I know that I haven't posted anything in a while. It's been a slow mind moment. I hope ya'll like it, and that it wasn't too confusing. Tell me what ch'ya think?

"But what no one knew was that the Goblin King had fallen in love with the girl."
----

He looked at her, pleading for her little brother back. He was unrelenting, as merciless as he was with all the others before her. He had to admit, when she denied his crystal to show her all her dreams, he was impressed. He hadn't thought that a girl like her would care enough to fight for her brother. He stepped closer when she stood, looking at his labyrinth. He didn't know why, but the way her hair caressed his face in the wind, the close proximity. It all seemed so familiar. An image of an old dream flashed across his mind. He was falling, a dark haired beauty with the sun at her back watching him as he fell, himself reflected in her brown eyes. But the image left as soon as it came, and he fled her side. He felt strange, oddly cold. An unknown pressure sat on his chest, making it hard to breathe, and he just had to leave, disappearing mid-sentence. He collapsed into his throne and attempted to throw off the strange feeling in his bones.

----
"And he had given her certain powers."
----

The Labyrinth hummed to life the second she entered it's realm. It's King misinterpreted this jump to life as it's working up for another runner and paid it no mind. But the Labyrinth wasn't preparing for it's next runner, it was preparing itself for the entrance of it's Queen. The humming power running into the veins of every creature inhabiting the Labyrinth. The message was simple enough so that the king wouldn't notice it, thinking it merely a warning of just another runner. The creatures followed this primal instinct to treat this runner with a kindness never shown any runner before it, or after it since.

It wasn't until she'd reached the Oubliette that the King finally realized she was different from the others. For some reason, a reason he couldn't quite put a finger on, his labyrinth was treating her differently.

In a vain attempt to try and get to the bottom of this phenomena, he hid himself in a ridiculous costume and waited for her and the Hogbrain to come to him, using a crystal to lead them closer. He insulted the little gardener, of course he knew his name. It was just simply too entertaining to bother him about it. He left the goblin to bother the mysterious girl standing not three feet away. He wasn't in full control when he leaned close, tasting the air around her. She was like a black hole, pulling everything around her closer and closer. He simply couldn't not move too close.

Her hair smelled vaguely of peaches.

He tempted her, almost set her up to test his own patience. Usually the power emanating form behind the leather, his close proximity, and a sibling at stake, the normal runner would've sunk against the stone, terrified and pleading for an easier way to redeem themselves. However, this runner was different. She demanded stubbornness, a wild horse refusing to be broken. She reared her head and proved that he could not intimidate her. He wasn't used to such an action of defiance, he'd only barely expected her to act like this. His teeth clicked together and he wanted to prove his power to her. She was in his labyrinth, under his rule, he was the one with all the power. He took away three hours, his chest swelling with pride at the astonished cry of 'It's not fair!' and , of course, he couldn't help but to frustrate her further by making the snide comment of, 'You say that so often. I wonder what the basis for comparison is.' He then went even further, to prove his amazing power over her in his world, by sending a cleaner after her. If his assumption was correct, then it wouldn't harm her. Apparently his labyrinth wouldn't allow something so dreadful.

----
"You remind me of the babe. What babe? The babe with the power."
----

It was fitting. A dream induced by a peach given to her by someone she trusted. It was a lovely dream, personally spun by his hands, taking one parts of the situation he knew she'd love to be dragged into, and one parts, although he'd never admit it at the time, the perfect excuse he'd need to be even closer.

I repeat, it was fitting. A dream that brought her to him, a dream that haunted him, and a dream to bring them together.

He watched as she searched the crowded room. He knew it was the left over feeling of searching for something, something important, making her wander the room. He knew this situation, the very chords being magically played now having haunted him for decades in his own dreams. He knew those lips, parted in a tauntingly open invitation. He knew those eyes, wide and curious, soaking in everything she saw. He even knew that atrocious dress that hid any and all curve she might have. Of course, this wasn't helpful in the situation at all. By covering her curves with the largest dress he'd ever seen, she'd actually plunged his thoughts into wondering where those curves actually were. He looked into her eyes and he was reminded of a black hole all over again, only this time more powerful. He shrugged of the women hanging on his shoulders and walked straight for her, capturing her in his arms and turning her into the beginning of a waltz. It wasn't a great realization, he knew the second he'd seen her. This was the girl who'd haunted his dream for centuries. He'd fallen in love with her years ago, and here she was now, in his arms. She was real, so much more than a dream.

But she saw the clock, heard the chime. It was stupid of him to put the clock there now that he thinks back on it. It was just another way to show her the power he held over her. Of course she would've remembered what it really was that she was searching for. Of course she'd see him only as a Villain. He watched as she ran away, leaving him in a crowd of people, feeling suddenly very cold.

He should've known, but he didn't. And she escaped his grasp once again.

----
"How you turn my world, you precious thing."
----

He watched as she ran up and down the stairs of his castle, another distraction. He tried once again to show her how he felt for her. She just ignored him and continued to chase her little brother when finally she found the one spot that led somewhere. This was it. His last attempt to catch her, keep her forever.

"I ask for so little. Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I shall be your slave." But she just continued spouting her right lines, the lines that would cut him out forever.

There was nothing he could do but accept that he, in fact, had no power after all.

----
"You're eyes can be so cruel, just as I can be so cruel."
----

She leaned over the bridge, a silver band glinting on her finger. She looked out at the park she'd once inhabited so often, memorizing lines from a story. That's all it was, after all. Just a story.

The man who'd haunted her dream was nothing more than a dream.

The love she felt for him was nothing more than a dream.

The song he sang was nothing more than something shed invented.

She was a grown woman now, seven years after the dream that had changed her life. She thanked that story for teaching her to grow up, stop acting like such a spoiled child. Of course, she still believed in fairies. She still kept the book on her shelf, and she knew that you should always be careful of what you say.

She had a practical fiancé, somebody who shared none of her childish beliefs, and disliked her favorite storybook. However, he was there, he was real. And he found her love of those things enduring. And, she supposed, she loved him, too.

She sighed, laying her head in her arms, and watched the lake ripple as the ducks swam gracefully across. She'd never tried to call on him again. After that day in the park, she'd never seen that owl again. Why even tempt herself like that? She knew he wasn't real. He was just a dream.

She closed her eyes and there he was. Watching her with an amused look on his face. His hair wild and looking oh-so-touchable. His lips were curled in a haughty smirk that made her lips part slightly. The look in his eye caused her to shrink back into herself slightly. It was an image of him she'd tried to throw away for the past seven years. But it continued to haunt her.

She didn't love him like she loved him. She didn't think of him like she thought of him. Even if he wasn't real, the mention of his name never brought her out of a revere like his name would. Even if he was here and he wasn't. She did the one thing she knew could possibly, probably, save her.

And for the first time in seven years, she whispered his name.

----
"You have no power over me."

So, that's the end. ;D This is where I tell you the best part. You guys get to end it! It's a CONTEST! Yes, that's right people! Whoever writes the best ending to this story gets an illustration for their ending. (I'm actually a pretty good illustrator and would love an excuse to draw!) Please notify me by private message or in the reviews and Ill read it. The Deadline for this strange little contest is in three weeks; June 8th, at exactly three thirty am. I will then take one week to choose and prepare the prize for the winner.

Good luck and I can't wait to read your enteries!