"Donn! Donn, where are you...? Oh, there you are." Sarah stood in the doorway to the castle's watchtower, hands on her hips, smiling fondly at her son. "I thought I might find you here."

Donn turned from where he was sitting at the window, gazing out over the Goblin City. As he returned his mother's smile, she reflected on how much he looked like his father. The same wild hair, the same build, even the same mismatched eyes; only Donn's were hazel and brown.

"Did you need me for something, Mother?" Donn inquired, breaking Sarah from her thoughts; at twenty years, even his voice was like his father's.

"Yes, I did. Actually, it's not me, it's your father. He's waiting to talk with you in the throne room." She turned to walk out the door, looking back over her shoulder at her son. "Walk with me, Donn."

When his mother spoke in such a tone--not demanding, but not a request--there was no other option but to obey. Donn thus stood from his perch on the window and crossed the room to his mother's side.

They strolled down the hall together for a ways, Donn standing taller than his mother by a head. He was almost as tall as his father, but not quite. Sarah turned her head to look up at him. "I'm sure you know what he's wanting to talk to you about," she said seriously. She could see her son's shoulders stiffen underneath his casual dark green shirt that was cut in the customary Fae style.

"I might," he replied tersely.

Sarah sighed. "Donn, I know you don't want to discuss this right now, and I don't blame you. When I was your age, I was thinking about my schooling, my family and friends; not about getting married."

"But then Father came."

She smiled slightly, with a hint of a wry twist to her mouth. "Then your father came. Again."

They descended a flight of stairs and found themselves in the small reception area just outside the throne room. Sarah turned to her son and wrapped her arms around him, laying her head against his shoulder. Once she had been able to hold him in one arm, she thought wistfully. "Try not to get too angry at your father," she said softly. "You know he's only trying to do what is best. For you and for the kingdom."

Donn returned her embrace briefly before straightening his back and striding into the throne room. Sarah folded her arms across her chest as she watched him enter, her eyes pensive and her stance belaying her quiet words.

Superboy and the Invisible Girl
Son of Steel and Daughter of Air
He's a hero, a lover, a prince
She's not there

Superboy and the Invisible Girl
Everything a kid oughtta be
He's immortal, forever alive
Then there's me

I wish I could fly
And magically appear and disappear
I wish I could fly
I'd fly far away from here

Superboy and the Invisible Girl
He's the one you wish would appear
He's your hero, your savior, your son
He's not here
I am here

Take a look at the Invisible Girl
Here she is, clear as the day
Please look closely and find her before she fades away

Superboy and the Invisible Girl
Son of Steel and Daughter of Air
He's a hero, a lover, a prince
She's not there
She's not there
She's not there
She's not there

Danny Giron sat in the park, her guitar at her side, a little red book in one hand, a McDonald's Shamrock shake in the other. A wonderful way to spend the afternoon. It was better than being in class anyway. Anything was better than being in class.

Danny wasn't like any other girl at Spring High. She had beautiful silver-blonde hair with electric blue highlights. Dark makeup was smudged around her eyes. Today she wore a black tank too with long electric blue and black fingerless gloves. Dark wash skinny-jeans hugged her legs while her black all stars slept on the concrete beside her. Danny was definitely not like the other girls.

But if only her parent's could see her for a moment. Danny was the invisible girl, compared to her brother Gabe. She was always invisible to people who saw Gabe, the light, the lover, the prince.

Today Danny sat in the park because she'd didn't want to be home. Invisible girl had found a little book when about a girl and a Goblin king, so she sat down to read it. The world that girl journeyed through... it sounded like paradise compared to Spring Town. Maybe she could wish herself away...

"Father. You wanted to see me?"

"Uh-oh," Jareth quipped from where he lounged in his throne. Goblins gamboled all around him, as well as a chicken or two. "When you use that tone of voice with me, I know there's something wrong."

"Of course there's something wrong!" Donn burst out. He vehemently kicked a goblin who was trying to tie his shoes together by their laces. "You're talking about marrying me to some girl I've never even met!"

"Ah, ah, ah." Jareth wagged a finger in the air. "Don't think about it that way. Think of it being instead someone that you have yet to meet."

