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 8: Discoveries
She had just finished dressing when she heard a knock on the door that separated their rooms. She walked over and opened the door hesitantly. She saw Apollo standing bashfully on the other side. She immediately noticed that he had indeed discarded his shirt and was at once struck at how much muscle he hid underneath the loose shirts her wore when outside his room. She also noticed that he had removed the coloring and glitter from his blond hair. She noticed that he was very unsure about whatever was on his mind.
"I didn't want to disturb you, but I'm afraid I have a bit of a problem."
"What is it?" she asked as Apollo retreated to stand in front of a full length mirror.
"Well, Mother decorated my tail this morning, but I can't reach back that far."
Aida laughed because as he explained Apollo tried again to reach the gems in his tail and only managed to turn in a few circles. Aida could just imagine him turning in circle after frustrating circle before he finally decided to knock on her door. She walked over and directed him to sit down. Apollo 'pulled' up a resting couch to sit on.
"I was always afraid you or Ione were going to run me over with those things when I was little!"
Like her mother, Aida had never been very interested in the magic of her father and the centaurs beyond being awed by it. She also knew the large resting couches for the centaurs weighed nearly as much as they themselves. Apollo sat down making sure to keep his tail free, and Aida could see the many gems that had been braided into his tail.
"How on earth do you move your tail with all these gems in it?"
"It certainly does take a degree of practice, but if you'd ever had a fly in a place you couldn't reach, you'd understand that we learn real quick!"
Aida smiled then began the process of unbraiding Apollo's tail. She was surprised at the smoothness of it. She noticed also that Ione had crimped it slightly to give it a flowing look.
"You and your mother must spend a lot of time just getting ready in the morning." Aida commented as she continued to take gems out.
"Well, Mother wanted me to look my best for the wedding obviously, but I guess the nature of our race requires a bit of social grooming."
"What do you need me to do?"
"In the morning, my mother and I typically make sure that our coat lays straight and that our tails are brushed."
Aida nodded and continued. She hadn't ever considered being in Apollo's room as his wife unbraiding his tail, and running her hands through the silk strands was doing strange things to her heart. Apollo noticed that she was taking more care than she had when she'd begun, but he made no comment on it. Aida had begun to realize she'd actually married a rather handsome young man. If she thought about it, the contrast of horse and man was really rather striking. He seemed the essence of both grace and power, yet Apollo had not been hardened by power as their father had been. Apollo's eyes held tenderness and wisdom while lacking his father's arrogance. These thoughts lasted but a moment. Aida stood when she finished and watched as Apollo shivered from withers to tail then flipped his tail to each side.
"Ah! That is so much better!" he turned and smiled in her direction. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," she replied.
"Aida, would you be comfortable if we left the door open? You may think I'm spoiled, but I'm not used to feeling shut out."
Aida thought for a moment before hesitantly nodding her head. Apollo smiled and somehow Aida knew he really was leaving the decision up to her. Apollo turned out his light as he settled in his bed, but he waited for Aida to fall asleep. She was awake and stayed so for some time. Apollo sighed. He knew it was going to be a long night. Near the middle of the night, Aida fell into a fitful sleep. Apollo assumed invisibility and went to check on her. His heart ached for her. He knew the whole arrangement was much harder on her than it was on him. He stood beside her bed looking down at her turning restlessly in her sleep. His heart cried out though he did not speak aloud.
By Heaven, I love her already! How do I love her as a husband instead of a brother? I just wish someone would show me how!
She murmured quietly in her sleep. Apollo watched over her. He gently brushed her hair back knowing she would only feel a cool breeze.
The next morning Aida woke and heard Apollo stirring in his room. She dressed and made herself look presentable then peeked into Apollo's room. The good thing about him being a centaur was that she never had to worry about walking in on him while he was changing. She didn't see him at first glance around the room.
"Apollo?"
"I'm in the privy chamber," came the reply.
Aida smiled and turned her attention to looking around his room. She'd seen the inside of a centaurian privy chamber once or twice. She'd never had to use one although they had provisions for humans, but she was familiar with the special equipment. The privy resembled a jungle gym. There was a bar on the back that the centaurs could put their tails over. There was a bar above it that the centaurs could grab with their hands to right their large bodies, and there was a bar suspended from the ceiling on chains that the centaurs could rest their forelegs on. For male centaurs there was a simple tall stone block in the middle of the floor with a pipe down the center. The room itself was huge in all directions. It was wide to give the centaurs room to move, and it was tall since a rearing centaur was twice as tall as a man. Looking around Apollo's room, she could see some similarities between him and his father. They had many similarities in decorating style. Everything seemed to be done in a gothic medieval style, but Apollo had a few differences to. Jareth would hardly ever consider using a weapon other than his magic. Apollo was just as powerful, but he displayed many different battle weapons on his wall. While centaurs were known for being a peaceable race, they were fierce when provoked. She noticed many displays of swords and shields. She knew there were two crossed spears above his doorway. Not only were spears the weapon associated with centaurs, Apollo was exceptionally good with them. The crossed weapons above the doorway would typically have been over the main door of a centaur home symbolizing that you were now under the family's protection. Aida tried not to look at the more terrifying weapons then noticed several swords of Celtic origins. These swords caught her attention so strongly that she jumped when Apollo cleared his throat behind her.
