Let Me Go!

It was as if she was under a spell, as she followed after her mother who had abruptly turned to leave. Her steps quickened, matching her mother's pace, but it seemed like an impossible feat. Tears welled up in her eyes, burning with longing for her mother.

She also missed her father, but he had died along with her mother. If only she hadn't wanted to celebrate her birthday, if she hadn't gone out that day, she would not have suffered such a terrible fate that she now wished she could erase from her mind.

Was it a sin for her to desire a happy ending? She pondered repeatedly, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Mom," she called out in anguish and despair, but there was no response. Only silence greeted her.

She wanted to know if her mother was in a better place, and her father too. Suddenly, she felt a tug from behind, causing her vision to blur.

*******

She gradually opened her eyes, finding herself in an unfamiliar room. Where was she? She wondered to herself.

"Welcome to my humble abode," a voice spoke, drawing her attention. The woman was dressed in a modern, fashionable style - a tight red dress that fell just above her knees, red lips, and red heels that clicked with each step she took.

Scarlet felt a glimmer of hope upon seeing a woman dressed similarly to her, someone who had also time traveled, but there was more to her than that.

As the woman approached, Scarlet couldn't help but notice her striking beauty. She was like no one she had ever seen before - with short, golden hair that exposed her bare back.

"Care for a wine?" the woman asked, pouring from a seemingly endless supply of red wine.

Scarlet nodded with a smile, reaching out for the glass. That's when she noticed she was tied to a chair.

She hissed in frustration, feeling the tight ropes on her hands. "Let me go!"

She yelled, struggling against her restraints, but it was futile. She eventually calmed down, realizing it was impossible for her to break free.

"Let me go, I need to see my mo-" She began to insist, but the woman interrupted her, a shrewd glint in her eyes. The woman's laughter was peculiar, unlike any other she had ever heard. A shiver ran down her spine as she listened.

The woman spoke as she intertwined her fingers and snapped, "Rßhæbî." It was as if a spell had been broken and Scarlet immediately calmed down.

"Who are you?" Scarlet asked, remembering what had transpired previously.

"Is that all you want to know? I believe there are many more questions lingering in your mind," the woman smiled.

She was right. Scarlet had almost forgotten to inquire about the woman's identity, instead asking about her current predicament.

"How did you end up here? Judging from your attire, you do not belong," Scarlet questioned.

"Rather than that, why not ask why you were brought into the script you were meant to star in?" The woman's smile turned devilish as she spoke. Scarlet's brow furrowed in discomfort as she realized the lady knew she had fallen into a script.

"Aren't you curious?" The woman prompted, breaking Scarlet out of her thoughts.

Scarlet took a deep breath before speaking, "Why was I brought here?"

"Ah, an excellent question!" The woman clapped her hands in excitement. "Change Jareth fate by making him fall in love with you," she declared, her expression turning serious.

Scarlet raised an eyebrow, questioning, "I don't want him falling for me, and by the way how am I supposed to do that? It's already written-"

"It's simple. You have read the script, haven't you? Just change his fate and you can return to your own world."

"But how?" Scarlet inquired.

"That is for you to discover. I have given you a hint on how to return," the woman pointed her finger at Scarlet.

"How is that a hint? That is the most useless hint someone has ever given me." Scarlet said, taking a deep breath. She couldn't just stay here and hope to return - that much was clear.

The ropes around her loosened, and she felt a sense of freedom from the restraint that had bound her earlier.

"You may need this on your way out, and remember - even if you try to flee, you will always find yourself back here," the woman warned. Scarlet nodded, accepting the drink offered to her by the woman. She knew this woman was not ordinary yet she accepted the wine like she was ordered to.

Scarlet was preparing to take a step forward before the woman stopped her and whispered in her ear, "And by the way, you may call me Athena."

The name reverberated in Scarlet's ears, and suddenly she found herself back in the flower garden. She looked at her hand where she got injured earlier but it was no longer there.

Looking around, she realized she was no longer in that place. Her mind couldn't help but dwell on the intriguing name of the woman, Athena.

