Once Upon A Time

Disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth!

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Chapter 2: A Land Of Far Away


‘But what no-one knew was that the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl, and he had given her special powers.’


Once upon a time, in a land far, far away; where princesses’ were locked in the tallest tower of the ancient, mourning, loveliest crumbling castles.


Where the sleekest skinned; reddest apples were injected with slow killing poisons and gifted by beautiful beautiful, jealous stepmothers.


Where there was a man-boy who flew high in the sky, swirling with the champagne-sparkled stars and would never, ever grow up; but would always love a girl who wanted to grow up.


There was also a king.


This king ruled the most predominant and wild lands in the underground. The lands sky twisted lush purples, radiant greens, iridescent yellows. The grounds morphed from treacherous; rocky, to the bittersweet taste of salt sea, to forest choked lands and spongy-grassed plains.


Brownies tumbled and tricked Humans through these lands. Hobgoblins spooked them with one hand, picking their pockets with the other. Redcaps cornered the mortals in dark areas, slashing them to bits and using their blood to re-stain the hats upon their heads.


Ethereal Queen Mab whispered lies into the ignorant mortals ears, the tales dripping from her red lips and tearing apart the delicate mind of the unfortunate listener.


Pocket Venuses lounged lightly on cobwebs, enticing mortal men into their seductive trap and then quickly transforming into the six headed demon Ravana, to rip their limbs from them.


This King was known by all and sundry as the Goblin King, whom was dreadfully feared by other creatures. For only he could control these cruel and unruly creatures.


No-one is precisely sure who sired the Goblin King. He had been in this land since the time when the great Maker spun the entire Universe on her powerful loom, he stood by her side haughtily pointing out mistakes, instructing her on what to weave (he was dead against putting humans on the Upper-World, saying they would only destroy the mediocre beauty of it).


In the beginning the great Maker placed four beings to govern the Underground, they were known as the Wise ones. Shiata, a cruel, yet beautiful girl-child to rule the Elves of Alcren in the west. Somdon, an old Shaman to rule the Brownies of Yelsec in the east. Noleay, a beautiful trickster to rule the Fae and Leane Sidhe of Cronev in the north. And Henfur, an imaginative story-weaver to rule the land of children; Tiaten in the south.


The land left ungoverned was the largest and most wild, it rested in the middle of the Underground. It’s lands nature was snatches of each of the four different points, the variety of weather was mind-boggling.


The Goblin King, being the most arrogant ..cough... most powerful being (aside from the Great Maker), decided this land was his. After all he was the only one with enough strength to restrain the terrifying beings that inhabited that land.


The Great Maker had placed, in the middle of the Goblin Kings lands, a hideously large and frightening labyrinth.


The wise ones are gone now, leaving the creatures they once watched over to fend for themselves, all except Jareth.


Among the Elven, Fae and Leane Sidhe Jareth is known as haughty, proud; after all, he can afford to be. Despite the reputation of being a cold, cruel monarch there was no loss of women in his bed or parties in his hall, for he was well and truly beautiful. With soft flaxen hair and mis-matched eyes of sky and earth. He had the sharp features of the fae race, and the lean- muscular body of Adonis.


Yet with all these aspects, he was bored, and without intelligent companions most of days. He very well couldn’t speak to the goblins that ran a-muck in his castle, their only interest seemed to be ale and ‘who could belch the loudest?’ And it seemed the visiting women of court who shared physical pleasure’s had nothing interesting to say, only wanting his skills as a lover.


So as a being who particularly loved games, he decided to put the mortals who ran the labyrinth surrounding his castle to good use. He would entertain himself with the people who wished away unwanted children. Instead of waiting at the castle for them to lose, he would involve himself with them, tease them, taunt, and tempt them.


But after a millennia of this, things can get rather dull. So he began to carouse the above ground for something to distract him, be it women or game. For hundreds of years he gathered nightly lovers or future goblins from the above ground. And for awhile he was entertained.


