Mare

I hardly had any time to change out of my huge formal dress into something more "modest" for a Queen. Maven didn't bother to change, claiming his suit wouldn't do anything during a professional meeting.

I didn't think that either, I just didn't want to wear a huge bulky dress that weighs a ton to this meeting.

This meeting that I have the majority say in. I was threatened with a knife, a dagger if you will. I still have one arm draped over my stomach as a protection charm. Little does everyone else know, I wasn't the only one that was threatened.

The discussion room had gray walls, a huge black table with Maven and I at the head. Each House had a few seats for a few head members. Some faces I recognize but the names to match said faces fail me. The main people that stick out to me, Samson Merandus, Eve and Ptolemus Samos, Elane Haven, Cal, and Shade, are the only people I know personally.

I'm surprised they let Shade in here, but he is part of a royal House now, House Barrow. We chose our House colors, purple and gold. Shade wanted to go with red and black, but that was already taken by House Calore.

Maven sat at my left, he leans back in his chair as if he owns the place, which he does. He has done this so many times that it appears as if it has been rehearsed. While I, on the other hand, look very dramatic. I have my back posture as straight as it could go, my hands folded, my ankles crossed.

"You don't have to look so superficial, you know," Maven comments, sitting up as he speaks.

I sigh, decompressing myself slightly, barely. "I know, I have never done this before, it's nerve-wracking."

He touches one of my elbows, rubbing it slowly to calm my nerves. His warmth is so calling, so soothing, addicting.

"I don't want to look sloppy," I mutter, looking at his hand.

"But you don't want to look like you are faking it either, do you?" I look over at him, his brow is raised. I sigh again, leaning back in my chair. He examines me, admiring what I am wearing and how my body is shaped.

"You're not wearing a corset," He points out.

"I took it off when I changed," I whisper, leaning into his earshot so I can be audible. "I figured it would be better for you-know-who."

"Ah," He raises his brow again, leaning away from me. He observes the room, taking in the information. Everyone is seated, a few small conversations are fluttering around the room. I can't hear what is being said, all I can hear is the muttering and the movement of lips.

Maven stands up and all the small conversations cease. I don't know whether I should stand up as well, but I stay planted in my seat.

"Thank you all for coming to this unexpected meeting," Maven says firmly, with a true leader in his voice. "If you haven't been caught up to speed, her majesty, Queen Mare was threatened this evening by a Red during the Honeymoon Strut."

A few murmurs from those who were clueless as to why we were here arise, but they fade out as quickly as they came. I look over to Shade, who is looking at me with melancholy in his eyes. Poor Shade, first he almost lost his lover, then his daughter, then me. He needs a break from stress.

Maven sits back down and looks at me. I pull myself away from Shade to look at Maven, his eyes are filled with worry. I give him a weak smile before looking back out at the crowd.

A Silver that I don't know by name raises her hand. Maven gives her a slight nod. "Forgive me, Your Highness, I was not aware of what had happened to The Queen, could you give me and everyone else who was not aware a synopsis of what happened?" She asks a ring of fear in her voice. She looks hardly older than me, her skin young, cheeks plump.

Maven stands. "Of course," He seems as if he doesn't wish to recall the events. "Mare's skirt was caught in the carpet somehow, she went to retrieve it and the man who was next to her made some sort of conversation, pulled out a dagger and pressed it against her stomach. Mare backed away before the suspect could do anything too serious."

I can feel my heart break as Maven speaks, how hurt and concerned he is, not just for me but for the baby.

"Any other questions?" Maven asks not just to the female who asked, but to everyone. Heads shake back and forth.

"No, Your Majesty, thank you," The young lady dips her head and sits back down. Some murmurs go around the room again. Another hand goes up, someone from House Iral.

"Apologies if this seems silly, but how did Mare's skirt get caught in the carpet?" She asks firmly, shrugging her shoulders.

Maven stands up, but before he can speak, another voice rings through.

