The Goblin King and his Angel Queen - being rewritten!

Opening up about the abuse

Disclaimer: I don't own the Labyrinth or Winx Club, I only own Annabelle

Annabelle's POV:
Two days have passed since I sent off the letter to the Winx club and my injures have been healing well. Ever since I arrived and realised that Jareth really did care for me, telling him about the abuse has been eating away at me. I have been wanting to talk to him about it and everything that happened since my mother's death. I have been trying to work up the confidence to tell him but something keeps stopping me every time. I finally made up my mind that today is the day that I am going to tell him. I am pulled from my thoughts by the sound of footsteps coming over to the bed. Jareth sits down on the seat by my bed. "How long have you been there, watching me?" I ask turning my head to look at him. I slowly sit up in bed, Jareth helping me to sit up and move the pillows to support me without causing me more pain. "A while, I was watching from the doorway and you were so lost in thought that you didn't hear me come in. A penny for your thoughts?" he replied.

"Ever since I arrived and realised that you actually cared about me I have been wanting to tell you about my life before you rescued me but every time something has stopped me. I made up my mind to tell you today before I lose my confidence to do so" I told him. He nodded "you can tell me anything" he replied. I knew right there and then that I fully trust him. "For years it was always me and my mother, my father was not in the picture and my mother didn't talk about him. She told me his name and showed me a photo but he was never there. We would spend our days being happy and loving life. We had a lovely holiday before her death. Her death was a shock and broke me inside, the car that killed her came out of nowhere, it was like a part of me died that day. It was two years ago that she was taken from me. The first time I met my father was at her funeral when he came to pay his respects and make arrangements for me to be moved into his house. I had been staying at my friend's house since she died and it was a week after the funeral that I went to live at my father's house.

From the day I stepped into his house for the first time I knew I was not wanted there. My stepmother and stepbrothers hated me. Within two weeks of living there, they made my life a living hell, they forced me to move schools from Alfea to a local school and the day after that the beatings began. They forced me to become their slave, doing all the housework and gardening. They beat me for the smallest things. The day you rescued me the had beaten me close to death. I spotted you in the tree in your owl form and it was then I remembered a story that my mother used to read to me, she would always show me the words that would call you and she never spoke them aloud. I always remembered your owl form and whenever I saw an owl I would remember the story and smile at the memory. I thought I was going to die and be reunited with my mother that day. I saw your owl form and remembered the story and I took a risk and called for you and you came. I cannot thank you enough for rescuing me that day. Ever since my mother died I haven't had someone care for me as you have. I was forced to lose contact with my friends and you have given that back to me. You have given my back my life and my will to live. You've saved me" I finished.

He didn't say a word for a few minutes while he processed what I had said. I waited for his reaction nervously. Finally, he stood and moved to sit on the bed, he pulled me into his arms, holding me close to his chest. "I promise no one will hurt you again, you are safe here and I will protect you, I promise you," he told me. I nodded, grateful for the protection. Being with Jareth made me feel safe. "Thank you Jareth," I said. We stayed like that falling asleep together with Jareth still holding me in his arms.

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Upcoming chapters:
Chapter 5: Life in the Labyrinth
Chapter 6: The inheritance
Chapter 7: Visiting Alfea
Chapter 8: Annabelle's real father
Chapter 9: Falling in love with Jareth
Chapter 10: Father-Daughter bonding