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 7: Comfort and Marriage
"There may be many trials in this marriage, my son."
Apollo nodded.
"You have awed her since childhood, but you must be careful not to scare her."
Again Apollo nodded.
"You will both have to overcome this feeling of brotherhood. You must see each other as centaur and wife. You know that."
Apollo nodded.
"It is a hard thing we ask of you, but we must ask it for the good of the kingdom."
Another nod.
"If we did not ask it, the kingdom would be split into rival factions. By doing this we may be preventing war, my son."
Apollo nodded then hugged his mother.
"I do not know where else to draw my stength from, Mother. You have always been there for me."
Ione remembered poignantly how Apollo used to hug her like this when she asked something difficult of him in his training.
"You are my son and no stronger could a mother's love be. I am proud of you." She stood him at arms length. "He is a true centaur who has strength for the difficult yet wisdom for the easy." They hugged again before Apollo set off to find Aida. Strangely enough in this time before the wedding, he had become a refuge for the frightened girl rather than a blatant reminder of what they must do. He was still a strong centaur, and she clung to him as she had when a little girl.
"Apollo what will become of us?"
"I suppose we shall learn to live together in a whole new way."
"But I like the way we are now!"
"And if you had married another man, Aida? Our relationship would have been different then."
"Maybe I should never get married!"
"That's nonsense, Aida, and you know better. One of us would half to marry. Marrying each other is actually the best way to preserve what we already have. We'll just be building on it."
"I've just never been so scared and unsure, Apollo." Apollo could see the tears in her emerald eyes. They had both been sitting so there was less of a height difference, and Apollo held the frightened girl close. He would not tell her of his own doubts for she had enough worries, but he was steadfast in his loyalty to his father and kingdom. He would serve his home, and he would serve Aida. They're father had already told him he couldn't think of who he would trust more with Aida for few knew her better than Apollo. Her heard a tiny sniffle and sighed. Flicking away a pestering fly with his creamy tail, he rested his head on hers'. Ione watched from the castle with approval.
"They will survive this. If they can just hang onto their dependence on each other, they will survive." Sarah and Jareth nodded slightly as they watched their precious daughter gain comfort from her future husband.
The day of the wedding, the bride had a severe case of nerves. Her mother and father did their best to calm her, but she was still trembling slightly as she waited with them to walk down the aisle. Ione was seated at the front of the assembly with her eyes on her son. Apollo had never been so grateful for her telepathy. Just when he would nearly lose his nerve, his mother would say something comforting he alone could hear. Then a grand march began to play, and Apollo looked to the end of the hall to see Aida escorted between the King and Queen. He knew that as the groom, it should have swelled his heart to see the beauty walking towards him, but instead he felt concern since he could tell even at a distance that his bride was trembling. He'd been doing a lot of correcting himself lately. He'd been making a strong attempt at thinking of Aida as his wife to be rather than his sister, but it was harder than he'd anticipated. When Jareth gave him Aida's hand he gave it a gentle and comforting squeeze. Aida gave him a fleeting glance that spoke of her gratitude, yet he could tell she was quaking inside. The ceremony continued without complication. Apollo knew well that neither he nor Aida were ready for much intimacy so their ceremony ended with a kiss on the cheek. Ione silently applauded her son. He had been trained through her hard years to be sensitive, and now he could use those lessons in dealing tenderly with Aida. However, as the day began to wind to a close, Aida began to worry more about the night to come. Just as she began to work herself into quite a state, Apollo put his hand over hers. There was incredible calm in him, and it soothed her. But when Ione gave her blessing to the newlyweds, Aida began to fret all the more. The standard centaur blessing included long life, joy and happiness, wisdom. and strong children! Aida was suddenly reminded that somehow she and Apollo would be expected to have children. Again Apollo sensed his bride's discomfort and knew the reason.
Don't worry about it now.
Aida recognized Apollo's voice in her mind. She looked over to find him smiling at her.
We're on step three not eighty-five.
