Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Above the park in the small New York town of Woodstock, a white barn owl flew among the grayish clouds, its large black eyes gazing intently toward the ground, looking for something. Or someone. It extended its claws and landed on the small obelisk that looked over the whole of the park like a guardian vigilantly keeping his post. The owl’s head darted back and forth, spotting no one in sight except for a shaggy sheepdog lounging on one of the benches waiting patiently for its owner. Under the owl’s watchful eye, a figure appeared wearing a pale off-white medieval-style dress. A young girl, looking no more than 16 years old, ran over the stone bridge that curved over a small pond. The dress looked handmade, with pale yellow tassels on the bell-shaped sleeves, there were some holes in the bodice and skirt, tiny little tears that showed this dress had been thoroughly worn. Atop the girl’s head was a crown of plastic flowers and ribbon. Yet despite the faded and crude nature of her costume, the girl herself looked as though she were truly a beautiful princess. Her face was soft and heart-shaped, lips full and baby pink. Strands of dark, silky brunette hair framed round forest-green eyes that shone like fresh dew on the tips of rose petals. She held her head high and was somehow graceful even while running, stopping a few feet from the obelisk. The owl watched her in fascination, its big black eyes never wavering from their target. Her eyes were clear and determined as she spoke.

“Give me the child,” she said to an imaginary enemy standing before her, “Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City,” she gestured with her arms all around her as if she were surrounded by the stones of a grand castle. Darker clouds approached, beckoned by her very voice,  “To take back the child that you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours. And my kingdom is as great!”

A peal of thunder interrupted, pointedly emphasizing her words. She looked overhead, drawn away from the moment. Her brows now furrowed with worry that rain was coming. The owl bent forward, perhaps lost in the unseen drama. The girl looked down towards the ground, biting the inside of her cheek

“For my will is as strong as yours,” she mumbled, “My kingdom is as great…” she grimaced, “Damn!”
She reached into her sleeve, pulling out a thin red book with golden lettering which revealed The Labyrinth to be its title, a red ribbon bookmarking a page towards the back.

“I can never remember that line,” she muttered as she opened the book to the marked page, scanning over the words until she came to the ones she was looking for, the final words of the monologue. As soon as she read them, she sighed and scolded herself for forgetting such a simple sentence, no matter how many times she’d read it.

“You have no power over me.”

Thunder rumbled again, earning a high-pitched whine from the shaggy sheepdog on the bench. The corner of her lip turned up in a smile as she walked over and gave her dog a quick pat on the head, scratching behind his ears.

“It’s ok, Merlin,” she comforted, “Good boy. You were a wonderful audience.”

A different sound pierced through the air, a loud chime. The girl looked over at the clock tower a few meters away, seeing the hands pointing to the time. 7:00 pm. Her eyes widened and she cursed, calling Merlin forward as she gathered her skirt in one arm, revealing jeans and brown loafers, and ran back over the bridge towards town. Merlin obediently jumped off the bench and caught up with her, following her lead. The owl also followed her, extending its wings and taking flight, staying close from above.

Within seconds there was a downpour, soaking through the girl’s costume. Mud sloshed up onto her jeans and dress as she sprinted through puddles, rushing past the little shops on the town streets on the way to her home. She had to pass through some shrubbery to finally make it to her porch. She only hoped that—

Standing in the doorway with her arms crossed was a tall, lanky woman with short red hair and blue eyes, which were hard and mean. She wore a pink blouse with a string of pearls and a white skirt and heels. She scowled down at the girl, looking at her watch to confirm the time.

“Sarah, you’re an hour late,” her voice was harsh.

“I’m sorry!” Sarah said, “I was in the park and I—”

“You were playing your stupid dress-up games, yes I can see. And now you’ll be dragging mud into the house.”

Sarah started to feel sticky and uncomfortable standing out in the rain, feeling slightly chilly. She opened her mouth to speak, but her stepmother raised a hand to silence her and said, “Just get inside.”

Sarah patted her leg, “Come on, Merlin.”

“Not the dog!” Her stepmother exclaimed, “He goes in the garage.”

“But—”

“Now.”

Sarah led Merlin to the garage where he could get in through a little doggy door. She got him inside where he shook his fur to dry off before laying on the concrete and made her way back to the front door. Irene stepped aside for Sarah to come in, giving her a look of disgust as she passed her. 

Irene slammed the door shut behind them and grabbed Sarah’s wrist with bruising force, jerking her back, “I gave you a time to be home and you show up in the rain in your silly little costume?!”

“I said I was sorry!” She defended, trying to free herself from Irene’s grasp, “I just lost track of time!”

“Your father and I just want one night to ourselves, just one and now you’re going to make us late. Do you like putting us through hell?”

“You go out every weekend! You didn’t even ask me if I had any plans!”

