try and twist some deal too-" He shushes you slowly.

"Understand what I'm telling you, I will give you your dreams, and I ask for so little. just let me rule you. Just fear me, Love me, do as I say and I will be your slave." He says. 

"Well that's contradictory. How can you rule me and yet you will be my slave? What do you even want me for?"

"I already told you in the ballroom. Stay. Stay with me. I want you. I know you don't want to leave, I know that you crave being held and that I could give you everything you've ever dreamed of. You're a rare species Y/n L/n. And I don't want you to wither under the other world's touch."

"And you think your touch won't do the same? Besides...I can't. Jack and Sarah will need me. My family needs me."

"Then say the words and leave this place forever." He says, his hands dropping to his lap.

And then you knew he was right. You did want to stay in his embrace. You wanted him to hold you closely, and carry you off to the sunset. You wanted to sit on the throne with him and look at him with all of the love you could while he adjusts the crown on your head and smiles like there had never been a lovelier moment before.

You wanted to laugh and run with him through the halls, and have him pick you up and twirl you around before pulling you into a kiss like they do in all the princess stories. But that's not reality. It couldn't be.

Could it?

With no answer he says "As I said. You don't want to leave."

"You have....You....have no power....you...I've fought my way to the castle..." You couldn't say it. The words died on your lips. No matter how hard you tried to think of how life back home would be terrible without you, you couldn't imagine it.

You couldn't force the words out. 

You had never been so indecisive before.

But it wasn't by any magic spell Jareth could cast.

No.

This was by your own doing. 

And you so badly wanted, no, needed to stay.

Against your own better judgement.

His hands slid back to your wrists, holding them gently. Your own heartbeat betrays you as he watches you in silence as you struggle to say the words.

"You have no..."

It was pathetic how much you were struggling. He hated you, you had to remind yourself of it. But he made your lip tremble, your whole soul feel like it was on fire in a pain that you wouldn't mind feeling. How your soul loved him, even when you couldn't remember your own name. It was a type of magic he couldn't control.

"Power...Why can't I say it? What were those words again?"

And as much as you wanted to imagine he was just doing this to gain power over you, you knew that wasn't the case. He'd rewound time for you after the kiss, he had saved you from the monkeys and that Goblin even when you were going to win.

Even when you got thrown from the wall and in hot water.

And he was holding you close, even when he was about to lose the game.

Because as much as he's bewitched you, mind body and soul...you've done the same thing to him. Maybe you had just tried to see hate. 

He was a King of a whole different world, he had magic, he was offering everything just to share it with you. It was something you've always dreamed of. 

And yet you couldn't care whether he was the King of the world or the King of your heart. He ruled both, even when you hadn't fully come to love him. Even now.

Even if he didn't fulfill your dreams, if you even had any, and took you away from Earth you found you didn't mind. Did that make you crazy? Probably. But you found you didn't mind if you were.

When had you become like this?

He's undone everything you were at your core. Just by 13 hours. Imagine if you had stayed. You would constantly be in a state of panic. You realized you hadn't said anything in a long time. You looked at the clock which was frozen. He had stopped time to hear your answer.

And you had one.

"You can rule me. But not as your citizen, or a piece of your Labyrinth. Not as a goblin but as I am. I will stay. As long as you love me, I will stay. But when you do not I leave immediately." You weren't sure if he actually did love you or just enjoyed the thrill of the chase. But no hunter looks at their prey like that. There wasn't hunger or sadistic joy.

It was pure enchantment.

And you were sure from his perspective he saw the same thing.

"Then you will be my Queen, and I will not treat you as anything less." Jareth says. Your shoulders lurch forward a little bit as his fingertips graze over your pulse. An intimate act of adoration. He leans forward...

"-/n-!" You heard and you turned your head to see Jack running up. Jareth stops immediately and his nose touches the side of your face. He sighs.

"Let's go! We won the game!" Jack says. The clock strikes. You looked back to Jareth, your noses touching. You could see the annoyance in his eyes. They couldn't have waited one more moment? 

You kinda just wanted to kiss Jareth. Since the first time.

Sarah ran up and hugged Jack. "JACK!" She was crying a little bit. They started clambering over each other half yelling their apologies. You watched as they both looked tired and drained. This whole Labyrinth experience would ruin them later in their lives. They were too young to have this much stress.

If they remembered all of this, they wouldn't be able to cope. 

You knew what you had to do.

You close your eyes, hoping one day they'd forgive you for this. 

"Can you send them home?" You asked lowly. But Sarah heard you. "Y/n? What are you doing? You didn't trade places did you? Come on! We have to get back everyone's looking for you! Mam shouted at the adults and cursed at them! You don't want to miss it!"

"If I send them home, they'll forget you. As if you were never there." Jareth said trying to sound empathetic.

Your heart sank as you realized that you would seem like a monster to them in their final moments of knowing you. You would have to be cruel. But it was for the better. Your parents never knowing, your cousins living life to their fullest?

"Come on, whatever he's offering can't be worth much. We're family. We have so many more sword fights to do. Grandparents to mouth off too! Come on I need you!" Jack says realizing what you were going to choose.

"You're going to choose him over us?" Sarah asks pulling apart from Jack. She shakes her head. "What are you thinking Y/n? Tell him no. Tell him you're coming back."

Your heart breaks and you squeeze your eyes shut.

"The Labyrinth I could live without, but not without you. Family sticks together!" Sarah glares at Jareth. "Please let her go!" Sarah begs.

"I can't let this all go. You can't live back on Earth with everything we've done here. I'll still be around. I'll always love you." You say. 

"But I need you all the time. I need you to act and play with us. I need you to save me from the adults. Don't give me the same crap the adults give us when someone's dead. I'm not ready to forget you." Sarah started to cry.  "No! No goodbye. I can't forget you. You can't do this!" Sarah protested.

Jack ran up to you and hugged you. Sarah stood her ground. "If I don't hug you, I'll never have to say goodbye." She says trying to bargain with herself. 

"Sarah if you don't, you'll never have the chance again." Jack said.

She runs up and hugs you. 

"You're going to grow up to be a strong woman like your mam, and Jack, always remember to be yourself even when the adults yell at you. And don't let Sarah tease about you and your boyfriend too much."

"....His name is Thomas." Jack finally says. 

Sarah and Jack back up a little. 

"I'll never forgive you you know." Sarah hiccups. 

"I know." You whisper. "I'm sorry Sarah...Jareth can you please take them home?"

"Do you want me to give them the ability to come back here?" Jareth asked after they left. "No. It's best if they forget me." You said.

It would only be better for everyone. Even if it tore your heart apart.

Both of the children disappear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sarah and Jack wake up on the grass. "Sarah, Jack, where have you been? We called for dinner 13 minutes ago." Mam said crossing her arms. Sarah looked around. The world felt emptier. Maybe she was just hungry. That happens sometimes.

Jack furrowed his eyebrows. "Where's Y/...?" He couldn't remember the rest of the name. That's odd. He knows the name so well but yet he can't bring himself to say it. "Is that another one of your characters Jack?" Sarah found herself saying. The name was on the edge of her tongue. She knew how to finish it. But the name cleared out of her head.

It meant absolutely nothing now.

"Better get inside before they eat all the cookies." Mam called. They nodded at each other and rushed inside.

Sarah grabbed a cookie but stopped. "Are you okay?" Jack asked. "I just...I just want to go home."

"We'll leave in a few hours." Jack said. "But that isn't really home isn't it?"

"No...no it's not. Home is...somewhere else.

You buried your face into his chest. Unbelievable. You'd only known him less than a day and you chose him over your own family?

How could you be so cruel?

"It's time to rest." He said, his words vibrating through his chest. "I'm not tired-" You say looking up but he placed a finger on your lips. "I've pushed you too far, and you've pushed yourself too far. You made a hard decision you shouldn't have to had made yourself make."

You knew you had to let Jack and Sarah go. But that didn't make it any less harder.

They would be out of harms way and they could have a whole new adventure without having to compare everything to the Labyrinth. And be able to forget any trauma and scary situations that happened in the past 13 hours. To never have to fear the creatures that they met or be sad of all they had lost.

And a chance to be children for a little while longer.

But (God/damn/wow) it hurts. 

Jareth takes your hands and stands you up and guides you down the hallways, and runs his thumbs over your knuckles as you follow him.

He opens a door and sits you on the bed before closing the door and sitting next to you, his knee touching yours. Everything felt empty.

"Rest now. We have a lot to talk about later."

You look up at him.

"Do you think I made the right decision?" You ask him. You didn't know what you wanted the answer to be. You just wanted someone to tell you everything was going to be okay. 

"I can't tell you that. But what I can tell you, is that every day I will make sure you don't even think about asking yourself that. Now rest, Y/n."

He pulls the covers down and you climb in it and he caresses your cheek. "I will see you in the morning."

▂▃▅▇█▓▒░۩۞۩ ۩۞۩░▒▓█▇▅▃▂

Red beings danced in your vision, humming a song that made chills go down your spine. "Boo." One came close. A Firey.

You gasped waking up, tenser than a rock. You quieted your breathing and slowly relaxed. Then your fingers gripped the satin sheets, or what you would

think was satin. You didn't know much about materials. It was just a dream. They weren't here to hurt you.

You sat up a little and looked around the room. It was larger than a masters bedroom, and was decorated (to your aesthetic). You remembered coming in here yesterday, but you fell asleep after Jareth told you you needed to rest. You didn't really pay attention to what the room looked like before, but it definitely changed overnight.

The sky outside looked to be blue, just like home. You had a feeling Jareth might have changed it to help you adjust.

A knock came at the door and the brass handle twisted open, and a goblin teetered inside. "You!" The goblin chirps happily. She had a piece of paper that said 'Tiq' on a tattered pink dress with what looked like skulls on it. She took out a (dress/suit) from somewhere behind the door and laid it on the chest at the end of your bed. "King is askin for you. He's down in the breakfast room." And Tiq quickly exited.

"Wait! Where's the breakfast room?" You call out after the goblin. She ran away faster laughing. You guessed this was just how goblin hospitality worked.

You sigh trying to gather your wits about you.

You shut the door and look back at the (Dress/suit). You looked towards the window and around the room. There was a folded screen in the corner, with paper in between the squares. You felt like you were some type of royalty.

Oh. You just might be one soon. A Queen or some type of princess. Jareth was a King after all. You didn't really know what role you would come to play in the Labyrinth.

You found shoes by the door that previously weren't there. You put them on, surprised at how soft they were, and opened the door and looked down the massive hallway. You slowly made your way around the halls, unsure where to turn.

A goblin with a copper pot on it's head waited with a grin. "Hello you! I'm Eq." Eq tilted his head making the handle slide to the other side. "Where's the-"

"ah ah! Solve the riddle and you'll find what you seek." You sighed, but went along with it. You waited for him to spout the riddle out.

"There's a one-story house where everything is yellow. Yellow walls, yellow doors, yellow windows, yellow furniture, and yellow rugs! What color are the stairs?" "Yellow?" You asked. He shook his head. But that's the-

Oh you were dumb.

"There aren't any it's a one story house." "DING! You may pass." You definitely need to be prepared to answer any riddles at any corner. "The Breffest room is somewhere towards the left." You took a deep breath trying to be patient. "Alright then."

You walked down the hall watching goblins rush and go about their day. Some stop and wave, others walk faster as soon as they see you, and others scream until you go away.

You finally find the room where 'Breffest' was supposed to be. You could see Jareth holding his face in his hands annoyed.

"No. Humans cannot eat that kind of food."

"She ate the peaches though?"

"Humans can't eat that all the time, and that peach is a fae fruit and she's not a fae- Y/n, how did you sleep." His annoyed expression turned into a relieved one as soon as he realized you were lingering in the doorway. "Food will be a little delayed." He added as he glared at the goblin. The goblin walked away with the plate.

"I slept alright." You lied looking away slightly. You didn't exactly know if you were okay to talk about the dream you had. "You'll probably sleep better with me." He said with ease walking over to you and softly taking your hand and kissing your knuckles.

"What-" you involuntarily said when you got it.

"Something wrong?" He asked after noticing how that made you slightly taken aback. He looked smug.

"How did you sleep?" You asked trying to ignore the fact that you liked the random flirtatious energy at around 9 in the morning. 

"Terribly, but so is the plight of the Goblin King without his Queen by his side." He slides your chair out with one hand and with the other sits you down and pushes the chair in. You didn't think he could be so....gentleman...ly.

"She's not your Queen yet," The goblin from earlier said coming in through a small door with a platter. 

"Crog. Don't interrupt me while I'm speaking."

Crog bows his head and puts food on the table. "Do you recognize this?" Jareth asks.

"Eggs and toast?" You asked confused. You've seen chickens around here so that accounted for the eggs...but they had bread? And they knew how to toast bread? Maybe they had some sort of toaster dragon or they rotate it over a fire. 

This toast took over your entire train of thought, and you didn't know if it was safe enough to eat it. But seeing as you have eaten food off the ground under the 5 second rule, it didn't matter.

He turns to Crog "This is human food. If you're confused about what it is, you can ask your future Queen if something is acceptable." Crog nods and walks away, his feet clomping on the ground. You bit back a smile at the 'future Queen' part. You hesitantly take a bite, it tasted normal.

"Is everything alright my dear?" Jareth's hands move to your shoulder. "Yes, it is. The food is good."

"Good. Eat up. We have a big day ahead of us." He presses a chaste kiss to your temples and strides out of the room. You look back at your eggs and toast and you ate all of it.

After you ate breakfast, Jareth came back. "The goblins haven't given you any trouble have they?"

"Um. No. I was asked a riddle, but that was about it."

He sits down next to you. "The goblins like to throw puzzles and riddles at each other to keep the tensions high. This will happen a lot. They're quite the troublemakers."

"So you solve riddles and joke with each other until the next child needs to be taken away?" You asked trying to clarify what you were learning. Jareth ignores the choice of wording. "We also sing from time to time."

"Well lucky you, I'm not tone deaf."

"I know." He smiles. 

"How would you know?" You ask folding your arms over the other. "Well, once upon a time there was a music puzzle at the beginning. And you hummed and sang along to the beat of them."

He'd heard you? Actually you took everything back, where was Jack and Sarah? Abort mission-

He laughs as he sees your expression, it calmed you down slightly. "It was endearing. One of the many things that made me fall for you." Jareth casually dropped.

"Wait what was the first reason?" You asked.

"I can't tell you that." Jareth stood up and held his hand out, you take it and he pulls you up and sways with you back and forth. "Don't think you can sing and dance your way out of every question Jareth." You say.

"I thought you were going to call me Honey from now on."

"What?"

"Don't think I didn't hear your little 'honey i'm home!' bit. And the pretty boy, and-"

You rolled your eyes at him. 

He dips you down and brings you back up and gives you a quick peck on the lips. "Would that work instead of dancing?"

"I can't tell you that." You teased, scrunching your nose a little. "But I'll give you forever to find out." He whirls you around and pulls you closer to him.

"Well darling....forever's not long at all." 

6

prologue

The duty of a Goblin King was simple, find his Queen, produce an heir, and keep his subjects growing. And one way he did that was take away the children that parents, siblings, and friends wished away. He would give them a chance to beg, or the preferred method of making them earn it, and gain their wished away child back.

The Labyrinth had easily become the best way to see how sorry the related would be, to even think about wishing them away.

But most of the time? They turn away, not even attempting to run towards the child.

And that was the truth. It wasn't always a whimsical fantasy that everyone fell in love with. And the parents, the siblings, or the friends forget the fact they ever wished them away and started over in life. They never knew the horrendous deed they did, and life goes on.

It was never fair.

Jareth walked down the long hall to the tapestry room, where the book lay dormant. He opened the door to see it resting on its pedestal. It had left Sarah #2 and returned here. Jareth didn't know when it would leave again. 

It did what it liked, when it liked.

Not even answering to Jareth himself.

Jareth looked to his tapestry and sees his face at the top of the tapestry.

A blank tapestry unrolled next to it, indicating that there would be a future heir. He looks down to the floor and smiles. Then a space next to the King appears, and it said Queen...and the rest was blank. After he marries Y/n he'll take you there so you could see the story be completed.

He looks away before more of the future is revealed.

The book lifted itself up.

"Found another soul to torment?" Jareth asked walking over to the book. It disappeared, it never had a dramatic exit or entrance.

He looked at the book's pedestal in front of his father's tapestry. Each King had his own grand adventure that lured in the mortals from Earth. He looked at the green and gold lettering, titled Aspersion. He placed it down, and looked away from it. Maybe one day he would read it. But it was not today.

The tapestry had his mother and father's face on it, with his own and a young girl's face that was ripped out of the tapestry.

He turned from the room and walked out, he had his future bride to attend to and help her adjust to the world. He didn't have time to look at tapestries.

The book had fallen into the snow, and immediately regretted where it had fallen. It could feel the cold seep into the pages.

A small child rushed through the snow yelling at an older kid. "Diego wait for me!" He calls. He slips on the ice and falls. Diego does not stop. 

He sits up trying not to cry. He looked to the side where his glasses had fallen off of his face. He puts them on and sees the book.

He picks it up. 

"It's so pretty!" He says running his gloves over. He'll take it home. Surely if someone missed it they would have come looking for it again.

He made his way back to his house and took the latchkey from the mat that said "Shoot first ask questions later" and then opened the door. 

"Dad! Look what I found." His father looked up from the computer and sighed.

"What is it Cody?" Cody adjusted his glasses and said "It's a book. D'ya think you could read it for me? As a bedtime story? I'll do all my chores without complaining and I'll be quiet when your friends are over. Please!" Cody begged.

"Where the hell did you get something like that? Couldn't you have found 100 dollars? Useless. Go to your room. First the debtors and now this. What the fuck." His father grabbed it out of his hands and smacked the back of Cody's head.

Cody nods and walks to the back of the house and goes to the laundry room and climbs over the washer to where his nest of blankets and pillows were. He starts a load of laundry and screams into his pillow, the clanking of the machine muffling his frustration.

The father opened the book, reading the first page. His eyebrows furrowed as he found he couldn't stop reading. He sat in his armchair flipping through it.

When he was able to stop it was already midnight.

The goblins stir as they realize the book has been picked up. They would need to tell the King. 

ѧѦ ѧ ︵͡︵ ̢ ̱ ̧̱ι̵̱̊ι̶̨̱ ̶̱ ︵ Ѧѧ ︵͡ ︵ ѧ Ѧ ̵̗̊o̵̖ ︵ ѦѦ ѧ

Today you were going to get the official tour of the castle. You had mostly stuck to the 'Breffest' room, and your own. Jareth wanted to make sure that you had enough time to process everything that had gone on the past few days.

You had eventually slipped up and told him about the Firey dreams, at which point he offered his own room to sleep in if you felt like you needed someone else there. 

As much as you were tempted too, you declined, still not used to the idea of being engaged to anyone. Much as less becoming Queen. Or even someone loving you this much.

And that's why you were on bed arrest. 

You would have said bed rest, but there was a lot of struggle instead of resting. The blankets would come alive and pull you back when you tried to sneak out. You wanted to explore the castle, but there weren't even options you could explore with the freakishly strong blanket.

Pros of a magic world, literally almost everything.

Cons of a magic world, they can force you to stay inside your bed in order to 'rest' because 'they love you' and 'want the best for you'.

Yeah right.

Jareth knocked on your door softly and it opened. You must have been a sight to see. You were currently trying to escape the blankets, half fallen off the bed, leg hanging in the air. 

"Ah Jareth! Tell the blankets to let me go." He tried his best not to laugh at you. You must have looked really silly.

It shrugged and dropped you. You hit your head as you tumbled. "Ow!" 

He rushed over in an instant and helped you up. He kissed you where you had landed. "Do you feel better?"

And in a stroke of confidence you said "Actually I do kind of hurt right here." You said tapping your lips. He raised an eyebrow and said "If I heal everywhere were it hurts, we might not be able to leave this room."

You fake pouted but then smiled, you couldn't believe you were becoming THAT kind of silly. You never thought you would ever experience something as cringey as love. You felt like you were in some rom-com.

"Where are we going today?" You ask.

"The throne room. I think it'll suit all of your tastes. I'll have one of the goblins make you your own throne one day, but for now you can sit with me....or on my lap if you'd like."

Inwardly you were screaming. 

He helped you up and you followed him outside.

Crog jumped out of nowhere while saying "BOO!" Jareth didn't flinch, but you did jump slightly not expecting him to appear in the first place. They liked to do a lot of riddles and games, but you still never saw them coming....and did he just appear out of a wall?

"What can speak without a mouth!" He smiles evilly, as if he got you. You frowned. It was too early to be thinking of things like this. "An echo." Jareth says shaking his head. "Really Crog, I thought you would have thought of harder ones by now. Hardly challenging at all."

Crog curses in some language and stands aside.

Oh. That makes sense.

You trailed behind him. 

"I'll get you one day Queen!" He shouts and runs through the wall. You were about to ask how he did that, but Jareth tilted his head clearly excited to show you his throne room. He must not get to show it off as often.

The throne room was nothing like you imagined.

It was really just a big throne inside of a courtyard with lots of stone ledges. There were big windows littered everywhere and it took every ounce of your body not to rush up to one to sit on the edge and dangle your feet while looking into the distance. A table had been brought in by the goblins that had a miniature Labyrinth that was constantly moving. Slowly, but still moving.

"Whoa..." You walk up to it and touch the figures, drawing your fingertips back as it slightly hissed and curves at your touch. He smiled as he watched you look at it and interact with it.

"All of this is your kingdom?" You ask looking at the wide map.

"Yes. And it will be yours as well. Come and sit." You both sat on the large throne and you were still staring at it. "What would you change about it?" Jareth asked. You looked up to him appalled he would ask such a question. Although the circumstances were often grim when people came in, it was still a magical world that thrived. Once he saw your confusion he amended "You're going to rule the Labyrinth as well, it's only fair if you add something to it."

You remembered when you wanted to change it, but seeing it now there was only one thing that you would change.

"The Firey's. Gone. They're a bit too much." You say immediately. He leans back, as if he knew you would say that. 

"I can't stop them. They live on their own. Besides, they're a crucial part to the Labyrinth."

"Oh." You watched the Firey figure's moving towards the bog of eternal stench. Both of those combined would be a horrifying combination.

"Well, a lot of people come to rescue their children, so maybe the Firey's could have orders not to kill them. I'm sure if you hadn't come to get me I would be dead. I don't want any other runner to fall into that fate." You say after piecing your argument together. This might be your first compromise.

"The Firey's stay, but I will issue a clear order." He says. "Thank you Jareth." You say.

You had the urge to hug him, but you didn't know whether you could or not, so you just gave your biggest smile. You'd have to introduce all these types of affectionate things later. You didn't really know how different this world was yet.

He changes the topic "We have a party to attend too later. The goblins have been planning it all morning. Rest your voice, you will get to sing later."

"Sing? What are goblin parties like?" You tear your eyes away from the map and look towards his. He was already looking at you. He stands up and holds his hand out. You take it and he leads you away from the throne and then spins you.

You had a feeling dancing was one of his ways to show affection.

"We dance, we sing, and we share stories. Like a family, that will weaponize chickens. You especially have to be careful around them." He continues to dance with you. He sends you out and pulls you back to him and you slow dance to a song that was not shared with the rest of the world. "You're surrounded by people who understand you, and we enjoy the moments we have."

Each step felt like it was in sync with the beat of your hearts, even if it all felt made up.

"Sounds lovely" You say and he twirls you around once again and pulls you back to him. You weren't so sure that you had felt safe anywhere else before. That nowhere before this moment felt like home. He leaned forward and brushed his lips against yours and the door slams open. The culprit was a sweaty out of breath Goblin. "KING-" "Go away" Jareth said bringing his lips to yours.

Tiq turned around and stood in the hallway, her back turned as your eyes close. He smiles into the kiss and then pulls away.

"Yes Tiq?" Jareth said with a frustrated look.

