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 9: Love Hurts
Ione recovered not long after she was out of the castle, and it didn't take many weeks for her wound to heal. But a small scar remained to remind her. When Apollo reached three years of age, his mother had a big party for him to celebrate his coming of age. However, the party was curiously devoid of mysterious gifts. Apollo was not expecting any, and his friends carefully avoided the subject of his now rather obvious parental legacy. Apollo went for a walk with his mother that evening. Following her last meeting with Jareth, Ione never walked alone. Apollo walked silently chewing over the absence of his father in the entirety of his childhood. Ione could feel the tension in his manner.
"Forgive him, Apollo."
Apollo stopped short in his tracks.
"What do you mean?"
"You're thinking about your father. Forgive him, Apollo."
"I keep forgetting you can read thoughts," Apollo commented dryly.
"Oh, Apollo," Ione said with a frustrated sigh. "I don't need to read your mind to know what you're feeling! You are a part of me. I carried you for nine months and nurtured you through childhood. I know when you're angry better than you do sometimes!" She sighed again her frustration spent. "Apollo you must let go of this anger. Anger is one of the worst poisons of mind and soul that I know of, and." She paused placing a gentle and loving hand on her son's shoulder to turn him towards her. "And I don't want to lose my baby." Her eyes stung with tears as she looked up at her now grown baby boy. "You have a beautiful soul, Apollo. One of your father's faults, son, is his dark and hardened heart. Let me remind you that I do not want you to become like your father!" She put a delicate hand on his cheek, and Apollo could see the shimmer on hers. His heart broke softly inside him. His mother never made a noise in her tears beyond a sharp intake of breath every now and again. Her tears were always for a reason and only when she felt very deeply about something.
"I make no promises other than I will try."
She was not satisfied, he knew, but it seemed the best he could promise.
"Ione U. I didn't expect." the Goblin King stopped mid-sentence as Apollo came into view. "I see you still have your escort."
"Your Majesty, I am but a woman of weak strength."
"I'll not have her hurt again by you!" Apollo cut in with a defiant raise of his chin. He was a man this time, and his human half looked it after the self-imposed militant training he'd put himself through.
"How have I hurt her?" Jareth sneered and waved the boy off. This shocked Apollo speechless but a moment.
"I am here today; you ignored and continue to ignore me as your son, which is also a way you have hurt me; you forced a second child upon her; and that child died from circumstances I'll never tell you! It seems you are incapable of doing anything besides hurting her, but I'll not let you do it again!"
"You're baiting me now boy. I was told you learned fast, but when are you going to learn I don't leave a challenge unanswered!"
The two were facing each other now with murder in their eyes, but neither was more imposing despite Apollo's height advantage.
"Stop it both of you!" Ione cried as she launched herself between them. "You are tearing me to pieces with this nonsense! How do I explain to the two of you? I have no hope of returned love from you, Jareth, but, Apollo, I need your sensitivity!"
Apollo backed down and returned to his mother's side. Jareth moved closer, his eyes on Ione, and Ione put a restraining arm in front of her son.
"You say that you love me, Ione. Prove it! Talk to me without your bodyguard."
"Jareth, the last time I spoke to you alone, I ended up with child."
Jareth said nothing but held her eyes in his own. She knew his wishes and she looked down at her hands.
"Apollo, return home."
"Mother!"
"Just go!"
Ione's jaw was clenched, and Apollo knew what would happen if he left. He left slowly looking over his shoulder occasionally until he could see his parents no longer. He shook his head in amazement. His mother really couldn't deny his father anything no matter the cost to her own heart. It made him burn with rage that the man should abuse such a precious gift, and it made no sense to him why these repulsive acts did not severe that man from her heart for good.
Chapter 9: Love Hurts
Ione recovered not long after she was out of the castle, and it didn't take many weeks for her wound to heal. But a small scar remained to remind her. When Apollo reached three years of age, his mother had a big party for him to celebrate his coming of age. However, the party was curiously devoid of mysterious gifts. Apollo was not expecting any, and his friends carefully avoided the subject of his now rather obvious parental legacy. Apollo went for a walk with his mother that evening. Following her last meeting with Jareth, Ione never walked alone. Apollo walked silently chewing over the absence of his father in the entirety of his childhood. Ione could feel the tension in his manner.
"Forgive him, Apollo."
Apollo stopped short in his tracks.
"What do you mean?"
"You're thinking about your father. Forgive him, Apollo."
"I keep forgetting you can read thoughts," Apollo commented dryly.
"Oh, Apollo," Ione said with a frustrated sigh. "I don't need to read your mind to know what you're feeling! You are a part of me. I carried you for nine months and nurtured you through childhood. I know when you're angry better than you do sometimes!" She sighed again her frustration spent. "Apollo you must let go of this anger. Anger is one of the worst poisons of mind and soul that I know of, and." She paused placing a gentle and loving hand on her son's shoulder to turn him towards her. "And I don't want to lose my baby." Her eyes stung with tears as she looked up at her now grown baby boy. "You have a beautiful soul, Apollo. One of your father's faults, son, is his dark and hardened heart. Let me remind you that I do not want you to become like your father!" She put a delicate hand on his cheek, and Apollo could see the shimmer on hers. His heart broke softly inside him. His mother never made a noise in her tears beyond a sharp intake of breath every now and again. Her tears were always for a reason and only when she felt very deeply about something.
"I make no promises other than I will try."
She was not satisfied, he knew, but it seemed the best he could promise.
"Ione U. I didn't expect." the Goblin King stopped mid-sentence as Apollo came into view. "I see you still have your escort."
"Your Majesty, I am but a woman of weak strength."
"I'll not have her hurt again by you!" Apollo cut in with a defiant raise of his chin. He was a man this time, and his human half looked it after the self-imposed militant training he'd put himself through.
"How have I hurt her?" Jareth sneered and waved the boy off. This shocked Apollo speechless but a moment.
"I am here today; you ignored and continue to ignore me as your son, which is also a way you have hurt me; you forced a second child upon her; and that child died from circumstances I'll never tell you! It seems you are incapable of doing anything besides hurting her, but I'll not let you do it again!"
"You're baiting me now boy. I was told you learned fast, but when are you going to learn I don't leave a challenge unanswered!"
The two were facing each other now with murder in their eyes, but neither was more imposing despite Apollo's height advantage.
"Stop it both of you!" Ione cried as she launched herself between them. "You are tearing me to pieces with this nonsense! How do I explain to the two of you? I have no hope of returned love from you, Jareth, but, Apollo, I need your sensitivity!"
Apollo backed down and returned to his mother's side. Jareth moved closer, his eyes on Ione, and Ione put a restraining arm in front of her son.
"You say that you love me, Ione. Prove it! Talk to me without your bodyguard."
"Jareth, the last time I spoke to you alone, I ended up with child."
Jareth said nothing but held her eyes in his own. She knew his wishes and she looked down at her hands.
"Apollo, return home."
"Mother!"
"Just go!"
Ione's jaw was clenched, and Apollo knew what would happen if he left. He left slowly looking over his shoulder occasionally until he could see his parents no longer. He shook his head in amazement. His mother really couldn't deny his father anything no matter the cost to her own heart. It made him burn with rage that the man should abuse such a precious gift, and it made no sense to him why these repulsive acts did not severe that man from her heart for good.