"They are beautiful aren't they?"
"They're gorgeous!" Aida responded.
"Never meant for war. They're the best kind. I still carry the wave dagger into battle though."
Aida picked up the almost delicate piece he'd mentioned.
"This? But it's so pretty and clean!"
Apollo smiled at her albeit a little sadly.
"One of the first things a soldier learns is how to take care of his equipment, Aida. That dagger is clean because I made sure there was no blood left on it to rust."
Aida shivered and set the dagger back on its display.
"I still don't see how that thing helps you."
"It's fairly simple. Its use is hand to hand combat decision. Plunge it into you opponent's leg, twist, and pull it out. You do irreparable damage to your opponent's leg." Aida began to feel queasy. Apollo placed a hand on her arm. "We needn't talk of such things if they upset you."
"I just don't see how you can be so matter-of-fact."
"The way weapons work is a fact, Aida. I do not enjoy hurting other beings, and my mother and I would find any way conceivable to prevent war. That is one of the reasons that brought about our marriage if you recall."
She did recall only too well. She noticed with a start that Apollo still had a rather unkempt appearance.
"Oh! Here!" Aida exclaimed picking up a body brush. She started in on his golden coat. She almost felt bad brushing him out as she would her mare in the stables, but she could see he liked it. His skin rippled softly with each stroke of her brush. "Does that tickle?"
"No, actually it feels good," he replied. Aida smiled mischievously and lightly brushed the girth of his stomach. Apollo stamped a hind leg in disapproval and swished his tail at her.
"Hey! Play fair!" he protested. Aida laughed, but she brushed out the rest of his coat without a problem. Picking up a comb she worked out the tangles in his tail. She was glad he didn't have much feeling in his tail because a few of the tangles near refused to budge. Once they were both presentable, they walked to the kitchen. Aida noticed that she'd been seated beside Apollo instead of beside her mother. Sarah glanced at Jareth. They'd spent an entire day secluded with each other after their wedding. She asked herself for the one hundredth time what they had asked of the two children. Ione, however, was concerned for her son. She could tell he hadn't had much sleep last night.
Chapter 8: Discoveries
She had just finished dressing when she heard a knock on the door that separated their rooms. She walked over and opened the door hesitantly. She saw Apollo standing bashfully on the other side. She immediately noticed that he had indeed discarded his shirt and was at once struck at how much muscle he hid underneath the loose shirts her wore when outside his room. She also noticed that he had removed the coloring and glitter from his blond hair. She noticed that he was very unsure about whatever was on his mind.
"I didn't want to disturb you, but I'm afraid I have a bit of a problem."
"What is it?" she asked as Apollo retreated to stand in front of a full length mirror.
"Well, Mother decorated my tail this morning, but I can't reach back that far."
Aida laughed because as he explained Apollo tried again to reach the gems in his tail and only managed to turn in a few circles. Aida could just imagine him turning in circle after frustrating circle before he finally decided to knock on her door. She walked over and directed him to sit down. Apollo 'pulled' up a resting couch to sit on.
"I was always afraid you or Ione were going to run me over with those things when I was little!"
Like her mother, Aida had never been very interested in the magic of her father and the centaurs beyond being awed by it. She also knew the large resting couches for the centaurs weighed nearly as much as they themselves. Apollo sat down making sure to keep his tail free, and Aida could see the many gems that had been braided into his tail.
"How on earth do you move your tail with all these gems in it?"
"It certainly does take a degree of practice, but if you'd ever had a fly in a place you couldn't reach, you'd understand that we learn real quick!"
Aida smiled then began the process of unbraiding Apollo's tail. She was surprised at the smoothness of it. She noticed also that Ione had crimped it slightly to give it a flowing look.
"You and your mother must spend a lot of time just getting ready in the morning." Aida commented as she continued to take gems out.
"Well, Mother wanted me to look my best for the wedding obviously, but I guess the nature of our race requires a bit of social grooming."
"What do you need me to do?"
"In the morning, my mother and I typically make sure that our coat lays straight and that our tails are brushed."
Aida nodded and continued. She hadn't ever considered being in Apollo's room as his wife unbraiding his tail, and running her hands through the silk strands was doing strange things to her heart. Apollo noticed that she was taking more care than she had when she'd begun, but he made no comment on it. Aida had begun to realize she'd actually married a rather handsome young man. If she thought about it, the contrast of horse and man was really rather striking. He seemed the essence of both grace and power, yet Apollo had not been hardened by power as their father had been. Apollo's eyes held tenderness and wisdom while lacking his father's arrogance. These thoughts lasted but a moment. Aida stood when she finished and watched as Apollo shivered from withers to tail then flipped his tail to each side.
