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 15: Love's Wings
She was startled her first walk out to see Jareth standing on the knoll overlooking the Labyrinth in his willowy white attire. A slight wind whipped the cape about him and played his straw-gold hair. He was looking over his domain with melancholy darkening his handsome features. Ione felt a pang of pity stab though her heart, and she walked quietly forward. He already held her heart captive, but there was an incredible draw for her when he was sad. She watched for what seemed like hours before he sensed he was being watched. He turned and looked to see who his observer was then turned to look again toward his kingdom.
"You are sad." It seemed more like a statement that a question. "You only wear white when you're melancholic." Jareth nodded. "What troubles you tonight?"
"A little of everything, I suppose."
"Will you tell me?" She put a comforting hand on his arm.
"It often depresses me to remember how many have gone into my Labyrinth. Only one ever conquered it, but she did so at the cost of my feelings."
"She had to conquer her childhood fantasies, Jareth. She also had to save her baby brother. It wasn't completely personal."
Jareth looked at her in the moonlight and brushed her hair back from her shoulder. Her small scar was just visible in the pale light.
"Here, I have someone close by me who has proved she'll risk her life for me, and I am stuck on those who will ultimately fail to reach me."
"I have hope, Jareth. More now than I ever had in our years of acquaintance. There is hope for you too."
"Do you think so, Ione?" Jareth asked sincerely. "Do you really think so?"
"Yes, Jareth, I truly believe so."
She looked into his eyes with a smile, and he smiled in return. He took her hand in his own causing her to blush lightly. The color deepened when he raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed it.
"You really are lovely when you blush."
She glanced quickly towards him and saw the sparkle in his eyes even though he was once more facing the Labyrinth.
"You are teasing me again." Ione said in mock accusation.
"Yes, I am," Jareth replied. Turning her he kissed her for real. Ione was stunned. Jareth backed away and gradually disappeared until Ione knew he'd returned to his castle. She stood still for a few moments. Again Jareth had left her on a positive note. Her heart soared the entire walk home.
Her children noticed her lighthearted attitude the next day.
"Whatever he's doing, he'd better keep it up," Apollo commented to his sister.
"What do you mean?"
"Look." Isis nodded as she watched her mother for a while, but her eyes still seemed confused. "Our father was talking to her a few nights ago, and Mom was smiling from ear to ear the day after. She goes for a walk last night, and today she's on cloud nine. Whatever father is doing, he needs to keep doing it." Isis nodded.
"I wonder what he is doing?"
Apollo watched his mother sail through her chores.
"He's romancing her." he whispered.
Isis smiled and watched her mother in a whole new light. It was wonderful to see her happy for once in her life. Although her mother had always been able to express joy and pride in her children, she'd never been truly happy.
"Look at her, Apollo. It must be great to be in love."
Apollo merely smiled. He could never mention to his sister that it was improbable they would ever find out. Jareth was against male competition, and the only women who ever entered the Labyrinth were those drawn by Jareth. Neither of them had an opportunity for love right now. But he did agree with his sister. Their mother definitely did make it look wonderful.
Jareth decided to visit his children the next day.
"Hey!" Apollo protested when he felt a tug on his tail. He turned to see his father sporting a completely innocent look. "I may look like you, Father, but the tail's mine!" He flipped his silk cream tail out of his father's reach. Jareth simply smiled with amusement. Isis came in next and hugged her father the instant she saw him.
"I can't believe the difference you've made!" she announced.
Jareth allowed himself to be hugged then held her at arms length.
"What difference?"
Isis put a delicate hand to her mouth realizing her mistake. Jareth turned to Apollo.
"Apollo?" he said with his brow crooked in question.
"She means the difference you've made in Mother," Apollo stated with a stern glance at his sister.
"I repeat. What difference?"
"Look."
Apollo directed his father to a window that overlooked Ione's small garden. Ione fairly skipped about like a yearling as she went around planting various flowers. Jareth also noticed her especially bright smile.
"That difference," Apollo said with a smile of his own.
"She's always been quite lovely, but she does seem to have an extra lightness about her doesn't she?"
Apollo smiled and winked to his sister when his father looked back out the window. Things were definitely looking up. Jareth was so enthralled by watching their mother that he didn't even notice that his question hadn't been answered.