"What's the difference?" Donn crossed his arms, his brow furrowing with frustration.

"Someone you've never met is a less than a stranger; they're a non-entity, as far as you're concerned. Someone you've yet to meet--"

"Spare me your 'logic,' Father," Donn interrupted. "I refuse to hear any talk of possible marriage for me unless I'm the one who brings it up."

"And who might you be wanting to marry, son?" Jareth sat up and jabbed his riding crop at Donn. "All you ever do is laze around the castle, gazing out the windows at the stars or playing pranks on your subjects--"

"I'm just following my father's example--"

"Silence!" Jareth's tone switched from care-free to foreboding, and out of sheer habit Donn instantly stopped speaking. "That's better. Now, you will listen to me, boy. I have been ruling this labyrinth and the entire Goblin Kingdom for well over one thousand years now. I am approaching my golden years, my well-earned respite from all of this wearying responsibility. In another thousand years or so, I will be ready to step down, and when that happens I want you to be prepared to take my place."

"What does marriage have to do with preparing to take your place as king? I already know that that is my duty, and I'm willing to uphold it! But--"

He was cut off by Jareth's sudden roar of laughter. "Oh, I see, I see! You thought I meant to marry you off now! No, son, no. You're far too young! You've only got what, twenty years in you? You won't be ready to take a bride until you've got at least a thousand more under your belt."

Donn felt like sagging in relief. "So... You really didn't..."

Jareth put a hand over his face, chuckling uncontrollably. "Get out of my sight, boy. Go play stick-ball with the goblin children in the city, or examine your precious star charts. Oh, and tell your mother to come in when you leave."

As the doors to the throne room opened, Sarah turned from where she had been pacing the small reception area. At the liberated expression on Donn's face, she hurried past him into the throne room.

"Jareth, what did you say to him? He looks like--"

"--like he won't have to choose anyone to settle down with until he's grown up another thousand years or so. Just like me, when I was his age." Jareth tilted his head to the side, grinning at his wife. "What, you honestly thought I meant to marry the boy when he's got so much to learn and experience?"

Sarah did not smile back. "You took your words and twisted them around, you cad! I specifically heard--"

"Sarah." Jareth spread his arms lazily. "Precious. Come here."

Reluctantly, Sarah made her way through the small horde of goblins in the room until she stood directly before the throne. Her arms, however, were crossed in clear defiance. It was obvious she was not going to easily forgive Jareth for the momentary stress he had caused both his wife and son.

The Goblin King reached out and gently took a lock of her dark hair between his fingers. "It took me over one thousand years to find the woman I wanted to marry," he told her in a softer tone. "I expect no less for our son."

As Danni was ending the wonderful story written within the Red Leather-bound book, her cell started buzzing wildly. It was her brother, Gabe, texting her to come home or have the risk of not having dinner tonight. The blonde sighed. "Back to hell," she said softly, knowing well enough that no-one was going to hear her. She picked up her guitar case and her backpack, tossing her finished shake into the garbage as she walked by.

The Giron house wasn't much to look at. It was just a regular Ranch with flowers in the front and a doghouse in the back. It seemed as though the sun was always shining and the birds were always chirping by this house. Danni hated it, 'cause she hated anything next to normal. Gabe was waiting for when she got to the front door.

"So tell me little sister, did you skip class again? I really am thinking of telling mom. It would really add to her stress if I told her, she might have to go to the hospital." There always was this look on Gabe's face, as if had all the ace's in his hand. He had their parent's wrapped around her finger, 'cause he was the eldest, beloved son. Of course Danni knew that wasn't true, he was everything but beloved. She would never to tell her parent's that.

"What do you want me to do??" Danni asked, sarcasm ready to seep into her voice. She clenched her teeth and bit her tounge from saying anything really bad. As she walked past Gabe, she dumped her bag onto the ground, dropping the book on top of it.

