Disclaimer: The Labyrinth, its characters, songs, and phrases are
unfortunately not mine. They belong to Jim Henson Productions. However,
Ione, Apollo, and Isis are my original characters as well as the story.
Please do not use my characters without my permission.
Chapter 8: Of Battles and Ceremonies
On his second birthday, Ione presented her son with a copy of Jareth's symbols. Each one was an exact copy lovingly detailed by her own hand. She'd left no minute curve unfinished. Apollo accepted them with mixed feelings. These symbols spoke more than anything of his father's true nature. He accepted them solemnly and thanked his mother. Jareth did not make an appearance for Apollo's second birthday, but Ione had found some mysterious gifts she had not purchased. Apollo accepted these even though they both knew who they were from. The following day, Ione joined the Knights of the Labyrinth. She was given a position in the fifth division overseeing the junkyard, and she spent much of her time strolling amongst the huge field of junk mounds keeping watch for trouble. But trouble rose much sooner than any would've expected. An army of trolls attacked the Labyrinth. Ione's division worked hard to defend the Junkyard, and that area suffered very little damage, but trolls were after the Goblin City and the King. Ione's duties were to protect the junkyard, so she positioned the remaining uninjured junkyard army around the gates of the city in order to trap the trolls inside. The army inside the city was strong, and now the trolls were fighting front and back. She decided to do some reconnaissance and slipped into the city. She carefully dodged trolls and found the thick part of the battle. She found the city knights hard pressed defending the city and saw Jareth's large army had positioned itself around the castle. Jareth was overlooking the battle as usual from his castle. She took careful stock of the battle then saw a troll with a spear. His aim was directed at the King, but Jareth was busy watching over the goblins protecting the castle door. With a scream not far from a shrill neigh, Ione stopped the troll's arm then spun and kicked the troll viciously to the ground. She made a split second check for more weapons before she pounded the troll mercilessly with her lethal hooves. She attempted to move back into invisibility quickly, but she felt a sharp pain in her left shoulder. She looked down slowly and saw a troll arrow protruding from her chest. She looked at it as shock slowly set in then looked towards the window where the man she's protected stood. He was looking in her direction, but the distance between them made the expression on his face unreadable. Her legs wobbled beneath her, and she sank to her knees. She looked up again with a look mixed of innocence and pain before she rolled to her side in unconsciousness. An instant later Apollo was beside her. He was very glad his training was complete. His mother was a lot of woman to be moving around. He lifted her quickly onto his own back and ran swiftly to safety. Apollo knew what few others would know. Centaurs had two hearts. The heart in their equine half was large and could easily take over the work of the human heart when injured. It was also hard to hit the equine heart with something as pathetic as an arrow. Apollo laid his mother on the ground and produced a kit of supplies. Ione was already dazed with pain so he first doused the wound with a painkiller. He carefully removed the arrow with the skill of a master surgeon then closed the wound and dressed it gently. Ione woke seconds later as the pain subsided and her equine heart took over. She would be slightly weak and sore for a bit, but she was otherwise unharmed. Apollo found his mother to be a very difficult patient. He made it his job to see to it that she rested after the battle continued, but ever thoughtless of her own safety, Ione was eager to rejoin her fellow knights. Throughout the battle, Jareth was more careful, and no more attempts were made on his life. Jareth called together many of the leading officers of his army as well as the Knights of the Labyrinth for a special recognition of bravery in the throne room of his castle. The Leader of the Knights and Elder Knight of the Goblin City division, the Lady Jessie or London as Jareth called her, was commended for her successful defense of the city; and all the leaders of the separate divisions were commended for their defenses. Ione accepted her recognition with a gracious bow. She had done her best to not draw attention to the bandage that showed despite her attempts.
"I would like to specially recognize a brave woman who endangered herself for my sake."
Jareth looked directly toward Ione.
"The Lady Ione Athene."
It seemed as though the entire room turned in unison towards her as she shyly stepped away from the crowd. Those in the battle had been too busy to notice Ione's act of bravery. She slowly walked forward and bowed gracefully once more. She hardly felt the floor beneath her feet and prayed she could make it back into the crowd. She glanced up tentatively at the King, but she felt all strength drain from her as he smiled. Apollo watched from farther back in the crowd. He had a cloak similar to the King's drawn over his head so he wouldn't attract attention to himself, but he edged forward when he saw his mother's nearly imperceptible tremble. Apollo alone knew the strain of this gathering on his mother. She hated recognition especially when she felt she'd only done her duty. Now in her weakened condition and with his father smiling down at her, he knew she had moments. Then she went. Ione's legs buckled beneath her and she dropped to the floor, which fortunately wasn't far because she'd been bowing. Jareth reached down and touched her arm but stopped short when he was startled by a voice.
