The Labyrinth

The begining

Siofra Williams curses and falls out of the tree she's hanging in as the clock tower starts to toll, she was supposed to be home by then but had lost track of time as she read her new book. She quickly brushes the dirt of her patchy multicolored ankle length skirt, and black crop top, her golden bangles jingling on her arms. Grabbing her book she takes off running, her bare feet do not make a sound even when she steps on dead leaves or twigs. As Siofra heads out the park and down the street towards her house a white barn owl flies out of the tree she had been reading in.

Siofra sighs in relief as she reaches her house, she wasn't that late so maybe her dad and her stepmother Irene would let her off easy. She opens the door and heads inside, just as she turns around to close the door Irene's voice rings out, "Your late Sarah!". Siofra sighs and turns around, "My apologies Irene, i lost track of time. Also please call me by my Siofra, I am uncomfortable being addressed with my middle name." She deadpans exasperated, Irene seemed to think the name her mother had given her was not 'normal' enough and had called her Sarah the entire time they'd known each other. "I will call you what I want! You are a minor living in my house!" Irene shoots back infuriated, "I will only be a minor for a few more months." The younger woman counters calmly annoyed. Irene shoots her a glare and grinds out her voice filled with displeasure, "Go find your father and get your brother from him, the damn kid won't stop sniveling, you can make up some food if you need it.". Siofra rolls her eyes at Irene and heads off to the living room where the sounds of her father panicking trying to calm her brother where coming from, at least he wasn't full on wailing. That meant her father hadn't done anything completely stupid to try cheer him up yet. She is met with the sight of her brother crying in front of what seemed to be a toppled tower of blocks and her father looking like he was about to pull his hair out. She swoops in gracefully and picks up her brother giving him a hug and letting him settle his head onto her shoulder patting his back to comfort him his quiet sobs slowly calming down. "What did you do now Papa?" She questions her father once Toby has settled down, looking sheepish but relieved to see her Robert Williams tells her, "Well you see he seemed a bit grumpy so I tried to read him a story, that didn't work so I wasn't sure what to do until I remembered I still hadn't given him his new blocks, I left him playing with them until Irene called me to ask if I knew where her diamond earrings were and I kind of tripped over his tower in my haste and knocked it down." Siofra rolls her eyes at her clumsy absentminded father and sighs, "Irene is pissed and wants to go. I'd advise you hurry and grab your stuff, I'll handle Toby.". He quickly jumps up with a look of panic on his face and calls out to her as she watches him head out the living room into the foyer, "Thanks for the help! I'll see you tomorrow alright!". Siofra turn her attention to her brother bouncing him up and down and patting his back, as soon as she hears the door slam she sighs relieved the adults were finally gone and tells him, "Let's get ourselves something to eat little one." The 1 year old just gives her a grin, she heads to the kitchen to  take inventory of what food is in, grabbing one of the milk ice lollies she had made earlier to help with Toby's teething and giving it to him to keep him happy in his high chair. Looking through the fridge and the cupboards reveals some spaghetti and bolognaise sauce, Siofra decides to make this as it was quick to make and easy enough for Toby to eat. Humming she quickly whips up the meal serving some in one of Toby's plastic bowls, some in a bowl for her and leaving the rest for later she also grabs a towel, after all Toby is probably already sticky from that ice lolly, by the end of this meal he'll probably be a bolognese monster. Once they'd both eaten and gotten cleaned up Siofra decides that it is time for Tobi to go to bed and grabs a bottle whilst they head upstairs to his nursery. She sits down on the comfortable rocking chair and puts Tobi on her lap facing her, "Alright Tobi what do you want to read tonight." Tobi just babbles at her "Mamamama. Samama.", Siofra just laughs giving him a tight hug that squishes his face into her bust. "Alright what about I read you this book? It's called the labyrinth and i haven't got far into it so I don't mind reading it again." Tobi just gives a a wide smile completely uncomprehending of her words. Laughing again she tells him, "Ok I'm gonna pretend to be the girl and you can be the little brother that gets wished away.". Making exaggerated gestures and sounding quite amused she narrates,
