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 6: Picnic Gone Awry
As they walked, they ran into the children. Apollo had a basket strapped to his back. Jareth noticed Apollo glance with grave concern towards his mother. If nothing else, the centaur's look solidified his guess that something was wrong. Isis was her mother's daughter, but Apollo and Ione shared a special connection from the years of rejection. Apollo spread out blankets for them all then Ione carefully removed the basket from her son's back. Sarah should've been getting used to wonders in this land, but she still stood in awe when the centaurs levitated heavy objects as though they were feathers. Apollo noticed easily that, as the meal commenced, his mother had no appetite. She was making a good enough show to fool even Isis, but Apollo knew. He was also overwhelmed by her silence. Sarah alone didn't know Ione well enough to notice she'd said nothing the entire meal, but Jareth and Isis were both chattering away with Sarah. Isis invited Sarah to stay in her room at the castle for the night, and Ione nodded woodenly when asked for her permission. Plans were soon being formed, but Ione stood silently and began to walk away. Apollo alone noticed her departure until she was almost out of hearing range.
"Ione, where are you going?" Jareth called after her. She only kept walking. Jareth stood and the others moved to follow. "No, stay. I'll bring her back." Apollo and Isis sat back down, and Jareth began to catch up to Ione. Sarah paced a bit in indecision before following Jareth. Apollo and Isis simply watched as the trio moved off then began packing up the picnic. Ione stopped some distance away unaware she was being followed. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself and closed her eyes in pain. She kept asking herself when she would adjust, but no answer came.
"Ione U. What is troubling you?"
Ione's blood froze. Sarah may have been fooled by the similar tones, but Ione could easily tell that the King stood behind her before he even used her name.
"It's nothing, Jareth. Only that I am being selfish again."
"If selfishness means that you give others happiness at the cost of your own, I would that the rest of my kingdom were so selfish including myself!" He came up beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. He could feel her trembling beneath his hands and knew she was holding back tears from him. "Ione U." Jareth said as he gently yet firmly turned her to face him. "I love Sarah, and I know you know that. Sarah will not take your place, but she is the chosen one."
"Oh, Jareth, I know that! But still beyond my furthest hope had been the glimer that you would someday consider marriage." She shook her pretty head. "I told you I was being selfish. I had somehow hoped you might marry me. I know now watching you and Sarah how futile that hope was."
"Ione, how much of our meeting did you see?"
"I saw you kiss her."
"Then you missed when I sang your praises to her. I have long been proud of your selflessness."
"I didn't know, Jareth," Ione said with a note of sadness. "I didn't know how hard it would be. to love you but not to hold you."
"I would find that rather difficult myself."
Ione looked over Jareth's shoulder and saw Sarah approach. Jareth saw the warning signs that Ione was about to break away.
"Ione listen. Even if you had known before hand, I know you would still have given all. That is your beauty, Ione U."
It was not enough. She'd been backing away from him, but now she wheeled about and galloped away.
"It's hardly her only beauty, Jareth. She is a lovely centaur. Many a human woman would kill for such looks."
"There's no competition between the two of you. I already told you both who I have chosen. Ione is trying desperately to keep from embarrassing you."
"She does not embarrass me. I only worry sometimes that her weakness for you will go too far again."
Jareth looked her in the eyes. Sarah could see hurt in his eyes, and while he was not angry, she could see the sternness in them too.
"You have just done Ione and I a great injustice, Sarah. What happened between Ione and I ceased over three years ago. I have already explained that what happened between us was my fault anyway. You may not realize it, Sarah, but this jealousy has created a breach between you and Ione. The past cannot be changed, Sarah, but you've given yourself much to do to change the future." Jareth began to fade away and Sarah returned to Apollo and Isis. She walked between the two, but the silence of the centaurs added to the dignity of the centaurs could be oppressive. Finally she knew she had to say something.
"So what's it like living in the castle?" She directed the question to Isis, but Apollo answered.
"You will find out soon enough yourself, Sarah."