"Get. AWAY from my mother!"
Apollo walked forward after taking off his cloak. His eyes glared fire as he approached with all the majesty of his race. Gasps ran through the crowd like a wave following his approach.
"It is not your place to give orders in my kingdom, boy!" Jareth practically growled. To spite his intruding son, Jareth reached down and checked Ione's pulse on her neck. A shriek escaped a couple of the knights. Jareth had been flung against the wall behind him with such force that the thud was heard throughout the hall. Apollo remained where he was with one hand raised towards his father. The Labyrinthine inhabitants were stunned into silence. Jareth rose and shook himself. He stepped towards his son, but he got no further. Apollo was still keeping his father back.
"She is my mother, and I will protect her with every power I possess!"
"Two can play at that game!" Jareth said raising his hand. However, Apollo was waiting for this response. He raised his other hand just as quickly. The two forces of will met in an explosion nearly visible, and many in the watching crowd were thrown to the ground from its sheer might.
"You fool!" Apollo spit out through gritted teeth. "If you cared anything about her at all, you'd let me remove her from the hall to recover!"
Jareth tilted his head with a mocking smile.
"You might be right, but no one insults me in my own hall!"
This said, Jareth raised his other hand and toppled his son off his feet. The centaur went down hard, and when he rose to his feet once more, he had a gash over his right eye.
"I can thank my mother for every good in my life." He touched his hand to his forehead realizing he was wounded, and his eyes filled with hate as they looked back towards the King. "But I can blame you for the rest!"
I'd rather be dead than know what you did to her!
The words chased themselves through his mind and he read them in his son's eyes. It was obvious from the crowd's reaction that they had not heard these last words, and he began to wonder just how powerful his son really was. With the composed dignity of the centaur race, Apollo lifted his mother onto his back and strode from the hall. After some convincing from the Goblin King, the crowd resumed the ceremonies and forgot about the Jareth lookalike. But Apollo would not forget that meeting.
Chapter 8: Of Battles and Ceremonies
On his second birthday, Ione presented her son with a copy of Jareth's symbols. Each one was an exact copy lovingly detailed by her own hand. She'd left no minute curve unfinished. Apollo accepted them with mixed feelings. These symbols spoke more than anything of his father's true nature. He accepted them solemnly and thanked his mother. Jareth did not make an appearance for Apollo's second birthday, but Ione had found some mysterious gifts she had not purchased. Apollo accepted these even though they both knew who they were from. The following day, Ione joined the Knights of the Labyrinth. She was given a position in the fifth division overseeing the junkyard, and she spent much of her time strolling amongst the huge field of junk mounds keeping watch for trouble. But trouble rose much sooner than any would've expected. An army of trolls attacked the Labyrinth. Ione's division worked hard to defend the Junkyard, and that area suffered very little damage, but trolls were after the Goblin City and the King. Ione's duties were to protect the junkyard, so she positioned the remaining uninjured junkyard army around the gates of the city in order to trap the trolls inside. The army inside the city was strong, and now the trolls were fighting front and back. She decided to do some reconnaissance and slipped into the city. She carefully dodged trolls and found the thick part of the battle. She found the city knights hard pressed defending the city and saw Jareth's large army had positioned itself around the castle. Jareth was overlooking the battle as usual from his castle. She took careful stock of the battle then saw a troll with a spear. His aim was directed at the King, but Jareth was busy watching over the goblins protecting the castle door. With a scream not far from a shrill neigh, Ione stopped the troll's arm then spun and kicked the troll viciously to the ground. She made a split second check for more weapons before she pounded the troll mercilessly with her lethal hooves. She attempted to move back into invisibility quickly, but she felt a sharp pain in her left shoulder. She looked down slowly and saw a troll arrow protruding from her chest. She looked at it as shock slowly set in then looked towards the window where the man she's protected stood. He was looking in her direction, but the distance between them made the expression on his face unreadable. Her legs wobbled beneath her, and she sank to her knees. She looked up again with a look mixed of innocence and pain before she rolled to her side in unconsciousness. An instant later Apollo was beside her. He was very glad his training was complete. His mother was a lot of woman to be moving around. He lifted her quickly onto his own back and ran swiftly to safety. Apollo