DISCLAIMER: I don't own Labyrinth or any of the characters associated with the film. They are the property of the Jim Henson Company.

The hum of shocked voices and fearful screeching was starting to get to Toby. He turned to Mrs. Bates.

"Are you certain?"

The look on her pale face told him so. He stood up immediately and offered her the throne to sit in. She shook her head ferociously and he all but ordered her to sit in the throne before she passed out. Everyone in the room looked to him. They were all privy to the information that he was the heir, regardless of the fact that the official announcement was not to be made for a fortnight from now. However, announcement or not, it was official.

"What happened?" he asked her quietly, patiently.

"He…he was scaling the wall like a mad animal. And, then, he slipped."

This was the only explanation he could get from the woman before she collapsed against Hoggle in tears. Hoggle was beside himself with the news. He had never liked Jareth, but he certainly hadn't wished death upon him. He held Mrs. Bates, patting her back sadly. What tragedy had befallen them, so unseen and terrible.

Toby stood in silence, his back to the rest of the room. He was trying to make sense of the happenings over the last few days. He had discovered a piece of his past that Sarah had never told him, resolved to leave home, was learning magic, had become the heir to the Goblin Kingdom, and now, inadvertently the king as a direct result of the death of his beloved sister. He could hear the gossip filling the room. Goblins terrified of their future, courtiers appalled by the happenings in the castle calling it a cursed place, servants weeping at the madness of it all.

Toby flinched internally when the talk turned to him. Some were starting to say that he had brought the curse along with him. It was the last straw for him. He hadn't been wanted in his real life, but damned if he would be unwanted here, too. He turned; a wild fury in his eyes. He was frantic for control.

"SILENCE!"

Everyone in the room stopped and stared. It was at this time that he realized that they were afraid of him. And, it was the first time he'd felt the euphoria of their fear. His eyes shined brightly, angrily. There was no doubt as to the strength of the Goblin King. Toby stared at them all accusingly. He watched guilt seep into their faces and he smirked. Like hell he was going to let Jareth go down a madman and Sarah a tragic mistress. There was no one in this room that would walk away today calling him a cursed person - they would walk away rejoicing the coronation of new, strong king.

Toby deliberately stood before them, summoning a maid to fetch a physician as he had seen Jareth do just yesterday. The situation that had been chaos just a few moments ago was beginning to form into something tangible. Toby hadn't noticed that Mrs. Bates had dried her eyes and climbed from the throne to allow the king his rightful seat. Toby turned and sat in his throne, peering out at the guilty faces. He made a speech that brought them to their knees in sadness and greatness. No one walked away from the castle that day feeling at a loss. In fact, they left with purpose.

Once everyone was out of his sight, Toby collapsed in his room. He was aware that he was entitled to Jareth's room, but he chose to remain in his current chambers. Perhaps someday, when the pain was not so raw, he may make the move. Toby's mind was overflowing with thoughts. He had gathered as many of Jareth's magic books as he could and spread them out on his bed, carefully examining each of them. There was nothing on raising the dead, nothing on turning back time. Jareth had not been lying. Toby sighed wistfully. He had no guidance, no one to tell him what steps to take next. He thought upon his parents briefly, remembering that Sarah had said they were beside themselves. Doubtfully, he conjured a crystal.

"Show me my parents," he whispered. He wasn't sure if he had enough power to reach this level yet. Slowly, the crystal began to fill with images. His parents were in his room. They were beside themselves. Both Toby and Sarah were gone now. Toby sighed and looked up the spell of forgetfulness. Jareth had told him about that one; it was the single most important spell a Goblin King had to know. Jareth had told him that you never knew when someone from Aboveground might see you, notice you, or accidentally end up in the Underground. The best way to deal with it was to send them back and erase their memory. Toby found an entire chapter on forgetting spells. He found one that encompassed all who knew the person, a spell to erase your existence from the memories of loved ones.

Tentatively, he cast the spell for himself. He watched his room disappear from view, replaced by a neat study with many books. Next, he cast it for Sarah. The only indication he had that it had worked was that she suddenly disappeared from the picture on his father's desk. It was a pity that her books would no longer exist, but then again perhaps they did; he wasn't sure how the magic worked. Someday he would find out. Toby squeezed his eyes shut. He was surprised at how painful that experience had been to erase their existences from all who knew them. But, it was the easiest and kindest way to deal with the situation. He leaned into his pillow. Magic was coming easier to him, but it still required a great deal of concentration and effort. He wished that there was a simpler way. Without another thought, he fell asleep against his pillow, exhausted.

A week had passed since the death of his sister. Toby, King of the Goblins, had the former king and his unofficial queen buried the day following his ascension. As soon as the first drop of dirt fell upon their coffins, he steeled himself against all emotion. He imagined his heart encased in ice, and forced his eyes to show that. He refused to feel again. The only person that he trusted was Mrs. Bates, but even she was kept at an arm's length. He couldn't afford to allow anyone into his heart. He had seen the true power of love, and decided that he would never love in his life. He had come across Jareth's spell of delaying the aging process. He had looked at himself in the mirror that day and came to the conclusion that he would like to remain in the guise of a teenager. It would cause his opponents to underestimate him, and deceit was the best weapon one could have.