"Clean my room and do my laundry. But wait what's this?" Gabe picked up the red book. "Labyrinth, eh?? Weird book." He started to read from it. "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl whose stepmother always made her stay home with the baby. And the baby was a spoiled child, and wanted everything to himself, and the young girl was practically a slave. But what no one knew is that the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the the girl, and he had given her certain powers. So one night, when the baby had be particularly cruel to her, she called on the goblins for help!" Ending with a dramatic pose, Gabe started to laugh. "How stupid. Goblin's aren't real. Faerie's aren't either. Grow up already!"

Danni could do nothing but fume inside. If only she could wish herself away...

Donn walked out the castle gates and was at once besieged by a horde of young goblins.

"Donn, Donn!" They cried excitedly, holding various toys up for him to see. By his request and their ready acquiescence, they never called him by his title, Crown Prince. "Donn, are you coming to play with us? Look at my new doll, Donn! Let's play ball, Donn! Donn, Donn!"

He laughed and held up his hands in an effort to quiet the children down. "All right, all right, sorry I'm late. One at a time, now... Oh, what's this, Noddy?" He crouched down in front of a young goblin girl who was holding up a doll that, by human standards, might be considered atrociously ugly. For Donn and the goblins, however, it held a charm all its own and showed many signs of being loved by the girl who owned it. "A new doll, is it? Did your mother make that for you?"

The girl nodded eagerly. "Yeah, yeah! It was my birthday yesterday, you know." She laughed as Donn stood and hoisted her up to sit on his shoulders. As he began to walk through the City, she continued on happily, "I've named her Nora! Noddy and Nora. What do you think? I've heard it's a human name!"

The other goblin children oohed and aahed. "A human name! That's daring of you, Noddy. What does your mother think?"

Noddy grinned down at her friends smugly. "Mama doesn't care. She says I'll do better in the world if I grow up to be a free-thinking goblin."

With the goblin children following him and Noddy on his shoulders, Donn made his way to the playing field on the west side of the city. Setting Noddy down to stand on the ground, he clapped his hands together several times. "All right, who's up for a game of baseball?"

At once the children broke out into a fresh wave of talking. "Baseball? What's that? It sounds weird! It sounds fun! I want to try it! If Donn wants to play, let's play!"

"The King brought this game back from one of his trips to Aboveground." The children oohed. "He taught me, and now I am going to teach you." The children cheered.

"First of all, the basic premise--"

"Huh?"

Donn smiled and sighed. He kept forgetting that he had to use smaller words for the children. "The main point of the game. There are two teams..."

"Whatever Gabe. Just whatever. I stopped caring long ago." Danni walked into the kitchen, and started to wash dishes. It was her job in the household to do the dishes, do her laundry, make sure her room was clean and get good grades. Then on the side she had to do all of Gabe's laundry and his room, and cutting the grass. It wasn't fair. Danni got good grades in school and she did what she was supposed too, why was she stuck with this horrid bastard for a brother?

"Whatever? You honestly expect me to believe that?" Gabe grabbed Danni's wrist and slammed her into the wall, making her get a really bad concussion. "Don't tell me what I don't want to hear."

"I-I wish..." Danni grabbed the little red book. "I wish the goblins would take me away! RIGHT NOW!!" And with that, Danni passed out and dissapeared.

"...And you swing it back like this..."

Donn was demonstrating how to swing a bat with a thick branch that a few of the children had managed to find.

That was before the children burst out into frenzy of shrieking.

"Donn! Donn! A human! It's a human!" Noddy cried, hugging her doll like a lifeline.

Donn dropped the bat and raced over to where a prone form lay in the middle of the field. It was indeed a human--a human girl. She was unconscious, her long pale hair spread all around her.

Donn's lips set into a thin line. He knelt beside her, looking for any sort of injury. She did not appear to be harmed, but then what did he know about such things? Standing, he turned to face the goblin children that surrounded him and the girl.

"I'm sorry, but we're going to have to cancel the game for today." He smiled apologetically at the children's dismayed outburst. "It's important. This human looks like she may be hurt. I will go get my father and the doctor. Can I trust all of you to keep watch over her while I'm gone?"

"Yeah! Yeah, Donn! Of course you can, Donn! We'll watch her! We'll make sure she doesn't get into any trouble! Should we tie her up when she wakes up?"