"Apollo, I don't live there yet."
"Well, the goblins are not allowed into the King's living areas. Goblins are restricted to the throne room. Father only allows the most beautiful fairies to serve my mother and sister, and elven servants wait on Father and I. The fairies are never allowed outside of the living areas since outsiders can never encounter beauty in the Labyrinth. The trouble most of the time is finding ways to occupy the hours."
Sarah nodded.
"I suppose this may be a tough question on the two of you, but how would you feel if the King were to marry me instead of your mother?"
Isis was the first to speak.
"I would feel that Father was following his heart. Mother did that once when Father was lost in a blizzard. She found him soon enough to save him. Following one's heart is important especially in the Labyrinth."
Sarah smiled. She was glad to know she had one of them on her side. She turned a bit hesitantly to Apollo. If either of them was against it, it would be him. Apollo gathered his thoughts carefully before speaking.
"I have been with my mother nearly from the beginning. As a boy it was hard for me to not wish Father would marry Mother and make me a legitimate heir. With the death of my first little sister, I had a hard time of misunderstanding to go through. However, Isis came, and things changed. Father lived with us for three years, and we are now one with our Father. The only difference between normal children and us is that we may not speak to his subjects about him as our father. Even this is much more lax because of the near impossibility of explaining away my duplicate features. But Sarah. I could no longer sanction a marriage between my parents. Why? Neither would be happy. Though it may have been Mother's dream for years, we all know it would be an unhappy one. The simple fact is that Father loves you. They both know that, and in time, that knowledge would destroy them."
"You surprised me, Apollo. I had been sure you would despise me for taking your mother's chance."
"I believe I have explained my reasons, Sarah."
"But tell me. Why have you and your sister never been paired off?"
"Father has made that rather impossible, Sarah. The fairies that serve my mother and sister are the only beautiful females in the Labyrinth, and they are devoid of character. The only different thing between them is their names. Next to them is those Father brings into his Labyrinth, but you know well that they will meet nothing beautiful or majestic other than Father himself."
Isis added in her own side.
"Father can also be extremely jealous. The elven servants of him and Apollo are invisible because Father will allow nothing in the Labyrinth as handsome as he. Apollo alone escapes such commands since he is Father's son. Yet Apollo must wear a cloak or be invisible when in crowded places."
"But I've never not been able to see him in the city!" Isis and Apollo just laughed. "What's so funny?"
"The fact that Apollo is invisible right now!" Sarah looked around and noticed they were indeed in a crowded place. She looked back toward Isis and Apollo. "He can allow certain people to see him if he so wishes." Sarah joined in the laughter.
"What about when you came to my world?"
"No, there we wanted you to see us instantly. Here you are used to the unusual. If we had been invisible in your world, I would have faded into your vision, and you would instantly have thought twice about asking me for directions." Sarah smiled wondering what exactly she would've done.
"That park is usually crowded. How did you get it cleared?"
"That, Sarah, is my little secret." Apollo's eyes glimmered with impish glee, and try as she might, Sarah could get no more out of him.
They reached the castle, and Sarah looked up. She noticed they were coming to the throne room and remembered that the one way out led to the stair room.
"Where are we going?" Sarah questioned in concern.
"To the living chambers of course." Isis looked over to Sarah. "You never knew how close you came to Father did you?" Isis smiled at her and led her into the strange twist of stairways. Sarah noticed that Apollo had a saddle on his back, and he helped her into it. She caught her breath when both centaurs walked over the edge, but their hooves seemed to be drawn like magnets to the floor on the other side.
"You move about like Jareth did!"
"We are his children," Apollo replied simply. "Isis grew up here. We had to be comfortable with his ways."
Sarah noticed that she did not gravitate to what she thought was the floor. Her hair was straight as normal, and the blood had not rushed to her head. In fact it was as if she were riding on any other average day except for the fact that she was riding a magnificent centaur. Finally after many twists and turns, Apollo and Isis turned into a doorway. Isis opened the door and led the way inside.
