#Ballroom of Romance

[lorrainestea]

We will dance until the break of dawn, so take my hand and dance with me! - Ballroom of romance (Celtic woman)

[la-cocotte-de-paris]

Le Vertige, 1903

Oil on canvas, 55.2 cm x 40.2 cm

Hubert-Denis Etcheverry (1867-1950)

[smeagles]

Crystal Ballroom 4.8.2008

[darka-art]

Finally colored these two dummies.

Didn't know what color to give Heinrix, but white ended up being the one color that went so well on him ( and some blue to go with Victorya ).

🛑

© 2021 Warhammer 40K belong to Game workshop

Art is mine, do not trace/edit, clams as your own

[anne-chloe]

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."

[sorenvii]

Raphael x (GN) Tav

I simply have an obsession with ballrooms and royalty. Here is a blurb of a toxic love between Raphael and Tav.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

Repeated steps, gliding feet among marble tile. Heels in tune with a symphony of noise. A learned dance being strung throughout the ballroom.

Winding bodies, twisting, turning, even dizzying if not practiced. However the only thing in your mind is the repeated steps, for messing one up could be humiliating.

Devils aren’t known for mercy after all.

Your hand grasped yet another deep red one, calloused and strong. Perhaps one of a fighter, however you’d not know as it was already being exchanged for another.

A waltz, a three beat movement in which there is a follower and a leader. Together in a group it can even look angelic.

Gowns and tailcoats whisk the floor you waltz upon, swaying in slight tandem of the piano. Your own following in suit with the others.

To dance with a devil is to bargain, deal, find a midway. But in the room of heinous, your sole purpose is to perform. To act, whisk, and look as if simply being there would have others blush for even being in your presence. For to be invited in Raphael’s ballroom is a dream, to dance with the Hero of Baulder’s Gate is a fantasy.

All movements end in a hush, in the same line as the violins. Rather than clicking heels, the sounds thread to hushed whispers. Winding through the gloomy room, like a devils tail calculating the tightness of its choke.

The nights just began. Others have bargains and deals to make, even if you waltz a different dance.

The world feels in a stir, the alcohol coursing through every vein in your body. You have to count yourself back into a still state of mind.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

You realize this won’t get you anywhere, you can’t even recall how long this party has been in conversation. From what you can recall of your scrambled mind is attendees asking for a dance, the smell of alcohol, bargains that you’d never participate in, and Raphael’s gaze on you.

Sitting in a dim corner didn’t brighten your mood or cure the ache in your heels. Eyes wandered, including yours. However didn’t stray much from the Cambion in black. His horns protruding high and tail proud. He’d currently been in conversation with a tiefling of blue.

You could see the desperation of the tiefling and the confidence of Raphael. No doubt he was using his flowery words and sweet hums to serenade a deal out the other. Just as he had you.

The deal of a True Love’s Caress; A contract between you and the Cambion. To ensure an eye of protection on your companions, for no harm shall be brought to them. Or at least, nullified. However in exchange your mind and body were his. His to waltz with and kiss the ring on your finger. The rings would alert the other of any physical harm being done to the other, or it was just another way of him being able to track you. Seeing as you’d never left the house of hope or his grand balls in god knows how long.

Even so, you couldn’t help the flush he’d bring you. His sultry words and temptations could be fake, lies, and deceits. However they were for you, for you to bask in as he held you in burning arms.

You would find respite in even his hoax. You didn’t know if what he had for you was love or an obsession. Like a trinket to be held on another pedestal in his grand House of Hope. A pretty object to be shown off, with a tag saying “Hero of Baulder’s Gate.”

Even in the home of macabre, your soul found peace with his evil. Every caress on one another’s bodies were loving and sharp. Stolen glances and stares full of both daggers and adoration. Shivers down your spine at each term of endearment murmured into your skin. Every box step was calculated and perfected, hands intertwined with a deathly grip, either one of assurance or dominance.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

Each step he took towards you were in perfect sync with the beats you’ve engrained in your mind. Absorbed in the trancing way of his walk you didn’t realize the lack of words. Looking up you see Raphael extend a hand towards your own.