"We're almost done with the preparations. After noon is when we'll have it."

Jareth waved her away. Tiq sheepishly ran away yelling something in Goblin, you were assuming, to other passing goblins. "Interrupting me for just that. Hm." He looks back to you and smiles. "Well then, we'll have to pick a (dress/suit) out for you." He ran his fingers along (the collar of your suit/the neckline of your dress).

You brought your hand up to his hand and linked your hands with his. He looked down confused. "Oh I'm sorry, back at home people held hands with each other. When they loved each other. Instead of just leading each other into a dance." You clarified taking your hand out of his. He stood up and you two walked out of the throne room. You felt awkward.

You shouldn't have tried to-

His hand reached out to yours and took it. Then you were smiling, as your hands swayed as he walked you to your room.

A wordless 'I love you'.

7

After picking out a (dress/suit) for the party and putting it on, you eye the mirror trying to adjust it to your liking. This all felt unreal. Like a fantasy. 

Your mind flashes back to Jack and Sarah. You take in a shuddering breath. You missed them. But you didn't want them to hurt. Or did you only push them away so you could have this world to yourself?

Would their presence really have changed anything? 

Your uncle makes everyones lives a living hell, so did you just sentence them to deal with the most horrible family member?

A slip of paper went under your door. A map to the throne room. You knew the writing was most likely from one of the goblins just trying to confuse you. Another game of theirs.

You pushed down your thoughts about your family and dealt with your new reality.

You were kind of hoping Jareth would come pick you up, but you were grown enough to walk yourself there. At least then you could make a grand entrance.

Jareth had standards for himself, and you were going to try and match those standards. If you were going to become the Queen, no matter how foreign that word felt, you would need to act like one. Even though you didn't really know what to do, you could act like you did and hold your head up high.

You saw the map instantly lead the opposite direction. You walked over to the place Crog disappeared and crumpled the paper up and threw it inside the hidey hole for them to find, so they knew their plan was...crumpled.

Ha. You were hilarious.

You heard the clapping and the roaring of laughter before the doors even opened to the throne room. The doors opened, even though no one was holding it open, but no one stopped dancing when you walked in. Jareth was among it all, singing and dancing as they all responded. You leaned against the door frame drinking it all in, how youthful and handsome he looked.

He looked over as he passed his portion of the song to another goblin as everyone turned their attention towards him. Jareth strode over to you as goblins dodged out of his way.

"My love, you look absolutely gorgeous." He says and takes your hand and leads you to the center. The doors behind you close, just as they had opened, with a soundless wind.

The goblins all expectantly looked to you as you got to the top of the throne. Jareth set you on top so everyone could see you. He sits down on the arm rest and looks up at you.

"Just sing whatever your heart wants."

The goblins begin to beatbox and hum in their own out of tune chords.

"My name is Y/n
And I'm not lyin'
This new worlds different and has me dying
to find out more and show off to the floor
That I'm here to be a bride and the new Queen
And my love for Jareth is apparently now a thing-"

You sort of rap, just singing whatever comes to your mind. 

"You'll learn how to sing out your heart in time
And I must applaud you for the basic rhyme,
But our time together will teach you how to speak
And I'll leave you no time to think of anything but me..."

"YUCK" The goblins said in unison as Jareth stared at you with hints of love.

Jareth picked you off the throne and twirled you around til your feet touched the ground. You hummed along as others sang as well. You clapped your hands together.

You joined the goblins dancing in their circles. You felt like a disney princess, and honestly? You were fine with that.

Soon the tune came to an end and Jareth guides you back to the throne where he promptly makes you sit on his lap. It was probably an innocent gesture on his part, something that people always do. 

But you were panicking.

Some goblins bring a couple of unwrapped gifts for you. One of them, teary eyed, held up a rock.

 "What's this for?" You whisper to Jareth. "It's for the future wedding. If you can hide these long enough from them, you get to keep it. But whatever you don't hide well, they get to keep it. It's a tradition."

The future wedding. You felt giddy inside. You were going to have a wedding!

"I barely know the castle." You point out trying to ignore the silent cry of the existential crisis that was sneaking up on you.

"Then you'll have to find something that you do know. Although don't tell me where you hide things, they know how to bribe me."

"And if I bribe you first?" You ask adjusting his collar trying to pretend as if you didn't know what you were suggesting. "Mmm...well if that's how you want to play the game. Then that exception can be made." He says. You lean closer and kiss him.

The goblins start rioting, but Jareth caresses your cheek and holds you closer. He looked at you as if you were the only thing he wanted to look at. "I'll accept it." He whispers against your lips. One goblin throws a chicken and Jareth simply knocks it away. You try and think of where you could hide the trinkets. Somewhere they won't find it. None of the items jangled, so you could keep them with you. Or...somewhere where they won't find it.

Or a place they wouldn't even set a foot near.

The bog of eternal stench.

"Jareth will you take me somewhere?" You ask. "I like the mischievous twinkle in your eye. Very well then. Anywhere you want to go." He says. You whisper to him and the scenery instantly changed and he wrinkles his nose. You gag but then brace yourself.

"Why here?" He asks as you go over to what looked like a house. You knocked. No one answered. You opened the door and looked inside. It's been abandoned for some time. "Sorry for intruding, but I need to hide something here, it'll be gone by nightfall." You carefully set it inside and then closed the door and quickly ran back over to Jareth. "We can leave now." 

"You sure you don't want to go for a swim?" He asked lightly laughing.

"If you go first!" You challenged.

"I would love to swim with you in the worlds most foulest horrors, but we have a perfectly good lake back at the castle. And besides...you don't have a swimming suit."

You rolled your eyes. "So?"

The scenery whirled and you fell backwards into a shallow part of the lake. You stood up dripping wet. "Jareth!" You shriek, your (hair dripping wet and covering your eyes/arms were freezing and you were shivering.) Your grabbed his arm and pulled him back with you.

He didn't get as wet as you did, but he did get his pants and sleeves wet as he hovered over you.

"You play dirty." He says helping you up.

"You have no idea." You teased.

"We should get back." Jareth says, and grabs your hand and walks to the throne room. You didn't know why he just simply appeared, maybe he just wanted to see if he could dry off before he went back.

You both stopped at the double doors and he says "Stay back. This will get messy."

"LET THE GAME BEGIN." Jareth shouts thrusting the double doors open dramatically. A thunderous sound of hundreds of tiny goblin feet go through the castle as they yell at each other where it could possibly be. 

"They have 2 hours to find them...and now we have some time for ourselves."

He guides you over to the throne and spins you around, and all of the water floated off. You gaped. "What-" "Magic. It helps to know a few spells." 

"I wish I could do that." You say.

"There is a type of magic you could do, but it's very tricky and you have to be able to work your tongue well." He says and guides you to the throne and sits you on top of him again, his hand placed on your waist and the other holding your face.

"But I could help you practice." He winks a little as your eyes widen. 

"Where would you like our wedding?" He asked absentmindedly tracing your jawline. You could barely breathe, let alone blink. You were too touch starved for this. "I don't know, where would you host it?"

"I would pull a forgotten land out of the distant waters, and decorate it with beautiful white stone, and pluck the wedding of your dreams and make sure that it is your reality. And I would be happy to have your full affection for as long as that island still stands." Your eyes widen. "Then that sounds perfect."

"Then so it shall be done." He says.

The little goblin markers ran throughout the map, going everywhere except the bog of eternal stench. You felt proud none of them had thought of going in there. You felt like you had done something important, like your first step to becoming Queen.

Soon the 2 hours were up and the goblins came back.

"REVEAL!" They all shouted. Jareth gestured for you to say it yourself.

"The bog of eternal stench!" You shouted back. They all groaned and some hit each other. "I TOLD YOU WE SHOULD HAVE CHECKED THERE!"

"Yeah well we didn't know! We thought it would be in the garden! They were wet!"

"There goes my favorite rock."

They all leaked out of the room back on to their daily lives.

"Look's like you've won your first game with them. Good girl." Jareth says.

Your heart melted. That was a personal weakness of yours, you were starting to find out. He took the presents and placed them in front of you and explained their meanings, and how the goblins really were excited to have a Queen.

"Jareth? Can you tell me about your family?" You ask. He pursed his lips. "Maybe one day. But for now, we'll find a place for these gifts."

ᶫᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤ ᶫᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤᶫᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤ ᶫᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤᶫᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤ ᶫᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤᶫᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤ ᶫᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤᶫᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤ ᶫᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤᶫᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤ ᶫᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤᶫᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤ

A knock came at your door and it was Jareth. "Y/n?" He called. "Yes? Come in!" You said.

He opens the door and crosses over to you. "Where are we going today King of my heart?" You say, testing out the nickname. Eh. You could do better. He smiles and holds out his hand and you accept it.

"My chambers."

You bit your lip trying not to think weirdly. He didn't mean it that way. At least you didn't think he meant it that way.

Rooms told a lot about a person, and you didn't know what his would look like. Maybe it was inside a magical library, maybe it was almost entirely glitter, maybe it was simple, maybe it looked like french royalty.

The only way to find out was to start paying attention and stop getting lost in thought.

Jareth lead you through some darker halls, through a path in the castle that you've never went before. The castle kept surprising you, and everything is much bigger than you originally thought. You began to notice there were hardly any goblins wandering around, which made this part of the castle seem more solemn.

The doors got taller and more grander and flourished with gold. It was the royal bedrooms and it of course had to have a difference from the others. You noticed 5 doors in the royal wing. The others were abandoned, their doors open allowing the air to flow through. A red blanket covering the beds. You wondered what it meant.

And finally he stopped at the last room. He opened the handle and pushed the double doors open, he has a thing for only entering into rooms with double doors, and light flooded through.

There were certainly a lot of mirrors, and sketches on top of a desk. You didn't expect that. Where there weren't mirrors was moving paint that showed the different places of the Labyrinth.

His maze really was his whole life.

His bed was really big and had thick blankets on there and even had 4 posts on it. Suitable for a King. It didn't have a red blanket, like the others. You walked in and saw two closets. You decided to open the first one and look inside. It was just another room and there were stairs going down.

"(Oh Dear Lord/of course there's two levels of clothes)."

"You can go in if you like." Jareth said.

You stepped inside and avoided going down to the first floor. You knew it was just more clothes, and you really didn't want to go up and down the stairs. It was also a little dark down there. You ran your fingers on the different types of fabric.

He was such a drama King, he even had the sections labelled for different times.

'Dramatic ending'

'Tea time with important guests'

'Anti glitter'

'Fighting and duelling'

'Rock'

'Meeting with delegates'

He really liked dressing up. And that just added to his charm. He probably spent hours matching fabric, or even designed his own. If he lived back home on Earth, he could probably be a huge designer.

And he is a king so maybe it was expected of him to always look his best. And you certainly were given outfits similar to his. That must be something you have to make sure you're doing, to prove that you deserved to be here. That you becoming Queen was not a mistake.

And maybe because you couldn't think you were a potato anymore.

You walked back out of the closet and looked through the other one. Potions and vials lined up those shelves and hundreds of papers of spells lined it up. Your eyes fall onto a familiar looking vial and you touch it.

"Isn't this what Hoggle gave me?" You asked looking over to him.

He instantly looked away. "I don't know what you mean. There are many different kinds of potions-"

"Did you give this to Hoggle so he could help me?" You asked. "Maybe. You couldn't just stay suffering. Especially when you weren't the one who needed to get punished."

And he had a sense of justice. Cute.

You set the potion back gently and said "Well I'm glad that whoever acquired that potion, gave it to me. They are my hero."

His hand went to your chin and lifted it up. "Shouldn't I be your only hero?" 

"I don't know, if Hoggle was the one who gave it to me isn't he the hero?" You were just messing with him at this point.

"But Hoggle isn't the one holding you this closely is he? He's not the one who would rearrange the entire stars to your liking. And he's not the one that would steal your breath away and give you new life."

He presses his lips against yours and whisks you away from the closet. The doors closed.

"Yes..." You said after he stopped, you wondered how far you could push this. "But Hoggle-"

"Don't say his name." Jareth said, even though he was smiling you could tell this was about to go too far. You didn't answer fast enough because he was kissing you again.

"You will always be....just my Queen." He spoke in between kissing you.

He's a jealous ruler... The words appeared back into your mind.

"Then tell me I'm only yours." You say. He gently pushes you down onto the bed making you squeal for a second. "Gladly" He says lowly into your ear.

He kisses your forehead, your eyes, your nose, and then your lips staying on them for a while before whispering.

"You're only mine."

He leans up off you and helps you up. "Come, we have some other parts of the castle to explore." You felt so flustered, you didn't even know what way was up. How could he just move on after this?

He lead you out the door and back to where life was bustling around.

Tiq ran up. "Jareth! The book was found by a kid." Jareth sighs and says "Ignore it. I'm busy." "But-" He gives Tiq a look. "I'll keep an eye out for you." She says smiling.

"Fine. Just don't engage if you don't have too."

She nodded and salutes. "I won't take away anyone unless we have too."

She leaves.

"Jareth why does she talk different from the other goblins?" You asked, suddenly realizing this. He hesitates. "Tiq is...she wasn't originally a failed player. That's all I can say for now."

You didn't push it. "Would you like to have some tea?" He asks suddenly. You nodded. You were feeling withdrawn from caffeine. This would probably help.

"You call going out, 'dating', in your realm don't you?" He asked as you both walked towards the Breffest room. "Yes." "Would you like to go on one? It'll just be tea, but it'll be a special tea." You link your fingers with his.

"I would love that." 

8

Adam was the fathers name, the book came to realize. And it did not like Adam. It was supposed to be with Cody, it had never seen such nonsense before. 

It didn't like how the unworthy grubby fingers touched it's fine pages. It should just leave now.

But it couldn't.

The door opens and Cody comes in shrinking to his usual small stature and looks around and holds his breath as he steps through the house trying not to make noise. He goes to the sink and fills it up with hot water, listening for Adam walking through the house.

But Adam was consumed with the book. He made notes on a separate piece of paper. At least he wasn't a complete animal. Adam wanted to know more. He needed to see the land, meet the goblin king.

Adam had fallen in love with it all.

Adam suddenly heard dishes clinking. He jumped, slightly shocked that he hadn't heard Cody come in.

He thought of Cody, and how he had raised a Sarah. He didn't know how he felt about that. Was he just like Sarah's stepmother? Was he so cruel? His heart hardens. It's not about Cody. It's about him and him only.

He'd only been on part 1 of Jareth's story, there were still so many characters to be introduced, and there seemed to be more and more pages that were written.

"Cody!" Adam yelled. The clinking stopped and little feet padded up to his office door. "Yes?" He asked. There was a scratch on his face. It wasn't something anyone could easily ignore.

"What happened? You trip or something?"

"Diego pushed me into the fence." Cody said not looking up at Adam. He looks at the laundry room that had the light on and Cody hadn't taken off his backpack yet from school.

"You're too much like Sarah." Adam murmured.

"Hm?" Cody tilted his head confused. 

"You...You wouldn't wish me away would you?" Adam asked, getting an idea. Cody thinks "No. It wouldn't work." "Have you tried?"

"No." He'd never known that was an option before. Adam had to take this chance. Cody was the key to life in the Labyrinth. He drops the book, which it was appalled by the audacity, and grabs Cody by the shoulders and shook him.

"Wish me away."

"I don't know how-"

"WISH ME AWAY!"

"I'm scared." Cody said. His glasses slipped down his nose and he scrunched it trying to get it back up. Adam huffs "You have to say 'I wish the goblins would take you away right now!' That's the only way I can meet Jareth!"

The goblins stared at the scene. A human had never been this obsessed with Jareth before.

"Wait which one do we take? Do we wait for the kid to say it or?" Tiq asked. Brom shrugged "I don't know. Someone has to go." 

"Do they have to leave? Jareth won't be happy about working right now." Ki says.  They all looked between each other wondering who should be the one to tell Jareth. Tiq practically hits herself in the nose "NOT IT!" 

"NOT IT!" Ki shouts. Brom's mouth drops. "Oh you know I'm slow!" Brom said.

"Rules are rules." Tiq said crossing her arms. 

"I call Goblins blood. You been treating me bad enough." Brom said. Ki rolled his eyes "If you don't do it, we'll throg your toes."

No one knew exactly what Throg meant, just that a younger Jareth had threatened it on one of them. And no one wanted to find out what would happen. One goblin went into a throgging and came out never wanting to speak again.

Brom gulped and said "Alright then. No need to bring the throgging here." And he quickly ran to go tell the King the news.

Ki looked to Tiq "We should take the child." 

"Yeah."

~*~

"I think there could be...less glitter on the seats." You say inwardly cringing as you say it. He crosses his arms and leans backwards raising an eyebrow at the request. You feel as if you made a mistake. "just the seats, everywhere else is fine." You hurriedly explain. "It's just I don't think they want to sit in the glitter."

He considers it and opens his mouth to say something.

A goblin walks through the door. "Jareth...someone wished away their child." "I'm aware Brom. Ignore them. I'm busy." Jareth says writing down 'redistribute seat glitter to ground'.

Brom sheepishly laughed "Well...Tiq and Ki might already are taking the child away." "WHAT?" Jareth asks standing up. He rubs his temples and muttered something. "What age is the child?" "6." 

Jareth sighs and says "Well bring him here if he's already taken."

He turns to you and says "Sorry, my Queen, but I have to go attend to my duties." He takes your hand and kisses your knuckles and bows to you and turns into an owl and flies away. 

You grin and look at your hand. You don't think you'd ever get used to him and his antics.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After Adam didn't disappear, and Cody seemed to still be there, he walked into the kitchen and brought a six pack out. "Get your chores done. Don't bother me. You know how to heat up the noodles."

Cody nodded.

A while later while he was on his 3rd drink, he stops. The water was still running. He sighs. Cody was the worst at remembering to turn it off. He opens the door and sees the whole kitchen floor was flooded and the sink was overflowing.

"CODY! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?" He yells and slightly slips and turns the sink off. The little step stool was still there. Cody would have put it up if he was done washing.

He looked around. "Come on Cody! Daddy's not angry, you can stop hiding."

He looked through the cupboards and everywhere that Cody has hidden before. He wasn't there.

"Cody? Cody buddy you're scaring me..."

He then realized Cody was nowhere to be found.

A door opens and Adam turns around to see the man himself. "Co-...you're the Goblin King. You have my son don't you." "It seems you have a few brain cells after all. Too bad it's wasted on you." Jareth says stepping in. Adam coughs at the glitter that he accidentally inhaled.

His wish worked. He would get to leave all his debt here and go to the Labyrinth, and he is getting to meet the Goblin King, and his expectations of what the Goblin King looked like definitely were met. 

"I'm going to say this once, and only once because further explanation is just a waste of our time. You wished Cody away, and he is staying with me." Jareth turns around and he begins to walk out.

"No chance at getting my son back? You're supposed to-"

"And you were supposed to look out for your son and protect him. Looks like we both have broken our expectations. I do not have time for you." Jareth was even more crueler than the book said. But it sent shivers down Adam's spine. He loved it.

"Please. Let me get him back. I'll do anything! I'll go through your maze, let me take him back!" He pleads, the words foreign in his mouth. He needed to go to the Labyrinth. He needed to be close to that world.

"Do you really want to save him?"

"Yes."

"Then do everyone a favor and leave him be where he's at. He has a better chance in my Kingdom than he ever will have with you. You'll set him up for failure, and I could set him up to be in legends."

Adam ran over and grabbed Jareth's wrist and got on his hands and knees. So pathetic, and lowly. Going down in places he would have not gone down for anyone else. 

"I can't let him turn into a goblin. He doesn't deserve it. Throw your hardest at me. I'll solve it all. I'll become a better father. For him. I'll be better than you could." 

Jareth turns around smirking. A beautiful sight. "My worst? I don't think a human like you could handle it." "I will. It'll be a piece of cake." Adam says echoing Sarah's words, watching Jareth's reactions.

Jareth narrows his eyes. "At the end of 13 hours, if you don't solve the maze, you will die, and Cody will be mine. Forever."

"Deal." 

༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ            ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ             ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ               ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ  

Tiq drags a screaming child into the throne room by the ankle. His face was red by the tears and his glasses were askew. "JARETH WE HAVe...oh. Where's the King?" Tiq asks as if this was normal.

"TIQ! You don't handle a child like that!" You said immediately running over to the boy. "Oh you poor thing." 

You (never liked children that much but even you had the basic decency to know this was barbaric/loved children and even wanted your own someday, and it destroyed your heart to see him in such a condition.)

He gasps trying to breathe.

"Hey hey it's alright, it's okay." You say trying to comfort him. You take off his glasses and try and wipe the tears off. "Tiq! Get some water."

Tiq nods and runs off to get some water from who knows where.

By the time she gets back, half of the water had been spilled on the floor. You give it to him. "Can you drink this? It's good to hydrate." He nods and starts to drink it, his cries stop almost instantly. 

You can't cry while drinking water.

He soon calms down and looks up at you and you give him back his glasses. "What's your name?" You ask. 

"C-cody." He says in a small voice. You had no idea what was going on in his little head, but he must be so scared. 

"Cody...do you know why you're here?" 

He shakes his head. "I just wanna go home. I'm sorry. Please just let me go home."

You look to the crystal ball that appeared at the throne. It showed an older man. "You know your dad is here right?" 

He blinked up at you. "He yelled at me." He says frowning. You blew out a puff of air. You guessed he was pretty mad at his dad. "Do you want to get off the floor and sit on a comfy chair?"

He looked at the throne and then down at his hands and quietly played with them. That was a non-verbal no. He still didn't trust his surroundings yet. 

...

You were becoming that (therapist friend/mom friend) personality. (shit/shoot).

"Yeah we could sit here for a while, that's alright too. Tiq go get a mattress for Cody. And then go make sure the other goblins are doing as they are supposed too."

You didn't want any of the goblins to scare Cody further. He must be so scared being dragged by the ankle into a castle, and the only person like him was...well, you. You'd be scared of that too. You weren't exactly the most comforting at times.

But he calmed down, and it seemed like what you did for him was good enough.

Knock knock knock. "Delivery service! And not the de livering! It's just the mattress!" Tiq called through the door and padded away.

You opened the door and dragged the mattress to right next to the throne. Cody watched you as you sat down and patted a spot on the mattress. There were a lot of blankets on top of it.

He got up and padded over to the blankets and dived in. He nestled inside only leaving a breathing hole visible. His little nose and mouth peeks out.

The doors opened and Jareth looked very upset. 

He stormed to the throne about to say something when he noticed a wiggling pile of blankets. "Is this the child?" He asks lowly. You nodded. "His name's Cody." A small arm pops out of the hole. Jareth shook Cody's hand and it slithered back inside. You guessed he liked Jareth more than you.

Not that you were jealous.

"Well Y/n, my dear, we have our very first player together. His name's Adam." He sits down on the edge of the mattress and takes your hand gently. You rested your head on his shoulder.

"What challenge do you think we should give him. He interrupted a very important moment after all."

The ball floated down slightly and you could see the man walking down the hill. The very same hill you had walked a few weeks ago. That feels so crazy how it seemed like a life time ago.

"He wished his own son away?" You asked in a whisper. "The boy doesn't deserve him as a father. He doesn't even have a proper bed." Jareth said with distaste.

That's it. You would commit murder for this small boy. First while Adam was still alive, you would gut him like you would a deer and let the blood dri-

"Let Cody's voice lead him away from the right path. We can see if that works." You say quickly, before you start thinking of things that would be considered a warcrime.

Cody wiggles down and looked out of the hole and watched you and Jareth discuss about his father. He looks around, maybe finally trusting that he's safe.

Jareth kisses the temple of your forehead tenderly. Cody stuck his tongue out disgusted by the affection in front of him, and retreated into the blankets. He was safe. But at what cost? 

