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 16: Labyrinth Winter
It was wintertime in the Labyrinth. While the Labyrinth itself was untouched by the change of seasons, the outer lands were another story. The Labyrinth's outer lands had a blanket of snow covering the ground, and Jareth decided to take a walk that evening. He'd always enjoyed the snow- covered terrain. But blizzards arose unexpectedly in the outer lands, and the Goblin King soon found himself in a blinding storm with no sense of the direction. The cold gradually seeped through his clothing until he could no longer control the shaking of his body or the chattering of his teeth. He paused by a large twisted tree. It broke the wind for him, but the cold and dampness were taking their toll. He vaguely remembered that you shouldn't sleep in this situation, but he was so tired. The Goblin King slowly slipped from consciousness as he got colder and colder.
Ione sat in front of a crackling fire in her living room. The warm was soothing, but Ione was restless. She stood and paced around the room then sat back down on her chair. She simply couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. She looked up in surprise when Apollo and Isis entered the room.
"Mother, something's wrong!" Isis said nervously.
"Yeah, neither of us can sleep."
"I've been restless too, children."
"Is it Father?" Apollo asked quietly. Ione froze. Was her worry indeed connected to the Goblin King? She sat very still and closed her eyes. She tried hard to connect Jareth's mind. She frowned, and Apollo knew she was having trouble. He closed his own eyes and tried to contact his father, but he was met with a void. "He's in trouble, Mother." Ione's eyes were still closed.
"He's due east of us."
"But the castle's to the west."
Ione's features creased with worry.
"Oh, please don't let him be lost in this weather!"
All three centaurs leaped to their feet.
"How do you know the way?"
Ione half smiled and placed a hand over her heart.
"I know, Apollo. Get the rope."
Apollo knew which one she meant. Ione had a magic rope that grew in length, and if she had to venture into this weather, it would be her strongest safety line. They managed to get through the Labyrinth all right, but the outer lands were blinding. Ione instantly knew how the King had gotten lost. She hurriedly tied one end of the rope to the door and told the children to wait there. With that she tied the other end around her waist and ventured into the storm. She closed her eyes and listened to her heart. After what seemed like hours, Ione knew she was getting close and opened her eyes. She noticed an unusual pile of snow near a tree. Her heart told her to investigate so she cleared away the snow. Gradually she saw something dark and she cleared away more to find the King lying unconscious by the tree. She felt for a pulse and sighed. He was alive but barely. She hurriedly placed him on her back and galloped back to the Labyrinth. Carrying Jareth was like carrying an ice cube on her back. But the cold increased her urgency. She slid to a stop in front of her children only long enough to free herself from the rope.
"Come on!" she said as she started off again. Apollo and Isis followed. They reached home and Ione took Jareth up to her room. "We need to get him out of these freezing clothes! Apollo wait by the door and I'll give them to you." Ione shuddered only slightly at the task before her. The King's life was at stake. It had to be done. She removed everything he was wearing. She made sure there was plenty of wood on the blazing fire then dried Jareth off with a soft towel. She gritted her teeth as she went then piled a dozen warm blankets over him. She placed his clothing in a basket and opened the door. She gave the basket to Apollo to dry.
"Mother?"
"He's freezing, Apollo."
"The fire and blankets aren't working?"
Ione shook her head.
"Body to body contact?" Apollo said slowly. He noticed his mother shudder.
"I'm going to try."
Apollo nodded. He knew such contact would bring back unwanted memories, but his father's life depended on it. It was not appropriate for him or Isis to be present while their father was without clothing so that left their mother. Ione re-entered the room and closed the door softly behind her. She told herself to calm and climbed under the blankets beside the unconscious King. She inhaled sharply. He was so cold! She turned him on his side so his back was facing her and pulled him as close to her warm equine flesh as she dared. She sighed with a hint of aggravation. Because she was a centaur, the situation was not as uncomfortable as it would have been if she were human. At the same time, it was not as convenient because there was a fine line between pressing close to give heat and crushing him beneath her equine weight. She wrapped her delicate legs around him so he could gain warmth from her warm belly, and she gritted her teeth against the chills that ran the length of her body. As Jareth began to get warmer, Ione fell fast asleep.