Every other attendee had already been gone, as if they were never there to begin with. The air of mist in the room, or maybe your mind clouded all sense of knowing just how long this dreary lighting had been coating your skin for.

Taking his hand you hummed the familiar tune of the days music.

One, you began lifting yourself up, just to knock of one of the wine red roses from its vase.

Two, eyes met and rings caressed. You looked up at him with fake adoration in your eyes.

Three, “let’s go home, Raphael.”

[devotedtomarvel]

Over the past few days, l have written 6 chapters of a novel I'm writing, then rewritten three, then come up with ideas for two new novels and its the most fanfic writer thing I've ever done. And bear in mind that I literally write fanfics.

[newyorkthegoldenage]

A couple dancing at the Astor Roof, 1943.

Photo: Lisette Model via the J. Paul Getty Museum

[amengaga]

[mayhapsyourmom]

who wants to be a vampire with me and dance in a dimly lit ballroom in large gowns with the absolute perfect twirl?

[rubbish78]

Gerard Way’s well-formed silhouette (x)

[thebrideofcthulhu]

A Night in Venice

An enchanting evening, brimming with an old magic that is irresistible to all who become swept up in its wonderment. Beauty and opulence reign in this world of mysticism, and romance is truly in the air

[ineffably-poetic]

MORE THAN 6000 YEARS

[smeagles]

Aragon Ballroom, Chicago 12.15.2006 | endingparalysis

[darka-art]

And a lil valentine special with Amberlley and Ciaphas.

Its a lil strange to see Cain without his commissar uniform, but I figured out he sometime like to slake off and put his dangerous work aside from time to time

🛑

© 2021 Warhammer 40K belong to Game workshop

Art is mine, do not trace/edit, clams as your own

[anne-chloe]

Trust Me | One |

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.

The rain started to roll in from outside. It was peaceful; windy, cold weather that only made you snuggle into the blanket further while you continued to read through your book.

Protected by the warmth of your house, you sighed gratefully and continued to delve into the exciting world of The Hobbit. You'd be partial to reading it at first, but after much encouragement from your local librarian, you caved.

Then, an abrupt knock disturbed your peace. You dog-eared the page and placed the book down, now approaching the door with curiosity of who would be visiting you during such furious, bitter rain. You opened the door, surprised to see your neighbour wrapped in a coat, her formal dress poking from underneath.

"Is everything alright, Mrs. Williams?" You asked in worry, eyes flickering towards her fully lit house to the right. Nothing seemed out of place, which only deepened your curiosity.

Mrs. Williams tried to hide her scowl, but you were rather attentive and caught it immediately. She shivered from the cold, and you were about to invite her inside to the warmth before she began explaining why she had knocked so late into the evening.

"My husband and I are going out for dinner, and Sarah is supposed to be babysitting Tobey. She's late. I was wondering if you'd step in and look after Tobey tonight, and Sarah too once she finally shows up."

This didn't come as a surprise to you.

Sarah was always returning home later than she had promised her parents. Because of this, Mrs. Williams constantly pulled her hair from frustration; you'd offered a couple times in the past so the couple could be free to enjoy their social evenings together. Mrs. Williams was kind and always made sure to pay you fairly for your troubles, even though you assured her that it was fine.

"Yes, that won't be a problem. Let me grab my shoes and I'll be right over."

Mrs. Williams left and you departed to find your shoes. With the weather being so drizzly, you weren't going to risk darting across the garden in your slippers like you had previously done in the past. Not only that, but you'd rather not drag mud into Mrs. Williams' pristine home. You knew from experience of how frustrating it was to try and scrub dried and wet mud from the cream carpets.

You slipped on your running shoes and exited the house. You'd left a note in the kitchen for your own parents once they returned from work, so they would know where you had vanished to. Then, you made your way to the Williams' home quickly, a thin jacket pulled over your head to protect you from the weather in your extremely brief journey.

The door was already unlocked, just as Mrs. Williams had promised, and so you let yourself straight in as you usually did. Both Mr and Mrs. Williams were gathered in the foyer, touching up the final pieces of their outfits.

Mrs. Williams swarmed over to you and wrapped you into a thankful embrace. You returned it and released a small laugh. "Thank you for this, [Name], I'm so grateful that we can always count on you to be there for Sarah and Tobey."

