I groaned as my eyes slowly opened, I slowly pulled myself from the ground and looked around. To my surprise I didn’t wake up in my bedroom, instead I awoke in a beautiful garden; everything was lit up, kind of like Christmas. Everywhere I looked there were roses, tulips, magnolias; every flower, plant, and tree you could think of. “Excuse me…” I jumped and choked back a scream, a short stubby man covered in warts stood there, looking up at me. “Ummm, yes?” I asked, looking at him shocked. “How did you get here?” “I, I don’t know… I was home and then an owl was at my window, a flash of lightning and I blacked out…” I muttered still looking around. “Oh. An owl? What kind?” He asked me, his eyes slightly wide. “Um, Snow white I think.” I said, the thing standing’s eyes almost popped from its head as it went running off screaming. “My king! My king! She has done it again! Lucinda has brought someone new to you castle! A female this time too!” I watched as he ran off, I sighed and sat down in the middle of a rose bed.

When I opened my eyes there was a man standing over me, his eyes fixed on me, his eyes were so peculiar, one green-brown and the other grey, I sat up. “Can I help you?” He blinked and took my hand, helping me off the ground and safely out of the rose bed. “I am truly sorry for what has happened dear. I will deal with Lucinda later. Would you like to go to my castle?” He asked, his arm linked with mine as he led me to his castle. “May I ask what your name is?” I chuckled. “If and only if I can know yours first?” I smirked and peaked over to look at his expression, he was smiling. “Well I haven’t met someone with your spunk in a long time. My name is Jareth.” He grinned and looked at me. “And who is this young flower walking with me?” He asked with a smile, his eyebrow raised. “Well my name is Alisa.” I blushed with a smile, he looked at me as we reached the doors to his castle and they opened on their own. “After you.” He said smiling. I walked slowly towards the castle, but never dared look back; I knew where I was going. If Jareth was following me or not, I could find my way to at least the castle doors.

Once I reached the castle doors, they opened and Jareth was standing there, glitter and all, which made me smile. “Hello Alisa, welcome to the castle beyond the goblin city. Would you care to join me for dinner tonight?” He asked me as he led me into a room, slightly dirty with a large throne in the middle. “Yes, that would be lovely.” “Well then, Hoggle here will show you to your room.” He said pointing to the short, stubby man covered in warts from before. “Come on you.” Hoggle said walking down a corridor and stopping at a door. “Here we are. Right across the hall from the King’s study.” I smiled and walked inside, trying to block Hoggle’s talking out. I thought once I had stepped into the room Hoggle would have left, but he just stood there waiting for an answer. “Oh, that’s nice.” “Nice? You are one lucky girl, to have the Goblin King after you, to have him head over heels for you. This hasn’t happened since the last girl he had as a runner, Sarah something…” Hoggle trailed off and left me standing there, looking around, mesmerized by how beautiful yet how old room was.

After changing my clothes into the one’s Jareth had laid out for me, I soon started my walk down the long, windy stairs to the dining hall. “Alisa….” Jareth sounded breathless, like someone had punched him in the gut and ran. “You look, you look beautiful.” He seemed lost for words as he looked at me, I blushed. “Thank you Jareth.” I said as I curtsied. Jareth smiled and pulled my chair out, making sure I was seated and comfortable before sitting in his own chair. He sat across from me and asked me about my life and what had made me come here as we ate the yummy meal prepare for us. “Yeah well I had heard the stories from my friend’s mother Sarah about a Goblin King who would take my sister away. So I wished her away, but an owl was in my room but it wasn’t like Sarah had said, the owl was snow white so I never even thought about it. Next thing I know I wake up in your garden…” I said looking at him as he nodded with each word I said. “I see, well I will take care of this tonight.” He stood up and helped me from my seat. “I shall escort you to your room first, though.” He said with a smile as he linked his arm with mine and walked me down the corridor to my room. When I was safely inside me room Jareth went into his study and I heard the door close.







~Jareth~

As I paced around my study, watching the fire I kept my ears on guard to make sure Alisa was asleep. “Marek we need to stop Lucinda.” “She is only trying to make you happy by finding someone to fill the void Sarah left…” Marek mumbled from his seat by the fire. “Yes yes I know! But this girl she is different, I think I love her, more then I loved Sarah.” Jareth said as he stopped pacing. “Then Lucinda will believe her work is done, then Lucinda is finished and shall leave effective immediately.” Marek said as he stood and left to go tell Lucinda the news. I continued pacing about my study, a photo of Sarah and another of Alisa in my hands. They were so different yet so similar, how could this be? They look different, but some of their actions, the way they talk were the same. I looked up from the photos when I heard the door across the hall open, the door to Alisa’s room, I could hear her tiny padding footsteps and she came closer to my study door. “Jareth?” She called though the door. “Yes?” I called back. “What is it?” “Ummm, I can’t sleep. I know it sounds childish but could I come into your study and just talk with you some more?” I smiled and suppressed a small chuckle. This girl sure could prioritize herself. “Yes Alisa, come on in.”