Sarah’s head turned to the side as she was slapped. She looked into Irene’s cold eyes and felt tears welling up in her. Irene had hit her before, several times when she talked back or even if she just did something the wrong way. She should have gotten used to it, but the pain still stung.

“Because you never have plans!” Irene said, her voice angry and dripping with malice, “You’re 16 years old and playing dress-up. You have no friends, no dates, all because you act so weird. Can’t you at least pretend to be normal?”

Sarah trembled, not knowing what to say that wouldn’t get her slapped again. Footsteps approached them and Irene threw her hand down, still glaring at her. Sarah’s father Robert entered the foyer, adjusting his tie. He was an average man with curly brown hair and dull eyes, wearing a tan tweed suit and red tie.

“Oh, Sarah, you’re home.”

He said this as though he’d known all along and was just covering his ass. He always looked the other way. Sarah stared at him with pleading eyes, begging him to defend her, to stand up for her; but one glance at him could tell her he had the spine of a jellyfish. 

“We were worried about you,” he said. It sounded hollow.

Sarah stomped her way to the staircase, leaving a trail of rainwater on the hardwood floor. She tore off her plastic flower crown, trying her best to hide the tears.

“I can’t do anything right, can I?” She complained, rushing up to her room before Irene had a chance to respond. She slammed her door at the end of the hall and picked up a pillow, burying her face in it and screaming. Tear stains were left on the fabric as she threw it down and angrily wiped away her tears. She sat on the edge of her bed, closing her eyes and calming down. At least there was solace in her room which hadn’t changed much since she was a child. She had a small pink patchwork canopy bed that suited her just fine. It was a little smaller now that she had grown but it was still big enough for her. A wooden display of various favorite stuffed animals was hanging on the flowery wallpaper beside the bed, along with various posters and pictures. Even more stuffed animals and her childhood toys were set up around the room with games and costumes, a bookshelf set next to her window held every fantasy book she could get her hands on. Her vanity was covered in jewelry, makeup, and playbills from various shows she’d seen. It was still very much a little girl’s room, but she took comfort in this place where she wasn’t hit by her stepmom or neglected by her father. She was anything she wanted to be, a princess, a warrior, a hero…

She finally stood and took off her dress and crown, setting them aside to be fixed later. She changed into a fresh pair of jeans and loafers, slipping on a white poet blouse with a golden brocade vest sewn to it. Letting down her long dark hair, she ran a brush through it several times until it was silky smooth. As she stared in the mirror, she began to recite the lines from her book to herself quietly.

“Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered…”

There was a knock at her door, and her father’s voice followed it.

“Sarah! Sarah, I need to talk to you!”

“There’s nothing to talk about!” She said, turning around and looking at her door, “You better hurry or you’re gonna be late!”

For a moment, she thought he’d open the door, and tell her he was rescuing her. That Irene would be gone by tomorrow and he’d never let anyone or anything hurt her again.

“Listen, we really do have to go now, but we already put Toby to bed and we’ll be back around 9:30!”

She heard his footsteps walking away from the door and her heart sank.

“You really wanted to talk to me didn’t you?” She said angrily, getting up and flopping onto her bed, “Practically broke down the door!”

She heard her father’s car start up and pull out of the driveway before speeding off. More tears came to her eyes but she willed them away, squeezing her eyes shut and turning to her side to face the wall. She pulled the blanket up over herself and laid there for a while. Toby was at least in bed, so she could rest as well. Eventually, her eyes fluttered closed and she fell asleep, entering her dream world where everything went her way. Outside her window, the owl watched and waited.

Chapter Text

Sarah…

The world was mist and glittering starlight, the air smelling of a strange, but pleasant perfume. Music drifted in the air a sweet, enchanting melody. And that voice which blended with it in harmony awakened her every sense, her flesh tickled with goosebumps. That voice, she knew it. It was low and smooth and seductive, calling out to her. Pleading, beckoning, enticing.

Sarah…

Her bare feet took tentative steps forward to seek out the owner of that beautiful voice, but it was coming from all directions. Heartbeat rattling her ribcage, she turned in a circle but saw nothing at all. Yet still, it called, singing to her with a tone that wrapped her in a warm embrace. Then, a figure, tall and imposing, shrouded in the darkness stood before her. It lifted two massive wings from its side, enveloping her. She trembled in the embrace, searching the form for any feature or detail. Again, it spoke. Closer now, against her ear, heat brushing her skin.