knew what few others would know. Centaurs had two hearts. The heart in their equine half was large and could easily take over the work of the human heart when injured. It was also hard to hit the equine heart with something as pathetic as an arrow. Apollo laid his mother on the ground and produced a kit of supplies. Ione was already dazed with pain so he first doused the wound with a painkiller. He carefully removed the arrow with the skill of a master surgeon then closed the wound and dressed it gently. Ione woke seconds later as the pain subsided and her equine heart took over. She would be slightly weak and sore for a bit, but she was otherwise unharmed. Apollo found his mother to be a very difficult patient. He made it his job to see to it that she rested after the battle continued, but ever thoughtless of her own safety, Ione was eager to rejoin her fellow knights. Throughout the battle, Jareth was more careful, and no more attempts were made on his life. Jareth called together many of the leading officers of his army as well as the Knights of the Labyrinth for a special recognition of bravery in the throne room of his castle. The Leader of the Knights and Elder Knight of the Goblin City division, the Lady Jessie or London as Jareth called her, was commended for her successful defense of the city; and all the leaders of the separate divisions were commended for their defenses. Ione accepted her recognition with a gracious bow. She had done her best to not draw attention to the bandage that showed despite her attempts.
"I would like to specially recognize a brave woman who endangered herself for my sake."
Jareth looked directly toward Ione.
"The Lady Ione Athene."
It seemed as though the entire room turned in unison towards her as she shyly stepped away from the crowd. Those in the battle had been too busy to notice Ione's act of bravery. She slowly walked forward and bowed gracefully once more. She hardly felt the floor beneath her feet and prayed she could make it back into the crowd. She glanced up tentatively at the King, but she felt all strength drain from her as he smiled. Apollo watched from farther back in the crowd. He had a cloak similar to the King's drawn over his head so he wouldn't attract attention to himself, but he edged forward when he saw his mother's nearly imperceptible tremble. Apollo alone knew the strain of this gathering on his mother. She hated recognition especially when she felt she'd only done her duty. Now in her weakened condition and with his father smiling down at her, he knew she had moments. Then she went. Ione's legs buckled beneath her and she dropped to the floor, which fortunately wasn't far because she'd been bowing. Jareth reached down and touched her arm but stopped short when he was startled by a voice.
"Get. AWAY from my mother!"
Apollo walked forward after taking off his cloak. His eyes glared fire as he approached with all the majesty of his race. Gasps ran through the crowd like a wave following his approach.
"It is not your place to give orders in my kingdom, boy!" Jareth practically growled. To spite his intruding son, Jareth reached down and checked Ione's pulse on her neck. A shriek escaped a couple of the knights. Jareth had been flung against the wall behind him with such force that the thud was heard throughout the hall. Apollo remained where he was with one hand raised towards his father. The Labyrinthine inhabitants were stunned into silence. Jareth rose and shook himself. He stepped towards his son, but he got no further. Apollo was still keeping his father back.
"She is my mother, and I will protect her with every power I possess!"
"Two can play at that game!" Jareth said raising his hand. However, Apollo was waiting for this response. He raised his other hand just as quickly. The two forces of will met in an explosion nearly visible, and many in the watching crowd were thrown to the ground from its sheer might.
"You fool!" Apollo spit out through gritted teeth. "If you cared anything about her at all, you'd let me remove her from the hall to recover!"
Jareth tilted his head with a mocking smile.
"You might be right, but no one insults me in my own hall!"
This said, Jareth raised his other hand and toppled his son off his feet. The centaur went down hard, and when he rose to his feet once more, he had a gash over his right eye.
"I can thank my mother for every good in my life." He touched his hand to his forehead realizing he was wounded, and his eyes filled with hate as they looked back towards the King. "But I can blame you for the rest!"
I'd rather be dead than know what you did to her!
The words chased themselves through his mind and he read them in his son's eyes. It was obvious from the crowd's reaction that they had not heard these last words, and he began to wonder just how powerful his son really was. With the composed dignity of the centaur race, Apollo lifted his mother onto his back and strode from the hall. After some convincing from the Goblin King, the crowd resumed the ceremonies and forgot about the Jareth lookalike. But Apollo would not forget that meeting.