The Prince went back into the Labyrinth before transporting himself to the Goblin Village. He always had to be careful when transporting in the Labyrinth. As whimsical and magical as this land was, it wouldn't do for a dreamer to see something startling and remember it clearly. Exploding into glitter was something startling. 

The goblins locked themselves into their homes or took up arms and manned the boulders and loaded the cannons, chattering all the while.

The Prince watched it all, walking through the village to survey the preparations. As he walked towards the Castle beyond the Goblin City, some fences and buildings that had been damaged in various boulder and cannonballs mishaps fixed themselves as the Prince passed.

After a few minutes the Prince passed through the huge gates of the Castle, sitting on the smaller but just as extravagant throne in the throne room that Jareth had ordered crafted for his fifth birthday, one eye on the small girl, the other watching the Runner through his crystals as he made his way closer to the dreamer's glade. 

Perhaps the brutish knight should make an appearance and redirect his course. His father's voice echoed around the Labyrinth, but only Prince heard it. 

Prince stood and left the throne room, his tunic and trousers morphing into green armor the moment he was out of sight of the wishaway, a crystal sword at his side. 

He transported to the area the runner was heading to and summoned a dueling dummy and a helmet, cast two glamours and waited. 

He began to strike at the dummy, moving swiftly and accurately, each slice leaving deep gashes in the wood. 

Just as the runner entered the clearing the dummy's head rolled, coming to a stop at the Runner's feet. 

"Oh, what's this?" The Prince said, removing his helmet and revealing a glamour. He looked about twenty at the moment. "A new challenger." 

To anyone who couldn't see through illusions, the clearing was covered in blood and skulls. 

"Do you wish to pass me by?" The Prince asked, brandishing his sword. "Then you will have to fight for it."

The runner, while aggressive towards those weaker than himself, turned tail, watched by an owl that circled around the Prince before diving back into the Labyrinth.

Prince sighed and dispelled the glamour's, his clothes returning to his normal outfit, sword banished back to the armory.

Prince returned to the castle and sat on the edge of the wish away pit, watching the child pet one of the many chickens in the castle. 

The throne room was vast, plenty of room for the numerous goblins and his father's I.promptu dance routines, although sometimes it felt far to small.

The thrones overlooked the entire area, only the alcoves that lined the walls floor to ceiling and tunnel system that connected them all, affording a better view.

When Prince was young, he would drive his father mad by vanishing into them just as easily as the goblins would, exploring for hours.

Eventually he had gotten too big to fit and had been declared old enough to explore the labyrinth, as long as he stayed with his guide the first few months.

Oh the tricks and fun he had. Even now, decades later, there were still places in his kingdom he had yet to explore, although he was well versed in the main sections.

Prince decided to play with the child, showing her tricks and illusions to entertain her, bringing a wooden horse to life along with several other animals.

They played for a few hours, being served a meal of peaches at the sixth hour, as was the custom. 

The entire time, he kept an eye on the Glade mirrors and the clock, covering the child with his own owl feather cloak when she fell asleep.

Perhaps a trick and a trip into an oubliette and not send Poggle to fish him out. He asked his father through a crystal, projecting his voice over the Labyrinth just as his father had done earlier. 

Perhaps that would be for the best. Do you mind? As you know, I cannot interfere nearly as much. 

Just a moment. On my way. 

"Helna." The prince called. "I shall return." 

A dwarf came forward and sat next to the sleeping girl as Prince vanished, a black barn owl flying out the window. 

He found his father and the runner near the helping hands and wove an illusion to convince said runner that he was going upstairs so when he fell into the helping hands he would choose the wrong way. 

"Down. Down. He wants to go down!" The hands cried. 

Thunk. 

"Well done," Jareth said, assuming his true form, jumping down onto the path. 

"Not quite," Prince said. "I'm not done tormenting him." 

"Then have fun."

The Prince cast another glamour, turning into an old beggar and jumped into the oubliette on silent feet. He waited a few moments before calling the attention of the frantic runner. 

"Where am I?" The man demanded. 