"Then so it shall be done, my Queen."

~~~~

Adam looked around the rotted garden. 

Where was Hoggle? Where were all of the pesky fairies? This wasn't what he read about. Jareth was messing up the story line on purpose! He huffed. "Things aren't what they seem." He quotes and presses on every brick.

"DAD!" He hears Cody's voice in the distance, leading to the left. He was tempted to run towards Cody, to try and get him. But he knew Cody would be in the castle. Jareth was just trying to throw him off.

"NICE TRY!" Adam shouts. Whatever that thing was mimicking his son, it wasn't going to fool him. He must be going the right way. He turns right. "Of course he'd try and lead me away from the maze."

He went through the hall looking for the pockets and gaps in the wall. Hissing came from the wall every time his hand made contact with it.

"He avoided the trap." You murmured. Jareth placed his hand on yours "Don't be upset you weren't able to throw him off on your first try. We have more chances. It was a good plan, just not the right plan for the player. Let's try again." He said.

"We...could make the hall wobbly? If you can do it, I don't want you to push yourself too much over him." You say concerned. He'd been tired a lot, overusing his energy to help you adjust. At least the sky wasn't the bright blue anymore. You were worried for him.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be alright."

The halls seem to cave in, and it tripped up at Adam's feet. It came in big waves like the ocean, and the tile was impossible to cross. Even after drinking alcohol for years couldn't train him to keep his balance.

A hole in the wall moved slowly, it must lead to the next puzzle. He just had to get to it. He finally managed to grip it, but the wall was fighting back. He swings his leg inside the hole and shoves himself to the next part of the Labyrinth.

"Cody...Cody I'm sorry."

Jareth appears in front of him. You were surprised he got there that quickly. He was at your side a moment ago. Your side grew cold from where he had been.

"Are you sorry?" Jareth asked mockingly. Adam knew he wasn't.

"You-" Adam begins but stops. He wasn't able to deny that. 

"You're not. You weren't sorry when he had a scar on his forehead. You blamed it on tripping. But that was on purpose." Jareth says. Adam's eyes widen as he realizes Jareth knew every single thing about him.

He looks like a monster to Jareth. 

Now how would his adventure end? Only badly.

"Adam? Adam where's Cody?" He heard a females voice. Jareth fades away. No. Not her. No. "You're dead. How are you here?" Adam whirls around.

Adam looked at his ex-wife that was standing there. "Emily?" "How dare you." Emily says crossing her arms. 

"Emily. Emily I'm sorry-"

"YOU'RE NOT!" She shouts.

Adam bit his lip and looked away. "You treat MY son like this?" "You're not real." Adam says closing his eyes. "Oh I am. And you won't be soon." She says angrily. "It's not my fault you died." "It is your fault." Adam looks around and begins running, thanking God that the ground is smooth. He runs away from Emily and the past.

But Jareth was his God now, and his God was unforgiving and cruel to men like him. 

And he won't hesitate to keep Adam suffering every last minute of his meaningless existence. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jareth walks in and was about to say something but you shushed him and pointed at Cody and mimicked sleeping. He blinks for a moment and then looks at Cody. He chuckles quietly and walks over. "You would make a good mother." He whispers. You try to avoid making any facial expression that would give away what you were thinking.

Adam gets to a door with the 4 guards. "One of you lies, one of you tells the truth." Adam says excitedly. "How did you know?" The red one says. "I've read all about you." "No you haven't." The blue one says. "He seems like a reader." The red one comments.

"I'm going with the red one." 

"WAIT! You have to ask a question." "Do I have to ask a question?" Adam says looking at the red one. "...yes." The red one says. The blue says "No." "The red one then."

"Make him start at the very beginning." You whisper as he chooses the red one. Jareth smirks and says "If I didn't know you were the one before...I definitely do now."

"WRONG." The doors say and he falls through a chute. Please not the bog of eternal stench-. He falls out of a tree on to the hill he first started. The clock said 10 hours. "FUCK!" He swore and kicked the tree. The chute door was still open. He climbed up the tree and went back up in it and began crawling through it. 

10

Jareth looks to you "I think we should send the Firey's his location, tell them they have a new playmate to play with."

You shuddered. You hated the Firey's, and you're starting to dislike this man even more as you learn more about him, but you weren't sure you were up to watch them pull him apart like a Pizza hut pizza commercial.

(Shit/shoot) now the image of him being torn apart like a pizza ad was in your head. 

Cody wiggled out of the blankets. "I'm hungry."

Definitely not getting you pizza, Cody.

Jareth looks down to the boy and says "Y/n you pick something to happen. All you have to do is ask nicely, it should listen to you. I'll get him something to eat." You nod and look at the Crystal ball.

Cody follows Jareth through the halls quietly.

"What did he do?" Cody asks.

"Who?"

"My dad? He just yelled at me. He yells at me all the time." Cody says.

"He didn't want you and he wished you away, but he was just using you to get here." Jareth says. He turns to look at Cody and realizes that was the wrong thing to say. He hesitates. How were you supposed to console a child again?

"But we want you." He quickly says. No that was still wrong.

Jareth sucks in a breath trying to find out what to say. "Um. Cody, your father has done some very bad things. And we're here to make sure he doesn't hurt you ever again." There. That was good. Right? Right. He's going to assume that was the right thing to say.

"Will you make me sleep in the laundry room?" He asks. Jareth wasn't sure exactly what a laundry room was, but he knew that was a bad thing.

"No. You'll have your own big room! You'll have as much food and as many toys as you could ever ask for." Jareth says. Cody reminded him of when he was younger, when everything seemed too big.

He had to talk about the small things in order for Cody to understand the bigger things.

"You'll have a lot of hugs, friends, and nothing will make you sad again."

"Friends?"

Jareth nods. Cody smiles "I've never had a friend before...are you my friend?" Jareth nods and pauses and bends down to his level and holds out his pinkie "I swear we'll be the best of friends."

Cody copies him and they shake on it. He giggled and they continue towards the kitchen to get him something to eat.

You practice curtsying. "I'm Queen Y/n, it is lovely to meet you....no. Hello, I'm Mrs. Y/n Jar-" You crack up. You didn't even know his last name. For all you knew he was just King Jareth. Maybe they didn't have last names here. 

"I'm the Queen of the Labyrinth. And I have the best man in the world as my husband. I'm soon to be a Queen. Hi I torture people who do bad things with a magical maze!" You didn't know why you found that funny, but you were still giggling at it anyway. 

You knew you were going to become a Queen. You've gotten used to the idea. And you were slowly getting used to someone loving you like Jareth...and now this was your job.

You occasionally made the vines trip and snare Adam when he was getting too bold. It was quite enjoyable, even though watching him made everything seemed slow. You wondered why Jareth always chose 13 hours.

Maybe because 13 was supposedly unlucky.

Jareth and Cody come back, Cody holding his hand. He looked like he would be a great father. His attention was all on Cody while he was singing to him.

"You try Cody."

Cody tried to hold a note and it was slightly off key. It was adorable.

"Cody do you want to tell Y/n what we came up with?" Jareth asked.

"Can we do the rollers?" Cody asks. "The...rollers?" He nodded and said "Daddy bought a washer and cut a hole in it. He keeps it in the yard. And when I'm not quiet he makes me go in there. It makes my tummy hurt."

You looked at the ball. The man was a psychopath, and he didn't deserve this kid.

"Hurt him." You whispered to the ball. Jareth's eyebrows raised as he saw a dark cloud settle over your face. "I don't care how. Just hurt him." You ordered. "Make him suffer."

You weren't kidding when you said you would murder for this kid.

Adam heard ripping from the hedges, and they built up to make tree men. The tree men were gnarled, having twisted horrifying faces, that reflected your anger. Thorns on their fingers reached out to grab at him, scratching him up. He tried to run, screaming for them to get away. It ripped at his clothes, making the blood run down.

It was delightful.

Cody looked away while Jareth was making glitter fall through the air and swirl into trains and cars that he chased around. Jareth looked at you as you stayed staring whispering instructions. The power was getting to you. If you didn't stop soon you might lose yourself to your anger.

"Block him off" You ordered again.

13 of the tree creatures formed a ring around him, quickly running around each other, closing in. Your head started to grow light, but you needed to make sure he suffered as much as he made Cody suffer.

Soon he could barely move an inch and he was getting cut up. You never thought you'd delight in anyones pain. Your hands were shaking.

"Y/n?" Jareth's voice barely reached you. You couldn't focus on anything else.

"Stop." Jareth ordered the Labyrinth. The trees stopped and Adam crumpled down sobbing. You fell backwards and he caught you. You were passed out. "I think that's enough for you for today." Jareth said. He put his hand to your forehead and sighed.

He had let the power get to you too soon. He now knew what kind of player to not let you control. Murdering things in his Labyrinth where completely prohibited. And you were ready to watch that man burn and crumble.

He couldn't blame you. You were only human, and you felt so deeply. Especially when it involves the sense of Justice. He picks you up and says "Cody would you like to help me take her back to her room? I can show you your room. Tiq and Crog and all of the nice goblins have been helping put it together."

"What if my dad wins?"

Jareth smiles.

"He won't win. I'll make sure of it." Cody followed and stared at the goblins that were just about his height. 

"They won't bite will they?" Cody asks. They looked like they bite.

"As long as you don't bite first."

He looked at Jareth confused. "Biting is bad. Even dogs know that." Cody crosses his arms.

"I think you're going to grow up to be an excellent insulter." Jareth says.

"Is that good?" Cody asks. 

"In this Kingdom? Yes. You're going to fit perfectly."

Jareth opens the doors and tucks you back in your covers. You may miss the final reveal, you may wake up soon, you may wake up next week. The crystal ball drains human energy quickly. You weren't bound to the land just yet.

He kissed your forehead while Cody said "COOTIES. HE'S GOT COOTIES."

The goblins who were watching started tittering. 

"RUN RUN! COOTIES." Cody ran with the goblins. 

Jareth smiles down at you and says "Excuse me my dear, but I have a child to run after. I'll be here when you wake up." And he turns to run and chase Cody before he gets lost.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Adam walked down the seemingly empty quad. His left eye was agitated and he only saw red out of it. Jareth wasn't joking around when he said he would give his hardest. He heard voices in the distance. Suddenly he was in a bar with his friend Tony.

"You're a shit dad. And that's coming from me." Tony says taking a sip. 

Adam had scoffed. "Yeah at least my kid and wife are alive." 

"He's not going to be if you push him like that. I'm coming to you as a friend. You need to treat him as if he's a human being. And your wife is going to leave you if you continue being a shitty human being." Tony looked at Adam. Wishing Adam would just change. "Why should I? Why should I change when life is going to hell anyway." Tony looked down at his glass.

"I've known you for 10 years Adam. Take this as your final warning. You need to get your act together."

"Or what?" Adam challenged.

"I called you here to say goodbye. I'm done associating with you." He slammed down a fiver and got his coat. "Tony I-" 

"No. This is goodbye. You're absolute shit. So you can have as many drinks as you can to try and forget whatever 'pain' you have in your cut off rich boy life...but I'm done with you. You're never going to be better."

"Why are you showing me this?" Adam says. Tony introduced Emily to Adam at that Goodwill she used to work at, and he fell in love with her. Tony had always been there for him, until he wasn't. It wasn't Adam's fault he dipped. Tony never had a father figure to show him he had to stick out his neck for people he loves.

Adam realizes the hypocrisy in his thoughts.

He never stuck his neck out for anyone.

"I'm leaving. And I'm taking Cody with me." Emily says, snatching the car keys from the key bowl.

"What do you want from me woman? I never cheat on you with women, I've quit smoking-" She turns on him. 

"You think just because you don't cheat on me with women means it's okay for you to oogle Tony? That pushing my 3 year old son around is okay? Telling him to toughen up or you'll hit the sissy out of him? This never ends Adam. I stick around year after year praying that you'll be a better person."

Adam scoffs.

"But I've come to realize there is no god that can change you. And if there is? Not even he wants to touch you."

"FINE! You can go and leave but when you need my money you'll come back like the whore you are and beg for me to let you move back in." He shouts as she covers Cody's ears.

"I'd rather DIE than be with you any moment longer. You think I stayed around for the money? I never gave a shit about the money."

Adam blinks back tears.

"I HOPE YOU DO DIE! AND TAKE THAT SHIT SON OF YOURS WITH YOU." Adam yells.

Emily and Cody got into the car, she was pulling out. Cody was at the back of the window grabbing out at Adam, confused why 'daddy' wasn't following them. 

They didn't even get to the main road before a semi truck hit the front of the car. Cody was at the back, unbuckled, banging at the window. Screaming for help.

"Stop it." Adam mumbles. He didn't want to see what happened. 

The car flips. Adam runs out and sees Emily on the road. He sees Cody crying.

"Don't do it you sicko." Adam says trying to beg his past self.

Cody was unhurt.

Adam turned around and went back inside. He wasn't responsible for this. She got her wish. She got to die, and not spend one moment longer. So he let her bleed out while the neighbors panicked. He took out a bottle of alcohol and began drinking.

Had he really done that? Had he really just let his wife die?

Adam bangs on Tony's front door. Tony opens the door. He hadn't slept for days. "Tony...she..." Tony sighs and lets him in. "Emily is dead." Adam says. 

"I heard...I'm sorry." Tony says.

Adam grabs Tony's collar and kisses Tony.

"What the hell?" Tony shoves him off. 

"She's gone now we can-" Adam begins.

"I take back everything I said about you. I don't feel bad for you anymore. Get out. You let your wife die in the car crash. That's right. I heard what actually happened. How you turned your back and didn't even call the police. Not even going to comfort your baby that was crying."

"The fuck was I supposed to do. I don't love any of them. I only love you. I thought that's why you wanted me to become better! So we could be together."

Tony shakes his head and looks up at him. "I wish you had died in a car accident too. Maybe Cody would have a better life then. Get out of my house."

Adam screamed. He didn't want to see all of this.

The visions faded and he saw a dryer in front of him. The lid opened, the only way to get out of this place was in.

"Are you shitting me?" He sighs and goes in.

The door slams and starts rumbling around.

"Emily? Emily I'm sorry." He starts sobbing as he says his goodbyes to everything he's ever known. 

But he didn't mean it. He was only sorry that he was being reminded of the hell he put others through. 

(╯°□°）╯︵ [_]||       me writing Adam at any point      (╯°□°）╯︵ [_]||

TW; Firey's, piss scene...literally Adam pissing on the Firey's.

This trauma based on true events :3

"Emily emily emily..." Adam hears a few voices saying distantly. He trips over one of the rods as he hears laughter.

"Emily! Oh Emily!" They laugh more.

"Who's there?"

"BOO!"

A red faced ugly monkey with stuff that looked like aids dropped down in front of him as they easily walked while the dryer tumbled, making Adam be bruised and hurt all over as he tried to stand up.

"Come on! Chilly down with us." There were more Aids monkeys as they grow closer and closer. "His heads ugly, we should remove it!" One of them suggested. 

"Shit fuck fuck fuck-" Adam pushes past them and falls down a slide. He falls into a foresty area. Steam hisses everywhere as he sees the shadows of the Firey's lit up with different colors.

You won't have no problems! (have no problems)
When we remove your head! (Remove that stupid head)
Tap your pretty little feet (No those are ugly)
Won't have Emily to worry about (E-M-E-L-E-E-E)

"That's not how you spell Emily you illiterate fuck-"

Well now don't lose your head (Lose your head)
Chilly down in the sand (Shake your toes)
Chilling with the baddest in the land (Just imagine the sand!)

A bamboo stick smacks his butts and he leaps forward yelling.

"Man you were s'posed to aim for the head! That's his butt!"

"Sorry I can't tell the difference..."

They all laughed.

Chilly down with the Fire gang
Think small with the fire gang (That's the only way)
You're pretty small for the fire gang

Let's go show you a bad time!

We'll give it to you for free

Let's start with your neck

There's no fear or regret!

The hands lunged at his throat.

"Ew it's attacking with red water!"

"I have a lot more blood to shake on you. How about you chilly down with this." He pulls his zipper down and proceeded to piss everywhere he could and he over exaggerated a sigh.

They all screamed and started to run away.

He never thought he would have pissed as a defense mechanism. 

((Jareth blinked as he saw the scene. He was glad you had passed out. This would have traumatized you for life. He watched Cody go on top of the Goblin pyramid. "See Jare? I did it!" He shouts.

Jareth nods. "Good boy...just keep playing with the goblins.))

One of the Fireys tries to bite him.

"AY....That's not meant to be bitten-"

Come on and chilly down

We don't have any frowns
Take out that smile line

And everything will be fine-

The smoke goes down and he sees an exit. "Oh my god is that Jared leto?"

"What's a jared leto?" The firey's talked to each other confused. He kicked a head off and then started running while shoving his shit back into the pants.

"Aw leaving now? You can't yet, that's against the rules." 

He just barely manages to get away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eq and Crog looked at the small human child as Cody tried to do a few backflips. His glasses fall down. Eq snatches the glasses and gives it back. "Cody can you sing?" Crog asks. Cody shakes his head.

"Why not? It's good for a growing goblin."

"My daddy's hurt."

Eq narrowed his eyes at the odd thing. "How could ya feel bad for him when all he does is make you sad?" Eq pulled his cheeks down. Cody's eyes widened. Crog put his arm around Cody. Cody shifted away shoving Crog's arm off. 

"Don't feel bad for him toots! Worry isn't good for a growing goblin. You'll forget about him. You're gonna have a better chance at life here than anywhere else. He wants ya to forget abou' him." 

"He does?" Cody asked.

The goblins nodded in unison and began to sing about how it's gonna be great when his dad's gone.

Cody began to clap along as they entertained him. He started laughing as they began to dance weirdly.

"I think I want to forget about him." Cody says.

"Great!" They chimed. They grabbed his hand and skipped him around the room. Cody looks at the ball. He wondered if his Daddy was gone yet.

Cody comes back over and says "Is he dead?"

"Who told you he was going to die?" Jareth asked. Cody points to Eq. "Eq! Quit telling him that his father is going to die." "But he is!...Isn't he? You saw how the future Queen handled it."

"Eq you have exactly 3 seconds to get out of here before I banish you to the bog of eternal stench for badmouthing my wife." Jareth says glaring at Eq.

Eq scrambles out screeching. Jareth rolled his eyes.

A few moments later you walked in rubbing your eyes. He rushed over to you immediately. 

"Did Eq wake you?" You nodded sleepily. "What happened?" "The ball took too much of your energy. You're just in time to see me make another visit."

"What happened?" You asked.

He hesitated. "Nothing you would want to know about." 

Cody ran over and hugged your leg. "Y/n! Wanna see me do a cartwheel?" You nod and watch him do a tuck and roll. "That was amazing!"

"He has about 3 hours left until we can finally get rid of him. And then it will be just you and me...and Cody now." Jareth said wrapping his arms around you. You rested your forehead on his cheek.

The Labyrinth table appeared "I wanted you to see something when you woke up. Do you see anything new?" Jareth prompted. You saw in the corner a new island was added. You realized what that was.

You smiled as you recalled his words. He really did what he said he was going to do. "Jareth!"

"Yes my dear?"

"You didn't have to actually pull an island out of thin air. You'll exhaust yourself over me." You say. You never had anyone put this much effort into impressing you. Well, nothing could even come close to what Jareth has done for you.

"Oh but my dear, this is the kind of exhaust that melts away when you're around. You heal me, and cleanse my soul down to it's core. There is no darkness when you are around, because the flame never casts a shadow, and I am just a humble moth." You hide your face in his shoulder and he chuckles at your reaction.

"Get used to this because I will praise you every day and every night I find myself to be awake. The long nights, and low burning candles-"

"Jareth!" You look up at him trying to stop him from saying something Cody might hear and he grins.

Cody looks between you two and looks over to Crog, "Can we go play hide and go seek somewhere else? The adults are weird." Crog looks to Jareth and he nods.

"I know the perfect place!" Crog says.

The boys, and Tiq, rush out of the room and Jareth says "Now that we don't have an audience, I can kiss you as much as I want." He says.

"Has that ever stopped you before?" You teased.

"No...but now no one's here to distract us, and I plan on giving you every last bit of my attention." He dips you down and kisses you, and then pulls you back up.

"I love you." You say quickly, not even realizing you were declaring it.

He blinks at you for a moment. Surprised at the declaration, but will welcome it gladly.

"I love you too." He says quietly with a smile. 

11

Finally, he had gotten away from all the monsters. Now he was only a few gates away from the town in front of the castle. 

But he was so tired. He was bleeding, hungry, and wish he could just rest for a moment. Surely Cody could wait for a few moments. He sat down, but when he thought about getting up he found he couldn't. Of course it was another trap.

"I GIVE UP!" Adam yelled. Jareth would surely scare the trap away, and he was right. He got thrusted up as soon as Jareth appeared.

"You give up? That's very cowardly of you. Even Hoggle was able to help his friends in their time of need. And you're giving up your own son. Tch tch tch." He steps closer. "A pity your own son isn't a motivator to continue. Though you never were able to do anything by yourself."

"Will Cody become a goblin? Will he forget me?" Adam found himself asking.

Why does he care? He was ready to leave Cody just so he could go home. 

"I'm willing to make a deal with you. You leave Cody with us and you'll go back to your 9-5 life. Or you could continue to try and rescue Cody and fail."

Adam scoffed. How was that a deal? "And if I win?" 

"I'll keep Cody, but give you a wish." Jareth says.

Adam thinks about it. If he had a wish he could use it for so many different things. They obviously were ready to keep Cody, so why should he free him? 

"How do I know you'll grant my wish?"

"Why are you so sure you're going to win?" Jareth challenged. 

"Listen I just want to leave. Either in 3 hours or now. This isn't as fun as the book-" Jareth held his hand up making Adam stop talking.

"Fun? You came here for fun?" Jareth rose to his full height and made Adam step back. "You thought you could leave your son to someone you don't know and have fun? Even a 16 year old girl looked after her brother better than you could. She was able to see her wrongs and ammend it."

"I'm 34 and I have a drinking problem. There I've admitted my wrongs. But I'm not exactly a pretty little girl for you to prey on. Oh yeah I know all about you Goblin King. Bow down to the fae with a little girl kink. He only gets off on-" 

The clock appears and it speeds up. 

"You have worn my patience thin Adam. Prepare to have your choice made for you."

Adam couldn't care less. He'll be fine either way. "How about you bow down to someone else for once and suck my dick." He hissed out. 

"I can't suck anything that's not there." Jareth smoothly says. "And such a filthy mouth. Emily was right, you were a type of trash that could never be reused. You know when she found out she was having Cody she cried because she didn't want someone like you. But Cody looks nothing like you. Is that why you kept him around? As a way to punish yourself?"

"Keep her name out of your mouth-"

Adam suddenly stumbles back and looses consciousness. 

"Let's finish the game already." Was the last thing he heard before everything went black. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Adam wakes up panting. 

"Ding dong ding dong" A goblin chirps and throws a piece of paper that was crumpled at his face. He unwraps it. 

It was a clock and it said in neat cursive you have 1 hour and a half remaining.

"SHIT!" Adam yells and sprints, trying to haul himself to the castle. He regretted never working out and accumulating a beer belly. He didn't want to become whatever Jareth made him into. He'll make it. And then he'll take everything from Jareth. 

Jareth comes back in the throne room and sits down next to you. You put your arm over his shoulders and pull him close to you. He rests his head on your shoulders, not caring for once if his hair gets messed up. He sighs heavily.

"The book and I are going to have a little chat about who it chooses once Adam leaves. This is unacceptable-"

"Jareth baby, he's just trying to get into your head. He only has an hour left here and we can all move on after that." You say, the nickname rolling off your tongue naturally. 

He blinks realizing what you said. 

"Baby?" 