"No! No... um, just... If she does wake up before I get back, talk with her. Tell her that she's going to be seen by a doctor, and that it's best for her to stay put." Donn began to stride quickly away. "I'll be back soon, all right?"

The goblin children sat down in an uneven circle around the unconscious human girl. Noddy observed her face closely, then spoke. "She's ugly."

"Look at her hair. It's such a weak color."

"Her clothes are black! Do you think she's in league with the Dark Fae?"

The children continued to mutter to each other, speculating about the origins and personality of the human, but obeying Donn's request to keep her safe.

Danni woke up, a bit confused and muddled. But then she saw them. Goblins. It couldn't be, but it was. They seemed younger, adolecent, preteen and younger. There were about 7, maybe 8 of them, staring at her and whispering among themselves. She sat up and scooched back a bit; frightened and startled. It was just like in that book that she found.

Running a hand through her hair, Danni noticed it was wet in the back. She brought her hand back forward and winced. It was blood. She must have gotten a concusion when Gabe was messing with her. "Shit," she whisper.

"Ummm, Hi??"

The goblin children pulled away from the human as one, gasping and whispering as if she couldn't understand them.

"She's awake!"

"She talked!"

"What should we do?"

"Should we get Donn?"

"He said to watch her!"

"But--"

And so they continued to talk until the Healer and Donn returned.

---

"Healer Jamin! Healer?" Donn poked his head into the infirmary rooms, calling for the head doctor. "Healer Jamin, are you there?"

"Yes, yes... Oh, Donn, it's you." A wizened goblin about half Donn's size came limping out of an adjoining room. "Not another mishap with one of the children, I hope?"

"No, Healer... It's something else." Donn swallowed. "A human. It's a human girl, and she might be hurt. Could you come look at her?"

Healer Jammin's eyes widened. "A human...? Well, I'll be. Haven't had a human come here since... Well, since your mother came to be married to your father. Of course I'll come. Just let me get my tools..." The goblin limped around the infirmary gathering various instruments while Donn waited impatiently. "Quite a shock to some, honestly, but not to others who'd been here when your mother first came into the Labyrinth. Oh, no, they all said they saw it coming. But very unorthodox, what your father did, doing all his courting in the mortal realm, passing himself off as a human to Her Majesty's family and friends... Had them all hoodwinked, I hear she wasn't very happy about that at first, but then he won her over when--"

Rambling on happily, the Healer made his way out the door, with Donn following resignedly. Half-way down the hall, the Healer stopped and turned to the prince. "Well, goodness me, what are you doing? Aren't you supposed to be leading me to this human? Well?"

"Yes, Healer Jammin." Donn took the lead, struggling not to roll his eyes. Presently, the Healer and Crown Prince were out in the playing field. The children ran to meet them.

"Healer Jammin, come quick! The human's awake!"

"Is it--er, SHE, now? Very well, very well, make way." The Healer made vague scattering motions with his hands as he approached the human girl. "Don't be frightened, now, girl, I'm Healer Jammin. I'm what you mortals would call a 'dok-torr'. Let me look at you... Well, now, where'd that blood on your hand come from?" He circled around her, coming to a halt at her head. "I see, I see, nasty bump you've got there. No matter, nothing I can't patch up... Oh, by the way, Your Highness--" the Healer always made it a point to address Donn with his title when they were in public. "--weren't you going to call your father?"

"I did, Healer Jammin." Donn couldn't help grinning at the Healer's stern rebuke. "While you were talking." He held up a small crystal that, to other eyes, would seem to have materialized out of nowhere.

Danni watched in silence as the young goblins fussed and watched her. Was this what a caged animal felt like? Or a bird? Maybe it was more like those things in those old caravan circus'. Any or either way, it was not a feeling she liked. Like she wasn't a person, just a thing to be poked and prodded and looked at. Not a pleasant feeling at all.

"Don't be frightened. Pshaw. Do you honestly think I'm scared of you or anyone else here. I don't get afraid that easily." Her eyes narrowed and she looked to the old man, just challenging him to heal her. "I'm not stupid like the peabrains over there, I know what a healer is. Honestly, where do you think the blood came from? Sheesh." It was then that Danni noticed Donn and his little crystal ball.