Chapter 15: Love's Wings
She was startled her first walk out to see Jareth standing on the knoll overlooking the Labyrinth in his willowy white attire. A slight wind whipped the cape about him and played his straw-gold hair. He was looking over his domain with melancholy darkening his handsome features. Ione felt a pang of pity stab though her heart, and she walked quietly forward. He already held her heart captive, but there was an incredible draw for her when he was sad. She watched for what seemed like hours before he sensed he was being watched. He turned and looked to see who his observer was then turned to look again toward his kingdom.
"You are sad." It seemed more like a statement that a question. "You only wear white when you're melancholic." Jareth nodded. "What troubles you tonight?"
"A little of everything, I suppose."
"Will you tell me?" She put a comforting hand on his arm.
"It often depresses me to remember how many have gone into my Labyrinth. Only one ever conquered it, but she did so at the cost of my feelings."
"She had to conquer her childhood fantasies, Jareth. She also had to save her baby brother. It wasn't completely personal."
Jareth looked at her in the moonlight and brushed her hair back from her shoulder. Her small scar was just visible in the pale light.
"Here, I have someone close by me who has proved she'll risk her life for me, and I am stuck on those who will ultimately fail to reach me."
"I have hope, Jareth. More now than I ever had in our years of acquaintance. There is hope for you too."
"Do you think so, Ione?" Jareth asked sincerely. "Do you really think so?"
"Yes, Jareth, I truly believe so."
She looked into his eyes with a smile, and he smiled in return. He took her hand in his own causing her to blush lightly. The color deepened when he raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed it.
"You really are lovely when you blush."
She glanced quickly towards him and saw the sparkle in his eyes even though he was once more facing the Labyrinth.
"You are teasing me again." Ione said in mock accusation.
"Yes, I am," Jareth replied. Turning her he kissed her for real. Ione was stunned. Jareth backed away and gradually disappeared until Ione knew he'd returned to his castle. She stood still for a few moments. Again Jareth had left her on a positive note. Her heart soared the entire walk home.
Her children noticed her lighthearted attitude the next day.
"Whatever he's doing, he'd better keep it up," Apollo commented to his sister.
"What do you mean?"
"Look." Isis nodded as she watched her mother for a while, but her eyes still seemed confused. "Our father was talking to her a few nights ago, and Mom was smiling from ear to ear the day after. She goes for a walk last night, and today she's on cloud nine. Whatever father is doing, he needs to keep doing it." Isis nodded.
"I wonder what he is doing?"
Apollo watched his mother sail through her chores.
"He's romancing her." he whispered.
Isis smiled and watched her mother in a whole new light. It was wonderful to see her happy for once in her life. Although her mother had always been able to express joy and pride in her children, she'd never been truly happy.
"Look at her, Apollo. It must be great to be in love."
Apollo merely smiled. He could never mention to his sister that it was improbable they would ever find out. Jareth was against male competition, and the only women who ever entered the Labyrinth were those drawn by Jareth. Neither of them had an opportunity for love right now. But he did agree with his sister. Their mother definitely did make it look wonderful.
Jareth decided to visit his children the next day.
"Hey!" Apollo protested when he felt a tug on his tail. He turned to see his father sporting a completely innocent look. "I may look like you, Father, but the tail's mine!" He flipped his silk cream tail out of his father's reach. Jareth simply smiled with amusement. Isis came in next and hugged her father the instant she saw him.
"I can't believe the difference you've made!" she announced.
Jareth allowed himself to be hugged then held her at arms length.
"What difference?"
Isis put a delicate hand to her mouth realizing her mistake. Jareth turned to Apollo.
"Apollo?" he said with his brow crooked in question.
"She means the difference you've made in Mother," Apollo stated with a stern glance at his sister.
"I repeat. What difference?"
"Look."
Apollo directed his father to a window that overlooked Ione's small garden. Ione fairly skipped about like a yearling as she went around planting various flowers. Jareth also noticed her especially bright smile.
"That difference," Apollo said with a smile of his own.
"She's always been quite lovely, but she does seem to have an extra lightness about her doesn't she?"
Apollo smiled and winked to his sister when his father looked back out the window. Things were definitely looking up. Jareth was so enthralled by watching their mother that he didn't even notice that his question hadn't been answered.