His Red Queen | Mare Barrow

The Arena

No mean comments and all characters belong to Victoria Aveyard.

Maven's grip on my arm slackens once we round the corner and put distance between us and the dungeons. Between us and Cal.

"Where are you taking me ?" I ask as I dare to take a glance at him.

Black curls flop into his blue eyes and provide a contrast to the paleness of his skin. He looks like an exhausted seventeen year old boy. Not a king.

"To your room of course. Where else would I be taking you?"

"I don't know, I have no clue what goes on in your sick, twisted mind."

We walk in silence. When we get close to my room, he becomes conversational again.

"You will have the night to yourself. Food will be brought to you and 6 arven guards will guard your room. Do not even think of escaping" he glares at me "Your outfit and breakfast will be waiting for you when you awake in the morning. When you are ready, you will be escorted to the arena where you will have a front row seat to the execution with my mother and I. My suggestion is that you find some time to take a bath between now and then. Your time in the dungeons has not left you in the cleanest state."

He opens my door and I walk inside. He turns to walk away when I speak. Blue eyes pierce into brown ones.

"Are you really going to force me to watch him die?" 

"Yes."

And that's the last I see of the boy king for the night. 

~~~

True to his word (for once at least), my breakfast is waiting for me on my nightstand when I am gently lulled from my light slumber.

It wasn't as if I had slept much. I had been up the whole night, tossing and turning. I couldn't stop thinking about Cal.

Two maids I had never seen before help me get ready.  

My brown hair was pulled into an elaborate bun on the top of my head. I was put into a one-shoulder black gown that faded to red with silver embellishments at the shoulder and hip. The only accessory I wore was a necklace with a lone ruby hanging from it. And for once I wasn't painted a lighter skin tone, just my dark circles were covered.

As I went to open my door to leave, one of my maids stopped me. She handed me a package. Inside it was two identical solid black bracelets. I could tell that this was Evangeline's craftsmanship. There was also a note.

The bracelets are made of a special mixture of metal and silent stone. Not enough silent stone to strip away your ability, but enough to supress it. The bracelets are designed that once you put them on, you can never take them off. Them, along with the safety of your family in the balance and your 6 permanent arven guards should keep you here. I will only tell you one more time: do not try to escape. ~ Your fiancé Maven

Sighing in defeat, I put the bracelets on.

As soon as I step out the door, I am flanked by my arven guards. Two in front of me, two behind me and one on either side. I can't see I thing. But I know this is going to become my new "normal".

When I get to the arena, I'm taken to the royal box. Maven is already there waiting for me. Thankfully Elara isn't here yet. I don't think I have the energy to deal with her right now.

I open my mouth to speak but Maven interrupts me "All will be explained soon."

So we sit in silence. I look down and see the arena where Cal is going to be killed. It's all my fault.

Before I can sink further down into that rabbit hole, Elara arrives. She pauses when she sees me, obviously surprised. I guess she didn't get the memo then.

"All we be explained soon mother," Maven repeats.

Before she can respond, a horn blows signaling the start of the "event" and the cameras start rolling. 

"Citizens," Maven stands up "Before the execution of my treacherous brother, I have a couple announcements to make."

He looks down at me and extends a hand. Unfortunately I have to take it and stand up beside him. I can feel hundreds of silver eyes staring holes into me. 

"You may know her as Mareena Titanos, the long lost silver daughter of Ethan Titanos, who fell through the dome during the Queenstrial. But she is not. She is actually Mare Barrow, a random red girl from the stilts."

Gasps are heard from all over the arena.

"For some unknown reason, Mare has the ability to manipulate lighting. She's a red with a silver ability. One of a kind. To calm any unease after the Queenstrial, my father decided to make her into Mareena to explain what happened. But now that my father has been murdered, I want to drop the facade. Mareena Titanos might be Mare Barrow, but she is still going to marry me. She is going to be Norta's Red Queen."

When Maven stops this time, it's for effect. He scans the silvers in the stands of the arena, trying to make eye contact with as many nobles as possible. And gauge any opposition to his announcement. 

"The wedding will be in exactly one week. And as a wedding gift to my bride, I am raising the conscription age to 20. At which time Reds will get a year of training before they are sent to the front lines. Effective immediately. I hope that this will help begin to mend the rift between Reds and Silvers and unite us as one," Maven smiles "Now bring out the prisoner."

The fight passes like a blur. I barely register when Cal is rescued. Osanos had Cal in a corner and was seconds away from drowning him. But before anything could happen, the Scarlet Guard arrived and whisked Cal out of harm's way. Thank god.

I can't help but wonder if I had been with Cal if I would have died in the arena or been rescued too.

I guess I'll never know.

Everyone files out of the arena until only Maven and I are left. Maven has been silent since the Scarlet Guard took Cal. Finally he speaks.

"Well I atleast still have something Cal wants," He grabs my chin and forces me to look at him "You."

AN: Once again I hope you enjoyed. I have exams next week (January 20-25th) and I should really be studying, but instead I'm doing this. Oh well. Wish me luck. Updates will probably slow down though during exams. And if you did enjoy, please like this story/chapter. It would mean so much :)