Sitting on the ledge of a high castle window without any fear whatsoever of falling sat Jareth, King of the Goblins, contemplating his kingdom. A light rain had begun to fall as the western limits approached a deepening dusk. Below him, the Labyrinth itself, a twisted, intricate, maddening web stretched out for nearly as far as the eye could see. How closely the state of the maze itself reflected the state of its keeper. Every turn was a frustrating contradiction, and nothing was ever quite as it seemed . . . and yet one could learn to love its confines and corridors, given enough time and enough . . . stimulation.Jareth, though, was oblivious to this tell-tale reflection of his mind-state, having seen it so often that he more often than not took it for granted. A dangerous thing to do, but even so, it happened. Besides, he didn't need to look into the Labyrinth to be told what he was feeling.
He was bored.
Excruciatingly bored.
And, not being the type to let things just happen of their own accord, he was contemplating at least a dozen things that might temporarily catch his fancy. But something told him - maybe subliminal messages from the Labyrinth itself, maybe some obscure sixth-sense - to stay put for right now.
Something was going to happen very soon.
Very soon . . . .
Seraph:
Seraph strolled around in the palace gardens, bees humming, flowers blooming, the sun was shining and a soft warm breeze played with her long blond-golden locks, everything was so peacefully and so extremely,utterly boring.The Summoning was only a vivid memory and she hadn't been to the underdark or any other friends from the strange event since Reim's birthday and that was already a few months ago, the youngest memory was a pretty blurred one, beer was definitely meant for Celts and Huns, although prince Gibaltar had had a peetsy to much as well, grinning she thought of the birthday party only a few nights ago, she hadn't really met Gibaltar before and only knew him from face, he was in the same faction as Poke, a funny goblin merchant, a blue one to be precise and one with brains, the only goblin with brains for as far as she knew.
No fun at all around here, maybe some tea and a conversation would do her some good, at that thought she strolled into the palace and went straight for her dad.
Jareth was sitting on a window sill looking over the labyrinth when Seraph trotted in, he looked quite bored as well, something was most definitely wrong, even the goblins weren't as active as normal.
"Hey Dad, mind drinking a cup of tea with me outside in the rose-garden? I still have some Lady Gray left of Poke's last visit."
Jareth:
The sound of his precocious daughter's voice jolted Jareth from his reverie. Now he noted that the rains had completely ceased while he was lost in contemplation of the strange consistency of the Labyrinth's ether. Sighing, he turned to face her, still reclined in the window sill."Tea?" he asked, still not quite recovered from his pensive mind-state. "I'm not sure. There seems to be something amiss in the realm. Something just beyond the Labyrinth's senses. It must be happening outside the Labyrinth . . . or maybe in the Aboveground . . . ."
He pondered this for a moment, turning back to survey the view. During these latter years, proper fear and respect for Fae-folk and their kin had slowly ebbed away, until the stories became myths and legends, and even the myths and legends were lost in antiquity. Who in the Aboveground would remember the Goblin King, or even his fantastical kingdom? And who of those would dare try to infiltrate it?
"I should see to it. If there's trouble, I ought to . . . ." His words trailed off as he turned back to the insistent face of his child.
"It's probably nothing." Jareth said, smiling lightly and gracefully sliding from his spot in the window. "A cup of Lady Gray sounds wonderful. Shall we?" He proffered his arm to escort his daughter to the garden.
Seraph:
Seraph took his arm and together they walked to one of the gardens. *What could be wrong* she pondered, *Everything is so silent, even J and the goblins notice some is utterly wrong, a sort of silence before the storm.*They settled on a bench in the shade of small tree and a goblin came trotting up the path holding a tea-pot and two cups on a platter. *How many months it hadn't taken to learn him that* Seraph thought.
"Well if something is wrong we had better check. I say we change clothes after tea and go Aboveground to see for ourselves..."
At those last words a young girl appeared out of no-where at their feet, looking quite astonished at the pair before her.
"Well . . . who do we have here? Might this be the disturbance J, or is there something more, it's as if something or someone is meddling with our worlds and it doesn't feel good"
Jareth:
"How many times must I ask you not to call me 'J'?" Jareth answered, sighing longsufferingly. "'Dad' would be fine. Even 'Jareth' if you refuse to keep with custom. But please, not 'J'."Of course,as usual, his lament had gone unheeded as his daughter's attention had already turned back to their unexpected guest.
Seraph:
Turning her attention back to the visitor she asked: "Tea?"
On to '. . .Make that Three'
Back to the Castle
Back to the Library