You look away slightly embarrassed "I...it just sort of came out." His hand goes to yours and holds it. He approved of that nickname apparently. 

After a few moments he sits up. 

"We need to put together my final outfit. I'm not going to let him ruin my fun."

"We?" You ask surprised. He nods "The outfit is all for you, it's not for him." He lifts your hand up and kisses it. "Come on, there's a lot of choices." 

"Cody is still with Tiq and the boys, so we'll have time to get back here before they come back." Jareth says. You nod and he leads you to his room. 

He opens the closet and you look at all the choices. 

"What kind of mood are you feeling?" You ask.

"I'm thinking more of a black and silver combination." He says watching you look through his clothes. He leans against the door frame as you rush down stairs where those color combinations are downstairs. 

You looked so cute rushing about, with your lips slightly parted as you whispered things to yourself and shaking your head. 

No matter how much the book was a pain, at least it did one thing right. And that was bringing you to him. 

You find a suit and bring it to him. 

"Exactly what I was thinking." He praised you. You nodded.

He blinked at you and said "Are you going to stand there and watch me get changed or are you going to leave? I'm fine with the first option, but word might get out and you'll never hear the end of it."

You looked away embarrassed "O-oh yeah um I'll- I'll be back." You flee the room quickly as he laughed. 

You'd see more of his form later, he thought to himself. No need to be so eager now. 

He stepped out of the room after he's changed. You stop him "Hey your tie is tied wrong."

"It is? I must have been distracted thinking of you." You give him a look and then you untie and do it again. 

"There." You say, resting your hands on his chest for a moment. 

"I love you." You both say at the same time. 

The big gate to the city was guarded by some goblins. Adam tried to think of a battle plan, but there were multiple ways into the city. He should just try going around and sneak in that way. He finds an iron gate that was left open. He hears laughter and the sounds of running inside. 

He sees Cody and he rushes in. 

Cody stops and looks up at Adam terrified. "Cody, Cody it's daddy! Can you tell me where Jareth is." 

Adam steps forward but Cody shakes his head. 

"You ungrateful little-"

"I don't know who you are." Cody says. 

"I'm your father! How could you not know who I am?" Adam asked frustrated. He didn't have time to play Cody's stupid games. He had a wish to claim.

"I have a new family now."

Adam shakes his head. "Cody would never say that. Cody's a sweet baby boy. He wouldn't...this is just another time waster."

Cody smiles and says "I hope you fail." 

The goblins cheered and high fived Cody as Adam rushes towards the castle through the garden and tries every door he comes across. 

"Tick tock tick tock tick tock!" He heard the goblins around the garden shout. A door opens and Adam runs in. A long hallways was in front of him and at the end was a sparkly flamboyant man. Adam was going to kill him. 

Adam ran and ran until he got in front of Jareth. He was out of breath. 

"So....here-.....phew....here we are." Adam cracks his knuckles and gets ready to fight Jareth. "What not going to sing like the little sissy you are?" Jareth crossed his arms. "You have 5 minutes. And you still haven't found Cody."

"What did you do to him? Where's my sweet innocent boy? I'll kill you-"

"Please you can't even get enough money from your parents or payroll, how do you expect to put in enough effort to kill me." Adam is quiet. He looks around and sees you and he grabs you and makes you go down to the floor and puts his steel toe boot on your head. 

"I'll do it. I'll crush her fucking skull in." 

Adam could see that this was the right move, because Jareth tensed up. This chick meant something to him. Good. 

"Adam. I'm giving you a chance to walk away right now and leave her alone. Maybe you'll walk out of this alive." 

"What are you going to do pussy? I'm a dead man either way huh? You don't have anything to stop me." Adam felt manic. He started to laugh, and laugh. He was having a hard time breathing. Then he realized he wasn't in control of his laughter anymore. He coughs trying to get himself to stop. He backs off of you and you scramble away.

"Touch her again and I will kill you." Jareth says. 

The laughter stops and Adam breathes heavily. "Fuck...you." Adam says. The bells chimed. 

"Your time is up." Jareth says a cruel smile growing on his face. 

The world grew bigger and bigger. His lips molded together and refused to separate until he couldn't feel his mouth at all. He clawed at his mouth trying to free his tongue, but it didn't work. His fingers grew slippery as he tried to break through the skin. He turned a pukish yellow.

"You're going to be prince Cody's plaything from now until you die. Disobey anything Cody says, and you're going to change in to an aquatic Goblin. In the land of stench. Cursed to swim around inside. You wanted magic? You wanted fun? Here is your fun. Cry all you want but no one will care." 

Adam runs trying to escape. Ild looks at the new goblin and asks "Should we run after him?"

"He'll come back in time." Jareth said. "Grab Cody, have the others finished his room?" Ild nodded. 

You were still slightly shaking and Jareth notices. "What's wrong my dear?" He asks. You bury yourself into his arms. "Is your head alright?" You nodded. "Would you like to go show Cody his room and then go rest?" Jareth asks. You nodded again.

Cody runs in, a few leaves in his hair, and he was smiling. "What's happening?" He asks. Jareth kneels down and says "Cody, would you like to be adopted into the royal family?" 

"Adopted?" 

"I'll be your new dad, and y/n will be your mom."

"You're not going to make me sleep in the laundry room are you?" 

"About that...I wanted to show you what your room will look like." Cody's mouth drops open and he nods. "My own room?"

You held your hand out and he took it as you both followed Jareth.

You got to the blue door, the only door that was colored in the castle, and Jareth opens it to reveal a big bed with his toys from home, and other toys that still had price tags and may or may not be illegally acquired, and crayon drawings all over the wall. 

"TRUCKS!" He shouted excitedly. 

"Jareth and I will paint real trucks on your wall when we can."

Cody starts crying and hugs you and then hugs Jareth. "I'll...I'll be your son. I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you! I never got to say that to Daddy. But I love you I love you I love YOU!" He said excitedly jumping around.

Oh the joy of a child.

"Another toy you have is this." Adam hops up unable to resist Jareth's commands. "He does anything you tell him too. He's a mean man, like your father. So feel free to make him do whatever you want."

He tilts his head and says "Hop on your toes!" Adam does, excruciating pain shot through his body. Cody claps watching Adam practically dance around. 

"And one day, provided your future sibling doesn't kill you-" Jareth begins. You give Jareth a look. "It's something that may or may not happen. Royal blood lines are very messy when it comes to who gets to be King....or Queen." He adds. 

"But you would be a great King one day." Cody looks up at Jareth and smiles. "What's it's name." 

"You get to name it. But don't tell anyone the name or it'll be their toy as well." Cody thinks and whispers a name before commanding "Roll on the ground." Cody kept giving him commands that made Adam feel worn out. 

"That's my boy." Jareth says, watching Cody torment Adam. 

Jareth turns to you and brings you inside Cody's room and sits you down and holds you as you two watch Cody. 

"It already feels like a happy ever after." You say to Jareth. "And it will stay that way." 

12

Summary:

cringe song lyrics I made myself sorry

The next morning, the castle was full of chatter. Cody joined you and Jareth at the Breffest room, and the goblins were loving having him around.

"You cannot keep me until you have given me, what am I?" Ild asked. Cody scrunched his nose and said "A present?"

"NOPE!" They chimed in. "A...truck." They shook their head. "I don't know." Cody says getting slightly upset.

"Your word. You cannot keep your word, which means a promise, until you have given it." You say wiping his hair out of his eyes.

"OH! Man. You guys have hard riddles." Cody says slightly pouting.

"You'll get better darling don't worry." You say.

A thud comes from the other end of the table. The red leather book had made its appearance. "I guess the book needs a little break." Jareth said amused. "Maybe it will finally give us enough time to get married?" You asked with a small smile.

"Are you wanting too?" Jareth asked with mock surprise.

"You don't?" You ask in the same tone he was using.

Cody looks between you two, as you get up and go over to Jareth and sit on his lap. Crog bursts in "CODY!" Cody jumps and looks away.

Jareth lets his forehead rest on yours and closes the gap.

"We'll get married in 3 days time, patience my dear. Anything you wish for I will give it to you, up to half the Kingdom."

You think and then slyly ask "Stay with me?"

"Always."

The next few days were spent preparing for the wedding, your (Dress/suit) was tailored to you by some of the goblins, and although they did better than you expected, there was still a needle that poked your ankle occasionally, and slightly differing shades of (favorite color).

They still worked really hard on it, and you assured them that it was perfect for you. They beamed the rest of the day, boasting to the others how they were the special goblins.

And you went two whole days without being bothered by riddles.

The day before your wedding, Tiq and Ild were instructed to show you the island.

Jareth was not kidding when he said he would pull out beautifully decorated stone out of the water just for you. The island was big enough to hold almost everyone in the Labyrinth (minus Ashel, the firey's, and the people who were cursed to stay on doors and holes) and for the first time in a while, the sky wasn't red, or light red, or some odd mix of orange. It was blue just like home.

There was one singular door that separated the seats and the 'altar' and there were no walls. You guessed the door was just for dramatic effect of him seeing you walk through it. It's something that he would do if the roles were reversed. You found yourself smiling at that.

You went to Cody's room, where the goblins were doing his final fitting of the suit. "Cody?" You said knocking on the door frame.

"What's happening?" He asks looking up to you. "Mom." You smile, still surprised that he started calling you mom so quickly. "I have a question for you. Tomorrow when me and...dad...get married will you walk me down the aisle?"

"Like...in front of everyone?"

"Mhm"

"And I get to stand by dad?"

You nodded again. He thinks "Can I bring my truck with me?" Ever since Jareth gave him a small blue truck, it's never left his hand. "Of course." You say.

"Yeah I will- OW! Stop stabbing me!" He says to Crog. Crog shrugs and says "Stop having skin where I'm sewing."

Cody held your hand tightly as you both stood behind the door. "You're just going to walk down and then stand by dad and it'll all be good." The goblins all rushed about making sure you looked good behind the door. Cody fought off some crabs that dared to get near you, to try and snap at your (dress/suit)

The waves lapped around the island and little crabs scuttered about, some tried to snap at your feet, but it was still...fun.

The goblins began humming some off key version of their own wedding march and the doors opened. You were handed a bouquet of chicken feathers and you started walking down.

"RUN TO HIM!" Ild yelled dramatically. You looked to Cody and he nodded. You both then ran as fast as you could go as everyone cackled. You stood in front of him and he was just grinning.

The goblins stopped singing abruptly as Jareth looked to them with a sharp look.

"My hand is yours to take in light of your love, and I will light up your darkest night.
Forever, as my bride, you'll never be lonely again.
You will teach me every secret there is to know about you, and we'll sing every note and tune.
And I am no longer just the Goblin King, I am now your husband, too."

He slid a ring that had some jewel on it that you couldn't tell. It changed colors. Eq held up a silver ring that had swirls all around it and you grabbed it and just let your heart speak as your vow.

"Your story and mine will forever intertwine, and life would be terrible with you.
I'll stay with you, if you'll stay with me and we can do anything that we put our hearts into.
I will be yours day and night so long as you love me, and half of the Kingdom or jewels or poetry couldn't sway me to have been your bride.
Just your touch and your kiss and your love did give me every reason to stay with you.
I accept my position as your bride as your Queen, and here is my vow inside this ring."

You slid it on his finger and he embraced you before kissing you.

A whole chorus of 'yuck!' came from the goblins, but neither of you cared. It felt like the first kiss, and it felt like it would never be the last. He pulled away and said "Save some of that for later." You slightly swatted him with the chicken feathers as he laughed.

"TO THE NEW QUEEN!" Crog yelled. "You may throw away the chicken feathers now." Eq suggested. You threw it and Ild caught it and squealed. Eq rolled his eye.

Jareth began singing as he took your hand and lead you back down the aisle, and you two walked back to the castle as you sang a duet. You could understand the music now, the words came to you as easily as thinking. Your heart and his sang, just as your darkness did.

You were meant to be in this place at this time.

And nothing, could rip you away from it.

"Just Married"

Jareth:
I've been searching for a Queen
Ever since I was a teeny tiny thing
I was told I had to find my love
And now I can raise you above

Just married
To my other half
Just married
To the one who laughs
So heavenly
They never told me that this was what love would be

Just married
To my duet
Our hearts sang before you opened your lips
And with your fingers in mine
I'm only happy if you call me 'mine'

You:
Just married
To the man
Who took my cousin, how weird is that?
But fate knew it would play this way
And sent that little book on my way!

You are my
Other half
And how could I not stay with that?
I don't have much to say
Except you're
Mine mine mine
Way past today

Both:
I'm so lucky to be married to you
I'm so glad I can say I do
Through light and through life
I'll stay with you through all of your strife

You:
Just married

Jareth:
Just married

You:
I'm so glad to be your wife
And to be here, I,
Just married...

Jareth:
I'll do anything for you....

Both:
Just married......

After a feast and getting cake dumped on you by the goblins, you got to go clean up. You were in regular clothes.

You were drying off your (hair/face) when Jareth knocked on your door. "Come in!" You called. He smiles and says "I have somewhere to take you before we move you to my chambers." He says. 

He grabbed your hand and lead the way. 

"Where are we going?" 

He didn't answer right away. 

He stops in front of a single door and opens it to reveal a hall of tapestries. You walk inside and see the Kings of the past. You stop at Jareth's. "What is this place?"

"This holds every story of every King and Queen that has ruled the Labyrinth." There were only 6 tapestries before Jareth's. He was the 7th. "And it's your turn to be inside the story. Touch it." Jareth says. 

You touched his tapestry and instantly the tapestry shuddered to life. Your face appeared next to Jareths as the words wind together. "Don't stare too long, the future might get ruined." Jareth warned.

"Oh...it tells the future?" You force yourself to look away. 

The pedestal under the light stands up and moves in front of you. The Labyrinth appears on it and props itself up. 

"Oh. It's done then." 

"What is?"

"Now we just have to focus on raising...or producing...the next heir. The one who will take control when we're gone."

Your eyes widened when you realized what he meant. "Other duties can wait, but I have one in particular that could be done for now..." He grabs your hand and pulls you closer. "After all it is our wedding night."

"Jareth!" You say not knowing what to do in this situation. 

"I'm sure I'll never get tired of hearing you say my name...good thing I'll probably make you say-" 

"We are NOT doing this here."

"I completely agree, we should take this back to my room."

You were in stunned silence. He picked you up and started running. "HEY PUT ME DOWN! I CAN WALK!"

"NOT FOR LONG." He shouts.

When you woke up, it was still night time. You looked at Jareth's face in the moonlight. You moved some of the stray hairs out of his face and smiled at him. 

This was your husband. Your fantastic, handsome, worn out husband. And you were his wife. You snuggled up closer to him and tried to go back to sleep before the next day began.

You've never been happier.

13

Jareth held the Labyrinth book and read to Cody, as you ran your fingers through his hair. Cody had requested that Jareth read the book to him. 

Cody gets out of bed and quietly follows Jareth to a part of the castle he's never been in before. Jareth enters the room and sets the book down on its shelf. Cody sees another book inside there. Jareth turns and sees Cody standing there. 

"Cody what are you doing out of bed?" Jareth asks.

"What's that book?" Cody asks pointing at the green one, he rushed over to Jareth and Jareth picks him up. "That was my father's book."

"What was he like?" Cody asks tilting his head.

Jareth said "That's a different story for another night." "I promise I'll go to sleep if you tell me!" He pleaded. "You're lucky I love you." Jareth said dramatically. "Very well then. I'll tell you about the King, but you have to go to bed straight after." 

Cody clasped his hands together and Jareth carried him back to the room and tucked him in, copying what he had seen you do. Jareth tried to think of what he could tell Cody about his father. "Just remember this is a story my father used to tell me, he liked to tell tall tales, so we never know how much of it is true."

Cody says "Is it at least a fun story?" Jareth nods. 

"Once upon a time, a time before the Labyrinth was created, there was a High King over all the lands. And to him a son was born. Prince Hayewood. There were courts, and faeries all over the land. The people would wake up at midnight and dance til the sun was halfway risen. He had 3 older siblings, and there had been a peaceful reign."

Cody said "But....then Hayewood was greedy?"

"Very sharp." Jareth praised. "Hayewood would have nothing as long as his brothers and sisters were alive." Jareth hesitated wondering if this was the proper thing to do with a human child. He was told war stories when he was younger, so it should be fine.

"The courts slowly became suspicious of each other as information that was behind closed doors was revealed. Prince Hayewood framed his siblings for crimes that would get them executed. He pretended to be the dutiful son to his father, while his siblings were falling out of favor. Then one of his brothers had found the most beautiful wife in all of the land, and Hayewood wanted her."

Cody rolled his eyes "Is this a kissing story-"

"It's only one of war, I promise." Jareth says.

Cody waits for him to continue, strangely invested in hearing his grandfather's crimes. 

"And he stole her away and said he would only return her if he gave up his birthright. So his brother agreed, and went to live as one of the common folk. But the night he had given up his royal title he was murdered. Leaving Hayewood the clearest path to the crown...right after his father falls ill of course.

Prince Hayewood took control of all the laws, slowly going from the best ruler they've had to a controlling one. They tried a revolt, but he placed the walls of the Labyrinth around the castle and challenged them to try and solve it. When his father passed, King Hayewood had control of all the land. Many tried to flee to distant lands, but they couldn't. He began the game of the Labyrinth and said whoever won would become the next ruler. He never specified of what of course....

After several more revolts, he had slaughtered many of his own citizens. The magic of the land was draining. And then his wife had begged him to stop killing the heart of the land. And one night a dream came to him, of a way he could keep the land away. He bound the crown to the land, and turned his citizens into goblins. They were the easiest things to turn into. And then he had his first child-"

"You!" 

Jareth nods. "He taught me how to make the goblins, and how to keep the land alive." Cody thinks "But what happened to the courts? And what happened to everyone?"

"No one knows. I wasn't alive to know if these courts even existed. Now go to sleep Cody." 

After saying his goodnights, he goes back towards his chambers and walks in. "Jareth?" You asked sounding slightly sleepy. He smiles, even just the small of your voice was like a light in the darkness. 

"I'm sorry my love, I was detained. He wanted to hear another bedtime story." He slips inside the covers and you scoot over. He holds you and kisses your cheek. "Goodnight my love."

Something stuck with Cody. No one knows. I wasn't alive to know if these courts even existed. Cody wanted to know more about it, but his dad never likes to talk about King Hayewood. 

Cody thinks back to the Tapestry room, and what the Labyrinth book said. It told the true story of his dad and his mom, so it would say the truth about King Hayewood. Tomorrow he would round up Crog, Eq, Ild, and Tiq and take them to the tapestry room and Tiq could read him what actually happened. 

Cody found out Tiq could read, because Jareth had left a note for him on the door. Tiq promised to teach him. 

When it was morning, he walked out and took a deep breath. "TICE!" It took a few minutes, but they all scrambled over. They all promised that they would listen for his call, no matter what was happening. 

Maybe they could even be his own court! Just like a real fae prince.

"I was asleep..." Eq mumbled.

"Oh hush! Prince wants something."

"We're going to a secret room in the castle." Cody said. "I know where it is come on!" They all chattered excitedly about where it could possibly be. 

They stopped in front of the single door. Cody knocked on it, like Jareth had, and it opened up. All of them gasped when they saw the contents inside. "This is the...the pasty room." "Tapestry." Tiq corrected. "Thepstry." Cody tried again. 

Cody and Tiq walked inside, but none of the others could. Crog beat against the invisible force, but they couldn't go any farther than the doorway. 

"No fair!" Eq said as Tiq stuck her tongue out at him. 

Cody looked at the 7 tapestries. He stopped at the one before his dad's. "Hayewood." Tiq said. He ran his fingers over it and looked at the book. Tiq narrowed her eyes "I don't know that word. Ass-person? Ass-parisian? Asperson." She continued to list the possibilities.

"Aspersion." Cody said, unsure of how he knew what it was.

Hayewood had stitches of battles, a bloody crown resting on his face. A scratched out woman next to him, his dad, and a ripped out circle next to his dad. 

He looks at his dad's and saw him and mom there along with him right under them. 

"Tiq what does that mean?" Cody points to the blank circle next to himself. Tiq shrugs and looks at the blank tapestry. "This tapestry must be for whoever is gonna rule next." Tiq frowned at it and her hand went to touch it. 

Cody ran in front of her and touched it before she could. 

The tapestry immediately began to weave in his name, and an older version of him with a black crown perched on it. He couldn't look away. Words appeared in his mind but he couldn't understand what they meant since he couldn't read yet. But he did know what the faces were. 

He stumbled back as it showed a curly haired child. 

The stone rumbled at the empty hall space and up rose a black book with silver lettering.

The Cruel Prince.

Jareth stares at the new book that lies there. How has this happened? Cody's face was forever written as a villain for someone else's story. Cody must have snuck back in and touched the Tapestry by accident.

He looks back to his father's reign and looks back. Crog passes by the tapestry room and sees Jareth there standing in shock. "Crog? Fetch me Queen Y/n." Crog nods and turns around and begins to run. 

He looked at everything that was foretold to come, Cody was a sweet boy. He was a good learner, and...he looked at the last faces in the tapestry. His eyes widened. 

"Jareth? What's wrong?" You ask at the doorway. Jareth walks over and pulls you away. "Cody touched the tapestry, making him the next ruler of the Labyrinth...but his will be no happy story." Your eyes widened as you tried to look past him. 

He put both hands on the sides of your face and put his forehead against yours. "We're going to have to pay close attention to him. I can't let you see what's come to pass, it would be too much for you."

"How can I look for signs if I don't know what I'm looking for?" You gently remind him.

He goes inside and takes a book out. 

The Cruel Prince

You placed your hand over your mouth. It was a thicker book than the Labyrinth was, and it had some sort of dragon type leather as the cover. 

"How do we stop this? Is there any way we can reverse it?" 

"I'll have to read the beginning, and see how we act and then change it. But for now, we have to keep on loving him."

You nod and say "I'll go and see if we can go play with his new little trucks, you figure out what's going on and we'll meet back up."

Jareth went to his study and read through the first few pages. It talked of a curly haired baby that took away all of the fun in the world. His parents loved the babe way more than they ever did with their adopted son. And the babe had a sort of power that Cody never would. And everyone worshiped him.

It was all about the babe. The babe with the power.

Jareth slammed the book shut. Jareth's family never dealt with siblings that well. Even if they were adopted, they were drawn to a line on purpose. He'd have to be careful about what he says about his father now. He doesn't want Cody to harm his future sibling. 

Jareth looks at the book and the Tapestry room. If he can seal the room away, maybe it won't ever leave. He forced the book back onto it's table, and sealed the room away, far from sight. Only he could access it. 

He hoped it would be enough. 

~*~

You knock on his door. "What's happening?" Cody shouted from across the floor. You opened it and peeked your head through it. He was on his bookshelf, holding a board up and sending cars driving down it. 

"Hi mom! Wanna race cars with me?" You nod and said "Which cars do I get?" He hops down, and looks through the floor filled with cars. "All (f/c) cars are the ones you can touch. But not any others, or you'll be disqualified." He says. 

You grabbed the (f/c) car and made sound effects. "No mommy you're supposed to go PLUTHHHHTHHHUHUHUH, that's the car sound it makes." "Oh! You're absolutely right! Pluthhhthuhuhhuhuh....like that?" Cody nods. 