But on one of these days above ground he saw a young women with flowers wound into her long ebony hair, she wore a flowing cream colored gown with a silver belt wrapped around her thin waist. He meant to only swoop down for a closer look, he had not meant to land and watch her, but when he saw her face he was entranced by the intense green of her eyes.


“Give me the child.” She said her voice clear, mesmerizing. Her pink, full rosebud lips forming the words.
‘WHAT!?’


Shocked by her words, he watched the beauty reciteing lines, for perhaps a play. But why did they sound so familiar? His round owl eyes stared, trying to look through her, to find out why she was saying these lines. He was frozen in place as she continued, his breath coming short. ‘What in the name of the gods is going on?’ Why couldn’t he move, why did her eyes feel deadly to him? The sheep dog watching her barked, intruding her recitation.



“Damn! I can never remember that line.”She looked truly distraught. He couldn’t breathe. He knew then that he wanted her, he wanted her for himself. He watched her run as the rain began to pour from the sky. His desire left him so shaken.


Later, he held Sarah in the circle of his arm, that were clasped around her like iron, not wanting to let go. If he did he would have to leave her, and for how long he did not know, for she had no other siblings to wish away. When would he see her again, when? She nuzzled deep into his chest, sighing in perfect contentment. Her silk breasts slid against him, igniting his passion, his body coiling tightly in desire. Her lips parted, shallow breaths coming from inside her. She hummed low in her throat and pressed closer to him, trying to meld with his body.


He sighed “My queen...” He whispered into the warm skin of her neck, her pulse jumping at him, tempting him. Who was she? Why did he need her so badly? He watched the reflection of the sun coming up on her wall. He knew he had to go. He left a ring and a note. Before he turned into his animal spirit he looked at Sarah, his beloved, his mate. And kissed those pouting lips. Taking with him her taste, sweet and innocent.


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“What should I do Hoggle?” Hoggles large eyes were even wider, looking like they would break his face in two. “Yer carrying the kings heir, Sarah. You gotta tell’im.” I shook my head hard.
“I can’t.”

He blinked rapidly, “Sarah! He’s king, it’s his little’un. Ya gotta tell’im.” I turned to my window, my face felt pinched. My body tense, cold. I threw the sash of the window open and looked at the night sky, the stars twinkling brightly, happily. “He’ll sense his blood and magic on earth.... and he won’t stop ‘til he finds the source.”


I took a deep breath letting the cold air fill my lungs.


In. Out. In. Out.


“Can you take me to the underground?” I asked softly. He tilted his head to the side in confusion. “Just wish yerself to’im. He’ll come to you.”
“NO!” I shouted loudly.


I fingered the ring Jareth gave me (I always carried it on a chain around my neck) “I don’t know how to talk to him.... I can’t talk to him.” I turned and threw my hands in the air exasperated thoroughly, “What would I say?”


“So you want me to take ya there and not tell Jareth.” I chewed my lip and nodded hopefully. “He know’s when a mortal enter’s his lands.” I swallowed hard.

“My parents will hate me when they find out that I’m . . .” I paused and whispered “Pregnant. I can’t stay here.” I looked at him pleadingly, my eyes filling with tears, ‘Would he make me stay here?’


“Please Hoggle, let me stay with you. Here it is just plain weird to be fifteen and pregnant with a fairy tale kings child.” He started to fidget, jerking his head left to right, then he sighed. And nodded.


I didn’t know what to bring. How long would I be there? How long would my clothes still fit? I had only lived here in this house. In this town. In this room. And now I would be gone and god knows for how long.


I knew there was no reason too and that it was sort of redundant, but I had to pack ‘Labyrinth’, it comforted me.

I had always had it with me.

Even though I would now be living it.

I only packed a few baggy shirts and some jeans. Unfortunately I couldn’t say goodbye to Toby, he slept in my dad’s room, with my parents sleeping in there. But I would come back, I had to, I hope.


