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Chapter Text

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. All because he was the youngest. 

And giving Alaneo the access, was the lowest hanging fruit he could ever imagine. The greatest insult to all Fae.

"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 KNEW Alaneo 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 from whatever he was doing. 

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 gasps as if she never even thought of that. "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. "You know this."

Alaneo shrugs. "You may one day."

"If I ever enjoy dancing, one of you must smack me until I'm dead. For that's an imposter."

And Alaneo laughs heartily. 

Chapter Text

The ballroom was grand and full. Courts, Nymphs, Seelies, and Fae dance around as the enchanted instruments endlessly play without growing tired. Human pets would play together in the alcoves out of sight from their masters. 

One tiny human in particular pointing to the royals with their grubby fingers. 

Hayewood grimaces at the obvious dirt on their hands.

He never understood the appeal of having a human creature to elevate a social status. Maybe it's just the chase they enjoy. Because keeping one seemed like too much work and trouble for him to bother with. 

Hayewood watched his mother, Adori, clap at the music amused by her other successful children roaming around and dancing.

It was odd, to see how easily everyone could enjoy this. All grand balls ended up being the same. It bore him. But, as the youngest of the High King Tomas, he had a duty to be at every function as the last resort. The spare. 

They had long since given up trying to make him dance in the room. 

"Oh Hayewood pass me my wine would you?" Adori asks. 

Hayewood wordlessly complies. He didn't mind doing small tasks for his mother. The only he truly loved. The others were....merely tolerated. 

The order from most loved to most hated went:

Adori

Eldar (For being the most quiet and goes out of his way to not talk)

North and Fiero (As they were twins and he was equally annoyed with both of them)

North's hunting dog

Fiero's Lover

Tomas

Alaneo

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. It was embarrassing. 

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. Which means this was simply for him to find a mate. 

He clearly saw that Alaneo had already chosen his future Queen. 

He sighs looking out towards the lavish garden outside, wishing to escape. 

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."

"Sounds like you've considered it." Adori teases. 

Hayewood shakes his head. "The only girl I would raise, is if she was like you, mother."

Adori smiles gently and hugs him. 

"Mom!" 

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.

Oh! 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 Text

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. 

Hayewood glances at all the mythical creatures he could hire. 

A dragon for slaying, but the bind wouldn't allow him to arrange someone to kill his brother. No. He'd have to be more sneaky than that. 

Ah!

The Durog.

The perfect solution to his problems. 

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. Living in the marshes among the caves, and can only be trapped. They will not come willingly, and if you mess up by saying thank you, they'll disappear. 

Hayewood slips out of the castle as North and Adori were arguing over North's hair and how she needed to be presentable, and begin his way to the marsh. 

He glances down at his book and back up.

It took half the day to get to the Marshes, and the rest was waiting for a sign of one. 

He was about to give up when he finally saw one floating. 

"Tesrasitus" Hayewood casts, petrifying it to the ground, only his mouth moving. "Durog! I require your services!" He jogs up to the Durog.

The Durog glares at him. "Oh the royal requests my services!" He mocks. "What can I do for ye sir?" 

"I need you to follow my brother, Prince 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 once the spell wore off. "Well this isn't a request I've heard before. Usually I get requests to kill. Well then. Go on. What are you willing to pay?"

Hayewood hesitates. "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, lifting the stunning spell. 

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?"

Moving out of the Marsh in the dark was not effective. He was never going to get home before the sun rose. 

Chittering comes from the side. 

"Oh it's the prince!" A red monkey yells. 

Hayewood raises an eyebrow. 

"In our parts whatever for?" Another one says popping its head through the tree. 

"Oh no, it's that gossipy b-"

Other monkeys fall down to the ground.

"Prince Hay-Hay-Hayewood!" They jeer. 

"Where's the way back to the castle?" Hayewood says, annoyed. 

"Back the way you came!" They laugh. 

Hayewood pauses and sends a fireball at them, their beautiful fur burning up leaving them ugly. 

"OUR FUR! OUR BEAUTY!" 

"Learn to live ugly...Firey's." 

"NO AN UGLY NAME!" They cry. 

And Hayewood continues forward. 

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. 

Hayewood was leaning against the wall watching them closely.

"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 suggests with a grin. 

"I'm not going to seduce her. I want nothing to do with that mess." Hayewood rolls his eyes. 

