Here's my start. Take it with a grain of salt if you wish...
Imagine, if you will, a castle. A dark, foreboding castle that probably saw its last cleaning at the dawn of man. A castle overrun with crooked, mischievous little goblins. And this castle stands in the center of an equally dirty and goblin-infested town, appropriately named Goblin City. An unfamiliar observer might think this a chaotic mess without a leader, without a king. WRONG! There is a leader, a king. And do not think that this king cannot handle his minions. The disorder is more organized than you think and just to the suiting of the Goblin King, Jareth. This Jareth is a complex man and more difficult to decipher than Calculus. But let's not get ahead of ourselves...let's start at the beginning of Jareth's rule. How he became king is of little relevance here. Suffice it to say that kingship has not changed his demeanor in the least. Back to the beginning...
A cool wind blew through the red Underground sky, whipping Jareth's long, blonde hair around his stern, yet handsome face haphazardly. He surveyed his kingdom from a small window in his throne room. Behind him, goblins rolled around like puppies...drunk puppies...and made quite a ruckus in the otherwise quiet castle.
"Shut up!" Jareth yelled over his shoulder, silencing the goblins. "You're giving me a headache..."
Jareth looked out over the labyrinth, his pride and joy, the culmination of all his creative efforts. He couldn't wait for the first visitor. He had his eye on several people Aboveground that had the potential: young boys and girls with vivid imaginations and bratty little brothers or sisters. Jareth had conveniently led these prospects to the book "Labyrinth" and watched in total amusement from his crystals as they soaked in every word, never having the courage to say the words.
"One day someone will," he laughed arrogantly, "and I will have my fun...and a few more goblins to add to my family. No one could ever solve my labyrinth. No one!"
"Colin, I'm bored. Why can't we do something else already?" Colin was upset. He was stuck chaperoning his 13 year-old cousin Deirdre while his aunt and uncle were visiting, and the last thing this high school sophomore needed was to be seen hanging out with a mere junior higher. If anybody saw him…well, Colin just wasn't going to let that happen. Instead, the two cousins had pretty much kept to Colin's room thus far, playing Nintendo and reading comic books. After three days of this, though, even Colin had to admit he was beginning to feel claustrophobic.
"Well, what else do you want to do?" Colin asked, knowing full well what Deirdre was going to suggest and that he was going to nix it.
"How about the mall? We could get some slushees, hang out, maybe even purchase some new comic books. I've gone through just about all of yours…" Deirdre trailed off at the expression on Colin's face. "Well, if not that, then how about helping me rehearse this scene I'm working on for my school's play try-outs."
"Oh," Colin scowled, "acting's stupid. Prancing around on a stage, talking to people all funny and stuff, wearing make-up…that's sissy." Colin started to look for his Mario Brothers II cartridge. There was nothing like returning to the classics when all else had failed.
"Aw, come on! I need to rehearse, and we've been playing video games for three days already. Just half an hour. Please!" begged Deirdre. "You can just read it all normal and like, you don't have to do anything special. I just need someone to prompt me for my lines." Deirdre put on her best begging face, the one she used on her father whenever she really wanted something, like a new CD or a pair of designer jeans.
Colin turned away from his game cartridges, not really wanting to play anymore anyway. "Oh, all right. For half an hour, though. No more. And don't expect me to do anything sissy, like twirl around or kiss your hand or something."
"Oh no," promised Deirdre, rummaging about in the writing binder she kept with her at all times. "This is nothing like that. Here," she said as she pushed a sheaf of photocopied pages at her reluctant cousin. "You don't have to say anything until the end of the scene. I do all of the talking until then."
"What is this?" Colin was eyeing the pages dubiously. It seemed to be about a girl and a baby, and he certainly didn't want to be pretending like he was a baby!
"It's a play about a girl who is baby-sitting her baby brother, and she wishes him away. The Goblin King comes and takes the baby, and to get her brother back the girl has to solve the Goblin King's labyrinth. You are the Goblin King, but he doesn't enter until the end of the scene."
"Aw, this is silly! I don't want to be a Goblin King. And look at these words: 'Goblin King, Goblin King, wherever you may be, take this child away from me.' How cheesy!"