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Hoggle lived in a small hut outside the labyrinth walls. The ceiling skimmed my head ‘I hope I don’t get taller.’ Inside it was just one large room that had a stove/oven, table, pantry, and two chairs in the kitchen like area. Then it had a long thin bed and a couch. I put my bag on the floor and looked around. Hoggle looked around embarrassed at his home.


I wanted to cry then, and there was no reason or rationale for it, but the urge was still there. So I crouched on the floor near my bag and big blubbering tears came. My face was drenched and my sobs loud, I missed Toby already, and daddy, mommy and even that evil, evil stepmother.


I was fifteen, I wanted my mommy and I hadn’t seen her in years, I hated her, but I wanted her to hold me, stroke my hair and tell me everything would be alright. It wasn’t sane, but what was in my situation.


Hoggle thought it was because of his small house and tried to comfort me, but it wasn’t that, I tried to tell him. There was a baby in me and I loved it already so much, but I was just a baby. And I had a baby, I loved a baby, a baby in me. It has only been two months but I already feel the suckling sweetness inside me and can’t let go.


I won’t let go.


I needed sleep. Badly.


Hoggle led me to his bed and I curled into a ball, protecting the child filling my womb, and shut my eyes.


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Hoggle looked at his young, young friend and didn’t know what to do.


He began to cook a healthy stew a dwarven gardener taught him. “After all, she’s got a young’un in her.” He mumbled not noticing his sudden glittery company.


“Who has a ‘young’un’ Hedgewart?” Hoggle dropped the ladel he was using to stir, ‘Had he seen Sarah yet?’ He looked to the king his eyes wide in fear, “Er... there’s a er... fairy I ain’t ah... sprayed ‘cuz she’s havin’ a little one, an’ I felt bad.” Jareth looked up from his nails and raised an eyebrow, his face bored.

“You brought a mortal here, without my permission. A familiar feeling mortal.” His voice professional, his eyes burned through Hoggle. Sarah sighed in her sleep the noise coming from her corner. Jareth looked at Hoggle pointedly. ‘Yup he’s seen her.’


The king of the goblins stood from the wooden chair he appeared in, “I do not like things occurring in my kingdom behind my back.” Hoggle cowered back, his face cringing up in fear, ‘I can already smell the bog of eternal stench.’


“Especially when they concern this specific mortal.” Jareth turned to look at Sarah, he walked over to her; a feeling of his magic came from her, his brow furrowed in confusion. He lifted her, she was limp with exhaustion, she didn’t even wake up, and he pressed her to his body.


He could feel something coming from Sarah; an energy much like his own but smaller. Less developed, millennia’s younger, and weaker, newer. When he lifted her he had felt the maddening urge to feel her along his body, that would tell him what it was, what this energy was. It centered in her abdomen, deep inside. A tiny fleck of life.


In the time he had been in the underground he had only made love to fae women. It takes female fae, centuries of trying to produce a child, the fae women’s womb can only conceive a child once in between hundreds of years. He had forgotten how prolific and fertile human women were, he hadn’t even thought to protect Sarah when they had made love.

But there, deeply embedded safely in her womb was a child. One that had the magic of ancients flowing in it’s veins.


One with an imagination that would rival Sarah’s, with courage and strength. He placed his arm underneath her knees and held her to him, she would come to the castle with him, this was no place for his child to grow, even if it was safe within her.


He gazed at Hoggle, his eyes daring the dwarve to stop him, but the look in Hoggles eyes said he under stood the need for Jareth to be near Sarah. Jareth nodded his head at Hoggle and he disappeared in a shimmery cloud of glitter.


When Jareth arrived in his castle the goblins were scattered around the throne room. “All of you get out!” He yelled, they all scrambled out of the room, screaming. He walked to his room, Sarah was snuggled deep in his arms.


Making sweet noises, little moans and whimpers, which he normally wouldn’t have thought of as interesting but they worked for Sarah. Her face was pressed into the crook of his shoulder, her lips against his neck and he didn’t want to let go as he laid her on his bed. He walked to the window, waiting for her to awaken.