Chapter 16: Labyrinth Winter
It was wintertime in the Labyrinth. While the Labyrinth itself was untouched by the change of seasons, the outer lands were another story. The Labyrinth's outer lands had a blanket of snow covering the ground, and Jareth decided to take a walk that evening. He'd always enjoyed the snow- covered terrain. But blizzards arose unexpectedly in the outer lands, and the Goblin King soon found himself in a blinding storm with no sense of the direction. The cold gradually seeped through his clothing until he could no longer control the shaking of his body or the chattering of his teeth. He paused by a large twisted tree. It broke the wind for him, but the cold and dampness were taking their toll. He vaguely remembered that you shouldn't sleep in this situation, but he was so tired. The Goblin King slowly slipped from consciousness as he got colder and colder.
Ione sat in front of a crackling fire in her living room. The warm was soothing, but Ione was restless. She stood and paced around the room then sat back down on her chair. She simply couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. She looked up in surprise when Apollo and Isis entered the room.
"Mother, something's wrong!" Isis said nervously.
"Yeah, neither of us can sleep."
"I've been restless too, children."
"Is it Father?" Apollo asked quietly. Ione froze. Was her worry indeed connected to the Goblin King? She sat very still and closed her eyes. She tried hard to connect Jareth's mind. She frowned, and Apollo knew she was having trouble. He closed his own eyes and tried to contact his father, but he was met with a void. "He's in trouble, Mother." Ione's eyes were still closed.
"He's due east of us."
"But the castle's to the west."
Ione's features creased with worry.
"Oh, please don't let him be lost in this weather!"
All three centaurs leaped to their feet.
"How do you know the way?"
Ione half smiled and placed a hand over her heart.
"I know, Apollo. Get the rope."
Apollo knew which one she meant. Ione had a magic rope that grew in length, and if she had to venture into this weather, it would be her strongest safety line. They managed to get through the Labyrinth all right, but the outer lands were blinding. Ione instantly knew how the King had gotten lost. She hurriedly tied one end of the rope to the door and told the children to wait there. With that she tied the other end around her waist and ventured into the storm. She closed her eyes and listened to her heart. After what seemed like hours, Ione knew she was getting close and opened her eyes. She noticed an unusual pile of snow near a tree. Her heart told her to investigate so she cleared away the snow. Gradually she saw something dark and she cleared away more to find the King lying unconscious by the tree. She felt for a pulse and sighed. He was alive but barely. She hurriedly placed him on her back and galloped back to the Labyrinth. Carrying Jareth was like carrying an ice cube on her back. But the cold increased her urgency. She slid to a stop in front of her children only long enough to free herself from the rope.
"Come on!" she said as she started off again. Apollo and Isis followed. They reached home and Ione took Jareth up to her room. "We need to get him out of these freezing clothes! Apollo wait by the door and I'll give them to you." Ione shuddered only slightly at the task before her. The King's life was at stake. It had to be done. She removed everything he was wearing. She made sure there was plenty of wood on the blazing fire then dried Jareth off with a soft towel. She gritted her teeth as she went then piled a dozen warm blankets over him. She placed his clothing in a basket and opened the door. She gave the basket to Apollo to dry.
"Mother?"
"He's freezing, Apollo."
"The fire and blankets aren't working?"
Ione shook her head.
"Body to body contact?" Apollo said slowly. He noticed his mother shudder.
"I'm going to try."
Apollo nodded. He knew such contact would bring back unwanted memories, but his father's life depended on it. It was not appropriate for him or Isis to be present while their father was without clothing so that left their mother. Ione re-entered the room and closed the door softly behind her. She told herself to calm and climbed under the blankets beside the unconscious King. She inhaled sharply. He was so cold! She turned him on his side so his back was facing her and pulled him as close to her warm equine flesh as she dared. She sighed with a hint of aggravation. Because she was a centaur, the situation was not as uncomfortable as it would have been if she were human. At the same time, it was not as convenient because there was a fine line between pressing close to give heat and crushing him beneath her equine weight. She wrapped her delicate legs around him so he could gain warmth from her warm belly, and she gritted her teeth against the chills that ran the length of her body. As Jareth began to get warmer, Ione fell fast asleep.