"Pardon me, dear cousin, but I have an answer to Ms. Iral's question," Samson Merandus perks in, his usual slither in his tone.

"Of course," Maven sits down again.

"Due to normal protocol, I interrogated him. Turns out that this incident was planned. There was a rip in the carpet with a sewer lid underneath it. The lid was hacked so her skirt would snag on it. It was his hope that Mare would turn and fix it. His final goal was to do some harm to her, but he got carried away with his gloating," He explains, remaining standing tall.

The murmurs turn into conversation, coming in like tidal waves smashing into the shore. I hear phrases such as planned attack and murder. I can feel fear and anger boil in my veins.

Maven tries shushing the crowd, but only fails. He continues to try but the conversation drowns him out.

I continue to hear snippets of the conversation. Some of it making sense but all of it anger-based. It angers me how they easily brush off Maven, easily brush off me. Do they always not listen to Maven like this, brush him off?

"He said quiet!" I shout, standing up and pounding my fists on the table, a small burst of electricity coming from my fists, spreading it across the table. I forgot how beautiful my lightning looks, like lavender, how it dances around the sky, like the sunlight hitting a pool of water.

The whole room goes tongue-tied. You could hear a pin drop. I see Maven look at me, his jaw dropped. Shade's expression is similar, but I can see some accomplishment and pride in his eyes.

"Thank you," I say firmly, removing my arms from the table and to my sides.

Another hand is raised. "E-excuse me, Your Grace?"

I look over at the man whose hand is raised, it's Cal. He is afraid and pain in his burnt eyes. It looks as if it pains him to speak to me like this; somewhere deep inside me, it hurts too.

"Yes?" I tell him.

"Samson Merandus had said how the man who threatened you was gloating, if you don't mind sharing, what was he gloating about?"

I never knew Cal was one for gossip, I had always imagined that was Eve's mantra.

I continue to stand, not letting the words of this man put me down.

"He told me how bloodthirsty I was, how Maven is, and how it is damaging to Norta to have terrible rulers on the throne," I close my eyes. "While he was pressing the knife against me, he said 'Might as well make it so you can't produce any more bloodthirsty heirs to the throne,'"

Gasps fill the room as I sit back down. I look over at Maven, who has his head in his hands, his fingers ruffling his hair, his breathing constricted.

I grab his forearm, getting his attention. He snaps his head at me, his eyes wide.

"You didn't tell me that part," Maven tells me strictly, anger cutting in his voice. I gasp in a breath; Maven has never been this firm with me before.

"I-," I breathe before I speak. "I didn't want to worry you."

He chuckles darkly before he snaps his head away.

Another man stands up, this face I recognize.

"Maven, it is obvious that our new Queen has not the slightest idea what she is doing on the throne," He laughs, a stroke to his ego. "It hasn't even been 24 hours."

Maven stands up harshly, pushing his chair back. "Volo Samos, you have no right to degrade your Queen," He snaps unshakably.

Volo raises his hands innocently before taking his seat again. Maven sits down again, using his foot to pull his chair back to where it was before.

He looks over to me. "Mare," His words are dim, but sharp. "You have to declare what to do with this twerp who threatened you, it isn't up to me since it didn't happen to me."

I stare at him blankly, not having a single clue at what to do in this situation.

"I- I don't know," I shake my head.

He scoots his chair towards me. "He threatened our child, Mare."

The room goes quiet, that comment was only meant for me, but the room stills.

"Child?" I hear Volo question, a taunt in his vocalization.

I stand up, so does Maven. I look around the room, all the eyes are on me. Shade looks at me, shock in his eyes.

Are you? He mouths. I give him a nod, his inference being true. He sighs and slumps his posture.

"Well well well," Volo chuckles to himself. "There will be a future heir to the crown, oh how amusing," He pauses, his silver eyes looking at me, piercing my soul. "It happened quite fast; don't you think?"

My breathing quickens, the fear bubbling in my blood boils.

I can't think of a single thing to say or do, so I do the first thing that pops in my head.

I run out of the meeting hall without turning back.