My Red Queen |Red Queen fanfic|

Your hold on me

  ~Maven~

I'm cradling her in my arms, careful not to squeeze too hard. I'm getting worried. Painfully aware of the fact she is bleeding to death. To death.
      Suddenly the palace feels enormous, I can't find anyone or even remember where I'm going.  "Stay with me Mare", I rubbed her face.  She twitches, eyes clinching, her body feels like paper. Damp paper, soaked in blood, ready to fall apart at any moment.
Alora Shepos, why didn't I think of this sooner? Now I'm running down long hallways, practically a blur in going so fast.  There's a painting, twice my size, and my width. It's a painting of my father the late king.

For a minute I allow myself to feel guilty. To feel responsible for causing his death, taking his crown. I took what he would never give me. I wanted love, I craved affection.  Since he wasn't going to give me what longed for I found it somewhere else.

    A fly on the wall, a  shadow of Cal, an unwanted child

My body tingles with rage. Murderous Rage. Water wells up in my eyes, warm tears drown my vision. I ball up a fist, blasting the painting with such force it shook the wall.

I step back, there's a small fire eating away the portrait until all that remains is his face. I cringe at the sight of him , even in a painting.

"You never wanted me. You never loved me".

    I eventually found Alora, I had her take Mare to the lab for proper care. Healing of epic proportions, blood healing.
   House Shepos, another lost Silver high house, the controllers of blood, they possess the ability to heal one's blood and if need be, change it.
     Alora can save Mare, I have confidence in her that she will be fine.  Physically fine. But will she see this as love or as an attack? .
    Evangeline tried to kill her, piercing her lung with her metal. She intentionally attempted to murder her right in front of me. For what? What reason does she have?

Surely she's falling for you

Not possible

You're the king Maven, the ruler of Norta

Even so, why would she suddenly feel jealous?

Don't be stupid my boy, it's that girl. The lightning girl.

Quiet mother, I'm trying to think.

"Oh but son, I am so curious as to why you've returned with her and have not killed her yet".

Quick tell her what she wants to hear.

"I was planning to torture her for information about the guard. Don't know if you've realized but we haven't been able to find them on our own", I spoke rather harshly.

She raked my eye , digging long perfectly manicured nails into my skin. She draws blood.

"Mind your tone" she warns.

Mother begins to lecture me . She's quick to explain my faults, rip open sore wounds, pour ice in my veins, whatever it takes to break me down.

She worms her way back inside my head, poking and prodding around for secrets. She's too strong for me to lock her out. She may as well be drilling holes in my skull, the pain nearly cracks my cranium.

Be a good boy Maven. Let me in, we don't keep secrets.

"No mother" I cry out.

She now has me, ripping away at my free will, stripping me of my strength.  "Mother," I wail, "you're hurting me".

Stop fighting me

"Mother please" I beg.

Shhh