Aida smiled at this comment which was its purpose. Yet as Apollo led her back to the living quarters of the castle, Aida's fears returned. Apollo knew a moment of loneliness knowing that his mother was now in the room across the hall in the room left in Isis' absence. Aida now occupied the room connected to his. Aida walked into the parlor adjoining the two rooms. This was as far as she'd ever been. She'd never really had a reason to be in Ione's room, and she had never ever been in Apollo's room. Apollo opened his door and remover the silky cloth covering his golden palomino coat. His coat seemed to quiver and shift in relief to have the heavy drapery off. He also removed the jacket. As a centaur, it was rather strange for Apollo to wear any clothing at all since centaur men typically despised the closed in feeling.
"Apollo."
Apollo was instantly reminded that his actions could be misinterpreted. Aida had no idea how much centaurs disliked clothing nor was she used to public changing. Apollo was used to not having to worry about his equine half, and there was nothing to hide on his human side either. He came back into the parlor.
"What is it, Aida?" he asked watching her carefully.
"I.I don't think I'm ready." she stammered. He shushed her by putting one finger over her lips.
"I told you that you needn't worry about that yet. It is perfectly acceptable amongst my race for even the women to go without clothing of any kind. Centaurs seem to have a hate of clothing bred into them. When we have to wear clothing, we are typically glad to get rid of it. Also I'm afraid I'm not used to closing my door when I change simply because a centaur has nothing to hide." Aida nodded slowly. "I'm sorry I gave you the wrong impression, Aida. The kingdom will expect us to one day consummate our marriage, but we have some time before then."
Aida nodded again, but her eyes were drawn fearfully to his equine equipment. She was startled from her fears as he stamped a hind leg and flicked his tail across his flank. She blushed as she realized he knew full well what part of his anatomy scared her. He tilted her chin up so she was looking at his face once more.
"I'm not going to ask you to do something you're not ready for, Aida. But understand, Little One." Aida blinked. It had been weeks since he'd used her childhood nickname. "Someday you will be ready. When that day comes, I'll be here." He led her over to the room formerly occupied by his mother and showed her around. She realized with sudden clarity that Apollo knew the room well. She wondered again at the close relationship between mother and son. After showing her around, Apollo left through the door that adjoined their rooms. Aida acquainted herself a bit more then changed into sleeping attire.
Chapter 7: Comfort and Marriage
"There may be many trials in this marriage, my son."
Apollo nodded.
"You have awed her since childhood, but you must be careful not to scare her."
Again Apollo nodded.
"You will both have to overcome this feeling of brotherhood. You must see each other as centaur and wife. You know that."
Apollo nodded.
"It is a hard thing we ask of you, but we must ask it for the good of the kingdom."
Another nod.
"If we did not ask it, the kingdom would be split into rival factions. By doing this we may be preventing war, my son."
Apollo nodded then hugged his mother.
"I do not know where else to draw my stength from, Mother. You have always been there for me."
Ione remembered poignantly how Apollo used to hug her like this when she asked something difficult of him in his training.
"You are my son and no stronger could a mother's love be. I am proud of you." She stood him at arms length. "He is a true centaur who has strength for the difficult yet wisdom for the easy." They hugged again before Apollo set off to find Aida. Strangely enough in this time before the wedding, he had become a refuge for the frightened girl rather than a blatant reminder of what they must do. He was still a strong centaur, and she clung to him as she had when a little girl.
"Apollo what will become of us?"
"I suppose we shall learn to live together in a whole new way."
"But I like the way we are now!"
"And if you had married another man, Aida? Our relationship would have been different then."
"Maybe I should never get married!"
"That's nonsense, Aida, and you know better. One of us would half to marry. Marrying each other is actually the best way to preserve what we already have. We'll just be building on it."
"I've just never been so scared and unsure, Apollo." Apollo could see the tears in her emerald eyes. They had both been sitting so there was less of a height difference, and Apollo held the frightened girl close. He would not tell her of his own doubts for she had enough worries, but he was steadfast in his loyalty to his father and kingdom. He would serve his home, and he would serve Aida. They're father had already told him he couldn't think of who he would trust more with Aida for few knew her better than Apollo. Her heard a tiny sniffle and sighed. Flicking away a pestering fly with his creamy tail, he rested his head on hers'. Ione watched from the castle with approval.
"They will survive this. If they can just hang onto their dependence on each other, they will survive." Sarah and Jareth nodded slightly as they watched their precious daughter gain comfort from her future husband.
