King's Cage (A Red Queen Fanfiction)

Chapter 1

Authors Note

Hey guys, so I read Red Queen and Glass Sword a while back and really liked it so I decided to write a fanfiction about the series. Hope you enjoy the first chapter! Let me know if you like the story and would like me to publish more of it. Also if you have any suggestions as to how I can improve the story, message me. :) I should be updating every weak unless I'm busy. Thanks for reading! <3

Mare's POV

I will myself to look up at Maven's jeering face, full of satisfaction as he stares at my wet cheeks and kneeling figure. I grit my teeth at the amusement I see dancing across his sharp features, and bite the urge to slap him. I force the tears to stop streaming from my eyes, force myself to stop looking so broken. From being so broken. I have to put myself back together to wipe some of the pleasure off Maven's face.

Around us the crowd continues to cheer, relieved that I have been captured. But there are bigger threats than me that they do not know about. Threats that should now be safely back at the Lakelands.

When the crowd starts to quiet, Maven turns to address them, "Today, I have achieved one of the greatest feats since becoming your king. I have captured an infamous rebel, notorious for her numerous violations against our people. She is nothing but a filthy red blooded dog, who somehow obtained a powerful ability that set her apart. And with that ability, she has committed unforgivable crimes. She has murdered our beloved queen and displayed her corpse on live T.V," he pauses to dab his watery eyes, "She's lied to us, played games with our hearts, betrayed us on countless occasions and now she will be punished."

The crowd breaks out in applause as Maven pulls my leash, forcing me to get up. The people bow as their king turns to leave, pulling me-his new pet- along with him.

We walk through the halls of Whitefire Palace, Maven never loosening his grip on my leash, though sentinels still hold on to the end of my other chains.

"Take her to her cage," Maven orders the sentinels, handing my leash to one of them.

"If you're going to kill me, why can't you just get over with it? Why can't you give your people the pleasure of watching my filthy red blood spill across the floor?" I ask Maven through gritted teeth.

"Oh Mare, if I wanted to kill you I have would have already done it. No, what I have planned for you is so much more enjoyable," he smirks and adds, "you'll find out soon enough."

With that and a curt nod to his bowing sentinels, Maven turns on his heels and walks away.

My cell is the only one at the bottom of flight of stairs. It's slightly larger than a dog's cage, every wall decorated with silent stone. The sentinels attach my leash and chains to some hooks on the floor and lock the barred door of my cage as some of them leave and others position themselves in front of the bars of my cage to stand watch.

I sit down, my chains clinking as they hit the floor and let the horrible realization sink in. I am nothing but a dog now. Mare Barrow. Little Lightning girl. Mareena Titanos. Newblood. The king's pet. Who knows what I'll be next.

Hours pass-or maybe minutes- I can't really tell, when Evangeline appears at the bars of my cage.

"How are you doing, Mare. Oh and how is he, my ex fiancé? The one who kissed you while he was supposed to be mine?" Evangeline sneers.

I flinch at the mention of Cal. I've been trying to avoid thinking about him. About all those kisses, all those nights I spent clinging to his warmth, his comfort. About the look we shared as we fell from the skies. About the agony on his face as he watched me leave with Maven. The look of betrayal as he thought of the words I had spoken an eternity ago." I won't go back. For anyone." Maybe one day he'll forgive me.

Lost in thought, I almost don't see the silver dagger Evangeline throws my way. The blade misses its target by an inch.

"Close one, little lightning girl," she taunts.

I dodge a few more of her thrown metal bits before I grab a fallen one and chuck it at her.
She easily stops it in its tracks and steers it back towards me. Tired of playing this game with Evangeline, I allow the blade to cut across my arm. Thick red blood oozes out of the fresh wound, spilling down my arm and dripping onto the floor.

"Satisfied?" I ask.

"Not quite," She responds, her eyes still trailing my blood, "but I guess that'll do for now."

Evangeline gives me one last smirk, collects her thrown weapon and stalks away.
As I watch her head up the stairs, I almost wish she would come back. It would give me something to do rather than keep thinking about the horrid night of my capture and the events that occurred afterwards. Maven had taken quite a pleasure in watching his sentinels chain me up as Kilorn begged me not to go, as Cal just stared, his eyes displaying a storm cloud of emotions. When I was fully chained, Maven and the sentinels started walking a short distance to where a train stood waiting, dragging me behind them. I had taken a last glance back at Cal, who locked eyes with me
while struggling against his binds again, and put on the most apologetic, loving expression I could muster as the sentinels shut the train door.

Eyes watering, I took in my surroundings. The inside of the train was blindingly white, with nothing but a table of the same color in the center.

"Put her on the clicker," Maven ordered.

The sentinels then grabbed my arms and laid me on the marble table. That's when I'd heard the first horrifyingly familiar click. My heart plunged into my stomach as blinding pain took over my body.
    An earsplitting scream escaped my lips without my consent, before I realized the effect this could have had on Cal and Kilorn. There was no doubt they had heard. Through my spotted vision I could make out Maven's pale face mercilessly staring down at me. He had wanted Cal to hear my pained scream.
I begged Maven to stop as my own lightning turned against me and tortured me. None of my efforts seemed to have any sort of effect on him, or at least none that I could see with my dotted vision. Just like the time before, his icy blue eyes were the last thing I saw before loosing consciousness.
The sound of approaching footsteps pull me out of my thoughts and I'm almost thankful until I look up and see who it is. Maven Calore stands outside the barred door of my cage.