Those Cruel Eyes Edition 1

Chapter 11

The entrance to the Labyrinth was overgrown with kudzu and fallen branches. The doors were hanging of their rusted hinges. The place looked unkempt and ghastly. "What happened?" Emmeline asked, motioning to the crumbling Labyrinth. Jareth looked embarrassed. "You said the Labyrinth was a beauty." Emmeline said accusingly.
"It was," Jareth replied, running a hand through his hair. "Things... fell apart... after Sarah left." He turned a slight shade of pink.
"Well, we aren't going to solve the Labyrinth standing here. We'd better get a move on." Emmeline started walking towards the broken wooden doors, stumbling over weeds that threatened her ankles. Jareth followed closely behind her.
The inside of the Labyrinth was no better than the outside. Branches and weeds were rotting or growing through the walls or on the ground. A fair amount of glitter coated every inch of the piles of wood.
"Yeesh, does a wood cutter live here? Or are you just conserving for winter?" Emmeline asked as she tripped over yet another fallen branch. Jareth smiled but did not answer. Out of the blue, a high- pitched voice called, "Hey you! Wha' are you doin' here?" Jareth turned and looked straight at the Labyrinth wall, close to the ground. When Emmeline looked, she was shocked to see a small, blue worm. Jareth just stared at it. "I'm here to regain my throne," Jareth answered finally. The worm blanched. "Oh my," was its reply. Immediately, it scurried off and disappeared in a small hole in the wall.
"What was that all about?" Emmeline asked.
Jareth looked dark. "One of Hoggle's messengers."
Emmeline was silent. Then, with no warning what so ever, Emmeline blurted, "How did you become King? Why, if you live here, why did you go to New York, of all places?"
Jareth looked at Emmeline, and saw that she was only curious, and a little embarrassed.
"Sorry," Emmeline said, appalled, "I just thought that, if we are going to be walking through a Labyrinth with thirteen hours, we might as well talk about something. Besides, I hardly know you and I'm saving the reputation of a person whom I'm not sure if his reputation is worth saving."
Jareth smiled. "Nah, that's okay." He cleared his throat. "Ah, let's see, five hundred years or so ago I was a normal human, like yourself and living somewhere... can't remember where. Anyways, I was a singer, and I was not very popular. You see, where I lived, art was practically nonexistent and many snubbed it or called it witchcraft. Well, I had gone to many homes and places in search of work and stumbled upon a, uh, portal if you will. I was curious, so I went through and found this realm. It was magnificent. A gorgeous, solid stone Labyrinth, goblin servants, and a imperial Goblin King. Now, after I befriended the King, he became my music mentor.
"Not long after we became friends, I'd stop by the Labyrinth and chat with him while he explained to me what it was like ruling over goblins while I told stories from my younger days.
One day in January, I had gone back to the portal as usual, only to find it sealed. Confused, I patted the ground for any sign of an opening. That's when I first officially met Hoggle. He lead me back to my shack, although I had no idea how he knew the way. When we were all comfortably settled at my home, he explained to me that their King had died."
He said it casually, but Emmeline could see the grief behind his eyes. Emmeline patted his arm as Jareth continued his story.
"Hoggle explained to me that the King, on his deathbed, specifically instructed that I was to be the next leader of the goblin race. I agreed, and Hoggle taught me the things that I would need to know to become a decent King.
"It took two long months before Hoggle proclaimed that I was ready. I ditched my old life and became the man of my dreams: a ruler of music and mischief. I was the King for years, treating those sniveling beasts just as my friend had treated them before me. 'Those goblins are nothing but servants,' he'd say, 'they don't deserve pity, or they'll backstab you.' Then, one day, Sarah came along." Jareth's face softened and an inner glow seemed to emanate from his skin.
"She was beautiful, I remember. Her hair dark and shiny her eyes like two emeralds..." he sighed wistfully. Emmeline resisted the urge to mime barfing. She waited a little impatiently for Jareth to continue.
"The only problem with your mother at the time was that she was young, immature, a child. She was sixteen, but she behaved as if she were younger. When she wished her brother away, it gave me a wonderful chance to connect with her and mature her, perhaps make her love me enough to stay. Now, I hadn't been around people for three hundred years, so I didn't really know how to capture her attention. So, I did my best-," He stopped in mid-sentence and wrinkled up his nose. His face hardened and he gazed on something behind Emmeline. She turned around to see what Jareth was looking at and found herself staring at the ugliest thing she had ever seen in her life. She started, and then scooted closer to Jareth.
"What... is that?" Emmeline asked Jareth, a bit appalled.
"Hoggle. I think he's a goblin, but I thought I remembered pulling that thing out of the toilet."
Hoggle sneered. "Worm." He snarled rudely in the direction of Jareth. His gaze switched to Emmeline. "And what are you? Are you something Jareth scraped off the bottom of his shoe?" Hoggle looked back at Jareth. "Is she a new daughter to make up for the one you abandoned?" He cackled rudely. Jareth flushed a deep red and flinched violently as if Hoggle had slapped him.
Emmeline felt confused, but put on a convincing mask of attitude. "So, you're Hoggle," Emmeline said, hands on her hips. She cocked her head and pretended to simper. "Weren't you a friend of my mother's? I'm Emmeline, Sarah's daughter. Apparently, picking good friends is another thing my mother lacks." Her voice grew colder until it was frosty enough to freeze over the Labyrinth. Jareth patted her shoulder.
Hoggle, realizing who this girl was, put on an feeble front of concern and warmth. "Emmeline!" he said, choosing to ignore her last comment, "There you are! Your mother and I were so worried." Hoggle reached for Emmeline but she slapped him away.
"Yeah right," Emmeline sneered. "I'm sure your heart bleeds for me. Don't even touch me. I want to keep that smell out of my clothes. Now, go away, leave us alone." On that note, Emmeline swatted Hoggle out of the way and continued down the path he was blocking. Jareth followed her, throwing a very smug face at an infuriated Hoggle.