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 11: The Little Princess
Ione led the way since Apollo had never been in that part of the castle. Jareth met them at the door, and the Goblin King led them to adjoining rooms that were suitable to their unique qualities.
"Are you going to be present for the birth?" Apollo asked after sneaking a look at his father.
"What do you mean?" Jareth asked looking over and catching his son's glance.
"It's just that all my friend's fathers were present when they were born. Are you going to be there?"
"I suppose that is part of my deal."
Apollo didn't press further. His mother had said he'd stolen her heart at first glance. Maybe his sibling would enchant his father.
Amazingly no clashes occurred between father and son during the months of Ione's pregnancy. Jareth seemed content to have Ione near, and Apollo was content as long as Jareth stayed away from her room. The time seemed to fly by as Jareth watched Apollo dote on his pregnant mother until one night when Apollo was roused from sleep by a muffled cry. He instantly rushed to his mother's room. He watched as she squirmed every few minutes. Waking her he asked her if it was time to which another contraction was the answer. Apollo made an instant attempt at soothing her. He told her many things. He reminded her that the child had developed in the right place and that the child was going to be beautiful. It was during this soothing pep talk that he noticed his father's presence. The Goblin King seemed at a loss in the situation to which Apollo perfectly understood. He'd been at somewhat of a loss the last time his mother had given birth, but this time he knew what he needed to do.
"Here." He said as he stood. "You soothe her. I'll deliver the child."
He walked to the other end of the bed and rubbed his mother's flank encouragingly. Jareth was speechless for several moments as he watched the contractions hit. Ione would tense and once in a while he heard a small grunt of pain. Her closed eyes tightened as did her hands, which were tangled in a rag, when the pains seized her.
"Talk to her." Apollo muttered through gritted teeth. He felt his mother's pain strongly since he'd been through her last pregnancy with her, but his words seemed to snap Jareth back to reality. He talked quietly to her and brushed back some damp strands of hair from her forehead as she let out a barely audible cry. She stilled and breathed deeply for a minute. Then she opened her eyes and blinked slowly. She smiled softly into the face of the Goblin King then slowly sat up. Both heard a small whimper behind them and turned to see Apollo holding a damp bundle. He handed the child to his mother and smiled.
"It's a girl, Mother. Another little girl!"
Ione took the child and dried her carefully before placing her on the floor. The baby blinked at her spectators and began to cry. Jareth couldn't believe the two were simply sitting there watching the little one cry, but they both stopped him when he moved to pick the child up. Soon the little girl struggled to get to her feet. Jareth watched in wonder as the tiny centauress was on her feet after only a few stumbling first tries. The little one whimpered again then held up her arms and took a couple hesitant steps forward. Ione smiled and promptly picked the child up while telling her what a wonderful girl she was. The little one promptly charmed them all with a smile, and Ione looked toward Jareth.
"Would you like to hold her?"
Jareth began to shake his head, but before he could get the words out, Apollo had already transferred the baby to his arms. The tiny girl gurgled a little then seized her father's pendant. With an adorable laugh she unceremoniously banged it against her father's chest a few times. But like most babies, she grew hungry. Ione took the child back and let her nurse.
"Isis." Ione said softly as she gazed at her new daughter. "She shall be named for the beautiful Egyptian goddess. Isis Athene."
"I like it, Mother."
Both centaurs turned to Jareth to see his reaction.
"It's a lovely name."
Ione smiled and took her now full and sleepy daughter in her arms.
"Isis," she repeated softly as her daughter drifted off to sleep. "Apollo bring the cradle."
Apollo brought the large cradle, and Ione tucked in the baby. She rocked the cradle gently and softly spoke to Jareth.
"I'm glad you will be here for her childhood, Jareth. It goes by so quickly."
"May I stay here with her?" Jareth asked almost breathlessly.
"Of course, but you'll need to be quiet so you don't wake her."
Jareth nodded and barely noticed when Ione's breathing evened out into sleep. He simply watched his daughter's innocent face. She looked as much like her mother as Apollo looked like him including a little bit of dark brown hair. Near midnight the child squirmed and let loose a wail. Jareth jumped, but Ione was already awake.
"I didn't do anything! I was just watching her!" His tone was defensive, and he was surprised when Ione simply laughed.
"Jareth, babies wake up frequently during the night to eat." She positioned the child, and the little girl was instantly placated. Jareth watched in amazement. This baby was a whole new experience for him. "Young babies will do a lot of eating and sleeping for the first couple months of their lives." Jareth nodded watching the child happily suckling her late night snack. The fact hit him for the first time that Ione did not nurse the child from her human chest but rather from the large equine milk sack.
"You don't feed her like a human?"
"No," Ione replied. She was glad for the darkness of the room because it hid her heating face. "Baby centaurs eat more than a human child. That could be quite painful for me, and Isis would not be satisfied." Her face was flaming. He was not her husband, and he had no right to pry. But at the same time, he was the father of her children, which gave him the right to ask questions concerning them.