"My lady, where were you? I was searching for you," Ilvia scolded, tears glistening in her eyes. Ilvia couldn't forget what had happened the day her lady was attacked. She regretted not staying with her instead of accompanying scarlet.

Scarlet couldn't help but feel guilty for what had transpired. If she hadn't been lured away by her mother's illusion, Ilvia wouldn't be in this state.

She patted her back in an attempt to comfort her. Slowly but surely, Ilvia regained composure and raised her head to look at Scarlet. She took a step back and curtsied, her earlier childish demeanor now replaced with maturity.

Scarlet laughed at her reaction.

"Where did you go, my lady?" Ilvia asked with concern, wiping away her tears with her hand.

"Can we return to my chamber, Ilvia? I don't feel like tending to the flowers anymore," Scarlet said tiredly.

"Of course, my lady," Ilvia replied, sensing her lady's need for privacy. However, she couldn't help but be curious about where Scarlet had gone.

Silently following behind, she didn't interrupt Scarlet's thoughts. Not knowing that her lady was deeply engrossed in finding a way to save Jareth from death.

Finally, they arrived at Scarlet's chamber. She sat down on a wooden chair and propped her chin on her hand, lost in thought.

When she looked up, Scarlet noticed the sadness etched on Ilvia's face. "What's wrong, Ilvia?"

"Nothing, my lady," Ilvia answered, still looking distraught.

"I know there's something troubling you. Come on, tell me," Scarlet urged, sensing Ilvia's inner turmoil.

"There's a fight competition between the first prince and Commander Raynell," Ilvia finally confessed, her cheeks turning red and hot. Scarlet couldn't help but find her behavior strange.

This presented a prime opportunity to catch a glimpse of the first prince. The memory of his involvement in Jareth's demise lingered in her mind, vivid and haunting. "Then let's go watch it," Scarlet spoke eagerly.

With Ilvia by her side, she rose to her feet and made her way forward. "Commander Raynell will undoubtedly win the fight," Ilvia boasted with a prideful smirk. And her prediction proved wrong when she read the script handed to her by her manager. 

The thought of her manager brought a pang of sadness to Scarlet's heart. She couldn't help but wonder how he was coping with the news. But perhaps she was the one who should be pitied, as she wasn't even sure if she would return unscathed.

The battle between Commander Raynell and the first prince had been raging long before Scarlet had arrived.

Blood gushed forth as neither fighter showed any signs of surrender. Commander Raynell's clothes were torn and blood trickled from a wound on his shoulder, yet he refused to yield. The first prince, Ralph, had a gash on his neck, but he persisted in his relentless attacks. Commander Raynell expertly evaded each strike, refusing to be brought down.

Suddenly, Commander Raynell turned the tables and began his own assault on Ralph, the first prince.

Ilvia erupted into cheers for commander raynell, and the rest of the spectators followed suit. Scarlet remained focused on the fight, unable to bring herself to root for either fighter. She already knew that Commander Raynell would eventually lose the fight. The scriptwriter had only given the first prince the spotlight.

As the battle carried on, the cheers gradually died down. The first prince launched a ferocious attack, to which Commander Raynell responded with grace and skill. "What a show-off," Scarlet scoffed, unimpressed by Ralph.

The woman beside her turned to face her, adorned in a luxurious violet gown that marked her as a high-ranking consort in the palace. "What do you mean by that?" she inquired, giving Scarlet a curious glance.

"The first prince's attacks lack finesse and Commander Raynell is able to anticipate and defend against every strike. He approaches each move with careful consideration, unlike Ralph who simply acts on impulse." Scarlet replied without hesitation.

"Would consort scarlet like to spar with me?" Scarlet had not even considered who she was speaking to, and continued to ramble on about her skills. But when she heard the invitation to spar, she turned to see who had asked.

It was Vera, the woman who had an affair with the first prince and had ruthlessly stabbed Jareth in the heart.

Scarlet wanted to decline, but Vera's arrogance and self-importance repulsed her. So, without really thinking, Scarlet replied with a reluctant "yes."

What had she gotten herself into? Kayla had never sparred before in her life, and even Scarlet, the true owner of the body she lived in, had never sparred either. How would they handle this situation?