Bringing Emily Into The palace.

"Ilvia, can you assist me in standing?" Scarlet uttered weakly, determined not to succumb to her injuries and instead venture on going outside.

"My Lady, where are you heading to?" Ilvia inquired with concern as she helped Scarlet to her feet.

Despite the treatment from the Royal physician easing her pain, Scarlet continued to experience discomfort in her body, a constant reminder of the wickedness of Consort Vera, Belinda, and Corinna. But this wouldn't deter her from seeking revenge.

"Can you help me with my cloak, Ilvia?" Scarlet pleaded, feeling a lump forming in her throat. She was tired of living in this oppressive era, under the rule of ruthless individuals. But she refused to be beaten down again, not this time.

Ilvia followed Scarlet's instructions, assisted her in putting on the cloak, mindful of the upcoming winter and the need to avoid falling ill in this despicable place.

 "I want to visit the market square," Scarlet declared.

"My lady, I can get anything you need from the mercatus without you having to strain yourself. Please, do not worry," Ilvia replied, her eyes cast downward, riddled with guilt. It was her fault for not behaving as a lowly servant like she was, leading to Scarlet's brutal beating.

"Don't worry, Ilvia. I want to try and force myself to like this place," Scarlet responded, adjusting her dress. Despite taking the beating for ilvia her maidservant, she continued to address her by name. Ilvia couldn't shake off her feelings of guilt.

With Ilvia's silence, Scarlet proceeded to the mercatus, uncertain of what to expect. However, she was taken aback by the beauty of the design and interior, captivated by its elegance.

She hadn't expected such splendor. Each store had a covering, protecting customers from the harsh sun, with ample space for movement. This was not what she had imagined. Each store was distinctively marked with its name for easy access for patronage.

Ilvia clutched tightly onto Scarlet, fearing for her safety with every leap she took. All the curious onlookers were taken aback by her leaping movements.

The original body owner, Scarlet had not lived her life to the fullest before, but she was determined to do so now that she was in hers. But was such a feat even possible? Nothing ever seems to go according to her desires.

"Do you like it, Ilvia?" Scarlet inquired, offering her a white, beaded handband. Ilvia nodded in excitement, unaware of Scarlet's true intentions.

"Then it's yours," Scarlet declared with a smile, paying the merchant for the purchase.

They ended up buying a plenty of cloth and jewelry for themselves.

"My lady, the sun is setting, and we did not take permission from His Highness before leaving. May I suggest we return before he discovers our absence?" Ilvia urged.

Scarlet refused to let anyone dictate her actions. It was her right and freedom, and she couldn't care less about any highness. However, she also knew she was putting Ilvia in danger if they didn't return in time.

She had achieved her objective - obtaining a poison. A sinister grin spread across her face as she stated, "I'm growing weary as well, Ilvia. Let's make our way back."

Scarlet spun around, ready to depart, when a small finger gripped onto her hand. She glanced down to see a little girl with a cute round face and stylishly cut fringes, though her attire did not match her appearance. Her dress was torn and covered in mud.

"Get your sharp fingers here!" one of the villagers shouted, causing both Scarlet and Ilvia to be on guard.

"Save me!" the girl cried out in an angelic voice that struck a chord within Scarlet. Just like she had wanted to be saved once upon a time. She understood the feeling of being in danger all too well.

The villagers closed in on them, but quickly halted when they saw Scarlet and the little girl. The little girl attempted to flee, but Scarlet's grip was too strong for her to break free.

"You little devil, a lesson must be taught so you never steal again," a robust woman exclaimed, pointing at the culprit. 

There seems to be a lot of people using the word, devil literally. Scarlet thought.

Ilvia and Scarlet finally realized that this petite girl had stolen from the market.

"Isn't she the consort who was recently brought to the palace and almost drowned?" a person in the crowd mentioned, causing a stir among everyone.

"Why is she associating with a thief?" they anxiously questioned one another.

"That is of no importance, what matters is getting my goods back from those nimble fingers of yours," the woman, presumably the owner of the stolen goods, declared as she raised her hand to strike the little one.

