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anne-chloe · 4 months

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Underground | V |

Jareth/Goblin King x F! Reader

Summary : Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, you fought your way to the castle beyond the Goblin City to make a new deal with the King himself.

What were you to do now?

The door had opened up into a large plain area, and just in front of you stood the entrance to the Goblin City. The door had vanished behind you the moment you entered through, meaning that there was no turning back and no backtracking.

You had approached the guard and found him fast asleep, snoring loudly at the gate he was supposed to be watching. The gate was simply too heavy for you to move by yourself. You tried pushing; you tried pulling. To no avail it wouldn't budge.

You resisted the urge to scream in frustration. You resisted the urge to stomp your foot like a child having a tantrum. You'd come so far, only to be defeated by a gate. It was incredibly pathetic; you didn't know whether you should laugh or cry at the very idea.

How would that conversation even go between the Goblin King and Harry? "Sorry, your ex couldn't figure out how to open a simple gate. I'm going to turn you into a goblin now, forever." You imagined that the Goblin King was watching you somewhere, cackling in joy that you had failed in such a pathetic way.

"Stupid gate," you huffed loudly, not caring if your ranting would wake the guard up. If anything, you wanted him to be awake so he could let you in. But, actually, would he let you in? Seeing as he was one of the guards, shouldn't that mean he was supposed to deliberately keep you out? You sighed, tipping your head forwards. What use would that even be? You couldn't open the damn thing!

Then, the guard began to stir from his sleep. You glanced nervously at him, wondering what the reaction would be. Would it go in your favour, or would be chase you away with that incredibly pointy stick of his? You'd rather not be poked and prodded with it; it looked like it would hurt quite a bit.

"Ah! Human!" The goblin shouted, snatching his stick that rested next to him. He then held it up, pointing the sharp end directly at you. You flinched back and held your hands up nervously, as if to surrender yourself, or to show that you weren't a threat to his position. "'Ts me job to keep ya out! Get back! Our King won't be 'appy if i's fail!"

You gasped as the goblin took a swing at you. The tip of his spear glided across your jumper, fearing a hole down the front. Luckily, you were wearing another shirt underneath, or else this would have been insanely embarrassing on your behalf. You dropped your hands to your sides, your hand brushing against your pocket.

Your pocket.

Something was in your pocket!

The crystal ball from earlier. You eagerly reached in and pulled it out, not being able to resist smirking at the unsuspecting goblin that was still yelling at you to leave. Then, you pulled your arm back and aimed the crystal ball at the goblin, planning on hitting him in the face with it, or maybe the chest, just to get him to let go of the spear so you could snatch it and threaten him with it. Reverse the tables, turn your favours back to you.

The crystal ball flew through the air. The goblins eyes flashed in recognition. He opened his mouth to shriek in surprise, or maybe for help, but he suddenly went very quiet as the ball collided with his body. You watched, startled, as a bright light consumed his body, and he vanished in an instant. You bolted over, picking up the abandoned spear and the crystal ball that dropped on the floor after hitting its target.

Inside, squirming around and continuing to yell, was the goblin.

Well, that worked out better than you had intended. You smiled apologetically at the goblin, "when I find the Goblin King, I'll ask him to let you out." You then placed the crystal ball into your pocket, muffling the goblins angry shouts.

If you could get to the Goblin King. You still had to figure out how to open the gate. You'd planned on threatening the goblin with his own spear to have him open the gate for you, but now he was trapped inside the crystal ball and you didn't have a clue how to get him out again. You thought that maybe you could throw it, like you had done originally, but what would happen if it then shattered?

You didn't want to kill a goblin, even if it was by accident.

You looked at the spear and picked it up from the ground. For such a small goblin, he was definitely given a huge weapon to wield. You twisted it around thoughtfully. If you couldn't open the gate, and you were taller and therefore stronger than the goblin, how would the goblin have done it?

You approached the gate slowly, glancing back at it between the spear.

You lifted the spear and gently tapped the end of it against the gate. You waited to baited breath to see if anything happened. Then, to your relief, the gate began to creak open. You bit back a laugh, shoulders shaking in glee that you had managed to solve this puzzle. You stepped through the gates, grinning to yourself and taking in the beginnings of the Goblin City.

"It's a human!"

Oh.

Right.

You broke out into a sprint as the gates started to close again, now trapping you inside its walls. Not wanting to get caught by any of the goblins, who seemed rather hostile towards your appearance, you ducked between houses to avoid their wrath. You listened as they rushed around frantically, gathering weapons of their own to defend the city and the castle from your intrusion.