"Where's Dad at?" He says suddenly looking out. "He'll be coming here shortly I'm sure. But for now lets see who's the fastest." He grabs his favorite car, a neon green one, and copies it's rumbling startup as you both go into position to race. "Obviously me."

 "I don't know, I was a pretty big racer back in my day." 

"You were?" He asked with wide eyes. His glasses made them look so much bigger. Ugh you just want to pinch his cheeks....that makes you sound old. Ew. Maybe you were growing up too fast. "No one in elementary could beat me."

"Well prepare to have your first loss." 

"Cody L/n-" 

"Sorry mom." He said sheepishly. 

You'd have to work with him on that mouth, but later. You both lined them up and Cody pointed to the other wall. "That's the finish line. No cheating!" "I promise I won't." You say. "GO!" He gets up and carries the car to the wall and bolts. "Hey!" you say as he touches it.  "I didn't say what was considered cheating."

"You're too clever for me. Whatever will I do with you?" He giggles as you tousle his hair. "I don't know." "Well we're going to have lunch soon, so clean up your toys and we'll go eat something." He nods and puts the cars back into the single box on the floor. Trucks and cars were the only thing he was interested in right now, and he didn't want anything else in his room. 

You walked out into the hall to see Jareth walking that way. 

You held your hand out, which he took. He gives you a sad smile. "Well?" You whisper as you both move past Cody's room. "They're...empty. For now. It takes some time for the story to unfold." You nod and then you swing your hands back and forth. "I'll make sure Cody knows he's loved." 

"No." Jareth said surprising you. 

"We'll make sure he knows he's loved. It takes two of us to raise a small human, at the least. And Cody will have the goblins, and us together." 

Cody's feet slap the ground as he comes running. "Dad what are we having for lunch?" Cody grabs Jareth's free hand and the three of you walk towards the 'Breffest' room. 

"We're having peanut butter and Jelly for you, and for mommy and I, we're having a different lunch." Jareth said. 

You all sat at the table and Ild and Crog set out the food. "I hope you like crunchy peanut butter, cause someone didn't grind it right." Ild said glaring at Crog. "What?" He asked as if he didn't hear it. 

"Remember to clean up." Jareth calls as they bicker walking back to the kitchen. 

Cody began to talk about his dream last night very avidly, when you started to gag. Jareth rushed over to you immediately. "Y/n?" The world spins and you were hovering over a bucket and you puke into it. 

Jareth's hand goes to your forehead. "You're not burning up..." You throw up again and Jareth finds a rag and gets some water for you. You wince at the taste of the water. 

"Do you think you may have had a little bit of food poisoning?" Jareth asks, not wanting to even think about what it also could mean. 

But you knew. 

You had already skipped, and you were going to tell Jareth what you think might be happening, but then the Tapestry incident happened. 

"I think I might be pregnant." You say. He hugs you and puts his hand on the back of your head tightly. He doesn't let go for a while. 

"Is there any way we can test it to be sure?" He asks. 

"Yeah...but back home-"

"I'll send a goblin to get whatever you need." He says immediately. You blink trying to imagine Ild, Crog, and Tiq rolling through big crowds trying to steal a pregnancy test. 

"You mean going into a public space and stealing and freaking everyone out?" You asked as he let go of you to see your face.

"Yes. And more, for the sake of you." His hand goes to your cheek. "Aren't you afraid I'm going to ruin your outfit?" You ask, your stomach broiling again.

And this was how you knew he loved you, by the very next few words he said.

"This? Is just an outfit."

You wash your hands waiting for the results to pop up. You tap your foot nervously looking at the door that had Tiq, Jareth, and the other goblins all waiting. 

Jareth was not kidding when he said he would get everything for you. He sent Tiq and Crog to the human world- er...well your world. You keep finding yourself getting more detached from it everyday.

Anyway, Tiq and Croq came rushing back with several other items with price tags that you were 100% sure that they took from Walmart and had probably left a very traumatized cashier.

Finally you looked over to it and the two lines were faint, but they were clear. Your hand slapped over your mouth as you squealed. You immediately opened the door and rushed to Jareth and hugged him. "I'm pregnant! AHHHH!" He winced as you practically screamed in his ear. You never thought you would have reacted like this realistically, but it felt like the right thing to do.

Because of someone you did. 

He hugged you back and whirled you around and set you back down and held your face between his hands. Both of you were so excited. He kissed you.

"Ugh-"

"C'mon give em space!" Tiq said pushing them out of the room before shutting the door.

"I love you." Jareth says, speaking against your lips. 

"I love you too."

His hands go down from your face, and link behind you and rested at the back of your waist. He rested his head on your shoulder and you did the same.

"Try not to turn our baby into a goblin alright?" You say making a joke after it was silent for too long.

He laughed, the vibrations making you tingle slightly. "I promise. Try not to dress our baby in abominable fashion choices." you pull back fake-offended.

"Do you not trust me to dress them up?" You ask. 

"Some human fashion is...questionable."

"What happened to 'it's just an outfit'?"

"Only applicable to you, no one else. Not even our child. They will not get a *single* speck-" He bursts out laughing unable to finish. Your nose wrinkles up trying not to laugh before burying your face into the soft fabric of his collar. 

He smiles and goes "I can't wait to have a child."

But back in his mind the tapestry still had a hold over his mind. How could he keep both of his children safe? He didn't want one of them to have to live a terrible life, and the other be so sheltered from their brother. 

He decided then and there that he, and you of course, would do everything possible to not make Cody the villain. And that would be a challenge yes, but a challenge that was worth fighting for. 

And now he understood why so many siblings and parents fought for their children. How even when cruel things happen, even after the anger passes and they realize their mistake, why they keep fighting.

Jareth loves Cody.

And Cody doesn't deserve that fate. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BONUS: At the Walmart

Tiq and Crog look around the parking lot filled with metal beasts and birds half their size. The birds look at them tilting their little heads and slowly walk over. "Is this where we're sposed to be?" Crog asked. "Yes this is the blue building- WATCH OUt!" A big metal beast roared as it drove past them. "They move?" Tiq asks. "Why would I know if they move?" He screeches. "We just have to get inside!" 

They head towards the building hearing the chatter of the humans. "Oh we can get them to help!" Tiq said brightly. 

Crog blinked at her "Oh right let us go to the humans and ask for help! They would love to see two tiny rats yelling, ya think they'd throw something at us?" Tiq nods. "Maybe we'll get to eat their food-" "Focus Tiq!" Crog said. 

Tiq went up to a lone man. "Excu-"

An ungodly shriek came from the man and he threw a rectangular thin box. It hits her in the face. She barely flinches. "Wait shit my phone no!" The man says panicking for a second. "Fuck this I'm out." He runs towards the building.

"AFTER HIM!" Crog yells only making the man more panicked. Tiq grins maniaclly and they both charge. 

The man finally stops in an aisle thinking he's lost them.

"Clean up on Aisle 5" A few more moments. "Clean up on aisle 6" The man looks what aisle he's on. Aisle 8. "Clean up on aisle 7"

"OH SHIT-" The sinister giggles from the goblins ran up. Tiq shoved the glass down until the man started crying.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?" He shouts. "Clean up on Aisle 8"

"A pregnan test." Crog says proudly.

"Oh god these bastards breed." He whispers his eyes wide "Um...yeah...I can...I can point you there." He says shakily and they follow behind him quiet and angelic. The switch up had him unnerved. 

The other customers looked at him and they quickly started walking faster. He had never felt this much anxiety in his whole life. When he got out of this he was going to call his mother, call his sister, pay all of his taxes, pay for child support, publish his unfinished WIPS of Tomstarco fanci-

He continued listing reasons hoping that he gets out of this alive. 

He stopped at the aisle and grabbed a few. "Here." He snatched his hand away letting the box drop.

"Sir you can't have pets in heRE OH MY GOD!" 

"I know." The man said tiredly.

"What the FUCK are they?"

"I...don't know." He says his shoulders slumping in defeat. 

"Tanks!" Crog said before looking at the employee and dropping his smile. He opened his mouth and a snake tongue shot out making the employee scream. He ran after the employee and Tiq waved a little.

"CROG!" By the time she caught up to Crog, he was about to bite the leg. 

"C'mon just a taste!" He pleaded.

"Mmm...no taste but we can knock some more stuff over."

"Deal."

After 12 minutes had passed, water started pouring down from the ceiling, there were a lot of screams, and there were sirens. "Uh oh, I think that means trouble." Crog says. "Let's go!" They cackled as firefighters went to the opposite side of the store trying to take down the fire.

And they ran to get to the castle. 

14

You knocked on Cody's door. "Hey buddy!" He looks up from his trucks. "MoM! You're late to the monster truck meeting-"

"Cody, we have something to tell you." You say looking to Jareth. He blinks and looks between you and Jareth.

"I don't have to go back to Earth do I?"

"No no no buddy that's not what's- It's good news." You say beckoning him to come closer. "Good. I don't want to go back there." Cody says.

"You're going to be a big brother!"

"I'm gonna have a brother or sister?" Cody said lighting up. "They can play trucks with me!" 

"When are they gonna get here? What's their name? Wait are they a boy or a girl?" He looks behind them in the hall. "They'll get here in 9 months. And we don't know all of that yet." "They're not going to be coming from Earth." Jareth clarified. 

Cody frowns trying to think of how that's possible. 

"But I came from Earth. There aren't any other kids here-"

You looked to Jareth wondering what to say. "We're making the baby, home made." Jareth says. You face palm and Jareth shakes his head with a smug smile "He's not going to remember this conversation, it'll be alright." 

Cody ran around the room excitedly. 

"SIBLING SIBLING SIBLING!" He jumped onto his bed and pumped the air. 

"Can we share a room? That way we can play ALL the time. And I'll teach them how to race, and I'll love them forever and ever." Cody said. You walk over to the bed and hug him while he's standing up.

"Oh Cody, never change." You kiss his cheek as he giggles. "Dad! Can we visit Just and Thena Worm? I really want to have a tea party."

Jareth pretends to think "I don't see why not, but of course you'll have to get dressed up if you want to leave the castle." Cody wrinkles his nose. He didn't like being in the stuffy clothes, but he said "Well, okay..." Jareth opens the closet and claps. 

"What color are we feeling today Cody?" "Blue." Jareth looks through.

"Sparkles or no sparkles?" "No sparkles." Cody says.

"That eliminates a lot of your outfits." Jareth mumbles and finally picks out a light blue shirt with a dark blue vest and dark blue slacks with a dark cape. "And don't forget the crown." Jareth says handing over Cody his small crown. 

"I love you dad." Cody says as you and Jareth walk out of the room so he can change.

"I love you too."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tiq looked closely at the chicken hatch. Some Goblin had come in and smashed the eggs for today. And she was going to find out who.

"TIQ!" Jareth called. She ran to meet him. "King Jareth?" He turned to her. "I'm taking Cody to see Just A. Worm, so watch over Y/n for me. She's still feeling slightly sick. Make sure everything is comfortable or you will only be able to screech in tongues for the next 6 weeks." He threatens.

Tiq had no doubt Jareth would do that. 

"Yes King Jareth." The chicken deviant would have to wait until later. She could send Crog to find out who did it, but he was hardly the goblin for the job. 

Tiq quickly got to your room where you were reading in a book. "Queen Y/n? Do you need anything?"

You look up and shake your head "Not at the moment."

Tiq bows and walks out. 

NOW the Queen was taken care of and she can find the chicken destroyer. 

"CROG!" She screams. Crog runs around the corner nearly knocking a table over. "Tiq!" He says mock saluting her. "The chickens are frightened off and the eggs are broken. Do you know who did it?"

He shut his lips "I was sworn to secrecy." She narrowed her eyes. "I can turn you in to Jareth and you will be punished-"

Crog sighs "Cody wanted to make some breffest for his mom and dad and...well we didn do very well. We had to fight the chickens. I lost." He held up his arm to reveal some bruises and scratches. 

That was anticlimactic. 

Nothing fun ever happened around here. 

She pauses looking at the throne room and walked over to the table filled with the moving figures. It whispers to her. 

Her hand comes up to the table and looks at the figures of Jareth and Cody as they walk. The firey's part of the map dimming. 

What was going on?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your hand rested over your stomach. You were building a small human. Wasn't this...

(Amazing? You never thought you would have been able to get this chance. And now you were going to be a mom to your very own child/Frightening. What if you lost the baby? How were you going to give birth somewhere other than Earth? Without medicine? What if you died?/Sad, it reminded you of your own family, how they'd never know the family you've built. Even who you were.)

No matter what you were ready to give your baby the upbringing they deserved. You would encourage them to do what they wanted and support them, because even though they didn't ask to be born, you were going to make it to where they were glad they could live and never doubt that their parents didn't love them.

You wondered what kind of names you would pick for the baby.

If it were a girl; Ainsley sounded like a really great name. Or maybe Desi, or Hannah.

If it were a boy; Sebastian seemed like a very royal name, or Maxwell, or Oliver.

You continued to daydream about the names and how the baby might look. What if you had twins? That would certainly be more than a handful.

But you had a feeling it was only going to be the one. 

And you were going to be a great mother, alongside a great father, with the greatest brother. A dark thought entered your mind, if he doesn't turn out bad. All of history will be watching your parenting job.

What if it was you and Jareth to blame for his upbringing?

Suddenly your mood went sour. Of course it could be that, you had no idea what you were doing. You've only been an adult for a year or so. And Jareth temporarily held children. But raising them? Neither of you had experience. 

You bit your lip and tried to ignore the persistent question.

What does the tapestry say exactly?

Jareth and the goblins weren't around to stop you, so you could go and see what it said and then you could help him.

-----------------------------------------------------

Cody goes up to the tapestry with a frown. This was exactly what the tapestry was saying. A new brother coming up. He didn't want to hurt his brother. He didn't want to be a villain. 

"I promise, I will NEVER hurt you." Cody whispers. "No matter what happens."

15

You made your way to the tapestry room, and pushed the door open. There lay the book on the pedestal. You went over to it and picked it up and opened it. It had dark brown lettering, and old looking parchment paper. 

To my dearest father and mother

This is all for you.

You flipped the page and continued reading on. 

An Authors Note

Dear reader, I wish I could tell you that you were going to like this story. That this is the type of fairytale you could read to your children, and they would dream of dragons and fae folk dancing in circles singing kumbiya. 

But it is not. 

And the more you read, the more the world will become unsettling for you. The Labyrinth, my father's land, is not at it's joyous former glory. 

It was brought by blood, and it will end by blood. 

And I will be the one to finish it. 

And every giggle that I have spent years hearing, every happy smile my family made, and every bit of magic will go to me instead. No one else can have magic. Magic should never be used as some play toy. 

My father could have used his magic to bring the Labyrinth to it's full heights and yet here he is only doting on my mother and brother. 

They all get to feel warm while I only feel cold. 

But this is not the time for me to tell you all about my laments over what my childhood could have been like. Or about me telling you about my feelings. I'll delay no further reader. I have given my warning, and you're most apt to ignore it. 

Very well then. 

You flip the page. It's titled Chapter 1.

Monsters, and creatures awake to the sun now. They push down their old savage ways, to dance with each other in the sun. They drink tea and play ball with each others heads, and they sing happy songs and let their young play. 

It's a happy time it looks like. 

But their feet are danced raw, their stomachs are rumbling for their true diet of carnage, their skin burns at the sight of the sun and red sky, they're killing their voices, and their heads forget what they were. 

The magic is draining, and they will never know true health.

And the royal family all laugh, for they are too tall to see what their creatures do for them. 

But they don't feel what is happening to the Labyrinth. They couldn't feel. But I feel it. I feel every bit of pain they go through, and when I grow up and receive the throne, I'll make them all pay. 

After all. One day it'll all be about the babe. The babe with the power. 

And when I get the throne and pluck it from my brother, I will be the one with the voodoo.

And it will all come together. I'll revive the courts and restore it to greatness. And no one. No one will win. 

The land will get it's break soon enough. But for now I must play my part, and play it well. I'll capture their hearts finally, and hold onto it. I have spent my hours plotting and I will show them to never have doubted me.

My tapestry had been written as a villain years ago. My grandfather was written as a villain as well. But I am not him. I have come to restore it all. I am the beginning of the new Labyrinth. No more games father. No more riddles. I've solved them all. 

You stop reading. Restore what?

Though, you tried to look through the pages, only that much was written inside. The rest was still unwritten. 

"Oh Cody..." You say under your breath.

Riddles were the main source of entertainment around here. You had a feeling that those weren't the riddles that Future Cody was talking about.

To find that answer, there was only one book to look in.

|| Uhhh go read Aspersion for backstory, hehe||

You finished reading the book and looked up as Jareth comes in. 

"Jareth....you need to read your father's story. It was the only clue to what the future will hold, what will become the plans."

He takes a shaky breath. "Not now. This is not the time. We need to monitor the future. When he shows signs, then I will read my father's story. But right now?"

You and Jareth paced the floor wondering what to do. 

"It can't be written in stone, surely." You say. "There's always ways to make sure that neither of them feel left out."

"I have a feeling no matter what, the tapestry will not change." He says grimly. "Unless we either destroy the tapestry or the book." 

Silence settled the both of you. 

"Then we'll do it. The tapestry will be gone, and the boys will live a great life free of conflict." You agree. 

There had to be a chance. 

Jareth seals off the tapestry room, so that no other person but you or him can enter into it. Beginning to unravel the ancient magic of the Kings. The tapestry, burned in green fire. The book, tossed along with it. 

And so the plan to conceal the future, began. 

 16

10 years later

"Darling have you seen Max and Cody?" You say, the tree bending over to give you a fresh fruit. "No, but I think I see that glitter trail somewhere close." Jareth says looking to where Max would be hiding. 

Max jumps out from behind the tree. "BOO!" 

You place your hand over your heart. "Max!" He bursts out into giggles. 

"Hi Momma" He says with a big smile and wrapping his arms around your shoulders. 

"Where's Cody? He can't be too far behind." Jareth asks. 

"Cody's in his room, Papa. He doesn't want to come out." Max says crossing his arms, leaning away from you. 

Jareth nods. "I'll get him, don't worry loves." Jareth walks over and kisses both of your foreheads, and walks back into the castle. 

"Momma I have a cool trick I wanna show you." Max says grabbing your hand and rushing you inside with him. 

You follow him inside as he leads you towards the boys bedrooms. 

"So, I moved a brick, with my MIND." Max says excitedly. 

"Your mind or your magic?" You ask. 

He pauses, wrinkling his nose. "Magic, I s'pose." He shrugs and looks at Cody's door. He raised his hand and did a small push, opening it slightly. "I wanna hear whats going on."

Jareth sits next to Cody, who was still in bed. 

"Rise and shine Cody, it is your special day." 

Cody groans shaking his head. "I don't want to be up. What's the point." 

"To celebrate your 16th. Very important for a young man. Why around your age, I started beginning to rule the castle." 

"More like 1600." Cody peaks out of his covers, trying to be mean, but Jareth could see a small smile anyway.

"Max and your mother are waiting for you. It's all about you today."

Cody sits up. "Do I have too? Bad things happen on 16th birthdays."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Sleeping Beauty got pricked on her 16th and launched into a curse. Miss Sarah was 16 when she first came here. I think 16 is a real bad number."

"Not as unlucky as 13." 

Cody thinks about it. "Well...you're right."

"If you come out for the day, you'll find nothing about it is cursed." Jareth says holding his hand out, and Cody sighs and puts his hand in his. 

"Alright."

Jareth pulls him into a hug. "Seize the day Cody. Seize the day."

As there were gifts from the goblins, and as they were singing to Cody, dancing around with him, you sat with Jareth. You leaned your head on your shoulder watching the boys. You watched as Tiq danced with Max and goblins started to lift Cody up. 

Jareth leans his head on top of yours staring out into the chaos. 

It was such a pleasant day. 

It was. Until.

Lastly, there was one mysterious wrapped elongated present, the likes of which no one would claim. It was the color of sea foam, and had seaweed covering over it. Unmarked. 

Cody opened it before either of you could stop it. 

"WHOA! This is so cool!" Cody whips out a shell sword. A long piece of metal with seashells as the handle, smoothed down. And a note that read 

'For the Prince of the Labyrinth, happy birthday, from the unseelie court.'

Max peers over the paper with a grin. "What's an unseelie court?"

Jareth halts the activities.

And then Jareth and you exchange a glance.

This must be the start of the conflict. 

"Everyone? Out...go on get out!" He calls for the goblins to go away and he beckons Cody to give him a closer look at the note. 

The unseelie court

The words seemed mocking, as you instantly think back to the book. So there were others out there.

And they were letting you know that they can get past this castle, and place things inside. 

"We'll have to send it back-" Jareth starts. 

"No, but it's so cool!" Cody says frowning. 

"We don't know if it has any magic attached to it, it could be a cursed item." Jareth tried to explain patiently. 

"You guys aren't fun." Cody pouts. 

"Yeah no fun! We would have been able to tell if it's cursed." Max says crossing his arms siding with Cody. 

Jareth looks between them before looking at you, unsure of how he should go about this. 

"Let your father disenchant anything on this sword, and then you can have it." You say making a compromise. 

"But it's not cursed!" Cody protests. 

Jareth looks at the sword. "They come from a very dark court. They send no gift, without some form of warning with it."

"I thought it was only us?" Max says confused. "You said only we were here?"

"We'll tell you later at bedtime, alright?" You say, giving Jareth time to wonder how to explain. 

And Jareth stands up, swishing his cape over the sword and himself, disappearing, leaving you and the boys. "Well boys, we still have much fun and puzzles to go solve for your birthday Cody."

Max claps. "I love puzzles!"

Cody sighs. "And everyone says 16th birthdays aren't cursed."

Jareth opens the tapestry room after not having set foot in years. The damned book sitting on the pedestal. Burnt, but the title changed. 

The King

This was just more frustrating. The tapestry, still gone from the wall, would be able to tell why it had changed. But now with the book changing, it would be worse, lurking in the dark, unaware of what is to come.

"Unseelie court, ruining my sons birthday." He murmurs glaring at the sword. 

Most likely a challenge. A taunt of 'you are going to need it'.

Jareth opens the book. Same chapter as last time, blah blah blah. 

He skims til he sees the words 'Unseelie'. A sword of surveillance. A trick. Just as he expected. He duplicates the sword and goes back to the courtyard and wraps it up in the seaweed, focusing on tracking where it had originally been sent from, and sending it back. 

There was a reason his father shut them all up from the outside world. 

He refused to be the one who would let the others back in. 

Not while he's still alive. 

17

Lor Ainbhe

"He sent the sword back." Lor says to Queen Odio, sharpening her nails boredly, looking towards the sword. 

"He did WHAT?" Queen Odio snaps. "Still up to keeping secrets I see." 

Lor opens a part of the shell to play back what it had seen. "King Jareth and his Queen don't want anyone near that castle. Can you blame them, though? I wouldn't get involved either if I had the chance."

"This is about our homelands Lor. We cannot let it go to waste under our rule, and no matter how many times we have to get shut out, we must continue to try." Queen Odio says. "Send a message. Explaining it all, and how we wish to be allies."

Lor raises her eyebrows but bows mockingly anyway. "Whatever you say, your highness."

"Watch your mouth Lor." Queen Odio hisses at her. 

Lor did not care. Queen Odio wouldn't do anything against her.