Deirdre was miffed, but trying hard not to show it. She did need her cousin's cooperation, and right now she had to placate him, not call him the doofus he was. "Come on, that's only one line. And it is cheesy, I'll admit. In the story it's not even the right line. Come on, let's get started."
"No, wait…here it is. 'I wish the goblins would come and take you away, right now.'" Peter paused and looked up at his cousin. "That's cheesy too. I wish the goblins would do something actually useful, and take you and this stupid play away." Deirdre glared at Colin, so he decided to push her even further. "Right now," he added.
"Fine, if you don't want to help me rehearse, that's just dandy with me. You can just go back to playing your stupid video games." Deirdre angrily grabbed the pages out of Colin's hand and stuffed them back into her binder before storming out of the room.
Colin felt a bit guilty about upsetting his cousin so much, but she didn't have to be so uptight about it. He was just joking, after all. Colin walked over his Nintendo and slip Mario Brothers into the slot.
*****
"Colin! Deirdre! Come down for dinner." Colin hit the pause button and stretched, looking at the clock beside his bed. He hadn't realized it was so late already. Deirdre hadn't come back. Colin figured she was pouting in the guest room, writing in that binder of hers. "Probably writing mean poems about me," he thought to himself. Colin stood up and headed downstairs to dinner.
When he arrived in the dining room, Deirdre wasn't there yet. "Colin, where's Deirdre?" his aunt asked.
"I don't know."
"Well, why don't you go find her and tell her it's time for dinner," his mom prodded.
Colin scowled but obediently trudged back upstairs. "Cousins are such pains," thought Colin indignantly as he reached the guest room. "Deirdre, it's time for dinner. Come on out." No response. Colin sighed and opened the door, figuring he'd probably have to apologize to her before she'd come downstairs. Deirdre wasn't anywhere to be seen, though. Oh, she had been there, that much was clear. Her binder was lying open on the bed, and the pillows were strewn haphazardly about as if somebody had been throwing them. Colin was about to leave and check the bathroom elsewhere when he noticed a crystal ball lying on the bed. "That's funny, I don't remember seeing that before."
Jareth watched the young boy frantically searching his cousin's room through narrowed eyes. Humph, right on schedule. He stopped before a large ornate mirror to adjust his robes before making his appearance. One must look the part, mustn't one? He called a crystal to him and transported himself directly in front of the startled boy, "Hello, Colin...." his sibilant whisper struck the chord of terror in the young boy's soul. This was no make-believe...no...this was too real. Colin backed up to press himself into the wall, hoping that the creature would just go away. "No such luck, my boy." Jareth smiled nastily. He crossed to stand in front of the terrified child, leaning forward and punctuating his words by tapping on Colin's chest with his riding crop, "You have thirteen hours in which to solve the labyrinth before your cousin becomes one of my slaves forever." Colin flinched and asked, "Why?" Jareth laughed and Colin just realized what the worst sound he had ever heard was.
"Why, my dear boy?" Jareth laughed evilly again, causing Colin to shake fearfully. "Just because, Colin. That's all the reason I need!"
Jareth pointed out the window, and instead of his yard and the large oak tree he used to climb in, Colin saw a desolate plain extending far into a large, ominous maze. His eyes widened in horror. It was all read. Deirdre's play was all real. And HE had wished her away!
"Of course," Jareth continued, retrieving the crystal he had left for Colin on Deirdre's bed, "you don't have to search for your cousin." The Goblin King extended his arm and let the clear orb roll onto his finger tips. "You could, instead, have your dreams."
Colin looked into the crystal, mesmerized with something he thought he saw, but then shook his head violently, as if clearing his mind. "What kind of dreams do you think I'll have knowing that Deirdre became a goblin because of me?" he exclaimed emphatically. "No, I'll solve your labyrinth, Jareth. And I'll rescue my cousin."
"You say that with such confidence that I almost believe you." Jareth smiled with amusement. "But my labyrinth is more that just an intricate maze, boy. I think you'll find your quest much harder than your had anticipated."
Colin shrugged his shoulders in defiance, walking through the windows onto the barren hill, prophetic words echoing off his lips, "It'll be a piece of cake!"