Sarah…

Her eyes opened wide, consciousness returning to her. The rain had ceased, suffocating the house with silence so thick that Sarah sat up and clutched her throat, fearful she would choke. She surveyed her surroundings and was grateful to see nothing out of place. Rubbing her eyes she curled up under the blanket again, willing herself to fall back asleep so that she would see more of the dark figure calling to her. Somehow she felt as though she knew who he was…

Sarah…you precious thing…

An ear-splitting scream cut through her dreamy haze and made her jump out of bed and rush to Toby’s room, finding him standing up in his crib shrieking and crying. Toby was a pudgy toddler who looked exactly like Irene, with curly red hair with big blue eyes which were currently shining with tears. Irene had him from a previous marriage and brought him into the family when she married Sarah’s father. He banged his tiny fists on the bars of the crib, face contorted in anguish. Sarah scowled. It wasn’t his fault. None of his mother’s abuse or her father’s neglect was his fault or burden to bear. Yet, Sarah couldn’t help the resentment building inside her.

“Please, stop it!” She said, still reeling from earlier, “You’re just like Irene for god’s sake.”

Toby flopped back in his crib and continued crying, drowning out Sarah’s own thoughts. She turned to Toby and picked him up, holding him on her hip to try and calm him down. Thunder boomed outside again possibly signaling another rainstorm. It only made Toby cry more, making a throbbing pain form behind her right eye.

“Do you want a story, huh?” She asked angrily, “Once upon a time, there was a young girl who was hated by her stepmother and ignored by her father. The girl had a stepbrother who was a spoiled child, wanting everything for himself, and given everything while the girl was treated like a slave.”

Her anger only built from there the more she thought about Irene’s words and her hand across her face. The words echoed in her mind—stupid, weird, silly, no friends, Can’t you just pretend to be normal? Sarah’s mom would have never said those things to her. She would say nice things, encourage her, and tell her she didn’t need to be normal. At least, Sarah thinks she would have. Her mom Linda had left 5 years ago, running off with her co-star boyfriend Jeremy. Sarah wanted to blame her, but she couldn’t. She deserved better than Dad and the life he offered. Sarah just wishes she’d taken her too. But no, she was stuck here in a shitty house with shitty people. And as irrational as it was, Toby was at fault in her mind because the world revolved around him, he got love and attention, he was cared for, and he wouldn’t stop screaming and making her headache worse!

In her musing, her mind wandered back to her book, that short story that had captivated her, drew her in like a moth to fire. She could escape there and live with goblins and fairies and strange, wonderful creatures…

And the Goblin King. The villain of the story, and the character that so fascinated her. She had imagined so many scenarios of meeting him, going to his castle, even becoming his queen. The fantasy intoxicated her.

“But the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl,” she continued despite Toby’s cries, “And he had given her certain powers. Every night, the Goblin King would visit her, telling her that with a word, he would take away all her problems, and take her stepbrother to turn him into a goblin, while she would live in his castle as his queen. All she’d have to do…is wish it.”

Thunder and lightning flashed outside the window. Toby screamed louder. Wincing, Sarah looked out the window.

“I wish…”

The air went still in anticipation.

“I…” she furrowed her brows, distantly gazing into the darkness outside, “wish…”

Beyond her vision, a white owl sat on the branch of a nearby tree, intensely staring into the window back at her. Toby let out a sharp wail that forced Sarah’s attention back to him. She rolled her eyes.

“Come on, Toby calm down!”

After another minute of rocking him, she figured that she’d let him cry himself exhausted and kaid him down in his crib, laying his blanket over him as he writhed and shrieked.

It’d be so easy, she thought, just one wish and it would all go away. All of it…

She walked over to the door and turned out the light, looking over her shoulder and saying with a quiet, frustrated whisper, “I wish the goblins would come and take you away. Right now.”

She left the door cracked open as she made her way back to her bedroom, maybe to read or daydream more about the Goblin King and his magical kingdom—

Toby stopped crying.

Chapter Text

Sarah stopped dead in her tracks, staring at the ground for a moment as she processed the sudden silence. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled, her heart sank into her stomach. She turned back towards the room, gazing at it with fearful eyes as though some horrible monster lay in waiting just behind the door. Sarah took cautious steps towards the now quiet room, gently pushing the door open. The room was dark save for the moonlight peeking in from the window and the occasional strike of lightning. She swallowed a lump in her throat.

“Toby?”

Her voice was soft and strained. She opened the door a little wider and reached up to turn the light on. She flipped it up but remained in the darkness. She tried again and again, goosebumps spreading across her arms. She bit the inside of her cheek and stared at the light switch. The rest of the lights were on. 

“Toby? Are you all right?”

She wasn’t even met with a coo or gurgling noise to indicate the boy’s presence. A strike of lightning. The din of thunder. Her legs carried her further into the room, her eyes staying fixed on the crib as something in the back of her mind insisted that she leave…something calling her back to bed. Back to the dark figure who would welcome her beneath his wings. His voice still echoed in her ears, caressing her tenderly, guiding her back to a world where it was just the two of them.

