Where It Went Wrong, A Red Queen Fanfiction: Completed

Chapter 3

Maven gasps, scanning my face. He mouthes my name in awe. After a couple of silent moments, he pushes me hard, causing me to stumble to the ground with a loud thud. "What on earth are you doing here? You're dead!" He kicks my ankle, hard; and I wince with pain.

This wasn't the reaction I was anticipating, though I'm not really sure what I was expecting in the first place. Shocked, I find that I am temporarily unable to fight back. "I-I...."

He ignores my feeble attempt at an explanation and shouts at me instead. "Get out!" He orders, malice and contempt filling his voice. "Go away and never come back." In a lower voice, he repeats words to himself frantically. "Never. Never come back. Never. Never..."

I tune out his voice as I struggle to stand and begin to limp away as soon as I can. I should have known that he was going to react in this way. I shouldn't have come here, not when I had a sane brain cell in my head. I shouldn't have believed that he may be good after all.

The King seems to change his decision after his shouting outburst, for the twisted man dashes after me - even though I am trying to retreat as soon as I can. Perhaps he just wants to torture me some more like he did when I was last here. He grabs my shoulders this time, but his grasp is stronger than before. Like he's trying to hold me back from escaping. The look in his cold eyes is desperate - like I am the only life line he has. 

Suddenly, I realize that it may not only be his mother that he's mourning. I escaped his grasp around a week after his mother's death with a trace. Even my own parents hadn't been sure whether I was alive. But I don't know how that could be true.

"Stay."

The word is not said pleasantly, nor harshly. It is not an order, but not quite a request. Something tells me that he means it, so I resist struggling. The King finally lets me out of his grip, but still regards me warily.

"Is this another illusion?" He asks, partially to me and partially to himself. "Tell me now, or I shall begin to go crazy. You feel real, yet I can never be sure anymore..."

With a jolt, I realize how many people he has lost in a short span of time. His mother, his father, and he even believed that I was dead at one point. Even his subjects and his own brother have drifted away from him and lost faith in the boy King. I feel a shock of pity for the half-crazed man standing in front of me.

For some reason, I decide to answer with touch, not words. Gently, I grab the fist that is curled at his side, and unclench his fingers. I weave mine into his, and grin gently. "Does this feel like real flesh to you?"

He gasps, feeling my cool hands in his unusually warm ones. I assume that this must be one of the first times he has made contact with someone in quite some time. The King does the opposite of what I expect, and tugs me into his chest. Unmeasurable warmth floods into my body, and his tensed muscles relax as they wrap around my form. "Yes," he gasps, observing my face. I return his affection by moving my arms around his waist reassuringly.

We stay like this for a long time. I was right, I remember. He does need somebody to be with. Though I don't think that I can always be that person. Images of Cal float around in my head, reminding me of why I am truly here. That sparks an unasked question in my mind. "Why?" I say simply, hoping he may catch onto what I'm trying to say.

"Why what," Maven responds hurriedly, looking around nervously. Another effect of being locked up so long with no company but silent servants and a drink.

I take a deep breath, not knowing what his response will be to my question. "Why have you gone without talking properly to anyone for so long?" He looks down, letting me go but still holding on to my hand. He's afraid I'll leave again. "I won't leave now, Maven."

Again, he glances down in shock at my face. Perhaps he sees my confusion, for he explains. "That's the first time anyone's used my real name since..." he hesitates, and then shakes his head. "As for your question, I did want to talk to people. I want to converse, go places, do something besides just staying in this room and reminiscing...."

Confusion plays at my mind, sparking questions as fast as my lightning kicks in when I am frustrated. "Then why are you like... this now?" I say, pointing at the wine bottles and the dark room.

"I ordered people to kill you, Mare. After you left, I wanted you dead for running away from this... place. People were searching for you, and I set a high reward. After time, I didn't even want to hand out the reward, it would just be that they would just have the pleasure of killing you and my approval. What else could be worse than that?" He asks harshly, eyes blazing. Maven lets go of my hand, clearly furious with his response.

"Killing me yourself."

His faces pales, if that is even possible with the blanched colour that his face has already taken on. "I almost did."

Now it is time for me to pale, finally understanding what he is trying to tell me. My mouth hangs open in shock. What could he possibly mean? "What?" I demand weakly. "What do you mean?"

Author's note:
Thank you for reading! What do you think of Maven? Do you trust him? I am also thinking of posting my An Ember in the Ashes FanFiction - let me know if that would interest you by leaving a comment. Please vote and comment if you enjoyed! 
- Inkpen_Scroll