I Can Help You | Red Queen Fanfic |

3 - My Dear Thomas

{After death}

Third Person POV:

Maven's eyes open slowly, and he shields his eyes from the bright light in front of him.

"Maven Calore," An echoing voice says.

He looks up, and pales slightly. There was a huge creature in front of him, with large angel wings and what seemed to be a human body, except there was a bright shine where the face would be.

"Who are you?" Maven questions, looking around.

Was he in heaven? It sure looked like it, with the large sky landscape and the fact he was standing on a cloud. He narrows his eyes. Mare did the job, then.

"Committed high treason, punishable by the seven hell fires," The creature continues. Maven looks back up at it. So it is true, I'm going to punishment like Iris said. He thought, sighing in annoyance. "But, the higher gods have decided to relinquish your crimes so you may find peace after death."

Maven frowns. He doesn't deserve this. Besides, he's positive that whatever he did while he was alive was his own decisions, no matter what the whispering voice of his mother said.

"Elara Merandus is hereby leading your crimes, and she shall be washed from you," The angel says, and then waves at Maven's face.

He half expected it to grab his head and rip it off his body, but can you die after death?

No, Maven doesn't think so. Instead, Maven suddenly felt lightweight and dazed. No, this isn't supposed to happen- The voice of his mother is washed away, stunningly giving Maven silence. His chest felt like it shuddered, and he gripped his shirt, his eyes tearing up. He fell to his knees, eyes wide in shock.

Everything that Elara took from him suddenly came back to him in one second, his dreams, his nightmares, his love for his brother and father.

The tears fell down his cheeks, faster and faster until he was sobbing.

"You may go to the House of the Lost, and reunite with your kin," The angel says. Maven nods slightly, sobbing loudly.

The tears dried slowly, after a few minutes, and then Maven was somehow transported somewhere else.

He looked around, a curious look on his face. It looked like a regular town, except there was something strange about it, a soft mist giving everything an ethereal glow. Maven heard pounding footsteps behind him and turned just in time before he was enveloped in a hug.

"My boy!" Tiberias the Six cried out in happiness.

Maven's eyes widened larger than he thought possible as his father released him from the hug, patting his head and shoulders.

"Father?" Maven says quietly, almost a whisper.

The former king smiles warmly at him, patting him on the shoulder again. "Yes, it's me, Maven," He says. "How are you?"

Maven stared at him for a moment, before more tears welled up in his eyes, and he started sobbing again, trying and failing to rub the tears away. His father frowned, and started to reassuring him.

"I'm sorry," Maven blubbers through his tears. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Another sob erupted from his throat as Tiberias pulled him into a hug.

"It's alright now, Maven, it's all in the past. And Elara will never get to you again," Tiberias says as his younger son cried into his chest.

Softer footsteps were heard behind Tiberias. "Tibe? Who's that?" A female voice questions.

Tiberias turns around, pulling away from Maven just slightly. Maven looked over, his face still tear stained. There was a beautiful woman standing there, with light chestnut colored hair in a loose bun and soft blue eyes. "Oh, Maven, meet Coriane, my wife," Tiberias says, gesturing to Coriane. Maven's eyes widened. "Coriane, this is Maven, my youngest son."

Coriane gasps softly, before rushing forward and grasping Maven's hands in her own. "You're Tibe's other son?" She asks, looking over his face with a smile. "Maven.. Such a beautiful name."

Maven's mouth was open slightly, his eyes still wide in shock.

"You must be confused," Coriane says, nodding to her own words. "Don't worry, you'll fit right in here."

"...You're Cal's mother?" Maven finally finds his ability to speak.

Coriane nods, and then she bites her lip in thought. "Your mother must be.. Elara then.." She says softly. Maven nods slowly. Coriane's soft smile came back again. "Well, I hope you might call me mother some day, now that she's not here."

"Really?" Maven questions. Coriane nods again.

Maven launched himself into a hug with Coriane, who gratefully complied. The two hugged for a few seconds while Tiberias smiled proudly next to them.

"Ah, Maven," Tiberias says, making the boy pull away. "I think someone's here to see you, down at the fountains."

Maven's brow furrows in confusion. "Who?" He asks.

"I think you should go and find out," Coriane says, giving the boy a soft smile. Maven hesitantly nods and the two former rulers direct him to a large golden gate down a few paths. "Go inside, he's waiting there."

He? Maven thinks, looking at them before pushing the door open.

Inside, a huge water fountain was in the middle of a park area. There was a statue on the fountain, a woman and a man standing back to back with another person crouching on a pedestal next to them, all holding out their hands as if to reach for someone.

Maven looked around, but no one was there. He frowned in confusion as he walked to the center of the area, putting a hand on the side of the water fountain.

"Maven?" A voice questions behind him.

A voice he knows all too well.

Maven spins around, eyes wide as he stares in shock at Thomas, watching him with a sad smile. Tears come back to his eyes as he gasps.

"Thomas!" He says, rushing forward into a hug with the boy. They hug for multiple moments, both of them sobbing. Maven sinks into Thomas's hold, his body relaxing as he sobs. "I thought I would never see you again!"

"Me neither," Thomas says, sniffling. "I'm so glad."

Maven looks him directly in the eyes. Thomas holds his gaze, before leaning forward, and the two kiss, both of them still crying in relief.

<^> To Be Continued

(1k words)

this is exactly what I imagine happening when Maven dies, and no one can tell me no. D:<