Author's Note: Yay, a somewhat recent update! :D Thanks to all of you I have 95 followers! With tons of fantastic reviews on top of it! The first part of the story is beginning to wrap up and I am hoping to start a sequel too (after editing this one of course). Thank you my precious things and remember it's only forever.

*Where are we now?*

"Jareth, I believe it is time for you to be trained in the laws of the Labyrinth." Albiorix stated on his throne, an odd bunch of cloth placed gently on his gnarled legs. Jareth cocked his head slightly, lips pursed in curiosity as his father beckoned him forward.

"What is that?" Jareth asked peering down at the baby. It certainly was not a goblin, it was whimpering softly as a gloved hand gently touched the babe's fuzzy head. Albiorix sighed as he gently pressed the white, linen bundle onto Jareth's chest.

"It's a human child, Jareth. This is how we get all the goblins in our kingdom." a puff of brown smoke revealed another human running through the labyrinth. Jareth winced as the female fell, her jeans and shirt covered in filth.

"Jeremiah! Jeremiah! Come back, please!" she screamed in desperation, her blonde hair sticking to her sweat laden face. She stood and attempted to run again only to run into a dwarf.

Jareth gently rocked the baby as it once again began to whimper as Albiorix hummed. "She hasn't even been able to get past the door yet." Watching his son's horror he pointed his branched hands to toward the clock hanging from the air. "You see, humans come from a place without magic or the understanding of the importance of words. Only through their pagans who once worshipped us as gods allow them to realize our existence. After several centuries of this worship it escalated into human depravity. they began to become selfish, unsatisfied with the wisdom we attempted to provide to their primitive world, so they wished and demanded. Slaughtering and sacrificing their sons and daughters in attempts for power and immortality. To stop this disgusting display, we created effigies, fake idols that gave the humans power without such drastic measures, such as genies and other gods and goddesses. So we use those to obtain their power and resources. Just as they did to us in the Dark Ages so long ago." Jareth nodded, he had heard of these tails yet never realized they were real.

"I thought these were just fairytales…" Jareth whispered. He had heard the stories of poor fairies having to teach young, naive girls and trolls that lived in a tiny hut having to take care of a stupid girl who loved to get poisoned; he had heard the goblins drunk with their ale muttering about crawling around in large, overdone human huts and squalling babies. Yet he never believed it. Ixtab told him the filthy world never existed.

"I let your mother mess with your head for too long! She's sick Jareth, it's best not to listen to her ramblings," Jareth's father sighed as he removed his leaden body from the throne, "Take care of the child and watch the mother. Once these thirteen hours are up, it's time for this little brat to turn into a goblin." Jareth frowned as a puff of brown enshrouded his father. Holding the baby to his arms he smiled as the creature began to coo.

* Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.-Kierkegaard*

"Hide inside the cave, my liege! I will stay here and lookout for the monster." Chester hissed lightly his back arched slightly. Sarah dropped to the ground and smiled gently at the wide-eyed creature.

"Call me Sarah. I couldn't have gotten this far without you." Sarah scratched behind Chester's horns making him purr.

No wonder Hoggle had issues the last time… "Thank you...Sarah." Turning his head toward the entrance to hide his leaden features, he shuddered as she could hear the echoes of Sarah's footsteps. I do not know which is worse, the King's wrath or the Queen's sorrow…

Sarah observed the dark cave, etched with ancient runes she could not comprehend. As she explored further she was shocked to see an ancient statue of a woman above a shallow pool. Her body appeared to be made of crystal, her features delicate and downcast towards the pool, her hands were open, the left holding a crystal the right a sword with the words; Mutantur omnia nos et mutamur in illis. Sarah could feel the heavy burden and magic in the she drew near, Sarah jumped in shock as the woman's eyes opened, revealing bright flames underneath. Backing up she screamed as she could hear hundreds of voices whisper in her head, We are the shades of the Labyrinth. The shades of the queens before your time. You are the first queen to defeat the Labyrinth and it has chosen you. Look into the pool child and all will be revealed.

*Lost and lonely*

Jareth observed the crystal in his palm cloud with smoke. She was at one of the power centers of the Labyrinth now. Perhaps now she will understand. He glanced at the clock and bit his lips, only a few more hours now… then she would be his. The idea caused his heart to flutter in his chest. Jareth knew she wouldn't be like her mother, wrought with anger and anguish until she could finally die. Locked in a luxurious dungeon while his father's heart began to shatter. All his ancestors fell into the trap of loveless marriages. Wars of control and dominance. She will love him, and they will be slaves to each other. It was only a matter of a few, horribly long hours.