28Disclaimer - I don't own the Labyrinth or any of the creations accompanying it. (Damn!)
A Syncopated Groove
Prologue-
"I've got a rhythm you can't lose
If you let your body lead the way
It's just a syncopated groove
It might be more than you can take"
- "I've Got Soul" - Hanson (also where "syncopated groove" came from)
January 2016
Jareth paced back and forth in front of his throne, his midnight black cape floating behind him. He had just pulled the half of him back that had lived in the Above since 1947. He felt off balance, readjusting to being whole once more. While 69 years to a being of his kind was but a blink of an eye, it was still disconcerting.
He had hoped by now to have found her, it was the whole purpose he had sent half of himself Above. But while It did keep an eye out for her, It went off and found a different human woman to settle down with. Actually more than one, producing 2 children - a boy and a girl. It was very strange to be reunited with It and feeling a wash of emotions for his human family overcome him. It wasn't He that had created this love, but yet it was.
He had never done this before as he had heard tell of Fae who did and lost themselves, never to be made whole again. Jareth himself had struggled to pull that part of himself back, it had fought. But with time growing short, even though It was still apart of him, It was made weak by all of the iron, causing the illness to manifest in cancer. Jareth would have pulled It back soon anyway, but that made it a necessity so It could heal by being reunited with him.
It finally bowed under Jareth's will and crown. He wouldn't have done it but for trying to have another set of eyes Above for her. So he sent half of himself as a babe in a human mother's womb, where It was born and grew as any child would, except at human aging and not Fae. It had Its own consciousness, but he was connected to It. It became a famous musician and singer, the magic helping for It to reach Its success and celebrity. It was susceptible to human devices and succumbed to them early on. It did right Itself later on, even the playfulness of the Fae side growing bored. Its distraction though, made it fail finding his mate.
But before we get too far ahead, let's rewind a bit to 30 years ago. The prophecy of his mate told that 1986 was the year she would be born Above. The prophecy stressed that should he not find her by her 30th birthday, that she would never be found and he would be forever alone. Fae don't love easily and they have one true mate in their Immortal lifetimes. Most don't find them and choose eventually to fade away, partaking in pleasures of the flesh along the way but never truly feeling anything.
He had felt when she was born; November 17, 1986. So thankfully he had almost the whole of 2016 yet to locate her, as it was only January. But time was growing short and steadily ticking by. This was one situation he could not reorder time.
In 1986, a little movie came out that starred his half Above. That movie was the book that should make its way to his mate. There was an actual book to be a counterpart to the movie, so either way this should be a piece of cake. What a pity the movie didn't tell exactly how and when she would be found. The actual circumstances would most likely be quite different. However the words were correct, but not just anyone could summon him. Only she and anyone else with the magic could do so. This was to ensure runners.
Many years ago, he had more runners than he knew what to do with, when the veils between realms were thinner and humans believed more. Their dreams and wishes fueled the Underground. However as time wore on, humans had less interest and time in stories and what they thought was make believe. So this movie acted two fold - to find her and to generate more runners with the gift to use the wish correctly. Keeping the Labyrinth and him infused with magic and power. The second intent worked perfectly, but the first did not.
It was very dis-satisfying to not have someone to take his anger out on as it was himself that caused the delay. He flicked his wrist, producing a crystal orb. He then threw it at the nearest group of goblins causing chaos, where it exploded in a shower of glitter. They disappeared into thin air and found themselves dunked in the Bog of Eternal Stench. That took only a small edge of his fury away.
He had sent goblin scouts Above as well, to try to search her out, but it was as if she was hidden from him. He collapsed sideways in his throne, the leg thrown over the arm jiggling with his agitated energy.
This didn't last very long. He rose from the throne and transformed into a snowy white owl, who then took flight through the window, his goblin horde not fazed by the King's sudden departure.
A/N - Welcome to my new story!
Here is a little English lesson. The word Syncopated in the title means -
1. Music. a shifting of the normal accent, usually by stressing the normally unaccented beats.
2. something, as a rhythm or a passage of music, that is syncopated.
In music, syncopation involves a variety of rhythms which are in some way unexpected which make part or all of a tune or piece of music off-beat. More simply, syncopation is a general term for "a disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of rhythm": a "placement of rhythmic stresses or accents where they wouldn't normally occur.
My reason is that this story will have similarities to the original but take a somewhat different path, weaving in and out of the original. I know it's not a 100% match for the meaning, but I really liked the similarity. This story is off beat in my opinion. Enjoy!