As he lounged in the throne, coldly dealing with the daily affairs of a king, he stared out at the sun in the distance. The magic was still not coming as easily as he would have liked, especially since the greatest defence this place had was the Labyrinth, which was controlled solely by magic. True, it had its own inherent magic, but it would need direction if a true threat ever came upon them. Toby did not want to feel vulnerable – not now, not ever. And, it was as he was thinking about this particular subject when she appeared in the throne room. A woman draped in a deep burgundy cloak, obscuring her features to his view.

"Your Majesty," she whispered, her voice sliding out as little more than a hiss.

Toby narrowed his ice blue eyes at her and inclined his head.

"I've come to offer you all that you desire," she said, slowly moving closer to the throne.

"Stop," Toby said, conjuring a wall of magic to allow her no further access to him. Her cloak fell from her face and he could clearly see the surprise, and sudden dark, glee that spread across her face.

"What makes you so sure that I would want anything that you have to offer?" he asked, idly rolling a crystal along his knuckles.

"Your magic," she said, watching his hands, "Is incomplete. You have lost your tutor."

"You seek to tutor me?" Toby's voice was incredulous.

"No, I seek to meld with you. To give you my power."

Toby tilted his head, intrigued, however he kept his guard up.

"And what exactly is your power?"

She smiled seductively, biting her lip as she looked up at him.

"Quite simply, I could complete you and you would reign forever."

"Not long at all," Toby muttered.

The woman watched him with dark, excited eyes. As Toby stared into her eyes, he saw the future. He saw kingdoms lying in ruins at his feet, he saw adoring masses, he saw absolute power. His guard faltered without his knowledge and she moved towards him once again. Before he knew it, she was at his ear, purring into it gently.

"Think of what I could give you. You would rule supreme," she said, smiling. Her breath was hot on his ear.

"Who are you?" he whispered, staring straight ahead trying to figure out how she had slid past his guard that way.

"I am the product of compounded power," she whispered, dangerously close to his ear. "This, as you see it, is a guise for your convenience." She was referring to her outward appearance.

"Why me?"

"I am attracted to power."

"But, you make it sound like I am powerless without you," he replied evenly.

She chuckled silkily in his ear, and the sound reminded him eerily of a king just barely beneath the ground.

"Not powerless, no, but I could increase your power a thousand fold."

Toby did not respond and the woman took that as an invitation to continue with her spiel.

"You are afraid for your people, are you not?"

Toby tensed. How did she know?

"I could ensure their safety."

Toby was suspicious of her and her offers. She had just switched tactics, appealing to the king in him as opposed to the boy. Her fingers rested lightly on his arm, and even through layers of clothing, he could feel their coolness. He could also feel the steady vibration of pure power emanating through her fingertips. He raised his head straight.

"At what cost?"

Again, the silky laughter. Toby shuddered.

"You must give yourself to me forever. I desire your heart."

Toby smirked.

"I will never love you."

"I do not require your love. Only your heart."

"I cannot live without my heart," Toby replied reasonably.

"I will not take it until you give it, those are the terms. Those are always the terms."

Toby sat in silence, considering his options. It could take years for him to learn all of Jareth's magic properly. It would take only minutes with her.

"I shall never give my heart to anyone," he said quietly.

"Then we shall be together for a long time," her reply was silky and smooth, and it wrapped around his mind with comfort.

"Yes, probably forever."

The woman grinned deviously.

"Which is not long at all," she whispered, nearly inaudible.

What had he to lose? He had already lost everything and everyone he'd ever loved. He had resolved to never love again. His people were his priority, and how could he protect them without power? No, this was a wise alliance. The woman waited, lingering on his every word.

"I agree to your terms," Toby said with resolve. Within seconds, she had entered him, spreading her power throughout his body. Toby had never been intoxicated, but he was certain that this was the feeling associated with being drunk. He was drunk on power. He could hear her, hissing in his mind.

This is an alliance you will not live to regret.

Toby silently agreed. He was now as powerful as she had promised, as powerful as Jareth had been. And, he would reign this way for a long time. Eventually, once his wounds had healed, he would forget what it was to love. He would never give his heart to anyone, ever. He was safe in his alliance - forever.

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But what no one knew was that the King of the Goblins would fall in love with a girl, for a certain book had a way of finding believers.

-Fin-

AN: Okay, so that's the end. Or, is it? That was incredibly depressing for me to write, but I actually really liked it. Thank you to all my reviewers. I really hadn't expected this story to get the response that it has. It's my little Shakespearean tragedy combined with social commentary on how history repeats. Deedle dee. I will have to write something absurdly pleasant now. Anyway, thanks a bunch. Sorry for the mass sadness...-cough-Shakespearean Tragedy-cough-