You squealed as a pot rushed by your head, followed by spoons and plates. They smashed into the side of the house, and you realised that you couldn't hide for very long. Waiting for things to settle would be utterly useless. You darted from between the houses and scurried past a fountain, with little goblin faces as faucets as water trickled from their mouths.

You gasped in relief, legs searing in pain as you began thundering up the steps that directed you towards the castle. Household items continued to be launched after you as you advanced further. The doors to the castle were wide open, almost like they were inviting you inside. You practically jumped through the doors and wasted no time in pushing them shut, effectively blocking off the goblins that had begun to attack you on sight. They pounded and yelled from the outside, and you pressed your back against the door to keep it shut tight.

Then, you stabbed the spear through the loops of the handles. You stepped back, watching tentatively as the doors shuddered and shook from the onslaught of goblins. But it didn't open. You felt relieved as you allowed a breathy, shaky laugh tumble from your lips at that wild, intense experience.

You were almost beaten to death with spoons.

How embarrassing.

You turned to face the entrance room, which was huge and rather intimidating. The entire castle was made of stone, and its decor was somewhat minimal. You'd have thought a glittery King like this one would have a taste for more popping decoration. While there were tapestries and paintings depicting a story untold, all of them with goblins and other mythical creatures, there were a few plants that hung like vines from the ceiling.

There were three different routes you could take. One to the left, one to the right, and one straight ahead. While your original goal was to find Harry and then the Goblin King, you had considered what the mimic in the mirror had suggested—to have your ex run through the labyrinth and face trials and tricks. For this to happen, you knew you needed to seek out the Goblin King.

You felt something compel you to take the left hallway. You had no reasoning other than a hunch that the Goblin King would be down the left hallway. So you followed your heart and listened to your shoes click in the echo that followed; you wandered purposefully through the castle, occasionally glancing at the paintings hung on the walls.

Then, another opening at the end. You approached the room with caution.

Inside was rather... messy. The room itself was grand, with a throne sat at the far end, and steps leading up to it. In the centre was a pit, two layers deep. Surrounding the edges of the room were various bits of furniture, all rather random and out of place. For a King, you were surprised that it wasn't more refined and put together—that it wasn't more clean. You eyed the hay and straw on the floor, and then the chicken that squawked from the corner of the room, its wings flapping as you entered further.

You turned around, glancing at every surface and every corner. There was another doorway, with a staircase that led upwards. Other than that, there wasn't much to see. The labyrinth was much more put together and delightful than this; you were rather disappointed.

"Lost?"

You felt the hairs on your arms prickle at the Goblin Kings voice. You turned around again, now facing the throne where he was perched. He hadn't been there moments ago...

You shook your head. "No. I'm right where I wanted to be."

The Goblin King rested his head in his hand, seeming very calm and collected considering that you were trespassing. "But your resolve has changed," he mused, his eyes twinkling in delight.

You were correct in thinking that the Goblin King had some interference with your reflection. It seemed as though he had been fully expecting your change of heart; he seemed pleased with this, like it was the outcome he desired. But why would he want you here instead of Harry?

"It has," you answered carefully.

There was a pause. You stared at the Goblin King, and he stared at you. Neither side dared to break the silence. You could hear the ticking of the clock as your timer drew to its end. The thirteen hours were nearly over. Yet, you weren't concerned about that at all.

You were concerned with how you were going to word out your desire to change the deal. To change your wish. To make it sound enticing for the King to accept.

The Goblin King let out an exasperated sigh as he stood to his feet. His boots clicked loudly against the stone as he descended down the steps, now sauntering towards you with impressive confidence. Though, you supposed he'd need to possess such confidence if he were to rule his very own domain. He reached his hand forward, his gloved fingers caressing your cheek with a particular restraint. You only stared at his face as he did this, observing him for any reaction. But he only seemed fascinated.

"I know the wish you desire to make," he then said, a knowing smirk tugging upwards at his face. He made it sound like he could delve into the deepest corners of your mind and scour your thoughts with ease. The thought didn't make you shudder in horror. "All you need to do is say it. Say it, and it shall be done."

You lifted your own hand and embraced his, which was still touching your face. He breathed in sharply at the action, and you felt your own lips twitch in amusement at it.

"I don't want Harry to become a goblin, and I don't want him to forget the pain he has caused me," you explained slowly, mulling over every single word with great care and thought. You didn't want to mess up. Words were power, and right now you were the most powerful in the world. "But I do want him to suffer. I want him to experience the labyrinth the same way any person would have. I want him to have that 13 hour time limit to find me."

