Queen's Scars

Chapter 1: Mare

Hello! This is my first chapter. Just so you know, the picture at the top will normally be a quote or something. I hope you like the story. Enjoy! 😈

I groan in frustration as I am dragged to the escape train. Damn Samos! The Arvens shove me inside and I glower at them. The train takes off swiftly, possibly going to the summer palace. When we arrive, I see Maven and Iris. Maven looks smug, like he just won a great prize.

"Cousin?" he calls as his demonic Merandus cousin approaches.

"Yes, your majesty?"

"Do you have the prisoners?"

"Of course your majesty," he purrs, grinning with bone white teeth. Maven's smirk becomes larger, and I finally realize the source of his happiness. Cal. He has Cal. This thought chills me to the bone. Now that Maven has Cal, anything can happen. Maven meets my gaze, watching me put the final pieces together. I gasp out and inside I scramble for words. But everything sticks.

The only thing I can say is, "Maven. Please don't." This comes out in a whisper but still he hears me. He nods to the Arvens. I get dragged into the palace, down a corridor and into where I assume must be my room. I am wrong. Instead, it is the king's quarters. I am immediately on edge, prey nearing predator.

He enters and I try to muster up a glare. I only succeed in making a puppy dog face. He dismisses the Arvens and I straighten, prepared to give him a fight. We both stare at each other, never breaking eye contact. He relents first and sighs. I say, calmly, not a trace of my reaction just minutes ago "Do you have Cal?" I ask, even though I know the answer. Maven merely smirks at me.

"What do you think Mare?"

I respond, concerned, "What are you going to do to him?"

He taps his temple and laughs "Well, let's see. He murdered our father, tried to murder me, and helped you murder my mother. I think execution would be the correct response."

My blood turns cold, and I stammer out. "Who else?" I feel sick and don't know what I possibly could do. Cal is as good as gone and so is whoever else is prisoner. I am more trapped than ever.

"I think you'll know soon," he replies, "there is going to be an interrogation." My instincts react before I do. I aim to punch Maven, but all I do is weakly hit a siental in the shoulder. He looks bored and almost guilty as the Arvens enter to drag me to my new cage.

Weeks pass and I hear nothing. Then one day I am sent a bejeweled red dress, and I know there is a large event occurring, undoubtedly the interrogation. Maven wouldn't miss a chance to parade me in front of his court. I scoff to myself. What will happen now, I wonder. I know Maven will film the impending execution. I have always remained so calm during these tortures, but this? I hardly have the strength to think about it.

The next morning, I am escorted by Clover and Egg to the room with tinted glass. I remember this place. I came here before, a prisoner then too. Only this time it is not just the king and his wife, but me as well, with Maven's wretched Merandus cousin. I know what this means. The interrogation. It's today. Fear pools in my stomach. Cal didn't know much before, Farley was smart not to trust a sliver, but now, he knew more than I ever did.

"Bring him in," Maven commands, cruel and cutting as a sword. Two of my Arvens dusappear and reapear secconds later, dragging Cameron, Cal, and a few others I don't recognize. This awful. Cal alone didn't know much, but now Maven as a treasure trove of information at his fingertips.
Cal is dragged foward first, released by what appears to be silent stone manacles. He does not collapse or bow afterward. He does not look at me or his brother either. He just stands, expressionless, a statue. Cameron is here and when I glance at her, I see her state.

She is knocked out, held by two Arvens under the arms. I want to shout, I want to fight, I want to do something! But all I can do is try not to run to Cal and embrace him. Maven would kill us both on the spot. He would never let his pet, his property touch his brother, I scoff to myself. Because that's what I am. And I made that choice, which made Cal come here.

"Hello, brother." He says it with such venom it is hard to tell is he isn't a real snake. Cal only glares in response. He has nothing to say. Or can't, I realize suddenly that he has a dazed look in his eyes, and that he is looking past maven, past me, to someone else. Julian. I haven't seen him since the raid on corros, when I lost Shade. But something seems different about him as well. Although he has perfect eye contact with Cal, his eyes are glazed and I see Samson behind him. I laugh bitterly to myself, Maven has always been one to be dramatic. Control cal through Julian, Julian through Samson. Maven nods to Samson, who releases his hold on Julian, looking momentarily confused. Cal can't even slip out of his trance as Samson slips into his mind. He starts to convluse. I wonder if this is what I looked like during my interrogation. If his was anything like mine, then it is torture . If maven truly loves me as he claims, then I understand why he does this. And now I know this is just another torture for me. To destroy me. To break me.

Cal convulses again this time his body violently hits the floor and he starts muttering things feveredly, reaching for things he can't see, can't understand. Maven finally holds up his hand to single to Sampson to stop. Cal is his finally released. I would cry if I could. The Arvens place manacles on him as well and drag him out of the way, just as he wakes in confusion. He goes to stop this, or reach me, I don't know but he fails miserably and an Arven boredly knocks him out. Cameron, then Julian, then the others.

I ignore it all, staring at the ground, miserably. Maven stares at me the whole time. Wanting to see my reaction, wanting to drink in the sight of me once again broken. I do not want to give him the satisfaction of that. Then Maven gestures to the door, making some command I do not understand. I keep my head down, I don't want to see who is being tortured because of me. But of course, I look up. I gasp. Maven barely suppresses a smirk. It's Farley. The Colonel. Kilorn. And my family. None of them cower, all though they have every right to. When they look at me they seem to be suppressing the urge to do anything. I see Farley cradling something in her arms. I hope it's a weapon. That Maven has such weak security that she slipped this passed them. But Maven is no fool.

But my heart drops a bit when I notice it is a baby girl. With...Shade's eyes? And Farley's hair? Farley and Shade's baby. "Well, hello General." Maven drawls. Farley glares at him. She hates Maven almost as much as I do and it shows. He interrogates them all and I hold a straight face through it all. I won't let them see me cry. When they are finished, every person, other than the guards, Maven, and Iris are dragged away. Including me. In my room I decide to destroy the curtains, but they remind me of Gisa. Everything reminds me of them. I curse the world and maven wondering how they possibly ended up here. They wouldn't have could during the siege here. Would they?