Merry's Labyrinth

This fanfic is based on concepts owned by the authors of the labyrinth and Merry gentry novels. Therefore this fiction is not copyrighted owned or used for profit by Ringwraith or anyone else.


Meredith's Labyrinth.

Meredith's world was a blend of violet swirls. Her cousin Cel, her last rival for the Unseelie throne, stared down at her;his arm glowing a deep red with unholy power. Meredith knew that this time there would be no rescue. A month earlier she would have been safe. Then she had been a candidate for the monarch of one of the most powerful kingdoms of the faerie realm. She had been protected at all hours by the Queen's own personal guard. They were to father her child as well as see to her safety. Meredith had grown to love them better than her own family.But that had all changed.

According to her aunt Andais', the current Queen of Air and Darkness, whichever of her two relatives produced a suitable heir for the throne first inherited the right to rule. Cel and Meredith had hated each other as long as she could remember, and Meredith knew her fate should she lose this race. Cel had entered the castle this morning with his fiancee in tow. She was tall and dark and her skin glittered like the sun on an ocean wave. She was everything a faerie princess should be. She was also pregnant.When his child was born, Cel would be named prince reagant and would stand to inherit the kingdom. To act against him now would be considered high treason and Meredith did not want her guards to incur such a penalty on her behalf.

She glanced sadly at their faces. Doyle, the strongest of her guard, wore a carefully neutral expression; but she knew from experience that his eyes only darkened to that particular shade when he was very angry. The rest were not so composed. Frost and Rhys were holding back another screaming guard. It was Galen, the smallest of the group. He was her former high school sweetheart and he was openly weeping.

According to the decree issued by his mother,Cel could not kill Meredith until his child had survived birth and proven to be healthy. Meredith was the only other living relative Queen Andais had and she would not give the rule to strangers should her child be incapable of producing suitable offspring. However, there were many things which will not kill a person and Cel knew them all.

Meredith sighed. She knew that the battle was over. Cel could not kill her yet, but it was only a matter of time. She only hoped that Galen and the others would understand. She looked at him as she said the words that she had been warned against since childhood," I wish the goblins would come and take me away.Right now."

The goblins and faeries have a long standing feud and centuries of warfare in their considerably long history. Many incidents and arguments have bred a fierce hatred between the two races, but especially among the royal families. Many faerie princesses have been kidnapped as goblin brides and many goblin kings havebeen beheaded by faerie knights. Even so the goblins have a strange sense of honor and never foughta battle under the order "take no prisoners." According to their own rules of engagement, any faerie who willingly surrendered would not be killed or tortured without negotiations made.

Later, in peacetime, faeries found that if they wished to be taken from dangerous or unbearable situations, that the goblins would still accept them as prisoners. However, it was rumored that there was a terrible price to pay. Once captured you must face the goblin king and negotiate for your safety and freedom among the goblin kind.

Meredith was not worried. She had met and negotiated with the goblin king several times. He had even arranged for herto have Kitto, a half goblin as one of her personal guards. She was sure that his price would be more reasonable for her to pay than Cel's.

Meredith felt a chill enter her body and the faces above her grew dim as their voices seemed to fade further away. Her eyes grew misty and she tried to focus but saw only grey, a spinning grey that formed blocks and staircases until she realized she was staring at the granite ceiling of a castle.

The entire castle sparkled and glistened with a touch of something more than stone, something magic. The walls were covered with gothic designs and stone gargoyles, but what really gave it away as a goblin residence was the intricate maze of side panels and false staircases. Goblins, no matter what the stories say, are terribly clever and it really shows in their architecture. They take great pride in showing off their skills by designing their homes as a sort of puzzle or riddle. During the last faerie/goblin war, many goblins remained safe in their houses because invading armies could not figure out how to open the door.

As Meredith sat up she noticed a tall thin man leaning gracefullly against a horizontal stone pillar. His eyes were framed by khole black lines and she couldn't decide whether it was makeup or natural. What really made his eyes unusual were the color. One eye was a vibrant green like a cats. The other was a soft coffee brown. His smile revealed white pointed teeth and the arrogance of royalty. His blond hair spiked wildly from the top of his head and reached past his shoulders. It looked as soft as the feathers of a baby chick.He wore a long black cloak and gloves that reached his elbows,tan riding pants and velvet knee high boots. He seemed in no hurry to speak to her.

Meredith sat up brushing the dust from her long, rose colored gown.

" Greetings," she began formally,"I am Princess Meredith, niece of Queen Andais of the Unseelie kingdom. I seek the goblin king."

The man smiled but stopped leaning against the pillar. The difference was astounding. He was much taller than Meredith had originally thought and held a grace that only came with pure fey ancestry.

"Princess no longer. You surrendered that title when you asked to be captured by the goblin kingdom. You are simply a prisoner now and must negotiate for your freedom," there he paused to look at her with amusement as though she was a child who had said something endearing," Not regretting your decision so soon I hope. You shall be here a very long time."

Meredith's face turned scarlet with rage.

" Iam not so foolish as to wish myself away to the goblin realm lightly. I know full well what I have done. I now ask to see the goblin king as is my right."

Here the man's look of amusement deepened," Perhaps you do not deserve to see him if you can not recognize him when he appears."

Meredith looked around wildly. She would recognize the goblin king anywhere. He had once been a close friend of her fathers. That alone she was sure would make the negotiations easier for her.He had always disapproved of her being sent to live in the faerie court.

"Kurzag is not here.It would be a lie to insist that he is,"she replied coldly. To lie was agreat crime among the fey and would earn you distrust forever more. It would also negate all contracts with the one you had lied to.

" But I thought you wanted to see the goblin king," the man said patronizingly.

" And that is Kurzag," she said angrily.

Afraid not dear Merry," said the man," Kurzag is king OF the goblins.He rules the goblins in the United States because I cannot leave my realm in faerie unattended. Do not blame me if you mistook my emissary for the true ruler. I am Jareth the Goblin King and your business is with me."

Meredith stared at the king in open mouthed shock. She had made a terrible mistake. For the second time that night she felt her vision blur and she fainted dead away.

"My head hurts." She did not mean to say it aloud but that was her first thought when Meredith regained consciousness. The sky had darkened and she could see the full moon out of the panelless window above her head. She remained on the floor. Jareth the goblin king had once again perched on the marble pillar and was tossing a clear globe from hand to hand in boredom.

" My apologies," he said insincerely," but more suitable accomodations can not be made until after you have negotiated with the goblin king. As you said before, it is your right."

Meredith stood, paying full attention now. It would be just like him to trick her while she was out of sorts. The fey could not lie but they could take advantage and use your every word against you.

" Very well," she began," I, Meredith, prisoner of the goblin kingdom, request freedom to live my life as I see fit and remain here in the goblin realm."

" What do you offer," Jareth replied imperially.

This was the way of fey treaties.Nothing was given without a return. Meredith was prepared for this. It was the only thing she had learned from the faeries who raised her. The world owes you nothing. It was possible to receive an even trade from the fey. It was even possible to be treated fairly but nothing was free.

" I offer the protection of my magic to the castle of the goblin king and all of its citizens." Meredith waited. This was the telling moment. Her magic was no less than many citizens of the Unseelie kingdom. Yet it was not in the same spectrum with the abilities of people like Cel or her aunt. However, it was all she had .