The Deaths of Kings I
The humiliating display of power has left me with, aching bones and bleeding scrapes on my knees. The white gown that I was wearing turned red from the knees down and further stated my vulnerability. Yes, I am now an exposed red, in a sea of hungry silvers.
"We had this one made just for you." Maven sneers as he opens the doors to my chambers. "Silent stone and sentinels patrolling the area twenty-four hours a day. I spent quite a lot having it built for you. I spent much on you."
All I do is look at my prison, with sullen eyes. We seem weak because we want to.
"You ungrateful wench!" A cold and unforgiving slap is drawn across my face. The salty taste of blood that is drawn across my lower lip is a reminder of who I am dealing with. "You probably have bedded my brother by now!" Tears fall downwards towards the carpet, I tell myself it's just for show but they can't seem more real.
"Your Highness, I have done no such thing." I suck on my bottom lip, hoping to stop the bleeding.
"Good! I would've killed you sooner if you had. You would've been useless otherwise." The windows show a vibrant green courtyard overhead and I resist to break from the sentinel's grasp and run against it. But, of course, what good would that do? They're probably diamond glass.
"A healer will arrive shortly and you shall attend dinner with me and my lord councilor, Ptolemus Samos, along with his sister, Evangeline Samos." His voice is cold but falters as he sees my sunken eyes.
"Yes, my lord." A few maids come and sit me down on a chair, whilst they talk about which fabrics I would like for gowns. I start slowly realizing I am under house arrest and I am now Maven's puppet. They lay out a few samples on a small table and I start choosing.
I completely object choosing the blue ones and start choosing any other color but blue. The tints bear a striking resemblance to Maven's eyes and I would be lying if I said I was fond of him. The healer arrives and gets rid of every broken feeling in my body.
And soon after I am being washed and dressed by the maids. I feel like I am in an illusion of Harrick's, it doesn't feel like a prison but it surely is one. Soon after I dress into a gray gown with a darker shawl above it. I am not painted profusely this time and my olive complexion is allowed to show itself at court, unlike last time. As my hair is put into a modest up-do. I have scars on my neck and I quickly cover them with the dress's collar.
I look solemn, and beaten, and dead, and it is exactly what I need. But, before I am allowed out of the energy-draining room I have a necklace put on me. A red ruby being the centerpiece of it, but I know this is not meant to be my accessory, it is my prison keeper. My powers are disabled by this pretty insignificant thing and it may leave me to my death. A sentinel escorts me silently to the dining room. The courtiers sneer at me whilst some others give me semi-sympathetic looks. The red girl who fell for the traitor prince.
The doors open to the dining room, which has an elongated shape but only four chairs. Maven and Evangeline are present, with only Ptolemus's and my chair empty. "Ah," Her voice almost makes me double over and drop to the floor as I enter. Evangeline's malicious voice can be compared to a banshee's scream. "Tiberias's whore, the Red Queen."
"I am no one's whore," I speak, trying my best to balance my tone between meek and stern.
"Well, that's great. As long as that idiot doesn't have an heir there will surely be an end to these wars. In fact, the thought of the Red Queen and the Silver King almost made me gag." She laughs.
Once Ptolemus arrives, my heart sinks. He killed my brother and I fight the urge to get up from my seat and scream at him. How could you?! I yell inside of my head. You bastard! I receive a sneer from Evangeline and Maven clearly notices my discomfort but doesn't do anything to stop it. Not that I expected it at all from him.
"In mourning, Lady Barrow?" He teases cruelly.
A nightmare is the only way to describe 45 minutes with those monsters. My mind subconsciously drifts to my family, and Farley, and most painfully, Cal. I bite my tongue when I get an insult, I close my eyes when his follow, I hold my breath when I want to scream. But, finally, after those few minutes of hell, I am escorted back to my chambers to get dressed for bed.
I think of Cal that night, most of all. He'd be sleeping next to me, and we would enjoy the small company we provided each other. The loneliest people always seem to be drawn to each other. He is a hope that Maven needs to kill. The true heir of House Calore is Tiberias, and the Irals know this. Many others know this.
The man I killed, he begged Cal for forgiveness. He considered Cal as his one true king. Tiberias might be useful to the Scarlet Guard after all. I need him, not to save me, but to help me. The country must think us lovers by now, and although that is not the truth, it isn't a lie either.
Cal and I have been mutually drawn to each other and it has been difficult to hide since the dance lessons in the moonlight covered room. I am the Red Queen, and I fell for the Silver heir. A note slips under my door and I carefully lean down to examine it. A slow realization comes upon me, the cameras are off.
Mare, the Guard has settled in Warwickshire Castle, an abandoned castle near Archeon. Tiberias has rallied the Silvers and newbloods alike to his side and we are continuing picking off the others. We hope to reach you in one month and we will try to overwhelm Maven's forces. The cameras will be on soon so you must pretend nothing has happened but hide this note. We need you. - Colonel Farley
I breathe a small sigh of relief and small tears form in my eyes. They're coming. I quickly jump into the bed and hide the note underneath the sheets. The buzz of the cameras almost immediately comes alive, and I slowly grin at myself underneath the sheets. Cal is coming.