I'm Your Red Queen (Mare + Maven fanfic)

Chapter 1

A/N: Bold print is the writing directly from the book, the writing belongs to Victoria Aveyard and I do not own it. It serves as an intro for the start of the book. Any regular or italic print without bold is solely my writing and not plagiarized and I do own it.

"Betrothed to a girl with eyes for another, for the brother, the prince no one could ever ignore." His words take on a feral edge, heavy with a wild anger. But there is truth in them, a harsh truth I've tried so hard to forget. It makes my skin crawl. "You took everything that should've been mine, Cal. Everything."

    Suddenly I'm standing, shaking violently, but still standing. He's lied to us for so long, but I cannot let him lie now.

    "I was never yours, and you were never mine Maven." I snarl. "And not because of him, either. I thought you were perfect, I thought you were strong and brave and good. I thought you were better than him."

    Better than Cal. Those are words Maven thought no one would ever say. He flinches, and for a second, I can see the boy I used to know. A boy that didn't exist.

    He reaches out a hand, grabbing at me between the bars. When his fingers close over the bare skin of my wrist, I feel nothing but repulsion. He holds me tight, like I'm some kind of lifeline. Something has snapped in him, revealing a desperate child, a pathetic, hopeless thing trying to hold on to his favorite toy.

    "I can save you."

    How can he save me when he's the one who caused the pain? It's a trap, it's a trap, it's a trap. Then why does it sound so real? He says he can save me, but what for? It's not like I'm important to him. Because he didn't choose me. I was never enough.

    "Your father loved you, Maven. You didn't see it, but he did."

    "A lie."

    "He loved you, and you killed him! The words come faster, spilling like blood from a vein. "Your brother loved you, and you made him a murderer. I-I loved you. I trusted you. I needed you. And now I'm going to die for it."

    "I am a king. You will live if I want to. I will make it so."

    "Your lies will do you no good king Maven. You have broken me emotionally and have damaged my heart. I gave myself to you, for what? For you to use me up and throw me out like trash?!" I yell, getting frustrated by the minute.

    "Oh, and what about the silvers? Wouldn't they get curious and ask about me? The minx who seduced the prince for her life. She's a good-for-nothing whore." I continue after catching my breath.

    "I won't let that happen Mare. I won't let you die. I will protect you forever and always, as long as you are by my side." He replies, cautiously making eye contact.