"What do you think went wrong last time?" Jareth asked his eyes still riveted to the tiny infant.
"I was awake."
Jareth looked towards Ione quickly.
"Why should that make a difference?"
Ione shrugged and sighed. But now she was sure she had to be lighting up the room.
"I can't explain the science of it, Jareth. But I have thought through this carefully, and it is the only difference out of our three children that Apollo and I can think of. If I was asleep through. your attentions, I birthed centaurs, but awake I seem to have fae children." Jareth nodded. He secretly celebrated the fact that she was calling him by name more regularly now, but he agreed with her logic. Little Isis soon finished and began dropping off to sleep again. Ione rocked the child gently and sang softly to her. Jareth began listening to her song when he caught the soft melody. It was the same song he'd sung to Sarah when he'd tried to enchant her in a dream. It struck him hard, but he began to realize how the song fit as a lullaby as well. Much of the words about love could be substituted to a child. He felt enchanted himself and began to fall in love with his daughter all over again. Drawing back he reviewed this unusual feeling. This feeling he described as love was completely different from the feelings he felt for the girls that attempted to solve his Labyrinth. They were also different from his attraction to Ione. He had a momentary feeling of guilt for the way he treated her, but his heart would not change instantly. He craved Ione as a diversion and thus she would remain. He pushed aside the unfamiliar feelings of guilt. As the baby drowsed into a deep sleep, Ione gently laid her in the cradle.
"You heard that song?"
"Yes, Jareth."
"Then you know who holds my heart?"
"She may supposedly hold your heart, Jareth, but I hold your children. I hope that someday you will come back to them. After all, Sarah has not stopped you from stealing children."
Jareth merely nodded. Ione had a strong point. Sarah had not drastically changed his life. He still stole babies and often desired their would-be rescuers. He looked again at his daughter. What made her so different?
"You know, while you're both under the same roof, it might be worth your while to get to know your son."
Jareth jumped slightly since he had assumed Ione had fallen back to sleep.
"Won't I need to spend a lot of time with Isis?"
"For our deal? Isis will be very passive and mother dependent for the first couple of months. This will be perfect time to spend with Apollo."
Jareth nodded slowly. He was enchanted with his daughter, but his son was a full-grown challenge. The rest of the night passed peacefully except for another nighttime snack attack from the little one, and although the morning was lovely, Ione and Isis slept through it.
Chapter 11: The Little Princess
Ione led the way since Apollo had never been in that part of the castle. Jareth met them at the door, and the Goblin King led them to adjoining rooms that were suitable to their unique qualities.
"Are you going to be present for the birth?" Apollo asked after sneaking a look at his father.
"What do you mean?" Jareth asked looking over and catching his son's glance.
"It's just that all my friend's fathers were present when they were born. Are you going to be there?"
"I suppose that is part of my deal."
Apollo didn't press further. His mother had said he'd stolen her heart at first glance. Maybe his sibling would enchant his father.
Amazingly no clashes occurred between father and son during the months of Ione's pregnancy. Jareth seemed content to have Ione near, and Apollo was content as long as Jareth stayed away from her room. The time seemed to fly by as Jareth watched Apollo dote on his pregnant mother until one night when Apollo was roused from sleep by a muffled cry. He instantly rushed to his mother's room. He watched as she squirmed every few minutes. Waking her he asked her if it was time to which another contraction was the answer. Apollo made an instant attempt at soothing her. He told her many things. He reminded her that the child had developed in the right place and that the child was going to be beautiful. It was during this soothing pep talk that he noticed his father's presence. The Goblin King seemed at a loss in the situation to which Apollo perfectly understood. He'd been at somewhat of a loss the last time his mother had given birth, but this time he knew what he needed to do.
"Here." He said as he stood. "You soothe her. I'll deliver the child."
He walked to the other end of the bed and rubbed his mother's flank encouragingly. Jareth was speechless for several moments as he watched the contractions hit. Ione would tense and once in a while he heard a small grunt of pain. Her closed eyes tightened as did her hands, which were tangled in a rag, when the pains seized her.
"Talk to her." Apollo muttered through gritted teeth. He felt his mother's pain strongly since he'd been through her last pregnancy with her, but his words seemed to snap Jareth back to reality. He talked quietly to her and brushed back some damp strands of hair from her forehead as she let out a barely audible cry. She stilled and breathed deeply for a minute. Then she opened her eyes and blinked slowly. She smiled softly into the face of the Goblin King then slowly sat up. Both heard a small whimper behind them and turned to see Apollo holding a damp bundle. He handed the child to his mother and smiled.
"It's a girl, Mother. Another little girl!"