"What's that? Contact juggling ball?" Funny how her tone changed when she talked to him. Perhaps her interest was sparked, perhaps she was tired. Perhaps she didn't care.

Upon hearing the word "peabrains" applied to the goblin children, whom Donn counted among his friends, his brow furrowed angrily and his mouth opened to deliver a few choice words. However, before he could even make a sound, the words were spoken for him by a voice similar to his own, but completely different.

"I'll ask you not to describe my subjects in such a manner in front of me." It was the Goblin King, standing resplendent before them all in a dark mantle, white shirt, and dark pants and boots. It took all of Donn's will-power not to roll his eyes. Why his father placed so much emphasis on show and appearance, he would probably never understand. Smiling a smile that could be described as amused, displeased, or both, the Goblin King began to stride over to the human girl in such a way that made his mantle flow out quite regally behind him.

"Even if it is true for some of them," he added in a light tone, coming to a stop before her, "these are only children, you know. They have time to grow and perhaps even develop a brain amongst the lot of them."

"Father." Donn could not restrain the indignation in that one word.

The king glanced at his son, raising one eyebrow.

"Your Majesty," Donn rephrased. "Please do not--"

"Excuse my son," the king ran over the rest of Donn's intended words with a poise that, most likely, only he could carry off successfully. "He is quite attached to the children, himself. But enough about my subjects and kin." He placed his hands on his hips and smiled that enigmatic smile down at the girl.

"Danni." When he spoke her name, it was not a question. "What have you gotten yourself into? Oh, yes, I know about you," he added, "as well as your sibling problem. I make it my business to know at least a little about everyone who chances to believe, or hold the wish to believe, in my kingdom. Just on the off-chance that they might actually make it here, as you have. Well. What should we do with you now?"

If her eyes weren't already quite wide, Dannielle Giron's eyes grew even wider when she first heard the voice of the infamous Goblin King, Jareth. A small gasp emitted from her mouth and she had that faint feeling she sometimes got when Gabe was frenching some girl. But it was different, so much different this time.

Dannielle Giron, (or Danni, as she is called by most) is your average teenage. A dreamer, an outcast, suicidal and dark. She plays the guitar and writes poetry, when she's not being bullied by her older brother Gabrielle (or doing his chores.) But everything has changed now. While playing guitar at the park, she found a little red book that contained an amazing story about Goblins and Kings and true love. Who would believe her at home if she told them that she's now in that world??

But Danni was alone now, and she had to defend herself. Standing up, she grabbed her book and sized up the Goblin King. "Just as I expected. Rude, aggorant, stubborn. You in your son have much in common." Crossing her arms in front of her, Danni smirked and walked around them, feeling like she held the aces.

"I can say whatever I want to say to the children." She threw a glace their way, making them cower and her smirk grow larger. But then she stopped, and spun around. "So it seems introductions are not in the agenda, are they? I do not have a 'sibling problem', as you call it." Danni used air quotes around sibling problem. "But since you know all about me, you probably know what to do with me. Perhaps throw me in an oubliette?"

Though the children gasped, Donn frowned, and Healer Jammin squawked at the way that this... this HUMAN addressed the Goblin King, Jareth's own smile did not waver; the hands on his hips did not twitch one jot.

"Oh, I suppose you'd like that, wouldn't you?" He lowered his head, brought a finger to his chin and tapped it, as if thinking hard. "No, no, I don't believe that would do for one of your impertinent disposition. You know what I can do, Danni," he added, raising his eyes to meet hers, the smile still on his lips. "And you don't know what I can do even more. You would be very wise to fear me. But as I see that you do not--" he shrugged as if resigned. "--I will at least require that you observe the Rules of Hospitality that apply for all of the Underground kingdoms."

There were definite Capital Letters Of Importance That Would Be Very Stupid Of You To Ignore at the beginnings of the words "Rules" and "Hospitality."

