Heir of the Labyrinth

Chapter 27: Broken hearts

Jareth Jr. paced restlessly in the courtyard of the goblin castle, his thoughts a tangled mess of confusion and heartache. His boots crunched on the stone walkway, the low murmur of wind through the windows filling the silence around him. The sky above, normally swirling with the chaotic beauty of the Labyrinth's magic, seemed dull, as if reflecting the weight pressing down on his chest.

The truth had come to him in fragments over the past few days, a puzzle he never wanted to complete but couldn't ignore. Elira wasn't who she said she was. At first, she had seemed like another mysterious inhabitant of the Labyrinth, a girl who had wandered into his life with bright eyes and a spirit that shone with a light unlike any he had seen in his realm. But now he knew—Elira was mortal. A girl from the Otherworld, where time flowed differently, where magic was a myth, and where people aged and died.

The revelation had shattered something deep within Jareth Jr. He had inherited his father's powers, but his heart, that fragile thing he thought he had sealed away, had betrayed him. He loved her. He knew it. He had known it from the moment she laughed under the moonlit skies of the Goblin City, her eyes full of wonder at the strange and beautiful chaos of his world. But now that love had turned to sorrow, a bittersweet thing that threatened to consume him if he didn't act.

He paused by the fountain, staring at his reflection in the clear water. His sharp, angular features were much like his father's. Hi eyes changed the color from warm amber shade to a stormy sky, dark brown hair that fell carelessly over his brow, and a demeanor that often seemed aloof to those who didn't know him. But now, his eyes were troubled, dark with the decision he had made. His hands curled into fists at his sides, a vain attempt to keep the magic inside him from lashing out. The Labyrinth responded to his moods, and right now, the air felt charged, as if the whole Labyrinth held its breath.

Jareth Jr. heard the soft footsteps behind him before he turned, already knowing who it was. Elira stood there, her face glowing with the soft light of the sun around her. She smiled, that same smile that had once filled him with warmth, but now only deepened his pain.

-"Jareth, I was looking for you," she said, walking toward him, her steps light and full of grace. "I want to apologise.."

For a moment, he couldn't speak. His throat tightened, and the words he had rehearsed countless times in his mind refused to form. Elira's gaze held his, her brow furrowing slightly as she sensed the shift in his demeanor. She reached for his hand, and for a brief, cruel second, he allowed himself to feel her warmth.

-"Elira..." He pulled his hand away gently, his voice rough, unsteady. "You shouldn't came back.."

Her smile faded, and a look of confusion clouded her features. "I know.. but I wanted to see you for the last time.."

Jareth turned away from her, pacing again, his mind racing as he struggled to find the right words.
How could he make her understand that their worlds could never truly coexist?

"You don't belong here," he finally said, his voice quiet but resolute. "Not in this world."

Elira stared at him.

"You need to leave me and this place" he inhaled sharply, his temper flaring as his emotions surged uncontrollably. "You're mortal, Elira. A human. From the Otherworld. You don't belong in the Labyrinth. This place... it's too dangerous for you."

-"I thought I could protect you!" he exclaimed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I thought I could keep you safe. But the truth is, I can't. Not forever. Time works differently here, but it's still catching up to you. You'll grow old, you'll wither... and I won't. And I can't watch that happen."

Tears welled up in Elira's eyes as his words sank in. She took a step back, her face pale with the shock of his revelation. "So, what? You're just going to send me away? Just like that?"

"I have no choice," he said, his voice strained. "If I don't, the Labyrinth will. It's already changing because of you, shifting in ways I can't control. It senses you don't belong here. It'll tear you apart eventually."

She stood there, shaking her head, as if refusing to believe what he is saying.

Jareth Jr. closed his eyes, trying to shut out the pain in her voice, but it echoed in his mind like a cruel reminder of what he was about to lose. "There is no way, Elira. You have to go back now! Before it's too late."

The silence that followed was suffocating. He dared not look at her, knowing the expression he would see. She had brought so much light into his life, made him believe in the possibility of something beyond the cold, detached existence he had inherited from his father. And now, he was the one extinguishing that light.

"I thought you loved me," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

-"I do," he said, the words breaking something inside him. "That's why I'm doing this. Because if I don't, I'll lose you anyway. And this way... at least you'll be safe."

Elira stood there for a long moment, staring at him through her tears, before she turned and ran. The sound of her footsteps faded into the distance, leaving him alone with the cruel reality of what he had done.

Jareth Jr. sank to his knees by the fountain, staring into the still waters, his reflection distorted by the ripples of his tears. He could hear the loud thud of doors shut close. Then he knew that Elira had gone forever.

The Labyrinth was quiet around him, as if in mourning for what had just been lost.

He had saved her. But in doing so, he had condemned himself to life without her forever.