Colin heard a disgusted scream as the earth shook. "NEVER say anything resembles... A slice of iced confectionery. It's like wearing a red shirt in a wossname..."
"A bullpen?" Colin looked for the source of the voice as he tried to regain his feet. His eyes eventually came to rest on the oddest woman he'd ever seen. She was about four feet tall, with a grubby brown dress completely free of adornment. Her face could be described as passing fair, if the grade for passing was a D-.
"Right. Fine. So. It's you, off to a horrible start. I tell Jareth not to bother with soppy ones who'll probably fail, but he says I have to do this or I'll never see my fiancé." She sniffed and ran her hands down the front of her dress. "So shall we go?"
Dierdre was sitting on the floor of the throneroom, surrounded by half drunk goblins, when she saw Jareth enter the room. Her heart fluttered in her chest. Here was standing before her was the most gorgeous man she had seen. He couldn't have been more than 20 yrs old. "Only 7yrs difference," Dierdre thought as she looked into his eyes.
Jareth walked over to his throne, kicking the occasional goblin out of his way and regally sat down. Jareth smiled at Dierdre. Again her heart fluttered, and as he continued to smile at her, Dierdre started to forget about Colin.
Jareth looked at Diedre, who was contently staring back at him. "Diedre, come here," he said.
Diedre walked over to Jareth's throne. " Yes, Jareth?" she asked.
"Do you want to go home?" Jareth asked Diedre, looking into her eyes.
Diedre felt confused. "But I am home aren't I? This is my home isn't it?" asked Diedre.
An icy smile played on Jareth's lips as he put his arm around Diedre's shoulders. "Of course you are. Now, why don't you go and play with your friends."
Diedre smiled at Jareth and ran off into another room followed by five goblins. With the smile still on his lips, Jareth produced a crystal ball. Seeing Colin's face in it he started to laugh. Colin has no chance, Jareth thought as he continued to monitor Colin's movements. No chance at all!! Jareth overcome with laughter, threw the crystal into the air and it disappeared.
Jareth sat in the throne room watching the young girl
play with the little goblins. He smiled as he thought
about a wonderful addition Diedre would make to his Kingdom.
His thoughts were interupted by the soft voice of a young woman.
"Hello, Jareth," the women said in a teasing voice. Pushing her long waist length black hair over her shoulder. She was floating in mid-air and was playing with the small gold locket around her neck. Jareth looked at her as she put her feet on the ground. Everything about her phyisical fetures reminded him of a Japanese porcelain doll. She wore a black leather lace-up top that revealed her stomach and a nice cleavage, a black leather skirt, big black lace up boots, and long black gloves. Her black hair was tied up in a ponytail. She blew her bangs out of her face and continued to look at Jareth.
"Chantal. What are you doing?" Jareth asked keeping his eyes on her face, because she would know if he started to look downward. "Well, Jareth, I wasn't working tonight so I decided to see what you were up to." She glanced over Diedre. The small girl looked up at the new visitor. "New addition, Jareth?" Chantal said, for she didn't really agree with what he does. "Close, Chantal. Her cousin is out solving the Labyrinth right now."
"Do you live here?" Diedre asked Chantal with wide eyes. "No, child, I don't. I'm just visiting," Chantal answered.
"I wish you did," Jareth said making Chantal turn around and stare at him.
"You know I would not do that Jareth."
He looked hurt, "You can be so cruel to me sometimes."
She smiled back. "That is where we are almost equal, Jareth." She walkied to the window and looked out at the Labyrinth. Chantal looked for the child who was stupid enough to wish his cousin into the Labyrinth.
"You going to help him like you did Sarah?" Jareth said whispering in her ear that she could fell his hot breath on her ear.
"I was Sarah's Guardian. I had to help her. I have no concern for this boy." Jareth put his hands on Chantal's shoulders. "I would keep you distance your Majesty if I were you." He released her shoulders and backed off as she gazed out at the Labyrinth.
Colin turned left then right and then ended up at a dead end. "Oh! This is hopeless," he moaned. "Maybe I should just give up. My Aunt and Uncle could get along fine without her. Yeah, I'll just tell them what happened."
