Mareena [Red queen fanfic]

Chapter 2: Queenstrial

Today is the day. Queenstrial. For some reason, I am nervous. I'm the last one in my family, so where do I sit? I don't have my own box. Oh please don't make me sit in a box all alone, that would be mortifying. 

I put on my dress and tell myself to relax. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Just get it over with. In the end, I do sit in my own box. The shame. Alright, be confident. I see my red doppelganger walking around as a maid, newly hired so she won't get conscripted. Cal, so sweet. 

We all chant "Strength and power" for the 1 millionth time. And we shout "I claim queenstrial"

Silver girls step onto the arena, into the lightning barrier. The lightning is so close, calling me. 

"House Titanos" I shout proudly. Everyone turns to see the lonely lightning girl, about to show her worth. 

Then, it's my turn. I call the lightning and electrocute my dress, giving it a cool effect since a current of purple lightning is running over it. Then I proceed to electrocute and burn everything I can. For extra effect, I destroy the shield, making everyone gasp, and then rebuild it out of my own lightning. Then I walk off the stage, victorious, as Cal and Maven watch me in awe. I don't have many reasons to use my power, but now they have seen me use it to my full extent.

Next is Evangeline. She looks lethal and scary. She definitely overdid it. The arena is completely destroyed, so she begins her show with the boxes. They start to move down, pulled by her ability. I signal for her to stop, someone could fall. 

It all happens in a heartbeat. A flash of brown, and someone tumbles down straight into the lightning shield. A sick crackling sound is heard. Oh my god... it's Mare... 

Then, I realize she's still alive, surrounded by lightning. She's controlling it... like me. She stares at her hands in awe, then glances at me for a second. Evangeline then throws metal shards at her face, and Mare puts her hands up, shooting a streak of lethal lightning. Evangeline barely manages dodges. 

Mare is frozen for a second. Then, she runs. The king orders his mean to get her. Everyone gasps and then leaves, Queenstrial is officially over. The king and queen, followed by Cal and Maven, come down and go to the throne room. I make my way down, in shock. I'm not alone... but... who is Mare really?

I barge into the throne room and see Mare in a cage being interrogated by Elara. "Your Majesties, sorry to interrupt," I say to the startled Calores and Elara, "But... What. Just. Happened" 

The next day...

I told Evangeline everything. Except for the color of Mares blood. "You have got to be kidding me... that Mare girl took from one of us a place on the throne! And you have to pretend she's your sister?" Evangeline says through gritted teeth. Then, the queen calls for silence. 

Cal begins his speech, and now, he's about to choose his future queen. Evangeline and I squeeze hands, about to hear the decision that could change our lives. "Mareena, I pledge my life to you. Will you be my queen?" asks Cal. I stand up gracefully, leaving my seat. "I accept" He smiles and everyone cheers, accepting defeat. Maven seems... angry... but then his expression is stoic once again.

A/N: I forgot what Cal asked Evangeline in the book when he asked her to be his queen word for word. I also don't remember the exact order in which things happened

Then, Elara prepares to tell us, Mare Barrows, now Mare Titanos, my "sister's" story. After telling us Mare's story about how she was told she is red but is actually silver and how she is my long-lost sister, which most silvers probably don't believe, Maven asks her to be his queen/princess. Girls start shooting Mare murderous looks, especially Evangeline after she says yes. Then, she sits next in the middle of us. I grab Evangeline's arm as she threatens to scratch Mare and let everyone see her blood. "Strength and power" we chant once again. Colonel Macanthos then asks about the Scarlet guard. Elara looks like she was going to spit her wine out. She swallows, regains her composure and everyone listens in eagerly. She/The king (I forgot who said it) says that those were accidents, the Scarlet guard didn't cause them, they are too weak. I'm not sure if I believe them, but I will, for now. 

Then, Maven escorts me to my chambers and Cal escorts Mare, who I have not spoken too yet.

We walk in silence. Then, I ask: "If you had a choice, who would you have chosen?" He looks at me and says quietly: "The person I wanted to choose wasn't choosable" I look at him curiously. "Who?" He gives me a look and says under his breath: "You" I must have heard wrong. "Well, good night," I say, and he kisses my hand and leaves me there, blushing. 

A long time ago...

Little Maven, Cal, and Mareena are outside playing with toys. Suddenly, Maven breaks Mareenas toy by accident. Mareena's eyes fill with tears and she begins to cry. "Y-you broke my toy!" Maven looks like a dear caught in headlights and he apologizes and runs up to hug little Mareena. 

He gets slightly electrocuted. 

"Ow!" Now both children are crying

Little Cal, being 2 years older than them, acts as the mature child (as mature as a 7-year-old can be) and hugs both of them, telling them to apologize to each other. Eventually, Maven and Mareena do so, and they resume playing. 

3 years later (Mareena/Maven=8, Cal=10

Mareena walks past the 2 princes, busy in her studies, Evangeline behind her. 

"Who do you think you're going to marry someday?" asks an innocent (ish) Maven. Cal makes a "gross" face but then says "Mareena is the prettiest and coolest, so I might marry her. But I'm too young" declares a weirded-out Cal. 

"Hah! Yeah right, you may be older, but I'm more handsome! Mom says I'm better! I'M going to marry Mareena, not you!" says Maven with a smug grin.

The brothers begin bickering

2 more years... (Mareena/Maven: 10, Cal: 12)

The two calore brothers run, trying to find Mareena before the other. "I'm going to ask her!" "No, I am!" 

In the end, Cal wins. The crowd watches the children dance at the ball, saying how cute they are. 

1 year later... (Mareena/Maven: 11, Cal: 13)

This time Maven asked Mareena first. Elara smirks, watching the 2 dance. Cal may get a lot of things, but Mareena would be Mavens queen, and Maven would be king. Elara would make sure of that. 

The oblivious tweens continued dancing awkwardly, blushing most of the time. Cal watched jealously from the sidelines. 

2 years later... (You guys can do the math)

"Not this time boys," says Mareena, shaking her head. "Ptomulous is my date for this ball, maybe next time" 

At the ball...

The Calore princes were trying very hard not to set a smug Ptomulous's butt on fire. Evangeline smirked, enjoying watching her brother stumble over his words while her best friend was as graceful and beautiful as ever. 

(Extra chapter! Thoughts?)