Stop Blaming Yourself

Jareth's eyes slowly opened, finding himself in an unfamiliar place. The room was shrouded in darkness and he could spot wisps of smoke emanating from somewhere. He attempted to stand up, only to find himself unable to move. Coughing as the smoke filled his lungs, he saw a figure move swiftly past him. Quickly turning to face where the figure had gone, he saw nothing but empty air.

Struggling to rise once more, Jareth felt as though he was glued to the spot. Suddenly, the dark figure passed by again, causing him to lift his head in alarm. He caught a fleeting glimpse of someone unfamiliar to him. Frustration twisted his features as he tried to call out, "Who are you?" The shadowy figure continued to linger menacingly, as if to taunt him and test his patience.

Finally freeing himself from the invisible restraints, Jareth stood up, only to be hit with a wave of dizziness. He shook his head, attempting to regain his bearings, but it seemed as if the world was spinning against him. The only person who could possibly have control over him like this was Darcie. Yes, he must be here. Jareth had summoned him, but he couldn't see him as he continued to circle around him relentlessly.

Intense heat began to radiate from his body, causing him to writhe in agony. His entire being felt as though it was on fire. The flames engulfed him, but instead of being burned, they seemed to feed off his energy. Roaring with frustration, Jareth's eyes glowed a dark red, even darker than when he was with Scarlet, consumed by a burning desire for her.

Suddenly, there was a burst of flames and he jolted awake. Turning around, he realized he was back in his own chamber. He attempted to move his arms, only to find them heavy as though someone was lying on them. Glancing down, he saw Scarlet sleeping peacefully beside him.

A bewildered look crossed his face as he muttered to himself, "What is she doing here? Or was it all just a dream?" 

The flames engulfing him, Jareth's dream was a vivid and powerful one. He couldn't feel any pain, but the intensity of the scene was so vivid that he couldn't deny its reality.

As Scarlet groaned in her sleep, Jareth reached out to her, preventing her from falling with his quick reflexes. He pulled her closer to him, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder. From this angle, she could see his wrist where he had accidentally cut himself earlier.

Untying the white handkerchief that Scarlet had used to wrap his wound, Jareth found that it had already healed. It was a power that he possessed, but it usually took him days to heal himself completely but it was different now.

"You have such strong muscles," Scarlet mumbled in her sleep, pressing her head against his shoulder and running her hand over his flexed arm.

Jareth couldn't help but smile at her innocent touch and playfully raise his eyebrow. "Indeed? I'm glad you think so," he teased.

Scarlet's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she realized what she was doing and quickly pulled her hand away. She wanted to physically hit herself as she saw Jareth's cheeky smirk.

"My empress is still able to sleep on the arm of this old man," Jareth said, wiggling his eyebrow.

Scarlet was tempted to do just that, but she controlled herself and instead asked, "How is your wrist-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Scarlet noticed that the wound was no longer there. She quickly checked his hand in disbelief. How was it possible for him to heal so quickly, especially since he still had trouble controlling his powers?

"How?" she asked, her tone full of awe. Jareth unknowingly withdrew his hand from hers, his focus turning distant.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice harsh and distant.

"I came to bring you to see Athena, just like I told you I would," Scarlet explained, still smiling.

"I have already seen her. You may leave now," Jareth replied, standing up and leaving a confused Scarlet behind on the bed.

"What did I do wrong?" she asked to herself in confusion, her brows furrowed.

Jareth released a heavy sigh, "I did not grant you permission to enter my chambers, consort Scarlet."

Confusion clouded Scarlet's mind as her chest rose and fell with fury. Did he take back his words about her becoming his future empress?

"Are you taking back your promise of making me the future empress?" Scarlet pointed accusingly at Jareth.

"That is not what I meant," Jareth tried to clarify, but Scarlet stood up, stomped her feet, and made a move to leave. Jareth's hand quickly gripped her waist, pulling her closer to him.

"I didn't mean it like that. I won't change my mind about making you my empress," Jareth said, placing his chin on her neck.

Scarlet blinked, turning to face him, "Why did you injure yourself?"

"Can we not talk about it?" Jareth deflected, looking away from Scarlet's gaze. He felt an intense guilt for what had happened earlier. Seeing her caring for him was the last thing he wanted to see.

"Did it have something to do with what happened earlier? It wasn't your fault, and you should stop blaming yourself. I know you would never harm me," Scarlet said, taking his hand in hers and caressing it.

Jareth forced a smile, swallowing hard, "How can you be sure I won't harm you? I struggle to control my powers; neither I nor Darcie can guarantee your safety."

"I won't let anything happen to you," Scarlet whispered.

"What do you mean?" Jareth inquired.

"It's nothing," Scarlet answered, her voice cracking as her palms grew sweaty.

"Shall we go meet Athena now?" Scarlet asked with a bright smile.

Before Jareth could respond, Raynell burst in, looking frantic.

"What is it?" Jareth asked, his impatience showing.

"Your Highness, Consort Vera's maidservant's body was found in her room," Raynell reported, breathing heavily.

Jareth's forehead creased in concern as he turned to face Scarlet, "I will come to see her later. For now, may my empress excuse me?"

He hurriedly left before Scarlet could reply. She could sense something was amiss. Was it just the maidservant's death, or was there more to it? She couldn't pinpoint what had triggered Jareth's sudden anger.

Scarlet walked slowly towards her castle with a perplexed expression adorning her visage. She gracefully lowered herself onto the bed, her hand resting delicately on her chin in a contemplative gesture.

Suddenly, Ilvia burst into the room, a cacophony of loud calls and heavy pants announcing her arrival. She had traversed a great distance to reach here. "My lady," she exclaimed, catching her breath.

Ilvia's feet came to a halt as she entered the room. "My - my lady, I have found Elora."