The Goblin King snickered at the boldness of your desire. The way revenged seeped into every word spoken; the way malice was present in every syllable. It was this that made humans so interesting to him, the way they could embrace their darkness and demand unthinkable things.

You took in a deep breath. "I wish Harry and I could swap places."

The Goblin King pulled your hand to his face, his lips pressing firmly to your knuckles. You flustered at the action, having not expected something so intimate to happen. He looked up through his eyelashes, his smile pressing against your skin.

"For you, my dear, I'll do anything."

#fan fiction #fantasy #female reader #jareth #the goblin king #goblins #labyrinth #labyrinth 1986 #romance #angst #Jareth x reader #castles #ballrooms #kings

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anne-chloe · 4 months

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Trust me | Two |

Jareth/Goblin King x F! Reader

Summary : As Sarah's next door neighbour, you're often Mrs Williams' last resort as a babysitter. Sarah had never liked this, but she can be extremely unreliable at times. One stormy night, Sarah grows frustrated with her baby brother and babysitter, resulting in saying a phrase that she later wants to take back. Now, you are stuck in The Goblin Kings realm with little hope to returning home again, unless Sarah can reach the castle and defeat Jareth in time.

A breeze brushed over your body.

You mumbled incoherently, twisting your body to the side and blindly grabbing for the duvet. Instead, your hand was met with nothing. You frowned deeply, slowly opening your eyes and blinking through the candlelit darkness.

You lazily lifted your hands and began rubbing the sleep from your eyes, now blinking a little quicker as you tried to adjust your memories with the situation you found yourself awaking in.

You were lying on a cold, stone floor. Lit candles scattered the stone brick walls; tapestries depicting goblins and various creatures were strategically placed. You sat up from the floor, staring blankly at your surroundings as you tried desperately to recall the events of how you'd ended up there.

Babysitting. Yes, you had been babysitting for Mrs Williams because Sarah had failed to show up on time. But then what? You cared for Tobey and put him to bed, made yourself some tea and relaxed while watching some ridiculous show on the TV...

Sarah came home. That's right. Sarah returned home and tracked mud through the house. You'd started to clean it when, when...

Your head throbbed slightly. You winced and gently pressed your fingers into your temple, trying to massage away the stress headache that was quickly forming.

Oh. And what else happened?

Sarah had deliberately woken Tobey up and accused him of stealing her stuff. You came to Tobey's defence, which caused Sarah to lash out on you, too. Then, hadn't she spoken some funny words? A phrase that sounded poetic, almost lyrical. Sarah had pleaded with a fictional entity to have you and Tobey taken away.

Just like she had desired—The Goblin King appeared and snatched Tobey away, then whisked you away too.

You jumped to your feet, your memories now caught up in your mind. You spun around in a circle, frantically searching for some kind of indication of an exit. There was a doorway at the far end of the room, with candles lining the hallway that would only lead to an unknown place.

You had little choice, and so you went with it. You followed the hall quickly. You breathed shallow, trying to keep yourself undetected as you searched for an escape. You knew that you needed to find Tobey too. If you could find the exit first, then you could search for Tobey and make a quick escape.

A glass ball suddenly rolled into your foot. You paused, looking down at the crystal object, wondering how it had found you in this long stretch of a hallway. You frowned, feeling uncertain about its presence.

Then, you reached down and carefully picked it up. Your reflection stared back at you. You looked back at the hall in which you had come from, then in the direction of where you were heading. Nobody was stood nearby, but it was purely impossible for this ball to have just magically appeared like that.

Looking back at the glass ball, you watched with sudden interest as a white mist clouded in the inside of it. You blinked at the phenomenon. Then, the mist cleared and showed Tobey sitting in a room surrounded by goblins. His face was red and contorted as he wailed, his noise muted by the glass ball.

You gasped, clutching the ball tighter to the point you thought it might shatter. "Tobey," you whimpered, "oh, Tobey, where are you?"

You held the glass ball in your hand as you resolved yourself to continue down the hallway. If you were going to find Tobey quickly, you knew you needed to waste no time in hesitating. You couldn't imagine that the goblins would be kind enough to try and comfort Tobey, and from what you saw in the glass ball they were only taunting and making his crying worse.

You then came across several rooms that split off into various directions. Each of them held no distinction to where they would lead, and this only worried you into believing that the wrong choice would be made if you weren't careful.

You turned around, wanting to catch a glimpse of the hallway you had just come from. Only, the hallway was now missing, and in its place was a solid stone wall. You approached it in disbelief, pressing your hands against the stone and pushing against it, but it's foundation was solid and wouldn't budge.

But how could that be possible? Hadn't you just come from that direction?