Chapter 6: Picnic Gone Awry
As they walked, they ran into the children. Apollo had a basket strapped to his back. Jareth noticed Apollo glance with grave concern towards his mother. If nothing else, the centaur's look solidified his guess that something was wrong. Isis was her mother's daughter, but Apollo and Ione shared a special connection from the years of rejection. Apollo spread out blankets for them all then Ione carefully removed the basket from her son's back. Sarah should've been getting used to wonders in this land, but she still stood in awe when the centaurs levitated heavy objects as though they were feathers. Apollo noticed easily that, as the meal commenced, his mother had no appetite. She was making a good enough show to fool even Isis, but Apollo knew. He was also overwhelmed by her silence. Sarah alone didn't know Ione well enough to notice she'd said nothing the entire meal, but Jareth and Isis were both chattering away with Sarah. Isis invited Sarah to stay in her room at the castle for the night, and Ione nodded woodenly when asked for her permission. Plans were soon being formed, but Ione stood silently and began to walk away. Apollo alone noticed her departure until she was almost out of hearing range.
"Ione, where are you going?" Jareth called after her. She only kept walking. Jareth stood and the others moved to follow. "No, stay. I'll bring her back." Apollo and Isis sat back down, and Jareth began to catch up to Ione. Sarah paced a bit in indecision before following Jareth. Apollo and Isis simply watched as the trio moved off then began packing up the picnic. Ione stopped some distance away unaware she was being followed. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself and closed her eyes in pain. She kept asking herself when she would adjust, but no answer came.
"Ione U. What is troubling you?"
Ione's blood froze. Sarah may have been fooled by the similar tones, but Ione could easily tell that the King stood behind her before he even used her name.
"It's nothing, Jareth. Only that I am being selfish again."
"If selfishness means that you give others happiness at the cost of your own, I would that the rest of my kingdom were so selfish including myself!" He came up beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. He could feel her trembling beneath his hands and knew she was holding back tears from him. "Ione U." Jareth said as he gently yet firmly turned her to face him. "I love Sarah, and I know you know that. Sarah will not take your place, but she is the chosen one."
"Oh, Jareth, I know that! But still beyond my furthest hope had been the glimer that you would someday consider marriage." She shook her pretty head. "I told you I was being selfish. I had somehow hoped you might marry me. I know now watching you and Sarah how futile that hope was."
"Ione, how much of our meeting did you see?"
"I saw you kiss her."
"Then you missed when I sang your praises to her. I have long been proud of your selflessness."
"I didn't know, Jareth," Ione said with a note of sadness. "I didn't know how hard it would be. to love you but not to hold you."
"I would find that rather difficult myself."
Ione looked over Jareth's shoulder and saw Sarah approach. Jareth saw the warning signs that Ione was about to break away.
"Ione listen. Even if you had known before hand, I know you would still have given all. That is your beauty, Ione U."
It was not enough. She'd been backing away from him, but now she wheeled about and galloped away.
"It's hardly her only beauty, Jareth. She is a lovely centaur. Many a human woman would kill for such looks."
"There's no competition between the two of you. I already told you both who I have chosen. Ione is trying desperately to keep from embarrassing you."
"She does not embarrass me. I only worry sometimes that her weakness for you will go too far again."
Jareth looked her in the eyes. Sarah could see hurt in his eyes, and while he was not angry, she could see the sternness in them too.
"You have just done Ione and I a great injustice, Sarah. What happened between Ione and I ceased over three years ago. I have already explained that what happened between us was my fault anyway. You may not realize it, Sarah, but this jealousy has created a breach between you and Ione. The past cannot be changed, Sarah, but you've given yourself much to do to change the future." Jareth began to fade away and Sarah returned to Apollo and Isis. She walked between the two, but the silence of the centaurs added to the dignity of the centaurs could be oppressive. Finally she knew she had to say something.
"So what's it like living in the castle?" She directed the question to Isis, but Apollo answered.
"You will find out soon enough yourself, Sarah."
