Chapter 28

From the top of the tower down to it's base, the agonizing sound of Elena's cries and screams reverberated across the walls. It had been an entire half day, since the princess met with Sierra, since she stepped out of the tower.

Both butlers were seen coming and going out of the tower, bringing in trays of food, doomed to be rejected by the princess. Aside them, no other person dared to even speak about the incident, much less pay a visit to the tower.

Elena sat on the wooden flooring with her back against the bed and her shoulders jerking around uncontrollably. She had cried so much that she lost the strength to speak. Her entire body felt hot inside, a sudden fever had surfaced and was eating away at her consciousness.

The princess looked around the room searching for the butlers, she tried to stand on her feet, but fell back miserably on her ass. Her left hand found it's way to her stomach and gently caressed it, in an attempt to numb the pain she was feeling.

"Help...me...Help me." Elena whispered in a silent voice before completely losing consciousness, falling face first to the floor, her skin flushed bright red.

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Something warm and wet dabbed gently across Elena's forehead down to the right side of her exposed neck. The princess firmly pressed her lips against each other, fighting back the heavy groan about to escape her lips.

She could tell that the heat in her body had taken a decline, allowing her to breathe properly. Her eager eyelids flickered open and took a quick glance at her surroundings.

"It's so cold..." Elena whispered unknowingly, her gaze fixed on the tower ceiling which had the most claw marks on it.

"Did you hear it? Mistress finally said something, hurry up and tell master about it!" A voice Elena recognized to belong to Jairo announced in a relieved tone.

The dabbing on her forehead suddenly suspended, as the second man in the room stood up from the left side of the bed and hurriedly waltzed towards the door.

"You take over, and I'll bring back some fruit and herbs for the mistress." Jareth replied while dashing through the door without sparing a second to look back.

Elena hadn't recollected her thoughts yet, so she couldn't remember how or why she became unconscious. What she did know, was that her insides felt cold as ice, and she felt rather sleep deprived.

"It's so cold...I can't feel my fingers." Said the princess as she tried to lift her fingers, a distressed expression craved on her face.

"It will be fine mistress, master is more than capable of warming you up..." Jairo took a pause and dry coughed once he realized the innuendo in his words.

"Nonetheless, you should eat something to regain strength, it's almost been two days since you lost consciousness." He informed her, all while meticulously trying to bring down her rising fever.

Jairo made a face when the princess said she was feeling cold, he touched her arm, only to immediately retract it back. Her temperature had shot up and her body was so hot he could bake bread on it.

"Two days?" Elena echoed under her breath, "where did all of the time go...what was I doing before then? And why is it so cold now?" Her panicked voice was a clear indicator that she genuinely couldn't remember what had before she lost consciousness.

'It must be the effect of the poison, she doesn't seem to remember what that witch Sierra told her.' Jairo deduced, half certain the princess was suffering from the side effects of the poison.

"This poison...is there a cure?" She hastily asked, trying to sit up straight.

"Master is already working hard for your sake, all you need do is recuperate. If you need anything, my brother and I will arrange it." He announced in a haughty tone, avoiding her question completely.

"That's good...I wouldn't want to return back to Valencia sick, mama would scold me for not taking care of my health." She replied him, reaching out for the glass of water next to Jairo.

Her eyes caught sight of the chains wrapped around her shoulders, she raised it up and made a face at it.

"Say... What are these chains for? Did my sisters try something sinister while I was asleep again?"

Jairo's eyes widened in stun at her words, he felt his entire body freeze up as the princess continued to question him nonstop.

"Come to think of it, where am I?" Elena questioned with a puzzled look, gazing at the tower like it was her first time inside it. "And who are you? Where's Harriet?" Her panicked voice resounded across the tower walls.

Jairo perceived that something was wrong and immediately stood up to go fetch his brother. But at the last minute decided against it, although he didn't look it, he was scared to leave her alone in such a state.

"Mistress you must surely remember me, even if you forget my good for nothing brother, you cannot forget a man as handsome as myself." He said elevating his nose as he spoke.

Elena stared at him once more but couldn't place a name to the face, "why am I here? This doesn't look like my tower! Please, take me home, mama and Harriet must be worried sick." She insisted, attempting to stand up.

Jairo ran a number of thoughts through his head, thinking of what best to say to her, till an answer popped up in his head.

"Mistress it wouldn't look good for the new bride to run away from her husband's house only after a few days. You would make his highness very upset." Jairo forced a polite smile, one that he had seen his foolish brother Jareth do, whenever he tried to coax someone.

Elena shook her head and sat back down, "I'm married?" She pointed at herself, "to whom? When? How?"

"Do you not remember? You were betrothed by your father to the young prince of our kingdom. Don't tell me you forgot." Jairo replied her, covering her with the fresh white sheets.

She closed her eyes and started to think hard, trying to remember anything about a marriage. Her head started to hurt a lot as she pondered over his words, flipping through her memories. Till an image flashed through her mind.

"You seem to have remembered something mistress." Jairo exclaimed, standing beside the princess.

"I think so too, if I'm not mistaken, this is Crimsoncreed, my parents arranged a marriage between the crowned prince and me." She replied, keeping to herself her distaste for him being two years younger.

"But for some reason, I cannot remember anything more than that, where is Harriet? I want to speak with her." Said the princess, a bit calmer once she understood the situation.

Jairo perceived that she was referring to the woman who had accompanied her in the carriage, the woman who had long died.

"She's in a better place." He mindlessly replied her.

"What!" Elena screamed at the top of her lungs, seconds after the tower door opened to reveal a panicked Jareth, holding a tray of tea and herbs.

"Mistress, I've brought tea for you, after what you've been through it isn't good to starve yourself." Jareth announced, while sauntering over to her side, wearing an apologetic look on his face.

Elena furrowed her brows and started to add two and two, "do you mean to say Harriet is dead? No that cannot be! She was with me in the carriage! How can you people tell me she's dead! I won't accept it!" Cried Elena, kicking and punching the air furiously.

Both brothers exchanged glances with each other for a second, Jareth parted his lips to speak, but Jairo beat him to it.

"Don't listen to my idiot brother mistress, your maid is living well back in your kingdom. What he means to say, is that you were involved in a small accident recently." He quickly inserted.

Jareth stared blankly at his brother but decided not to say anything contradictory, he could tell that the situation wasn't favourable. Instead of arguing he decided to go along with his brother.

"Yes, Yes, you fell down the stairs and fell unconscious. The entire castle is glad that you're finally well and fine." Jareth told her, forcing himself to lie to Elena.

"And these chains?" She pressed, unsatisfied with their answers.

Jareth looked to his brother to give the kids response, Jairo pursued his lips and nervously scratched the back of his head, cooking up a good tale to tell.

"It was your husband his highness who gave them to you as a gift." Jairo declared, lying through his teeth.

"A gift?" She echoed with wide eyed shock.

"Yes, his highness is so deeply infatuated with you mistress, that he makes you wear these chains so you won't run away!" He said, stunning both Elena and his brother Jairo.