You pulled away, your hands holding Mrs. Williams' calloused hands gently. You gave a reassuring squeeze. "Of course. I absolutely adore caring for Tobey, and Sarah can be a delight once the conversation is favourable to her."

Yourself and Sarah didn't always see eye-to-eye. In Mrs. Williams' eyes, you were the perfect example of how Sarah should act and behave. You were always punctual and never without a kind word spoken for anyone. Unlike Sarah, who despised Tobey, her annoying step-brother who consumed all the attention and, therefore, affection.

Despite this, you held no grudge for Sarah. She was simply a hormonal 15 year old with a deeply rooted passion for theatre; while you were a 19 year old with simple aspirations for life. You were a fresh-faced, young adult with the world ahead of you, and yet you idolised your parents marriage and desired for a love life so similar.

Mr and Mrs. Williams then swiftly departed with minimal instructions, seeing as how you babysat Tobey and Sarah frequently. There weren't many house rules that you needed to remember, as a lot of them were similar to your own. They were reasonable—don't make a mess, clean up after yourself, be respectful, and don't go in their bedroom.

You waved Mr and Mrs Williams' away and closed the door once they were out of sight. Then, you headed up the stairs and down the hall to Tobey's bedroom, where he was awake and smiling fondly from his crib.

You reached in and pulled him out, tapping your finger playfully against his little button nose. He squealed in delight and nuzzled into your warmth, and your heart melted at the motion. It would be a dream for you to have a child one day, and if they were as wonderful as Tobey then you'd be satisfied.

"What shall we do this evening?" You asked Tobey with a curious hum. You gently patted his bum as you held him, taking note of how red his eyebrows were and how droopy his eyes had become. "Perhaps we should settle you to sleep."

And so you lay him down in your arms with one of the many picture books from his room, then settled yourself into the comfy rocking chair across from his crib. You skilfully opened the book with one hand and began to read to Tobey.

Within seconds, his eyes fluttered shut and his soft snores filled your ears. You placed the book onto the shelf next to you and continued to rock Tobey for a little while longer before settling him down into the crib. You placed a bear into his hand and tucked a blanket under his arms, then you stroked his head and blew him a loving kiss.

You slipped out of the room and closed the door with a soft click. Then, you headed downstairs and into the kitchen, where you began making yourself a cup of tea. You made your way into the lounge and cosied yourself onto the sofa, flicking on the TV and searching through some of the channels.

The door opened half an hour later, the rain only getting heavier, with Sarah dripping wet and her shoes thick with mud. You jumped up to greet her, a smile lighting your face, but Sarah's immediate scowl caused you to freeze in the doorway.

"Let me get you a towel," you offered, gesturing to her dripping hair, which clung to the sides of her face. You entered the downstairs bathroom and pulled out a fresh, clean towel, then you headed back to Sarah where she kicked off her shoes in the foyer. You tried not to grimace at the mud that was now stained into the beautiful carpet.

You approached Sarah and held out the towel for her to take. "Here."

Sarah huffed and practically snatched the towel from your hands. You retracted your hands awkwardly and lingered next to her as she roughly began drying her hair. "Why are you still here?" Sarah asked as she lowered the towel, her 'thank you' nonexistent.

You tried not to frown, but your lips twitched at the abruptness of her words. "Mrs Williams asked me to stay until they returned home later. I won't be a bother. I'll just care for Tobey and stay out of your way. You won't even notice I'm here unless you need me."

Sarah nodded slowly. It was obvious that she was trying to not feel overstepped with her babysitting abilities, but at the same time she was grateful that she didn't have to think about Tobey for the night. This way, it meant she could continue with her passions and read through the play she'd been hooked into.

Without another word spoken, Sarah handed you back the towel and headed up the stairs. You watched and sighed heavily as she disappeared, her door slamming loudly throughout the house. You flinched at the noise, paused and waited for Tobey to wake up and start crying, but the quiet continued much to your relief.

You immediately placed the dirtied towel into the laundry basket and set to work gathering cleaning supplies to clean the mud from the foyer. You pulled on some marigold gloves and began scrubbing, watching with a slight grimace as the mud barely started to lift from the carpet. It was such a thick carpet, meaning it absorbed 90% of everything; that didn't mean you were going to half-arse the task and leave a smear, you'd have it spotless by the time you were done.