A low growling noise made her jump back with a gasp. It lasted another second before growing quiet. She put her arms up in a defensive position and took the remaining shaky steps to the crib. In the dark, she couldn’t see well, and she hoped that as she pulled back the blanket she’d see him sleeping peacefully.

But the crib was completely empty, and for a brief second, she thought maybe he had gotten out somehow. Her eyes frantically searched for him as she looked over to the other side and below, only to find nothing. 

“Toby!” she called out, “Toby, where are you?”

The door slammed shut behind her. She lept to her feet with a cry of fear, running to the door and grabbing the lock with both hands, pulling as hard as she could and banging on it with her fists. Where before she had heard one growl, now several joined in a chorus. Accompanied by shrill laughter and movement in the dark; shadowy figures darted quickly here and there, just in the periphery of her vision. Terror gripped her and she threw her weight against the door several times to no avail.

“Help! Help!”

Hands grabbed her and she screamed. They jerked her away from the door and dragged her towards the window. She cried and struggled. Thunder raged outside. A barn owl tapped at the window in desperation to get inside. The hands of the shadow people tugged and scratched her, grabbing her legs and making her fall to the floor. Sarah tried to kick and flail and scream, but they surrounded her, shrieking and cackling and making inhuman noises that hurt her ears. She attempted to curl into a ball, covering her face and head as best she could as they assaulted her. She cried fearful tears, begging for them to just go away. The tap-tap-tapping on the window glass ceased as the two door-like sides flew opened, the curtains waved in the wind like ghosts. The owl flew into the room.

The hands were gone, no longer grabbing and scratching at her, no more screams and cackling. Silence filled the air once again. Sarah slowly lifted her head, the tears on her cheeks glimmering in the moonlight. She blinked, awestruck. 

In front of the open windows, the silver light outlined his imposing, otherworldly form. His broad shoulders were wrapped in a long, black, and blue glittering cape that flared out in the breeze. Intricate black armor covered his chest and a crescent pendant with a golden jewel in the center was hung around his neck. But what most held her attention was him . He had golden blonde hair spiked at the top with long straight tendrils falling down his back and framing his face, which was sharp and ethereal…and without a doubt beautiful. He glanced down at her, still keeping his head high, his eyes were two different colors, one brown one blue. Both held her captive. She furrowed her brows in fear and confusion, her pulse thudding in her ears. Then she knew, instantly, who was standing before her. 

“You’re him, aren’t you?” she said with a tone of both fear and reverence, “You’re the Goblin King.”

He tiled his head to the side, smirking with pure amusement at the cowering young girl before him. He glanced around the room as Sarah got onto her feet shakily. His eyes met hers again and she froze. They looked straight through her, inside her, seeing every intimate part. Warmth burned in her cheeks.

“I do apologize for the way my subjects treated you,” he said, “It’s been so long since they’ve had enrichment.”

His voice struck her. It was cool and sensual, penetrating through her. It was the voice in her dream, the voice that called out her name. She wondered if he would welcome her now into his arms and if he’d come to take her away. 

“Of course, proper introductions are not necessary, are they? You know who I am…” his voice dropped to a low whisper, “And I know exactly who you are, my dear, dear Sarah.”

She took in a breath, the heat in her face growing hotter. Hearing her name said like that in her waking reality made her both breathless and also terrified someone could have so much power over her. Her enchantment faded quickly when she remembered Toby, and the words she’d spoken just before he disappeared. Those stupid, hateful words. 

“Please give me my brother back,” she pleaded, guilt tightening around her stomach.

He made a tsk sound and crossed his arms, “What’s said is said.”

“I didn’t mean it!” she said, fresh tears welling up behind her eyes.

“Oh, you didn’t?” he raised his eyebrows.

“Please, where is he?”

“You know very well where he is,” he stepped forward, and she instinctively backed away, “Go back to your room, Sarah. Go to sleep and dream to your heart’s content, I seem to recall you were having a quite pleasant time before…”

She shook her head, “No, I can’t. I have to have him back, please.”

The Goblin King made a gesture with his hand, a crystal orb appearing in his grasp, “I’ve brought you a gift.”

She stared at it, swearing that she could see movement inside, myriads of colors and figures. She glanced back up at him and said, “What is it?

“It’s a crystal, nothing more,” he gracefully toyed with the orb, moving it across his fingers, to his other hand with elegant flourishes. She watched the crystal, mesmerized as the colors and figures were spinning together in circular patterns, “But if you turn it this way and look into it, it will show you your dreams. But this is not a gift for an ordinary girl who takes care of a screaming baby.”

He stopped and held it out to her, “Do you want it?” She looked back into his eyes which were boring into her, “Then forget Toby.”