She couldn't. 

Lor yawns boredly, "Agageo, go send the young prince another message about wanting allyship, or whatever." 

"Aye aye!" Agageo says rolling away, eager to carry out the task. 

"Troll." Queen Odio taunts Lor.

"Redcap." Lor says then sticking her tongue out at her older sister. 

"Treant...always getting on my wood..." Queen Odio shifts. 

"That's not lady like." Lor mocks. 

"you're not even a proper lady yet, shut up." Queen Odio huffs. 

"Another message about wanting allyship or whatever? -Lor Ainbhe" Cody reads the note to Jareth.

Ever since the birthday, they have been receiving constant messages from this 'Lor Ainbhe'. With little to no information from Jareth on who or where they are coming from.

"It's a trick, we don't reply." Jareth says, looking at the map of the Labyrinth, with a worried look. You stand next to him rubbing his back. "No one's gotten past the Labyrinth's walls, you'd know if they did." You say soothingly. 

"I know, I...just can't help but worry. Their messages will only get bolder, it will only be a matter of time before they expect an answer."

"A simple 'no' could do."

"Then we'll have a court raging at our walls." Jareth says rubbing his temples as there was more onslaught of noise among the goblins. 

"Quiet!" You call out to the goblins. 

"Thank you my love." Jareth muttered. 

Cody sighs as he looks out the window. "Why don't we hear them out? And then say no?"

"No one is leaving the Labyrinth. If they're asking us for help, it is certainly not safe out there." Jareth says defensively. 

Max played with some of Cody's old trucks, making the 18-wheeler hit a smaller car with small noises. "Max stop crashing the cars you'll break them." Cody says frowning. 

"What do we do?" You ask softly. 

"I'll think of something, my queen, you won't have to suffer the same fate." He says his eyes raising to meet yours. 

Jareths eyes look towards a spot in the wall.

"They must want me to take my place as high King again." 

"We'll figure it out. We always do. Even if it means our world wasn't as small as we originally thought." You say taking his hand. 

Cody makes his way towards the tapestry room. Surely there was something he could do to help his mom and dad. He had to be able to do something. 

The tapestry that he had touched so long ago, no longer hung from the walls. But he didn't need that one. He needed his fathers. 

The fabric was no longer still as it weaved in and out of patterns, very indecisive about what the future would be. 

It still had everything from before, but in the future, it snaked and wriggled.

He closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath, shakily moving his hands in a pattern that Max taught him. "I need you to help me. I need you to help me figure out the future, how do we get out of this."

The fabric weaves to life. 

"Cody" It sings out. "Everything is so shaky Cody...I don't understand it. I can't tell you."

"You have to know something. You can see everything, what's so uncertain?" Cody asks frowning. "Are they a friend?"

The stitches reach out to Cody's hand and Cody steps back. "No. Answer me."

The fabric groans flopping back into the tapestry. 

Cody kicks the wall in frustration. 

Max pokes through the door. "Cody, we're not s'posed to be here. You know that."

"I tried asking the dam- the fabric, and it didn't give me any answers! 'I don't understand it I can't tell you'." Cody mocks the shrill song of the fabric. The tapestry knocks the podium besides him over. 

Cody rolls his eyes. "Dramatic much?"

Max looks between all the books. "Cody, I think Papa will handle it. There's nothing he can't do!" 

"But what if this time he really can't?"

"Then why worry? It hasn't happened yet." Max holds his hand out. "Now come on. Tiq and the others wanna play."

Cody doesn't take Max's hand. "Oh Max, 16 year olds don't play. We're too mature for that." 

"You're going to play with me Cody." Max says frowning. "I'm not gonna be little forever."

Cody sighs as he knows Max has a point. "Fiiine"

You look over the map, looking at all the moving figures. As Jareth grew restless, so did everyone else. Your fingers drummed on the edge. It would not be long until a decision had to be made. 

Jareth walks in.

"We're going to have to speak with them." He declares. You tense up. 

"We'll need to prepare for all sorts of glamour magick, for you and Cody, Max will be fine."

"We're all going?" You ask.

Jareth nods. "The closer the better. I can protect all of you as long as you're close to me. Tiq and the others should be fine. I've arranged a meeting date, and..." He takes a deep breath. 

You walk over and hug him, interlocking your free hand with his and squeezing it. 

He relaxes only slightly. "I love you too." He mutters. 

"We'll get it figured out. This isn't something out of your control. We can say no. We can deny." You say. 

Jareth nods. 

"And maybe brush up on court etiquette from your fathers old office, so we know how to not offend them into a war." 

Jareth nods again. He looked a little empty, his gaze faraway. You frown knowing that look all too well. 

"But for now, let's stop tensing up and do something that's relaxing alright? Go play with the kids, 'accidentally' trap the firey's in the bog." You shrug. 

He looks back to you and smiles a little. "You're my star and light in life. Without you, I would be lost. Everything would be dimmer without you. And that is a heavy burden, my love. You have to rest too."

"Alright. Let's go rest together."

18

Lor straightens up as she sees the High King and his family travel down towards the Unseelie Court. 

"Odio, they're actually coming." Lor says shocked. "Is everything prepared?" She asks the servants. 

"Yes!" The small creatures chimed in. 

Odio adjusts her crown. "Places everyone, this is the real High King. We must look prepared." 

With Cody and Max holding onto you tightly, you stay behind Jareth as the doors open to the seemingly abandoned court. Broken and empty palace pieces littered everywhere. 

A small girl comes up towards them, seemingly around Cody's age. 

"Welcome to the Unseelie Court your majesty. I am Lor Ainbhe. Princess of the Unseelie Court, and the one who sent the gift." She says, obviously still miffed about the situation. 

"Where is your Queen?" Jareth asks glaring around. 

"Follow me." She sighs. 

Max's jaw is dropped as he looks around. "What happened here?"

"Unseelies are rulers over the night and abandoned places." Lor says answering Max's question. 

"Do not talk to either of my sons." Jareth says. "Or we leave."

She raises her hands and gestures inside the throne room. 

The Queen stands up from her throne and descends upon the steps. 

"High King Jareth," She bows. "I am Queen Odio, the ruler of the unseelies, and your humble ally. Please, have a seat." 

A table appears before you and Jareth nods and takes a seat, leaving you and your boys to do the same. 

Max keeps staring at Lor, who in turn keeps glancing at him with a wary expression, confused. 

Queen Odio takes a deep breath. "While your Labyrinth is tucked away, and peaceful, our magic in the lands are draining. Leading the remaining courts from your father to go to war. The Blood Crown which you hold onto, will give no extra magic to any of us."

Jareth nods. "Ink stained black taking over the lands?" 

"You know of it?" Queen Odio asks surprised. 

"I've been running into the same problem. It doesn't have to do with the Blood Crown." Jareth says. 

"On the contrary, it's completely due to the Blood Crown. With no one to rule over the land it wastes away." Lor says speaking up. 

"Lor- stop it." Queen Odio hisses. 

Lor shakes her head. "You have a responsibility. Only your bloodline is compatible with that crown. You need to let the walls down, and rule the rest of us before the world we know completely takes over and dies."

Queen Odio lets out a shakey laugh. "Of course, it's not as dramatic as that. Magic has always lived and thrived, and when we all die out, it'll solve itself. Though we do want to preserve our kind." 

You and Jareth look to each other. 

"What courts have survived?" Jareth asks. 

"Fall and Summer court have fallen long since their leaders became Goblins." Queen Odio says. 

Jareth looks to Queen Odio. "Goblins?"

"You really didn't think your family always had goblins as servants? Those are your fellow fae that your father had turned into Goblins. To keep everyone out." She says. 

You speak up "After being turned into Goblins, it was irreversible. High King Hayewood did all he could in his circumstances."

Jareth's shoulders loosen a little as you defend. 

"There's no way to turn them back?" Lor asks. 

Jareth shakes his head. "No. Not that I know of."

Lor's shoulders slump defeatedly. 

"Then we should work together to try and find out how. Our lands need to be balanced." 

"I will think about it." Jareth says. 

"Please, High King Jareth. You are the only one that can make this all better. Open up your kingdom, let the magic flow into the rest of the world." Lor says. "Try and find a way to release them. The goblins. Help them to remember."

Jareth stands up. "I will have to discuss this with my Kingdom. I can work on finding how to reverse the spell, but I cannot guarantee that I can save any of you."

"You know what you must do. Pick up the Blood Crown, and become the High King. Even if you shut us out again." Queen Odio says. 

"Queen Y/n, my sons, let's go." Jareth motions for everyone to file out. 

Max catches up to you and takes your hand as you travel back to the Labyrinth. 

"There's other fae's out there." Cody breathes out, shaking. "They've...they've lived out there this whole time? We need to help them." He says. 

"We will, in a way that will keep the Labyrinth up." You reassure. 

"Why can't we go with them? Why do we have to be alone?" He asks. 

You shake your head as Max rests his head on your lap. "You know why. Fae...they don't always..." You hesitate. "War. War is why we're in here. I don't want to risk either of you becoming subject to sacrifice to rule a Kingdom. Or to have to turn on yourselves and how you were raised. It's best your father handles this, and we move on."

"How can we move on?" Max asks his voice tiny and quiet. "When they're hurting?"

"Hurting?"

"You heard them. They obviously need their magic." Cody says. 

"Your father will figure it out, we don't know everything that's going on yet." You say. 

Cody and Max look to each other. 

You take a deep breath. Was that the wrong thing to say? Shoot. You can't let them get the idea that they need to take this mantle on for themselves. You could already see the cogs turning in their mind. 

"Your father is working on how to turn the Goblins back as we speak. He is helping." You say. 

Max nods. "Okay."

But Cody is thinking. "Why can't I try? Why can't I try to help?"

"You don't know the proper magic, and you might do more harm than good." You say softly. 

He sighs. "Then he'll teach me. I can't make things worse." 

"Ask your father, he'll let you help if he needs it." Cody nods and runs to the throne room. 

Max gets up. "I'm gonna go play with the Goblins!"

You nod. "Remember play nicely, okay? I don't want to see your magic accidentally make one go into a tree again, alright?"

"Alright mommy!" 

And he runs off. 

Max slinks off into the shadows his back a little straighter and a frown gracing his face as he goes to Crog. 

"Crog, I need you for something." 

"Yes Max?" 

"Stand still." Max orders. 

"We playing a game?" Crog asks. 

Max looks away. "...of sorts. Hold still." He puts his hands up focusing on Crog. 

He closes his eyes. 

"From when you came, to now you'll return.
Take away this small Goblin form."

"Max-?" Crog asks suddenly shaking. 

"Put this goblin form to rest,
and turn him back to when he was best." 

Crog violently shakes as he starts to bend and crack. 

"Come on." Max whispers watching as Crog transforms growing taller. 

Crog screams as he turns back into a fae, wings forming, his eyes turning white, bubbles coming out of his mouth. 

"Crog-?" Max says his eyes widening. 

"Who is...crog. Where am I?" Crog looks around looking at his fingers, then he remembers. "Hayewood." He hisses and scrunches his nose. "Where is Hayewood!" He growls. 

Max stutters "I don't know who you're talking about." 

Crog starts moving but falls as his legs were still shaky. 

"Crog, do you remember who you are?" Max asks. 

"Crog is the name of a goblin I was forced to be. I am no servant. I am no friend. Now move young child, before I have a quarrel with you as well." Crog shouts. 

Max had discovered the magic to turn them from goblins...but should they return from goblins? Especially if they're all angry. 

"No. You will stay here." Max commands. 

Crog huffs "I do not follow your orders anymore little boy." 

"Oh I find that you do. Maybe you don't even need to be a little goblin. Maybe you should become a worm? Or the dust beneath my feet." Max says growing angry. 

"What? You- wouldn't do that." 

"I am Prince Maxwell, grandchild of Hayewood, son of Jareth. And you were saved by me. But it seems you didn't deserve it. You cried out in your shell for someone to save you and now you act like this?" Max's voice rises. 

Crog cowers as he recognizes the power that moves up. 

"You will become a bug." Max says. 

"Please no! I'd rather be turned back into a Goblin-"

Max begins the enchantment and Crog screams again as he's turned into a bug. 

Tiq comes running in. "What happened? Screaming?"

Max puts on a smile. "Just a bug Tiq! Now...I gotta step on him." Max frowns. "Cause that's what you do with bugs." 

"He must have scared you real bad." Tiq says confused as Max never does this. 

"He did." 

Max stomps on the bug. "To play time Tiq?" 

Tiq nods, unaware of what just happened. 

"We're going to play a game in the tapestry room." Max says leading her. 

Tiq nods and walks with him. 

"Tiq...have you ever wondered why you're the only Goblin who can come into the treasury room?" Max tries and looks at her expression. 

"No. Why would I need to?" Tiq asks. 

Max sits Tiq down at the tapestry. "This is you, Tiq."

"What?" Tiq asks. 

"Why can't you see that it is you? You know it to be true."

"I am not that blonde lady. I'm a Goblin." 

Max groans frustrated. "I can fix you."

"Max. I think you need to sleep, you're a little too-"

"The only well spoken one. The Tapestry reacts to you. It only does that to the royal family. Think with your head Tiq, think with your head!" Max shouts, clutching his own. Why can't anyone see what he's seeing??

"Why can't you just think, for a moment! You're my aunt. You've been my aunt. And I can turn you back!" 

Tiq shakes her head. "Even if I am, why would I want to go back? I'm a Goblin-"

"You're not. You're Tatiana. My aunt. And I'm tired of everyone pretending to ignore it. You're going to become a fae again." Max says. 

Tiq shudders as she hears it. 

"You've spent your life as a goblin. Let me show you, what it is to be fae. Let me right my grandfathers wrongs." 

"Max, don't go down this path. You're messing with things you can't think." 

Max shakes his head. "No. I'm tired of hearing all these secrets. They have to come to light. You have to come to light."

Tiq runs out. 

"TIQ COME BACK! FACE IT! YOU DON'T BELONG IN THIS BODY!" He shouts before looking at the tapestry before groaning as his book starts to glow. "Shut up book. You couldn't have possibly predicted that."

"CROG!" Tiq yells out trying to find her friend. "Crog, where are you?" 

She runs through the halls looking high and low. 

No answer.  

"Crog?" She looks over to his usual nesting place. Gone. No goblin had seen him all night or afternoon. He couldn't have just disappeared. 

She comes down to the hallway yesterday. The crushed bug still on the floor. 

She bends down and looks at it closer. 

It began to whisper, though it wasn't alive. 

'Crog is gone. Crog is me. Two forms of death have overcome me. I am not who you know, I am not who I could be. Gone is the moment where I could be me.'

She starts to remember the spell that made them Goblins. Then she thinks about Max, yelling 'think!' 

If Crog had been turned into a bug, to be crushed...that means Max really did know how to get them out of their goblin form. And not only that, Max killed Crog once the man Crog used to be resurfaced. 

Max's power was rising, and soon this would overtake him. 

Max catches up to her. "Tatiana. Let me turn you back-"

"Did you kill Crog?" Tiq asks. 

"He was not Crog. He was a rude fae. My grandfather had a reason to turn him in one. He'd never go back to the Crog he was before. I gave him a mercy." 

Tiq turns back before running to the throne room. 

"Get back here!" Max shouts. 

Tiq moves behind the table of the Labyrinth looking up at the pillars before climbing up. "No! Leave me alone."

Max groans. "Let me save you!" 

Tiq throws a chicken at Max which he moves out of the way with his magic. 

"I don't want to be saved!" But even as she speaks she can hear her voice change, her speaking patterns. "Max! I mean it!" Tiq yells. 

And the excruciating pain that followed as she starts to grow, her skin turning into a smooth pale thing, her hair growing longer and yellow, her face shifting, wings growing out of her back. 

She screams as memories flow into her mind.

Tatiana stands up her hands over her ears looking at her family, tears in her eyes. "Quit singing! That's what- That's what Goblins do. And- and goblins are mean and rude. And- and you didn't tell me I was one!" 

Her mother and father quiet, letting her suspicions grow true. She looked at her brother Jareth, and back at her parents. 

"You turned me into a goblin and tried to take it back. And you lied!"

"Where did you hear that?" Her father asks trying to play dumb, as if he didn't know. 

"you put your magic on me every morning! I'm not stupid. I'm tired of all of you." She looks at her brother as his lips quiver at her shouting. She didn't want to hurt him, but she was tired. And her father had long given up on trying to turn her back. 

No, she'd have to figure it out herself, if the magic will attune to her again.  

"Ti..." Her mother reached out.

"NO! I'm going into the Labyrinth." She runs.

There must be an answer there. 

"STOP!" Her back aches as she grows to her full height. 

Tatiana looks at the edge of the Labryinth and scales it up, ignoring the groaning wall and looking outside. Barren. For miles. She breathes heavily trying to make sense of it. "Mom..." She hiccups and starts crying. Why wouldn't they tell her?

"Tatiana! What are you doing out of the castle?" Mr. Worm said. 

"That's not my home anymore. I'm a Goblin."

"Oh. You're upset?"

"yes! No one told me and instead made me think I'm just like them. I can't live there with those liars." Tatiana says. 

"...Cup o tea?" 

She takes the tea and drinks it. 

"I think you don't have to worry about bein a fae or a goblin. I think you're exactly where you need to be." 

"You think?" She wipes her tears. 

Mr. Worm nods. "No doubt! But again I am a worm. Don't eat me!" He jokes. 

She takes a small breath and looks up at the castle. 

"They're gonna make me go back aren't they?" 

"Probably. But we all have to face our parents. We all have to face the truth."

Tatiana nods. "Then I'll go back and I'll say sorry."

Tatiana would never get the chance to say sorry or see her family the same again. 

She got horribly lost, and never made it back to the castle. And the longer you roamed the halls, the longer you forgot everything.

"Oi! You goblin!" A toglin says. "Get out of our turf! Who are you?"

"Don' know." She says. 

"Aw she's kinda cute can we keep her?"

"No, all goblins gotta go to the King."

"Let's name her Tiq. Like this annoying clock that's going on on your back!"

She thinks. "Tiq is a good goblin name for me." 

They nod.

"Well off to the castle you go! The King can't be kept waiting."

"Do you remember now Tatiana?" Max whispers. "Now you can say sorry, to dad at least." 

"What have you done." Tiq sobs looking at her hands. "What have you made me become? I didn't want to know this! I can't even say sorry. I can't even-" 

Max wraps his arms around her. "Tatiana, it's going to be okay. You can feel the magic again can't you?"

Her head was pounding, she felt like convulsing. She didn't want to feel this. 

"When you get your magic up, we can get this kingdom back and give all the goblins back to their families. Starting with you." He says determinedly. "And the magic will flow like it should." 

And then, Max's mother walks in. 

"MAX! Who is this?" You say quickly rushing over to move Max away. 

"This is Tatiana. Princess of the Labyrinth." Max says proudly. 

The name registers in your head. "...Tiq?" You look back at Max and then back up at her. "How?"

Tiq trembles. "Max's magic. He," She stops and stares at him. "He transformed me." 

Your eyes widen and you get on Max's level. "Max, what have you done?"

"Everyone keeps saying 'Max what have you done?' I'm helping! Just like dad needs." 

"Honey, I love you. But you shouldn't have done this without your father, what if something went wrong?" You brush the hair out of his face. 

Tiq scoffs "Something DID go wrong, I'm 5 feet taller, blonde, and a winged creature with memories of a 6 year old fae!" 

Max frowns. "I saved you." 

Her face contorts. "Don't turn me into a bug and squish me I'm sorry." Tiq immediately apologizes. 

"Wait- Max you did what?"

Max hesitates. "I don't know what she's talking about. Maybe that's something her dad did when he was angry at the goblins?" 

Your eyebrows furrow and you get up to go tell Jareth. 

"Dad doesn't know the spell but I do. Let me help."

"You can help by telling your father." You say. 

Max looks around. "I'm sorry Mama. But..." Vines shoot up and wrap around Tiq and you lifting you into a small cage. 

"MAXWELL! GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!" You shout. 

He shakes his head. "I'm going to save the rest!" He shouts and runs out. 

You and Tiq look at each other. 

"...I was worrying about the wrong child. Cody isn't the cruel prince...it was Max." You breathe out. "Max was the one it was speaking about. This mistake starts everything downhill. No no no-" 

You try and kick out of the vines. 

You had to stop him before the event took place.

19

Cody flips the books, looking at the dated entries of King Hayewood. 

xx-xx-xxxxx

No findings of how to reverse the Goblin spell. I've tried every rhyme, every reverser...

My magic is simply not strong enough. 

With sealing the Blood Crown into the wall of the throne room, the magic will grow stagnant in the lands. As they should.

Everything will die with me. 

Or Jareth. 

I'll have to make sure Jareth never can continue the bloodline. With no fae, that should be easy. But if it be a human?

xx-xx-xxxxxx

With my last magical act, I will give Jareth a new purpose. Not to rule over the world itself, but to become something to the new world beyond the veil. His focus will stay on the human's world, and away from this one. 

May the book guide him away from everything. 

Cody scoffs "Obviously that didn't work well enough cause here we are." He pauses as he sees the final entry. 

"From whence you came to now you shall return, take away the shell of this goblin form" with a sigil drawn. But it didn't look like Haywood's handwriting. 

"Hello Cody. You know what you need to do."  was the last thing written. 

He shuts the book and looks out the window, before nodding. He does know what he needs to do.

He rushes to the Tapestry room to find the book, The Cruel Prince, on the altar. "Book. Show me the future." 

Jareth stares at the Blood Crown in his hand. He remembers when his father had crowned him in it, then sealed it in the wall.  Under no circumstances should this crown come out of this wall... his father had said. Pure evil will overtake the lands. 

"Papa!" Max yells, clambering in. 

Jareth puts it back and turns. "Max?"

"I found a way to undo the Goblins, I made your sister into a fae again." He says excitedly. 

Jareth squints trying to make sense of what he was saying. "My sister?" He asks. 

Max nods and motions for him to come closer. "It's on Grandpa's tapestry. The blonde girl. Tatiana. She was Tiq this whole time, and I fixed her. Oh and please don't say 'Max what have you done?' that really makes me feel angry. I'm just trying to help."

Jareth cautiously walks over and looks in the hallway. "And where is Tiq."

"Her name's Tatiana. She's not Tiq anymore." Max frowns. 

"Tatiana." Jareth corrects. 

"In the hallway."

The Book in the tapestry begins to glow and flip rapidly as the tapestry begins to form again. 

Jareth stiffens as he could feel the sudden increase of magic leading towards the tapestry room. It was beginning. It was the event.

"Max, listen to me carefully. I do want to help the lands, but we need to reign back in your magic for a moment, and not get ahead of ourselves." 

Max furrows his eyebrows. "What do you mean? It's time to go now! Can you not hear the magic screaming? Can you not hear the loudness of death and scariness?" 

Jareth puts his hands over Max's cheeks to calm him down. 

"Max, your mother and I love you. We love everyone in the Labyrinth-"

Max frowns. "Why are you saying this? Why are you acting like I'm a bad guy?" 

"No, no, you're not a bad guy, this is just one of our teaching moments."

"You're scared. Of me?" Max says. 

"That's not what anyone is saying Max."

"You don't have to say it. I can see it. You're scared I'm gonna hurt Cody. You're scared I'm gonna ruin everything?"

Jareth's mouth opens and closes. He really wishes you were here, you'd always been better at speaking and calming down the child. 

Max pushes Jareths hands off and runs back down the hallway. 

The vines loosen down, causing you and Tiq to crash down.

Max runs to your arms and hugs you sobbing. "He's scared of me mommy. He doesn't love me." Because despite everything he would grow up to be and do, he's still a child now. A child who still needs his mother. 

You hug him like it's the last time. "Hey, it's okay, it's okay baby, I'm here." 

"He doesn't believe I'm good!" Max says. 

"You're my good boy, okay?" You say soothingly, running your fingers through his hair. "I love you." 

Max wipes his tears on your dress. 

Cody reads. "Max knows the spell already? He knows everything that's going to happen?" He whispers before he reads the next part. He needs to get this spell to the Unseelies, and take charge.

Cody grabs his gift sword and takes a bag of food, salt, and King Haywood's Book. 

He pauses at the throne room looking at the sealed wall.

The Blood Crown.

He looks back at the tapestry room. 

What if...to prevent what would happen next...he just took the crown away to stop it all?

He rushes into the throne room and grabs it out of the wall and starts running out of the castle, determined to get through the Labyrinth. 

Max eventually settles down and looks up at you. "You really love me."

"I do, Max." 

"But that's why I have to do this to you." Max gets up and starts walking backwards. "You are exiled from the Labyrinth, consider this your quarter for being a loving mom. Enjoy being on Earth again. " And the vines became a creature and lifted you up and carried you over the maze.

You reach out. "MAX-"