"An oubliette, " the Prince croaked. "Where the King leaves things to be forgotten." 

"Where is the exit?" The runner demanded. "Tell me!" 

"There isn't one." The Prince cackled. "Gone! Gone! The child be! A goblin for all eternity. Hahahahahaha!"

An owl flew up and out, narrowly missed by the runner's hands,  leaving the man screaming curses at the king.

They left him there, keeping an eye on him just in case but soon the thirteen hours were up and he was sent back to the mortal world.

Jareth decided of course, as he always does when a run was made. 

Sometimes they returned the child, usually when a sibling was the wisher or Jareth judges the lesson to be learned. Sometimes they kept the child, turning them into a goblin so they could live out eternity with no memories of their former life. 

This time, Jareth put the child up for adoption after observing her mother to be unfit and taking Prince's assessment of the girl into account. She was young enough to heal. Thank Danu for small mercies.

The Prince was, as always, in charge of such matters, sending out crystals that announced a new changeling to interested couples across the other 15 kingdoms as the King repaired the Labyrinth and reset for the next runner. 

It was only two hours later that he got a response to the notice and he made a call to a potential adopter. 

After Prince had finished the communication between a couple in the Phoenix Kingdom and recalled the notice, he went down and checked on the dreamers, eager to spend some time relaxing after a long day. 

He ended up singing in one glade and dancing in another before ending up in the glade where Ginny, who was happy just to let him sit back and eat peaches, was. 

"I turned nine today." She said, swinging her legs as they sat in the branches of a peach tree. 

Prince froze. "It's Ginny's birthday!" He announced to the goblins below. 

They were promptly swept up in the calls for Princy and Fire-hair to dance. 

Prince summoned a violin when Ginny wasn't looking and began to play some Taylor Davis as they danced. 

Soon Ginny woke up and a new runner came to the Labyrinth, a young mother who regretted her words before the child was even taken. 

Prince headed back to the Castle, hearing music from the outside before pushing open the doors.

He entered the throne room and had to dodge a  goblin sent flying by his father's "royal kick". 

He smiled and began to sing along to his father's favorite song concerning wishaways. "Slime and snails." 

"Puppy dog tails." 

"Thunder and lightning!" 

"And baby said?" Jareth asked, pointing at the child.

Soon the song was over, the child laughing happily as Prince picked him up. "What's your name, little one?" 

"Toby Johnson." Jareth said, looking a bit sad. 

Prince signed and bounced the child on his knee. "If you're that worried about the girl than I'll go and check on her." 

Jareth perked up for a moment before slumping on his throne. "She's fine. She doesn't need me." 

"It's been seven mortal years. She's an adult in the eyes of mortals." Prince stifled an extremely false tear. "Sarah Williams, all grown up." 

Jareth twitched. 

"Father," Prince said, more seriously. "She has not sent me away. I will make sure she is safe. Perhaps I can convince her to at least talk to you. Explain your reasoning enough she opens a dialogue. And explain other reasons she needs to return." 

"And what will I owe you for this?" Jareth asked. 

"You will never have any hand or influence in any gifts of mine concerning Fae Dust."

Jareth stared at the prince for a long time, long enough that Elywnn almost lowered his asking price.

"Very well. Please let me know if the situation…" he trailed off. 

"Changes? Improves for the better? Makes her hate you so much she wishes for me to erase her memories like a returned wishaway?" 

"Don't you dare make her forget!" Jareth yelled his anger a mighty thing to behold, his magic swirling around the throne room like a newborn tornado. 

"Of course not, Father," Prince assured his tone firm but placating. "I would never do anything to hurt you, especially you."

Jareth realized that his magic was whipping the wind into a frenzy and pulled it in. "Go." 

"Yes, sire." Prince handed the child off to a larger goblin. "I'll return in a few hours." He said to his father.

Jareth waved a hand dismissively but Prince knew him well enough to see the hope that had been rekindled. Prince was good with humans. He interacted with them daily. He could pretend to be one and convince other humans he was one of them. His entire duty concerning humans was convincing them that things are better than they thought and they would be okay. This would work. 

Please let this work.