In a different circumstance, this would be all she’d ever wanted. Her dreams were being offered to her, and just as before, it would only take a single act on her part. Why wouldn’t she accept such an offer? She knew very exactly why, and she scolded herself for getting distracted.

“I can’t. Please,” she begged, “Toby needs me. He must be so scared—”

In a moment, he was behind her, right next to her ear. She didn’t move, too scared to even react, her breath catching in her throat. His arm wrapped around her front, the crystal morphing into a black and red serpent, she froze in place. 

“Don’t defy me, Sarah,” he said, his breath on her neck. The serpent struck, curling around her throat and squeezing. She screamed, grabbing the snake and throwing it against the wall. It disappeared into the shadows. He chuckled darkly, accompanied by more cackling from the darkness, “You’re no match for me, Sarah.”

Sarah defiantly turned around to face him, but was still trembling as she spoke, “I have to have my brother back.”

He met her gaze for a moment, his own sparkling with certain mischief and desire, and analyzed her with intent interest. Slowly, a smile crept upon his lips. Sarah felt a strange ache inside, battling her anger and fear. 

“He’s there, in my castle,” the King said, pointing towards the open window. Confused, she turned and walked forward to look outside. The walkway leading towards the road in front of her house was no longer there. In its place was a distant, sprawling castle surrounded by a vast labyrinth. The sky was a hazy orange awaiting the oncoming sunrise. Her eyes widened as she muttered to herself, “The castle beyond the Goblin City…”

“Turn back, Sarah,” he said, still sounding amused as though he were playing some elaborate game, “Turn back before it’s too late.”

She looked back at him, taking deep breaths to steady herself as her fear heightened. What if she failed? What would she tell Irene and her father? They’d blame her…as they rightfully should.

“No,” she swallowed, looking back towards the castle.

“What a pity,” he said. She could hear the smirk in his voice and held her head up high, feigning confidence, “It…doesn’t look that far.”

Once again he was right behind her, his voice causing warmth to flood her cheeks all the way down her chest. She turned her head to see him just over her shoulder.

“It’s further than you think, my dear, and time is short,” Beside them, a golden clock appeared in the air. It numbered all the way to 13, the hands ticking softly. He stepped away from her towards the clock, pointing to it, “You have 13 hours in which to solve the labyrinth before Toby becomes one of us, forever.”

She looked away for one moment, reassessing the twists and turns of the labyrinth, before looking back at him again to find that both he and the clock had disappeared. She was alone.

Her mind searched for any answers that might’ve been in her book, but nothing could have prepared her for this. She bit her lip and exhaled, taking her first steps towards Toby’s freedom.

Chapter Text

The sun had risen by the time Sarah made it down the hill to the wall of the labyrinth. She came upon a small pool with little potted trees at each corner, beside a small cave entrance that looked like the opening into a small home. A dwarf-sized creature sat at the entrance, his back leaning against the rock as he was sharpening a dagger. He wasn’t human, that she could tell. His skin was a pale yellowish-green with big pointed ears, both with nails through them as decoration; his nose was short and round like it was pushed towards his face. His hair and beard were white and scraggly, and he wore a brown leather waistcoat and baggy trousers. Even being so small, he was somewhat muscular and was covered in scars. He had a mean disposition, scowling even as he went about his task.

Sarah didn’t know if she should bother him, not wanting to be attacked or stabbed with the dagger. But she didn’t know a way into the labyrinth, and who better to ask than someone who lived next to it?

Biting her lip and steadying herself, she took a step closer, saying in a hesitant voice. “Excuse me?”

He stopped, looking up at her from under bushy eyebrows, “Oh, it’s you .”

She frowned, unsure why his voice contained so much venom but went on, “I need to get into this Labyrinth, can you help me?”

The dwarfish-goblin shrugged, turning his attention back to the dagger, now picking it up and holding it in the sunlight to see the reflection on the steel, “Maybe, maybe not. Depends on the price.”

“But I don’t have anything,” she said.

“Then no.”

She glared at him before some kind of strange bug started to fly around her, there were many of them hovering around the pool and the trees. One flew up as if to inspect her. Once it was up close, she saw it wasn’t a bug, but a tiny person with wings. They were a wispy creature, with translucent, holographic wings and long flowing white hair. The one thing that shocked her was their lack of clothing, their slender naked bodies exposed. Sarah was still entranced by them, distracted for a moment from her course. 

“Oh, how sweet…” she whispered, watching them all flit and fly around. Her feet trailed after them like a child enchanted with a new toy. They flew over towards the goblin man and he snarled, swiping at one with his hand. The fairy went down with an audible squeak of pain and lay on the ground.

“Hey!” Sarah said, walking over and scooping up the tiny creature in her hands. It was rubbing their eyes free of dirt.

