Well, here it is! After days of hard research (watching Labyrinth and reading fanfiction) and hours of grueling labor (sitting on my hinny, typing by minimally moving my fingers), I have successfully competed chapter one of my forthcoming fanfiction! And to those of you who have noticed that my attention span is unbearably short and completing things is excruciatingly difficult for me, I am happy to announce a solution! *holds up piece of paper* TA DA! AN OUTLINE! Now I'm set for ideas at least until Chapter Three or Four! Ah, but you didn't come here to hear my mindless chatter! So with no more ado… ^_^ Enjoy!

You have no power over me.

He soared above the treetops, the rain pricking at his body like needles. The night was dark and stormy, but the white owl scarcely noticed. A flash of lightening split the sky. His head was spinning, reeling from what had happened. Jareth, the Goblin King, Lord of the Labyrinth, Ruler of the Western Realm, bested by a mortal girl. No, not bested. Defeated. Conquered.

You have no power over me.

The words still stung his ears, each echo piercing deeper. How? He thought desperately, his drenched body trembling. He had offered her everything. Immortality, a life of luxury and power, and even himself. It was more than he had offered anyone before. And he had asked so little in return. It had been merely a trifle compared to all he had to give. She had known that. She must have known. Hadn't she?

Jareth flew on blindly, unconsciously beating his white wings against the storm. He was still in shock from her response. Even with all his magic, his powers, his Sight, he had not fathomed that she would refuse. Arrogance was partly to blame, perhaps. He knew full well how handsome he was. And to be his Queen, to rule at his side for all eternity…no mere human could have possibly overcome that temptation. Yet Sarah Williams had. She hadn't even seemed to be listening.

Jareth had poured out his heart, offered her the world, and the girl had been too busy trying to remember her lines to pay any attention.

You have no power over me.

And no sooner had the cruel words left her lips, Jareth's world shattered. By magic unknown, he had found himself cast from the underground and stripped of his powers. The days that followed were a blur. Jareth wasn't sure how long had passed. Days? Weeks? It felt more like hours.

A sudden violent gust hit the white owl, catching him by surprise. He fell only a few feet before regaining his senses and correcting his flight. Jareth was surprised to notice how weak he had become. He had been so occupied with trying to piece together what had happened, he had neglected food and rest. Jareth tried to clear his head, but found his thoughts unable to be dismissed. All he could think about was Sarah. Sometimes, it was with clenched teeth and bitter hatred, cursing her for whatever she had done to him, damning her to suffer for the rest of her finite existence. Other times, it was with an aching chest and intense longing, yearning to touch her fair face and comb his fingers through her dark, silky hair, willing to sacrifice all he owned just for the chance to hold her in his arms.

So Jareth flew on in circles, hating her, loving her, but unable to banish her from his mind.

I may have no power over you, he thought wretchedly, closing his eyes, But you have power over me.

The Goblin King was jolted out of his revelation by a white bolt of lightning that nearly grazed his wings. He reeled backwards in alarm. He had not realized how much worse the storm had gotten. Finally aware of the danger, Jareth steered himself around and soared downwards to seek shelter. There was an old oak tree not a half-mile down. Surely there was a hollow in it where he could wait out the gale.

Another lightning bolt seared past him too closely, and his downward decent became a dive. Fear was a thing that Jareth rarely felt, but now, without his magic, the Fae was reminded that even he was not above death. Only a few yerds away from the tree, the white owl saw a knothole carefully carved by some other animal. It would be snug, but at least he could be safe and dry.

Suddenly, another gust of wind slammed into him, knocking the breath from his lungs. The wind tossed him like a rag doll as he fluttered wildly in an attempt to regain control. But it was no use. Jareth hit the tree's trunk with a sickening thud, and plummeted to the ground.

He laid there limply on the wet leaves, pain overwhelming his senses. He didn't have the strength to move, and his pride wouldn't allow him to cry out, especially not in the high-pitched shriek of an owl.

Is this it? Jareth wondered miserably, darkness eating at the corners of his vision. This is how I die? No one will even recognize my body. I'll just be a simple beast, an owl who died in the storm…

As the rain drummed softly on his feathered body, he realized that dying like a common bird wasn't even what bothered him most. Nor was it dying far, far away from his home. No; what pained his heart most was the realization that he would die alone. He didn't want to die alone. He wanted to be with her. To feel her arms hold him tightly to her, her warm, soft cheek against his.

Sarah…

And with that last despairing thought, the Goblin King's world went black.

"…but why? Why must we part?" She pleaded, blinking back tears. "Why can't we stay here forever, to cut ourselves free from Time and be as eternal as the stars? We…"

Her brow furrowed, tears gone.

"…we…..we…………oh, damn it! I almost had it that time!"

Sighing, the girl glanced helplessly at the dwarf sitting on her bed.

"Hoggle, what was that last line again?"

"We need not fear beasts, men, or magic, for True Love conquers all," He replied, squinting at the small playbook.

"We need not fear beasts, men or magic, for True Love conquers all," Sarah repeated, rolling her eyes, "God! There's always one stupid line I can't remember! What if I get up there and can't remember the most important line?!"