Ione took the child and dried her carefully before placing her on the floor. The baby blinked at her spectators and began to cry. Jareth couldn't believe the two were simply sitting there watching the little one cry, but they both stopped him when he moved to pick the child up. Soon the little girl struggled to get to her feet. Jareth watched in wonder as the tiny centauress was on her feet after only a few stumbling first tries. The little one whimpered again then held up her arms and took a couple hesitant steps forward. Ione smiled and promptly picked the child up while telling her what a wonderful girl she was. The little one promptly charmed them all with a smile, and Ione looked toward Jareth.
"Would you like to hold her?"
Jareth began to shake his head, but before he could get the words out, Apollo had already transferred the baby to his arms. The tiny girl gurgled a little then seized her father's pendant. With an adorable laugh she unceremoniously banged it against her father's chest a few times. But like most babies, she grew hungry. Ione took the child back and let her nurse.
"Isis." Ione said softly as she gazed at her new daughter. "She shall be named for the beautiful Egyptian goddess. Isis Athene."
"I like it, Mother."
Both centaurs turned to Jareth to see his reaction.
"It's a lovely name."
Ione smiled and took her now full and sleepy daughter in her arms.
"Isis," she repeated softly as her daughter drifted off to sleep. "Apollo bring the cradle."
Apollo brought the large cradle, and Ione tucked in the baby. She rocked the cradle gently and softly spoke to Jareth.
"I'm glad you will be here for her childhood, Jareth. It goes by so quickly."
"May I stay here with her?" Jareth asked almost breathlessly.
"Of course, but you'll need to be quiet so you don't wake her."
Jareth nodded and barely noticed when Ione's breathing evened out into sleep. He simply watched his daughter's innocent face. She looked as much like her mother as Apollo looked like him including a little bit of dark brown hair. Near midnight the child squirmed and let loose a wail. Jareth jumped, but Ione was already awake.
"I didn't do anything! I was just watching her!" His tone was defensive, and he was surprised when Ione simply laughed.
"Jareth, babies wake up frequently during the night to eat." She positioned the child, and the little girl was instantly placated. Jareth watched in amazement. This baby was a whole new experience for him. "Young babies will do a lot of eating and sleeping for the first couple months of their lives." Jareth nodded watching the child happily suckling her late night snack. The fact hit him for the first time that Ione did not nurse the child from her human chest but rather from the large equine milk sack.
"You don't feed her like a human?"
"No," Ione replied. She was glad for the darkness of the room because it hid her heating face. "Baby centaurs eat more than a human child. That could be quite painful for me, and Isis would not be satisfied." Her face was flaming. He was not her husband, and he had no right to pry. But at the same time, he was the father of her children, which gave him the right to ask questions concerning them.
"What do you think went wrong last time?" Jareth asked his eyes still riveted to the tiny infant.
"I was awake."
Jareth looked towards Ione quickly.
"Why should that make a difference?"
Ione shrugged and sighed. But now she was sure she had to be lighting up the room.
"I can't explain the science of it, Jareth. But I have thought through this carefully, and it is the only difference out of our three children that Apollo and I can think of. If I was asleep through. your attentions, I birthed centaurs, but awake I seem to have fae children." Jareth nodded. He secretly celebrated the fact that she was calling him by name more regularly now, but he agreed with her logic. Little Isis soon finished and began dropping off to sleep again. Ione rocked the child gently and sang softly to her. Jareth began listening to her song when he caught the soft melody. It was the same song he'd sung to Sarah when he'd tried to enchant her in a dream. It struck him hard, but he began to realize how the song fit as a lullaby as well. Much of the words about love could be substituted to a child. He felt enchanted himself and began to fall in love with his daughter all over again. Drawing back he reviewed this unusual feeling. This feeling he described as love was completely different from the feelings he felt for the girls that attempted to solve his Labyrinth. They were also different from his attraction to Ione. He had a momentary feeling of guilt for the way he treated her, but his heart would not change instantly. He craved Ione as a diversion and thus she would remain. He pushed aside the unfamiliar feelings of guilt. As the baby drowsed into a deep sleep, Ione gently laid her in the cradle.
"You heard that song?"
"Yes, Jareth."
"Then you know who holds my heart?"
"She may supposedly hold your heart, Jareth, but I hold your children. I hope that someday you will come back to them. After all, Sarah has not stopped you from stealing children."
Jareth merely nodded. Ione had a strong point. Sarah had not drastically changed his life. He still stole babies and often desired their would-be rescuers. He looked again at his daughter. What made her so different?
"You know, while you're both under the same roof, it might be worth your while to get to know your son."
Jareth jumped slightly since he had assumed Ione had fallen back to sleep.
"Won't I need to spend a lot of time with Isis?"
"For our deal? Isis will be very passive and mother dependent for the first couple of months. This will be perfect time to spend with Apollo."
Jareth nodded slowly. He was enchanted with his daughter, but his son was a full-grown challenge. The rest of the night passed peacefully except for another nighttime snack attack from the little one, and although the morning was lovely, Ione and Isis slept through it.