“Poor thing, why would you do that?” She asked angrily.

The goblin man answered, “Cause they’re fucking pests,” raising a bushy eyebrow at her, “I wouldn’t hold that too long, fairy bites can be very painful.”

Sarah looked at him in confusion, correcting him as if she were an expert at this topic, “Fairies don’t bite. They grant wishes.”

“Bah!” He chortled, slapping the ground as he did, “You don’t know nothing.”

She scowled at him, “Yes, I do—ah!”

She dropped the fairy and heard it giggle before flying off. A drop of blood oozed out of her middle finger, dripping down into her palm. It had been such a sharp pain that she wondered if the fairies had razor teeth.

“Told ya,” he said smugly, “You can’t take things for granted.”

Sarah stared at the wound for a moment, asking ominously, “Is it gonna kill me?”

“Oh no. It’s gonna hurt like a bitch though.”

She used the corner of her blouse to wrap her finger and pressed hard to stop the bleeding, lamenting that it was going to stain.

“Who are you anyway?” He asked.

“I’m Sarah.”

“Yeah that’s what I thought,” he grimaced and smacked another fairy away from his face. She didn’t intervene this time.

“Do you know where the door to the Labyrinth is?”

He ignored her for a minute before answering, “Like I said, maybe.”

She rolled her eyes, Look, you have to know how to get in. Please, I don’t have much time.”

He huffed, setting his dagger off to the side, “I’ll give you a hint, how about that?” 

She nodded eagerly.

“You gotta ask the right question.”

She pursed her lips, pondering what ‘the right question’ could be. Was it some kind of riddle or metaphor? Or was it really that simple?

While she unwrapped her finger from her blouse, she cautiously asked, “How do I…get into the labyrinth?”

His mouth split into a crooked smile as he pointed with a sharp-nailed finger, “Right behind you.”

She furrowed her brows and turned. Where once there was just a stone wall, now a gateway stood, opening slowly, kicking up the dirt and dust as the stone doors scraped against the ground. She stared at the open entrance, dread like an iron vice around her chest.

“You’re really going in there?” He asked.

She looked back at him and nodded, “I have to.”

Taking cautious steps forward, she entered through the doors, looking down both sides of the labyrinth. Both of them seemed to stretch on forever with no end in sight. Her heart picked up its pace, a warning pumped through her blood, telling her to get out immediately. 

A screech pierced the air and she jumped with a scream, looking everywhere for the source. She saw the goblin man walking in and laughing hysterically. She narrowed her eyes with a hateful frown on her lips.

When he finally finished laughing, he turned to her and pointed both ways, “Which way will it be, left or right?”

Sarah looked down both sides again, “Which way would you go?”

“Neither way, I’d keep myself as far away as possible.”

She groaned, taking a step forward, “Thanks for nothing—”

“Hoggle.”

She stopped, turning, “What?”

“That’s my name,” he said, crossing his arms, “I figured you should know it before you die in here.”

Fear prickled on her skin, “It’s just a labyrinth, isn’t it?”

“Sure,” he said as he walked back to the doors, “but you never know what lurks around the corner.”

Once he was out, the doors shut on their own. No turning back now. She looked down the path going right and decided to keep going forward. The sunlight beat down on her, which after a while caused beads of sweat on her forehead. She doesn’t know whether she had walked five minutes or an hour by the time she had to take a break, leaning against the stone wall, wiping her forehead with her sleeve. There hadn’t been a single turn since she started. From above, it hadn’t looked that long. She took deep breaths, she’d walked, ran, jogged, anything to just get through the monotony of going in a straight line for so long. She looked ahead, seeing no end in sight, and hit the wall, groaning in frustration. She didn’t think the Goblin King was playing fair. 

She sat down, pulling her knees close to her chest, thinking of every fantasy book she’d read, and if they said anything about labyrinths. She checked the bite on her finger, it was red, a little swollen, and Hoggle was right. It hurt like a bitch. Merlin popped into her head for a moment and she smiled, he was always so affectionate when she was sad or got hurt. He’d be right by her side, comforting her. 

She shook herself from her musings and got up, ready to keep walking. She took a couple of steps forward.

The ground shook violently, knocking her onto her back with a scream. She tried to get on her hands and knees as the dirt shifted underneath her, a loud rumble like a roar got closer and closer. Sarah used the wall to stand up again, falling a few times before she can stumble onwards as if she could outrun whatever was causing the earthquake. A stone came loose and fell to the ground, tripping her before she could jump over it. Panicking, she curled in on herself and covered her head. The rumbling stopped, the world falling into silence. She slowly lifted her head to find a giant shadow over her. She looked up.

