My Silver Queen (Red Queen Fanfic)

Chapter 7

I sat alone in some form of mess hall, not even giving the food before me a simple glance, unlike the people who walked past. Every glance was either wary or full of anger. They were afraid. I ignored them but was surprised when someone took the seat in front of me. Looking up I saw Mare.

"Mare? You're taking a damn big risk," I huffed, glancing off towards the others.

"They're just as afraid of me as they are of you," my gaze returned to her as I sensed the power she tried to portray in her voice. She was attempting to appear dominate, better, stronger, than me.

"What do you need from me?" I locked my eyes with her's, trying to make it clear this was no game of power.

"What?," she let out an awkward laugh and I just rolled my eyes and rested my head on the palm of my hand. Her gaze softened, saddened. "What were things like before you left?"

I cast a glance down at my food, finally taking a bite and surveying the room once more before thinking up an answer.

"From the castle it's impossible really to tell. I was under constant watch by either Maven or his mother," my voice trailed off. I really had no useful information. "Surprisingly they still have Reds working in the castle," Mare's eyes filled with shock but I could tell she was focused on something else. Her eyes looked as if she was looking right through me. "What are you looking at?" Slowly she reached across the table.

"Did Cal burn you when you were fighting?," I looked towards where she was reaching as she spoke and noticed what she saw, but it was too late to stop her. She jerked the top of the shirt down, gazing upon the M branded on my shoulder. I let out an uneasy sigh.

"Reminder he gave me the night before I left. Told me he would kill me as easily as he had Cal's father if I strayed out of line," by the look in Mare's eyes I could tell she was blaming herself. Sadly I couldn't even tell her it wasn't.

The rebellion had been one thing before Mare. A small terrorist faction that made us afraid but we knew we could beat down, they knew it too. But then Mare came and lit a fire in the rebellions heart. Poured gasoline all over, thinking she was bettering the world, when in reality she had damned so many Reds and even destroyed the Silver's way of living. Guess that was the point wasn't it? Even with that beside it was her fault. I looked away just in time to see Cal approach. I expected him to be angry but instead he watched the brand as he sat down.

"So Maven doesn't trust you enough to leave you unmarked, huh?"

"Maven doesn't trust anyone now," I scoffed.

"Nor should he," Mare's voice had that power again. Something about it ticked me off, but I couldn't figure out what.

Cal and Mare began a hushed conversation I had no intent of listening in on. My head was throbbing and the noise of the hall was not helping. I quickly stood up and walked for the exit, Cal's eyes burning a hole in my spine.

Outside the sky was clear and the wind gently blew against my skin. My shoes tapped against the asphalt of the runways around the many hangars. I wondered where all of this came from. The Reds had resources, but not like this. I kept on walking until my feet sank in the sand. Reaching down i untied my shoes and removed my socks allowing my toes to be free to wiggle through the sand. Such a simple thing caused me to smile as I wandered close to the water and plopped to the ground. I watch the ocean water lap at the sand and thought of how I could drown trying to swim back. If i was a nymph i could propel myself through the water instead and at least make it half way.

With a sigh I laid down in the sand and closed my eyes. What was I doing? Pick a side? Pick a side. That was a decision I still had not made. The Silvers. My people and my birthright. The Reds. Oppressed and broken people. This was a tough decision. Tell me. What's more important? The right thing or family. With this final thought in mind I fell into a deep, dark sleep.