"Oh yeah, like that will work," came female voice behind him. He turned around and came face to face with Chantal.
"Ahhh who are you?" Colin yelled out.
"Well now isn't that a greeting," Chantal said with a smirk. "Well, Colin, I'm the Angel of Love."
"You're joking right. Okay now I am losing it. This place is starting to take control of my mind. This beautiful girl in front of me is just a figment of my imagination played by this place," he said laughing.
Chantal frowned and smacked him over the head. "Can figments of imagination do that? You're never going to get far like that."
Colin rubbed his head and looked at her. "A pinch is a little bit more traditional."
She smiled at him. "I got bored." Chantal put her feet on the ground.
"What are you doing here anyway?" Colin asked.
"One, I just came to smack you around. Two, I don't want you to give up. DO you think any adult would believe you if told them the truth or even a made up a story?"
Colin thought for a moment. "You're right; they wouldn't."
Chantal smiled and floated back up into the air. "Okay...well, ciao, Colin."
"Wait where are you going?" Colin yelled.
She looked down at the boy and grinned. "Don't worry, Colin. I'll be back. Oh yes, I wouldn't tell anyone about our little chat. Espically if you see Jareth, he wouldn't like it that you talked to me. You just worry about getting though the Labyrinth."
Colin ran towards her. "Wait, tell me your name."
"Like I said, I am the Angel of Love, Chantal." She then dissappered.
"Oh boy!" thought Colin. "This may be a problem." Colin was about to turn around when he heard two voices coming from behind him.
"Oh go away, you indecent slut!" screamed the strange women to Chantal, who was now gone. Colin had almost forgotten she had followed him. "Colin, women like those are nothing but trouble. Angel of Love, hah, she is more like the Angel of Lust. Especially her own."
"How can you say that?" Colin shot back. "You don't even know her."
"Oh yes I do. I know also that, that angel, so called it, she has seduced Jareth and she herself dosen't know it."
"What do you mean?" Colin asked wondering about that strange girl he just saw.
"She has no idea how much Jareth likes her. She just wants to be friends, but he wants more. I will tell you that much."
"How do you know this?"
"Because I used to work in his castle before I became who I am and that...that young women--so-called love angel--used to come and visit Jareth. That was the only time he didn't act as cruel as he normally does."
Colin thought about this for a second. "That women could be working for Jareth," he thought to himself. "But she seems so innocent."
"Don't judge her by her looks," the women said. Colin had said that line out loud.
"Well now, how are you enjoying the Labyrinth?" came a voice from behind the two of them.
"It's all one big slice of iced confectionery," Colin replied without turning around. He jammed his hands into his jeans pockets in a gesture of cool defiance. The truth was, though, that inside those pockets his fingers were twining themselves into little knots. Jareth scared him, all right. But he'd be damned if he'd show it.
"Good, good," came the hot whisper behind him. "That's what I like to hear. Well, perhaps now that you're doing so well, you wouldn't mind answering a little riddle for me? I mean, since you have so much time on your dimpled, unsullied hands."
"Whatever, man." Colin said, still refusing to face the Goblin King head-on. This is your show, isn't it? Do it up."
"Yes, it is my show, Colin, as you so colloquially put it. Delightful. Now then, the riddle. How does it go....ah, yes: 'When you can't go left, and you can't go right, when night is day and day is night, tell me little Starfish Eye, tell me where does water lie? Not in the lake, not in the sea, not in the rockpool by the tree. Answer me and answer plain, where's the water from the rain?'"
The plainfaced woman put her hands on her substantial hips. "Jareth," she said in a warning tone. "You've got some nerve laying that one on the kid." Colin remained wooden-backed, as if he hadn't heard anything.
"Oh, he looks like he can handle it. Just look at the little stoic. Thinking about his poor little sister, no doubt. I'm thinking about her, too." Jareth chuckled contentedly.