The day of the wedding, the bride had a severe case of nerves. Her mother and father did their best to calm her, but she was still trembling slightly as she waited with them to walk down the aisle. Ione was seated at the front of the assembly with her eyes on her son. Apollo had never been so grateful for her telepathy. Just when he would nearly lose his nerve, his mother would say something comforting he alone could hear. Then a grand march began to play, and Apollo looked to the end of the hall to see Aida escorted between the King and Queen. He knew that as the groom, it should have swelled his heart to see the beauty walking towards him, but instead he felt concern since he could tell even at a distance that his bride was trembling. He'd been doing a lot of correcting himself lately. He'd been making a strong attempt at thinking of Aida as his wife to be rather than his sister, but it was harder than he'd anticipated. When Jareth gave him Aida's hand he gave it a gentle and comforting squeeze. Aida gave him a fleeting glance that spoke of her gratitude, yet he could tell she was quaking inside. The ceremony continued without complication. Apollo knew well that neither he nor Aida were ready for much intimacy so their ceremony ended with a kiss on the cheek. Ione silently applauded her son. He had been trained through her hard years to be sensitive, and now he could use those lessons in dealing tenderly with Aida. However, as the day began to wind to a close, Aida began to worry more about the night to come. Just as she began to work herself into quite a state, Apollo put his hand over hers. There was incredible calm in him, and it soothed her. But when Ione gave her blessing to the newlyweds, Aida began to fret all the more. The standard centaur blessing included long life, joy and happiness, wisdom. and strong children! Aida was suddenly reminded that somehow she and Apollo would be expected to have children. Again Apollo sensed his bride's discomfort and knew the reason.
Don't worry about it now.
Aida recognized Apollo's voice in her mind. She looked over to find him smiling at her.
We're on step three not eighty-five.
Aida smiled at this comment which was its purpose. Yet as Apollo led her back to the living quarters of the castle, Aida's fears returned. Apollo knew a moment of loneliness knowing that his mother was now in the room across the hall in the room left in Isis' absence. Aida now occupied the room connected to his. Aida walked into the parlor adjoining the two rooms. This was as far as she'd ever been. She'd never really had a reason to be in Ione's room, and she had never ever been in Apollo's room. Apollo opened his door and remover the silky cloth covering his golden palomino coat. His coat seemed to quiver and shift in relief to have the heavy drapery off. He also removed the jacket. As a centaur, it was rather strange for Apollo to wear any clothing at all since centaur men typically despised the closed in feeling.
"Apollo."
Apollo was instantly reminded that his actions could be misinterpreted. Aida had no idea how much centaurs disliked clothing nor was she used to public changing. Apollo was used to not having to worry about his equine half, and there was nothing to hide on his human side either. He came back into the parlor.
"What is it, Aida?" he asked watching her carefully.
"I.I don't think I'm ready." she stammered. He shushed her by putting one finger over her lips.
"I told you that you needn't worry about that yet. It is perfectly acceptable amongst my race for even the women to go without clothing of any kind. Centaurs seem to have a hate of clothing bred into them. When we have to wear clothing, we are typically glad to get rid of it. Also I'm afraid I'm not used to closing my door when I change simply because a centaur has nothing to hide." Aida nodded slowly. "I'm sorry I gave you the wrong impression, Aida. The kingdom will expect us to one day consummate our marriage, but we have some time before then."
Aida nodded again, but her eyes were drawn fearfully to his equine equipment. She was startled from her fears as he stamped a hind leg and flicked his tail across his flank. She blushed as she realized he knew full well what part of his anatomy scared her. He tilted her chin up so she was looking at his face once more.
"I'm not going to ask you to do something you're not ready for, Aida. But understand, Little One." Aida blinked. It had been weeks since he'd used her childhood nickname. "Someday you will be ready. When that day comes, I'll be here." He led her over to the room formerly occupied by his mother and showed her around. She realized with sudden clarity that Apollo knew the room well. She wondered again at the close relationship between mother and son. After showing her around, Apollo left through the door that adjoined their rooms. Aida acquainted herself a bit more then changed into sleeping attire.