Soaring Higher (Jareth X reader)

Awakening

Authors note: the night gown and robe in the picture above is similar to what you're wearing. Thanks for reading!

My head lulled to the side, the soft satin of the pillow welcoming my skin. Beckoning me to continue sleeping. I could feel the sheets delicately draped across me and the movement in which they ran smoothly across my legs when I shifted. I smiled, having not yet opening my eyes.
I stretched not sensing anything out of place. As if everything was right.
My eyes fluttered open and I sat slowly upright noticing that I wasn't in my rundown apartment back home. All of this hadn't been a dream.

I remembered the owl from earlier and looked over at the open window to find it empty. Somewhere deep inside I was dissapointed. I wanted to gaze into the curious gaze of the owl whom had stared at me so fondly.

I looked down at myself and realized that I no longer wore my own clothes. But a beautiful nightgown. Made from the most beautiful fabric. The way it felt against my skin made me want to lay down and sleep again. I was slightly creeped out by the fact that someone had changed me while I slept but somehow I knew my privacy was uninvaded. I knee somehow it was done by magic. I spotted a mirror at the far side of the room, I gently lifted the sheets off of me and lightly dropped onto the floor with my bare feet. Walking over to it I gazed at myself in the mirror.

I surely didn't look the same as I had before. I smiled slightly at my reflection and twirled around once in the flowly garment. I found myself acting like a child again. But then I remembered where I was. I walked over to the window.

Putting my hands against it opening I looked out. And sure enough... here I was.
Back in the labyrinth once again. Although before the only sound that was to be heard was my own breathing I could now hear the irritated and childlike voices of the goblins. Tiny ones, slightly larger ones, skinny ones, fat ones, goblins of different colors, goblins with varrying amounts of hair, goblins carrying miscellaneous items, all headed about their way in the goblin city.
Although the before, the goblin city looked small it now looked vast and widespread.
I guess it's all about perspective.
Beyond the goblin city I could see it, the labyrinth itself. Infamous for trapping it navigators and confusing many foreigners. Although you would think it's sole purpose was to confuse intruders, there are creatures who live there. Wonderful creatures. Creatures ordinary people would never have dreamed up. Beautiful creatures and some quite ugly ones too.
But all of them had a purpose.
Now that I looked beyond the labyrinth itself I could see miles and miles of greenery and some other landscapes I couldn't define.
I had never had the opportunity to explore the labyrinth because last time I was too fixated on finding- Toby.

Toby...
I mustn't think about such things. He no longer cared for me and...

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of feathers and distressed clucks. I looked down at the goblins milling about in front of the castle and saw that a goblin was chasing a chicken. He and all the others around him seemed amused, bursting into laughter.
I shook my head and laughed under my breath. What children.
It looked about the break of dusk. The sun was beginning to set. Had I slept a whole day? Maybe more?

I looked back at the bed and discovered it was larger than I thought. The black woodwork looked elegant and right in contrast to the darkness of the sheets.
A ray of sun moved downwards creating shadows and focused in an area.
A giant old looking door. I raised an eyebrow and walked over to it... taking a breath I curled my hand around the smooth, grey, circular shaped handle and pulled up and pulled it to me.
The door opened with a creek. Outside the room my feet met dark brick with a long red carpet in the middle. My eyes squinted to adjust to the darkness of the hallway.
Torches aligned the walls and dimly lit the room. I closed the door quietly behind me sure not to disturb anyone. I looked to make sure I closed the door all the way. I took a step back only to hear a tiny screech.

I screamed and turned around quickly I looked up but saw no one there.
But then a heard a relieved laugh and my eyes traveled down and at just about knees height stood a tiny, Obviously old, female goblin. She looked wise and had this grandmotherly aura around her.

She put her tiny, wrinkled hand against her chest and looked up, "Oh it's just you sweetheart... you sure gave me a fright."

My eyebrows furrowed, "You know me?"

"Why yes... everyone here does."

I thought about this, I guess I would gain some recognition from beating the labyrinth and getting out of here.

"Oh..." I paused, "Well who are you? If I may ask..."

"Oh certainly!" She chuckled. A laugh that didn't fail to make you smile because it was so genuine, "Where are my manners, I'm Puzzle."

"Puzzle." I asked for conformation.

"Uh huh." She beamed up at me.

I squatted down to her level and held out my hand, "Well Puzzle, nice to meet you."

She looked suprised for a moment then eagerly shook my hand. "Well, I'll be darned... he was right you are one of a kind."

I tilted my head, "He?"

She ignored me and continued talking, I decided it wasn't her place to tell me or else she would have. "You know you don't often meet well mannered young ladies down here honey"

I let go of her hand and stood up "Yes Puzzle that was precisely what I was wanting to ask you... where exactly is here? I know we're in the castle at the center of the labyrinth but I don't know where that is. What is this place called?"

She started walking so I followed her. As her little feet padded down the hallway she spoke, "This here is the Underground. Not a place like it. Nope. No where else."

"Oh"

Well walked in silence for a bit, "Where are we going?"

"Well Y/N, my dear we are going to The Goblin King."

I stopped in place. I didn't know if I was ready to see him just yet. I'm sure I looked like a mess. I couldn't possibly face him like this. What if he resented me for beating his labyrinth last time?
What if he wanted to kill me?
He wouldn't or he already would have. That much I know.

She turned around, "What's the matter dear, don't you want to see him?"

"Well I... I- I'm afraid."

"Oh sweetheart, he's not as scary as he seems I promise. He's just a big ol' teddy bear who doesn't know how to ask for affection. Everybody assumes he's a mean ruler but he actually treats us quite fairly here. He just likes to show that he has power so they won't try to overthrow him."

We start walking again. We walk down a huge set of red carpeted stairs and I see Puzzle beginning to struggle.

"Wait..."
She stops looking up at me breathing heavily.
I put my hand under her arms and lift her up, holding her just the way I used to when Toby was a toddler. She wrapped her legs around my side, "Oh boy! Why thank you so much sweety. I had such a hard time getting up the stairs earlier." She chuckled.

I smiled at her, and continued walking down the stairs, "It's no trouble really."

Well neared the end of the stairs and I set her down gently. "Thank you again." She lead the way until we came to a set of double doors. Their shape triangular and elegant. Jewels covered the door showing that royalty dwelled beyond that door. Puzzle looked at me expectantly and I sighed.

"You want me to go in there... don't you?"
She nodded and smiled comfortingly.

"Do I at least look alright?" I asked unsure tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"You look beautiful."

"Will I ever see you again?" I was stalling. And by the smirk on her face I knew she knew it too. That way old people just know things.

"Yes you will. I can be spotted all around the castle. In fact, if you'd like I'll put a bell in your room so you can just ring it if you ever need me."

"Yes, yes I'd like that very much."

I took a breath and smoothed down my gown. I stepped forward and knocked.
The door swung open slowly.

It's him.