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 looking up at her as he says Mom. Letting her know he's serious. 

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."

"Flower language? What does that have to do with anything?" He groans. 

"Ah-ah. You want to communicate with a girl, you must learn how they talk."

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. I mean the flower does say it's a peace offering does it not?”

She didn’t know how to feel about it. "...I'll see you around Hayewood." And she walks off.

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 he thought. 

"You run late hours. Are you worried? Is something wrong with your quarters?” Hayewood asks making her jump a little.

She flinches as if caught but as they stand there, and he doesn't call for Alaneo or help she finally answers. “No, everything is satisfactory. 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 for a while. 

"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. But I don't doubt that you will suffer in the future."

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 messed that one up bud."

"Leave me alone, I don't talk to girls ever."

"That's obvious."

 The next morning, Alaneo was standing outside Hayewood's chamber door. Which was a first. 

“You walked with her last night. Late. What were you talking about?” Alaneo says immediately.

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. We just spoke. She had trouble sleeping and I happened to be out.” 

“You had to do something. You don’t go out of your way to help anyone. Or to 'soothe' anyone.” Alaneo accuses. 

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. 

"Just a little pain to remind you...this is just the beginning." Alaneo hisses as he leaves.

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 her hand retreating. 

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. What you would have told him if you trusted him.” 

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 Text

The same Ballroom was lavishly decorated once again, this time with lilacs and white, celebrating the coming together of two fae. 

Astoria and Alaneo. 

An engagement party, without cheese, to Hayewood's lament. As they haven't caught the thief, and there was no way he was going to tell them of the payment of the Durog. 

Hayewood watches as Astoria walks in. The fine gown, low cut, and formed to her body, was stunning on her. But he could tell, despite how graceful she walked, that it wasn't her choice of dress. 

He almost felt inclined to take off his own suit jacket and give it to her so she could feel better. But Alaneo would surely chop off his hand, should he try. 

Alaneo takes Astoria's hand and shows her off to his friends, as they bask in her beauty. 

Hayewood forced himself to stay near Alaneo and his ogreish friends for one reason and one reason only. To make sure none of them tried anything. Not because Astoria would be his sister in law and for her honor, but for Astoria herself.

He knows this was one of her fears. 

That and 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. Their eyes would get plucked out if they got caught by him. 

His brothers and sister eventually drew close, to the group. They had been on edge, with how Alaneo had been acting recently. Eldar stares at the floor only occasionally nodding or shaking his head as the twins regarded him. It worried Hayewood, that he was quieter than usual. 

Something had gotten into him. 

Alaneo happens to over hear their conversation. "Fiero. I will not tolerate you speaking about my future wife like that."

"What? All I said is that you're dressing her up in a way that she's uncomfortable. She looks like a wh-"

Alaneo slams his hand on the table. "Fie-"

That doesn't stop Fiero from talking. "You are actively letting your friends gawk and undress her in their minds, but you can't tolerate me calling you out for something you chose to do? 

"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 paused and 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.

Adori gestures her head to Astoria as a 'go talk to her'. Hayewood shakes his head no. 

This gesture continued until Astoria happened to look his way. He sighs and walks over to her. 

"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 through her lashes.

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. With her eyes, 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.

Adori comes up to Hayewood. "See, wasn't that hard."

"Mother-"

Adori adjusts his hair and shakes her head. "Oh Hayewood. I think you're losing it."

"I am not!" He protests.

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 hall searching for Fiero. He didn't even know where they would have gone. 

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.

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. 

Hayewood needed to fix this.

Alaneo was no longer just 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.”

The Durog says “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.”

That annoyed Hayewood. Despicable creature. 

“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. 

"Eldar- Eldar?" He whispers. He needed to find Eldar. 

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. He looks for Eldar, but can't spot him.

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 a servant 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.

Eldar weeps.

Chapter Text

Hayewood found himself pacing outside of the healers wing until he was allowed in, early in the morning. He breathed an audible sigh of relief, seeing Fiero sitting up and away. 

“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. I know you don't like it."

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 down to the floor.   “You might want to save Alaneo, because he’s our older brother. But he is no longer mine. He is my brother's attacker. 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.”

Hayewood glares. “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."

"The Unseelie Court? She's...and my father?" 

The Servant's lips form into a line. 

Of course, he would be unable to get an answer. 

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. Besides...I'm not too terrible. You'd have more peace, and I'd leave you alone." 