Memories of this same event flooded Scarlet's mind, but the scene played out differently. In the script, Vera stood here and proceeded to behead the girl without proper confirmation.

A firm grip on her hand pulled Scarlet out of her reverie.

"If I may ask, did you personally see the girl stealing from you or catch her in the act?" Scarlet inquired.

The woman and the others seemed taken aback that the newfound consort was siding with a criminal.

"No, but she has a reputation for thievery because she steals all the time," the woman explained.

It was true that the girl was a habitual thief, but for a just cause. She had to feed herself and, with no one willing to adopt her after her parents passed, she was left on her own in the market.

"Since there is no evidence and none of you actually witnessed the theft, she is innocent of your accusations. Ilvia, take her to my carriage," Scarlet announced, and Ilvia promptly obeyed. The people were shocked into silence, but Scarlet wasted no time and headed towards her carriage.

***********

As soon as they arrived home, before Scarlet could even settle in and speak with Emily, she was summoned by Jareth.

"My lady, His Highness requests your presence." Commander Raynell said bowing to her.

Scarlet followed commander raynell, she couldn't shake off the feeling that he had murder in his eyes, ready to strike anyone who dared cross his path. He was truly terrifying just like the way he was written by the scriptwriter.

Did he discover that she went out? Did he come to know that she brought Emily into the palace? Could she be beheaded for her actions? She must keep that a secret, she mused on her journey there.

Scarlet was escorted to the dungeons, wondering why she was being taken there. Would she be imprisoned again? For no justifiable reason?

She refused to recall the agonizing pain she had endured during her merciless beating.

"He was nice just a few hours ago, so why bring me to this place?" she murmured to herself.

They soon reached the underground basement, dimly illuminated only by a sliver of light seeping through the prisoner's cell windows. She could hear anguished cries echoing, sending shivers down her spine.

As they moved forward, it felt like an eternity to scarlet before they finally arrived at the spot where Jareth stood waiting for her, his imposing figure bearing a scowl.

Without looking at her, he turned to the guard. "Open the door," he commanded. One of the guards followed his orders, quickly open the heavy door.

As the prison door swung open, scarlet was taken aback by the shocking sight. Inside lay motionless bodies, some still twitching with signs of life. Fear surged through her, as she realized that she may have underestimated the significance of her presence. As she stood in disbelief, her mouth slightly agape, the gravity of the situation weighed heavily on her.

In a nearby corner, a man bled out from his wounds while the guards stood idle. With each passing moment, scarlet could feel her body temperature rising and a sense of dread washing over her as she witnessed the brutality before her. Her legs quivered beneath her, on the verge of collapsing.

Suddenly, two men stepped forward and carried away one of the corpses, the putrid stench of decay invading scarlet's nostrils. She recoiled in disgust, automatically covering her nose.

"Bring him to me," Jareth commanded, gesturing towards the injured man who was still bleeding out. His skin was pallid, a sign of impending death.

As the man was forcefully dragged deeper into the dark recesses of the dungeon, scarlet followed behind.

He was placed onto a rough wooden table, his surroundings adorned with various gleaming blades, daggers and sharp objects hanging from the walls.

"Do you recognize this man?" Jareth inquired authoritatively, his tone dripping with superiority.

Scarlet squinted at the man before her, finally recognizing him as the skilled assassin who had previously attacked the original body.

"Yes," she responded slowly, her mind racing to understand why he had been brought here and why she was now here.

Jareth removed a dagger from the wall and stretched it towards Scarlet, his gaze fixed intently on her.

"Take this dagger and plunge it into his heart," he instructed with emphasis on the word "heart," sending a chill down Scarlet's spine.

She struggled to come to terms with the idea of taking a life, even that of an animal, let alone a person. Scarlet trembled, her throat dry with fear.

"Can't you do it? If not, then either you will pierce this dagger into his heart, or it will pierce through yours," Jareth sneered cruelly, taunting her with the dreadful gaze.

A decision had to be made - would Scarlet choose to save herself, or to save this man's life?