You didn't need Mr and Mrs Williams returning home to mud on their carpet. It would only cause an argument between them and Sarah, and you knew Sarah was having enough troubles with her emotions as it was; she didn't need the added pressure like this.

Then, breaking your thought and task, Tobey's cry rang out from upstairs. You immediately pulled off the gloves and left them on the floor, by the bowl of warm water and cleaning fluids. You hastily hurried up the stairs to get to Tobey before his cries could disturb Sarah.

However, you were startled to see Sarah already standing in the room, towering above Tobey with one of her collection bears clutched in her hand. She glared down at the infant child, spewing words of hatred at him.

You pushed yourself in front of Tobey and scooped him up from the crib, holding him in a loving embrace to give him the reassurance that he very much needed.

"Sarah," you said in exasperation, "why did you wake Tobey up? He was fast asleep—"

"He stole Lancelot!" Sarah interrupted harshly, pointing an accusing finger at Tobey.

You gently caressed his head and began gently bouncing him in your arms. His cries began to calm into the occasional whimper. You tried not to get angry with Sarah and her accusations; how could a baby steal something from another room? He couldn't even walk properly yet!

"He didn't steal your bear," you corrected, "Mrs Williams probably gave it to him for comfort. I don't understand what the big deal is. You could have taken it back without waking him up."

Sarah let out a bitter laugh. She threw her hands in frustration and began moving towards the door. Then, she paused. Her shoulders went stiff, and slowly she turned around to face you again, something dark crossing her face.

You shifted uncomfortably at the expression.

Then, she began to chant something absurd and lyrical. "Goblin King, Goblin King, wherever you may be: take this child and its keeper far away from me!"

You blinked rapidly, flinching as thunder crackled n the sky behind you. You whipped around, watching as the wind somehow forced the bedroom windows open. You scurried over to them and closed them fast with one hand, double-checking that the lock was securely in place to prevent it from happening again.

Outside the window, you saw an owl sitting ominously on the branch in the tree. It flapped its wings in the wind, and you automatically moved away from the window as lightning flashed in the sky.

You turned to face Sarah, feeling hurt by her words. Surely she didn't actually want some fictional character to come and steal her neighbour and brother away? But the seriousness on her face only confirmed the cruelness of her word.

Tobey began crying loudly again. You attempted to calm him while confronting Sarah. "You don't mean that," you said, frowning as heart spread throughout your chest, "I understand you're angry and upset, but there's no need to—"

"I wish the Goblins would take you far away from me. Right. Now."

Sarah spun around and fled the room, slamming the door shut behind her. You flinched and held Tobey closer, bouncing him and shooshing him as best as you could while you felt so upset yourself. You'd just have to settle Tobey and then try and have a civil conversation with Sarah without her—

—A shadow moved quickly from the corner of your eye. You turned around to look at it, only to see that nothing was there. Your heart skipped a beat at the thought of a rat or rodent residing in Tobey's bedroom. So, despite him still crying loudly, you placed him into his crib where he was safe, and you gently stepped over to the spot where you had seen something move.

You pushed the rocking chair to the side. You moved the curtain. You looked down the side of the changing table. There was nothing to see; no holes, no scratches; no sign of a rodent or any evidence that there ever was one.

You chuckled to yourself in relief. You weren't a fan of rats and creatures so small; their little teeth frightened you. Who knows how you would have reacted if there had actually been a creature there?

Adding on to your settling fright, the bedroom lights flickered rapidly before suddenly going out. You glanced up at the dead bulb, then curiously to the window where the thunder continued to boom loudly. You chewed your lip in frustration, now knowing you'd have to deal with a power outage, an angry teenager and a crying baby.

A crying baby.

The quietness of the room suddenly dawned on you. You looked over to Tobey's crib, dread washing over you at the abrupt silence.

Why wasn't he crying anymore?

"Tobey?" You whispered, unsure of yourself. It was possible that he had fallen asleep, but Tobey was the type of baby that needed help in doing so. You started to step slowly towards the crib, the hairs on the back of your neck standing on end, goosebumps forming along your arms.