"Apollo, I don't live there yet."
"Well, the goblins are not allowed into the King's living areas. Goblins are restricted to the throne room. Father only allows the most beautiful fairies to serve my mother and sister, and elven servants wait on Father and I. The fairies are never allowed outside of the living areas since outsiders can never encounter beauty in the Labyrinth. The trouble most of the time is finding ways to occupy the hours."
Sarah nodded.
"I suppose this may be a tough question on the two of you, but how would you feel if the King were to marry me instead of your mother?"
Isis was the first to speak.
"I would feel that Father was following his heart. Mother did that once when Father was lost in a blizzard. She found him soon enough to save him. Following one's heart is important especially in the Labyrinth."
Sarah smiled. She was glad to know she had one of them on her side. She turned a bit hesitantly to Apollo. If either of them was against it, it would be him. Apollo gathered his thoughts carefully before speaking.
"I have been with my mother nearly from the beginning. As a boy it was hard for me to not wish Father would marry Mother and make me a legitimate heir. With the death of my first little sister, I had a hard time of misunderstanding to go through. However, Isis came, and things changed. Father lived with us for three years, and we are now one with our Father. The only difference between normal children and us is that we may not speak to his subjects about him as our father. Even this is much more lax because of the near impossibility of explaining away my duplicate features. But Sarah. I could no longer sanction a marriage between my parents. Why? Neither would be happy. Though it may have been Mother's dream for years, we all know it would be an unhappy one. The simple fact is that Father loves you. They both know that, and in time, that knowledge would destroy them."
"You surprised me, Apollo. I had been sure you would despise me for taking your mother's chance."
"I believe I have explained my reasons, Sarah."
"But tell me. Why have you and your sister never been paired off?"
"Father has made that rather impossible, Sarah. The fairies that serve my mother and sister are the only beautiful females in the Labyrinth, and they are devoid of character. The only different thing between them is their names. Next to them is those Father brings into his Labyrinth, but you know well that they will meet nothing beautiful or majestic other than Father himself."
Isis added in her own side.
"Father can also be extremely jealous. The elven servants of him and Apollo are invisible because Father will allow nothing in the Labyrinth as handsome as he. Apollo alone escapes such commands since he is Father's son. Yet Apollo must wear a cloak or be invisible when in crowded places."
"But I've never not been able to see him in the city!" Isis and Apollo just laughed. "What's so funny?"
"The fact that Apollo is invisible right now!" Sarah looked around and noticed they were indeed in a crowded place. She looked back toward Isis and Apollo. "He can allow certain people to see him if he so wishes." Sarah joined in the laughter.
"What about when you came to my world?"
"No, there we wanted you to see us instantly. Here you are used to the unusual. If we had been invisible in your world, I would have faded into your vision, and you would instantly have thought twice about asking me for directions." Sarah smiled wondering what exactly she would've done.
"That park is usually crowded. How did you get it cleared?"
"That, Sarah, is my little secret." Apollo's eyes glimmered with impish glee, and try as she might, Sarah could get no more out of him.
They reached the castle, and Sarah looked up. She noticed they were coming to the throne room and remembered that the one way out led to the stair room.
"Where are we going?" Sarah questioned in concern.
"To the living chambers of course." Isis looked over to Sarah. "You never knew how close you came to Father did you?" Isis smiled at her and led her into the strange twist of stairways. Sarah noticed that Apollo had a saddle on his back, and he helped her into it. She caught her breath when both centaurs walked over the edge, but their hooves seemed to be drawn like magnets to the floor on the other side.
"You move about like Jareth did!"
"We are his children," Apollo replied simply. "Isis grew up here. We had to be comfortable with his ways."
Sarah noticed that she did not gravitate to what she thought was the floor. Her hair was straight as normal, and the blood had not rushed to her head. In fact it was as if she were riding on any other average day except for the fact that she was riding a magnificent centaur. Finally after many twists and turns, Apollo and Isis turned into a doorway. Isis opened the door and led the way inside.