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The water was the darkest black in the low depths of the sea, swirling blue currents. Rocks shimmered green from being submerged in the water. Shells changed colors of celestial blues and golds, pinks and oranges. They were worn so smooth from water and sand, waves rolling over them. The sand on the floor of the sea was soft as a mer-babies hair, I burrowed around in it. Letting it polish my already soft skin, the purple, green, blue, white, and crimson rainbows of fish swam above me.

I lived in paradise, that’s what my parents told me.


I rolled onto my side, my tail unfurling and tossed my blackish-red hair behind me. The magic of the sea was not lost on me; in fact, I was flooded with the sea, a lover -I had never known- in my lungs and heart. I could taste the salt-berry taste of the sea on my lips, it was always there. The sea had a music all it’s own, filling itself with moans of ecstasy, I trembled with pleasure at the sound; the feel of my home.


I lifted from the floor, pushing myself up. The feel of the water rushing past exhilarated me. I was kissed by sea anemones as I swam past, my tail pumping through fluidly. The gardens of the sea were stupendous, red, white, and black, brushing against my breasts like men.


Earlier I had woven shawls of seaweed into my hair, and I wanted to travel to above the water, so I could find a water pad to pluck the lily from and weave that above my ear.

As I swam upward I saw the sun blurring through the water like jade with light shining through it and I wanted that too, more than anything. My eyes squinted as I burst through the top film of water. The underground was a wondrous place during the time of Demeter. She would bless it with flowers and fruits...


With........... I blushed and dipped back under the water to cool my now burning face, and she would bless it with fertility.


I thought of the ceremony I had taken place in, with the other young mer-maids. Our arms were slapped with the thick flesh of a slain dolphin to ensure us fertile. Which, I assured myself, was almost romantic in it’s superstition.

I looked up into the sky, the length of my hair submerged in the water. The half bird-half women beings that reside in the underground, thrust themselves around in the sky. Their feathers ruffled with anticipation as they propelled themselves to the ground, they skreeched in happiness at the feel of air rushing past them. I pulled my body onto a lone rock, in the middle of a group of boulders. I leaned back on it, letting the pure unadulterated heat of the sun caress my skin. I hadn’t seen any lily pads yet, but I have heard stories that they were closer to the bay.


“Actually Lorea, (loh-ray-uh) lily pads reside in ponds.” I shot up in surprise. In front of me stood a man, no, a god, on one of the boulders. Long pale gold hair that was fluffed out like the bird woman’s feathers. He wore what I could only assume was a shirt, it held billowing sleeves that were something from a romance story that the tale teller women of our mer-village told. His trousers were like a second skin to his flawless being. His lips were pink and thin, his eyes mis-matched. One pupil dilated larger than the other.


“How do you know my name... How do you know what I was thinking?” He grinned and put his hand out with a flourish, than cupped his other hand over it. Leaning down and pressing his lips to a thin opening, he blew into his palms, and separated them. Inside his palm now sat a glistening sphere.


My eyes widened as I drew in breath, before I could say anything he held out his hand, palm up and concentrated on the sphere. It burst in a shower of glitter and became a white water lily. My mouth held open in awe. He held it out in front of me, “Do you want it?” My hands fluttered to clutch my shoulders as my breasts heaved in arousal to his magic. I nodded, frantically.


“You may have it. For a price.” My lips parted, as my pink tongue darted out to wet them.


“What do you want from me?” My voice was barely a passing wind.


“A kiss.”


My eyes darted around nervously. A kiss? A kiss was sacred to the Mer. By the tilt of his lips he knew that I would be his with a kiss. He jumped to my rock and crouched next to me. “Well?” I lifted the flower from his hand and examined it. It was iridescent in its perfection, it was a promise. By this kiss I would give my soul to him. My first kiss.


I leaned close to him as his eyes skimmed me: the full, round breasts, pink, pink nipples, the pale milky skin, the waist, the navel, the hips, the shiny burgundy scales of my tail. He buried his hand in my hair, and tilted his head. Whispering against my lips before he took possession, “Beautiful.”