It looked too big for the labyrinth to be able to hold it, reaching towards the sun as high as a skyscraper, it had a dark blue exoskeleton, and its belly was a pale ugly yellow. Spikes covered its back and its eyes were like two black voids, soulless and dead., Its mouth was stretched open into a horrific grin, revealing rows and rows of sharp fangs which were stained red. It leaned down to look at Sarah, never losing its grim smile. When it spoke, its voice made Sarah’s blood freeze.

Hello

She trembled, digging her fingers into the dirt, a horrible sinking feeling in her stomach. Her words were shaky and quiet, “He-hello…W-what are you?”

It laughed, making its entire body wriggle.

 Me? Oh, I’m just a worm, little one. 

“Oh,” she glanced to the side, looking for any way she could get past the worm, which took up almost the entire width of the path, “May I…get by…please?”

You don’t wish to stay? Not even for a snack?

She shook her head, forcing a smile with a terrified chuckle, “No thank you, I don’t have much time.”

Sarah glanced on the other side, a large tree branch lay on the ground.

Oh ho ho, you’re right, little one. It reared back like a snake ready to strike. You have no time at all.

In one moment, the worm lunged for her, razor teeth bared to sink into her, and she grabbed the branch and used the pointed end to ram into its belly, piercing it. Black blood seeped onto the ground and it writhed in pain, roaring in anger. Its movement provided a little space for her to squeeze by quickly and run ahead. She looked back to find the worm after her, the ground shaking again, but she kept running. Her legs were growing tired, but the adrenaline spurred her on. She looked for anywhere she could go, anywhere she could hide or escape from the monster. 

As if from nowhere, a small opening, just big enough for her to slip inside appeared on the left wall. With one last look, she slid to a stop and lurched forward, crawling hastily through the opening. The monster roared again as she immediately got up and started running again. It was a few minutes before the quaking stopped and there was silence. She continued, unable to stop, scared it was still after her, as though it would pop out of the ground at any moment. She ran until she fell to the ground with exhaustion. She clutched her chest and breathed heavily, her body wracked with desperate gasps for air. After she had taken a few moments to calm down, she pounded her fists into the ground until she fell back onto the wall. The opening had led her to another part of the labyrinth, the sun shining down on her, the sky now turning into a pretty shade of blue. 

Sarah stood up again, wiping off the dirt and few splatters of black blood from her jeans, and looked towards the direction of the castle which stood atop a hill. 

“I’m coming, Toby.”

Meanwhile, unknown to her, an owl sat atop the wall, watching as she chose a path again and kept walking.

Chapter Text

The Castle of the Goblin King was bustling with excitement at the arrival of the newest little boy to appear in their midst. Toby was given into the care of two goblin maids who had taken him to another chamber of the castle. The poor little thing was tired after his ordeal and was currently sleeping away, dreaming of his teddy bear and blanket. Baby’s dreams were always innocent unless it was a very special case indeed. The Goblin King, Keeper of Dreams, sometimes enjoyed watching their dreams, holding his crystal orb in his fingers as he sat on his throne and peering into little Toby’s unconscious mind.

The Goblin guards in his court were also fascinated by the little boy’s dreams, drawing ever closer to see. It had been so long since a human had been in the Underground. And of all places for them to come, it was his kingdom.

Goblins were considered the lowest form of the Fae, as stupid little imps who were disdained for their greed and abhorred for their laziness. The name of his kingdom was a misnomer, Goblinland actually contained everything from Goblins, Gnomes, Trolls, all the “lesser” or Low Fae. The Goblin King, called Jareth, knew better than the other High Fae about Goblins and such. There were those who were just as clever and deceitful as any other Fae, those who did their job and did them well. They thought they were defaming him by giving him Goblinland. But he had taken their garbage and turned it into gold. The Goblin Kingdom was the safest in the Underground, (barring his labyrinth of course) and the most prosperous. The others did not know how to speak and reason with the Goblins. Jareth has always been the one to see a diamond in the rough. 

This is why he had so admired Sarah Williams from afar for so long. She was a diamond in the rough. Seemingly one way, but through tests and trials proved to be completely another. And yet when she finally called upon him, it was to wish away her baby brother. He wanted her to fail his labyrinth, of course, then he would have both the boy and her trapped in his kingdom forever. Those in the past who had failed his labyrinth were usually made into servants for the remainder of their lives, growing old and dying, or they suffered a worse fate and became part of the labyrinth, a warning and a danger to those who came after them.

He twirled the crystal in his fingers, watching it spin and turn, allowing him to see different facets of the dream, catching a flash of green eyes. He stopped on the image of Sarah in Toby’s mind. She was serene, smiling over his crib. Even his thoughts of Sarah were pure, untainted by her actions. 

Jareth grew bored and with a flash, the scene changed to the labyrinth where he had a bird’s eye view of everything. Sarah had so many dreams, so many wishes she desperately wanted to make. And he would grant them all if only she would become his.