"Max, what did you do with your mother?" Jareth says. 

Max laughs. "You have no power here anymore papa. When the people have had enough, they may rise against their unfair tormenors."

"Tormentors." Jareth corrects. 

"Stop correcting me." Max quips walking over to the throne room to see the hole in the wall. "...CODY." He shouts looking around. "He went off script. He took the crown! No! I had waited for so long to do this- and he steals it." 

Max picks up the throne with his magic and tosses it and slams it. 

Yes. 

Still a child. 

"Max, stop it this instant."

"No!" Max cried. 

As Jareth tried to come closer, Max got a horrible idea. 

"Papa, one move closer and I turn you into a stone." 

Jareth pauses. 

"Help me find Cody. And I'll send you and Mom to Earth and you won't have to see everything go back to normal." 

"Our normal is our family."

"But you can't hear the screaming. They are dying out there and you want to ignore them." Max says. "Just like your dad. Except he fought to get things this way. I'm going to be who should have ruled. My grandfather should never have ruled. No. I'm going for the place of Prince Alaneo. And I'll be worse."

"You shouldn't know that name." Jareth says. 

Max rolls his eyes. "You're so helpless Papa. Don't you see? You're not sassy, you're not cool, you're just a dad with some magical powers you can't even try and use correctly. You're not some cool fantasy character anymore. You grew weak and soft raising two kids and having a wife...And you're not fit to come to this Labyrinth until you remember who you are, and what you can do."

Max pauses. "You're not going to even help me look for him. I should kick you out now. I should make you watch me find Cody. Huh...Or maybe turn you into a goblin myself. Let you see what it feels like." 

And Jareth turns into an owl, and flies out the window. 

"NO! It was all supposed to go so well today!" Max screams, before summoning the book as it rewrites. "Book! What do I do now?"

It has no answer. 

Waking up in a park of your home town felt wrong. 

If Tiq wasn't beside you with her fae wings, you'd almost assume this was entirely a dream. Tiq stands next to you her head in her hands as she rocks back and forth. 

"This is so bad this is so bad." She murmurs. 

"Stop muttering! That's not going to get us anywhere. We need to snap Max out of it and figure out how to get back."

"Snap him out of it? That child is pure evil!" Tiq says. 

You shake your head. "Don't talk about him that way."

"Stop looking at this like a mother for just a minute Y/n!" Tiq says. "He just exiled us, leaving your other son and husband, my BROTHER, to whatever whims he had. Ugh! Everyone just lies in this family!" 

You look out towards the park with a sigh. 

"I don't know how you were before, Y/n, but you need to stop thinking of him as your child. He murdered Crog, and that's not going to be the last." Tiq says. 

You shut your eyes and try to figure this out. "We need to find someone to shelter us."

"And how? We've never been here before." Tiq says. "I've never seen so many people before in my entire life. And Goblin life."

You look out at the familiar streets. "There are a few. Tiq...We're going to go find...my family."

You knew it was a long shot. 

You knew they were supposed to forget about you. 

But you really needed them right now, to remember. 

"You have a family? Wait are you even fae?"

Cody runs up to the abandoned building. 

"LOR! LOR WHERE ARE YOU?" He shouts. 

Lor appears. "Whoa no need to shout- is that the Blood Crown?" Her mouth drops. "Wait where's the King-?"

"Complicated. Max is turning out evil and is kinda messing things up, so we have to hide this."

"Hide it here? What are you, insane? He'll tear this place up looking for it!" Lor says appearing to be panicking. 

"I don't know! It's just really important he doesn't get this." Cody says. 

Lor groans. "Well, we could go ask Odio, my older sister will know what to do. Older sisters always know what to do." 

"I have no idea what to do." Odio says staring at the crown, already feeling sick from being near that thing. 

"Great." Lor says crossing her arms. 

"And the 10 year old is going to come after it?" Odio asks. 

Cody nods. "Surely there's been someone who's done this before? Some sort of old ladies tale?"

"Those boring old stories always end in tragedy." Lor says. 

Cody scratches his head. "Is there a place where no one will search for this?" 

Lor shrugs. 

"We have some books in our library, but I doubt it says anything of locked up places." Odio says tapping her fingers against the throne anxiously.

"...We're all just a bunch of kids who have to fix this huh?" Cody says now fully realizing that there are no adults to help them in this situation. 

Lor shakes her head. "Odio's the oldest of us."

Odio takes a deep breath. "I might know something that could help. The Sirens." Odio looks to Lor. 

"No. No no no we're not doing that stupid thing." Lor says. "We're not going to do that stupid singing ritual, it makes me look like a child." Lor complains. 

"Okay? Well, let's find out what we can do to stop this. My dad could be in danger, and my mom and aunt are out on Earth right now." Cody says. 

"Wait. I can help with that." Odio says. "I can help bring your mom and aunt back. If there's one thing we can help with, besides the Sirens, is pulling her in...but it's going to take a lot of magic." 

Their eyes fall on the blood crown. 

"We'll have to try." Cody whispers. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 1

There were many things that Hayewood didn't like. Liars, Cheats, and his brother Alaneo.

The hate he had for Alaneo was deeper than a sibling rivalry. With Fiero, North and Eldar, he could get over their annoyances of the day. They were different. But Alaneo, only the second oldest, was insufferable.

He was fake, never a moment where he would relax. Every word, every syllable he uttered was being watched.  The way he would even speak to himself when he believed himself to be alone in the room was dreadful. He could do no wrong. And should receive no wrong. 

But what he thought was the worst crime of all, was that of all the siblings to take over the throne, it was to be Alaneo.

And Hayewood wasn't even supposed to know yet. 

It was a secret meeting between High King Tomas and Alaneo, where they slipped away to the tapestry room, showing him the hall of kings. The hall he so desperately wanted to see, the connection to their ancestors he craved to know. 

But that knowledge was forbidden to him.

And giving Alaneo the access, was the lowest hanging fruit he could ever imagine. 

"Alaneo, you are exactly what I need, to pass my crown to you. Strong. Noble minded. Selfless. You were forged to be our new King." High King Tomas had said. 

And Alaneo beamed. He knew it was coming. He had been kissing hands for years for this. But he was not what father thinks he is. 

Only Hayewood could see the monster deep inside. 

"These are the tapestries, the stories of all Kings from before, and our main counsel. We look back to the past to see the mistakes they made." High King Tomas pauses basking in the glory. "I remember my first tapestry visit. My brothers begged me to know what was inside. I would not reveal it until they swore they would never make a move against me."

"Aren't they dead?"

High King Tomas nods. "It's the grim reality of the throne. It will turn your loved ones against you, and your enemies will try and draw ever closer. They will attempt to kill you. So do not tell them, not until the crowning. 

"I swear I will not." 

Hayewood leans against the wall, wondering how long it could take for Alaneo to crack. But with him swearing in what looked to be a sacred room, it seems that he may not. Tomas hands the book 'Deception' to Alaneo.

Seeing the book of his father's story, that will never be known to him, started a dark feeling inside of him.

And not only that, his other siblings would never be honored in the Tapestry room. They would be forgotten.

This is the fate of all of the children. One above the rest, the others perishing in the blaze of the chosen. 

Alaneo so lightly held it as if he didn't care. 

Hayewood had known he was simply raised as a spare. He knows that his place once Alaneo was King, would either to be thrown out or killed in some cursed way, as it befalls all siblings. 

The Blood Crown would only be loyal to one of every generation.

And with Alaneo being the exact copy of his father, everyone knew he was the chosen one. 

If he could make it to the crowning. 

Hayewood turns immediately to go tell his brothers and sister. He had made them all come together to tell what he had saw that night.

"Brother, I was in the middle of sword fighting with my trainer, why do you always interrupt me with your petty gossip?" Fiero grumbles. 

"Aye, I was learning a new technique from the healers, I really can't miss this." North complains.

Eldar simply stands there looking everywhere but Hayewood, his ears red. 

Hayewood looked at them, picking up his water goblet and swirling it around as if he wasn't spilling a secret. "Father showed Alaneo the tapestry room and said he would be claimed as King provided none of us kills him. Plus it has our entire history in a magic sealed room. We'll probably all be forgotten in history. I saw the future. It has none of us in it. " 

North's eyes widened as she said "You followed them?"

"If he didn't we never would have known..." Fiero trails off looking into the hall. "And he was never planning to share this with us?"

"Not til the crowning. Apparently our own father doesn't trust us. Says the blood crown drives everyone to the extreme, once they know." Hayewood drinks a little.

North shook her head. "Alaneo wouldn't get rid of us, and we would never hurt him. You shouldn't have eavesdropped. You're a prince who should know better. We have examples to lead." 

"So wicked, aren't I?" Hayewood says with a small huff of amusement. "And yes we are examples...until we die off under the influence of the crown." 

North and Fiero both look at each other, silently coming to an agreement. 

"None of us will plot to hurt Alaneo? At any point right?" North asks. 

"I can't promise that. That blood crown has some powerful magic, it could turn us into someone we're not." Fiero says. "You've seen the dark age with our father. It overcame him until he was the last one standing up. And our grandfathers and their fathers before them."

North thrusts her hand out. "Then we'll make a magic move of our own. We will not harm our brother."

Fiero and Hayewood put their hands on hers. Eldar hesitates and puts his hand on top of theirs. 

"Hayewood, you like the binding pacts. Make one for us."

Hayewood closes his eyes and lowly sings

"Far left and far right,
No blood crown will make us smite,
Our brother who will sit with the crown,
Through sunlight and sundown,
Our wish to harm him will never come up,
He'll be safe with us,
Golden Crown or fading to dust,
Alaneo will ascend to the throne without any harm by us.
With our magic, with our whim,
We will do no harm to him." 

And the small ink appears on their pinkie fingers, a small symbol of a crown. 

"We all know what happens when we break it, correct?" North says. 

"If I ever come to harm him...I will take that harm instead." Hayewood says setting the terms of the bind. 

"And if he harms us?" Fiero asks.

"He won't." North assures him. 

Hayewood withdraws his hand as he hears footsteps. "So, the ball coming up. You've had your dress fitted North?"

North nods. "All fitted, but it's annoying. I'd rather skip it."

"You can trip potential suitors on the ball room floor." Fiero suggests.

North nods. "Wait, I CAN do that, suddenly it seems more enticing."

"You're discussing the upcoming ball?" Alaneo says appearing. "I'm sure our dear Hayewood will be the one staying at Mama's side, as usual."

"I don't care for dancing." Hayewood says. 

Alaneo shrugs. "You may one day."

Chapter 2

Hayewood looked at the dance room quietly, watching all the nymphs and fae dance around, occasionally some human pets would play together almost out of sight of their masters. They giggled and pointed to the royals with their grubby fingers. 

It was disgusting. 

Being the youngest of the High King Tomas, meant he had to be at every function as some sort of spare. A backup. 

But he didn't have to touch anyone or stay in the ball. 

As Alaneo accurately called out, he stayed next to his mother the entire time. The only one he truly loved in his family.

The order went, Adori, Eldar, North and Fiero, North's hunting dog, Fieros lover. And Tomas and Alaneo have their own categories of being hated. 

Adori placed a hand on his shoulder. "You'll have to join the dance eventually Hay..."

He shrugged off her hand and glared at the people. "Don't call me Hay in public. It'll ruin my image."

She laughs lightly, something he actually liked about his mother, she doesn't take up a bunch of space like these self important people. Even in her laugh. 

"Oh Hayewood. One day you'll find you didn't mind that nickname."

He doubts it. 

A young nymph was waltzing with Alaneo. 

"Who is that?" Hayewood asks suddenly on edge as he noticed his brothers look. 

Adori looks over to Alaneo and smiled. "Just one of his dance partners. All of the ladies seemed charmed."

"We're fae. How could they not?" Hayewood said sighing.

Everyone adored them because of their beauty. Chased after them for their power. Killed them for the throne. Everyone was ugly on the inside. 

And with Alaneo becoming King, Alaneo would need to find a wife and soon. 

He clearly saw that Alaneo had already chosen his future Queen. 

He looked out to the small garden that his mother tended too. 

When his siblings were younger, she would set up little puzzles in the garden that they would have to solve. Now they were too old for it.

Only Hayewood still played her little game with her. Out of pity of course. And he never had anything to do. Spares don't have much use. And his mother wasn't too bad to be around. He only sometimes liked her affection and hugs. 

Alaneo bounded over. 

"Oh mother I'm in love!" He says leaning against the throne with a giddish smile. His hand was over his chest. Hayewood rolled his eyes at the obvious show of 'love'. There is no one that Alaneo loves, not even himself. 

Adori shook her head while she was smiling. "Love? Isn't that a little soon?"

He looked over at her. "Oh she's so lovely and polite."

"Must be all you want in a girl." Hayewood says snarkily. That's the bare minimum. Most girls went beyond that. His expectations were extremely low. And as for Hayewood? He would never marry. 

"What's her name?" Adori asks.

A look of horror goes across his face. 

"I forgot to ask her...oh how will I find her now?" He starts looking around, but the girl he was 'in love with' had disappeared from sight. The sun was going to rise soon and many were going home now. 

"How about you have another party?" Hayewood asks sarcastically, resting his head against his hand. 

"That's a brilliant idea Hayewood! Thank you. I'll go to Father at once and ask. Maybe we'll even become betrothed!" Alaneo bounded off before anyone could speak further. 

"...I was being sarcastic." Hayewood huffs. "He only listens to me when I never give genuine advice." 

Adori sighed and looked down to Hayewood. "Hayewood? Promise me you won't lose your head over a girl?"

"I promise. I want nothing to do with them anyway. Even if I get married, I'll never have a girl. None of these fools would deserve her."

When the sun began to rise Hayewood was sent to bed. He adjusted his curtains but paused as he looked out. 

If he was King, things would be different. 

They waste all of their time lounging around, feeding each other grapes, playing tag in the marshes, and dancing. He hated dancing. 

But most of all, he hated how everyone was always falling in love. He wouldn't have been born if Tomas and Adori didn't fall in love. And he would have preferred if they didn't. But here he was having to be a prince and deal with their constant giggling. 

Oh if he could change it indeed. 

He thinks back to the tapestry room. About how siblings could easily turn on each other.

He could simply get rid of him. The fathers crown boy. On his knees returning back to the grimy dirt he believed was so far underneath him. 

But the pact. 

The pact was stopping him from personally hurting Alaneo. 

He knew it was the crown's influence, subtly getting him to want the throne. 

And it was working. 

It was leading him to his certain death, and certain danger. 

Even if he got the throne, he was not fully trained like Alaneo. 

But he wanted it now. 

And so he began plotting in secret, ways to retrieve it without hurting him with his hands. 

Chapter 3 

Alaneo had found her name Astoria. How pretentious.

What was even worse, was when she agreed to marry him. 3 days after dancing with him. She had moved in almost immediately.

She resided in the west wing of the palace, the farthest away from Alaneos room. Which was good for Astoria. Alaneo tended to have attachment issues. 

Meanwhile, Hayewood had made plans to visit the Durog.

A creature of stealth, magic, and one eye in the middle. It took a while to track it down. They don't like to be sought out, especially from royalty.

He did manage to corner one.

"Durog. I require your services." Hayewood says panting.

They can float, and they glide fast. 

"Oh the royal requests my services how amazing! What can I do for ye sir?" The Durog mocks him. 

"I need you to follow Alaneo. I need you to enhance the dark desires already in his heart, until it overtakes him. That way he won't be fit to be King." 

The Durog stops eyeing a small hole to escape from. "Well this isn't a request I've heard before. Well then. Go on. What are you willing to pay?"

"What do Durogs even like."

"My name is Phil. First off. And I really like cheese from the royal vault."

"Done. Unlimited access." Hayewood says. 

The Durog nods and was greatly pleased. "Consider it done!" And it escapes out of the hole ready to do it's job...or go eat some cheese as a forefront payment. 

Hayewood crosses his arms looking around at the place with distaste. "Now how do I get back?"

The Durog's effect was already working. If you had never observed Alaneo you would see nothing more than an optimistic man who's going to get married in 7 months.

But he could see Alaneo cracking. It was in small things at first. Glaring at men around Astoria, even with a smile. Losing energy and his temper. And the Durog was really pushing everything.

"Your highness~ You requested me?" The Durog says as he watches Alaneo and Astoria pose for a painting in the garden from a distance. 

"What should I do to Astoria? She's a problem in this picture. He can't lose his mind, she'll just make him feel better. Her savior complex is getting annoying."

"You can kill the girl or take her." The Durog says. 

"I'm not going to seduce her. I want nothing to do with that mess."

The Durog shakes his head “Do not add more blood to your sword than necessary. The more you kill, the more chance you will be found out and fail.” 

Hayewood sighs. “If I must….I could still poison her-”

“No.”

And surprisingly Hayewood listened to the Durog. Maybe he won't seduce her, but he'll be a...friend? Encourage her to leave his brother. 

There. That's what he'll do. 

"Mother." Hayewood says walking in to Adori's chambers. She looks up. 

"Teach me how to be a gentleman, and how to charm people."

Her eyebrows raise. "Hay, may I ask-"

"No, just- I need your help...Mom." He says. 

She shuts her book and stands up. "You came to the right place. Oh this is going to be so fun. I'm sure this for a girl, but let's start off with the flower language."

He groans internally. 

What has he gotten himself into?

He should just have killed Astoria. 

“I…brought a flower for you.” Hayewood says holding out a flower, attempting to be gentlemanly. 

“A peace offering?” She asks. 

Hayewood nods. “Nothing less, nothing more. You’re to be my brothers bride. I would hate to find you weren’t feeling welcome enough here.”

She takes the flower warily. “What’s the trick?” 

“Trick? No trick. I’m not Fiero. Or North. Or anyone who’s attempted to kill you.”

She twists the flower in her hand. “That didn’t make me feel any less wary.”

“You should feel wary. Not many people are rooting for you.” He pauses, biting the inside of his cheek, trying to remember his lessons. “But if there are any people who are, you can count Alaneo and me as people who are. I ask nothing of you.”

She didn’t know how to feel about it. 

As soon as he was out of her sight though he was rolling his eyes. How did Alaneo pretend all the time? It was exhausting trying to be nice.

The day passed, and he was up, going to meet the Durog for another progress report, when he found Astoria sneaking out to a garden.

Maybe there's more to this quick engagement than she thought. 

"You run late hours. Are you worried? Is something wrong with your quarters?” Hayewood asks making her jump a little.

“No, everything is satisfactory.” She answers. “I can’t sleep.”

“And you go walking out on your own to fix it? Allow me to accompany you on the walk, or at least call a guard for you.”

“No, no guards.” She says quickly before stopping herself. “I would…appreciate your company.”

She strode up next to him and they talked.

"My brother. really?" Hayewood finally says. 

She suppresses a smile. "He's not a bad man. He's quite a charmer, and is safe and secure, and he loves me."

"Mm. Or an obsession." He points out. 

"Do you think so little of your brother?"

"I've lived with him my whole life Astoria. I know him well. But I don't know you. I can't tell how this pairing will go. I don't know how you'll add in."

They walk in silence. 

"I have my doubts too Hayewood. But. Things are going to change from now on. Do not speak ill of my future husband." And with that she turned and walked back to her wing.

The Durog appeared. "you fucked that one up bud."

"Leave me alone, I don't talk to girls ever."

"That's obvious."

“You walked with her last night. Late. What were you talking about?” Alaneo says immediately once Hayewood walks out of his chamber door. 

Of course Alaneo knew. 

“Simply of the future. Nothing more.” Hayewood says smugly as he sees the obsession, as he suspected this all was, come out through his eyes and voice. Alaneo didn't really want to marry her. He wanted to own her. He had her as an image in his head, not a person. This marriage won't work. Either with his 'help' or not.

“What did you do to her?” Alaneo asks getting closer.

“Nothing.” 

“You had to do something. You don’t go out of your way to help anyone. Or to 'soothe' anyone.”

The little smug smile on Hayewoods said it all. 

“I know you’re planning something. You touch her, I’ll kill you.”

Hayewood shrugs lightly. “You won’t have to kill me. I’m not going to touch a single part of her, while she’s yours.”

Alaneo caught onto the hint immediately, much to his surprise. “While she’s mine? Never touch her. Ever. As long as I live. Make a deal with me Hayewood. Promise me you won’t.”

“If you make everyone do a bind that they won’t touch her, she’s going to be a very cursed woman. But I’ll make a deal with you, if you’re that insecure.”

Alaneo holds his hand out. “Bind it. Bind it then.”

Hayewood had never been told to make a binding before for a romantic interest he had. Especially not by magic. But pretending to be as smug of a bastard as Alaneo was, he spoke preparing a binding “I Hayewood vow that I will never voluntarily touch as long as you live…and will have no intention of doing it myself, by my hands.” 

This seemed to satisfy Alaneo. “Deal.”

The pain was seeing as it cut into his skin on the back of his hand. Haywood yelled in pain. 

Bindings had never hurt him so badly before. 

What did Alaneo do to make it hurt so bad, it's usually just a tattoo. 

Alaneo moved on. Listening to Hayewoods pain in glee. 

Late night walks were starting to become a routine between them, as neither were wanting to sleep. His because he needed to stay awake. So he could be in control. So his brother won't attack him first if he ever finds out about the Durog.

Or to make another bind that cuts into his skin.

“What’s that on your hand-” She points.

Haywood moves his hand away. “Ah- don’t touch. It’s a binding.”

“A binding?” She asks alarmed. 

Haywood didn't see the point in lying about what it meant. “Alaneo, he bound me to where I’ll never touch you. By no means, whatsoever.”

“Why would,” Her gaze lowers to the floor in thought. “Why would he ask you to agree to that? He wouldn’t do it for any reason.”

“He doesn’t know why we walk together. He doesn’t know about your dreams. He doesn’t know the fear that courses through you. I won’t tell him what he already should know.”

She falls quiet at that for a moment, and then he understands she's scared to tell Alaneo.

“He thinks you have an ulterior motive? You have none, other than you're afraid too. Is it that scary to him that I get to know his family?" Astoria says bewildered.

Hayewood pauses and then nods. “He gets jealous...but don't let that worry you. There's reason to be concerned. You're a....more than average woman. Many people like to talk about you. He doesn't know who's good or bad."

Her mouth drops and then she smiles. "Hayewood was that a compliment? I didn't know you knew how to do that."

"...Me neither." He smiles a little before looking down and continuing to walk.

Maybe Astoria wasn't that bad after all. 

 Chapter 4

The engagement party, a lavishly decorated hall celebrating the coming of two fae. 

Astoria and Alaneo.

No cheese though, as they still haven't caught the thief. 

Hayewood watches as Astoria walks in, in a fine gown, low cut and entirely formed to her body, and as graceful as she walked, he could immediately tell that that wasn't her choice of dress. Made him almost feel inclined to take off his own suit jacket and give to her so she could feel better. 

She was being shown off to Alaneo's friends and he tried to stay nearby to make sure none of them tried anything. 

Not for Alaneo's sake, but for Astorias. 

He doesn't trust anyone who is friends with Alaneo. 

The group all gawked and whispered over her beauty, their eyes moving over her when Alaneo wasn't watching. 

Fiero, North, and Eldar all stood nearby Alaneo discussing their own topics. Well, the twins were. Eldar just simply looked at the floor, only occasionally nodding or shaking his head. 

Something had gotten into him lately where he just wouldn't speak. 

It almost worried Hayewood. 

Alaneo turns around as something is said between North and Fiero. "Fiero. I will not tolerate you speaking about her like that." Fiero looks up.

"All I said is that you're dressing her up in a way she's uncomfortable she looks like a-" Alaneo slammed his hand against the table.  That didn't stop Fiero from talking. "You let your friends gawk and undress her with their eyes but you can't tolerate me calling you out-"

"Fiero! A word." Alaneo says trying to make him stop. "Hayewood divert the attention of the crowd. Allow them extra drinks. I need to have a word with Fiero." 

Hayewood turned to the rest and made the announcement, and the drunkards of the crowd immediately went to go grab the extra drinks. 