You huffed, fighting back tears. You turned to face to various hallways again, a cry of despair leaving your throat as more hallways had appeared. All of them without distinction, all of them identical. You ran your fingers through your hair, trying to calm your nerves and racing mind.

It was like someone was playing tricks on you. You felt incredibly vulnerable and small in that moment. How were you supposed to escape and find Tobey if someone was altering your surroundings? No, not someone, but The Goblin King. Was he trying to slow you down? Was he finding your suffering entertaining? Did he enjoy watching you become disoriented and confused as he gleefully added obstacles to prevent you from advancing?

You picked a random hall and bolted down the stony path. You paused midway to catch your breath, eyes darting around the nondescript hall with no markings. Then, a pair of eyes drew you closer. Imbedded inside the wall, unblinking and strained; they followed your every movement, watching with a strange intensity.

You stared into the eyes for a moment longer, finding yourself stepping stupidly close. Then, when you were inches away, a trap door opened underneath your feet.

The wind billowed your hair and a frightened scream ripped harshly through your throat.

You tried to grab at anything to slow your fall, but as you neared the bottom you found yourself floating slowly. You released small noises that indicated to your fear, and as your feet brushed the ground your legs gave out, causing you to collapse in a pathetic heap.

You crouched forward, leaning into the floor and pressing your forehead into the stone.

What on Earth is going on?

You didn't like being played with. The Goblin King was actively messing around with you, making you out to be a complete fool. And the worst part is that you were falling for his unsuspecting traps. It's like he knew you were gullible, scared and curious, and he was happily playing on it.

You sat up, now sitting on your knees. You assessed your surroundings, taking note that you seemed to be trapped in some sort of well. You tilted your head back and longingly looked back at where you had fallen through, just in time to see the trap door slam shut. You flinched at the noise, whining at the idea of being stuck in a small hole.

You pushed your arms out, feeling for a way out, but found yourself completely trapped as the walls surrounded you in such a tight space.

"Hello?" You called out, voice raspy and shaky. You blinked through the darkness, listening with a wince as your voice echoed off the walls. "Can anyone hear me?"

You didn't want to admit that you were scared, even though the evidence was rather glaring. You couldn't hide your emotions very well at all. You were a completely open book. You used to love that about yourself, but how you were starting to believe that I was going to be your downfall.

A tapping against your foot caught your attention. Startled, you looked down to see the glass ball again. You curiously picked it up, watching as the white mist formed on the inside, and then cleared to reveal Jareth, The Goblin King. He smirked as you made eye contact, and you gasped at the realisation that he could probably see you.

"What happened, [Name]?" Jareth cooed rather cruelly. His fingers drummed along the arm rest of his curved throne. "Are you stuck somewhere cold and dark? Do you need help at all?"

"You're the one who trapped me down here!" You readily accused, baffled by his ability to be so cruel. You felt exasperated. Defeated. "Why are you doing this?!"

Jareth scoffed and rolled his eyes, the drumming of his fingers coming to a halt. "I didn't trap you down there. You did that yourself. You're clearly not grateful for my offer of help, perhaps I should retract it?"

"No!" You shouted before you could even consider what you were saying. Was it wrong to seek help from The Goblin King like this? You couldn't see any other way to escape from this hole, and the cold was starting to seep through your thin layer of clothes. But did you really want to depend on him like this? What would that mean? Would you therefore owe him?

Jareth seemed to sense your inner conflict. He could only smile at your distress, as if it was somehow endearing to him. "Then ask. That's all you should need to do."

You opened your mouth to do just that, to ask for help out of the dark, cramped hole, but something caught your attention. As your eyes had begun adjusting to the darkness, you could see a small hole that led into a tunnel of sorts. Your eyes flickered back to Jareth, but he was already gone.

Deciding not to waste anymore time in this dark space, you made yourself as small as possible and began crawling through the gap. It was a tight fit, but you managed to pull yourself through to the other end.

You released a triumphant laugh, suddenly feeling as though you could truly navigate this castle without Jareth's help. Even with him toying and messing with its layout, even though he said he wasn't the cause of anything, you started to believe as though you'd find Tobey and be able to leave.

Unbeknownst to you, far beyond the Goblin City, through the mystical Labyrinth at the very beginning, Sarah paced up and down in search for an entrance. Because, The Goblin King had met with her shortly after whisking you away, and Sarah had refused to believe that she'd truly caused your and her little brother's disappearance. The Goblin King offered a solution; Sarah must enter the Labyrinth and complete it within 13 hours, or else Tobey would be turned into a Goblin, and you would be forced to remain at The Goblin King's side forever.

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