My Red Queen |Red Queen fanfic|

Second Chance

    ~Maven~

I hate rowboats. The sea surrounding the Stilts and upcoming Naercey is everlasting.  I'm strong but I grow tired of rowing. I should have taken something faster, I'm burning precious time. I'm the king, I have free reign to go where I please but even so, I have no control over where she goes.
       Air is getting thicker, grayer. I'm getting closer. I should be thinking more logically, more like a soldier. I'm their enemy, they hate me and won't hesitate to kill me if they spot me. I'm strong but not strong enough to take all of them.

All I care about is finding her. My desire for my betrothed will mask my fear.

   I rowed into the bank, maneuvering myself carefully. I mistake my footing and fall into the water. Thank God nobody saw that. I have to climb out of the mercury waters, lying face down in the brush. I hate water, I can't swim and it renders my abilities useless.
    I hear footsteps, someone's coming. Quickly I dive into the bushes beside the trail. Peeking through tiny branches, I can see a girl. She's running, I see a familiar face. It's Mare.

    Patience is key. I must wait for the right moment. I allowed her to get close to the bush, she stops when she hears the tussling of dead leaves. I can't contain myself, happy tears threatened to flow. Without thinking I wrap my arms around her small frame.  "I've missed you" I smile.

She jumps, she wraps an arm around my neck, hurling me over her shoulders. Head first into the ground. Wow, she's gotten stronger.  Sparks of purple and white lightning come to life.

"Mare it's me," I say calmly.

She doesn't bat an eye.

"What the hell are you doing here? They'll kill if they find you".

Was she... worried about me?

     Rising back to my feet, I'm anxious to see her.  I want to hold her close and never let go. I know she won't let me but at least I can enjoy the imagery.

"I came back for you, I've missed you", I hold open my arms.

She scoffs, rolling her eyes at me.

"You're unbelievable. You used me, you tried to kill me and you betrayed me. You've lost your right to me, I don't want you here " she sneers.

Sadness pulls at my heartstrings. I don't want you.

"It was my mother's idea to kill my father Mare, she's the one who made Cal do it. ..please, I never wanted to hurt you".

Her expression softened slightly but not enough to come running into my arms.

"Well, you did. You destroyed me, I can't even get a good night's sleep because your face haunts my dreams. Why can't you understand that it still hurts" she says angrily?

She's right. How can I possibly expect her to magically forgive me? Did I really think she'd come back to me so easily- that we'd pick up where we left off?

"What can I do, how can I show you that I'm sorry?" I plead.

She's quiet, silently pondering something.

"Give me your flame bracelets".

Damn

"I'll be defenseless without it" I argued.

She won't budge, her mind set on taking away my only source of protection.

    Mare held out her hand. " If you want me to trust you, give me your bracelets, That way I know you can't hurt me".
    She really thinks that low of me, that I'd intentionally hurt her. I wouldn't want to but I have. She has reason to fear me.

"You know I can't do that, ask me anything else".

"That's what I thought, all you care about is power. You're so attached to the precious throne that you can't part with it for the girl you claim to love", she growls between words.

" I love both of you, come with me, Mare. Come back home with me and let me take care of you".

    Mare slaps me, not hard enough to hurt me but enough to startle me. She now has tears in her eyes. "You don't get it", she wails, "I want to believe you, I want nothing more than to pretend like none of this ever happened ".
    She grabs my shirt, pulling on it as if it were her safety line. She buried her head in my chest, hiding away her tears. "If that's what you want I'll make it so, I will find someone who can take away those awful memories".

     I'm hugging her tightly. Trying not to let her fall apart in my arms. She's strong, she's brave.S he can make it through anything. Please don't let me break you.
    " I can't do that, I have to be reminded of what you are ".  I stiffened. Compassion quickly faded away. "What am I?" I say sharply. Mare tears herself away from me, " The Silver King, the flame of the north. A merciless killer".

No Mare, don't look at me through broken glass

" Let's not pretend I am the only one whose dirtied my hands with the blood of others. You are not so innocent yourself ".

"I know", she sounded fearful.

     I take her hand in mine. Locking my fingers around her's. "We are not so different you know".  She's appalled by my words.  " We both have hurt people, done awful things and have a lot to apologize for but the least we can do is try to make the best of our situation".
   I pulled her back into my arms. Pressing my head down on top of her's.  " I'm so sorry that I did this to you, please don't be afraid of me ".
She feels frail in my arms, almost like she has barely eaten.  She slips her arms around me.

" I love you so much.  It pains me to carry on without you". The truth. "You saw me for who I was, who I am. All I wanted was love and I found that with you-but I let my mother control me. She told me I had to let go of you so I did", my biggest regret,  " I lied to her to appease her.  But I can't lie anymore, I love you, Mare. All I want is you".

She nods her head. Still unable to look me in the eye.

"Your words are so emotional, so believable," she says. 

     I stroke her cheek with the back of my hand. " How do I know you're telling the truth ?".This time I pull away from her, kneeling before her. She wears skepticism, a bit of fear in her eyes.
   My hand digs into my back pocket. I feel around till I find what I'm looking for, she watches me carefully. I pull out a velvet ring box, flipping open the lid.  She covers her mouth to hold back her scream.

"Marry me".