Queen's Scars

Chapter 2: Mare

Hopefully the story is sounding good. I can't wait to write some sass for the next couple chapters! 😈

The next morning I am summoned down to a dungeon. I fear that Maven is moving me to a dungeon. But I know he won't. I see him surrounded by his Sentinels. He stares at a cage. I see him lean down to peer at something, but when he sees me, he straightens.

"Hello Mare. I have a new present for you. This is my apology for being so very late on your most recent birthday."

"Believe me, Maven. I do not want a present from you."

"Oh, but Mare you did like the last one, didn't you?"

I have no response to that and he didn't expect one. "I will show you," he says "I have many cells down here but the ones currently occupied are near each other." In the cages I see my friends, family, and some newbloods I've never seen before. People I failed to protect. "One of these cages contains people who must be executed." He gestures to Cal, Farley, some people who must be newbloods, and the conenel. "And some may live." He gestures to everyone else. "Unless they swear fetailty to me, they die. However, you may save one of them, and from there I decide their fate." I glance around.

Who should I save? Bree, Tramy? Mom, dad? Kilorn, Cameron? Gisa? Bree and Tramy are almost as married to the cause as Shade was and I suspect that they would just remain alive in a prison. How could I do that to them? My parents would die without each other and would also be imprisoned. Gisa would probably be forced to make my gowns in this wretched cage. I can tell by the way Cameron and Kilorn hold each other that they love each other and would never be happy apart. I also suspect Cameron could be used to make silent stone somehow. I feel as though I might sink into the depths of despair when I hear a wail. The baby. Maven will murder her. I know what I must do I meet eyes with everyone and I feel unspoken agreement. Save the child.

"Maven," I request, my voice only slightly trembling "Do not kill the baby-"

Maven interrupts me, holding up a finger.

"There is a cost." At this Cal sits up with a start, glaring at him.

"I will pay it." I respond. He smiles, cruelly wide.

"The first condition is that you may not acknowledge the child in anyway other than I allow. And...." I scoff. We are hardly more than children ourselves.
"And?"

"And, I require you to give me a certain payment. Here." I have a sinking feeling about this.

"Which is?" I question, although I have a theory.

"Which is, dearest, a kiss." I recoil. It was bad enough when I did it privately, to convince him to choose me, in his chambers. My disgust shows. Cal stands up in seconds, furious enough to burst aflame, if he wasn't trapped behind silent stone. Maven is laughing. He smirks at Cal. "Something wrong brother?" When Cal continues to glare at him, Maven just shakes his head. "Oh Cal, I can't help owning her. That was her choice." His words make my blood boil, but I know I must do this if I want to save my niece.

"Maven?" I say, loathing myself.

"Yes, my darling?" He replies.

"I...I accept the conditions."

"That was all I needed, my dear." As he approaches me I struggle to keep myself in check. To not punch, or smack him. To not back away. This is for my niece I tell myself. It barely helps.

His kiss burns. When we finish he holds me close, smirking at Cal. I struggle to get away. He won't let me. This, I know, is to infuriate Cal. It shows he can do whatever he wants with me, because I am his. He knows I am weak and can barely move. Then he nods to a Sentinel. He opens the cage. A swift runs in and releases my niece. My brothers and Cal look murderous. Maven finally lets me go, and shoves me to the Arvens. I feel sick.

I see Farley mouth the word Clara. That must be the name of my niece. I see Maven looking directly at Cal. Then he turns to me.

He still has the tiniest smirk on his face. He thinks he had won this emotional war? Well he is wrong. It is far from over. Clara. I have a live niece with no father and an almost dead mother. I just have to hope I did not commend her to a fate worse than mine.

I don't have much time to wallow in worry and fear. Back in the dungeon cal didn't talk, didn't acknowledge me. I'm sure Cal had told Julian what Maven did to me with sounder, he must have. The rest looked haunted and horrified, tormented by their memories and mistakes. I wonder what else Maven has done to them. He had no need to take my family. This was done to hurt me. I know it.

He knows that I will do anything for them and to render me helpless while he tortures them, is a purposeful torture. He tries to break me in any way that he can. He thinks killing Cal will make me his, and not like the way he has me now. He couldn't be more wrong. I will never go to him, not like that.

The endless, boring days pass by. Maven sends me a note, explaining what will happen to Clara. She will be given to a red servant family and given a new name. She will be raised to be a loyal, obedient servant to maven. I want to scream. Maven is transforming Clara, Farley's daughter and the Colonel's granddaughter, a newblood no doubt, into a servant submissive as could be, a loyal girl to her king. He is molding her, just as he was. Just as we all were.