My King of Darkness (Maven x OC)

Chapter 24

Lydia

                     As my mother began pouring the tea, she beamed, "You know, Lydia works in the palace, writing for the king. Isn't that wonderful?"
                      "Yes..." Maven began.
                      Papa snorted, "Wonderful? Bah, it's humiliating! That King Maven isn't so great. He's a complete fool!"
                      I winced, but I heard Maven chuckle, "I couldn't agree more, sir. Complete fool!"
                      Papa thumped him on the back, "Good man!"
                      I squeezed Maven's hand under the table. That couldn't have been easy on his pride.
                      "So what do you do for a living, Matt?" Papa asked.
                      "Well...I...uh—"
                      Maven was saved by the door crashing open. Three guards burst in. One was dragging my cousin, Crystal by the hair. He threw her at my mother's feet. "Caught her breaking into a Silver establishment."
                     "I'm sorry, Auntie!" She pleaded, "I—"
                     "Shut up!" one guard slapped her across the face, "Now you're going to watch your family members die one by one, starting with her!"
                    My mother scrambled back and my father put himself in between her and the guard only to get barreled over. I leapt to my feet as the guard seized my mother, "No, stop!"
                    "Please!" Crystal cries from the floor.
                    "Stop this this instant!" Maven bellowed suddenly, his rage filled voice carrying over the chaos.
                    "Says who?!" one guard mocked.
                    Maven threw off his hood, "Says me! Now unhand her!"
                    All three guards fell to the floor, trembling, "Your Majesty!"
                    "It's the king," my mother breathed.
                    "Leave this family alone!" Maven snapped, towering over the cowering guards.
                    "B—But, Your Majesty, the law states—"
                    "YOU DARE TO OPPOSE ME!? YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW MY OWN LAW!?"
                    Maven put one foot on the mans neck and pressed. He sneered, his teeth bared like fangs. His fists were clenched and glowing red. I tried not to let it show to my family how much I was loving this.
                     "You are to leave this family alone for now on. Anyone who disobeys will lose his head, understood?"
                   "Yes, Your Majesty," they all said in unison.
                   Maven lifted his boot off the guards neck and turned away, "Get out of my sight."
                   The three guards scrambled out the door, leaving the kitchen in stunned silence. And I stood in the center of it. Maven turned an apologetic gaze on me. "The king," my mother breathed again, "In our kitchen. Lydia, why didn't you tell me you were dating the king?"
                    "You're dating the king?" Papa echoed.
                    "Allow me to properly introduce myself, sir," Maven held out a hand, "Maven Cal—"
                    He was cut off as Papa seized his wrist in one hand and his shirt collar in the other and pitched him across the room. Maven hit the far wall and crashed down onto the coffee table, the sound competing with the women's startled screams. I half-expected Maven to spring to his feet and retaliate, but he only moved to stand up as if it was an accident.
                     But Papa was on him again, punching him once, twice. I grabbed his wrist as he brought it back for a third blow, "Papa! Stop!"
                     "He's a monster, Lydia!" he said but stepped back anyway, "He's the reason we live like this. He's the one who's oppressed our people!"
                     "It's not like that! He—"
                     "Lydia," a calm voice said to my right. It was Maven.
                     He had gotten to his feet and was wiping the silver blood from his lip, "Stop. I don't need you to answer for me."
                     He turned to my father, "You're right, sir. I am a monster. I'm sorry for everything that's happened to you and your family. But I want to make it right. For you and all Reds under my rule."
                     "What are you going to do?" my mother asked, hopefully.
                     "I have a plan to give you equal rights," Maven grinned warmly at her, "Lydia and I...well, we're getting married. Norta will have a Red queen."
                    "Hold on, married?" Crystal furrowed her brows, "What about that Yvonne girl?"
                    Maven nodded at me, pointedly.
                    "Lydia!" her and my mother cried, scoldingly.
                    "Don't worry," Maven said, "I'll keep her safe."
                    "Safe?!" Papa echoed, "You drag my Lydia into your political schemes, and you say you'll keep her safe!? You are every bit like your father! Selfish and manipulative! Get out of my house! I don't ever want to see you here again!"
                     "But Papa—" I started.
                     "You're an adult, Lydia, you can do what you want, but I'll have nothing to do with him!"
                     I heard Maven take several deep breaths in the silence that followed. Clearly the comment about his father had almost broken him, but all he said was, "I'll leave if you want, sir, but I hope it'll be different someday."
                     He crossed to the door, pulling up his hood along the way, and left without another word.
                     "David," my mother said scoldingly to my father, "Why did you have to overreact? He seemed like a nice young man."
                    "You didn't even give him a chance," tears escaped my eyes and rolled down my cheeks.
                    "Give him a chance?!" Papa echoed, "Lydia, he's using you. He doesn't want our freedom, he wants power. He's a Silver for crying out loud!"
                    "That's right. He is a Silver. One of the most powerful ones too. He could have turned you into ash, you realize? Why do you think he didn't?"