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 12: Father and Son
Apollo came in to check on his mother and sister and was satisfied to see them both sleeping.
"Apollo, would you like to go for a ride?"
"I would love to go for a walk," Apollo said with a smile as he rescued his father's mistake. Jareth said nothing but smiled. Many outsiders had doubted the presence of horses in the Labyrinth since the documentary of Sarah's quest had been made, but they were indeed there. There was a stable in Jareth's castle where many top-quality black Arabs resided. Jareth had one of these saddled, and Apollo kept pace easily. He walked quietly waiting for his father to make conversation. Jareth allowed the silence to continue for the moment as he guided their walk towards a more deserted location. The semblance between them was complete but for race, and Jareth didn't like the questions raised. Of course these questions could easily be avoided if Jareth would simply admit his son's parentage. Isis was obviously not going to be hard to deny if she continued to develop into a tiny version of her mother, but Apollo was glaring evidence of Jareth's problem.
"You're rather quiet today, Apollo."
"I assumed I would allow you to begin conversation. It was you who invited me for a walk."
"I am sorry for my mistake."
"'Tis all quite all right, father. I was just happy you wanted to be around me for a change."
Jareth flinched. His son had not intended for the words to bite, but they had.
"What makes you think I don't want to be around you?"
Apollo looked at his father to see if he was joking.
"You practically ignored me after I was born, and anytime I met you when walking with my mother, I was a nuisance. Is it any wonder I grew up thinking I was a pebble in your shoe?"
Jareth was silent again as they walked through the lonely hedge section of the Labyrinth.
"Apollo, there is a large breach between us, and I know now that it needs to be bridged. But I also know I cannot yet bridge it. You want to be presented as my son, and your mother wants to be married to be happy. I cannot do that yet."
Apollo stopped and Jareth turned his mount to face him.
"You have read us all wrong, father. I do not request to make public my heritage until you wish it. I only want to know that you care. Mother certainly doesn't expect you to marry her. She only wants to be loved instead of used."
Jareth sighed in exasperation.
"I do love her! Not as I do you and Isis or the girls I lure into the Labyrinth but as something completely different. I need her!"
"Father, she doesn't feel needed. She feels abused. She knows she doesn't have a piece of your heart. Oh, I know she has me and Isis to make claim to it, but she doesn't have you."
"How can she say that when she's had three children of mine?"
"Father, let me tell you something about the flower known as a woman's heart. It needs tenderness. It craves, desires, longs for, and desperately needs tenderness. Now tell me, father, do you romance her in your time of need, or do you impatiently take what you want?"
Even if he didn't already know the answer from the way his mother always returned home, he could see the answer written now all over his father's face.
"If you care at all for her, think of her needs as well as your own, and she will feel loved."
Jareth had many things to think about now.
"We should probably be heading back."
Apollo nodded and Jareth urged his horse into a canter. Apollo followed, and Jareth absently noticed that Apollo could easily outdistance his fine specimen of Arabic perfection.
"You're fast!" Jareth said voicing his thought.
"I have an advantage on horses. I never carry a rider, and I have two hearts. The blood circulates better and gives me more endurance." Apollo had to shout to be heard over the wind they were causing for Jareth had increased to speed to a hard gallop. Yet, Apollo was still able to outdistance the Arab and bright enough to talk at the same time. They slowed to a walk when they came to the Junkyard. Jareth allowed his mount to pick its way through the treacherous junkyard, but Apollo knew every step of the way having patrolled this area with his mother nearly every day of his life.
"You know your way rather well," Jareth commented as he let his mount follow his son.
"I followed Mother everywhere. I've patrolled this area with her for three years."
Apollo talked as he deftly wove his way through the treacherous ground. They reached the city, and Jareth took the lead once more. He led them through the more deserted back streets of the city towards the back of the castle. They headed through the stair room, which gave Apollo a chance to show off his familiarity with his father's powers. He easily negotiated the floors that should've been walls or ceilings. They were both surprised when they were met by Ione and Isis. Isis was walking like a pro already, and she beamed at her father. Still, her young mind was inexperienced, and Ione did not let her attempt the stair room.