Now Colin turned around, took in the Goblin King's impressive height, his coal-black boots and grey leggings, the fitted jacket and riding crop in one pale, slender hand. "You'd better keep your paws off her, man. You're rat bait if anything happens to Diedre." He took his hands from his pockets and assumed the ready-stance he'd learned in Judo. Thunder rumbled in the distance, causing him to look up into the threatening sky for a split second. When he looked back, Jareth had disappeared, the thin echo of his laughter still shaking the trees.
"Come on, Colin. Let's get going." The plainfaced woman started off on the stone path.
Colin trailed behind, squinted at the place Jareth had been. The air seemed to tremble slightly. "You don't really think he'd hurt her, do you? Dierdre, I mean."
"Look, kid. It's like I say to everyone who ends up down here. Ain't nothing you can do about Jareth except beat the labyrinth. He's not scared of nothing. Except brains."
"Brains, huh? Well now I've got this riddle to solve." Colin scratched his head. "Where's the water from the rain? I just don’t get it."
More thunder, and Colin saw the first drop fall, heavy and smooth as crystal.
As the rain started to pour down harder, a figure holding up a white rain umbrella watched Colen and the women trudge through the frigid rain. She slowly stood up and flew back to the castle. Landing in an open window she gazed around at the surroundings. 'Nobody's here,' she thought. Chantal closed the umbrella and lowered the dark green hood of her cape. She had changed earlier into a long black sleeveless dress.
"Now," She whispered quietly to herself. "If I were Jareth where would I keep all of my spells and 'crystals.'"
She walked down a long hallway with doors on either side, all wide open, until she reached one that was pulled shut. She tried the handle, but it was locked. "Oh Jareth, you shouldn't keep secrets from me." She held her hands up to the door handle and ch nted to herself. She heard the lock to the door on the other side click. She turned the handle and it opened silently. She poked her head in the door. Glancing around quickly she entered silient as a cat stalking its pray. As she looked around at the glamorous room, she saw books of magic potions and on rules of the Labyrinth.
"Found it. Now where is my main prize?"
She started seaching behind books and in them. She searched through a desk with piles of books on it.
"Come on, come on, where is it? I want to give one to that boy." She pasued and started searching through more books.
"Come on Jareth I know you keep them somewhere."
"Keep what?" A silky voice came from behind her. She dropped the book that she was going through. Quickly turning around she put on a soft smile.
"Hello Jareth." She said as innocently as she could make it.
"Hello darling, now what are you doing in one of my private rooms?"
"Well um-" she bit down on her lower lip. "I am fascinated by the ways of you magic and I wanted to learn more about it." As she was speaking he had been slowly pacing up to her until the folds of his shirt brushed up against her dress. "How long have you been watching me?"
"Sense you started searching through my desk." Chantal lowered her head. Jareth lifted her chin with his hand so she was facing him. "You were planing on helping him weren't you?"
"Obvious now, isn't it?"
Jareth undid the clasp to Chantal's cape. He let it slowly fall off her shoulders and drop to the ground. "What are you doing?" She almost snarled.
"Nothing, my darling, I just want to see you without your cape on." He said calmly as he ran one hand along the right side of her neck and the other hand on her left cheek.
"Don't try anything."
"Now, now, now my darling have I ever hurt you before." Jareth gave her a soft smile. She shock her head slowly. "You are staying here though, until the boy has either lost or solved the Labyrinth."
"What?!"
"You are forbidden to help him."
"You don't control me. I am not yours to command." Anger was swelling up inside of her.
"True, but this is my kingdom and my rules. You can watch him with me, but you can not help him or see him unless you are with me. Don't try thinking about meeting him secretly. I am watching you carefully."
"Why are you doing this?" She asked calmly.
"I don't need you as an enemy, again." He stopped at that.
Chantal tried to argue this, but stopped herself. "Now come my darling, lets watch our player try to solve the Labyrinth. Of course he hasn't even solved my riddle" He ended at that and removed his hands from her body. As he did the room faded away an both of them were in the throne room. Jareth made a crystal appear in his hand and showed it to Chantal. She watched as Colin and the woman ran through the Labyrinth in the rain. As she watched Jareth wrapped his free arm around waist. A small smile played across Chantal's face.
"He may not have solved your riddle yet, but he is in the forest right now." Chantal watched as surprise passed across Jareth's face.