His eyes catch Adori's as his father and her were dancing. She gestures her head to Astoria and Hayewood shakes his head no. 

This gesture continued until Astoria happened to look his way. 

"Are you cold?" Hayewood says. "I can lend you my jacket, it looks great but you don't look comfortable. 

"You almost sound worried for me." She looks up at him. 

His heart almost stops. Now he understands why men go to war for women. It should be illegal how she looked up at him like that. Like she...

Oh gods he was losing his head over a girl. 

What has this come to?

He averts his eyes. "Just a suggestion, you don't have to take it." 

"Alaneo would lose his mind if you did." 

"That's true..." Hayewood clears his throat awkwardly looking around for Fiero and Alaneo. 

"I'll see you around, Hayewood." She says moving over to her group of girls, and he lets out a small sigh, knowing the girls would keep her covered up away from the men. The Ladies were always good at that.

Fiero and Alaneo were gone for a while. 

Only Alaneo comes back. His ceremonial sword stained with blood at his hip. No one sees it among the red and gold of his suit.

"Alaneo what did you do? Where is Fiero." Haywood speaks quietly strolling up to Alaneo, a hint of urgency. 

"On the floor where he belongs with the rest of the dogs." Alaneo says with a polite smile. But in his eyes, there was madness.

What had Hayewood done? Did Alaneo really want to hurt Fiero that badly before? Hayewood looks over to the door they left through. 

"If you leave now. You will join him." Alaneo threatens. "Now go fetch Astoria for me." 

He needed to get to Fiero, but in a way that escapes Alaneo's notice. Hayewood nods. “I will.” He crosses the room at a quick pace and stops at the front of the giggling girls group.

Hayewoods voice was shaky, something that never happens "Astoria. Go to...Alaneo, quickly. It’s urgent.”

Her giggling stops when she hears the tone of his voice and how his face looked. “Hayewood? What’s wrong-”

“Nothing to do with you. Your presence is just…requested. Now if you’ll excuse me.”

Hayewood has messed up many times in his life. But not going to save Fiero was not going to be one of them. 

He leaves the room to go find Fiero, until he stumbles on something horrifying.

Hayewood swears as he sees the trail of blood and a passed out fiero. “Fiero!” He calls out and runs down the marble tile and crouches down. His arm was completely chopped off with iron. He never learned healing magic and now he wished he did. 

He tears off his robe and stuffs it on top of Fiero’s shoulder and fastens it to stop the bleeding. He’ll have to get North, she’s always been better at this than him. He takes in a shaky breath and gets up, starting to sprint, slipping a little in the blood, and runs until he sees her familiar two long braids.

“North- North it’s Fiero.” Hayewood says, trying to keep his face neutral, but failing. “I need you. I need your help.”

Her glass shatters as she began looking around for Fiero. “Where is he? What happened?”

They rush down the hall.

“FIERO!” She screams, her cry reverberating throughout the halls. She immediately starts to investigate the wound. “Who did this Hayewood? Who did this?” She says trying to work through her tears. 

For a moment he can’t speak. His own silent tears falling down. He never cries.

“Alaneo.” He finally chokes out. “Alaneo drug him away to do- this" He tries to wipe his tears off. "He's a monster." And it was his fault for asking the Durog to amplify the darkness. He was wrong for that. 

Now Fiero was suffering from that. 

“Lend me your hand, I need, I need support. This is going to take a lot of magic.” North says. Hayewood holds North in his arms and felt weaker as she leaned on him for extra strength and life. 

“Wake up Fiero, Fiero please.” She begs as the magic weaves through the broken shards of the bone, and the meat of his shoulder stranding together to form a stump. It was gruesome to watch. He would never get his arm back. 

He grabs extra servants that were passing by to help carry Fiero and North to the healing chamber. He hands out some coin. “Do not tell Alaneo you saw me here. I didn’t order you to do this.” He says. The servants nod. 

He looks between the two as they lay there. 

North holding onto Fiero. "You'll be alright. Okay Fiero? Fiero it's gonna be alright." She says through her own tears. 

Alaneo was no longer the insufferable brother. He was someone entirely different. The Durog can reverse this right?

He takes several steps back, bolting to the cheese vault. "Durog I need you." 

He told the Durog all about what had happened, and he needed a way forward.

“You can take credit for saving him. Use this as a way to move forward and claim the girl’s heart.” The Durog says. “It’s the truth, and it’s fair and square.”

“But it’s not. This would have been a passing thought if I hadn’t ordered you to amplify his feelings.”

“He would have done it anyway. You give me too much credit for his actions…I didn’t have to change anything at all. I just have been stealing your cheese.”

“But Alaneo wasn’t completely like this before you.” But even as he said it he realized that maybe, maybe that statement wasn't true. 

“Oh he was. It’s just harder to hide now that all eyes are on him. I didn't have to change anything. After all, your brother, Eldar. Ask him what happened to his voice.”

And suddenly it made sense. Eldar not speaking, avoiding all eye contact.

Alaneo's first act of violence was not to Fiero, but to Eldar. And it was too quiet for any of them to see. "What did he do?" Hayewood whispers. 

But the Durog leaves. 

When Hayewood steps back into the ballroom, Alaneo is busy attending his guests as he speaks to the other high lords of the courts. Hayewood couldn’t draw any closer. He would betray what he is feeling. He would betray his thoughts of Alaneo. Alaneo, as if sensing the brooding, looks around and smiles at Hayewood and waves him over. 

He walks over towards them and they continue conversation.
“I heard word that some of the servants were missing for a short period of time. Tell me, Hayewood, what happened? Did we run out of wine?”

“They found a trail to follow. Near the ballroom doors. It would have been a pity if they had left it and ruined the night for all of our friends. I saw them clean up your mess.” 

“My mess?” He sniffs with an air of pettiness. “And North? I assume she found him?”

Hayewood stiffly nods. 

“Where are they?” Alaneo nods. 

“I am not a servant who cleaned the mess up, if I were a servant I would know where they are, but I’m not one who knows.” 

Alaneo looks him up and down and nods. “Good. Fiero needed it. It would do him good to know what happens when he crosses the future king.”

For a moment Hayewood remembered that he wasn't supposed to already know that. "Future King?" Haywood asks acting surprised.

"Oh father told me not to tell you. But, you're my best brother. I will be the next in line. Especially with this marriage to Astoria."

Hayewood looks at Astoria. "May you get what you deserve." 

"I will. And it will be glorious." Alaneo says.

Hayewood finally catches sight of Eldar, and he quickly goes to his sight, not even excusing himself from his brother. 

"Eldar? Eldar look at me." 

Eldar shakes his head. 

"Eldar-" 

Eldar looked up. 

"Open your mouth." Hayewood commands and Eldar slowly does. 

A cut out tongue. 

"...what the hell did Alaneo do to you?" Hayewood all but growls. 

Eldar just quivers and hugs Hayewood. And Hayewood could do nothing but hug him back. 

"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I didn't notice. It'll be okay Eldar, I'll get them to grow it back, come on, to the healers."

Eldar hiccups shaking his head. 

"You don't have to talk after this Eldar, I just want you to be able to." Hayewood says soothingly. "You took care of me when I was younger, let me take care of you." 

And he takes Eldar to the healing wing.

 Chapter 5

“Hayewood? You came to my aid?” Fiero asks weakly from the bed. Hayewood nods “I did.”

Fiero gestures him closer. “Will you come to my aid again, brother?”

“What is it?”

“Can you just…hold me? For a moment, that’s all I’m asking.” 

Hayewood draws closer to him and hugs him tightly, holding onto him.

And Fiero weeps, a sight he had not seen ever in his brother’s life. He tried to think of soothing words to say, but could think of none, so he sat there holding him. He slowly and hesitantly stroked his brother’s back, something their mother would have done when they were younger. 

North walks back in with a healer.

“I did all I could-”

“You did wonderful. Now let me handle it. Both of you. Out.” The healer says. “I need to focus.”

It was silent between them, as they watch the closed chamber door. 

“Alaneo broke his word.” North says. “He said we would never fight like this. Especially over a throne. He’s declared war on us. Fiero’s blood is on Alaneo’s hands. He cried. Fiero cried.”

Hayewood takes a moment. "Fiero wasn't the only deed that Alaneo had done."

"What?"

"Eldar...his tongue was found cut out."

"WHAT?"

Hayewood nods. "I found a durog, and asked him to watch over Alaneo. Alaneo wasn't influenced at all, Phil had just been taking the cheese. Before I even figured out he was going to be King, he had cut out Eldar's tongue. Which is why he had been so quiet...This will not go unmet.” 

North shakes her head. “No. It will not.” 

Hayewood grabs her hand. “Not now. Don’t retaliate.”

“Fiero and Eldar are in pain-” 

“And will continue to do so far longer after you do something about Alaneo. This is not our way of getting back at Alaneo.”

“What plan do you have? What could you possibly think would be better than an eye for eye, tooth for tooth?”

“the more blood shed that is on your sword, the more you are destined to fail.” Hayewood says. "Besides we have that pact. We need to be smart about this."

North’s arm goes limp as she looks downto the floor. 

“You might want to save Alaneo, because he’s our older brother. But he is no longer mine. He is no longer my brother. And if you intend to watch and let him get away with it neither are you.”

“Give me three days, before you go after him. If I can’t find something better than that, then we’ll go your way.”

North sighs but nods. “Then so be it.”

He found Alaneo in the barracks, a line of soldiers standing in front as Alaneo was doing spell work. A binding. 

Hayewood quickly rushes up to him. “Binding is not to be taken lightly.” Hayewood hisses out. “What the hell are you thinking, going and binding all of our servants to you.”

“The walls whisper, and I hear nothing from them. Now they’ll tell me all the secrets.” Alaneo says. 

Hayewood grabs his arm to make him look into his eyes. “You’re not King. You haven’t replaced father-”

“Not yet. Not if North is plotting against me. She will have my life.”

“You hurt Fiero.” Hayewood said.

“He was hurting Astoria”

“He’s flawed, yes. He makes terrible comments at the worst time. But that does not mean take his arm.”

Alaneo stares off at the wall. “He was going to hurt Astoria” 

“He wasn’t.”

“You don’t know that. I hear all the whispers you and Fiero have been planting. You both want to take the throne from me. I couldn’t let him walk around with all of his traitorous plans.” Alaneo starts wringing his hands.

“Are you listening to yourself right now? You’re putting words in Fiero’s mouth. He never was here to be your enemy. He was the least of the siblings who’d ever want the throne. He does not want Astoria, He doesn’t want the throne, and you punished him for things he has not even thought of. He was the only one of us, who wasn’t ready to hurt anyone.”

Alaneo looks Hayewood in the eye “And you? You wish to hurt me?”

“Are you asking as my brother or my brother’s attacker? Both of them.” 

Alaneo wrenches his arm from him. “You would have done the same. You don’t care about us. You never did. You hate ballrooms, you hate our kingdom. But you love seeing everyone under your little thumb, don’t you? You want to take and take from everyone, simply because you can. Just to see them unhappy.”

“We were raised as just conquerors, Alaneo. But you? You are no conqueror. You treat yourself as a god. A god of no consequence. And your actions will be punished.”

Alaneo raised his pointed finger. “But it’s not you who’ll raise your hand to strike me. Because you’re no conqueror either. You’re a coward. A coward to try and undermine me, a coward to sending servants to clean up your brothers blood.”

“You have abandoned your morals.”

“Consider it flattery, that I have abandoned them. I’ve learned from you. Seen how far you’ve gotten, by not caring. I’m successful. I’m finally winning. Do not take this victory away from me. Fiero will get over it.” And with that, Alaneo walks away to who knows where. 

Hayewoods eyes widen. "Phil? PHIL" He shouts trying to find the Durog. But he was gone. 

He was on his own.

The next morning, Hayewood had run out of time to find a solution on how to deal with Alaneo, because a servant woke him up at dawn slamming the door open. “North has been charged with attempted murder. They’re going to kill her.” 

“What?” Hayewood didn’t bother to get proper royal robes on and just got the closest pants he had and quickly follow out of the door, towards the main hall. 

The execution stone in the middle of the courtyard. They were doing it privately. 

Hayewood runs over hits the axe out of the way. “Stop.”

“Hayewood, stop it.” Alaneo warns. 

“This is enough Alaneo! You swing that axe one more time and I will curse your entire bloodline.” Hayewood says pausing to look at the executioner before turning back to Alaneo. “You cannot kill her.”

“I will” 

“You will not.” 

“How long will you continue to provoke me?” Alaneo hissed. 

“Are you to try and kill me too?” 

“She tried to murder me! She is to be treated like every other who crosses the royal line.”

“You’re so pretentious!” Hayewood groans as he grabs the keys from the executioner and unlocks North and holds her. “Listen well and listen close Alaneo. The day you rule will never come, the day you marry will be the day of your reckoning, may every ounce of blood you spilt on your sword come back 3 times hence. I will it to be so, and it will be done.”

“Yeah fuck you.” North spits out as Hayewood walks her away from Alaneo. 

“You have no allies within your family. Not after all of this."

"Mother?" Hayewood yells looking around. 

He stops a servant. "Where is Queen Adori?"

"Gone. She is visiting on diplomatic grounds to the Unseelie Court. She couldn't bear to watch this go down."

It had been many nights since their last conversation. Astoria had practically been locked up for a month so no one was to harm her. 

“Astoria, you’re…out.” Hayewood says surprised. “Your sleep tonic not working?”

“It does work, I did not take it today. I came to you seeking answers.” She says. 

“Answers?” 

She nods. “Am I still…safe with Alaneo?”

“You don’t want to hear the truth.” Hayewood says shaking his head.

“Tell me.”

“You aren’t." 

Her eyes fall. "What do I do?"

"We have to kill him." 

She looked conflicted. "But you would be charged, tried, and even...killed if they caught you."

"You could do it. ON your wedding day."

"then I would be killed."

"Not if we play the cards correctly. You can marry me instead, I become King, and I pardon you. That was my fathers deal. Whoever married first would get the throne. 

"marriage? to you?" She says exasperatedly. 

Hayewood shrugs. "You'd have everything you would have had. And more. And you could leave after a while. I can't let him win. I can't let him murder off my family." 

She pauses thinking it through with a troubled look. "How do I help?"

Chapter 6

Eldar took great care to hide North and Fiero. According to the plan, the three would be 'exiled'. Ineligible to the throne. Leaving him and Alaneo. Astoria would put on a lipstick that would poison Alaneo and then Hayewood would marry her instead. 

It was too simple. 

Too many holes. 

And as the days got closer to the wedding, the preparations for a coronation were to be immediately after. 

The day arrives, and Astoria was drop dead gorgeous. She dazzled like a diamond. She was more than average. More than pretty. She was...perfect. To play the role of innocent bride. 

The wedding ceremony was rushed. Eager to do a coronation straight after. 

And then they leaned forward to kiss.

"Wait it's poisoned! She's going to kill you!" A servant runs up.

"What?" Alaneo pauses. 

"It's North's plan, she turned Astoria against you."

"No." Astoria quickly said.

Then it seemed to click. "You want to kill me. You- after all of this? After all I did to protect you?" He draws his sword. "I don't care about the marriage anymore. I'll just get crowned as King." His sword raises to strike her.

She grabbed both sides of his face and slams her lips against his keeping a hold of him as he struggled. His sword dropped and clattered as she held onto him even though he was writhing. 

Finally stumbled back, starting not to be able to breathe. His face slowly turning blue. "HAYEWOOD! HAYEWOOD HEL-" He chokes out grabbing someone to steady himself. Hayewood walks up.

"If only North was here to help save you with healing magic. Truly a shame." Hayewood says handing Astoria a healing potion and a napkin to wipe the poison off before it got into her system.

"As-to-r-" He gestures for the potion. 

"No. Now look who is on the floor with the dogs."

Alaneo died. It was tough for Hayewood. But he had to pretend. In front of anyone. 

"In place of my brother, I'll be marrying Astoria, and taking his surprise ascension to the throne. Any objections?" He asks looking around. 

Chaos broke out as multiple guards and people began yelling. Some guards protected the crowd from him, which he wasn't expecting. 

"SILENCE OR I'LL TURN YOU ALL INTO-" He hesitates "GOBLINS!" 

This silences most of them, especially since they were unsure of what Hayewood could actually do. He didn't know if he could actually change their entire species. 

"YES! That's right. All of you protesting fae will lose your wings, turn into ugly goblins like you fear. Montgomery...um..." He thrusts his hand out doing what felt right in spell work.

Much to his surprise, Montgomery had turned into a short goblin. 

"Anyone else? No? Proceed with the wedding and Coronation then." 

The Blood Crown was presented, and the buzz of needing the throne stopped as it settled on his head. 

He tried not to let his brothers death weigh heavy, or the harm that came to Eldar and Fiero. 

After the wedding and coronation, wild rumors spread upon everyone. Rumors he killed his siblings, and influenced poor poor Astoria to kill Alaneo for him. But with the fear of losing their beauty by becoming goblins, they did not protest yet.

Mont-goblin-ry, now stood before him confused. "Ay- you tallen there. What is this. Where am I? I can't... my brain be hurting." Disgruntled speech comes from Montgomery.

"You don't remember anything?" Hayewood questions. An idea dawns on Hayewood.  "You're my servant. Sworn to me forever."

The new goblin took it as truth and went along with it. "Then...what shall we do?"

"Come to me by morning. I'll think of an idea then. I have my wife to attend to now."

Astoria was sitting at the edge of the bed traumatized. 

"You were...great back there." Hayewood said trying to make conversation. 

"Turn that poor man back." She immediately says. 

"I can't, I don't know how! I didn't even think the spell would have worked."

"Oh for-" She takes in a deep breath. "Fine! But don't think just because I'm your wife now, means I'm going to sleep with you especially after that. Alaneo I could understand but that random man! You psycho-"

Hayewood put a hand on hers, making her stop. "Really? After all this time that I can actually touch you, you refuse too? I'll find a way to turn him back, I'm not planning to keep him that way. I'm not forcing you to sleep here. But do not compare me to him." 

"...You're the worst." She says but she doesn't mean it. 

Hayewood stares into her eyes. "I love you, too." 

The air had shifted from tense to a different sort of tension.

"I know you had to protect your family." She says quietly. 

"You're part of my protection now, though. Through the worse or better."

She sighs "I still haven't forgiven you but..." She kisses him.

He smiles into the kiss. "Oh shut up" She says against his lips as they continue kissing. 

For the first year of his reign, things had grown dark. He had gained the reputation of a War Mongerer, one who would lead it all to ruin. And maybe they were right. 

"Hey riddle me this!" Astoria says coming up from behind him and holding him from behind. "What can you lift but not throw?" She says hiding something behind her back. 

"Umm..." He tries to guess, but she was too impatient in her giggly mood. She takes out a feather and tries to tickle him with it. "A feather!"

"Ah! you and your riddles." He says smiling a little.

"I have one more for you. What's something you and a husband with a pregnant wife have in common?" She asks one day as he was reading Fiero's letters from the Seelie Court.

"That's oddly specific. A wife?"

"You're both going to be fathers." 

This catches Hayewood off guard. 

"WHAT?!" He lifts her up and holds her close. Astoria laughs. "You're not fooling around right?"

"No! I'm pregnant."

"Ugh I love you and our child."

Things passed peacefully through the next few months at the castle. But townsfolk became more unpredictable. Other courts under his control ready to take him out. And as war happens, so does Tragedy. 

When Tatiana was born, a bouncing baby girl, everyone was fond of her. But when the castle was taken by force, their one plan was to take the child and kill her, so one of the courts could rise up as King instead. Hayewood took Tatiana out of the crib, and began a spell. A spell that had a chance it couldn't be reversed. 

He turned her into a goblin and hid her with his goblin servants. 

And for Astoria he took her to the garden and quickly tried to enchant the bushes to grow taller and hide her in a maze no one could get through. 

"I'll solve this. I swear." He told her before leaving to confront the crowd. 

Multiple fires were set and many servants were caught and slaughtered. Fiero, North, and Eldar were brought as bait, to draw out Hayewood. And it worked. They lined his siblings to kill. 

Hayewood was drained, from using his magic. But he raised his hand and cursed them to walk the land forever as freaks, goblins, under his and his families line of control. Many got away. But those who didn't, turned into what they feared the most. Being ugly.

North and Eldar had run out of the castle, but Fiero stayed. 

"Haywood where's your wife?" Fiero asks. 

"Labyrinth." He murmurs. "Go with my permission fetch her and Tatiana."

And he fell unconscious. Like the baby he is. 

Tatiana, the goblin princess. As much as Hayewood tried to glamour her to look normally, they both knew there wasn't anyway to turn her back without any drawbacks. But with the glamour, she never knew she was a real goblin. And she never will as Hayewood lived. 

His brothers and sister had fled the land.

And he knew it had to be done...but...

"They'll just continue to attack. We have no control over them, they're planning to attack us again!" Astoria says distressed. 

"I know darling, please calm yourself. I'm making a plan."

"Just...put something up. A protection. A lesson."

This makes an idea spark up. "A lesson?"

"Make it impossible to get in the castle, but make it to where they will never leave here if they do get in." She says. 

"Like...trapped in the walls? Regular walls won't do."

"Do what you did with me. The hedges. But to harm, instead." 

He could. He could push everyone out.

And so he did. At first it was just hedges, but as people persisted he made magic bricks with the help of wizards and goblins. No one would ever come in. And the goblins, he sent them out to attack the rules that were left. They brought back captives, and if they refused to be goblins, they were disposed of. 

No one would try and harm either of his girls ever again.

And for a while that was it. Their family of 3, until it became a family of 4. Jareth, his wife said to name him, Jareth. He was blond and precious. He knew inside that everything was leading to him.

Chapter 7

When Jareth was able to start walking and talking, he had a bond with the goblins that Tatiana never could have. Despite her being able to form complete sentences and knowing everything about being a Goblin, they knew what she really was. Though she didn't know it herself. 

Jareth sang before he could ever talk. His favorite thing to do was sing with the Goblins.

"Jareth? You remind me of the babe." Hayewood sang. 

"What babe?" He giggled. 

"The babe with the power."

"What power!"

"the power of voodoo."

"Whoodoo?" He tried to repeat it. 

"You do."

Astoria hugs Jareth. 

Tatiana stands up. "Quit singing! That's what- That's what Goblins do. And- and goblins are mean and rude. And- and you didn't tell me I was one!" 

This makes Astoria and Hayewood grow quiet. 

"You turned me into a goblin and tried to take it back. And you lied!"

"Where did you hear that?"

"you put your magic on me every morning! I'm not stupid. I'm tired of all of you." 

"Ti..." Astoria reached out.

"NO! I'm going into the Labyrinth." She runs. 

"I'll always know where you are!" Haywood calls.

The Labyrinth obeys him. 

Tatiana was never seen again.

Hayewood conjured a map, nothing. According to the Labyrinth, she was apart of the magic. And nothing could track her, because she was just one of the many goblins. 

He ordered all Goblins be brought up, but she was not found. 

Instead, a goblin named Tiq was brought up. The closest to Tatiana they'll ever get. No memory of her royal life, but acted exactly like their precious daughter. 

Hayewood drove himself insane trying to find a way to get Tatiana to remember. Well, Tiq.

And Jareth had to grow up without his older sister. Believing he was the only child. He grew up walking on eggshells around certain topics, but he learned to take his frustrations out on practicing magic, and sewing.

He was really bad at it at first. But hew grew up experimenting with different styles, one that looked like the old kings in the hall.

He put on shows for his parents, did his best to be creative in many ways, even as the only child in an isolated world. He became fascinated with Earth. Of what seemed to be a dream beyond his own castle. And he begged to go.

But it fell on deaf ears. 

Especially when King Hayewood began to actually fall deaf, and grow sick.

And Jareth never really understood when Hayewood gave him one last book and took him to the tapestry room and let him touch it to become the next King, and why Astoria had to take him out of the walls to deliver him to beyond. 

He was left to become the new King, with unimaginable power and rule. 

But they didn't come back. 

And he still refuses to read their story. Not wanting to know the ending. Not wanting to know if they truly just wanted to abandon him.

He didn't know how much his parents loved him.

And he'd never know the truth, until it stops being history, and becomes his reality.