Chapter 12: Father and Son
Apollo came in to check on his mother and sister and was satisfied to see them both sleeping.
"Apollo, would you like to go for a ride?"
"I would love to go for a walk," Apollo said with a smile as he rescued his father's mistake. Jareth said nothing but smiled. Many outsiders had doubted the presence of horses in the Labyrinth since the documentary of Sarah's quest had been made, but they were indeed there. There was a stable in Jareth's castle where many top-quality black Arabs resided. Jareth had one of these saddled, and Apollo kept pace easily. He walked quietly waiting for his father to make conversation. Jareth allowed the silence to continue for the moment as he guided their walk towards a more deserted location. The semblance between them was complete but for race, and Jareth didn't like the questions raised. Of course these questions could easily be avoided if Jareth would simply admit his son's parentage. Isis was obviously not going to be hard to deny if she continued to develop into a tiny version of her mother, but Apollo was glaring evidence of Jareth's problem.
"You're rather quiet today, Apollo."
"I assumed I would allow you to begin conversation. It was you who invited me for a walk."
"I am sorry for my mistake."
"'Tis all quite all right, father. I was just happy you wanted to be around me for a change."
Jareth flinched. His son had not intended for the words to bite, but they had.
"What makes you think I don't want to be around you?"
Apollo looked at his father to see if he was joking.
"You practically ignored me after I was born, and anytime I met you when walking with my mother, I was a nuisance. Is it any wonder I grew up thinking I was a pebble in your shoe?"
Jareth was silent again as they walked through the lonely hedge section of the Labyrinth.
"Apollo, there is a large breach between us, and I know now that it needs to be bridged. But I also know I cannot yet bridge it. You want to be presented as my son, and your mother wants to be married to be happy. I cannot do that yet."
Apollo stopped and Jareth turned his mount to face him.
"You have read us all wrong, father. I do not request to make public my heritage until you wish it. I only want to know that you care. Mother certainly doesn't expect you to marry her. She only wants to be loved instead of used."
Jareth sighed in exasperation.
"I do love her! Not as I do you and Isis or the girls I lure into the Labyrinth but as something completely different. I need her!"
"Father, she doesn't feel needed. She feels abused. She knows she doesn't have a piece of your heart. Oh, I know she has me and Isis to make claim to it, but she doesn't have you."
"How can she say that when she's had three children of mine?"
"Father, let me tell you something about the flower known as a woman's heart. It needs tenderness. It craves, desires, longs for, and desperately needs tenderness. Now tell me, father, do you romance her in your time of need, or do you impatiently take what you want?"
Even if he didn't already know the answer from the way his mother always returned home, he could see the answer written now all over his father's face.
"If you care at all for her, think of her needs as well as your own, and she will feel loved."
Jareth had many things to think about now.
"We should probably be heading back."
Apollo nodded and Jareth urged his horse into a canter. Apollo followed, and Jareth absently noticed that Apollo could easily outdistance his fine specimen of Arabic perfection.
"You're fast!" Jareth said voicing his thought.
"I have an advantage on horses. I never carry a rider, and I have two hearts. The blood circulates better and gives me more endurance." Apollo had to shout to be heard over the wind they were causing for Jareth had increased to speed to a hard gallop. Yet, Apollo was still able to outdistance the Arab and bright enough to talk at the same time. They slowed to a walk when they came to the Junkyard. Jareth allowed his mount to pick its way through the treacherous junkyard, but Apollo knew every step of the way having patrolled this area with his mother nearly every day of his life.
"You know your way rather well," Jareth commented as he let his mount follow his son.
"I followed Mother everywhere. I've patrolled this area with her for three years."
Apollo talked as he deftly wove his way through the treacherous ground. They reached the city, and Jareth took the lead once more. He led them through the more deserted back streets of the city towards the back of the castle. They headed through the stair room, which gave Apollo a chance to show off his familiarity with his father's powers. He easily negotiated the floors that should've been walls or ceilings. They were both surprised when they were met by Ione and Isis. Isis was walking like a pro already, and she beamed at her father. Still, her young mind was inexperienced, and Ione did not let her attempt the stair room.