Labyrinth: Time Long Past

Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5
I must admit that it was the nicest dinner I had ever had I was ever so relaxed and comfortable talking to him about myself, and vis versa, listening to him tell me about himself. "It's nice to have someone so interesting in my castle, I don't really get many visitors besides the odd elf and their not really much fun" Jareth said with a smirk on his face. I laughed but I still had some serious questions that I needed answering. "And what about that man yesterday, I'm going to go ahead and assume he's not a friend" Jareth chuckled
"indeed he is not".
He lent forward and took hold of his chalice of wine before continuing talking. "The man who attacked us yesterday is my brother, Eregor. And he attached us......" I new the answer so thought I'd butt in "because he thinks that the throne is rightfully his".
Jareth looked at me and tilted his head "Yes, but there is way more to it than that. I am the oldest son and therefor the heir to the throne, we did have a sister but she....died years ago. Eregor was always a troubled child and one day, when Eregor was older, my father found him practicing dark magic and banished him from the lands, a year later my father died and I became king. Years later there was a great battle with the black orcs of glonderfel, many of mine and my allies men fell. Even I was almost slain but we were saved by Eregor and his army of rogue orcs. I thanked him for his help and allowed him to come back from his exile, and glad my brother was home." Jareth sighed deeply.
"I did all I could to get him back into the castle but all he did was wreak havoc among my people, killing, stealing and even raping when he pleased. I had to send him away. He said the throne would have been lost without him, that he was a better warrior and a better leader, a better king than I could ever be. I sent him and his army of orcs away. And from that day on he has promised to kill me and all I love".
I looked looked at Jareth and saw the pain in his eyes. He did love his brother but for the good of the kingdom and for those he cared most about he had to do the right thing. "I'm sorry" I said exhaling loudly. "No it's alright" he smiled at me and walked over to my side of the table gesturing to the balcony doors, "Would you like to take a walk with me? It's a lovely night, the sky is clear to air is warm". He put his hand out for me to take. "My lady" he smiled as I took his hand.
We walked for awhile through a maze of hedges and then onto the beach. He asked me questions about what I enjoyed doing what I was good at. I tried to ask about him but he quickly changed the subject back to me. It felt nice that someone was so keenly interested in what I liked and just me in general. I told him I loved animals, art, fantasy and that I played the guitar, although he seemed to be quite confused as to what one of them was.
"So what have you always wanted to have or do?" Jareth asked. "Well I've always wanted to ride a horse". I looked up embarrassed and saw him looking at me with a massive grin. "would you like to?" He asked. I smiled and we continued walking along the beach.

After awhile we came to the rock face of a cliff which at first looked like....well a rockface but there was a staircase leading up through the rock and back to the castle. Once at the top Jareth took me to the stables to see the horses. He said I could have one if I wanted and name it myself. I picked a huge black stallion with a long flowing mane and fur around his hooves, he was heavily muscled with a broad face and by far the tallest horse I'd ever seen. "I'll call him shadow" I said stroking his striking mane. "Would you like to ride him?" Jareth said also stroking him. "Yes. I mean defiantly, I mean yes please." Jareth laughed at my mumbling and gave me some cloths to change into for riding.
I went into one of the saddle rooms to change into the cloths. They were black and leather. I put on the leather pants and black poller neck top surprised at how well they fitted. The knee high boots also were a perfect fit and made me taller which I kinda liked. The coat was the best piece by far. It was short at the front and long at the back like a penguin tail coat. The buttons were black and made from some sort of igneous rock which complimented the sparkly material. It was like looking into a stray night sky, you could get lost in the flickering light that caught on each thread of silver, gold and blue. Once dressed I looked at myself in the cracked mirror and admired how actually comfortable they were, and how surprisingly fitting they were to me.
When finished I walked back into the main part of the stables and saw Jareth stood in almost all white riding gear. He was patting his horse on its side. Jareths horse was the same size as mine. A beautiful but pure white mare with a pink snout and crystal blue eyes. "Wow she's magnificent" I said stoking her main. "What's her name?" I asked. "Majesty" he smiled. "A very fitting name" I smiled and he smiled proudly back guiding me to shadow to help me on. He lifted me up on to shadow with ease and I made myself comfortable. He then pulled himself on on majesty and did the same.
"Wait I don't know how to ride him! What do I do? What if I fall?" I said nervously. "It's fine" Jareth said in comfort. "He's very gentle and calm, he wouldn't hurt you". Jareths words some how almost immediately reassured me. I trusted what him.
Jareth grabbed his reins and sat up straight "Right, shall be go?" He asked. I nodded and took shadows reins. As we started off I noticed the contrast between me and Jareth, him all in white and me in black. His blonde hair and my dark brown brown hair. Even the horses. It was like good and evil. Dark and light. Angels and demons. It was like we were one in the same thing. One thing that cannot exist without the other.
That was the moment I realised I was fall for the goblin king.