"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl whose stepmother always made her stay home with the baby. And the baby was a spoiled child, and wanted everything for himself, and the young girl was practically a slave. But what no one knew is that the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl, and he had given her certain powers. So one night, when the baby had been particularly cruel to her, she called on the goblins for help! "Say your right words," the goblins said, "and we'll take the baby to the Goblin City. And you will be free." But the girl knew that the king would keep the baby in his castle for ever and ever and ever, and turn it into a goblin. But one night when the baby and her stepmother had been especially cruel to her she said, "I can bear it no longer! Goblin King! Goblin King! Wherever you may be, i wish the goblins would take this child away!"." Unable to resist laughter anymore she hugs her brother as she shakes in laughter, "I would never wish you away Tobi, you're to sweet. But honestly who would wish a child away? Well I guess if they didn't realise it would actually happen maybe... anyway it's bedtime now alright?" Siofra tells him as she puts him in his crib with his bottle and turns the lights out. As she prepares to leave so her brother can sleep the light suddenly starts flickering, she turns around panicked and she's her brother is gone. The windows burst open and wind blows in as fast things seem to start rolling across the floor or appearing under things, she starts to hyperventilate and calls out frantically, "Tobi!!!! Tobi!!!!". A white barn owl suddenly swoops into the room and white smoke appears hiding it from view, once it starts to disperse it reveals a white haired man wearing medieval looking clothes with looks too unnaturally... perfect. It seems impossible for this man to be human and suddenly her mind connects the dots and she realizes, "You're the goblin king aren't you?" Her voice is dazed and unfocused, clearly in shock. "Do not ask questions you already know the answer to." He says with a smirk. Suddenly she straightens up and gains a glint of determination in her eyes, "Give me my brother back. I did not wish him away I was just reading him the story.". Sounding amused he said, "You still said it. I've brought you a... gift. See this crystal?" Out of nowhere a crystal ball appears in his hand, "If you turn it this way and look into it... it'll show you your dreams. But this is no gift for an ordinary girl, who takes care of a screaming baby. Do you want it?" She glares at him as he turns it around revealing an image of herself in a lab with one wall completely made of glass overlooking a beautiful lake surrounded partly by forest and partly by mountain as she performs experiments in a white labcoat. "I love my brother more than anything and I will take him back from you." She says her determination not faltering. "Siofra... don't defy me! You're no match for me, Siofra!" He tells her his voice low and angry. "I will have my brother back and no Fae or Goblin will stop me." She shoots back her voice sounding even angrier than his, "Fine." He says bitingly, he turn on his heel and gestures at her to follow him onto the balcony. Siofra takes in a sharp breath as a massive labyrinth comes into view surrounding a town and a massive castle. "He's there... in my castle. Do you still want to look for him?" He says smugly, "Is that... the castle beyond the Goblin City?" She says sounding amazed. "Turn back, Siofra Sarah Williams. Turn back before it's too late." He warns her, "I can't. Don't you understand that I can't?" She replies desperately, he was her baby brother, her life, her only friend, the only thing tying down her sanity. The goblin king only sighs, "You have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth, before your baby brother becomes one of us... forever." She turns around to look at him but he's already vanished. "Damn Fae." Siofra growls out and starts the trek down the hill to the edge of the labyrinth. As she approaches the labyrinth wall the greenery becomes less wild and more organised and she can see a short creature spraying what must be the Fae equivalent of pests. She approaches it quietly and asks, "Do you know the way into the labyrinth?" The creature seems to jump into the air clutching its heart clearly startled. "Don't do that! You almost gave me a heart attack!" He says gruffly, or at least it seems to be a man. "Why are you asking me anyway, I thought you High Fae didn't have to go through it?". Siofra flushes red, "I'm not a Fae. I accidentally wished my brother away by reading him a story." The creature raises one of its bushy eyebrows, "Huh, it's just you look like you belong to the Seelie courts and are definitely as quiet as that damn goblin king. I suppose you're just an odd human then. I'll open the labyrinth for you but don't expect any more help. I'm Hoggle by the way".  "Thank you Hoggle!" She cries out relieved as an opening appears where there hadn't been before. "Keep safe Hoggle!" Siofra calls out as she run down the passageway. It felt like she'd been going on forever when she finally took a break. She had expected she'd see an opening sooner and was quite sure something was going on. Perhaps she was looking at this the wrong way. She started to feel along the walls when suddenly her hand went through, like an illusion had dispelled she could now see a well hidden entrance. "Thank goodness!" She sighs in relief. Hopefully this maze wouldn't get too much harder.

"I'm coming for you Tobi."