His lips pressed to mine, suckling them alternately, kissing the corners. I felt my soul brought through them, into him. He drew back, I whimpered and reached out to bring him back, it hadn’t been enough. I needed more. I felt a tingling below my waist looking, down I saw my tail disappearing the scales turning into the ivory color of my skin. They separated into legs. I gasped in surprise, my beautiful tail was gone.


It wasn’t fair.


He grinned at my, now, long legs and stood up holding his hand out to me. I gripped it and tried to pull myself up, but my legs were like that of a jelly fish, so when I stood I fell over into the water. As I sunk in like a pummeling fist I tried to flay my legs in sync, like a tail. But I was just pumping the water around. The god-man jumped into the water to draw me back up. He blocked out the sun as he moved his arms like fins and kicked his legs. He brought me flush against him and we disappeared in a cloud of bubbles.


We appeared in a place made of rocks, stones willing to crush my fragile bones. Little creatures like I had never seen before scrambled away from this god-man. His arms circled me and I felt safe. I had never been away from the sea before, neither had I ever had legs. I looked at them, they were so curious looking. Manatees had separate back fins, but until this man that was the closest I had ever come to seeing legs.

I pointed to the fin like things that ended my legs and asked the magic man, “What are those?” He chuckled, the stone room was now clear of those little creatures. Walking over to a throne like thing, he set me on it and kneeled at the fins at the bottom of my legs. He took one into his hands and worked his thumb on the arch.

“These, little one, are feet.” I tilted my head to the side and tried the word out on my tongue, “Feet.”

I wrinkled my nose at it, I wanted my tail back.


He laughed as he saw my expression. “Do you not like them?” I crossed my arms over the swell of my breast.
“How am I supposed to swim with them?”
he took the leg in his palms and pressed his head to the middle.
“I will teach you my little one. But first I must show you to stand.” He stood up, and held out his hand to me.

I licked my lips and put my hands in his, he pulled me up lightly, and guided me to stand. His palms were under my armpits to steady me, his wrists held firm against my breast he looked down, locking his eye on my nipple and parting his lips, as if to fill them with it. He shook his head and released me so suddenly that I didn’t fall.


I stood there, awkwardly.


He smirked, “Try walking to me Lorea.” Walking was putting one foot in front of the other, right? I glared down at my feet, they were the source of all my problems. I lifted one leg, bending it at the middle and put it down a pace in front of me.

And stood, my feet separated at what looked like the space of another foot. I wasn’t falling. I wonder if people with legs can fly?

I had been, at what I found was the goblin castle, for a week. Jareth, the goblin king (not a god mind you) was teaching me in the ways of the fae. Their proper, proper ways. I took more to mocking them than anything, and when I absolutely opposed to wearing clothes, Jareth took me in his arms and spun me ‘round.


I do not think he minded, for I would wake to his eyes on me, and I would hear him toss and turn in the night murmuring in his sleep. I had taken to running naked through the castle just to tease him, or I would go to the gardens to cover my hair in irises, roses, tulips, chrysanthemums, all flowers there were and run or roll through the gardens. Once I had gotten lost in his little maze game and he had come to save me, chastising me roundly for being ‘more trouble then I was worth’. And through-out it all we kissed, we had never made love though.

:back to Sarah:

My eyes began to flutter rapidly as I woke, my dream still fresh on my mind.
What was it all about?


I sat up on my bed and looked at my lavish surroundings. “Where the hell am I?”


The walls were not the packed dirt of hoggles small hut. They were cold, glistening stones. Torches hung in hooks on the walls, reflecting off the stones. The windows were arched and there was no glass to block them. Curtains were hung from the halls, reds and greens.


And in a gilded gold picture frame was a painted portrait of the girl from my dreams. She sat on a rock, her long dark hair laying over her shoulders. The long white gauze dress was see-thru, displaying the skin, and body parts beneath. She had a secret smile playing across her lips. Her eyes looked so similar to mine, in fact..........

My own soul seemed to look at me through them.