She still had so many more trials to go, and the clock was ticking.

“In 9 hours and 23 minutes, you’ll be mine, little chap,” he said to himself with a grin, “And so will your sister.”

…

Sarah had finally found more corners and turns since she went through that opening. Yet, it was still as before, a lot of walking. But she would rather that than giant monster worms. She knew that probably wouldn’t be the only encounter she had with strange creatures in this labyrinth. 

She found another large branch and had begun to scrape arrows into the stones. She didn’t know if that was cheating or not, but it was worth a try. She finally felt like she was making headway until she came to a dead-end and turned back to go another way. The mark she’d made on the ground was gone, swept away as if it had never been there. 

With a grunt, she tossed the branch to the side, then shouting as if the Goblin King would hear her, “Damnit, you’re not playing fair!”

“Of course, it’s not fair,” said a growling voice behind her.

She whirled around to see where the voice had come from. Where once there had been a dead-end, there were now two large, lichen-covered stone lions, but they were alive, pacing back and forth in front of two identical doors. Their manes and jaws smeared with red; and though she didn’t want to think about it, that was most likely blood. And they were both looking at her like their next meal.

“What’s this?” she asked cautiously.

“A way out,” one said.

“Or a way to die,” the other said with a dark laugh.

They both turned from their pacing and made their way towards her, prowling with too much hunger in their detailed stone eyes. Sarah breathed slowly in and out, trying to keep her composure. If she showed fear, this might end badly. Or it might either way. 

“How so?”

“It’s quite simple,” one began to circle her, the other following behind.

“Yes, quite simple,” the other repeated.

“One of these doors leads to the castle…”

“And the other,” it said with a grin, “To certain death.”

She nodded, a bead of sweat slipping down her back, “And which one is which?”

“That’s for you to guess,” one said, “You may only ask one of us.”

The other added, “And one of us only speaks the truth.”

“And the other only speaks lies.”

Sarah’s skin prickles, adrenaline already kicking in. Her eyes fell on the two lions,  then up towards the doors, and she swallowed a lump in her throat. She thinks of Toby and looks at the one currently on her right.

“Tell me, would they tell me that the left door leads to the castle?”

The pair stopped, looking at each other with unreadable expressions. She feared for a moment that she’d already screwed up and chosen certain death. The one on the right looks back to her and says, “Yes.”

Sarah looked between the doors, “Then…the right door leads to the castle and the left one leads to certain death.”

She took a breath, her heartbeat pulsing beneath her skin. The two guards gave each other another look before they both took a step to the side.

“Go and see.”

Sarah felt slight relief that they didn’t immediately attack her. That was a good sign at least. She slowly walked towards the right door, standing there for a moment with teeth clenched. Finally, she reaches out and grabs the iron handle, pulling it open. There was a stairway leading upwards, and for a few seconds, she couldn’t determine if that was good or not. She turned around as lions growled and snarled, but made no move towards her. She had to have been right then! With a long, relieved sigh she took her first few steps beyond the door and began mounting the stairs.

Suddenly she was falling into darkness, the upper world becoming a fading orb of light. She screamed. For her brother and for her. She plummeted until she felt hands grab her from the darkness. Several hands. They were grabbing at her, gripping her arms and legs and waist tightly. They were hard and cold, scraping against her skin, causing tiny cuts along her arms. She struggled against them, screaming, “Help! Let go of me!”

With just the barest light left she could make out that the hands had made a face, which spoke with voices she could only describe as “slimy”, “ We are helping .”

Another face formed, another voice, “ We’re helping hands.”

She jerked, trying to get them off of her, “You’re hurting me!”

“ Would you like us to let go? ”

They dropped her, making her shout as she plummeted again, “No! Please!”

She didn’t struggle this time as they caught her. Tears suddenly welled up in her eyes. 

“ Which way would you like to go? ”

“ Up or down? ”

They started whispering, repeating ‘up or down' over and over again until their voices were all blending together so loud that she couldn’t think. The tears came and she gritted her teeth, struggling once again. She wanted to go home. As bad as home was. She would take Toby and they’d go far away and live somewhere safe. No more abusive stepmothers or monster worms or lions trying to eat her or disembodied hands. 

“Down!” she shouted.
The voices stopped for a brief second before there was laughing and more whispers turning into gleeful cries, “ SHE CHOSE DOWN!”

“No, wait, no, no!”

They grabbed her even tighter and pulled her down deeper into the dark hole, she tried to cling to the side to stay up and climb her way back out, but the hands would drag her down with enough force to leave bruises on her legs. They dropped her, and she hit the back of her head against something hard. Her vision faded quickly to black, the last word on her mouth was Toby’s name. Before she passed out.