You peered into the crib.

It was empty.

Your chest tightened in panic. You stumbled back and rapidly glanced around the room in search for Tobey. But he wasn't there. There was no sign of him anymore. You breathed heavily and immediately made your way to the door, questioning the reality of the situation.

Perhaps Sarah had taken him when you weren't looking? But why would she have come back after storming away like that? Did she feel guilty for the things she said?

You reached the door and twisted the handle. It wouldn't open. You twisted again. And again. Only to be met with the same results. Tears filled your eyes as the panic really started to settle in, and then you found yourself pounding your fist against the door to try and catch Sarah's attention. You even started calling her name.

Did she lock you in? No, there wasn't a keyhole in the door to begin with, how could she possibly do that? And the door opened inwards, meaning stacking something from the outside wouldn't trap you effectively.

Maybe, just maybe, there was some sort of reasonable explanation for all of this.

After another minute of pulling and pushing at the door, you decided to try and escape through the window. It was your best bet at getting back into the main area of the house, where you could begin your search for Tobey again.

You froze immediately, now suddenly aware of the person sitting and swaying in the rocking chair. Your breath hitched in your throat, your mind overwhelmed with the thought that somebody had broken into the house and was watching you quietly in the corner.

You didn't dare speak a word, afraid of what would happen if you tried to make a noise.

"Sarah," the person, a man, suddenly called out. You tensed at the name, wondering how much of you he had observed. Had you just placed Sarah in danger? Now that this man knew Sarah was also here, surely he'd hurt you first and then go after her.

"Sarah!"

Confusion settled in as he continued to repeat Sarah's name, like he was some sort of parrot. The way he said her name, in a desperate tone, as if he were calling her name in hopes that she would come and help. Then it dawned on you that he was mocking you. He had heard you call Sarah for help, and now he was rubbing salt in the wound that Sarah must be actively ignoring you.

You tried to summon your courage, but found that your entire body shuddered in fear. Still, you resolved yourself enough to be able to squeak out a pathetic: "who are you?"

It's not the question you truly wanted to ask. You were in despair of where Tobey had vanished off to. You were desperate to know why Sarah hadn't answered your frightened yells. But it's the question that you managed to ask.

He stood slowly from the rocking chair, now rising above you in height. You had to tilt your head back to see his full length, and you gasped at the fact that he had at least a head difference. You tried to swallow your fear, but you knew you weren't brave enough to do so.

He reached out, his fingers tucking underneath your chin in such a delicate way. He caressed your neck as though you were fragile, as if you would break if he prodded you too hard. You tried not to shiver as his fingers traced your jaw.

"I am Jareth, The Goblin King, and I have come to take you away."

The Goblin King. Your mind instantly raced back to the plea that Sarah had spoken earlier that night, the one where she begged that fictional entity to come and steal away Tobey and yourself. Though, you were starting to feel as though her plea may have truly reached the ears of The Goblin King, and that your fear wasn't just playing a cruel joke on you.

"Take me away?" You repeated dumbly, your mind going blank at the very thought.

Take you to where?

You managed to tilt your head away from Jareth, your eyes trailing towards the bedroom door. "But... Sarah..."

Jareth gently guided your head back to face him, and you allowed him to do so, feeling rather useless and weak in his presence. "But, Sarah," he openly mocked, his twisted smile reaching his dark, sparkling eyes. "Sarah is the one who wished for this, and I cannot ignore it."

Then, the room began to morph around you. The walls curled inwards, the furniture cracked and groaned. You remained perfectly still as this change occurred, unsure and too frightened to truly try and flee.

"Good girl," Jareth whispered, his head leaning down so he could whisper in your ear. "You must be tired..."

You weren't feeling tired before, but with all the emotions now washing away, you definitely felt the fatigue creeping in. You blinked slowly, sensing that the drowsiness was more than just your body craving sleep; this must be some strange effect that Jareth was having on you.

Then, you felt your body lean forward, your head pressing into Jareth's shoulder. His arms encircled your body, trapping your frame against his. And as you closed your eyes, letting sleep consume you, you heard him cackle loudly.