"Yes," the Goblin King continued on happily, "And for all who dwell in and\or visit the kingdoms. That includes my kingdom. That--" he pointed a gloved hand at the human girl. "--includes you.

"Now, while I figure out what to do about you and your sibling problem, my Rules of Hospitality shall be these." He raised a single finger. "That you look after the children of the City below my castle."

The children gathered around them cried out in horror. "US? That human? But she's a human! But she hates us! But we don't like her!"

The Goblin King ignored his child subjects and raised a second finger. "Also, you shall do so alongside my son, Donn."

Now it was the Goblin Prince's turn to protest. "Father--Your Highness--is it really necessary to...!"

The Goblin King continued being deaf to everyone but himself as he raised a third finger. "And you shall live amongst my goblins in their City, and my son shall do likewise, until I shall tell you otherwise."

He grinned at the human girl as if he had just proclaimed the most genius edict of the century that would make absolutely EVERYONE happy and ended with the light words: "Is that clear?" Without waiting for an answer: "Good. Have fun."

Then he waved a hand, a round crystal appeared in it, and he THREW it at the human girl's head.

Just before it ended up beaning her on the skull and giving her a lump the size of a melon, it GREW and EXPANDED, until it engulfed the girl, the Goblin Prince, and the goblin children (the Goblin King and the Castle Healer had conveniently disappeared the moment after the crystal was thrown).

Donn and the children found themselves standing in the square of the Goblin City, with the human girl right next to them.

Donn glared at the world in general.

The children burst into tears.

Danni's hands went to her hips, in a pose that matched the King's. She wasn't afraid, her intensity was even higher than his. It gave the girl a bit of power to know that she was rude to the Jareth, and that people didn't like it. "Maybe I would, maybe I wouldn't- you wouldn't know Your Majesty." Danielle sneered.

But when the king started talking about rules, an eyebrow got cocked. "The Hell?? Rules of Hospitality? Don't point fingers like that- not cool." The goth snacked his hand away, looking slightly uncomfortable. "And stop referring to that as a sibling problem. It's not a sibling problem," it's a me problem. But she didn't say that, it was only a small thought in her head.

"What? No, I don't babysit, I hate kids, I really do..." Lie. "Your son? He's a weirdo! I wouldn't want to hang around him even if my life depended on it." Lie. "Wait, what?!" Danni's jaw dropped. "You want me to stay, like LIVE with all them? No, no no no no fucking way! No way, not on God's green-"

It was too late. The king threw the crystal at Danni, and she, not knowing any better, ducked. But then it transported them to the Goblin City.

In pure rage, Danni stomped a Converse clad foot into the dust, yelling to no-one and everyone all at once. "Awww shit. Shit shit shit. This wasn't supposed to happen. No no no!" She started to pace really quickly, her hands running through her pale blue streaked hair. This was not a good situation, and Danni knew she had to get out of it soon.

"Doooonnn!" Noddy wailed, clinging to his pant leg. "Doonnnnn!!" She wailed again, shaking his leg so that he swayed slightly. "Donn, I don't want to be looked after by that human! She scares me!"

"What do you want me to do about it, Noddy?" Donn asked with a mixture of weariness and resignedness in his voice.

"You're the prince, so you can do something about it, can't you?!" Noddy gave in to a fit of childish distress and began to sob. "C-can't you get y-your papa to change his m-mind?!"

Donn knelt and looked the goblin child straight in the eyes; he was not smiling, although she was not the reason for this. "Noddy, if I could, don't you think I would? But you know as well as I that the Goblin King's final word is exactly that: final. I'm sorry, but I think we're just going to have to make the best of it. And besides," he added, a hint of his old grin quirking the side of his mouth, "It won't be so bad, will it? You still have me."

Still hiccuping slightly, Noddy nodded in agreement.

"Good girl." Donn ruffled her straw-like (in both color and texture) hair affectionately before rising to stand once more, gazing at the human girl as she cursed and paced. His face now gave nothing away about what he was thinking.

"Are you quite finished?" He asked in a monotone voice. "If you are, I think I know where we're going to be staying. If not, then tough luck. I'm going there right now to alert the Missus, and you can either follow me or stay here and curse until nightfall. Either way, it's up to you."