"Ah! That is so much better!" he turned and smiled in her direction. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," she replied.
"Aida, would you be comfortable if we left the door open? You may think I'm spoiled, but I'm not used to feeling shut out."
Aida thought for a moment before hesitantly nodding her head. Apollo smiled and somehow Aida knew he really was leaving the decision up to her. Apollo turned out his light as he settled in his bed, but he waited for Aida to fall asleep. She was awake and stayed so for some time. Apollo sighed. He knew it was going to be a long night. Near the middle of the night, Aida fell into a fitful sleep. Apollo assumed invisibility and went to check on her. His heart ached for her. He knew the whole arrangement was much harder on her than it was on him. He stood beside her bed looking down at her turning restlessly in her sleep. His heart cried out though he did not speak aloud.
By Heaven, I love her already! How do I love her as a husband instead of a brother? I just wish someone would show me how!
She murmured quietly in her sleep. Apollo watched over her. He gently brushed her hair back knowing she would only feel a cool breeze.
The next morning Aida woke and heard Apollo stirring in his room. She dressed and made herself look presentable then peeked into Apollo's room. The good thing about him being a centaur was that she never had to worry about walking in on him while he was changing. She didn't see him at first glance around the room.
"Apollo?"
"I'm in the privy chamber," came the reply.
Aida smiled and turned her attention to looking around his room. She'd seen the inside of a centaurian privy chamber once or twice. She'd never had to use one although they had provisions for humans, but she was familiar with the special equipment. The privy resembled a jungle gym. There was a bar on the back that the centaurs could put their tails over. There was a bar above it that the centaurs could grab with their hands to right their large bodies, and there was a bar suspended from the ceiling on chains that the centaurs could rest their forelegs on. For male centaurs there was a simple tall stone block in the middle of the floor with a pipe down the center. The room itself was huge in all directions. It was wide to give the centaurs room to move, and it was tall since a rearing centaur was twice as tall as a man. Looking around Apollo's room, she could see some similarities between him and his father. They had many similarities in decorating style. Everything seemed to be done in a gothic medieval style, but Apollo had a few differences to. Jareth would hardly ever consider using a weapon other than his magic. Apollo was just as powerful, but he displayed many different battle weapons on his wall. While centaurs were known for being a peaceable race, they were fierce when provoked. She noticed many displays of swords and shields. She knew there were two crossed spears above his doorway. Not only were spears the weapon associated with centaurs, Apollo was exceptionally good with them. The crossed weapons above the doorway would typically have been over the main door of a centaur home symbolizing that you were now under the family's protection. Aida tried not to look at the more terrifying weapons then noticed several swords of Celtic origins. These swords caught her attention so strongly that she jumped when Apollo cleared his throat behind her.
"They are beautiful aren't they?"
"They're gorgeous!" Aida responded.
"Never meant for war. They're the best kind. I still carry the wave dagger into battle though."
Aida picked up the almost delicate piece he'd mentioned.
"This? But it's so pretty and clean!"
Apollo smiled at her albeit a little sadly.
"One of the first things a soldier learns is how to take care of his equipment, Aida. That dagger is clean because I made sure there was no blood left on it to rust."
Aida shivered and set the dagger back on its display.
"I still don't see how that thing helps you."
"It's fairly simple. Its use is hand to hand combat decision. Plunge it into you opponent's leg, twist, and pull it out. You do irreparable damage to your opponent's leg." Aida began to feel queasy. Apollo placed a hand on her arm. "We needn't talk of such things if they upset you."
"I just don't see how you can be so matter-of-fact."
"The way weapons work is a fact, Aida. I do not enjoy hurting other beings, and my mother and I would find any way conceivable to prevent war. That is one of the reasons that brought about our marriage if you recall."
She did recall only too well. She noticed with a start that Apollo still had a rather unkempt appearance.
"Oh! Here!" Aida exclaimed picking up a body brush. She started in on his golden coat. She almost felt bad brushing him out as she would her mare in the stables, but she could see he liked it. His skin rippled softly with each stroke of her brush. "Does that tickle?"
"No, actually it feels good," he replied. Aida smiled mischievously and lightly brushed the girth of his stomach. Apollo stamped a hind leg in disapproval and swished his tail at her.
"Hey! Play fair!" he protested. Aida laughed, but she brushed out the rest of his coat without a problem. Picking up a comb she worked out the tangles in his tail. She was glad he didn't have much feeling in his tail because a few of the tangles near refused to budge. Once they were both presentable, they walked to the kitchen. Aida noticed that she'd been seated beside Apollo instead of beside her mother. Sarah glanced at Jareth. They'd spent an entire day secluded with each other after their wedding. She asked herself for the one hundredth time what they had asked of the two children. Ione, however, was concerned for her son. She could tell he hadn't had much sleep last night.