She pauses thinking it through with a troubled look. "How do I help?"

Chapter Text

North and Fiero were exiled from the country. It took great convincing from Hayewood for them to be spared. Eldar left with them, worried for his life. 

And that was fair. 

Astoria and Hayewood came up with a plan. Astoria would put on a lipstick that would poison Alaneo, then Hayewood would marry her instead. She was doing a process to get used to the poison, so she wouldn't be affected. 

But the plan was too simple. Too many holes. 

And as the days got closer to the wedding, he learned a coronation was to be immediately after. 

"Hayewood do you ever feel guilty about what's coming up?" Astoria asks twirling a red rose in her hand, that Hayewood had given her earlier. 

He pauses. "No. I've always hated him." He pauses frowning. "I don't want to kill him. But his wrong doings, outweigh any familial ties I have with him."

She nods. "I know it's reliant on me, to take him down."

Hayewood nods. "No matter if it goes wrong Astoria, I will protect you. Even with my own life. I swear." He says turning to her his hand raising up but stopping.

And she looks up at him and he has that funny feeling again. Her eyes making him feel weak. 

How could women have this simple power over any man they want?

He'd destroy an entire kingdom for her. 

Just for her to look at him like that. 

"-Goodnight." Hayewood hastily says looking away. "You need your rest for tomorrow." 

"Wait Hayewood, don't run off just yet." She says and he pauses his brisk walk away. 

"Your bind says you can't touch me as long as he lives, willingly right?" She asks. 

He nods. 

"Then don't touch me back. Else you get cast off to the most painful realm." 

Her hand goes up to his face and he flinches waiting for the pain, but he realizes this was the loophole. 

And it took everything in him to be still to the warmth of her touch. 

It hits him, that by the time this is over...she would be his wife.

She nods her head and withdraws her hand. "Goodnight, Hayewood." And she disappears.

He lets out a deep breath. 

He's losing his head over a girl.

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." Hayewood says. 

Alaneo died. It was tougher for Hayewood than he imagined. But he had to pretend. In front of everyone. 

"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, like Montgomery and the new found species fireys, 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. "That wasn't part of the plan!"

"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. He relishes in the small ability too. "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 or with me, remember our deal. But do not compare me to Alaneo." 

"...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. And you're my Queen. You rule over me just as much as I rule over you. Remember, I am yours to command, as you are now my wife."

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. 

Chapter Text

He takes Astoria to the Tapestry room. 

"This, is our hall of Kings. As my wife, you will be written into the tapestry as well." Hayewood says and looks at the Tapestry with Alaneos name on it. He takes Astoria's hand with his and touches the tapestry. 

It sings out a new song as the book turns into 'Aspersion' and the tapestry shows their future. 

A future that would lead to greatness. 

Astoria, had turned out to be an amazing Queen. And Hayewood fell more in love with her every day he was with her.

But, for the first year of his reign, his reputation was growing darker and darker. 

"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.

He had grown used to her riddles. She had one every day for him, as he worked in his study with Montgomery, attempting to figure out how to reverse the magic. 

"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 and he spills the ink on his quill.

"WHAT?!" He lifts her up and holds her close. Astoria laughs. "You're not fooling around right?"

"No! I'm pregnant."

He peppers her face with kisses. "I love you, and I love 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.

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 rulers 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.

Then one day, news of another baby coming, had brightened his heart again. 

Jareth, his wife had ademantly said he had to be named Jareth, was blond and precious. 

And as Hayewood held Jareth, he knew that everything was leading up to him. 

It was all for Jareth. 

Chapter Text

Tatiana had grown to be used to every day enchantment singings that her father had passed onto her. She never would have guessed it was to make her not look like a Goblin. 

And when Jareth was able to start walking and talking, he was able to have a bond with the goblins that Tatiana never could have. All because he could sing, and dance, and he was full heartedly ready to cause mischief. 

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."

"Do what?!" Jareth squeals.

Astoria hugs Jareth. 

Tatiana stands up having enough, ever since she learned the dark truth, it had been festering inside of her. "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!"

Hayewood frowns. "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. 

All he knows is the book leaves, and returns, bringing him people who were broken as him from Earth. 

His only way to interact with anyone outside his small magical world. 

But no magic could fix the loneliness. 

And the new Goblin King, Jareth, begins his own story. 

The Labyrinth.