Ash Prince

Chapter 1 - Unsaid Alliances

Content Warnings: violence, manipulation and betrayal, emotional distress, execution, imprisonment, family issues.

Maven

I lost control.

Don't even have enough dignity to keep a promise I made to myself. Shouldn't be surprised. The crackling of the residual flames and the acrid scent of charred wood fills the air. Memories of Thomas flood back - his smile, the sound of his laughter, the warmth of his touch. All lost to the flames of war when he was just seventeen. I vowed, after his death, never to lose control of my ability again. Yet here I stand, amidst the ashes of another mistake.

I run out of the room, yet the fire seems to follow me everywhere. A sudden hiss fills the hall, drawing attention upwards. From the ornate ceiling, sprinklers burst to life, releasing torrents of water upon the assembled courtiers. The abrupt cascade drenches everyone, turning the grandeur of the banquet hall into a chaotic deluge. Silks cling to bodies, previously immaculate hairstyles sag under the weight of the water, and the shine of jewelry is dulled by the soaking onslaught. Faces turn up in shock, disbelief clear in their eyes. Voices rise in protest and confusion, the murmurs now replaced by the overwhelming sound of cascading water. All eyes, wide and filled with astonishment, inevitably settle on me. As droplets drip from my hair and down my face, the cold wetness is both a jolt to my senses and a surreal punctuation to the revelations that have just shaken the room.

My eyes scan the room swiftly as individuals from every corner converge upon me, driven by the uproar. Sentinels, officers, and guards approach with evident concern. Bursting into the banquet hall, the elite Silver society turns their attention to me, their gazes expectant. Just like the guards, they too swarm around, eager for an explanation.

There's no pathway back to a world where I'd have stood silently, allowing my mother's plots to play out. In that world, a crown would've adorned my head, and my title as King Maven would've silenced the hushed tones of my shortcomings. I wouldn't be searching the eyes of others for my father's approval. My existence wouldn't be defined by lingering in the background.

But those visions are mere fantasies now. Choices have been carved in stone.

My heart races, and in the split seconds that feel like hours, I begin to weave a narrative in my mind. Every gaze upon me is a demand for an explanation, a challenge I have to meet. Can I really deceive the elites? Can I twist the truth so convincingly? I take a deep breath. This is my chance, not only to protect Mare but also to secure my own position in this dangerous ploy for power. I have to be believable, I have to be cunning. Drawing on every lesson Mother has ever taught me about manipulation, I begin to formulate my response. The gravity of my decision presses on me; deceive or be destroyed. But there is no turning back now. It is time to play the part.

The grand doors of the banquet hall fling open, revealing Father and Cal, both panting and wearing expressions of pure bewilderment. Their eyes dart around, searching the crowd for familiar faces.

"What happened there, Maven?" Cal rasps, his gaze locked onto me, his eyes full of confusion and desperation.

Gathering my wits, I interject, "Father, Cal, listen to me!" I hope my voice is as convincing as I feel inside. "This goes deeper than just Mare. She isn't the only one of her kind."

Father frowns, confusion evident. "What do you mean, 'her kind'?"

Drawing a deep breath, I step forward, asserting a confidence I'm not entirely sure I feel. "My mother," I declare, my voice clear and resounding, "tried to control me. Her whispers led me astray, making me a puppet in her wicked scheme." The gasps that follow are audible as the crowd takes a collective breath. "She sought to make my brother kill our father, and I, under her influence, was bound to her will."