The Storyteller

Chapter 1

Say your right words. The goblins said.

Once upon a time... no that doesn't sound right.

In a kingdom far far away...

oh, that's, not it, where did she learn that rubbish, it doesn't even start with I wish!

I wish to tell you a tale, it might not be what you're used to.

Ah, now that's more like it.

Will you guys shut up and let me tell the story!

Ooh sorry!

Right, where was I.. Oh yes just where any story starts, at the beginning.

Our story begins with a prophecy, a prophecy for told about a King, now this prophecy isn't about a great battle or saving the entire underground. It is a chance to end his own personal loneliness and find his true love but as with all prophecies, it is not set in stone, for it is our choices that define our futures.

A new Goblin King shall rise,

He shall take his people into a new era of prosperity.

The lost and lonely will be welcomed into his kingdom,

But his own loneliness will begin to eat away at him.

Time will take its toll as it often does,

In his despair, he will meet his true love.

She will be a being not of the underground,

Yet very much connected to it.

A warning I must now give,

For if, you do not recognize your love,

You risk the loss of her and an eternity of loneliness shall be yours.

Jareth the Goblin King reigned over his people with a firm but generous hand, he wasn't cruel for the sake of being cruel, he allowed all manner of creatures seeking shelter to make a home within his kingdom. Now I'm not going to bore you with all the details on how exactly he changed the kingdom but I will say that the kingdom grew and grew thanks to the changes he made as it was prophesied.

Our story would be incomplete without our love interest, it may seem confusing at first but bare with me and all will be revealed, you will finally know the truth of how our beloved King and his Queen came to be.

"Ariadne, it is just not safe for you to be there. You are about to take your place as the true power of the labyrinth within a matter of days. This is a very closely guarded secret, not even the King will truly know who exactly you are, you will only communicate with him through telepathy." Ariadne's mother Rhea, was very protective of her daughter.

"Matris please, I know how important it is that who I am, remains a secret but I just want one night to be like any other fae and go to a ball." Ariadne pleaded.

"I have said no and that is final." She said sternly.

Ariadne's face fell as she knew from the tone of her mother's voice that she would not be able to change her mind.

"Now, now what's all the long faces about?" A tall, graceful woman spoke as she walked into the forest clearing where Ariadne and her mother were sitting.

"Avia!" Ariadne shouted as she rushed over to her grandmother, Libera, and hugged her tightly.

"What has you all upset my Aria?" Libera asked gently wiping the tears from her face.

"I have told her she may not attend the Kings ball tonight," Rhea explained.

"Well, of course, she must go to the ball." Libera counteracted.

"Really I can go?" Ariadne asked excitedly.

"Why must you always undermine me?" Rhea stormed off out of the clearing and deeper into the forest.

"You wait here for me dear, we have a lot to do today if we are going to get you to the ball on time. I just have to talk to your mother." Libera kissed her on the forehead and quickly followed after Rhea.

She walked swiftly through the trees before coming to a small path that led to their house. The house was fairly large, with lovely rose bushes of all colours growing underneath the windows. Just to the back of the house stood a tall tower, this tower was hidden by magic and only a select few could see it. The tower was the true heart of the labyrinth. Libera knew that this is where Rhea would be hiding.

"Come now Rhea, what is this truly about?" Libera asked her as she walked into the room at the top of the tower. The room was sparsely furnished it had a few comfy chairs of deep blue scattered with silver embroidered cushions. The most notable thing in the room was a very large silver mirror, the frame itself looked like the labyrinth. The mirror was used to scry the great maze for any problems and also to keep watch on any runner's.

"Oh mother I don't want her to go, when she meets the King the prophecy will run its course and we could lose her forever." Rhea turned to the window as she sobbed.

"The prophecy as you well know is not set in stone, he may surprise us all and see her for who she is." Libera was uncertain of who she was trying to convince, herself or Rhea.

"Mother you don't really believe that." Rhea scoffed.

"Unfortunately the King is very much set on the idea that the prophecy is pointing him towards a mortal. But there is nothing we can do it will happen eventually we would either lose her to this or to her own loneliness." Libera said sadly.

"She doesn't have to be lonely, though, she is close with Derryn perhaps he can make her happy," Rhea interjected hopefully.

"You and I both know that would never work she is too high-spirited for Derryn to handle. No, she needs to do this Rhea, I do not blame you for trying, had I known it would be our Aria I wouldn't have given the King the prophecy in the first place." She sighed solemnly.

"Does she know?" Rhea asked.

"No, and she will not be told either, let nature run its course," Libera spoke firmly.

"Now I must go and help Aria attend her duties." She hugged her daughter before leaving the tower and returning to the clearing where Ariadne waited.