Shrugging, Donn turned on his heel and made to walk away down a narrow side-street, a goblin child holding on to each of his hands and the rest following behind.

Danni stopped pacing, swirling around to meet Donn. Her back straightened and she listened to what he said. Which was weird, 'cause she usually didn't listen to anyone. "Are you quite finished?If you are, I think I know where we're going to be staying. If not, then tough luck. I'm going there right now to alert the Missus, and you can either follow me or stay here and curse until nightfall. Either way, it's up to you." The punk raised an eyebrow, while throwing eye daggers which she was so adequate at. She was actually gifted in doing two weird eye movements at the same time. It's true talent.

Danielle sighed dramatically and shrugged. "Fine. It's not like I care." Lie. "Two can play at this game. Lead the way." Danni stuck a hand into her back pocket. She felt her iPod in there, and it wasn't broken. She smirked a little, it disappearing quickly. "Let the games begin."

Donn strode down streets and made his way through winding alleys until at last he came up to a particular goblin dwelling. It was not that discernible from the other goblin houses, but he obviously knew that this was the place that he wanted to be. Detaching his right hand from Noddy's, he lifted it and rapped on the door.

A few moments later, it opened, to reveal a goblin woman with a squashed, yet smiling, face. "Why, Donn!" She cried happily in a voice like gravel grinding together. "What brings you here? Oh, Noddy, there you are. Thank you for bringing her home, Donn."

"You're welcome, Nobbles, although that's not entirely why I'm here." The Crown Prince hesitated before continuing on: "Actually, if you don't mind, I and a... friend of mine are going to need a place to stay for a while, and the first person I thought of was you. Of course, I don't wish to impose on you, but my father--"

"Oh, your father." Nobbles shook her head, clucking her tongue. "What have you been up to now, Donn, that he's kicked you out of the castle?"

"It's not me," Donn protested, before remembering about the human girl and regaining his composure. "Actually, it's this human girl that..."

He explained to the goblin woman, who nodded in all the right places. When he finished, she patted his arm. "Of course you and the girl can stay with us, Donn! Why, after everything you've done for Noddy, how could I possibly say no? Dorko!" She shouted into the depths of the house. "Honey, we've got company!"

And she proceeded to shoo everyone into the house.

(OOC: I love the names. Nobbles and Dorko....)

Danni gulped, her hands in her pockets and her face cast to the ground. "It's my fault." She said, raising her hand as Donn started to talk. "I'm so sorry." She whispered to no-one. The punk felt awful. Her stupid guilt factor came into play and her Christian nature. I've screwed up big time now. This is bad. This is very very bad. I won't be able to get home- wait! Why would I want to go home now? This is better than anything I've ever experienced. And I have to earn these people's trust. This is going to be a rocky road I've paved for myself..."

Donn couldn't help but stare as the rude human girl suddenly turned repentant and guilty. Well, this was... weird. He could deal with rudeness, and he could deal with regret. Just not when they both surfaced in the same person.

"Well." He cleared his throat. "Um. Don't worry yourself, alright?" Even if it WAS all her fault for being so insufferably arrogant to the Goblin King himself... "Just... let's get inside the house. It's almost dinnertime, and Nobbles always makes meals to die for."

He cast an affectionate grin at the goblin woman, who giggled and tried to blush. "Oh, Donn, your sweet-talk will be the death of me," she reproached him fondly as she ushered them into a large (for goblins), rather cramped (for humans) room. A long table was set up, and earthenware bowls and spoons set out upon its surface.

"Everyone grab a seat, now, while Dorko brings out the grub!" Nobbles ordered the Prince, human girl, and goblin children. With a shout of delight, the children descended upon the table; before he could even move, all the spaces were occupied except for the head of the table (reserved for the mother), the chair immediately to its right (for the father), and two chairs on either side. That meant that Donn and the girl would have to sit across from each other.

Donn sank into his seat half-resignedly, half-apprehensively. The girl had already displayed one rather major mood-swing. What if she was one of those people who went through multiple moods at once, acting as if all of them were normal? How would he put up with her then?