"Yer worryin' too much," Hoggle said, slamming the playbook shut, "You'll get the part fer sure. You've been in lots'a plays before, haven't ye?"

"Yes, but this is High School, Hoggle," Sarah sighed, "Just because I was in the Junior High plays doesn't mean anything. And the try-outs are during the first week of school. I'll be all stressed out anyways, and then I'll have to remember the whole monologue, too!"

"Ehh," the dwarf grunted, waving his hand, "You'll be fine. Yer stronger than ye think. Even some a' the goblins are afraid of ye."

The girl chuckled.

Seeing that she was in a better mood, Hoggle cleared his throat nervously, and spoke up.

"Say, Sarah, I been meanin' ta talk ta ye."

Hearing his sudden change of tone, Sarah turned around. Whenever the dwarf made an attempt at being well-spoken, something was the matter.

"What is it? What's wrong?" She asked.

"Ah, nothin', nothin'!" Hoggle said quickly, but she knew that he wasn't telling the truth. Something was bothering him.

He looked at the floor, muttering to himself.

"How come I has to be the one who says it? Didymus was here jus' two days ago, and he didn't say nothin'… 'bravest soul in the Labyrinth' my a-"

"Hoggle?"

"Ah! Sorry! Right!" He said, looking back up. He cleared his throat again for good measure. "I was just curious, see…we all was, actually...'bout what happened in the castle."

Sarah swallowed. She hadn't told any of her friends about what had happened in the Escher Room, or what he had said. The girl looked back at her mirror and set about brushing her hair with vigor.

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Hoggle tried, trying to clarify, "What happened between ye an' Jareth?"

Sarah wracked her brain for a good response. Something that was vague.

"Nothing, really," She lied.

"Oh," He said, "Well, from what I heard, Jareth don't take losing well, and Didymus thought that the two 'a ye might have fought to the death or some garbage like that."

The dwarf chuckled nervously, before noting Sarah's silence, and raising his eyebrows.

"Ye…ye didn't kill him, did ye?"

"No! No, of course not!" She balked, whirling around, "I didn't touch him!"

"Oh, good!" He said in relief, putting a hand over his heart.

"Why would Sir Didymus think that anyway?" Sarah said, putting her hands on her hips. She knew that she could be a little scary when she was angry, but she had never thought she had come off as a would-be murderer.

Hoggle sat down on her bed, waving a hand wearily.

"Ah, people have been comin' to all kinds of weird conclusions since…"

He froze mid-sentence. It was obvious that he hadn't meant to say that aloud.

The girl frowned.

"Since…?"

"…since…well…since the King disappeared."

Sarah stood in stunned silence for a few moments. Finally, she spoke up.

"Jareth…he's gone missing? For how long?"

"Don' know exactly," Hoggle answered, rubbing his head. "Not as if I tried to seek him out, ye know. I didn't have a death wish! But…the goblins hasn't seen hind nor hair o' him since ye left."

The girl felt a hard knot form in her stomach. She remembered the look on his face just before the clock chimed. His wide eyes and open mouth, a look of utter disbelief staining his arrogant face. However, in the second before the swirling magic had engulfed them both, his expression had changed to one of pain. Had something happened to him? By conquering the Labyrinth, had she accidentally done something to him? Sarah forcibly cleared those sort of thoughts from her head, surprised she felt such guilt over the disappearance of a man who had gleefully drug her through hell.

"Oh, he's probably just off sulking in a tree somewhere," She snorted, "You said yourself he was a sore loser. And why are you so worried about Jareth anyway?"

"I ain't worried about Jareth!" Hoggle spat distastefully, "His Royal Haughtiness can rot in an oubliette fer all I care! I'm worried about us!" The dwarf calmed down a little and shook his head. "The surroundin' realms ain't what you'd call friendly, and Edorin would love ta get his hands on the Labyrinth."

"Edorin?" Sarah asked, "Who's he?"

Hoggle shook his head.

"I keep forgetting that ye don't know anything. Edorin's the Troll Lord. Nasty piece a' work, too. Goblins is mischievous, but Trolls is downright evil."

Suddenly, a baby's cry rang out from the other room, making both Sarah and Hoggle jump.

"Oh, we must have woken Toby up!" The girl exclaimed, rushing towards the door. "I better go calm him down before Dad gets home."

She looked back to see her dwarven friend climbing back into her vanity mirror.

"I guess I better go, too," Hoggle said, a leg disappearing into the mirror's surface, "Last time I was gone too long, that big oaf Ludo wandered into a fairy's nest. Took hours just ta cut all the pests out of his hair. 'Night, Sarah."

"Good night, Hoggle," Sarah replied, and added, "And…be careful, okay?"

He gave her a crooked grin, and disappeared into the mirror.

Far away, a tall figure lounging on a steel throne looked on as they parted.

"Sage advice, mortal," He murmured, "Let's see how your friends fare without your help." He twirled his finger, sending the marble orb spiraling upwards, watching as the human girl rocked her infant brother in her arms. Then, he flicked his wrist, and the Seeing-Stone –along with the picture of the girl – shattered into dust.

Well, hope you enjoyed the first chapter. It will definetly get more interesting from now on, I promise! AND PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW! Constuctive criticism and suggestions are quite welcome! Your comments are treasured by me forever! 3